The Cinematography Podcast

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 350: Lawrence Sher, ASC

DP Lawrence Sher felt creatively challenged on The Bride! The "everything burger" movie combines many film techniques and influences, 1930's and contemporary lighting, contemporary actors dropped into archival movie footage, and practical makeup effects.

Key Podcast Highlights:
-Creating a stylized movie with director Maggie Gyllenhaal using multiple techniques and film influences
-Honoring 1930’s filmmaking with longer lenses, and using real archival footage for the “movie within a movie” sequences.
-The challenge of lighting and filming practical makeup effects on actors Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley
-Finding creative inspiration in projects that excite and scare him

Find Lawrence Sher: https://www.lawrencesher.com/
Instagram @lawrencesherdp
See The Bride! in theaters
Check out Shotdeck: https://shotdeck.com/
Hear our previous episodes with Lawrence Sher: https://www.camnoir.com/ep293/
https://www.camnoir.com/ep56/

Show Rundown:
01:38 Close Focus
09:43-50:05 Lawrence Sher interview
50:21 Short ends
57:08 Wrap up/Credits

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

The Cinematography Podcast 2026 Oscar Special

Jenelle Riley, three-time Emmy-winning entertainment journalist and host, chats with Ben and Illya for our SEVENTH annual Oscar nominations special. With a focus on cinematography, they discuss what they liked, what will win, what should win, and their favorite movies of the year that may not have been recognized.

They discuss this year’s nominations, including the likeliest Best Picture and Best Director contenders, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. F1 is also mentioned as an outlier for the category, although the cinematography by Claudio Miranda is excellent. This year's new category, Achievement in Casting, is celebrated as a much needed addition. The cinematography competition is a heated one, with both Autumn Durald Arkapaw and Michael Bauman as favorites, with Bauman recently winning the ASC Award. Some of the snubs this year include one of Jenelle's favorite movies, Life of Chuck.  Song Sung Blue also didn't receive much awards love. Last year's awards omitted the worthy film, Thelma. 

Also discussed: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

Find Jenelle Riley on Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, X: @jenelleriley
and Substack: https://substack.com/@rileywrites74/note/p-183180534
Tune in to the SAG/AFTRA foundation YouTube Channel to see Jenelle's interviews with several of the nominees this year. https://www.youtube.com/@SAGAFTRAFoundation

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 349: James Whitaker, ASC

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die DP James Whitaker, ASC played with different genres, with over 70 setups a day in the Norm's diner set. He used LED walls and projectors to cast real, interactive light on the characters in the film’s climax, and swapped to a different camera system for certain scenes to play up the glow of cell phones.

Key Podcast Highlights:
-Shooting the opening sequence of the film in a set replica of Norm’s Diner
-How director Gore Verbinski’s complex, hand-drawn storyboards allowed the crew to maintain a "ballet-like" precision during Rockwell's complex physical performances.
-Using LED walls and projectors to cast real, interactive light on the characters in the film’s climax
-Swapping to a Sony Venice 2 when the cell phone light source wasn’t strong enough in some scenes

Find James Whitaker: Instagram @jameswhitaker_dop
See Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die in theaters
See James' most recent series, DTF St. Louis, on HBO Max
See Patriot on Amazon Prime
Hear our recent interview with Nicole Whitaker: https://www.camnoir.com/ep338/

SHOW RUNDOWN:
02:05 Close Focus
12:14-01:00:49 James Whitaker Interview
01:01:30 Short ends
01:06:46 Wrap up/Credits

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 348: Danny Cohen, BSC

DP Danny Cohen, BSC, reveals how he crafted the "dirty London" look of Slow Horses through motivated lighting, high ASA grain, and the grit of Slough House.

Key Podcast Highlights:
-How Slow Horses ditches the typical block shooting system, with one DP and one director to create the entire season’s visual look.
-Using camera settings to bake in noise and deep, inky blacks for that signature London grit.
-Shooting with 2–3 cameras, which allows for weird, accidental angles that a single camera would never catch.
-Why Danny bans traditional backlighting and soft fill to keep his characters trapped—and embedded—in their murky environments.
- A look at the multi-story Slough House sets that let actors and cameras move through floors without ever hitting a fake wall.

Find Danny Cohen: http://wwwb.co.uk/

See Slow Horses on Apple TV.

SHOW RUNDOWN:
02:23 Close Focus
13:41-51:27 Danny Cohen Interview
51:53 Short ends
01:03:18 Wrap up/Credits

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 347: director Natasha Kermani and DP Julia Swain

In the medieval horror film The Dreadful, director Natasha Kermani and cinematographer Julia Swain transport audiences to the brutal landscapes of the Dark Ages. The independent film shot in Cornwall, England over 17 winter days.

Key Podcast Highlights:
-Development: Kermani spent years crafting the folkloric tale, prioritizing a "gothic storybook" aesthetic that blends historical iconography with psychological dread.
-The Power of Partnership: Kermani and Swain have collaborated on several projects. Early on, they worked together to map out the film’s framing, lens choices and color story.
-Practical Immersion: The crew built a practical cottage set on location, allowing for seamless camera movement between the interior hearth and dark forest.
-Embracing the Elements: Filmed in the dead of winter, the production utilized the low December sun and natural ambiance to create an authentic, oppressive atmosphere without the use of hard, artificial lighting.

Find Natasha Kermani: Instagram @natakerm

Find Julia Swain: Instagram @juliaswain

See The Dreadful in theaters and on VOD now.

SHOW RUNDOWN:
01:59 Close Focus
14:23-01:03:57 Natasha Kermani and Julia Swain Interview
01:04:43 Short ends
01:09:24 Wrap up/Credits

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social