The Making Of

In this episode, we welcome Lowell A. Meyer, cinematographer of Other Mommy, Tuner, Knock at the Cabin, Thunder Road, and the Apple TV+ series Servant. In our conversation, Lowell shares his early inspirations, his journey to becoming a feature film cinematographer, and about the making of Tuner and Other Mommy. He also breaks down the tools and techniques used on Tuner, offering behind-the-scenes insights into his creative process, as well as invaluable advice for the next generation of filmmakers.
“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:
Futureproofing with IP video
As production workflows rapidly evolve, IP video is key to building more scalable, future-ready pipelines. To get up to speed on the IP fundamentals and gain insights into the various IP paths – like ST 2110, NDI, Dante AV, and SRT – download AJA’s free IP video white paper today.
A Solution Built Around Your Workflow
The OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more here
Cost Effective Sports Video Production Guide
Hosted by Key Code Media
Thursday, August 6 | 1-2PM EDT
Mid-tier sports programs, college athletics departments, and K-12 media teams are being asked to produce more live content for traditional and emerging sports with less time, fewer staff, and tighter budgets. The challenge is not just finding the right gear. It is building a production workflow that looks professional, is easy to operate, and can be used consistently by staff, students, and volunteers without requiring a large technical team.
In this Broadcast2Post Live Podcast, host Michael Kammes will be joined by Dennis Trapani, Associate Athletics Director for Broadcast and Video Production at the University of Wyoming. Together, they will explore how schools and organizations are creating broadcast-quality sports productions using cost-effective tools, practical system design, and streamlined workflows. Register here
ZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology Platform
ZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.
Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more here
Elgato Prompter XL
The Elgato Prompter XL is a professional all-in-one teleprompter with a 15.6” removable display and a reading range of up to 15 feet. Featuring USB 3.2 connectivity and broad compatibility, it’s ideal for live productions and content creation. Available now at Videoguys.com—call 800-323-2325 to learn more. Explore here
Podcast Rewind:
July 2026 - Ep. 144.
Explore a Partnership with The Making Of:
Reach 270,000 film production industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this weekly newsletter. To learn more, please email mvalinsky@me.com


Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we welcome Natasha Braier ASC, ADF, the cinematographer behind acclaimed films such as She Said, Honey Boy, The Neon Demon, Gloria Bell, and I Love Boosters. In our conversation, Natasha shares her journey from her roots in Argentina to building a career in Los Angeles, along with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of I Love Boosters, directed by Boots Riley. She also discusses DeepLight, the cinematography community she founded, and offers thoughtful advice for the next generation of filmmakers.
“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:
Futureproofing with IP video
As production workflows rapidly evolve, IP video is key to building more scalable, future-ready pipelines. To get up to speed on the IP fundamentals and gain insights into the various IP paths – like ST 2110, NDI, Dante AV, and SRT – download AJA’s free IP video white paper today.
A Solution Built Around Your Workflow
The OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more here
Intelligent Production Hub
New this summer from the Intelligent Production Hub: hands-on training in the AI and real-time tools working productions run on.
Intro to NVIDIA NvRTX (Jul 29), AI Video Creators Workshop (Aug 7), AI Creativity with Comfy (Aug 12), plus role-based AI sessions for editing, VFX, sound, and design.
See the full schedule here
ZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology Platform
ZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.
Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more here
Elgato Prompter XL
The Elgato Prompter XL is a professional all-in-one teleprompter with a 15.6” removable display and a reading range of up to 15 feet. Featuring USB 3.2 connectivity and broad compatibility, it’s ideal for live productions and content creation. Available now at Videoguys.com—call 800-323-2325 to learn more.
Explore here
Podcast Rewind:
July 2026 - Ep. 143.
Explore a Partnership with The Making Of:
Reach over 270,000 film production industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this newsletter. To learn more, please email mvalinsky@me.com


Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we welcome cinematographer Nik Summerer ASC, best known for his work on the critically acclaimed series Dark, as well as 1899 and the feature film Color Book, now streaming on Netflix. In our conversation, Nik shares his journey into cinematography, reflecting on his influences and the path that led him behind the camera. We take a deep dive into the making of Color Book, exploring his visual storytelling approach, the techniques he employed, and the tools he used to bring this striking black-and-white drama to life. Nik also offers real-world advice for students and emerging filmmakers looking to build a career in the industry.
“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:
AJA introduces high-performance Thunderbolt™ 5-enabled PCIe expansion chassis
Meet Io Xpand, a Thunderbolt 5 expansion chassis for AJA KONA and Corvid I/O cards. Io Xpand lets video professionals integrate the performance of AJA PCIe I/O cards on Thunderbolt 5 laptops and mini-PCs for an incredibly powerful, fast, and portable I/O solution for on set, remote production, and live switching. Visit here
Intelligent Production Hub
New this summer from the Intelligent Production Hub: hands-on training in the AI and real-time tools working productions run on.
Intro to NVIDIA NvRTX (Jul 29), AI Video Creators Workshop (Aug 7), AI Creativity with Comfy (Aug 12), plus role-based AI sessions for editing, VFX, sound, and design.
See the full schedule here
A Solution Built Around Your Workflow
The OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more here
ZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology Platform
ZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.
Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more here
Elgato Prompter XL
The Elgato Prompter XL is a professional all-in-one teleprompter with a 15.6" removable display and a reading range of up to 15 feet. Featuring USB 3.2 connectivity and broad compatibility, it's ideal for live productions and content creation. Available now at Videoguys.com—call 800-323-2325 to learn more.
Explore here
Podcast Rewind:
July 2026 - Ep. 142.
Explore a Partnership with The Making Of:
Reach over 275,000 film production industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this newsletter. To learn more, please email mvalinsky@me.com


Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we welcome director Connie He and Google DeepMind’s Márcia Mayer to discuss the making of Dear Upstairs Neighbors, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival in June. Connie and Márcia, both Pixar alumni, embarked on a creative journey to explore how emerging technologies could help bring Connie’s story and artistic vision to life. In our conversation, they discuss their respective roles in the project, the collaborative process behind this unique animated film, DeepMind’s mission to empower creators through cutting-edge technology, and what they learned along the way. They also share advice for the next generation of storytellers navigating today’s rapidly evolving creative landscape.
“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:
AJA introduces high-performance Thunderbolt™ 5-enabled PCIe expansion chassis
Meet Io Xpand, a Thunderbolt 5 expansion chassis for AJA KONA and Corvid I/O cards. Io Xpand lets video professionals integrate the performance of AJA PCIe I/O cards on Thunderbolt 5 laptops and mini-PCs for an incredibly powerful, fast, and portable I/O solution for on set, remote production, and live switching. Visit here
A Solution Built Around Your Workflow
The OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more here
New York City | July 28
The sports-production landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation as a result of the cloud and AI, and SVG’s new Cloud & Content Workflows Summit is where the industry comes together to navigate it. As virtualized hardware, cloud-based workflows, and AI-powered tools become more commonplace, the entire sports-production supply chain is being reimagined from the ground up. This special event brings together SVG’s previous Cloud Production and Content Management events into a single, comprehensive day of programming—covering both live and non-live production workflows alike. Learn more here
ZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology Platform
ZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.
Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more here
SanDisk Extreme PRO USB4 Portable SSD
Power your workflow with the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB4 Portable SSD, available in 2TB and 4TB capacities. Featuring speeds up to 3800 MB/s read and 3700 MB/s write, it’s built for fast transfers and editing. The rugged, IP65-rated design is ready for work anywhere. Learn more at Videoguys or call 800.323.2325 for free tech advice. View here
Podcast Rewind:
July 2026 - Ep. 141.
Explore a Partnership with The Making Of:
Reach over 275,000 film industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this weekly newsletter. To learn more, please email mvalinsky@me.com



Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we welcome award-winning cinematographer Jeff Hester, whose work includes documentaries such as Postcard from Earth, Our Planet, Dolphins Up Close with Bertie Gregory, Planet Earth III, and Hammerhead Sharks Up Close for Nat Geo’s annual summer event, SHARKFEST. In our conversation, Jeff shares his journey into cinematography, how he developed his unique skill set, and the making of Hammerhead Sharks Up Close. He also discusses what it’s like to film underwater alongside sharks, the specialized cameras and techniques used to capture these incredible images, and offers valuable insights for the next generation of filmmakers.
“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:
AJA introduces high-performance Thunderbolt™ 5-enabled PCIe expansion chassis
Meet Io Xpand, a Thunderbolt 5 expansion chassis for AJA KONA and Corvid I/O cards. Io Xpand lets video professionals integrate the performance of AJA PCIe I/O cards on Thunderbolt 5 laptops and mini-PCs for an incredibly powerful, fast, and portable I/O solution for on set, remote production, and live switching. Visit here
Thunderbolt 5 Speed. DIY RAID Without Limits.
The OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is a next-gen Thunderbolt 5 NVMe enclosure built for serious post workflows. Delivering up to 6622MB/s, it lets you use your own drives to create a high-performance RAID with up to 32TB—and beyond via daisy chaining. Compact, powerful, and scalable for 8K+ and VFX workflows. Available for pre-order now, shipping in late June. Explore here
New York City | July 28
The sports-production landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation as a result of the cloud and AI, and SVG’s new Cloud & Content Workflows Summit is where the industry comes together to navigate it. As virtualized hardware, cloud-based workflows, and AI-powered tools become more commonplace, the entire sports-production supply chain is being reimagined from the ground up. This special event brings together SVG’s previous Cloud Production and Content Management events into a single, comprehensive day of programming—covering both live and non-live production workflows alike.
Learn more here
ZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology Platform
ZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.
Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more here
SanDisk Extreme PRO USB4 Portable SSD
Power your workflow with the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB4 Portable SSD, available in 2TB and 4TB capacities. Featuring speeds up to 3800 MB/s read and 3700 MB/s write, it’s built for fast transfers and editing. The rugged, IP65-rated design is ready for work anywhere. Learn more at Videoguys or call 800.323.2325 for free tech advice. View here
Podcast Rewind:
July 2026 - Ep. 140.
Promote your brand with The Making Of:
Reach 275,000+ film industry, broadcast pros, and content creators reading this newsletter. To explore a partnership, please email mvalinsky@me.com


Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe