Filmmakers Academy Podcast Finding the Frame - Gothic Lighting Secrets & Film Emulation (feat. Steve Yedlin, ASC)
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This episode is proudly lit exclusively by Nanlux-Nanlite Lights and sponsored by B&H and Hollyland.
In this episode of Finding the Frame, host Chris Haigh sits down with acclaimed cinematographer Steve Yedlin, ASC, the visionary behind director Rian Johnson's films for over 30 years, including Knives Out, The Last Jedi, and the new Benoit Blanc mystery, Wake Up, Dead Man.
Steve discusses his 30-year partnership with Rian Johnson and his technical approach to cinematography, moving from early visual effects fascination to developing custom digital color pipelines. He demystifies the film vs. digital debate, emphasizing that the ultimate look of a film is determined by the color pipeline rather than the camera brand, a philosophy he applied across projects like The Last Jedi to ensure consistency between film and digital formats. This foundation allows him to focus on the story's visual needs, leading to the distinct, highly stylized looks of the Benoit Blanc trilogy, culminating in the Gothic, high-contrast world of Wake Up, Dead Man.
For Wake Up, Dead Man, Yedlin details complex lighting techniques: using custom software for real-time dynamic lighting cues to simulate clouds and sun changes within scenes, and integrating monitors to project realistic fire and window reflections onto actors' faces and eyeglasses. A notable logistical solution involved using meticulously hand-painted stage backdrops that allowed him to light the sky and trees separately, offering unparalleled control over day/night transitions on the soundstage.
Yedlin also offers crucial advice to aspiring DPs: remain fiercely idiosyncratic and true to your vision rather than trying to be an "interchangeable cog." He concludes with a brief, skeptical take on the current state of AI, calling it a "fuzzy search engine" that primarily excels at mashing up existing content.
More from Filmmakers Academy and for do-it-all filmmakers:
-Cinematography: Virtual Location Scouting with the Insta360
-Cinematography: The EL Zone System Exposure Guide
-Shane Hurlbut’s Go-To Lighting Package
-The Modern Cinematographer – On-Set Essentials