Team Deakins

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 138 - Suzie Davies - Production Designer In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with production designer Suzie Davies (CONCLAVE, SALTBURN, MR. TURNER). Suzie once thought she’d be a sheep farmer, but after working for model-makers on commercials, she found herself drawn to the art department and filmmaking. A frequent collaborator with director Mike Leigh (Season 1, Episode 76), Suzie reveals how they first met and how she works with him within his unique process. We also learn how the boundaries of production inform Suzie’s general approach to design, and she shares how she tries to help directors realize their creative visions within these limits. Later, Suzie reflects on the challenge of finding period locations in the modern world, and we discuss how she augments locations to suit the film’s reality. Suzie also shares what made the estate in SALTBURN so unique as a location, and we learn how she balanced the production of that film with weekend location scouts in Rome for CONCLAVE. Throughout the episode, Suzie reflects on how she made the most of the opportunities presented to her throughout her career, and we discuss the enduring appeal of being just a sheep farmer. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 137 - Stefan Nikolov - Location Manager Location manager Stefan Nikolov (SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE, JUSTIFIED: CITY PRIMEVAL, SHAMELESS) joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Originally from Bulgaria, Stefan followed his journalist parents around the world before landing in Chicago where he has since built a career in the locations department. We discuss how he worked his way up the ladder, and Stefan breaks down the different roles in the department. Throughout our conversation, Stefan shares many stories from his career, and we learn what to do when an alligator hunt prevents the crew from parking the vans where you need them. We also learn about the potential consequences of living in a home made famous on television, and we discuss why a film would come to Chicago to shoot for another real-world location. And at the end, Stefan gives his advice to anyone trying to break into the locations department. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience in Chicago at the Athenaeum Center.  - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 136 - Judy Becker - Production Designer In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with production designer Judy Becker (THE BRUTALIST, CAROL, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN). Judy’s love for art and collaboration began at the age of 3 and developed throughout her childhood, and after discovering the theatre department in high school, she found her way into the New York filmmaking scene. Having worked in a number of projects across many different periods of history, Judy shares how she approaches bringing those spaces to life, and we reflect on the fact that absolute accuracy to a period doesn’t always look real on the screen. Later, during our discussion of her work on THE BRUTALIST, Judy reflects on the challenges of communicating with a crew whose language is nothing like her own, and she reveals how they fought for scraps of plywood and found (and built) post-war America in Hungary. Judy also shares how she approached designing The Institute—the architectural centerpiece of the film—and she reveals how they used the scale model they built in the actual shoot. We also discuss the differences between working on location and in a stage, and Judy shares the creative attraction to working on producer Ryan Murphy’s many television shows. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 135 - Simon Hayes - Production Sound Mixer In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with production sound mixer Simon Hayes (WICKED, LES MISERABLES, SHAUN OF THE DEAD). At 14, Simon followed his father to set to learn sound. At 15, he then won the European BMX Championship. And at 16, he quit school, immersed himself in the industry, and honed his skills during the boom times of British commercials. Simon shares how early-career nights at Soho bars led to his professional relationships with directors Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn, and we discuss the lessons he learned about protecting live performances on those early films. Simon  reveals how an idea from Meryl Streep changed the approach to recording the songs of MAMMA MIA!, and he later shares his own views on the effectiveness of boom mics and radio mics. Simon also reveals how they actually recorded the live vocals of LES MISERABLES without pre-recorded backing tracks, and he reflects on how his experiences in recording studios enabled him and his team to coordinate the complex musical numbers in WICKED with seasoned recording artists and leading actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Plus, Simon reveals where he hid Elphaba’s radio mic. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

Nathan Crowley, a renowned production designer known for his work on *Interstellar*, *Dunkirk*, and *Wicked*, shares his transformative journey in film. He reveals how a chance encounter led him to set design, and discusses the practical effects used in *Dunkirk* to enhance emotional depth. Crowley provides insights from his recent project, *Wicked*, detailing how he addressed challenges in creating iconic visuals, like expansive tulip fields. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration and following instincts in innovative design.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 133 - Lisy Christl - Costume Designer In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with costume designer Lisy Christl (CONCLAVE, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, FUNNY GAMES). Originally from Bavaria, Lisy did just about everything she could do to avoid the film industry, and she shares several moments from her career when other filmmakers would not take her “no” as an answer. Lisy later reflects on her 10-year-long collaboration with director Michael Haneke, and she reveals the inspiration for the all-white outfits of the two men in FUNNY GAMES. We also discuss Lisy’s work on CONCLAVE, and she reveals what inspired her to adjust the typical garb worn by the cardinals. During our discussion of her work in TIME OF THE WOLF, Lisy shares the costuming decision she made to bring the audience to the present in a scene that recalled a scenario out of the Middle Ages, and she reveals the lengths she and her team went to design silent puffy jackets out of consideration for the sound department. We also discuss Lisy’s work in ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, and she describes how and why she empowered herself to make choices that may not have been exactly period appropriate. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 132 - Post - with Ed Lachman In this special episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, cinematographer Ed Lachman (Season 1, Episode 77) joins us to talk about post-production from the point-of-view of a cinematographer. Throughout the episode, Ed shares a bounty of his own observations regarding colour, luminosity, and depth of field, and we share our own perspectives on the perceived effects of anamorphic and spherical lenses. We later discuss the fatiguing effect of a monotonous montage of dark images, and Ed reveals a recent revelation about the relationship between resolution and colour. We also discuss the different (and complicated) methods of mimicking film in digital images, and we reflect on the importance of making your image look the way you want in-camera. We also ask Ed what he might do differently today to achieve the same Douglas Sirk-inspired look of Todd Haynes’ FAR FROM HEAVEN, and Ed even brainstorms what he might do on his upcoming film shooting later this year. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 131 - Ben Davis - Cinematographer In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with cinematographer Ben Davis (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, LAYER CAKE). During our conversation, we talk all things cinematography, and we learn what it was about a film set that initially appealed to a younger Ben. We also discuss the importance of knowing how a film is going to be cut, and Ben reflects on his path working up the grades of the camera department. A frequent collaborator with director Martin McDonagh (Season 2, Episode 19), Ben shares how he and Martin typically prep, and he describes their process for working on THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN. We also discuss how Ben balances shooting with multiple cameras, and he compares the experiences of shooting on films with many resources against those with much fewer. We later discuss the pitfalls of pre-vis, and we reflect on the different practices of manipulating film stock and digital footage. Plus, Ben shares his best impression of producer Dino De Laurentiis - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 130 - Peter Kurland - Production Sound Mixer Production sound mixer Peter Kurland (THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, WALK THE LINE) joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. We’ve worked with Peter many times over the years, and we had a wonderful time catching up with him. In the beginning of the episode, Peter shares the two versions of his origin story, both of which begin in Nashville, and we learn how he was repeatedly enlisted in roles in the sound department without any training. A former boom op, Peter also fills us in on the subtle differences between boom mics and radio mics, and we learn how Peter communicates potential sound problems to a director and to production at large. Peter also shares how he best fulfills requests from post-production, and we discuss how we try to capture what the director wants, even when they don’t want to think about it. And, at the end, Peter shares his thoughts on recent changes in the film industry. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 129 - Brad Ingelsby - Writer Writer Brad Ingelsby (MARE OF EASTTOWN, THE WAY BACK, OUT OF THE FURNACE) joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. A self-professed overwriter, Brad shares his personal approach to screenwriting, and we break down the parts of a story we like the most as viewers and as filmmakers. We later discuss the ever-shifting nature of a script from prep through post-production, and Brad shares how he thinks about when to reveal pieces of information that lead to the most effective telling of a story. We also ask Brad about THE DYNAMITER, an early film in his career, and he shares how the film evolved from an AFI thesis film into a full feature. We also reflect on the role of research in screenwriting, from spending time in a particular community to convincing its members to tell you what’s wrong with your script, and Brad shares how he tries to integrate resources from a specific area into the actual shoot of a project. Brad also compares writing for film against writing for television, and, at the end, we ask Brad what advice he would give to a young screenwriter today. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure