Team Deakins

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 18 - CRIS GRAVES - DOCUMENTARIAN For this episode of The Team Deakins Podcast, we have a delightful conversation with the documentary producer and director, Cris Graves. Cris is a mover and a shaker, and her can-do spirit is infections. As she pivots her attention to launching her own narrative feature film, Cris tells us how she’s not willing to compromise her own vision and how her story has already become an inspiration for others. Listen in and let her enthusiasm for filmmaking grab ahold of you! Available now.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 17 - PEARCE ROEMER - ASSISTANT EDITOR On this episode of The Team Deakins Podcast we are joined by the fabulous assistant editor Pearce Roemer (1917, TENET, X-MEN: APOCALYPSE). Pearce really understands the nuts and bolts filmmaking that goes on in the editorial department, and he tells us everything we want to know. We learn how Pearce got involved with the X-Men franchise, and has become an indispensable part of that team over the years. We also touch on a wide array of topics, including how Covid completely restructured the editorial workflow, screening the very first day of dailies for 1917, and even how solar radiation can lead to dead pixels in your footage! Don’t miss it!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 16 - CALLUM MCDOUGALL - PRODUCER This week we are thrilled to be joined by the legendary producer Callum McDougall (1917, SPECTRE, INTO THE WOODS, SKYFALL). Callum tells us how his remarkable career in the film industry can be traced back to an afternoon when he got lost on the London subway system as a schoolboy. We also discuss how he climbed the ranks through the industry as an assistant director, and why that might be his favorite position on a shoot. Callum is a font of knowledge and experience. Listen in and hear him share some of his invaluable know-how! Available Wednesday, December 21st.

Andy Harris, a talented first assistant cameraman renowned for his work on films like The Tragedy of Macbeth and 1917, shares insights from his cinematic journey. He discusses the delicate art of reading the room and actors to determine ideal marking spots. Harris also highlights the contrasting dynamics of working directly with the camera versus monitoring from afar. With anecdotes from filming in diverse locations like Rome and the Atlas Mountains, he emphasizes the importance of trust, mentorship, and adaptability in the fast-paced world of film.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 14 - MARTIN PARR - STILL PHOTOGRAPHER This episode is a fabulous conversation with the outstanding still photographer, Martin Parr. Our wide-ranging conversation delves into Martin’s process in fascinating ways. Listen in to hear why he would rather take photos in a supermarket than a war zone. And when he and Roger get to comparing notes, we learn that when Roger goes out to shoot stills, he’s lucky to come home at the end of the day having snapped five pictures. Meanwhile Martin will have snapped over five hundred! Don’t miss our great discussion, it’s available now!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 13 - DAVID VALDES - PRODUCER For this week’s episode, Team Deakins sits down for a great conversation with the fabulous producer David Valdes (UNFORGIVEN, THE GREEN MILE, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER). David tells us how he got his career started by sneaking onto a film shoot as a teenager. Eventually he found himself working on the Universal lot as a fireman, a position that doesn’t even exist anymore and has little to do with putting out actual fires. Before long, our discussion turned to David’s decades long relation with Clint Eastwood, who he made 18 films with. Listen in to hear our wide ranging conversation with one of the great producers in the business!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 12 - MONAYA ABEL - CAMERA TRAINEE This week were are so excited to be joined by camera trainee Monaya Abel (EMPIRE OF LIGHT, THIS IS GOING TO HURT, CITADEL) on the Team Deakins Podcast. This is a great discussion since it’s a category not often heard from. As a newcomer to film production, she provides a different perspective and her enthusiasm for the world of filmmaking is infectious. We discuss how she works to keep morale up on set for herself, and her whole team. We also get to hear first-hand what it’s like to be the new kid on the block, and what surprised her when she came onto the set of a major production for the very first time. She also got us thinking about some of our early days in the business and how things have changed. With people like Monaya entering the world of production, movie making is in very good hands for the future. Listen in!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 11 - STUART WILSON - SOUND MIXER Team Deakins is thrilled to welcome the magnificent sound mixer Stuart Wilson (THE BATMAN, THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, SPECTRE, WORLD WAR Z) to this week’s episode of the podcast. We have a great conversation centered around the duties of the sound mixer, and his experiences on some wonderful films. Stuart explains to us how he’s developed an instinct for catching great moments in a scene, and all of the nuances involved in capturing an exceptional recording of the human voice. We also drill down on some fun tricks of the trade. Just where do you hide a bulky mic, transmitter, and battery pack on Catwoman’s skin-tight catsuit, and how could it possibly involve the NFL? Listen in to find out the answer to that question, and so many more!

Filmmaker Matthew Heineman joins Team Deakins to discuss capturing footage in dangerous situations, such as drug cartel border skirmishes and the COVID-19 outbreak in New York City. They also talk about the often overlooked aspect of casting in documentaries and Heineman's transition from directing documentaries to narrative films.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 9 - ALEX PRITZ - DOCUMENTARIAN This week, Team Deakins is so happy to invite documentary filmmaker Alex Pritz (THE TERRITORY, MY DEAR KYRGYSTAN) to join us for a wide ranging conversation. Alex explains to us how his background in science spurred him into filmmaking, and still drives the larger questions his films attempt to ask. We also discuss the moral issues raised by documenting real life events - and perhaps more importantly, real people. And then we get into the importance of being 100 percent honest in grappling with those issues. Eventually, the conversation turns to a field we know almost too much about: how to maintain a healthy work/life balance when your spouse is also in the business!