Team Deakins

EPISODE 151 - CILLIAN MURPHY - Actor Team Deakins catches up with actor Cillian Murphy (INCEPTION, THE DARK KNIGHT, 28 DAYS LATER) and the result is a great conversation about many subjects including acting , working in the business and somehow balancing your life. We explore the idea of how living a normal life between projects is so important and using that in the work. We talk about many of his films and his approach to creating the character. He shares his experiences working with Neil Jordan, Ken Loach and Christopher Nolan. We learn that mastering an accent is “like going to a gym for your mouth”, we also talk about his relationship with the camera department and what he looks for in a director. We touch on the differences of shooting a film, acting on stage and working on a TV series.  Definitely not an episode to miss!  

EPISODE 150 - MÁTYÁS ERDÉLY - Cinematographer Team Deakins speaks with Hungarian cinematographer, Mátyás Erdély (SON OF SAUL, SUNSET, THE NEST) in this episode. Matyas has shot in the US, UK and Hungary and says he doesn’t feel there is much difference in his work wherever he works. He shares that he feels it is soul crushing to take a project just for the money if it is something you don’t connect with. He also goes into detail about his collaboration with Lazlo Nemes (SON OF SAUL, SUNSET) (Episode 113 of Team Deakins) and how they began thinking they would shoot SON OF SAUL on Steadicam but how and why changed their minds. He also shares how they chose lenses with the guiding core idea of using the limitation of visual information by focus. And we learned how he and Lazlo approached their next collaboration on the film SUNSET differently. A great conversation with a talented cinematographer! RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Son of Saul

EPISODE 149 - JOHN TURTURRO - Actor Team Deakins enjoys a great conversation with frequent collaborator, actor John Turturro (BARTON FINK, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, TRANSFORMERS). His stories made us laugh a lot in parts - especially when he describes his first professional audition with Michael Badalucco for DiNiro and Scorsese for the movie Raging Bull! He also shares what working with the great Robbie Muller taught him (“you don’t have to do more”) as well as his experience of working with Francesco Rosi and Pasqualino De Santis on The Truce, where he realized he was a part of the frame. We also talked a lot about his experiences working with the Coen Brothers including what his real-life inspiration was for his character in Miller’s Crossing and how he prepped for Barton Fink. He explains that while professional acting is great, once in a while, it’s good to get back to the responsible amateur in you! We cover lots of ground and it’s an episode not to miss!

EPISODE 148 - ROBBIE RYAN - Cinematographer Team Deakins enjoys an interesting talk with cinematographer, Robbie Ryan (MARRIAGE STORY, I, DANIEL BLAKE, THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES). We talk about his teaming up with director Andrea Arnold and their relationship. We go into details on the film FISH TANK. Robbie shares Andrea’s approach, the experience of working with street actors, and why a lot was handheld. He also talks about the differences between working with Andrea and Ken Loach. We also touch on his experience of working with Noah Baumbach as well as Yorgos Lanthimos on THE FAVOURITE. And we had questions about the technical challenges on THE LAST DAYS ON MARS. A fun and interesting conversation! RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Fish Tank

EPISODE 147 - DONALD BURT - Production Designer Team Deakins delves into the craft of production design with the great production designer, Donald Burt (THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, HOSTILES, MANK). We loved hearing about his path to the film business! We talk about his first movie as production designer, JOY LUCK CLUB - quite a film to start on! He shares his methods of working with a director and how he doesn’t want to draw attention to what he is doing and that he wants to be supportive and serve the story first. We also touch on how restrictions and limitations breed imagination, his approach to sets vs locations, and how you can’t be afraid of articulating a stupid idea. And, we also speak about the making of MANK, THE OUTLAW KING, and ZODIAC. As well as much, much more! RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Mank

EPISODE 146 - CHARLOTTE BRUUS CHRISTENSEN - Cinematographer Team Deakins has a great conversation with cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen (THE HUNT, FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD, A QUIET PLACE). We loved her account of how she learned the craft and entered the industry and her thoughts soon what it means to teach cinematography. We also talk about her various collaborations with the director Thomas Vinterberg. She also discusses the night lighting and the consideration of sound design on the A QUIET PLACE. We also touch on her directing and shooting the TV series mini series BLACK NARCISSUS. A great conversation with a talented cinematographer! RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Submarino, A Quiet Place

EPISODE 145 - KRYSTY WILSON CAIRNS - Writer Team Deakins has fun speaking with writer Krysty Wilson Cairns (1917). She and Roger compare times at the National Film School in London and discuss whether writing can actually be taught. Her love of writing comes through strongly and we learn she reads a book a week! She thinks that if a scene doesn’t work on screen, it wasn’t written correctly. Krysty discusses the core tenants of good screenwriting and goes into detail about the importance of collaboration with the director. She admits to stealing the experiences of people around her and not considering the budget when she writes. We had a lot of laughs and learned a lot about writing in this episode!

EPISODE 144 - AGNIESZKA HOLLAND - Director Team Deakins covers many topics with Polish director Agnieszka Holland (MR JONES, EUROPA EUROPA, TO KILL A PRIEST). We learn how the politics of her time have influenced her work and how starting out on smaller projects taught her to make the scene work without extraneous shots. She shares her experiences on the films Angry Harvest, To Kill a Priest, Darkness, Europa Europa, and Charlatan. She speaks of her responsibility to the story versus historical accuracy and what she feels the role of the director is. A fascinating conversation with a talented director. RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Darkness, Europa Europa  

EPISODE 143 - Neil Jordan - Director Team Deakins has a great conversation with the remarkable director, Neil Jordan (THE CRYING GAME, THE BUTCHER BOY, BREAKFAST ON PLUTO). We’ve been fans for years, so it was a thrill to meet and speak with him. We had some sound issues, but we think the content more than makes up for that! Neil shares with us his perspective on filmmaking and his approach to creating the film. Neil has also had many novels published and we asked him about the difference between the genres of written works and motion pictures. We learn that he loves how movies immediately bring you into a reality without any explanation or exposition. We also speak specifically about his many movies and learn interesting details. A fascinating episode with an articulate filmmaker! RECOMMEND EPISODE VIEWING: Any Neil Jordan film

EPISODE 142 - RICHARD HOOVER - Production Designer Teams Deakins has a conversation with production designer, Richard Hoover (42, GIRL, INTERRUPTED, BOB ROBERTS). Richard talks about different methods of working with different directors and how he discovers what the director wants. He also illustrates his points with examples from Twin Peaks, Bob Roberts, Dead Man Walking. 42 and The Assassination of Jesse James and the approaches he took. He shares the use of a “look book” for the design and the particular challenges of working on period pieces. He tells us that the content of the scene definitely affects the design and how you can tell the story with the design. We asked about designing against your personal taste as well as what his greatest design challenge was. It’s a great look into the complex role of the production designer on a film. Don’t miss it!