Team Deakins

EPISODE 20 - CHARLIE RIZEK - Trinity & Steadicam Operator Team Deakins is joined by 1917 collaborator, Charlie Rizek, the trinity and steadicam operating magician who lent his skills to help make possible the idea of a "one shot" movie. We talk about how he got into the business, why he was attracted to the movement of the camera, how the trinity worked on 1917 and why movement isn't always necessary in a shot. A very talented individual with a bright future ahead!

EPISODE 19 - JOACHIM ("JZ") ZELL - Color Scientist Team Deakins sit down with JZ and dig deeply into the color science of it all. His credits include MULAN, 1917, AD ASTRA, FIRST MAN, and BLADE RUNNER 2049. We talk LUTs, resolution, color space, pixels, work flow and lots more. He really knows his stuff!'

EPISODE 18 - SAM MENDES - Director Team Deakins has a fun, free flowing conversation with frequent collaborator, friend, and the Oscar and Tony Award winning Director: Sam Mendes. Spending 15 years as a Theatre Director, Sam made his foray into filmmaking with his award winning debut of American Beauty. He went on to direct a total of nine films in the ensuing years, including; ROAD TO PERDITION, JARHEAD, SKYFALL, SPECTRE and 1917. Sam discusses his journey from theatre to film, the differences between the two roles and what he sees as the most important aspects of being a director. We discuss elements of story, how editing builds tension, and why the idea of a one shot film is much more than meets the eye. A true masterclass between two cinema legends.

EPISODE 17 - LEE KLINE - Film Restoration Team Deakins is joined by Criterion's Technical Director of Restoration; Lee Kline. Lee has overseen the restoration of hundreds of films during his tenure at Criterion and undoubtedly left an impact on history of Cinema, allowing both audiences and future filmmakers alike the ability to enjoy classic titles for years to come. The group discusses the immense work that goes into restoring a film, the detective work of finding rare works and how they work with filmmakers to ensure the quality of the restorations.

EPISODE 16 - DONALD MOWAT - Makeup Team Deakins has the pleasure of learning the ins and outs of the makeup department in films. Who better to cover these subjects than the extremely talented Donald Mowat? Donald's credits include BLADE RUNNER 2049, STRONGER, SICARIO, NIGHTCRAWLER, PRISONERS, THE FIGHTER and 8 MILE. We learn what this department brings to the film, how strong the collaboration is, different types of approaches and how to get started in the field.

EPISODE 15 - PETER RAMSEY - Director Team Deakins is joined by Academy Award Winning Director Peter Ramsey (RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, MONSTERS VS. ALIENS: MUTANT PUMPKINS FROM OUTER SPACE). The conversation begins with how Peter came up in the industry, his love of storyboarding and reading, and how his voracious appetite for knowledge lead him to opportunities in Hollywood. Having started out in live-action and transitioning to Animation, we discuss the differences in the two, and why someday soon he could be back on live sets. We also dive into his Oscar-winning efforts in directing Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse and the many challenges they faced to ensure this film was unlike anything ever seen! The conversation is one not to miss for any filmmakers!

Episode 14 - FIONA WEIR - Casting Director Team Deakins speaks with renown Fiona Weir and learns the ins and outs of casting. Her credit list is long and her credits include AMMONITE, JUDY, FANTASTIC BEASTS series, ROOM, and the HARRY POTTER films. Fiona has cast A specialty often hidden from the day to day shooting process and yet so important. Fiona lets us know how it's done!

Episode 13 - JOSH GOLLISH - DIT Join us as we speak with #Teamdeakins member Josh Gollish, our DIT - Digital Image Technician. We talk all things DIT, from where the role originated, what Josh does on set from day to day, how some productions work without. Josh's credits include 1917, THE GOLDFINCH, BLADE RUNNER 2049, SICARIO, and SKYFALL.

Episode 12- DEAN DEBLOIS - Animation Team Deakins is joined by the incredibly talented Dean DeBlois, a writer director with credits like MULAN, LILO & STITCH, and all three HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON movies. He takes us through his journey as a filmmaker, sharing his knowledge about story

Episode 11 - GEORGE MACKAY. James & Roger catch up with actor George MacKay with whom they worked on the film "1917". They talk about the shared process of "1917", George's experience on his most recent film on Ned Kelly and his process as an actor.

Episode 10 - ANIMATION PART 2 - YONG DUK JHUN & ANDY HARKNESS. Team Deakins is joined by two acclaimed filmmakers, Yong Duk Jhun and Andy Harkness. Masters of their craft, they serve as head of Layout and Head of Lighting respectively. They have worked on such films as Kung Fu Panda, Moana, The Croods, Shrek and Zootopia. The conversation ranges from the actual process of getting an Animated film off the ground, to specifics in lighting, composition, and the technology behind it all. A fascinating episode and something filmmakers of all backgrounds will enjoy.

Episode 9 - Learning Lighting. We talk about lighting in this episode. Different styles of lighting, challenges in lighting and how to experiment to broaden your grasp on lighting.

Episode 8 - ANIMATION - PART 1. This episode looks at our experiences on animation projects as visual consultants. We'll then dive deeper into the actual process in Part 2 and finally, in Part 3, talk with Dean DeBlois, director of the three How to Train your Dragon. There's so much to examine in Animation, don't be surprised if there is a Part 4 in the future!

Episode 7 - LENS CHOICE - In this episode, we talk about what goes into choosing lenses for your project and the aesthetic differences between lenses. We also discuss prime lenses vs zooms and how we go about testing lenses. And more!

Episode 6 - Beverly Wood - From Film to Digital. We speak with Beverly Wood, former Executive VP at Deluxe and Managing Director at eFilm. We discuss the transition in Hollywood from Film to Digital with one of the industries foremost experts on the science behind it all. We discuss how film emulsion actually works, color science, her work with Roger and James, and films like SkyFall, O Brother, Where Art Thou and more. She's been with us through our journey from film to digital and is a great source of information in general! https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-6/

Episode 5 - COMPOSITION. Roger, James and Matt look at the subject of composition, the role it plays in storytelling, how composition differs in still images vs moving images. https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-5/

Episode 4: PRACTICAL LIGHTING - James and Roger discuss practical lighting - what it means, the additional challenges and why you might prefer to use practicals for a scene. https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-4/

Episode 3: LOCATION SCOUTING - In this episode we talk about the ins and outs of location scouting. As always, a special thanks to our collaborator, Matt Wyman. https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-3/

Episode 2 - WORKING TOGETHER - Roger and James talk about their collaboration. Matt Wyman joins them. https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-2/

Episode 1: BEGINNINGS - Roger and James talk about the journey that brought them into the film business. We are joined by Matt Wyman. https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-1/