Team Deakins

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 213 Adam Bricker - Cinematographer
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with cinematographer Adam Bricker (HACKS, CHEF'S TABLE, AMERICAN VANDAL). After being hosted by Adam at several Q&A's around Los Angeles, we turn the tables on him, and we ask him about his own career, learning about his journey from Chicago to Los Angeles and the many hours he put in cold-calling filmmakers on Craigslist to pitch himself as a cinematographer. We also discuss the value of having an agent as a DP, and Adam reflects on the privilege of having been able to work in Los Angeles during an extended city-wide downturn in production shoot days. Adam was also the sole cinematographer across five seasons and nearly 50 episodes on HACKS, a comedy series on HBO MAX, and he reveals how he and the other filmmakers approached shooting the show, from location scouting and prepping to grabbing the footage on the day. Adam also reflects on nailing the final shot of the series, and he shares how he endeavored to imbue a single-camera sensibility into the multi-cam show. Plus, we discuss Adam's relationship with light meters.
-
Recommended Viewing: HACKS
-
This episode is sponsored by BenQ & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 212 MOTHER MARY - with David Lowery
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, director David Lowery (Season 2, Episode 60) returns to discuss his latest film, MOTHER MARY, now available to stream at home. Throughout the episode, we discuss the making of the movie, and topics include: the origin of the two lead characters, shooting the dialogue-heavy script, the evolution of the concert footage, and filming the bulk of the movie in 2023 and the remainder in 2024. We learn how the "ghost" was visualized and captured practically, where the supernatural elements of the movie came from, how actress Anne Hathaway prepared for her character's elaborate dance choreography, and why the film was shot in Germany even though it's set in England. David also shares how the process of developing MOTHER MARY differed and mirrored the development of his other films. In addition to learning how David filmed the movie, we also discuss how much work was done in post, and David reveals the level of invisible VFX work in the final cut. Plus, David shares some information about his next project.
-
Recommended Viewing: MOTHER MARY
-
This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 211 Eddie Marsan - Actor
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with actor Eddie Marsan (NO ORDINARY HEIST, BACK TO BLACK, RAY DONOVAN). During our conversation, we discuss Eddie's youth in East London, being discovered by casting in a club at 18, his disciplined approach to his craft, working with a range of directors including Mike Leigh (Season 1, Episode 76), Edgar Wright (Season 2, Episode 169), and Steven Spielberg, playing a countless number of supporting roles, and the shortcomings of filmmakers who fail to give working and lower class characters volition, autonomy, and humanity. Eddie also reflects on acting as "evil" characters, and we discuss the qualities of several of them from throughout his career. Towards the end of the episode, we ask Eddie how younger generations of actors are different compared to the ones who came before, and he encourages young actors to not wait for the system to change and create space for the roles they want to play. Plus, Eddie reveals the type of character he'd love to play but has yet to.
-
This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 210 Ron Howard - Director
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with director Ron Howard (AVEDON, APOLLO 13, A BEAUTIFUL MIND). Ron has worked professionally in film and television since the age of 4, and he reflects on his life and career throughout the episode, from chewing fake glass with Yul Brenner as a child actor to directing a wide variety of features and documentaries for almost 50 years. A graduate of the Roger Corman movie factory, Ron reveals what he learned about leadership and collaboration while directing GRAND THEFT AUTO, his directorial debut, under Roger's guidance, and we discuss whether any modern equivalent exists for filmmakers today as a proving ground. Ron also shares how he pushed himself early on to always be creating, and we discuss the creation of several of his films and what he aims for in every movie he makes. We later ask what draws him to a potential project, and we discuss his foray into directing documentaries and how it differs from shooting fiction. We worked with Ron on A BEAUTIFUL MIND, and we had a wonderful time catching up with him.
-
This episode is sponsored by Aputure ⁠

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 209 Robin Swicord - Writer / Director
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with writer and director Robin Swicord (WAKEFIELD, WHEN THEY SEE US, PRACTICAL MAGIC). Throughout the episode, Robin is frank about her experience working in the film industry as a woman, and we discuss how she's seen the culture and behaviour within the industry change over the years. Robin wrote the script for the 1994 adaptation of LITTLE WOMEN, and she shares what it took for the studio to finally greenlight the film after 12 years of development. She also reflects on the long development process of BENJAMIN BUTTON, and she reveals what her initial vision for the story was. After years as a writer, Robin was able to direct her first feature, THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB, and she shares how she cast the film on short notice and how she prepped for it as a first-time director. We later discuss how she shot her second film as a director, WAKEFIELD, in just 18 days, and she reflects on what she brought from her experiences on her first film to the second one.
-
This episode is sponsored by Aputure ⁠