Mirrors reflect who we are, or at least how we want to appear to others. Director Mike Barker’s “Luckiest Girl Alive” uses them as a motif throughout this tale centered on a woman whose pristine, calculated image disguises a mess of insecurities and intense psychological pain. Yet the picture portrayed in author Jessica Knoll’s adaptation of her own novel struggles with its tone, poor character construction and annoying screenwriting contrivances. Utilizing a traditionally glossy, chick-lit-retrofitted heroine as a mouthpiece for somber, serious activist sentiments isn’t so much provocative as just downright batty.
Ani (Mila Kunis) seemingly has it all: She’s sharp-witted, gorgeous, holds a coveted position at a Cosmopolitan-like magazine and shares a palatial apartment in New York City with her loving, upper-crust fiancé Luke (Finn Wittrock). She’s even earned her demanding boss Lolo’s (Jennifer Beals) adoration. But she’s also secretly abrasive, judging by her acid-tinged voiceover.
Ani (Mila Kunis) seemingly has it all: She’s sharp-witted, gorgeous, holds a coveted position at a Cosmopolitan-like magazine and shares a palatial apartment in New York City with her loving, upper-crust fiancé Luke (Finn Wittrock). She’s even earned her demanding boss Lolo’s (Jennifer Beals) adoration. But she’s also secretly abrasive, judging by her acid-tinged voiceover.
- 10/7/2022
- by Courtney Howard
- Variety Film + TV
This The Handmaid’s Tale review contains spoilers.
“A messy bitch who takes the big swings but doesn’t think about the consequences.” You could do worse for a description of June Osborne. In ‘Nightshade’, Moira’s words proved right when June followed her instinct that a brothelful of sitting-duck Commanders was too good an opportunity to miss. One bottle of homemade poison and David Bowie’s Suffragette City later, and Gilead had suffered another blow. That was the big swing. And now for the consequences.
One consequence of June sticking around to watch the fireworks at the brothel was leaving the Keyes household and its fugitive Handmaids without a leader. In the Guardian truck last time, and during the raid at the start of this episode, June was the one who kept the others cool, shushing and reassuring and giving orders to so they wouldn’t be detected. While she was out enjoying mass murder,...
“A messy bitch who takes the big swings but doesn’t think about the consequences.” You could do worse for a description of June Osborne. In ‘Nightshade’, Moira’s words proved right when June followed her instinct that a brothelful of sitting-duck Commanders was too good an opportunity to miss. One bottle of homemade poison and David Bowie’s Suffragette City later, and Gilead had suffered another blow. That was the big swing. And now for the consequences.
One consequence of June sticking around to watch the fireworks at the brothel was leaving the Keyes household and its fugitive Handmaids without a leader. In the Guardian truck last time, and during the raid at the start of this episode, June was the one who kept the others cool, shushing and reassuring and giving orders to so they wouldn’t be detected. While she was out enjoying mass murder,...
- 4/28/2021
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Mckenna Grace was not messing around as young wife Esther
(Warning: This post contains spoilers for Episodes 1-3 of “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 4.)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” made its long-awaited return to Hulu early Tuesday evening with the surprise launch of the first three episode of the Elisabeth Moss-led drama’s fourth season. And while those episodes bring us back to the characters we love — and many we hate — they also introduce us to a few new faces, including the traumatized and terrifying teenage wife, Mrs. Esther Keyes (played by 14-year-old “Haunting of Hill House” alum Mckenna Grace).
The Keyes’ home is the Mayday safe house that June’s (Moss) friends and fellow former handmaids head to to hide — and in June’s case, seriously recover from a gunshot wound — following the events of the Season 3 finale that saw them help more than 80 children escape from Gilead. And while June...
(Warning: This post contains spoilers for Episodes 1-3 of “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 4.)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” made its long-awaited return to Hulu early Tuesday evening with the surprise launch of the first three episode of the Elisabeth Moss-led drama’s fourth season. And while those episodes bring us back to the characters we love — and many we hate — they also introduce us to a few new faces, including the traumatized and terrifying teenage wife, Mrs. Esther Keyes (played by 14-year-old “Haunting of Hill House” alum Mckenna Grace).
The Keyes’ home is the Mayday safe house that June’s (Moss) friends and fellow former handmaids head to to hide — and in June’s case, seriously recover from a gunshot wound — following the events of the Season 3 finale that saw them help more than 80 children escape from Gilead. And while June...
- 4/28/2021
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
Surprise! The first three episodes of Season 4 of “The Handmaid’s Tale” have released early on Hulu.
Originally planned to release on April 28, the first three episodes of the fourth season — “Pigs,” “Nightshade” and “The Crossing” — are now available to stream on Hulu. The rest of the 10-episode season will be released weekly on the streaming service, episode by episode.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” made the announcement with a video featuring its cast. “I know you’ve been waiting patiently for Season 4. Well guess what, I have some good news. The first three episodes of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ are available right now,” the cast says in tandem.
Originally planned to release on April 28, the first three episodes of the fourth season — “Pigs,” “Nightshade” and “The Crossing” — are now available to stream on Hulu. The rest of the 10-episode season will be released weekly on the streaming service, episode by episode.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” made the announcement with a video featuring its cast. “I know you’ve been waiting patiently for Season 4. Well guess what, I have some good news. The first three episodes of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ are available right now,” the cast says in tandem.
- 4/28/2021
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Drops Season 4 Early On Hulu; Elisabeth Moss & Joseph Fiennes On Big Changes Ahead
Exclusive: (Updated with video) “We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for,” says the Elisabeth Moss portrayed June Osbourne in the fourth season of The Handmaid’s Tale as the battle against Gilead’s brutal theonomic regime intensifies.
In fact, the wait is over, kind of.
Hulu is dropping the opening trio of the April 28 premiering fourth season a little early, Deadline has learned.
The Colin Watkinson directed “Pigs” and “Nightshade” episodes, as well as the Moss helmed “The Crossing,” will appear on the Disney-owned streamer at 6 Pm Pt, aka in just a few minutes. Check out the video unveiling of the news from the cast here:
As in past seasons, the rest of the 10-episode season of the multiple Emmy winning series will arrive weekly going forward.
Another change this year for The Handmaid’s Tale is the move of Joseph Fiennes from Supporting Actor to the Outstanding Lead Actor...
In fact, the wait is over, kind of.
Hulu is dropping the opening trio of the April 28 premiering fourth season a little early, Deadline has learned.
The Colin Watkinson directed “Pigs” and “Nightshade” episodes, as well as the Moss helmed “The Crossing,” will appear on the Disney-owned streamer at 6 Pm Pt, aka in just a few minutes. Check out the video unveiling of the news from the cast here:
As in past seasons, the rest of the 10-episode season of the multiple Emmy winning series will arrive weekly going forward.
Another change this year for The Handmaid’s Tale is the move of Joseph Fiennes from Supporting Actor to the Outstanding Lead Actor...
- 4/28/2021
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Warning: the Handmaid’s tale season 4 episode synopses below contain plot spoilers
The Handmaid’s Tale isn’t the kind of TV show that suits a binge-watch. Its heart-heavy dystopian story about a brutal theocracy that enslaves and rapes fertile women benefits from a little fresh air between episodes. On-screen torture and suffering are best delivered in small doses.
It’s good news then, that after its first three episodes are released on Hulu in one batch on Wednesday April 28th, the remaining seven episodes of season four will be released weekly each Wednesday until June 16th, giving US viewers all time to digest.
For UK viewers, season four is confirmed to be airing on Channel 4 as usual, but the broadcaster has yet to confirm a start date. As soon as one is announced, we’ll pass it on. The imported show traditionally airs weekly on the terrestrial channel. Seasons...
The Handmaid’s Tale isn’t the kind of TV show that suits a binge-watch. Its heart-heavy dystopian story about a brutal theocracy that enslaves and rapes fertile women benefits from a little fresh air between episodes. On-screen torture and suffering are best delivered in small doses.
It’s good news then, that after its first three episodes are released on Hulu in one batch on Wednesday April 28th, the remaining seven episodes of season four will be released weekly each Wednesday until June 16th, giving US viewers all time to digest.
For UK viewers, season four is confirmed to be airing on Channel 4 as usual, but the broadcaster has yet to confirm a start date. As soon as one is announced, we’ll pass it on. The imported show traditionally airs weekly on the terrestrial channel. Seasons...
- 4/27/2021
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
“One of my ways into Luke is the weight of his failure to stand up, to try and stop what was going on,” reveals O-t Fagbenle about his role on Hulu’s Emmy award winning hit “The Handmaid’s Tale,” adding that “his failure to be able to protect his family, his failure as a man, his failure as a husband, as a father and his guilt connected with that” weighs on him heavily. Watch our exclusive video interview with Fagbenle above.
See Yvonne Strahovski (‘The Handmaid’s Tale’): ‘I don’t feel sorry for Serena Joy’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“The Handmaid’s Tale” is based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood, set in a dystopian near-future America, where women are enslaved as ‘handmaids’ due to plummeting birth-rates, forced to bear children for the ruling class in the new authoritarian Gilead theocracy. The multiple Emmy winning series stars Elisabeth Moss as June, who is married...
See Yvonne Strahovski (‘The Handmaid’s Tale’): ‘I don’t feel sorry for Serena Joy’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“The Handmaid’s Tale” is based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood, set in a dystopian near-future America, where women are enslaved as ‘handmaids’ due to plummeting birth-rates, forced to bear children for the ruling class in the new authoritarian Gilead theocracy. The multiple Emmy winning series stars Elisabeth Moss as June, who is married...
- 5/11/2020
- by Rob Licuria
- Gold Derby
So far, four directors from Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” have been blessed with Emmy nominations: Kate Dennis, Reed Morano — who won — Daina Reid and Kari Skogland. But Mike Barker, an executive producer who has directed 12 episodes of the series and been submitted for all three of the show’s go-arounds at the Emmys, is still waiting his turn. Will the British director finally get his due this year with “Handmaid’s” third installment?
Five of Barker’s 12 directorial efforts were in this season, of which he will have to pick one to submit for consideration at the Emmys. While his entry is unknown at this point until official nominating ballots are released in a few months, the season closer “Mayday” will probably be — and ought to be — his choice. Why? It serves as a culmination to not only to the third season but the series as a whole thus far,...
Five of Barker’s 12 directorial efforts were in this season, of which he will have to pick one to submit for consideration at the Emmys. While his entry is unknown at this point until official nominating ballots are released in a few months, the season closer “Mayday” will probably be — and ought to be — his choice. Why? It serves as a culmination to not only to the third season but the series as a whole thus far,...
- 5/5/2020
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
Yesterday saw a deluge of precursor results hit the Oscar race, including one of the biggest Guilds chiming in. Obviously, we know already that last night the Directors Guild of America gave their top prize to Sam Mendes for 1917, but Saturday evening also saw the American Society of Cinematographers Awards, the Annie Awards, the Cinema Audio Society Awards, and the USC Scripter Awards, in addition to the Directors Guild of America Awards. Below, we’ll run down the results of the various shows, though obviously we already covered DGA in a previous post. Together, you can begin to piece together more of the awards season, as the races head into the home stretch… First up, the Asc results: Theatrical Release Roger Deakins, Asc, Bsc for “1917” – Winner Phedon Papamichael, Asc, Gsc for “Ford v Ferrari” Rodrigo Prieto, Asc, AMC for “The Irishman” Robert Richardson, Asc for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Lawrence Sher,...
- 1/26/2020
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Cinematographer Roger Deakins won the top prize Saturday night at the 34th annual Asc Awards (at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland) for his bravura camera work on “1917,” the continuous-shot, World War I extravaganza, directed by Sam Mendes.
Deakins beat Phedon Papamichael (“Ford v Ferrari”), Rodrigo Prieto (“The Irishman”), Robert Richardson (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), and Lawrence Sher (“Joker”). The latter three are Oscar-nominated with Deakins. The fifth nominee, Jarin Blaschke (“The Lighthouse”), earned the Asc Spotlight Award for his gritty, Gothic-looking black-and-white cinematography.
Additionally, Fejmi Daut and Samir Ljuma took the Asc Documentary category for “Honeyland.”
Given the Best Picture momentum and universal acclaim for the technical feat, Deakins moves a step closer to his second Oscar. He finally landed his first with “Blade Runner 2049″ after 14 Academy Award nominations. Deakins leads the Asc with five wins.
“1917” is not only the tour de force of the season,...
Deakins beat Phedon Papamichael (“Ford v Ferrari”), Rodrigo Prieto (“The Irishman”), Robert Richardson (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), and Lawrence Sher (“Joker”). The latter three are Oscar-nominated with Deakins. The fifth nominee, Jarin Blaschke (“The Lighthouse”), earned the Asc Spotlight Award for his gritty, Gothic-looking black-and-white cinematography.
Additionally, Fejmi Daut and Samir Ljuma took the Asc Documentary category for “Honeyland.”
Given the Best Picture momentum and universal acclaim for the technical feat, Deakins moves a step closer to his second Oscar. He finally landed his first with “Blade Runner 2049″ after 14 Academy Award nominations. Deakins leads the Asc with five wins.
“1917” is not only the tour de force of the season,...
- 1/26/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
“1917” cinematographer Roger Deakins has won the award for the best feature-film cinematography of 2019 at the American Society of Cinematographers Awards, which were handed out on Saturday night in Los Angeles.
The win was Deakins’ fifth from the Asc, tying him with Emmanuel Lubezki for the most ever. It was also his third win in the past decade, after “Skyfall” in 2013 and “Blade Runner 2049” in 2018.
Deakins is favored to win his second Oscar for his work on a film that was designed to look like one long, continuous shot. It came about half an hour after Sam Mendes won the Directors Guild Award for that film.
The Spotlight Award, which goes to a film that has not received wide theatrical distribution, went to Oscar nominee Jarin Blaschke for “The Lighthouse,” while the Asc’s first documentary award went to “Honeyland.”
Also Read: Directors Guild Awards 2020: Sam Mendes Wins...
The win was Deakins’ fifth from the Asc, tying him with Emmanuel Lubezki for the most ever. It was also his third win in the past decade, after “Skyfall” in 2013 and “Blade Runner 2049” in 2018.
Deakins is favored to win his second Oscar for his work on a film that was designed to look like one long, continuous shot. It came about half an hour after Sam Mendes won the Directors Guild Award for that film.
The Spotlight Award, which goes to a film that has not received wide theatrical distribution, went to Oscar nominee Jarin Blaschke for “The Lighthouse,” while the Asc’s first documentary award went to “Honeyland.”
Also Read: Directors Guild Awards 2020: Sam Mendes Wins...
- 1/26/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
1917 was the top winner tonight at the 34th annual Asc Awards, as Roger Deakins took home the marquee Theatrical Release trophy from the American Society of Cinematographers. Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, History’s Project Blue Book and AMC’s The Terror: Infamy took the top TV awards during the ceremony at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland.
Sam Mendes’ WWI film continued its steady award-season run, besting fellow nominees Ford v Ferrari (Phedon Papamichael), The Irishman (Rodrigo Prieto), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Robert Richardson) and Joker (Lawrence Sher). This was Deakins’ fifth Asc win and 16th nomination. He also was awarded the group’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Across town at about the same time Saturday, 1917 and director Sam Mendes won the top DGA Award, making both men the front-runners for the Oscars.
At the Asc Awards, Deakins took the stage with his wife Isabella Ellis,...
Sam Mendes’ WWI film continued its steady award-season run, besting fellow nominees Ford v Ferrari (Phedon Papamichael), The Irishman (Rodrigo Prieto), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Robert Richardson) and Joker (Lawrence Sher). This was Deakins’ fifth Asc win and 16th nomination. He also was awarded the group’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Across town at about the same time Saturday, 1917 and director Sam Mendes won the top DGA Award, making both men the front-runners for the Oscars.
At the Asc Awards, Deakins took the stage with his wife Isabella Ellis,...
- 1/26/2020
- by Denise Petski and Diane Haithman
- Deadline Film + TV
Four of the five nominees at Saturday’s 34th American Society of Cinematographers ceremony matched up with the Oscar list for Best Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto for “The Irishman,” Lawrence Sher for “Joker,” Roger Deakins for “1917” and Robert Richardson for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” The guild’s fifth nominee was Phedon Papamichael for “Ford v Ferrari,” while the Oscar’s fifth choice is Jarin Blaschke for “The Lighthouse.” Scroll down to see who won all of the film and TV categories at the 2020 Asc Awards, which took place January 25 at the Hollywood & Highland Center in a ceremony hosted by Ben Mankiewicz.
SEEJanuary 25 is busiest day on 2020 Oscars calendar: DGA Awards plus cinematographers, sound mixers and Annies
Blaschke did pop up in the Spotlight Award category, which honors movies that screen at festivals, internationally, or in limited release. He was joined there by Natasha Braier for “Honey Boy” and Jasper Wolf for “Monos.
SEEJanuary 25 is busiest day on 2020 Oscars calendar: DGA Awards plus cinematographers, sound mixers and Annies
Blaschke did pop up in the Spotlight Award category, which honors movies that screen at festivals, internationally, or in limited release. He was joined there by Natasha Braier for “Honey Boy” and Jasper Wolf for “Monos.
- 1/26/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
The features “Honeyland,” “Antopocene: The Human Epoch” and “Obscuro Barroco” were each recognized Monday with nominations for the brand-new documentary award from the American Society of Cinematographers’ Outstanding Achievement Awards.
The Asc also announced nominees in various TV categories for the 34th annual ceremony, which will be held at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles on Jan. 25, 2020.
The Asc, which celebrated its 100th year in 2019, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the art of cinematography.
Also Read: Eddie Murphy to Receive Career Achievement Award from Critics Choice Association
New to this year’s ceremony is the Asc Documentary Award, which was added to recognize exceptional cinematography in non-fiction filmmaking.
First-time nominees this year are Fejmi Daut, Nicholas de Pencier, Evangelia Kranioti, Samir Ljuma, C. Kim Miles, Polly Morgan, Peter Robertson, Chris Seeger and Craig Wrobleski. This year’s honorees include Frederick Elmes, Donald A. Morgan,...
The Asc also announced nominees in various TV categories for the 34th annual ceremony, which will be held at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles on Jan. 25, 2020.
The Asc, which celebrated its 100th year in 2019, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the art of cinematography.
Also Read: Eddie Murphy to Receive Career Achievement Award from Critics Choice Association
New to this year’s ceremony is the Asc Documentary Award, which was added to recognize exceptional cinematography in non-fiction filmmaking.
First-time nominees this year are Fejmi Daut, Nicholas de Pencier, Evangelia Kranioti, Samir Ljuma, C. Kim Miles, Polly Morgan, Peter Robertson, Chris Seeger and Craig Wrobleski. This year’s honorees include Frederick Elmes, Donald A. Morgan,...
- 11/25/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Asc Awards Nominees: ‘Honeyland’, ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Make The Cut In Docu And TV Categories
American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) revealed the nominees in documentary and television categories for the 34th Annual Asc Outstanding Achievement Awards which will take place January 25, 2020, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Nominees in the newly created documentary category include Honeyland, Anthropocene: The Human Epoch and Obscuro Barroco. On the TV side, nominees include awards season favorites The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Handmaid’s Tale in the Non-Commercial Television category while FX’s Legion received two noms in the Commercial Television category. Meanwhile, the AMC series The Terror: Infamy and CBS All Access’ new take on The Twilight Zone were among those in the Motion Picture, Miniseries, or Pilot Made for Television category.
Earlier this year, the Asc announced the new documentary category to recognize exceptional cinematography in nonfiction filmmaking. The category was open to all features and episodes 30 minutes or longer that are released in theaters, at film festivals,...
Nominees in the newly created documentary category include Honeyland, Anthropocene: The Human Epoch and Obscuro Barroco. On the TV side, nominees include awards season favorites The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Handmaid’s Tale in the Non-Commercial Television category while FX’s Legion received two noms in the Commercial Television category. Meanwhile, the AMC series The Terror: Infamy and CBS All Access’ new take on The Twilight Zone were among those in the Motion Picture, Miniseries, or Pilot Made for Television category.
Earlier this year, the Asc announced the new documentary category to recognize exceptional cinematography in nonfiction filmmaking. The category was open to all features and episodes 30 minutes or longer that are released in theaters, at film festivals,...
- 11/25/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
FX’s science-fiction series “Legion” scored a leading two nominations for the American Society of Cinematographers Awards.
“Legion” received nods in the commercial television category, along with “Project Blue Book,” “Vikings” and “Gotham.”
Non-commercial TV series recognition went to “Das Boot,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Carnival Row,” “Titans” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Winners will be announced at the organization’s gala on Jan. 25 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland.
See the full list of nominees below:
Documentary
Fejmi Daut and Samir Ljuma – Honeyland
Nicholas de Pencier – Anthropocene: The Human Epoch
Evangelia Kranioti – Obscuro Barroco
Episode of a Series for Non-Commercial Television
David Luther – Das Boot, “Gegen die Zeit” (episode 6) (Sky)
M. David Mullen, Asc – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Simone” (Amazon)
Chris Seager, Bsc – Carnival Row, “Grieve No More” (Amazon)
Brendan Steacy, Csc – Titans, “Dick Grayson” (DC Universe)
Colin Watkinson, Asc, Bsc – The Handmaid’s Tale, “Night” (Hulu)
Episode...
“Legion” received nods in the commercial television category, along with “Project Blue Book,” “Vikings” and “Gotham.”
Non-commercial TV series recognition went to “Das Boot,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Carnival Row,” “Titans” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Winners will be announced at the organization’s gala on Jan. 25 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland.
See the full list of nominees below:
Documentary
Fejmi Daut and Samir Ljuma – Honeyland
Nicholas de Pencier – Anthropocene: The Human Epoch
Evangelia Kranioti – Obscuro Barroco
Episode of a Series for Non-Commercial Television
David Luther – Das Boot, “Gegen die Zeit” (episode 6) (Sky)
M. David Mullen, Asc – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Simone” (Amazon)
Chris Seager, Bsc – Carnival Row, “Grieve No More” (Amazon)
Brendan Steacy, Csc – Titans, “Dick Grayson” (DC Universe)
Colin Watkinson, Asc, Bsc – The Handmaid’s Tale, “Night” (Hulu)
Episode...
- 11/25/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
HBO’s “Game of Thrones” made a major splash with a record 32 Emmy nominations in July for its eighth and final season, bringing the show’s ultimate total to 161. One of those 32 bids is for Best One-Hour Single-Camera Cinematography, a category the show has never won. Can it finally do it this year with director of photography Jonathan Freeman, who is nominated for shooting the series finale “The Iron Throne”?
“Thrones” wasn’t able to break into this race until 2013 for its third season, but has since nabbed eight additional noms to become the most nominated show in this category. If anyone can now finally get it across the finish line, it’s Freeman, a three-time Emmy winner for another HBO show, “Boardwalk Empire”, and previous nominee for “Thrones” (in 2014 for the episode “Two Swords”). He’s also won five out of eight times at the American Society of Cinematographer Awards,...
“Thrones” wasn’t able to break into this race until 2013 for its third season, but has since nabbed eight additional noms to become the most nominated show in this category. If anyone can now finally get it across the finish line, it’s Freeman, a three-time Emmy winner for another HBO show, “Boardwalk Empire”, and previous nominee for “Thrones” (in 2014 for the episode “Two Swords”). He’s also won five out of eight times at the American Society of Cinematographer Awards,...
- 9/13/2019
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
IndieWire reached out to this year’s nominees for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour), Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour), and Limited Series or Movie, and asked them which cameras and lenses they used — but even more important: Why were these these the right tools to create the look of their series?
Single Camera Series (One Hour)
The 2019 Emmy nominees for outstanding cinematography in this category are Jonathan Freeman (“Game of Thrones”), Zoë White (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), Colin Watkinson (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), Dana Gonzales (“Hanna”), Gonzalo Amat (“The Man In The High Castle”), M. David Mullen (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), and Robert McLachlan (“Ray Donovan”).
2018 Emmy Winner: Adriano Goldman for “The Crown”
2017 Emmy Winner: Colin Watkinson for “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
“Game Of Thrones”
Nominated Episode: “The Iron Throne”
Format: 3.2K Pro-Res and Arriraw 1:78
Camera: Alexa Sxt Plus, Mini; Red Epic-m Dragon (for some VFX work)
Lens: Cooke S-4, Angenieux Optimo Zooms,...
Single Camera Series (One Hour)
The 2019 Emmy nominees for outstanding cinematography in this category are Jonathan Freeman (“Game of Thrones”), Zoë White (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), Colin Watkinson (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), Dana Gonzales (“Hanna”), Gonzalo Amat (“The Man In The High Castle”), M. David Mullen (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), and Robert McLachlan (“Ray Donovan”).
2018 Emmy Winner: Adriano Goldman for “The Crown”
2017 Emmy Winner: Colin Watkinson for “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
“Game Of Thrones”
Nominated Episode: “The Iron Throne”
Format: 3.2K Pro-Res and Arriraw 1:78
Camera: Alexa Sxt Plus, Mini; Red Epic-m Dragon (for some VFX work)
Lens: Cooke S-4, Angenieux Optimo Zooms,...
- 8/20/2019
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
“Game of Thrones” dominated the Emmy nominations with a record-breaking 32 bids, but you might be surprised to know what was the second most nominated drama: “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The 2017 Best Drama Series champ scored 11 nominations for its three orphaned episodes from Season 2 and what’s more, it’s the only other drama with double-digit nominations. Praise be, indeed.
Per the TV academy’s rules, these three orphaned episodes could only be considered in categories that recognize individual achievement, which means they weren’t eligible in races that honor the body of work, like drama series and the series regular acting categories. These are the show’s 11 nominations:
1. Best Narrative Contemporary (One Hour or More) Production Design (“Holly”)
2. Best Single Camera Cinematography: Zoe White (“Holly”)
3. Best Single Camera Cinematography: Colin Watkinson (“The Word”)
4. Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes (“The Word”)
5. Best Drama Directing: Daina Reid (“Holly”)
6. Best Drama Single-Camera Picture Editing...
Per the TV academy’s rules, these three orphaned episodes could only be considered in categories that recognize individual achievement, which means they weren’t eligible in races that honor the body of work, like drama series and the series regular acting categories. These are the show’s 11 nominations:
1. Best Narrative Contemporary (One Hour or More) Production Design (“Holly”)
2. Best Single Camera Cinematography: Zoe White (“Holly”)
3. Best Single Camera Cinematography: Colin Watkinson (“The Word”)
4. Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes (“The Word”)
5. Best Drama Directing: Daina Reid (“Holly”)
6. Best Drama Single-Camera Picture Editing...
- 7/27/2019
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Unknown Caller,” the fifth episode of the third season of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
The second season of “The Handmaid’s Tale” ended with Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski) truly becoming a mother as well as seemingly picking a side in the fight against the misogynistic regime — by putting her child first and letting her leave Gilead. But as the third season of the dystopian drama has quickly proven, impulsive actions are often out of character, and they are not easy to recover from.
“I always thought that Nichole was her one shining light — the thing that was going to get her through her life — and without it she is nothing,” Strahovski tells Variety. “It’s so layered and complicated, and it takes her a minute to realize, as I think it would with anyone in a heightened emotional state,...
The second season of “The Handmaid’s Tale” ended with Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski) truly becoming a mother as well as seemingly picking a side in the fight against the misogynistic regime — by putting her child first and letting her leave Gilead. But as the third season of the dystopian drama has quickly proven, impulsive actions are often out of character, and they are not easy to recover from.
“I always thought that Nichole was her one shining light — the thing that was going to get her through her life — and without it she is nothing,” Strahovski tells Variety. “It’s so layered and complicated, and it takes her a minute to realize, as I think it would with anyone in a heightened emotional state,...
- 6/19/2019
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Surprise! Which 18 nominations will ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ be fighting for at 2019 Emmys? [Exclusive]
Gold Derby was the first to report back on February 11 that the third season of “The Handmaid’s Tale” will not be eligible for the 2019 Emmy Awards. That’s because Season 3 will debut on June 5, just days after the official deadline of May 31 for this year’s eligibility period. It means that the program can’t compete for Best Drama Series and neither can 2018 nominated actors Elisabeth Moss, Ann Dowd, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel and Joseph Fiennes. However, Hulu has still found a way to fight for 18 nominations at this September’s ceremony.
SEEAnn Dowd Interview: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’
“The Handmaid’s Tale” had three episodes from Season 2 that aired on June 27 (“Holly”), July 4 (“Postpartum”) and July 11 (“The Word”). They were too late in airing for the 2018 Emmys but would qualify for 2019. Since there are only three installments (instead of the required six for a drama series), the studio...
SEEAnn Dowd Interview: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’
“The Handmaid’s Tale” had three episodes from Season 2 that aired on June 27 (“Holly”), July 4 (“Postpartum”) and July 11 (“The Word”). They were too late in airing for the 2018 Emmys but would qualify for 2019. Since there are only three installments (instead of the required six for a drama series), the studio...
- 4/1/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
“Cold War” cinematographer Łukasz Żal has won the top feature award from the American Society of Cinematographers.
“Cold War,” shot in black and white, topped Alfonso Cuaron’s digital 65mm black-and-white lensing of his own “Roma,” Linus Sandgren’s multi-format work on Damien Chazelle’s moonshot drama “First Man,” Matthew Libatique for Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born,” and Robbie Ryan for Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite.”
Zal was unable to attend the Saturday night ceremonies, now in their 33rd year. The gala took place in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles, with Ben Mankiewicz hosting.
Zal is also up for the Academy Award in cinematography along with Cuaron, Labitique, Ryan and Caleb Deschanel for “Never Look Away.” “Cold War,” directed by Pawel Pawlikowski, is set in Poland and Paris from the late 1940s until the 1960s and follows a musical director and a young singer...
“Cold War,” shot in black and white, topped Alfonso Cuaron’s digital 65mm black-and-white lensing of his own “Roma,” Linus Sandgren’s multi-format work on Damien Chazelle’s moonshot drama “First Man,” Matthew Libatique for Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born,” and Robbie Ryan for Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite.”
Zal was unable to attend the Saturday night ceremonies, now in their 33rd year. The gala took place in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles, with Ben Mankiewicz hosting.
Zal is also up for the Academy Award in cinematography along with Cuaron, Labitique, Ryan and Caleb Deschanel for “Never Look Away.” “Cold War,” directed by Pawel Pawlikowski, is set in Poland and Paris from the late 1940s until the 1960s and follows a musical director and a young singer...
- 2/10/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
33rd Annual Asc Outstanding Achievement Awards set for February 9 in Hollywood.
The American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) has announced its nominees and the film list includes Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, Łukasz Żal for Cold War, and Robbie Ryan for The Favourite.
Also in contention are Matthew Libatique for A Star Is Born, and Linus Sandgren for First Man. The winners will be unveiled at the 33rd Annual Asc Outstanding Achievement Awards on February 9 in Hollywood.
In other categories announced on Monday (7):
Episode of a Series for Non-Commercial Television
Gonzalo Amat, The Man In The High Castle, ‘Jahr Null’
Adriano Goldman,...
The American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) has announced its nominees and the film list includes Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, Łukasz Żal for Cold War, and Robbie Ryan for The Favourite.
Also in contention are Matthew Libatique for A Star Is Born, and Linus Sandgren for First Man. The winners will be unveiled at the 33rd Annual Asc Outstanding Achievement Awards on February 9 in Hollywood.
In other categories announced on Monday (7):
Episode of a Series for Non-Commercial Television
Gonzalo Amat, The Man In The High Castle, ‘Jahr Null’
Adriano Goldman,...
- 1/7/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) has announced its nominees and the film list includes Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, Łukasz Żal for Cold War, and Robbie Ryan for The Favourite.
The American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) has announced its nominees and the film list includes Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, Łukasz Żal for Cold War, and Robbie Ryan for The Favourite.
Also in contention are Matthew Libatique for A Star Is Born, and Linus Sandgren for First Man. The winners will be unveiled at the 33rd Annual Asc Outstanding Achievement Awards on February 9 Hollywood.
In other categories announced on Monday:
Episode...
The American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) has announced its nominees and the film list includes Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, Łukasz Żal for Cold War, and Robbie Ryan for The Favourite.
Also in contention are Matthew Libatique for A Star Is Born, and Linus Sandgren for First Man. The winners will be unveiled at the 33rd Annual Asc Outstanding Achievement Awards on February 9 Hollywood.
In other categories announced on Monday:
Episode...
- 1/7/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Two black-and-white foreign-language films have been nominated as the best work of 2018 by the American Society of Cinematographers, which on Monday announced a slate of nominees that included Alfonso Cuarón for “Roma” and Lukasz Zal for “Cold War.”
The other three nominees in the Asc’s theatrical-film category were Matthew Libatique for “A Star Is Born,” Robbie Ryan for “The Favourite” and Linus Sandgren for “First Man.”
Missing from the list was James Laxton for “If Beale Street Could Talk” and Rachel Morrison for “Black Panther,” both of whom are considered strong Oscar contenders in the cinematography category.
Last year, Morrison became the first woman ever nominated in the Asc’s feature-film category, and then the first to be nominated for the cinematography Oscar.
Also Read: How Alfonso Cuarón Brought His Memories to Life in 'Roma'
The Spotlight Award, which goes to films that may not receive wide release,...
The other three nominees in the Asc’s theatrical-film category were Matthew Libatique for “A Star Is Born,” Robbie Ryan for “The Favourite” and Linus Sandgren for “First Man.”
Missing from the list was James Laxton for “If Beale Street Could Talk” and Rachel Morrison for “Black Panther,” both of whom are considered strong Oscar contenders in the cinematography category.
Last year, Morrison became the first woman ever nominated in the Asc’s feature-film category, and then the first to be nominated for the cinematography Oscar.
Also Read: How Alfonso Cuarón Brought His Memories to Life in 'Roma'
The Spotlight Award, which goes to films that may not receive wide release,...
- 1/7/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The American Society of Cinematographers has announced nominees in film and television for 2018.
Film nominees included Alfonso Cuaron’s digital 65mm black-and-white lensing of his own “Roma,” Linus Sandgren’s multi-format work on Damien Chazelle’s moonshot drama “First Man,” Matthew Libatique for Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born,” Robbie Ryan for Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite” and Lukasz Zal for Pawel Pawlikowski’s “Cold War.”
Cuarón became the second director ever nominated by the Asc for shooting his or her own film. Cary Joji Fukunaga was nominated in the Spotlight Award category for “Beasts of No Nation” in 2016.
Television nominees included Adriano Goldman’s elegant work on Netflix’s “The Crown,” Colin Watkinson and Zoe White’s moody execution on Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Ben Richardson’s big-country visuals in Paramount’s “Yellowstone,” and Florian Hoffmeister’s lush lensing of AMC’s “The Terror.”
In the spotlight award category,...
Film nominees included Alfonso Cuaron’s digital 65mm black-and-white lensing of his own “Roma,” Linus Sandgren’s multi-format work on Damien Chazelle’s moonshot drama “First Man,” Matthew Libatique for Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born,” Robbie Ryan for Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite” and Lukasz Zal for Pawel Pawlikowski’s “Cold War.”
Cuarón became the second director ever nominated by the Asc for shooting his or her own film. Cary Joji Fukunaga was nominated in the Spotlight Award category for “Beasts of No Nation” in 2016.
Television nominees included Adriano Goldman’s elegant work on Netflix’s “The Crown,” Colin Watkinson and Zoe White’s moody execution on Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Ben Richardson’s big-country visuals in Paramount’s “Yellowstone,” and Florian Hoffmeister’s lush lensing of AMC’s “The Terror.”
In the spotlight award category,...
- 1/7/2019
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Variety Film + TV
The American Society of Cinematographers has revealed the film and TV nominees for its 33rd annual Asc Awards, set for February 9 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland.
The marquee Theatrical Release prize certainly is an international contest, with the five nominees all hailing from different countries: Mexico’s Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, American Matthew Libatique for A Star is Born, Irishman Robbie Ryan for The Favourite, Linus Sandgren of Sweden for First Man and Poland’s Łukasz Żal for Cold War.
It’s the same story for the Spotlight Award, which recognizes cinematography in smaller features that might not receive wider theatrical release or awareness. Vying for that prize are Briton Joshua James Richards (The Rider), Georgian Giorgi Shvelidze (Namme) and Frank van den Eeden of the Netherlands (Girl).
Check out the TV nominees below.
The Asc said last month that Robert Richardson will receive its Asc Lifetime...
The marquee Theatrical Release prize certainly is an international contest, with the five nominees all hailing from different countries: Mexico’s Alfonso Cuarón for Roma, American Matthew Libatique for A Star is Born, Irishman Robbie Ryan for The Favourite, Linus Sandgren of Sweden for First Man and Poland’s Łukasz Żal for Cold War.
It’s the same story for the Spotlight Award, which recognizes cinematography in smaller features that might not receive wider theatrical release or awareness. Vying for that prize are Briton Joshua James Richards (The Rider), Georgian Giorgi Shvelidze (Namme) and Frank van den Eeden of the Netherlands (Girl).
Check out the TV nominees below.
The Asc said last month that Robert Richardson will receive its Asc Lifetime...
- 1/7/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Alfonso Cuarón (“Roma”) will compete against feature cinematographers Matthew Libatique (“A Star Is Born”), Robbie Ryan (“The Favourite”), Linus Sandgren (“First Man”), and Łukasz Żal (“Cold War”) in the 33rd annual Asc Awards. They will be held February 9 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, marking the Asc’s 100th anniversary.
However, after making history last year as the first woman Dp nominated for her work on “Mudbound,” Rachel Morrison was snubbed for Best Picture contender “Black Panther.” Also left out was previous Asc nominee James Laxton (“Moonlight”) for Barry Jenkins’ follow-up, “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
For Cuarón, this marks the first time that the Asc has nominated a director in the feature category for serving as his own Dp. Previously, Cary Fukunaga (“Bond 25”) was nominated in the Spotlight category for “Beasts of No Nation,” which he both directed and shot.
In addition, “Roma” and “Cold War” mark...
However, after making history last year as the first woman Dp nominated for her work on “Mudbound,” Rachel Morrison was snubbed for Best Picture contender “Black Panther.” Also left out was previous Asc nominee James Laxton (“Moonlight”) for Barry Jenkins’ follow-up, “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
For Cuarón, this marks the first time that the Asc has nominated a director in the feature category for serving as his own Dp. Previously, Cary Fukunaga (“Bond 25”) was nominated in the Spotlight category for “Beasts of No Nation,” which he both directed and shot.
In addition, “Roma” and “Cold War” mark...
- 1/7/2019
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
They join series regulars including Mike Barker and Daina Reid.
Leading international independent film directors Amma Asante and Deniz Gamze Erguven have joined the line-up of directors for the third season of Hulu and MGM Television’s award-winning The Handmaid’s Tale.
The UK’s Bafta-winning Asante is best known for Belle, A United Kingdom and Where Hands Touch, all portraying interesting female protagonists, while Turkey-born, France-based filmmaker Erguven wowed the Cannes Film Festival with her debut feature Mustang, a story of female emancipation, in 2015.
They join veteran UK film and TV director Mike Barker who has directed several episodes in the first two seasons,...
Leading international independent film directors Amma Asante and Deniz Gamze Erguven have joined the line-up of directors for the third season of Hulu and MGM Television’s award-winning The Handmaid’s Tale.
The UK’s Bafta-winning Asante is best known for Belle, A United Kingdom and Where Hands Touch, all portraying interesting female protagonists, while Turkey-born, France-based filmmaker Erguven wowed the Cannes Film Festival with her debut feature Mustang, a story of female emancipation, in 2015.
They join veteran UK film and TV director Mike Barker who has directed several episodes in the first two seasons,...
- 12/6/2018
- by Louise Tutt
- ScreenDaily
Warning: This report contains spoilers from the Season 2 finale of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Hulu premiered the highly anticipated Season 2 finale of “The Handmaid’s Tale” for select audiences on Monday, July 9, two days before it streamed online. Gold Derby was on-hand at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, CA for the exclusive sneak peek. A Q&A followed the screening with stars Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel, Max Minghella, Bradley Whitford, Amanda Brugel and Madeline Brewer, creator Bruce Miller, executive producer Warren Littlefield, director Mike Barker, cinematographer Colin Watkinson, production designer Elisabeth Williams, and casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, conducted by “Pod Save America” and “Lovett or Leave It” host Jon Lovett.
See ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ interviews: Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes, O-t Fagbenle and more exclusive chats [Watch]
Based on the book by Margaret Atwood, the series imagines a world in which women...
Hulu premiered the highly anticipated Season 2 finale of “The Handmaid’s Tale” for select audiences on Monday, July 9, two days before it streamed online. Gold Derby was on-hand at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, CA for the exclusive sneak peek. A Q&A followed the screening with stars Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel, Max Minghella, Bradley Whitford, Amanda Brugel and Madeline Brewer, creator Bruce Miller, executive producer Warren Littlefield, director Mike Barker, cinematographer Colin Watkinson, production designer Elisabeth Williams, and casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, conducted by “Pod Save America” and “Lovett or Leave It” host Jon Lovett.
See ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ interviews: Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes, O-t Fagbenle and more exclusive chats [Watch]
Based on the book by Margaret Atwood, the series imagines a world in which women...
- 7/11/2018
- by Zach Laws and Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Hulu made history last year by becoming the first streaming service to win Best Drama Series at the Emmys for “The Handmaid’s Tale.” This adaptation of Margaret Atwood‘s dystopian novel picked up eight trophies in total, including Best Drama Actress for Elisabeth Moss, Best Drama Supporting Actress for Ann Dowd and Best Drama Guest Actress for Alexis Bledel. Can it repeat that success with season two? Gold Derby recently spoke with stars Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes, and O-t Fagbenle, as well as Emmy-winning cinematographer Colin Watkinson and music supervisor Maggie Phillips. Scroll down and click on their names below to be taken to their full interviews.
The show imagines a future in which fertile women are forced to become concubines for wealthy men under a theocratic dictatorship. Fiennes plays Fred Waterford, a high-ranking official in this regime who is domineering in his household, but less secure when it...
The show imagines a future in which fertile women are forced to become concubines for wealthy men under a theocratic dictatorship. Fiennes plays Fred Waterford, a high-ranking official in this regime who is domineering in his household, but less secure when it...
- 6/24/2018
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
From Patrick Melrose to Vida to She’s Gotta Have It, this week’s slate of videos and podcasts are filled with the talented women of Hollywood.
In this week’s The Actor’s Side, Pete Hammond talks to Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Jason Leigh. Known for her roles in Last Exit to Brooklyn and the classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High, she now stars in the Showtime’s acclaimed limited series Patrick Melrose
Dominic Patten talks to Vida executive producer Tanya Saracho in the latest installment of Next Generation TV about Latinx representation on TV as well as the Starz series — which tells a Latinx narrative from a Latinx point of view.
On this week’s Behind The Lens, Pete Hammond talks to producer and director Judd Apatow about his career in comedy and his very personal HBO documentary project, The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling.
Cinematographer Colin Watkinson stops...
In this week’s The Actor’s Side, Pete Hammond talks to Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Jason Leigh. Known for her roles in Last Exit to Brooklyn and the classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High, she now stars in the Showtime’s acclaimed limited series Patrick Melrose
Dominic Patten talks to Vida executive producer Tanya Saracho in the latest installment of Next Generation TV about Latinx representation on TV as well as the Starz series — which tells a Latinx narrative from a Latinx point of view.
On this week’s Behind The Lens, Pete Hammond talks to producer and director Judd Apatow about his career in comedy and his very personal HBO documentary project, The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling.
Cinematographer Colin Watkinson stops...
- 6/23/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the benefits of Peak TV is the proliferation of some downright stunning cinematography. Because of the aggressive weekly production schedule, TV never did anything too fancy in the past, but in recent years, as streaming and cable started getting in the game, pulling in some big-name talent with them, viewers have been treated to gorgeous compositions, hypnotic oners and envelope-pushing shots that were previously only seen in film.
“TV is where it’s at right now,” “Genius: Picasso” director of photography Ryan Purcell said at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Cinematography panel featuring four DPs, moderated by this author (watch the Q&A with all of them above). “There’s more money, a little more time, and these men and women out there are just doing amazing, amazing work. It’s just so much to watch.”
“The Handmaid’s Tale” Dp Colin Watkinson, who won an Emmy...
“TV is where it’s at right now,” “Genius: Picasso” director of photography Ryan Purcell said at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Cinematography panel featuring four DPs, moderated by this author (watch the Q&A with all of them above). “There’s more money, a little more time, and these men and women out there are just doing amazing, amazing work. It’s just so much to watch.”
“The Handmaid’s Tale” Dp Colin Watkinson, who won an Emmy...
- 6/21/2018
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
“Godless” cinematographer Steven Meizler took a whole class dedicated to Western films in college, but he first looked to another source for inspiration when prepping for the Netflix limited series.
“I got the beginning of my research from old Western photographers and painters, like Frederic Remington. I got a lot of the colors and color palette from that. And Edward Curtis — a lot of his photography and compositions,” Meizler revealed during Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Cinematography panel, moderated by this author (watch above). “I was really struck by how hard the life was of the people and how they were survivalists and I really wanted to bring that to Godless, and how hard it was to live in the West.”
See ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Dp Colin Watkinson on creating the Colonies: ‘We wanted it to feel epic’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“Godless,” which was filmed in Santa Fe, N.M., features...
“I got the beginning of my research from old Western photographers and painters, like Frederic Remington. I got a lot of the colors and color palette from that. And Edward Curtis — a lot of his photography and compositions,” Meizler revealed during Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Cinematography panel, moderated by this author (watch above). “I was really struck by how hard the life was of the people and how they were survivalists and I really wanted to bring that to Godless, and how hard it was to live in the West.”
See ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Dp Colin Watkinson on creating the Colonies: ‘We wanted it to feel epic’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
“Godless,” which was filmed in Santa Fe, N.M., features...
- 6/21/2018
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
When “Genius: Picasso” director of photography Mathias Herndl got tapped to direct the last two episodes of the season, Ryan Purcell, one of his longtime second unit members, got a promotion too. “When this opportunity came up for the second part [of the season], they gave him a block to direct, so they said, ‘Ryan, you’re up to bat, finish off the show,’” Purcell said during Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Cinematography panel, moderated by this author (watch above).
Since he was following in the auspicious footsteps of Herndl, who won an Asc Award for “Genius: Einstein,” Purcell said his goal was never to add his own flair to the four episodes he DPed, but to maintain the look that Herndl had already established “like any good alternating Dp should.” “You’re essentially going to screw up the series if you’re gonna start changing it halfway through, so keep it going,...
Since he was following in the auspicious footsteps of Herndl, who won an Asc Award for “Genius: Einstein,” Purcell said his goal was never to add his own flair to the four episodes he DPed, but to maintain the look that Herndl had already established “like any good alternating Dp should.” “You’re essentially going to screw up the series if you’re gonna start changing it halfway through, so keep it going,...
- 6/21/2018
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Colin Watkinson won a Best Cinematography Emmy last year for the distinct, unnervingly beautiful look he created for “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and as the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” “We looked at changing color palettes [for Season 2] and once we tried it, it didn’t really work, and it looked like it was a different show, so we had to revert back,” Watkinson revealed at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Cinematography panel, moderated by this author (watch above).
Instead, Watkinson’s goal was to maintain the washed-out palette he’d perfected and “transfer” it to the new locations of Season 2 — namely the Colonies. Only referenced in Margaret Atwood’s book, the Colonies is a toxic wasteland where “unwomen” — disobedient, lesbian and low-class infertile handmaids discarded by Gilead — are forced into slave labor. It’s where Emily/Ofglen (Alexis Bledel) was sent after she was expelled from Gilead,...
Instead, Watkinson’s goal was to maintain the washed-out palette he’d perfected and “transfer” it to the new locations of Season 2 — namely the Colonies. Only referenced in Margaret Atwood’s book, the Colonies is a toxic wasteland where “unwomen” — disobedient, lesbian and low-class infertile handmaids discarded by Gilead — are forced into slave labor. It’s where Emily/Ofglen (Alexis Bledel) was sent after she was expelled from Gilead,...
- 6/20/2018
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Nancy Steiner, costume designer for Showtime’s “Twin Peaks” reboot, had a serious problem: She wasn’t able to do Naomi Watts’ first fitting until 5 a.m. on her first day of shooting. The original plan had been to put the actress in 1950s-style dresses, but when showrunner David Lynch happened to see Watts in a blouse, jeans and a cardigan, he changed his mind about her whole look.
“You have to go with the flow, because things change on a dime,” says Steiner. “When David figures it out, that’s the right thing.”
Not every workflow process between showrunners and artisans, or between artisans and other artisans, rides on such last-minute changes or tilts on an auteur’s whims. But every production, particularly those in non-contemporary settings or fantastical or alternate worlds, must have below-the-line creatives who can be fluid and meticulous about lining up their visions to create a unified look and feel.
“You have to go with the flow, because things change on a dime,” says Steiner. “When David figures it out, that’s the right thing.”
Not every workflow process between showrunners and artisans, or between artisans and other artisans, rides on such last-minute changes or tilts on an auteur’s whims. But every production, particularly those in non-contemporary settings or fantastical or alternate worlds, must have below-the-line creatives who can be fluid and meticulous about lining up their visions to create a unified look and feel.
- 6/1/2018
- by Randee Dawn
- Variety Film + TV
“Blessed be the fruit,” a greeting of the handmaidens in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” might also apply to the abundance of below-the-line contributions to the second season of Hulu’s dystopian story, based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, of a patriarchal society in which women are forced into sexual servitude.
In Season 1, crew members built the world around the characters. Now, they’ve moved on to new locations with new challenges as they craft a sophomore session, debuting April 25, that leans even further on color, texture and depth.
Cinematography
The episode workload was split between DPs Colin Watkinson and Zoe White, the latter of whom infused her own style to complement the visual language established in Season 1, which earned Watkinson an Emmy for the pilot.
This year, the show expands its landscape to the Colonies, a barren, radioactive wasteland that the Gilead — the authoritarian and theocratic regime that has taken over the U.
In Season 1, crew members built the world around the characters. Now, they’ve moved on to new locations with new challenges as they craft a sophomore session, debuting April 25, that leans even further on color, texture and depth.
Cinematography
The episode workload was split between DPs Colin Watkinson and Zoe White, the latter of whom infused her own style to complement the visual language established in Season 1, which earned Watkinson an Emmy for the pilot.
This year, the show expands its landscape to the Colonies, a barren, radioactive wasteland that the Gilead — the authoritarian and theocratic regime that has taken over the U.
- 4/25/2018
- by Daron James
- Variety Film + TV
Note: This Party Report does not contain any spoilers of “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 2. If you haven’t yet seen season one, beware.
When we last saw Elisabeth Moss’ Offred in the final shot of “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 1, she was loading herself into a prisoner transport van, as the opening riffs of Tom Petty’s “American Girl” swelled and the door slammed shut.
When we last saw Elisabeth Moss’ Offred in the final shot of “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 1, she was loading herself into a prisoner transport van, as the opening riffs of Tom Petty’s “American Girl” swelled and the door slammed shut.
- 4/20/2018
- by Mikey Glazer
- The Wrap
As expected, the Creative Arts Emmy competition Sunday turned out to be a sci-fi smackdown between Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and HBO’s “Westworld,” and each split the night with five awards apiece.
The Duffer Brothers’ ’80s homage to Steven Spielberg and Stephen King, “Stranger Things” won for outstanding editing, main title theme music, main title design, sound editing, and casting. The Jonathan Nolan/ Lisa Joy sci-fi/western, “Westworld,” earned outstanding special visual effects (the domain of “Game of Thrones” five years running), makeup (non-prosthetic), hairstyling, sound mixing, and creative achievement in interactive media.
However, if recent history proves a reliable harbinger, “Stranger Things” has the edge in the race for next Sunday’s Outstanding Series competition because of its editing victory. That’s because the last five outstanding editing winners have also taken home the big prize.
Read More:News Film TV Awards Toolkit More Search ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,...
The Duffer Brothers’ ’80s homage to Steven Spielberg and Stephen King, “Stranger Things” won for outstanding editing, main title theme music, main title design, sound editing, and casting. The Jonathan Nolan/ Lisa Joy sci-fi/western, “Westworld,” earned outstanding special visual effects (the domain of “Game of Thrones” five years running), makeup (non-prosthetic), hairstyling, sound mixing, and creative achievement in interactive media.
However, if recent history proves a reliable harbinger, “Stranger Things” has the edge in the race for next Sunday’s Outstanding Series competition because of its editing victory. That’s because the last five outstanding editing winners have also taken home the big prize.
Read More:News Film TV Awards Toolkit More Search ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,...
- 9/11/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The Upside Down of “Stranger Things” became an apt metaphor for this divisive year, and, maybe not so strangely, “Stranger Things,” along with several other Best Drama Emmy contenders, offered unifying themes to combat the forces of oppression, hate, and turmoil.
These included “Westworld,” “The Crown,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Feud: Bette and Joan,” and “Big Little Lies.” And, not surprisingly, they all offered stellar craftsmanship in support of their unifying themes.
“The Crown”
Showrunner Peter Morgan told IndieWire that his biggest takeaway has been the realization of the necessary bond between the monarchy and Parliament. “Sometimes the monarchy screws up and sometimes the politicians screw up,” he said. “And it takes one or the other to fix the problem.”
In Season 1, that unity is forged between young Queen Elizabeth II (nominated Claire Foy) and that old war horse, Prime Minister Winston Churchill (nominated John Lithgow). Together, they help Great...
These included “Westworld,” “The Crown,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Feud: Bette and Joan,” and “Big Little Lies.” And, not surprisingly, they all offered stellar craftsmanship in support of their unifying themes.
“The Crown”
Showrunner Peter Morgan told IndieWire that his biggest takeaway has been the realization of the necessary bond between the monarchy and Parliament. “Sometimes the monarchy screws up and sometimes the politicians screw up,” he said. “And it takes one or the other to fix the problem.”
In Season 1, that unity is forged between young Queen Elizabeth II (nominated Claire Foy) and that old war horse, Prime Minister Winston Churchill (nominated John Lithgow). Together, they help Great...
- 8/28/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
IndieWire reached out to the cinematographers who received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour), Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour), and Limited Series or Movie. We asked them which camera and lenses they used and why they were the right tools to achieve their show’s unique look.
Read More:Cannes 2017: Here Are the Cameras Used To Shoot 29 of This Year’s Films Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour)
The nominees for outstanding cinematography in this category are Adriano Goldman (“The Crown”), Colin Watkinson (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), James Hawkinson (“The Man in the High Castle”), Tod Campbell (Mr. Robot”), John Toll (“Sense8”), Tim Ives (“Stranger Things”) and Paul Cameron (“Westworld”).
Last Year’s Winner: James Hawkinson for “The Man in the High Castle”
“The Crown”
Cameras: Sony F55s
Lens: Old Cooke Panchros rehoused by Tls UK
Dp Adriano Goldman: “Netflix requires a 4K workflow,...
Read More:Cannes 2017: Here Are the Cameras Used To Shoot 29 of This Year’s Films Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour)
The nominees for outstanding cinematography in this category are Adriano Goldman (“The Crown”), Colin Watkinson (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), James Hawkinson (“The Man in the High Castle”), Tod Campbell (Mr. Robot”), John Toll (“Sense8”), Tim Ives (“Stranger Things”) and Paul Cameron (“Westworld”).
Last Year’s Winner: James Hawkinson for “The Man in the High Castle”
“The Crown”
Cameras: Sony F55s
Lens: Old Cooke Panchros rehoused by Tls UK
Dp Adriano Goldman: “Netflix requires a 4K workflow,...
- 8/22/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
This year’s one-hour series Emmy contenders for cinematography are marked by some bold sci-fi and dystopian disruptors: “Westworld,” “Stranger Things,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Man in the High Castle” (last year’s winner), “Mr. Robot, and Sense8.” With dazzling visuals, they explored the impact of tyranny and hate, of societies turned upside down, struggling for a greater humanity.
That leaves “The Crown” as the lone historical drama. But it too was a disruptor of sorts in the way that it showcased the symbiotic relationship between the monarchy and Parliament in post-war Great Britain, steered by the young Queen Elizabeth (nominated Claire Foy) and the old warhorse, Winston Churchill (nominated John Lithgow).
But don’t be surprised if it comes down to a race between the dueling dystopias: “Westworld” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
“Westworld”
The clash of two worlds envisioned by showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the...
That leaves “The Crown” as the lone historical drama. But it too was a disruptor of sorts in the way that it showcased the symbiotic relationship between the monarchy and Parliament in post-war Great Britain, steered by the young Queen Elizabeth (nominated Claire Foy) and the old warhorse, Winston Churchill (nominated John Lithgow).
But don’t be surprised if it comes down to a race between the dueling dystopias: “Westworld” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
“Westworld”
The clash of two worlds envisioned by showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the...
- 8/15/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
HBO’s “Westworld” and Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” offered two horrifying visions of American dystopia, capturing the zeitgeist of hate and polarization like no other shows this season. But even though their stories and worlds were very different, they shared several elements in common, including arresting visuals and rebellions led by two female protagonists: The android/host Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and the eponymous June/Offred (Elisabeth Moss).
In re-imagining Michael Crichton’s adult theme park gone berserk, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy tapped into a philosophical exploration of consciousness, creativity, and destruction. And in re-imagining Margaret Atwood’s allegory of violence, repression, and misogyny, director Reed Morano found solace in maternal unity.
Not surprisingly, drama series “Westworld” led the Emmy field with 12 craft nominations (two for production design, cinematography, costume design, editing, hairstyle, makeup, main title design, special visual effects, main title music, sound editing, and sound...
In re-imagining Michael Crichton’s adult theme park gone berserk, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy tapped into a philosophical exploration of consciousness, creativity, and destruction. And in re-imagining Margaret Atwood’s allegory of violence, repression, and misogyny, director Reed Morano found solace in maternal unity.
Not surprisingly, drama series “Westworld” led the Emmy field with 12 craft nominations (two for production design, cinematography, costume design, editing, hairstyle, makeup, main title design, special visual effects, main title music, sound editing, and sound...
- 8/2/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Apparently the TV Academy will only go so far in honoring sci-fi when it comes to the below-the-line craft nominations. While HBO’s “Westworld” and Netflix’s “Stranger Things” deservedly snagged 12 and 11 noms, respectively, FX’s “Legion” was totally shut out. That’s right: Noah Hawley’s mind-blowing Marvel superhero deconstruction didn’t get recognition for either Michael Wylie’s eye-popping production design or Dana Gonzales’s experimental cinematography. Perhaps it was too subversive for its own good.
“Westworld” Rules
With HBO’s “Game of Thrones” out of the running this season, the void was filled by the brilliant re-imagining of Michael Crichton’s adult theme park. Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy wisely took a more graphic and philosophical approach to A.I. The brutal sex and violence definitely tapped a cultural nerve.
It’s about beauty and ugliness in this collision of sci-fi and the western. Paul Cameron’s...
“Westworld” Rules
With HBO’s “Game of Thrones” out of the running this season, the void was filled by the brilliant re-imagining of Michael Crichton’s adult theme park. Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy wisely took a more graphic and philosophical approach to A.I. The brutal sex and violence definitely tapped a cultural nerve.
It’s about beauty and ugliness in this collision of sci-fi and the western. Paul Cameron’s...
- 7/13/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
“The Handmaid’s Tale” presented a unique production challenge for cinematographer Colin Watkinson and Reed Morano, an executive producer and director of the first three episodes. The show takes place in a near-future Gilead, where enslaved women forced to reproduce for the aristocracy wear costumes that reference a puritanical time — but the show isn’t a period piece. They needed to create a world that was “other” and could serve as sharp contrast to present-day flashbacks. To read more about how they created the show’s unique look, click here.
Related storiesThe Creepy Emmy Contenders of 'Stranger Things,' 'Legion,' and 'Westworld''The Leftovers': The Best Shots of the Final Season, Chosen by Director Mimi Leder'Portlandia': Carrie Brownstein on Directing, Men's Rights and Her 5 Favorite Sketches of Season 7...
Related storiesThe Creepy Emmy Contenders of 'Stranger Things,' 'Legion,' and 'Westworld''The Leftovers': The Best Shots of the Final Season, Chosen by Director Mimi Leder'Portlandia': Carrie Brownstein on Directing, Men's Rights and Her 5 Favorite Sketches of Season 7...
- 6/23/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
“The Handmaid’s Tale” presented a brain-twisting production challenge for cinematographer Colin Watkinson and Reed Morano, an executive producer and director of the first three episodes. The show takes place in a near-future Gilead, where enslaved women forced to reproduce for the aristocracy wear costumes that reference a puritanical time — but the show isn’t a period piece. They needed to create a world that was “other” and could serve as sharp contrast to present-day flashbacks.
Morano and Watkinson explain how they achieved the show’s unique look.
Read More: 10 TV Shows Emmy Voters Need to Watch Before They Fill Out Their Ballots
Compositions
Watkinson: Reed had a very specific directorial look book with very clear indications of which way she wanted to go, and how we were going to separate the worlds with compositional and shooting style.
Morano: I didn’t want it feel like a period piece. That was my fear with the costumes and everything. I pushed very hard that all the uniforms in Gilead had modern elements to them. Period would defeat the purpose. There are women in the world who experience these things today, and this story is a warning it could happen here just like that. It needed to be and feel other.”
Watkinson: Gilead was going to be incredibly formal, tableau-like compositions with a very considered static camera, the camera only moved when it was deemed to moved. Tableau, Kubrick-esque type frame is what Reed asked for, but with off framing, lots of headroom, and sometime asymmetrical as well.
The flashbacks were to be what Reed called “cinema verite” — a very visceral type of camerawork, to really put you in the moment. We wanted the flashbacks to feel as real as possible. The reason being even though they are flashbacks in the story, you are looking at today in the world and we wanted people to feel,”That’s right now.” That’s what I think makes it more horrific as you go along. The world changes so quickly. You’ve got to look up from your phone because tthis could happen quickly and right in front of your face.
A Pov Show
Morano: The book calls for us to be in Lizzy’s [Elizabeth Moss, who plays Offred] head, which sometimes comes with voiceover. Trying to put yourself in someone’s head — how do you visualize that? One of the ways I always thought we’d visualize that was by putting the camera physically closer to her for her close-ups, be on a wider lens because it feels a little bit more uncomfortable and there’s something a little bit more unsettling about that. It makes the audience close the person in much more uncomfortable way.”
Read More: How ‘Stranger Things’ Created That Awesomely Retro Title Sequence
Watkinson: We adopted a particular lens for Offred because being a Pov-type show, we wanted to be inside Offred’s head and make the viewer feel like every nuance Elizabeth made we’d be capturing. They’d be close enough to feel every movement. We were shooting on Canon K-35s for most of the show, but we had a 28mm Zeiss 2.1 that had a perspective that was different on either side of it. It’s very particular. It was her special lens.
Morano’s Handheld
Morano: As a cinematographer myself, I knew to stay out of Colin’s way. I told him, “I’ll treat you better than you are use to being treated by other directors. There is one thing I do want, though.”
Watkinson: In our first interview she broached it right away. “I like to get the camera on my shoulder and operate.”
Morano: Most good operators know you don’t want to do some kind of change while an actor’s delivering lines, but it’s hard to not know what you can get away with if you aren’t the director. If you are directing and you are the one cutting it and telling the story, you can take more risks with the operating.
Read More: The ‘Mr. Robot’ Experiment: Can a TV Show Be Shot Like an Indie Film?
Watkinson: There’s a special process going on there. She has unique vision and style. She brings an immediacy and a real feeling with her camera. I tried to get a feel for how and when she’d want to go handheld to access those emotions, and tried to emulate because we’d need to try to copy that with other directors after Reed left.
Interior Depth
Watkinson: I was constantly impressed by [production designer] Julie Berghoff’s paint work. Not only did she have the color right, but the depth of the color she’d create on the walls was amazing. You’d walk up to walls and admire the depth — there was color on color, but all the same color. I really feel that you feel that. The backgrounds are little bit dark, there’s a fall-off to them, and the light catches them because there’s so much texture. It was such pleasure to light, because I want to feel that depth in darkness.
I stole a term that exists in the 3-D world: They call it “volumetric lighting.” I wanted layers in the light. I saw (Morano’s feature) “Meadowland,” so I knew Reed really liked atmosphere. I wanted textured light layers, to go with the layer’s of Julie’s background and the layers of the costumes.
I want you to feel the light coming from the outside, so it’s based in a reality, but it’s a hyperreality. I used Df-50 to put a lot of atmosphere in the air, with 10K mol beams that create a sharp line then fade away. You can play with how strong that beam of light is based on the angle. Then there’s options of using blinds and other things to play with to create more layers.
Exterior
Watkinson: We knew Gilead had this throwback element. We knew it had to have a certain softness to it to match that otherness. We were always going to use vintage lenses, testing to figure out which ones got us the exterior softness was crucial.
We wanted shallow and soft look for the exterior. The lenses we used were very fast. They were 1.3, 1.4 lens and we would play the daytime shots as wide open as we could to really drop the depth of field.
Read More: The Best Indie Film Directors are Working on One Hulu Show, and Most Just Happen to be Women
We were trying to do anything that put movement in the light. We let light hit the camera — were totally happy for veiling to happen, so the light could hit the lens. Flare was part of the look. Then we’d push color into the blacks and highlights in the grade. We had a power Dit on set, to give it that otherworldliness. We shot on three Arri Alexa Mini, which did a great job with our colors and was perfect for going handheld, but also was 4K, which Hulu demanded.
Editor’s Note: This feature is presented in partnership with Arri, a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of motion picture camera, digital intermediate (Di) and lighting equipment. Founded by two filmmakers 100 years ago, Arri and its engineers have been recognized by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for contributions to the industry with 19 Scientific and Technical Awards. Click here for more about Arri.
Related storiesHow TV Critics Began To Have a Bigger Impact on the Emmy Race -- Screen Talk Emmy PodcastHow 'Stranger Things' Created That Awesomely Retro Title Sequence'Kingdom' and 'American Gods' Star Jonathan Tucker Bled for His Art, and That's Just the Beginning...
Morano and Watkinson explain how they achieved the show’s unique look.
Read More: 10 TV Shows Emmy Voters Need to Watch Before They Fill Out Their Ballots
Compositions
Watkinson: Reed had a very specific directorial look book with very clear indications of which way she wanted to go, and how we were going to separate the worlds with compositional and shooting style.
Morano: I didn’t want it feel like a period piece. That was my fear with the costumes and everything. I pushed very hard that all the uniforms in Gilead had modern elements to them. Period would defeat the purpose. There are women in the world who experience these things today, and this story is a warning it could happen here just like that. It needed to be and feel other.”
Watkinson: Gilead was going to be incredibly formal, tableau-like compositions with a very considered static camera, the camera only moved when it was deemed to moved. Tableau, Kubrick-esque type frame is what Reed asked for, but with off framing, lots of headroom, and sometime asymmetrical as well.
The flashbacks were to be what Reed called “cinema verite” — a very visceral type of camerawork, to really put you in the moment. We wanted the flashbacks to feel as real as possible. The reason being even though they are flashbacks in the story, you are looking at today in the world and we wanted people to feel,”That’s right now.” That’s what I think makes it more horrific as you go along. The world changes so quickly. You’ve got to look up from your phone because tthis could happen quickly and right in front of your face.
A Pov Show
Morano: The book calls for us to be in Lizzy’s [Elizabeth Moss, who plays Offred] head, which sometimes comes with voiceover. Trying to put yourself in someone’s head — how do you visualize that? One of the ways I always thought we’d visualize that was by putting the camera physically closer to her for her close-ups, be on a wider lens because it feels a little bit more uncomfortable and there’s something a little bit more unsettling about that. It makes the audience close the person in much more uncomfortable way.”
Read More: How ‘Stranger Things’ Created That Awesomely Retro Title Sequence
Watkinson: We adopted a particular lens for Offred because being a Pov-type show, we wanted to be inside Offred’s head and make the viewer feel like every nuance Elizabeth made we’d be capturing. They’d be close enough to feel every movement. We were shooting on Canon K-35s for most of the show, but we had a 28mm Zeiss 2.1 that had a perspective that was different on either side of it. It’s very particular. It was her special lens.
Morano’s Handheld
Morano: As a cinematographer myself, I knew to stay out of Colin’s way. I told him, “I’ll treat you better than you are use to being treated by other directors. There is one thing I do want, though.”
Watkinson: In our first interview she broached it right away. “I like to get the camera on my shoulder and operate.”
Morano: Most good operators know you don’t want to do some kind of change while an actor’s delivering lines, but it’s hard to not know what you can get away with if you aren’t the director. If you are directing and you are the one cutting it and telling the story, you can take more risks with the operating.
Read More: The ‘Mr. Robot’ Experiment: Can a TV Show Be Shot Like an Indie Film?
Watkinson: There’s a special process going on there. She has unique vision and style. She brings an immediacy and a real feeling with her camera. I tried to get a feel for how and when she’d want to go handheld to access those emotions, and tried to emulate because we’d need to try to copy that with other directors after Reed left.
Interior Depth
Watkinson: I was constantly impressed by [production designer] Julie Berghoff’s paint work. Not only did she have the color right, but the depth of the color she’d create on the walls was amazing. You’d walk up to walls and admire the depth — there was color on color, but all the same color. I really feel that you feel that. The backgrounds are little bit dark, there’s a fall-off to them, and the light catches them because there’s so much texture. It was such pleasure to light, because I want to feel that depth in darkness.
I stole a term that exists in the 3-D world: They call it “volumetric lighting.” I wanted layers in the light. I saw (Morano’s feature) “Meadowland,” so I knew Reed really liked atmosphere. I wanted textured light layers, to go with the layer’s of Julie’s background and the layers of the costumes.
I want you to feel the light coming from the outside, so it’s based in a reality, but it’s a hyperreality. I used Df-50 to put a lot of atmosphere in the air, with 10K mol beams that create a sharp line then fade away. You can play with how strong that beam of light is based on the angle. Then there’s options of using blinds and other things to play with to create more layers.
Exterior
Watkinson: We knew Gilead had this throwback element. We knew it had to have a certain softness to it to match that otherness. We were always going to use vintage lenses, testing to figure out which ones got us the exterior softness was crucial.
We wanted shallow and soft look for the exterior. The lenses we used were very fast. They were 1.3, 1.4 lens and we would play the daytime shots as wide open as we could to really drop the depth of field.
Read More: The Best Indie Film Directors are Working on One Hulu Show, and Most Just Happen to be Women
We were trying to do anything that put movement in the light. We let light hit the camera — were totally happy for veiling to happen, so the light could hit the lens. Flare was part of the look. Then we’d push color into the blacks and highlights in the grade. We had a power Dit on set, to give it that otherworldliness. We shot on three Arri Alexa Mini, which did a great job with our colors and was perfect for going handheld, but also was 4K, which Hulu demanded.
Editor’s Note: This feature is presented in partnership with Arri, a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of motion picture camera, digital intermediate (Di) and lighting equipment. Founded by two filmmakers 100 years ago, Arri and its engineers have been recognized by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for contributions to the industry with 19 Scientific and Technical Awards. Click here for more about Arri.
Related storiesHow TV Critics Began To Have a Bigger Impact on the Emmy Race -- Screen Talk Emmy PodcastHow 'Stranger Things' Created That Awesomely Retro Title Sequence'Kingdom' and 'American Gods' Star Jonathan Tucker Bled for His Art, and That's Just the Beginning...
- 6/22/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Sci-Fi and Comic Book Shows Are Getting Serious Awards Attention: How Bold DPs are Changing the Race
Call them the Dp disruptors: “Legion,” “Stranger Things,” “Westworld,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and “Taboo.” It’s one thing to be for cinematography to be cinematic, but quite another to provoke. Here’s a look at the cinematography that was used to explore the impacts of tyranny and hate, of societies turned upside down and against humanity.
“Legion”
After re-imagining “Fargo” as a nightmarish crime anthology, Noah Hawley stripped the superhero iconography out of Marvel’s “Legion” by concentrating on schizophrenia and paranoia. Dan Stevens’ troubled mutant, David Haller, proves to be an unreliable narrator, unable to grasp the difference between reality and imagination, who meets the girl of his dreams (Rachel Keller) in a mental hospital and discovers that his psychological instability is a result of special telepathic power.
Cinematographer Dana Gonzales (“Fargo”) liked a story that demanded a shift from naturalistic to heightened. “And there’s a love...
“Legion”
After re-imagining “Fargo” as a nightmarish crime anthology, Noah Hawley stripped the superhero iconography out of Marvel’s “Legion” by concentrating on schizophrenia and paranoia. Dan Stevens’ troubled mutant, David Haller, proves to be an unreliable narrator, unable to grasp the difference between reality and imagination, who meets the girl of his dreams (Rachel Keller) in a mental hospital and discovers that his psychological instability is a result of special telepathic power.
Cinematographer Dana Gonzales (“Fargo”) liked a story that demanded a shift from naturalistic to heightened. “And there’s a love...
- 5/26/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
“The Handmaid’s Tale” series on Hulu was tailor-made for Trump’s America, and nothing sums up the horror of Margaret Atwood’s totalitarian Gilead better than the “salvaging” ritual at the end of Episode One. The color red, worn by the Handmaids, becomes the key visual component, symbolic of both menstrual blood and political rage.
The Handmaids, forced into sexual servitude because of their rare fertility, are permitted to encircle and execute a rapist every month in a public display of controlled catharsis. And it comes at the worst possible moment for protagonist Offred (Elisabeth Moss), who learns that her best friend, Moira (Samira Wiley), is likely dead because of her rebellion as feminist and lesbian, so she takes charge with uncontrollable aggression.
Finding the Right Red in the Costumes
Reed Morano, the cinematographer-turned director, who helmed the first three episodes, established the palette of Atwood’s color-coded dystopia...
The Handmaids, forced into sexual servitude because of their rare fertility, are permitted to encircle and execute a rapist every month in a public display of controlled catharsis. And it comes at the worst possible moment for protagonist Offred (Elisabeth Moss), who learns that her best friend, Moira (Samira Wiley), is likely dead because of her rebellion as feminist and lesbian, so she takes charge with uncontrollable aggression.
Finding the Right Red in the Costumes
Reed Morano, the cinematographer-turned director, who helmed the first three episodes, established the palette of Atwood’s color-coded dystopia...
- 5/25/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
How do you turn one woman’s inner narrative into something visceral? Especially when that woman is describing the horrific dystopia in which she’s trapped? That’s the challenge director Reed Morano faced when she took on Hulu’s upcoming adaptation of “The Handmaid’s Tale” — and it was one that she relished.
“I just pitched the craziest ideas I could,” Morano told IndieWire on Saturday at the Television Critics Association press tour.
Showrunner Bruce Miller described the series, set in a dystopian world that subjugates women, as a “thriller.” But it’s also an intimate depiction of life in this terrifying world, told almost entirely from the point of view of Offred (Elisabeth Moss), a young woman forced essentially into sexual slavery.
Read More: The Handmaid’s Tale’ Trailer: Elisabeth Moss Risks It All in Hulu Adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s Drama
Margaret Atwood’s original novel lives entirely in Offred’s head,...
“I just pitched the craziest ideas I could,” Morano told IndieWire on Saturday at the Television Critics Association press tour.
Showrunner Bruce Miller described the series, set in a dystopian world that subjugates women, as a “thriller.” But it’s also an intimate depiction of life in this terrifying world, told almost entirely from the point of view of Offred (Elisabeth Moss), a young woman forced essentially into sexual slavery.
Read More: The Handmaid’s Tale’ Trailer: Elisabeth Moss Risks It All in Hulu Adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s Drama
Margaret Atwood’s original novel lives entirely in Offred’s head,...
- 1/8/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
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