The Cinematography Podcast

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 352: Ted Hope

Producer Ted Hope has worked in the film business for over 40 years, producing dozens of features with several Academy Awards nominations and wins. After leaving Amazon Studios in 2020, Hope went back to his roots as an independent producer and began writing his Substack blog, Hope For Film. He argues that the independent film ecosystem as we know it has reached its final days. However, far from being a tragedy, Ted definitely has hope for film. He sees what's happening in the industry today as a necessary seismic shift. Hope has a vision for a more “punk rock” future of cinema, with a decentralized, artist-owned future that prioritizes "freak flags" and human empathy over corporate consolidation.

Key Podcast Highlights:

-How filmmakers should stop trying to emulate "mini-Hollywood" productions and embrace a DIY, experimental approach with room to fail.
-How the streaming era has killed the anticipatory joy of seeing a film when it’s simply dropped on a homepage, making it harder for the longer-term cultural engagement that helped independent films thrive.
-Why ownership is the new path forward, paired with self-financing and total IP control.
-Film’s best defense against AI is embracing cinema that mimics life and human complexity, with scripts that contain ambiguity rather than payoffs.
-Why filmmakers must understand and control the entire filmmaking process, from budget and shoot to distribution.

**A special note to our listeners: We have an exclusive discount link to subscribe to Ted Hope’s substack, Hope For Film! Get 50% a 1 year subscription at https://tedhope.substack.com/cinepod. This offer does expire on April 20 (4/20) at 4:20 PM PT. Yep, that’s on 4-20 at 4:20. Don’t miss out!**

You can also find the discount link in our shownotes for this episode at www.camnoir.com

Show Rundown:
03:07 Close Focus
06:44-01:13:14 Ted Hope interview
01:14:04 Short ends
01:25:42 Wrap up/Credits

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 351: Marshall Adams, ASC and Paul Donachie

Pluribus DPs Marshall Adams and Paul Donachie share a visual shorthand, love of wide shots, and creative freedom to craft inventive techniques using LED panels.

Key Podcast Highlights:

-Marshall and Paul’s collaboration as DPs, and how their shared aesthetic vision strengthens the show.
-Getting absolute top-down permission from producer/director Vince Gilligan to take creative risks.
-The importance of prep, rehearsal and flexibility in planning intriguing shots.
-Focusing on finding visual effects in camera instead of relying on VFX, such as the LED rig Marshall built for the truck oner in the pilot episode.

Find Marshall Adams, ASC: Instagram @smadadp
See Pluribus on Apple TV

Show Rundown:
02:22 Close Focus
11:46-46:45 Marshall Adams and Paul Donachie interview
47:22 Short ends
55:47 Wrap up/Credits

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 350: Lawrence Sher, ASC

DP Lawrence Sher felt creatively challenged on The Bride! The "everything burger" movie combines many film techniques and influences, 1930's and contemporary lighting, contemporary actors dropped into archival movie footage, and practical makeup effects.

Key Podcast Highlights:
-Creating a stylized movie with director Maggie Gyllenhaal using multiple techniques and film influences
-Honoring 1930’s filmmaking with longer lenses, and using real archival footage for the “movie within a movie” sequences.
-The challenge of lighting and filming practical makeup effects on actors Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley
-Finding creative inspiration in projects that excite and scare him

Find Lawrence Sher: https://www.lawrencesher.com/
Instagram @lawrencesherdp
See The Bride! in theaters
Check out Shotdeck: https://shotdeck.com/
Hear our previous episodes with Lawrence Sher: https://www.camnoir.com/ep293/
https://www.camnoir.com/ep56/

Show Rundown:
01:38 Close Focus
09:43-50:05 Lawrence Sher interview
50:21 Short ends
57:08 Wrap up/Credits

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

The Cinematography Podcast 2026 Oscar Special

Jenelle Riley, three-time Emmy-winning entertainment journalist and host, chats with Ben and Illya for our SEVENTH annual Oscar nominations special. With a focus on cinematography, they discuss what they liked, what will win, what should win, and their favorite movies of the year that may not have been recognized.

They discuss this year’s nominations, including the likeliest Best Picture and Best Director contenders, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. F1 is also mentioned as an outlier for the category, although the cinematography by Claudio Miranda is excellent. This year's new category, Achievement in Casting, is celebrated as a much needed addition. The cinematography competition is a heated one, with both Autumn Durald Arkapaw and Michael Bauman as favorites, with Bauman recently winning the ASC Award. Some of the snubs this year include one of Jenelle's favorite movies, Life of Chuck.  Song Sung Blue also didn't receive much awards love. Last year's awards omitted the worthy film, Thelma. 

Also discussed: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

Find Jenelle Riley on Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, X: @jenelleriley
and Substack: https://substack.com/@rileywrites74/note/p-183180534
Tune in to the SAG/AFTRA foundation YouTube Channel to see Jenelle's interviews with several of the nominees this year. https://www.youtube.com/@SAGAFTRAFoundation

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 349: James Whitaker, ASC

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die DP James Whitaker, ASC played with different genres, with over 70 setups a day in the Norm's diner set. He used LED walls and projectors to cast real, interactive light on the characters in the film’s climax, and swapped to a different camera system for certain scenes to play up the glow of cell phones.

Key Podcast Highlights:
-Shooting the opening sequence of the film in a set replica of Norm’s Diner
-How director Gore Verbinski’s complex, hand-drawn storyboards allowed the crew to maintain a "ballet-like" precision during Rockwell's complex physical performances.
-Using LED walls and projectors to cast real, interactive light on the characters in the film’s climax
-Swapping to a Sony Venice 2 when the cell phone light source wasn’t strong enough in some scenes

Find James Whitaker: Instagram @jameswhitaker_dop
See Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die in theaters
See James' most recent series, DTF St. Louis, on HBO Max
See Patriot on Amazon Prime
Hear our recent interview with Nicole Whitaker: https://www.camnoir.com/ep338/

SHOW RUNDOWN:
02:05 Close Focus
12:14-01:00:49 James Whitaker Interview
01:01:30 Short ends
01:06:46 Wrap up/Credits

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social