Team Deakins

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 206 David Fortune - Writer / Director
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with writer and director David Fortune, whose feature debut, COLOR BOOK, is now available to stream on Netflix. David grew up in East Atlanta, watching GOODFELLAS on repeat with his siblings, but it wasn't until a screening of BICYCLE THIEVES while studying at Moorehouse that he decided to become a filmmaker. Throughout the episode, we discuss David's winding path from film school to the making of his first feature, and we learn about the different types of fellowships and incubator programs that supported his development as a filmmaker. We also discuss the making of COLOR BOOK, and we learn how David prepared for the film, cast its leads, and built out the crew using mostly local talent from Atlanta. David also shares how much the film changed from the script to the final edit, and he reveals what inspired him to shoot the film in black and white. Plus, at the end, we learn a little about what he plans to explore in his next movie.
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Recommended Viewing: COLOR BOOK

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 205 Charley Gilleran - Rigging Key Grip
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with rigging key grip Charley Gilleran (A STAR IS BORN, BLADE RUNNER 2049, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN). Charley shares why he got into rigging, what the job entails, and throughout the the episode he shares how he overcame several lighting challenges, ranging from Wallace's office in BLADE RUNNER 2049 to the Pacific Coast Highway in INTOLERABLE CRUELTY. Charley also recalls his first meeting with key grip Mitch Lillian (Season 1, Episode 27) on the streets of New York, and we learn why Charley moved to Los Angeles to continue and grow his career. Charley later reflects on the scheduling benefits of being the rigging grip on a job, and he shares how he preps for and adapts during a production to help the cinematographer execute his or her plan. We also discuss how much rigging has changed with advances in technology, and Charley offers his thoughts on the future of the film business in Los Angeles. We've worked with Charley on numerous films, and we were excited to have him on the podcast.
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Recommended Viewing: HAIL, CAESAR!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 204 Janice Blackie-Goodine - Set Decorator
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with set decorator Janice Blackie-Goodine (THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES, LONESOME DOVE, UNFORGIVEN). Growing up on farmland in Calgary, Janice's experiences with hard, physical labour and a supportive art teacher led to her specialize in set decoration. During our conversation, we learn how Janice navigated the male-dominated department, and she helps us understand what a set decorator does and how she approaches every job. Later, we reflect on surviving the production of JESSE JAMES together. Janice shares how she, production designer Richard Hoover (Season 1, Episode 142), and producer David Valdes (Season 1, Episode 13) pivoted when they discovered they were prepping the wrong version of the film, and we learn why it's the film she's the most proud of. Janice also shares how she develops relationships with vendors when securing pieces for a set and how she builds the budget, and she reveals why she finally retired from the business. We worked with Janice on JESSE JAMES, and we loved catching up with her.
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If you enjoyed listening to Janice, then we would recommend listening to Dean Goodine (Season 2, Episode 201)—a prop master and Janice's husband.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 203 John Schwartzman - Cinematographer
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with cinematographer John Schwartzman (THE HOUSEMAID, THE HIGHWAYMEN, THE ROCK). John has worked on numerous high-budget, highly commercial films throughout his career, and we spend much of the episode discussing his approach to his work on those movies and his process overall. John's father, an entertainment lawyer for the likes of Stanley Kubrick and Hal Ashby, married into the Coppola filmmaking family while John was just a teenager, and we learn how John leveraged this connection and his skills at board games to win letters of recommendation from his uncle Francis Ford Coppola and friend-of-the-family George Lucas. We also discuss how John draws on his upbringing to help actors feel comfortable during a shoot, and he reflects on how he satisfies his creative needs in modern Hollywood. John also shares the pivotal pieces of advice he received from cinematographers such as Conrad Hall and Caleb Deschanel (Season 1, Episode 86) that instilled confidence in him, and we learn how and why he failed out of USC.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 202 Christina Alexandra Voros - Director / Cinematographer
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with director and cinematographer Christina Alexandra Voros (DUTTON RANCH, THE MADISON, YELLOWSTONE). A graduate of the NYU film program (Season 1, Episode 104), Christina discovered cinematography and directing while at school, and she walks us through her formative years there. After working her way through documentaries and features, Christina found steady work directing and shooting shows within the Taylor Sheridan universe, and we discuss the unique working conditions of those series and how she approaches doing two jobs at once. She reflects on what she brings to narrative films and series from her time in documentaries, and we discuss the flexibility one has when you're both the director and the cinematographer. We later learn up to five cameras can be rolling at once on a show like THE MADISON and DUTTON RANCH, and Christina helps us understand how you can direct a scene with so much simultaneous coverage.