SEASON 2 - EPISODE 166 - Reflections: On Cinematography - written by Roger Deakins

In this special "Turning the Tables" episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, cinematographer Roberto Schaefer (Season 1, Episode 162) returns to lead us in a conversation about Roger's new memoir, Reflections: On Cinematography. In the book, Roger tells the story of his life from his childhood in rural, seaside England to the present day, and he reveals the reasoning behind many of the creative and practical decisions of numerous projects, from his early documentary work and music videos to films such as 1984, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, and 1917. In our conversation with Roberto, he asks why Roger decided to write it in the first place, and Roger shares what his ultimate intent was when putting it together. Reflections also features unseen photographs, sketches, and diagrams from Roger's personal archive, and he reflects on the process of picking and choosing which memories and films to write about. This episode will offer a small sample of what to expect in the full book, so if you like what you hear, you can place a pre-order after listening.

Reflections: On Cinematography will be available on November 11, 2025 in the United States and Canada, and it will later be available in the UK on February 12, 2026. Pre-order information can be found at this link.

Books ordered through the ASC store will be shipped globally while supplies last.

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This episode is sponsored by Sandstorm & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 165 - LEDs - with Tim S. Kang

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we learn about LED lighting. LEDs are now commonplace in productions, and we thought an episode about the technology and its applications could be helpful for anyone with as many questions as us. Our guest is Tim S. Kang, a cinematographer and the principal engineer for imaging applications at Aputure, and we start by learning how Tim came to work on this side of the business. He also helps us understand a number of topics, including: the history of lighting in cinema, the definition of spectrum, the evolution of LEDs, and the possibilities of lighting in post. We also discuss the efforts to institute a standard among LED fixtures, and we reflect on the historical problem cinematographers have always faced: inconsistencies with light sources.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Sandstorm

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 164 - 28 YEARS LATER - with Anthony Dod Mantle

In this special episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (Season 1, Episode 68) returns to discuss his work on 28 YEARS LATER. The film was shot extensively using modified iPhones, and Anthony shares his early conversations with director Danny Boyle about the film's intended rural setting that informed their decision to commit to using the devices. Anthony later explains how he jailbroke the iPhone's camera system with the help of tech advisors and employees at Apple, and we discuss how the limitations of the phone forced Anthony to adjust the amount of light he used while filming. We also learn how the bar cam system actually works, and Anthony details the type of VFX work done throughout the film. We later investigate why the sequel was shot with an Alexa, and Anthony describes the elaborate build of the Bone Temple location featured prominently in both films.

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Recommended Viewing: 28 YEARS LATER

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This episode is sponsored by Sandstorm & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 163 - Iris Prize LGTBQ+ Film Festival - with Lewis Bayley

In this special episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with Lewis Bayley, Industry Coordinator for the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Lewis invited us to speak with him about filmmaking earlier this year, and what you'll hear is that recorded conversation. We had the pleasure of discussing many topics with Lewis, such as the overall importance of film festivals and our longtime efforts giving back to younger generations of filmmakers. Additionally, we share a few work stories from our long careers, Roger gives a preview of what to expect in his upcoming memoir, Reflections, and James reveals the game she played with director Martin Scorsese while we were shooting KUNDUN in the Moroccan desert. The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival is hosted annually in Cardiff, Wales with talks, panels, and screenings of shorts and features highlighting the myriad of experiences within the global LGBTQ+ community, and we were happy to be a small part of their 19th edition.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Sandstorm

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 162 - Dante Spinotti - Cinematographer

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with cinematographer Dante Spinotti (ANT-MAN AND THE WASP, HEAT, THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY DRINKER). During our conversation, Dante reflects on his Italian upbringing and on the formative year he spent shooting photographs in Nairobi, Kenya. Dante has also frequently shot films with director Michael Mann, and he shares a number of stories from their years of working together. While best-known for his work in Hollywood, Dante still found time to shoot films in his native country, and we specifically discuss his experiences working with director Ermanno Olmi on THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY DRINKER. Dante has also survived the Marvel movie machine, and he reflects on the changes in technology and filmmakers' approach to filmmaking that he's witnessed over the course of his career. We also discuss his experiences transitioning to using digital cameras, and we reflect on the value of discipline and preparation—no matter your shooting format.

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This episode is sponsored by Sandstorm & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 161 - Atom Egoyan - Director

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with director Atom Egoyan (SEVEN VEILS, THE SWEET HEREAFTER, EXOTICA) in an extended conversation. Atom was born in Cairo and raised in Canada, and his young love for theatre grew to encompass filmmaking after a hard rejection in college. Throughout our winding conversation, we discuss the creation of many of his films, and Atom asks us a few questions too! Atom's films vary in their visual styles, and he frequently collaborates with cinematographer Paul Sarossy (Season 1, Episode 111), and he reveals how they first met and how they like to work together. Atom also shares why he restructured THE SWEET HEREAFTER in post, and we discuss the power of withholding information from the audience. We also learn why Atom chose to avoid a conventional historical drama when constructing ARARAT, a film about the Armenian Genocide, and we reflect on cinema's ability to communicate the horrors of history.

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Recommended Viewing: ARARAT, THE SWEET HEREAFTER

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Sandstorm

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 160 - Mark Friedberg - Production Designer

In this extended (and funny) episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with production designer Mark Friedberg (CAUGHT STEALING, JOKER, THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD). A native New Yorker, it wasn't until returning to the city after Jack Kerouac-ing around the country that Mark (and his dog) first found work in the film industry as a driver for the Woody Allen production team. Mark was eventually let out of the van, and, throughout our conversation, he reveals how he thought through many of the challenges in his long and impressive career as a designer. Mark is also a staple in Barry Jenkins' (Season 2, Episode 156) stable of collaborators, and we learn how Mark's daughter convinced her father to break his own rules to initially meet with the director. We also discuss technology's place in Mark's design process, and he shares why he rehired the millennial gamers who built MUFASA's Africa to digitally visualize the sets of JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX before physically constructing them.

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Recommended Viewing: THE ICE STORM

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This episode is sponsored by Sandstorm & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 159 - Michael McDonough - Cinematographer

We speak with cinematographer Michael McDonough (BOSCH, SUNSET SONG, WINTER'S BONE) in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. If you listened to our conversation with Debra Granik (Season 2, Episode 158), then you know a bit about Michael already. He fills in what she left out, and we learn how he came to pursue filmmaking as a career after roaming around Rome on a year-long printmaking scholarship during his time in art college. We further discuss his professional partnership with Debra, and we also trade stories about working with director Michael Radford. In addition to his work in film, Michael has shot long-running television series such as FEAR THE WALKING DEAD and BOSCH, and he shares how he does the best he can given the limitations of working in the format. Michael also reflects on how BOSCH incorporates Los Angeles' rich noir history into the show's look, and we learn what advice he would give his younger self if he were starting out again. Among the other topics discussed in our conversation: lighting lessons learned from observing cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond and the allure of Venice Beach in the winter.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Sandstorm