ICG Magazine - December 2021 - Generation NEXT

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Contents GENERATION NEXT December 2021 / Vol. 92 No. 11

DEPARTMENTS gear guide ................ 18 first look ................ 22 depth of field ................ 24 exposure ................ 28 production credits ................ 88 stop motion .............. 102

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FEATURE 01

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE! Who has the nerve and verve to remake West Side Story? Steven Spielberg, of course, and his award-winning IATSE production team.

FEATURE 02 QUEEN OF COMEDY Jeff Cronenweth, ASC, and a veteran Guild camera team all have some “’splaining” to do for Aaron Sorkin’s new feature, Being the Ricardos.

SPECIAL 01 CHANGE-MAKERS A rising tide lifts all boats, as our largestever Generation NEXT class proves.

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“The scope of it, the way it’s framed, the woody-rusted iron feel of the visuals – great to look at.”

W O R

F O R

Y O U R

R A D I O

C O N S I D E R A T I O N

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY POLLY MORGAN, ASC

Publisher Teresa Muñoz Executive Editor David Geffner Art Director Wes Driver

STAFF WRITER Pauline Rogers

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Tyler Bourdeau

COPY EDITORS

Peter Bonilla Maureen Kingsley

CONTRIBUTORS

Ted Elrick Matt Hurwitz Margot Carmichael Lester Niko Tavernise

ACCOUNTING Glenn Berger Dominique Ibarra

December 2021 vol. 92 no. 11

Local

600

International Cinematographers Guild

IATSE Local 600 NATIONAL PRESIDENT John Lindley, ASC VICE PRESIDENT Dejan Georgevich, ASC 1ST NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Christy Fiers 2ND NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Baird Steptoe NATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER Stephen Wong NATIONAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY-TREASURER Jamie Silverstein NATIONAL SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Deborah Lipman NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rebecca Rhine ASSOCIATE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Chaim Kantor

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ADVERTISING POLICY: Readers should not assume that any products or services advertised in International Cinematographers Guild Magazine are endorsed by the International Cinematographers Guild. Although the Editorial staff adheres to standard industry practices in requiring advertisers to be “truthful and forthright,” there has been no extensive screening process by either International Cinematographers Guild Magazine or the International Cinematographers Guild.

EDITORIAL POLICY: The International Cinematographers Guild neither implicitly nor explicitly endorses opinions or political statements expressed in International Cinematographers Guild Magazine. ICG Magazine considers unsolicited material via email only, provided all submissions are within current Contributor Guideline standards. All published material is subject to editing for length, style and content, with inclusion at the discretion of the Executive Editor and Art Director.

Local 600, International Cinematographers Guild, retains all ancillary and expressed rights of content and photos published in ICG Magazine and icgmagazine.com, subject to any negotiated prior arrangement. ICG Magazine regrets that it cannot publish letters to the editor.

ICG (ISSN 1527-6007) Ten issues published annually by The International Cinematographers Guild 7755 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, CA, 90046, U.S.A. Periodical postage paid at Los Angeles, California.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ICG 7755 Sunset Boulevard Hollywood, California 90046 Copyright 2021, by Local 600, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States and Canada. Entered as Periodical matter, September 30, 1930, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscriptions: $88.00 of each International Cinematographers Guild member’s annual dues is allocated for an annual subscription to International Cinematographers Guild Magazine.

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F O R YO U R C O N S I D E R AT I O N I N A L L C AT E G O R I E S I N C L U D I N G

BEST PICTURE BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY ARI WEGNER,

ACS

TORONTO INT’L FILM FESTIVAL 2021

WINNER

VARIETY ARTISAN AWARD

ARI WEGNER

MIDDLEBURG FILM FESTIVAL 2021

WINNER

“GORGEOUS.

DISTINGUISHED CINEMATOGRAPHER AWARD ARI WEGNER

A movie as big as the open sky, but one where human emotions are still distinctly visible, as fine and sharp as a blade of grass. Jane Campion and her cinematographer, Ari Wegner, use the expanse of screen they’ve been given as if it were a precious resource.”

TIME

“ENTHRALLING. Starkly beautiful images captured

by DP Ari Wegner.”

THE HOLLY WOOD REPORTER

FILM.NETFLIXAWARDS.COM

A FILM BY ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER JANE CAMPION

wide angle Photo by Sara Terry

CONTRIBUTORS

F

or those slavishly devoted to this column (i.e., my wife, friends, and close relatives), my thoughts on our December Generation NEXT issue may sound boringly familiar – like the proverbial “broken record” (or should we update that metaphor to a “corrupted MP3 file”?). Whatever the technology stuck on repeat, the profiles that longtime ICG writer Margot Carmichael Lester has been producing for this December issue (for more than a decade) are among the most important content this magazine presents, especially now – for an industry, country and world battered by negativity for some 18 months (and counting).

Those paying attention will note that recent links in the Generation NEXT chain have been themed – our 2020 Generation NEXT [ICG Magazine December 2020] centered around Latinx Guild members, and our 2018 Generation NEXT [ICG Magazine December 2018] focused on inclusion and diversity. This year continues that trend with a theme – “Change-Makers” – that feels especially relevant to 2021, given the seismic shifts our industry and society have undergone in areas like safe working conditions, racial and gender equity, and work/life balance.

Let me peel back the curtain on how this special feature is prepared: We sent out an email to a broad collection of Local 600 members (including former Generation NEXT subjects), Guild business reps, and industry folks –vendors, PR reps, executives – asking for the names of those union workers who not only give 110 percent on the set (or at the studio/ network/streaming company, etc.) but also have displayed a burning need to make the world a better place.

Simply put, we went looking for individuals who walk the talk – in their workplaces, in their communities, and in distant locations where their projects

take them. What came back included emails about individuals who rallied union brothers and sisters in Georgia to help reach a 98 percent YES VOTE for the recent strike authorization; individuals who have advocated for young scholars in underserved communities to better fund a college experience that is otherwise likely out of reach; individuals who have helped to bring recognition to LBGTQ craftspeople in IATSE and the wider industry; and individuals who have advocated for the rights of working parents within this union, including leading a vocal campaign for paid maternity/paternity leave – which this industry currently does not provide.

These many “Change-Makers” (our largest class yet) includes names like 2nd AC Neo Arboleda, 1st AC Matthew Borek, Director of Photography Ante Cheng, Camera Operator Michelle Clementine, Unit Still Photographer Jessica Miglio, Senior Publicist Stephanie Sommer, DIT Dan Skinner and Camera Operator Brenda Zuniga, SOC. Many of our readers may already know these names; they may even have seen their “change-making” efforts up close and personal in the workplace. But many others will be learning about these (and nine more) inspiring warriors for the first time. They’ll hear stories that not only touch the heart and soul of what it means to be a a skilled IATSE craftsperson, but also a caring human being living on planet earth (or very nearby).

That’s why I would urge readers of this issue to not only breathe in deeply of what the next generation of union workers has to say, but also to not let their stories end on the page (or more accurately, laptop/smartphone/tablet screen).

Enlarge the words and actions of these “changemakers” to make your workplaces, communities, and corners of the planet better places than you found them – yesterday, today, forever.

Ken Sax Change-Makers “It was great to be part of ICG Magazine’s annual Generation NEXT issue and to have the chance to photograph these talented, powerful women – Camera Operator Brenda Zuniga, SOC, for her love of underwater photography, and Senior Publicist Stephanie Sommer.” It’s great to explore other aspects of the industry, aside from all he work I’ve done with special gallery shoots for films and TV series.”

Niko Tavernise Let’s Get Ready To Rumble!, Stop Motion When shooting on a film set I need to be invisible; in order to get the reactions I want, no one can see me. Most times you are right in actors’ eye lines or in reflections, so being clad in all black at all times helps a great deal.

I’ve been wearing masks long before the pandemic. Ninja style.”

CORRECTION: We regret misspelling the name of photographer Derek Stettler, whose image of Halyna Hutchins formed our November 2021 Stop Motion (page 92), as well as the production company who supplied the image: Get Real Reel Productions.

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David Geffner Executive Editor

Email: david@icgmagazine.com

Cover photo by Niko Tavernise

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GEAR GUIDE

RED V-RAPTOR $24,500 WWW.RED.COM

RED’s V-RAPTOR is the brand’s new flagship camera. Featuring an all-new multiformat sensor, with the ability to make in-camera format selection from 6K S35 to 8K large format, the V-RAPTOR allows filmmakers to leverage an array of lenses with the push of a button while delivering better than 4K resolution. Introduced as the first entrant in RED’s next-generation DSMC3 platform, this new sensor offers cinema-quality scan time two times faster than any previous RED sensor. The results are reduced artifacts and high frame rates with smooth highlight roll-offs, clean shadows, and excellent low-light performance. Users can capture 8K at up to 120 fps (150 fps at 2.4:1), 6K up to 160 fps (200 fps at 2.4:1), and 600 fps, while still having 17 stops of dynamic range. Weighing in at barely over four pounds, the camera comes with two 4K 12G-SDI outputs, an SLR audio, phantom power via an adapter, 1080p live-stream capability, an RF lens mount with locking mechanism, phase-detection autofocus, and wireless connectivity via the RED Control app for iPhone and Android. A newly designed and easy-to-navigate integrated display is located on the side of the camera.

Miller ArtX Naked Fluid Heads $1,114 TO $3,944 WWW.MILLERTRIPODS.COM

The benefit of Miller’s new ArtX Naked fluid head is that the customer can option the “naked” to any configuration and industry-standard third-party accessories. They deliver the smoothness and robustness of the larger cinematic fluid heads in a small and inexpensive package. The series comprises ArtX3, ArtX5 and ArtX7 with payload capacities of 8 kg (17.6 lb.), 10 kg (22 lb.), and 14 kg (31 lb.), all with 16 positions of counterbalance with CB PLUS. ArtX3 and 5 have 3+0 selectable pan-and-tilt fluid drag positions while ArtX7 has 5+0.

ArtX Naked fluid heads come as core heads, enabling the user to choose and fit the sliding platform, pan-handle, and mounting base. Users can configure and re-configure at will and enjoy two sliding platforms – Versa and Miller. The Versa has a sliding range of 105 mm (4.13 in.) and is reversible when used with the Versa camera plate. Packages will be available in late December and will include tripod attachments, Mitchell base adapters and more.

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ARRI Rental: ALFA Lenses PRICING IS AVAILABLE THROUGH ARRI RENTAL WWW.ARRIRENTAL.COM

The original idea behind ALFA lenses emerged from ARRI Rental’s long-standing relationship with Oscar-nominated Director of Photography Greig Fraser, ASC, ACS [ICG Magazine October 2021], who was also a key collaborator on the DNA lens program.

In response to Fraser’s request for new large-format anamorphic options, ARRI Rental technicians modified sets of ARRI Master Anamorphic Lenses, not just adapting them to cover the larger format, but redesigning and detuning them in pursuit of specific image attributes. “The modifications we built into the ALFAs brought out an entirely new dimension in the Master Anamorphics, with a nice vignette of softness around the edges but a super-sharp center that we could degrade if required,” Fraser reports. “What was nice about working with ARRI Rental was the focus and attention they gave to achieve our goal.” The ALFA series comprises eight lenses ranging in focal length from 40 to 190 mm, with a fast T2.5 for most focal lengths. The ALFA series is available for rental only through ARRI Rental worldwide.

Accsoon PowerCage for iPad $159 WWW.ACCSOONUSA.COM

As Keane Capello, videographer with MyCreative reports: “While I don’t use an iPad as my main monitor, the PowerCage has made the iPad more usable on set. Not only do I not have to worry about the iPad’s battery dying, but it easily mounts on a light stand for general and confidence monitoring, and can be screwed onto a tripod for use in every other situation, such as monitoring for makeup or client use. Especially with the new [COVID-safety] realities on set, the PowerCage paired with an iPad makes everyone’s life easier: easier to see what’s going on, easier to share the shot with multiple members of the team or people on set, and easier to do all that while keeping the required [safety] spacing.” With the PowerCage, users no longer need to rely on the iPad’s internal battery or clunky USB battery packs. Batteries such as the NP-F 550/750 or 950 (for extended run times) are held securely in place with a click via the self-locking design. Then simply connect the USB-C or Lightning charge cable from the iPad to the PowerCage.

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GEAR GUIDE

IO Industries Volucam PRICING AVAILABLE THROUGH IO INDUSTRIES WWW.IOINDUSTRIES.COM

IO’s new Volucam is designed for volumetric video-capture studios and 4D face/ body scanners. The all-in-one video-camera system features global shutter sensors up to 5K resolution, variable frame rates up to 300 fps, and internal RAW recording to SSD storage. Avatar Dimension’s Ben Schwartz says, “Ours is the first volumetric studio in the world to utilize Volucams. Every camera contains 2 TB of NVMe storage and can record up to 4K/60 fps. I’m pleased with how it’s turned out.” Beyond simplifying multi-camera operations such as mass setup and synchronization, the Volucam records high-bandwidth RAW video to its internal high-capacity storage, ensuring no frames are dropped, and then transfers the video through a 10-GigE connection to a networkattached storage system. Once the high-speed file transfer is complete, 3D reconstruction processing can begin, allowing a quick turnaround to 3D deliverables. Other features include precise multi-camera synchronization, LTC timecode input, live video output with 12G SDI, an interchangeable lens mount for C-mount and Canon EF-mount lenses, 480 to 1920 GB of physical internal storage, and an intuitive camera-control software utility.

Aputure Nova P600c $3,290 ($3,590 WITH KIT) WWW.APUTURE.COM

Attendees at Cine Gear Expo 2021 received a first look at this new 600-watt RGBWW 2×1 LED soft panel, which enhances on-set workflow with such features as multiple zones of lighting control and a new control box with (industry-standard) LumenRadio CRMX built in. By utilizing an RGBWW chipset, the Nova P600c strikes a balance between intense output and precision color quality – capable of producing 2,298+ lux at three meters (6500K) with a CCT range of 2,000 to 10,000K. Director of Photography Matt Ryan says he recently shot a Walmart campaign with Lighting Technician Will Elder for which the P600c showed itself to be a highly versatile instrument. “We rigged the lamp to the moonroof of an SUV, powered by a Block battery and controlled by Aputure’s Sidus Link app,” Ryan recalls.

“This enabled us to shoot high-speed shots of confetti in the back seat. The high output and CCT Source Matching came in handy as a single-lamp book light for a large livingroom scene in the afternoon. As the sun went down, we easily matched the key light’s temperature to the sun for a seamless transition.” Nova P600c is available for pre-order and will deliver at the beginning of 2022.

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Cinema Devices ZeeGee $5,500 WWW.THEZEEGEE.COM

The ZeeGee is a three-axis passive mount that replicates the look of handheld while offering greater flexibility and comfort. It can be body-mounted on a Steadicam arm and vest to better distribute the weight, eliminate footsteps and allow the operator a smooth boom range of 2.5 to 3 feet, which helps tremendously when the operator and subject’s heights are mismatched. It can also be mounted directly on a dolly or via a Garfield mount, or dropped onto a baby pin for low shots or onto a combo for high shots, all while maintaining a consistent handheld feel. Director of Photography Charles Papert designed the system to help combat concerns and restrictions typical of shows with this shooting style. “When I first pitch the ZeeGee to DP’s and directors, it’s met with some skepticism,” he offers. “‘Why not just put the camera on your shoulder?’ But I’ve found time and time again that within the first few setups, the expectation of what is possible with a handheld camera is expanded.” Adds operator Neal Bryant (left): “Entire sequences start being designed around the ZeeGee’s capabilities.”

Tilta Hermit POV Support System $1,499 WWW.TILTA.COM

This new support rig is the all-in-one solution for achieving professional first-person point-of-view footage. Director Yaroslav Altunin describes the system as “perfect for operators filming action sequences from moving vehicles, skiing down mountains, or jumping from planes. [Hermit] provides incredible versatility for action sequences at an attractive price point.”

The core of the system is the lightweight, scratch-resistant, carbon-fiber helmet. The helmet supports various options for rigging cameras, external power, and other accessories such as wireless video transmitters. Two different mounting plates and secondary rosette extender arms allow for additional points of articulation if needed to achieve more complicated camera positioning or better balancing of less common setups.

Featuring five mounting options, the Hermit POV Support System is one of the most advanced first-person point-of-view shooting solutions currently available.

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FIRST LOOK

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Kris Kimlin DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

BY PAULINE ROGERS PHOTO ON THE SET OF AMERICAN UNDERDOG BY MIKE KUBEISY / LIONSGATE

Kris Kimlin’s first encounter with the entertainment industry was in 1998 when he snuck onto the set of a local shoot called Finding Jack Kerouac. After college, he started shooting, mainly live sports.

When a camera operator took ill on the field during a game, Kimlin was asked to step in, and the experience soon led to operating jobs for such networks as ESPN, NBC, FOX, and CBS. “Live sports are about capturing the unplanned, the un-rehearsed, and sometimes the very much unexpected,” Kimlin shares. “I remember shooting a prime-time football game at a major SEC university.

The quarterback was embroiled in a controversy at the school, and his father was involved. I noticed the QB looking to a section of the stands while running off the field at halftime. When we returned, I went into the stands, framed up the section, and slowly pushed into the QB’s father. It was a story break, and we had the visuals to match.

Kimlin says such moments are all about “living outside of the eyepiece. Looking for that little bit of unrehearsed, unexpected magic. I love taking that onto the film set with me. Even if it is rehearsed, there still are moments of unexpected magic to find.

This seems to be what directors like about me. I’m not hindered by what’s on the shot-list. I can look beyond that.”

Over the years, Kimlin has been spitting distance from Jack Nicholson at L.A.’s famed Staples Center, while framing a last-second swoosh from Kobe Bryant. Once, he says, he was so locked into the

frame, as a Grambling University quarterback took a three-step drop, that he didn’t react to the tight spiral aimed right at his lens.

“Live cameramen run into the action, not away from it,” he adds. “And I often think of that moment now when filming features. Yes, I want to get the story and give the audience that feeling of being there. But I want – I need – to do it safely.”

Kimlin has moved away from live-event shooting, putting his energy into the role of director of photography on a slew of indie films, such as his 2018 collaboration with college friends Jon and Andy Erwin on I Can Only Imagine and I Still Believe.

In 2020, he was chosen to lens American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story, the biggest project he’s done with an IMAX shoot thus far.

“A show like Underdog can look so big and devastating, especially when you make changes. On an indie, it’s not nearly as costly if you need to point the camera in a different direction,” Kimlin reflects.

“I remember a scene in a big arena [on Underdog] where, during the scout, we saw a large, closed garage-like door. We were not able to access the other side. But, during a pre-light, the door opened to a rodeo ring, and that revelation played into the story. The inclination was that we had already established the side; let’s just stick with it. Then that indie mentality of ‘Let’s find the best way to do this with what we have’ took over. So, we flipped the shot, and it became an amazing moment that enhanced character and story value.”

Kimlin says the mentors he’s been lucky to have enhanced a commitment to safety that he brings to each job. “I began in this business as an electrician and had some wonderful keys who demonstrated leadership when it came to safety,” he continues.

“It’s something I pass on – I tell everyone never to stay silent. My name is on the slate every take and that’s important to me. Every time that slate closes, I am acknowledging as the DP that I am signing off on what has been shot and set up on set was safe for those involved.”

During the pandemic, Kimlin realized how important it is to look out for his brothers and sisters.

He joined a group centered around raising money and awareness for those who were struggling.

As the industry began to ramp up again, his “live event” awareness kicked in. “There were a lot of my comrades suffering from depression,” he recalls. “It was tough to see their needs for social interaction.

So, it became my focus to take the time on set to ask how people were doing, talk, and take an active role in inclusion.”

Kimlin’s passion for people goes beyond the set. “On every movie I work on, it’s a priority to find local high school and college kids from all walks of life to come and shadow me as I work,” he concludes. “I want the same opportunity I had to be available to young people who would most likely never get that chance. I want them to find that passion for this industry without having to sneak onto the set as I did!”

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AMPAS Gold Rising Program PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMPAS

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) recently launched its fifth year of its “Gold Rising” Program, considered one of the most successful mentoring programs this industry has to offer. In 2021, more than 100 students and young professionals from under-represented communities around the world were mentored by industry professionals, and then became interns with AMPAS or one of 25 creative partners, including Annapurna Pictures, AMC, Creative Artists, The Walt Disney Company, Dolby, NBC Universal, Participant, UTA and Warner Media.

The program began with more than 120 panel discussions on everything from “Social Justice in Film” with Arthur Dong (writer-director), Laura Kim (EVP marketing, Participant), Dawn Porter (director-producer) and Marjan Safinia (director-producer) to “Authentic Storytelling in the LGBTQIA+ Space” with documentary filmmaker Alex Schmider, who is also associate director of GLADD. After the panels, young people drawn from California State University Northridge (CSUN), Exceptional Minds Academy, Los Angeles Film School, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, New York Film Academy and select community colleges were placed as interns with The Academy or with Gold Rising partners.

Gold Rising began in 2017 to address the need for more diversity in the film industry, and to provide access and opportunities for underserved communities. “The first class had 69 diverse students and 19 industry partners, including agencies, technical companies, production companies, and major studios,” explains Bettina Fisher, Director, Education Initiatives. “There

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wasn’t yet a production track. Since the inception of the program, we’ve had close to 30 industry partners and classes as large as 117, but we feel like the sweet spot is around 100 to really get to know the students and offer a more personal experience.”

From the beginning, the focus was on inclusion.

“Our recruitment strategy included a phased approach of increasing awareness and access beyond the traditional Los Angeles area and beyond the typical programs that were recruited from nationally,” says Niti Shah, Director, Academy Gold Inclusion and Alumni Program. “We invested resources into outreach to talented students at HBCU’s, non-film schools with students on the autism spectrum, and community colleges. We went from approximately 3,000 applications to almost 10,000 this year.”

In 2018, to provide more hands-on training, including a sound stage and on-set experience, the Academy launched the Production Track. “We focus on below-the-line careers such as cinematography, costume design, editing, production design and sound, and have included such Academy members as Michael Goi, ASC; Daryn Okada, ASC; and Richard Crudo, ASC; who all helped the students film and critique content,” Fisher explains.

An enthusiastic Goi, who’s been with Gold

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Rising from inception, says that mentoring and educating the next generation of filmmakers is the most important thing that he can do. “I have been actively mentoring interns every year and also doing Master Classes on cinematography and directing that have been attended by participants from every craft category in the Gold Program,” he shares.

Goi has regular phone and Zoom conversations with his mentees and, whenever possible, has them visit productions he’s working on. “Every year participants have contacted me on their own and requested time to show me what they’re working on or ask questions about industry procedure,” Goi adds. “I’ve engaged recently with two music composers and listened to their work, and I referred them to the music department of the show I’m working on.

“Somebody once asked why I help so many people, and I didn’t have an answer other than I feel that it’s important,” he continues. “I regularly have people I am mentoring over to my house for dinner and to watch movies in my theater. Jose Mendoza [2018], my first Academy Gold mentee, was a regular attendee. In a private moment one evening, he quietly thanked me for my mentorship and support, and said, ‘You changed my life.’ That’s why we do it.”

Chinese-born LA-based cinematographer Tannie Tang (2021), who learned about Gold Rising through the New York Film Academy, also counts working with Goi as a critical part of her experience.

“Meeting studio executives, Academy Museum members, the Academy Awards committee, and directors, makeup artists, and more at the beginning of the program, as well as doing direct work with cinematographers like Michael Goi, helped me reunderstand the significance of a collaborative spirit on set,” Tang reflects.

“During one of our sessions, I remember asking Michael Goi: ‘Do you feel like you have made it after achieving so much in your career as a cinematographer?’ He answered: ‘No, I don’t think I will ever feel like I have made it. I’m constantly growing and challenging myself for the next project.’

I was extremely inspired by that response and how cinematography is truly a goal-less journey filled with joy, surprises and creativity. It’s how a Michael Goi can always top himself one project after another – by constantly aiming for the next level. I aspire to be taking on the same philosophical approach towards my career.”

Tang credits the Gold Rising Program with “realistically” broadening her horizons.

“Understanding the industry better helps me to

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ICG/DGA MEMBER MICHAEL GOI, ASC, WHO HAS BEEN WITH GOLD RISING FROM INCEPTION, SAYS THAT “MENTORING AND EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FILMMAKERS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT HE CAN DO.”

network – both horizontally and vertically – to reach for more opportunities,” she continues. “It puts me in the firm hands of mentors who guide me through my cinematography career. It gives me hope and positivity that the industry is going to be more diverse, more inclusive, and, ultimately, a much more humane place.”

Crudo, who joined the program in 2019, was first paired with Iris Lee, a young, female cinematographer.

“She was smart, engaging, and inquisitive, which is precisely what a good student should be,” Crudo recounts. “I was impressed by her excitement and motivation and was able to pass along some valuable lessons for her future growth. I’ve heard from Iris on several occasions, and she’s doing well.”

The DP adds that it’s important that students who want to specialize in other crafts gain a basic understanding of cinematography. “To that end, I conducted a two-day lighting seminar for the entire group,” he adds. “It was enormously gratifying to see students of all backgrounds – especially the underrepresented – blossom.”

Gold participant Zoë Davidson (2019), who is a Canadian cinematographer and director and holds an MFA in Film from Howard, a BA in Africana Studies and Theater from Oberlin, and an Assistant Professorship of Digital Media at the University

of the District of Columbia, Washington DC, was paired with both Goi and Crudo. She calls her on-set experience with Crudo at Warner Bros. “impactful.”

“We were tasked with filming several shots over a two-day period,” Davidson remembers.

“We collaborated as directors, cinematographers, production designers, and sound mixers, and got to work under the guidance of experienced industry professionals. And even though Michael Goi and I were living on separate coasts, we were able to connect in person at least once before COVID, and then again online. Through his mentorship, he gave me access to a lot of excellent resources for any cinematographer to have.”

Gold Rising’s industry partners are equally enthusiastic. Panavision CEO Kim Snyder is adamant that the company help find ways for “stories to be told from a diverse range of perspectives, and we’re committed to empowering aspiring filmmakers from historically underserved communities with access to tools, mentorship, and support,” Snyder describes.

“Panavision interns rotate through multiple departments to get exposure to everything from equipment service to prep technicians. They receive mentoring and coaching from managers within each area, and I meet with each intern to discuss their career paths and provide additional support. The

Gold Rising interns have been extraordinary. They have secured very successful jobs in production, and when possible, we’ve employed several of them at Panavision between their freelance jobs. This program just works.”

Kendra Carter, vice president, Talent Development and Inclusion Programs, says “we are so proud of how this program has evolved and grown during the past five years. It’s important because we are committed to inclusion not just at the Academy, but also across the entire film and television industry. We want to give emerging filmmakers the tools, access and mentorship to help take them to the next level. We feel the Academy is in a unique position to tap into and engage our membership to help us move the needle on talent development and inclusion.”

“This speaks to an entire effort,” Crudo concludes. “As the industry’s most revered organization, no one but the Academy can provide such wonderful opportunities to grow. The caliber of people the Gold Program attracts – supporters, instructors, and students alike – is remarkable.

Equally amazing is the breadth of experiences on offer. Everyone knows they are privileged to be part of it. I can’t wait to see how these fledgling filmmakers make their mark on the world.”

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Jon Hutman PRODUCTION DESIGNER BEING THE RICARDOS

BY MATT HURWITZ PHOTOS BY GLEN WILSON, SMPSP

Production Designer Jon Hutman has crafted settings for Hollywood’s upper echelon of feature talent – Oscar-winners and Oscar nominees such as Robert Redford (A River Runs Through It, Quiz Show), Sydney Pollack (The Interpreter), Michael Apted (Nell), Jodie Foster (Little Man Tate), and Angelina Jolie (Unbroken, In the Land of Blood and Honey, ICG Magazine January 2015) – as well as for Emmy-winning television series, such as Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing. In designing these projects, Hutman has had the opportunity to work with an equal number of the industry’s most acclaimed directors of photography, including Jeff Cronenweth, ASC, with whom he collaborated on Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos (page 48).

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EXPOSURE

Though he has designed plenty of contemporary stories, Hutman has also created worlds for many period films, such as Ricardos, Quiz Show (about the investigation of a game show in the 1950s), Unbroken (which takes place during World War II and includes the recreation of Japanese prisonerof-war camps) and others. Hutman spoke with ICG about the challenges such projects present, along with his experiences on several other key projects.

ICG: You’ve had the good fortune to work with not only some top directors but also many of the industry’s most creative cinematographers. From a designer’s side, how key is that relationship?

Jon Hutman: What makes a movie look great is the cinematographer – the look ultimately belongs to him or her. I create a world for the characters to inhabit, but it’s the DP’s skill that truly crafts the look. [We’re talking about Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC, CBE; Philippe Rousselot, ASC, AFC; Dean Semler, ASC, ACS; Jeff Cronenweth, ASC; Michael Ballhaus, ASC – I mean, how great are these people that I get to work with!?]

What’s your process like with that collaboration, in terms of developing a film’s look, particularly for a period piece? I’m often hired right after the studio has decided to make the film and hired the director. And what I try to do, firstly, is develop a broad generalization, rather than presenting pieces. I do it in several phases. The first is doing the research to figure out both a historically accurate reference, as well as a more emotionally

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evocative reference. Then I sit down with the director to get on the same page. Then I will go scout the movie with the location scout, and we will try to actualize those things that the director and I have talked about. I come back with the whole thing laid out, so you get to see the shape of the world as a whole. Once I get the director on board, then we involve the cinematographer. In the case of A River Runs Through It, for instance, Philippe and I discussed where would the camera be? How close to the river do we build the pavilion? What direction is the light? And we just go from there.

That film, and Being the Ricardos, are just two of many period projects you’ve worked on. How does that process differ from contemporary films? It’s interesting – with contemporary films, people assume, “Oh – contemporary – I know what that is. I don’t need to research it.

I just need to do the character work.” I can do as much research for a contemporary film as I do for a period film. I get into people’s houses.

Not just the Architectural Digest version. It’s not about how people should live; it’s about how they do live. My feeling is that for a period project, we designers can err in the opposite direction from a contemporary film. In a contemporary film, I do more story and character work, and less specific, detailed research. And in a period film, I sometimes rely so heavily on accurately and precisely recreating the period that I forget the bigger part of my job is the story and the characters. It’s important to keep that in mind.

How was the process with Jeff Cronenweth for Being the Ricardos? There were some things we recreated quite meticulously, and others for which we took a little bit of license and interpretation.

This is a setting and personalities everyone thinks they know – and everyone wants to know what’s going on behind the scenes. There are two kinds of looks, in a sense. For all of the flashbacks, such as where they meet on the set of Desi’s Too Many Girls set at RKO, the radio studio, the RKO office, I wanted those to all have very saturated color. It’s the start of the time of their dream, their dreams of success. But then, for the I Love Lucy stage set, all that color is drained out. Regarding that set, Jeff wanted the stage, as a whole, to be visible in the background. So, one of the things he requested, that really helps sell the stage, is that we see practical lighting. There are coop lights underneath the green beds – the catwalks the electricians would have used to access lighting instruments – so you don’t have a dead backdrop. And Jeff used period instruments with tungsten lamps, dressed to look like period lights.

How did you research the I Love Lucy set itself, which is so iconic? It’s an extremely welldocumented moment of television history, between the shows that exist and archival footage, along with color images of the set. But there are no blueprints of the original set – believe me, we looked for them!

[Laughs.] But there are fan recreations, even a model, on top of our fairly meticulous research. Even still, as I mentioned, there are places where we took

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some license – things that diehard fans will no doubt call us out on. For instance, the episode they’re working on, “Fred and Ethel Fight,” was in Season 1. And, with its success, the Ricardos’ apartment set was redesigned for Season 2, and we chose to reproduce that set because the idea was to bring to life what exists in people’s memories. And it’s done in an almost monochrome quality, which reproduces the feeling of black and white.

collaboration was so important. Aaron Sorkin has said several times that the look [on Quiz Show] is what got me the job on Being the Ricardos. It’s a very urban movie. The palette was about real-life versus black-and-white TV. There are areas of the world that are warm, and there are areas that are cool. And, just like Ricardos, it’s about simulating black and white through desaturation. It’s what happens to life through the lens of the camera.

You worked with Robert Redford on another period film rooted in television history – Quiz Show. What was the approach there? For the film we did before that, A River Runs Through It, we had the rare opportunity to shoot in Missoula, Montana, for a story that takes place in Missoula, Montana. That was the same situation as Quiz Show. Bob had started as an actor in New York in the 1950s, so it was super personal to him. And at the time we did this, he had an office in Rockefeller Center. So, I could sit in his office and look out the window and see where Charles Van Doren and Herb Stempel walked. All of the TV studios in those days were built originally as radio studios, with a studio audience. And what they did was back off the audience seating and put cameras in. We built the container of the theater, including the control room – all of that was real. And we used special 24-frames-per-second TV monitors and camera viewfinders so that if you looked through the camera and looked at the monitors, you saw live imagery. The look was developed with the cinematographer, Michael Ballhaus, so that

You first worked with Sorkin on The West Wing, developing the pilot with him, the DP, Tom Del Ruth, ASC, and Director Tommy Schlamme. How did that experience differ, designing for television, from a feature film? I had never done a TV show before West Wing. I actually got on that project because I was working on a movie, Thirteen Days, about the Cuban Missile Crisis – not the version that was released – and we had dibs on the White House set from The American President. The West Wing producers wanted to make use of the set to shoot their pilot, and when Thirteen Days fell apart, I began working with Aaron and Tommy. One thing that was very important to Tommy was something he developed, which became half of the language of the show – these long Steadicam shots. We had scenes set in the Roosevelt Room, and he said, “I don’t want to shoot another closed room with no windows. I want to be able to get people in and out, and I want to see people passing by in the background.”

So how did you work that out? Well, we had the Oval Office, and the bullpen, the working part

where Josh and CJ were, and then the press office, where Sam, Rob Lowe’s character, was.

And Tommy said, “How do we open this up, and how do we get movement through Josh’s bullpen, through the Communications office?

Let’s see the connection between the Oval Office and everything else.” So, what I tried to do was define the different zones and then build out from there. We originally had to build the set on two separate stages – which is where the gold-arched corridor came from. We had a shared corridor – built onto both stages – so you can go in here and come out there. The Lobby and Josh were on one stage, and the Oval, Roosevelt Room, and Communications Bullpen were on another. And each stage had this gold corridor, so you could take them into the corridor, walk them down to the other end, and go through the double doors and come out on the other stage. And hide it in the cut. Tom Del Ruth’s great idea was to have pools of light in the hallway. Every eight or 10 feet were Tom’s cam lights, built into the ceiling.

So, you see the characters walking in and out of these hot spots of light. All of that combined to become a signature look of the show.

That’s a great example of the partnership between art, camera and directorial. It is.

What we do is a highly collaborative medium and process. And that should never be minimized or taken for granted. My feeling is that the work invariably ends up being richer and more detailed by incorporating everyone’s input and ideas.

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FEATURE . 001

WEST SIDE STORY

WHO HAS THE NERVE AND VERVE TO REMAKE WEST SIDE STORY? STEVEN SPIELBERG, OF COURSE, AND HIS AWARD-WINNING IATSE PRODUCTION TEAM. BY TED ELRICK PHOTOS BY NIKO TAVERNISE FRAME GRABS COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS

LET’S GET READY TO

RUMBLE!

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ooking over Producer/Director Steven Spielberg’s legendary résumé, which includes Oscars for Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List, the one missing genre is the musical. So how did one of the most influential filmmakers in cinema history choose to rectify that? By opting to remake West Side Story, one of the most popular musicals of all time that began as a Broadway hit (conceived, directed, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, and the debut of a young lyricist named Stephen Sondheim), and then, four years later, an equally acclaimed film – directed by Robert Wise and Robbins (who won the Tony for the Broadway production) – which received 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

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Tackling West Side Story was made even more daunting by Spielberg’s opting to keep the story (an updated version of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet) in the same locale where the 1957 stage hit was set – upper Manhattan. Here, the street gangs Jets and Sharks combat one another, as Tony (a Jet) falls head over heels for María (a Shark). In Robbins’ first conception, the Jets were to be Irish Catholics, and the Sharks (originally the Emeralds) were a Jewish gang, with the story revolving around anti-Semitism. The play progressed from East Side Story to West Side Story, and the male lead, Tony, became of Polish and Irish descent; the formerly Jewish lead, Maria, became Puerto Rican. The underlying ethnic and racial hatred remained.

Updating Arthur Laurents’ book and Ernest Lehman’s screenplay, Spielberg brought in Pulitzer-Prize- and Oscar-winning writer Tony Kushner, with whom he’d worked on Munich and Lincoln, as well as the upcoming 2022 release of The Fabelmans.

In this new version, the star-crossed lovers are played by Ansel Elgort (Tony) and Rachel Zegler (María). The cast also features Ariana DeBose as Anita, Mike Faist as Riff, David

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Alvarez as Bernardo, and Rita Moreno, who won Best Supporting Actress as Anita in the 1961 film, as Valentina. Unlike the original, all Sharks in the film are played by Latin actors.

Spielberg also turned to his frequent collaborator, Director of Photography Janusz Kamiński, with whom he first worked on Schindler’s List. Kamiński won the Best Cinematography Oscar for that film and also for Saving Private Ryan. The pair has made 19 films together thus far. “This was our introduction to musicals, and we loved it,” Kamiński describes. “A lot of the shots were driven by the songs, and by the necessity of the camera to meet those beats. It’s not like a traditional narrative, where you may say: ‘Let’s shoot the scene and move on.’ It’s ‘How do we make it more active and visually interesting within the confinements of the song?’ In the original film, you felt more like an observer, and the action happens toward the camera.

In this movie, we tried to move the camera toward the dancers. Steven was driven by a certain tempo, which was a tempo he was not used to. The beats were done on the setups rather than controlling the movie in post.”

A- Camera Operator and long-time

Spielberg collaborator Mitch Dubin, SOC, agrees, adding: “I learned very quickly there’s a different set of rules for a musical than a dramatic narrative film. Sometimes on a narrative film, we might make a choice to frame-out the feet. But when a dancer dances, you never cut off the feet!”

“You want to see the beauty and the coordination of the movement,” Kamiński adds. “You have 12 to 14 dancers moving through the city, and you want to see that energy. They’re invigorated by that energy, and the camera needs to reflect that.” A-Camera 1st AC Mark Spath, another Spielberg regular, says the challenge is always the way the director likes to move his camera. “The shots tend to play for a while the way he blocks things out,” Spath explains. “A lot of times Steven wants to be able to use the entire shot. Sometimes you know he might cut in and out of what might be a master and cut to another side that may be moving. But you want to have it all good. The challenge is always the focus and coordination between the operator and the dolly grip. With the Technocrane it’s even more involved, as he’ll have somebody on the arm and somebody on the pickle, and somebody on the chassis

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of the crane. Mitch is very good at bringing everyone into a cohesive team.”

As with all of Spielberg’s films, save for the outlier The BFG, West Side Story was shot on film, utilizing Kodak ASA 200T stock for day and 500T (5219) for most of the interiors and nights. Capture was via Panavision XL2 film cameras using Panavision C-series anamorphic lenses. A RED Monstro 8K VV from Panavision was employed minimally for three days for drone shots mounted to a BFD S8 Drone. The drone shot is seen in the film’s opening and is preceded by a crane shot. The RED was also utilized at night for a funeral procession. Dubin operated the camera on the drone. As Drone Pilot Dexter Kennedy shares: “The MōVi Pro allows you to control the head on the drone just like any other camera. So, because we had wheels, Mitch could use the same language he used on the crane.”

The crane/drone work was part of a unique opening sequence that culminates in what Spielberg envisioned as a series of still frames shot early in the morning while New York is still asleep. Lensed by Stuart Dryburgh, ASC,

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the montage was similar to a sequence the DP did for Spielberg’s The Post. As Dryburgh recounts of the specialized three-day shoot, “We did some dusk shots that would pass for dawn – dusk for dawn, dawn for dusk. It was to be a silent city, no people, that would have been perfect to shoot during COVID,” he shares..

“We shot uptown in Harlem, Washington Heights, the Bronx and a rooftop in midtown Manhattan, which was my favorite,” he continues, “as we did some beautiful water tanks at sunset looking down on the avenue.

When we saw the streets, which was not often, we had them populated with period cars and a period garbage truck to show how early in the morning it was.” Joining Dryburgh was A-Camera 1st AC Alex Wooster, A-Camera 2nd AC Connie Huang, and Camera Loader Jakob Friedman.

With 10 weeks of prep, Kamiński had time to attend rehearsals with the West Side Story dancers, choreographed by New York City Ballet resident choreographer Justin Peck. As Peck describes: “I came to New York when I was 15 to go to the School of American Ballet, an affiliate school of New York City

Ballet where Jerome Robbins was one of the founding choreographers. A lot of his work was and is performed at New York City Ballet, so I was exposed to it. And when I was invited to join New York City Ballet, a lot of the repertoire I was immediately put into was the work of Jerome Robbins. The first lead role I had was in his West Side Story Suite that incorporates all the major songs and dance numbers. I danced that for about a decade; it felt like I had been studying this choreography my entire life.”

Musicality changed how Spielberg’s longtime camera crew worked. Dubin, for example, says “everything” was musically motivated. “I would take cues from Steven from all his scoring experience from his previous films,” Dubin explains. “He would say: ‘Mitch on the downbeat, of the fourth verse, second stanza, whip pan to the leaping dancers.’ Well, these people are incredible athletes – they hardly flinch a muscle and they’re flying in the air! That was challenging: if I would wait to see this dancer leaping in the air, I would always be late.”

In fact, everything had to be musically cued, and Dubin says he always had the music track in his ear. “They had prerecorded

LONGTIME SPIELBERG A-CAMERA OPERATOR MITCH DUBIN, SOC, SAYS THE MUSICALITY OF THE STORY CHANGED EVERYTHING: “STEVEN WOULD SAY: ‘MITCH ON THE DOWNBEAT, OF THE FOURTH VERSE, SECOND STANZA, WHIP PAN TO THE LEAPING DANCERS.’ AND THAT WAS CHALLENGING: IF I WOULD WAIT TO SEE THIS DANCER LEAPING IN THE AIR, I WOULD ALWAYS BE LATE.”

the music before we started filming,” he continues. “That would work sometimes, but if it was a difficult cue, the musical supervisor or assistant choreographer would tap me on the shoulder to say it’s coming up; I’d look over and boom. It’s not something I had to have all the time, but it was certainly helpful.”

Kamiński says his biggest challenge was how to create something new when the source is already so iconic. “How do you do it so it’s not insulting the previous legacy?” he questions.

“The answer is that because of these modern times, I can put my own feeling on the movie.

Not to fight the style, which was so beautiful, so colorful and American of that particular time, but enhance it through our new technology; to be with the actors and show the audience, not just the beautiful numbers but also the performance as they’re dancing.

“It’s 106 degrees in Harlem on a bright, sunny day, and the sun moves across the sky,” he continues. “You have to maintain the beauty of the dance by bringing in lots of lights and constantly looking at the meter, and you’re blasting the actors with heavy lights, but you know it’s going to look great. The style was already established. Maintaining

that style and putting our spin on it was the challenge.”

Like the original, but more so given the amount of location work, New York City becomes a key character in the story. “The buildings are towering, and the people are small, with the shadows very deep and the flares from the cars flaring,” Kamiński recounts. “On many films, where there’s not enough time or equipment, you’re being told: ‘We got to go! Move it!’ That’s never the case with Steven. He’s always interested in telling a story with the camera, and he’s got such incredible ideas. Visuals are as important to him as the written word and the actors’ performances.”

B-Camera/Steadicam Operator John “Buzz” Moyer, SOC, says that unlike the original, the dance numbers were shot in multiple locations. “America,” for instance, occurs on a rooftop in the original. “Now, it probably took us four or five weeks to get the different variations for that number,” Moyer explains.

Kamiński adds that the number begins in a basement and then the camera follows the

dancers, with each beat of the number having a different location. “We would mix it in with the other scenes we were doing,” Kamiński recalls. “We would have eight to 12 people in a room, and we’d show, behind the dancers, a big apartment building with six or seven people sitting on the windowsill looking down on the street all the way up the side of the building.”

Oscar-winning Production Designer Adam Stockhausen (The Grand Budapest Hotel) says recreating New York in the late 1950s was a big ask. “The city changes and grows all the time, and that only seems to accelerate,” he describes. “Every year there are more bike lanes, more built-in bus shelters that can’t move and are made of chrome, as well as the architecture. And we didn’t have just a little walking sidewalk scene to shoot. We had this big dance number where we had to be in the middle of the street and also in an intersection and we needed to close it down for multiple days. The Locations team did an incredible job of finding where we could do it.”

The gymnasium dance sequence, shot in a Brooklyn high school, involved, as Connie Huang notes, “the ceiling covered with crazy amounts of lights.” Chief Lighting Technician

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ANOTHER LONGTIME SPIELBERG REGULAR, A-CAMERA 1ST AC MARK SPATH, SAYS THE CHALLENGE IS ALWAYS THE WAY THE DIRECTOR (ABOVE) LIKES TO MOVE HIS CAMERA. “THE SHOTS TEND TO PLAY FOR A WHILE THE WAY STEVEN BLOCKS THINGS OUT,” SPATH EXPLAINS. “SOMETIMES YOU KNOW HE MIGHT CUT IN AND OUT OF WHAT MIGHT BE A MASTER AND CUT TO ANOTHER SIDE THAT MAY BE MOVING. BUT YOU WANT TO HAVE IT ALL GOOD.”

Steve Ramsey and his team used 70 5K Fresnels in the ceiling of the gym along with 36 Chroma-Q Space Force for the ambient level, plus Solaframe 3000 LED’s, used sparingly, and COLORado 2 Solos. SkyPanel 360s were also used to light from the gym’s floor for closer coverage work. The Electric department used Steiner Studios, Insight Equipment and 4Wall Entertainment for most of the New York City work, which included the Brooklyn Navy Yard set rumble that required 14 lighting Condors encircling a massive warehouse. Ramsey says ARRI CSC, in Secaucus, NJ, “provided a helpful, nearby source for the gear used at the Patterson, NJ locations, where there was a sizeable outlay of lighting positions around the hero footprint of the Jets’ demolished lot (which was large enough to include practical period cranes), and also the nearby cluster of downtown streets that would represent some of the Sharks’ territory.”

Stockhausen adds that “what motivated [the original] West Side Story was that the construction of Lincoln Center forced the destruction of a neighborhood. That took away

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the historic home of a group of people and shoved them into somebody else’s historic territory. In the original film, you can see the construction in the background. They don’t make a big thing about it, but Steven wanted to emphasize it in this film, with the Jets living amongst the rubble,” he adds. “Our location in Patterson worked out well, as we had a nice bit of street that opened up into some parking lots. And the city let us take that over, bulldoze it and make this playground with wrecking balls that destroyed tenements. It became this enormous backlot in the middle of New Jersey.”

For the rumble sequence, which starts in the warehouse at the Salt Shed, Spielberg wanted to see lights from an implied elevated roadway, as well as headlights from the same roadway casting shadows and traveling the length of the space. The same was asked in Harlem, where Riff jumps up on a car and rallies the Jets.

As the tension rises, the passing headlights would become brighter and more frequent.

To visually connect the Harlem location to the

Salt Shed (where no actual roadway existed), Ramsey says that “Steven wanted these [lighting effects] to heighten the action inside of the shed. We dismissed using a number of traveling lights and ultimately, with the help of Key Grip Mitch Lillian and his team, used five Telehandlers, each supporting a 20-foot truss, and the trusses lined up outside the window where the roadway would be. Rigging Gaffer Jason Lanci and his team hung 220 Source Four tungsten PAR’s, so that we could basically create a flexible lighting chase via our dimmer console that Steven could choreograph and cue to the needs of the scene.”

The camera team worked closely with Peck to ensure multiple cameras were in the right place at the right time. “[Musical director] Matt Sullivan was of utmost importance to me,” Moyer recounts. “He would be there timing it out for me. I had an advantage because I did, in fact, dance professionally in the fifth and sixth grades for summer stock theater. So, the counting and steps, knowing when to be where, also being a drummer for many years were all incredible experiences to draw from.”

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B- Camera 1st AC Tim Metivier was surprised by how incredibly nimble and precise the trained dancers portraying the gang members in the rumble sequence at the Salt Shed were.

“Buzz and I, Mike Scott the boom operator, and grip safety for Buzz, Brendan Lowry, we’re all circling these guys playing the two rival gangs,” Metivier explains. “We’re circling them with the Steadicam, and I’m racking back and forth with whomever we’re facing. Typically, when we do that, and there are groups of people in a fight scene, we have collisions with the actors. They don’t know the space around them.

But with these dancers, it was like The Matrix.

They would fold out of the way, and we’d go by them, and they would fold back in flawlessly.

They were so conscious of their personal space that I did not bump into a single one on any of these takes. It was incredible.”

Also incredible, considering the taxing routines, was the film not needing understudy

dancers for injuries. “I need to mention our head physical therapist Marika Molnar for the project and New York City Ballet,” Peck says.

“She somehow kept everyone healthy through the whole process. There were definitely moments where dancers had injuries we had to deal with, but Marika worked with everyone so they could show up and accomplish what they needed to accomplish.” Peck adds that assistant choreographers Patricia Lucia Delgado and Craig Salstein were also vital in working with the dancers and camera crew.

One other old-school wrinkle was the amount of light required due to originating on film, while seeking a classical style.

“Steven told us at the very beginning of prep he ‘wanted to see the arcs [arc lights] in the dancers’ eyes,’ bringing to mind period films from the 1960s,” Ramsey remembers.

AC Huang says she had the time of her life on the shoot. “I was getting dance lessons from the dancers between takes,” she smiles.

Adds Peck: “Connie had such a great spirit throughout the whole process. She’s a real dance fan and was super present when we were shooting all those musical numbers.”

Speaking of numbers: all of the West Side Story crew interviewed for this article noted how funny Kamiński was on set, often helping to relieve the tension. “I do that for various reasons,” the DP explains.

“You’re working sometimes 14 hours, and it can be very tense. Then you have this stature of this being a Steven Spielberg film, which can intimidate and stress people, just knowing they are making a movie of significance. People don’t perform well when they feel stressed out. I’m not saying they’re screaming or anything, but just knowing you’re working on Steven’s film can be tense.

And that tension can be relieved by me making a funny face or putting on a funny hat. It is a moment when we can realize we are a family.”

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LOCAL 600 CREW Director of Photography Janusz Kaminski

Still Photographer Niko Tavernise

A-Camera Operator Mitch Dubin, SOC

Unit Publicist Larry Kaplan

A-Camera 1st AC Mark Spath A-Camera 2nd AC Connie Huang B-Camera Operator John “Buzz” Moyer, SOC

Director of Photography Stuart Dryburgh, ASC

B-Camera 1st AC Tim Metivier

A-Camera 1st AC Alex Wooster

B-Camera 2nd AC Conny Klapper

A-Camera 2nd AC Connie Huang

Loader Dave Ross

Loader Jakob Frieman

Libra Head Tech Pierson Silver

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ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

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DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY JANUSZ KAMIŃSKI (2ND RIGHT OF SPIELBERG, ABOVE) AND A-CAMERA OPERATOR MITCH DUBIN, (1ST RIGHT OF SPIELBERG, ABOVE) SAYS: “SHOTS WERE DRIVEN BY THE SONGS, AND BY THE NECESSITY OF THE CAMERA TO MEET THOSE BEATS. IT’S NOT LIKE A TRADITIONAL NARRATIVE, WHERE YOU MAY GENERATION SAY: ‘LET’S SHOOT THE SCENE AND MOVE ON.’” NEXT

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BEING THE RICARDOS

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QUEEN JEFF CRONENWETH, ASC, AND A VETERAN GUILD CAMERA TEAM ALL HAVE SOME “’SPLAINING” TO DO FOR AARON SORKIN’S NEW FEATURE, BEING THE RICARDOS. BY MATT HURWITZ PHOTOS BY GLEN WILSON, SMPSP

OF

COMEDY

O ftentimes, when people first hear about writer/director Aaron Sorkin’s new Amazon Studios film, Being the Ricardos, they immediately jump to images of its lead actress, Nicole Kidman, recreating I Love Lucy’s main character and wonder how things will look. “They’re thinking that Nicole Kidman is being asked to play Lucy Ricardo for two hours,” Sorkin shares.

“What they don’t realize is, we’re not making a comedy. We’re making a drama about making a comedy.”

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S

et during the iconic sitcom’s second season, Sorkin’s film portrays a week in the life of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem), along with the show’s writers and cast members, as they navigate a host of issues, both personal and professional, much of which Sorkin drew from real-life events in Ball and Arnaz’s lives.

As Director of Photography Jeff Cronenweth, ASC, describes: “It’s a week in the life of their fantastic and tragic careers.”

The Oscar-nominated Cronenweth, who first worked with Sorkin on David Fincher’s The Social Network, in 2010 [ICG Magazine October 2010], engaged Guild operators Peter Rosenfeld, SOC, and Lukasz Bielan, SOC, both of whom have worked with the DP for years and are credited simply as “camera operators,” without A and B designation.

“We’re like an extension of each other,” states Rosenfeld, with the two regularly blocking out shots together. The team was rounded out

by IATSE Local 728 Chief Lighting Technician Harold Skinner, who is also a member of Local 600 and who took on C-Camera duties when needed. Rosenfeld and Bielan were assisted by 1st AC’s Paul Santoni and Bob Smathers, respectively, with Paul Toomey covering Skinner. The key grip was Jimmy Sweet.

Sorkin credit s Cronenweth with delivering the film’s look. “I needed to lean on Jeff,” the Oscar-winning writer shares.

“And I didn’t talk to Jeff much about lenses – he knows I can’t speak his language. When I knew a specific shot I wanted, it would be Jeff

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telling me what I want. I could describe the movie in very non-DP terms, and he would translate that.”

The director is also quick to credit the camera operators. “I would say that Jeff, as well as Peter and Lukasz, are co-authors of this movie. Every morning I’d come in, and they were already there, figuring out shots for the day’s work, and offering me fresh ideas. At our first production meeting, I said to everyone, ‘Don’t do what I tell you to do – have a better idea,’ and, unsurprisingly, they all had better ideas.”

Sorkin was clear he wanted the film to feel and look like Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s, but not like it was shot then.

Cronenweth and Sorkin referenced work Ball and Arnaz had done before I Love Lucy, which debuted in 1951. “We wanted to get familiar with their personalities and some of the backgrounds and light cues they were using in that era,” the DP explains. For flashbacks, he applied the look of that era’s legendary still photographer, George Hurrell, as well as Cronenweth’s grandfather, a Columbia portrait photographer.

The palette for I Love Lucy’s behind-thescenes look was subdued. Or as Cronenweth adds: “Unless you’re creating tension for some other reason, the camera moves with the actors, as part of them – not for them or to them. It’s something I learned from David Fincher.” In fact, the film contains a single Steadicam move (see below), no handheld, with the team leaning into traditional geared ARRI camera heads and dolly moves.

The RED RANGER 8K MONSTRO, shooting at 2:1, was employed, outfitted with ARRI DNA prime lenses. “I was searching for something that would give me a look that had a large-format feel, that was not perfect with artifacts, as opposed to looking for old glass,” Cronenweth adds. “I got new, largeformat glass, that had those imperfections built-in, and had a lot more character than trying to stumble through lenses that created those facets unintentionally. The DNA’s are gorgeous – perfect for the era in the way they fall off.”

DIRECTOR SORKIN (PAGE 53) SAYS HE LEANED HEAVILY ON HIS DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY, JEFF CRONENWETH, ASC (ABOVE). “I DIDN’T TALK TO JEFF MUCH ABOUT LENSES AS HE KNOWS I CAN’T SPEAK HIS LANGUAGE,” SORKIN RECOUNTS. “I COULD DESCRIBE THE MOVIE IN VERY NON-DP TERMS, AND HE WOULD TRANSLATE THAT.”

Being the Ricardos was shot in Spring 2021, mostly at Sunset Gower Studios, where its Stage 1 was home base for the carefully recreated Desilu Studios’ I Love Lucy stage. “It has the feel of an old-time Hollywood backlot, with those narrow alleyways, those huge wooden doors – the texture,” notes Rosenfeld.

The main set is the I Love Lucy stage, which reproduces not only the I Love Lucy set, but, more importantly, the entire workspace of the stage, as it existed during the production of the show – its purpose being to show the power couple and team at work. “It’s an extremely well-documented moment of television history,” says Production Designer

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Jon Hutman (Exposure, page 28), who designed Sorkin’s Emmy-winning series The West Wing.

Hutman says he drew on imagery from the old series itself, but also from sources like the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum in Jamestown, NY, and fan-gathered information.

A key element was using period stage equipment, gathered by Set Decorator Ellen Brill and Prop Master Trish Gallaher Glenn.

Those included authentic self-blimped 35-mm Mitchell cameras with rack-over viewing systems, period dollys, and other gear, much of it sourced from History for Hire.

“Those dollies are enormous,” Sorkin notes, “and they have headlights on them that, from Lucy’s point of view, must have looked like they were going to kill you. I asked Jeff to make sure to show us that.” A bonus was having the show’s original Key Grip, Charles Saldana, around to help explain how 1950s-era grips and operators handled the equipment, something Rosenfeld was keen to make sure was accurate for the background players.

As noted, Being the Ricardos charts five days in the production of an I Love Lucy episode, beginning with the table read on Monday, camera blocking and rehearsal days, through to show day on Friday. The table read

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features all the main players sitting around a U-shape of folding tables, the stage lit just enough to accomplish the simple task at hand, with bare bulbs on stands and just a few lights in the grid.

“I wanted to introduce the audience to this place, but not the I Love Lucy set with trumpets,” Sorkin recounts. “I wanted the audience to see that iconic set without its make-up on, just a work light. I wanted it to be starkly unimpressive.”

To that end, Cronenweth coupled the MONSTRO’s extreme light sensitivity with the aforementioned falloff qualities of the ARRI DNA’s. “I didn’t want to shoot it dark and shallow,” he reflects, “but have a lot of depth of light in the scene. I would use a shallow depth of field to isolate individual characters, to make their world this thing that has a lot of life to it, but they’re the ones in it that are cut out of it.”

Having a third camera provided efficient coverage for the table read sequence. As Rosenfeld shares: “Lukasz and I would often be occupied covering the principals, and Harold was always able to find something, or we would find something for him.” Adds Skinner: “I might get close-ups of each

department head, or do small tableau shots, or cross-coverage of some of the other actors.”

And that cross-coverage, with eight actors all speaking with each other, meant careful attention to screen direction, as Rosenfeld points out.

“The peril is that with so many performers in one scene, a glance from one character to another might become visually confusing – if correct eye lines are not observed,” he explains. “There would often be cross coverage on two actors who exchange dialogue while overlapping with another conversation in progress. We had to be meticulous in maintaining proper screen direction in this case, so our audience would not be confused about who is talking to whom.”

Comedy fans will be looking for those iconic I Love Lucy moments, which are reproduced but not merely as pure nostalgia. “The only time we go to I Love Lucy imagery,” Cronenweth recalls, “is when Lucy is contemplating solving comedic challenges and imagines how they will appear on the screen and to the audience.

It was a genius way that Aaron found to integrate those into the story.”

Those scenes were shot in black and white, using the RED RANGER Monochrome BRAIN DSMC2 (actually two RANGERS and one DRAGON Monochrome), for which DIT Michele De Lorimier utilized special black and white LUT’s developed by Light Iron colorist Ian Vertovec.

For lighting, Skinner made sure to use old-school period instruments, many obtained from Sam Scibetta at Warner Bros.

Set Lighting. “We did put smaller globes in them,” Skinner notes. “You can get a Big Eye 10K to accept a 2K globe.” Skinner also asked Hutman’s art department to construct 48 “covered wagon” fixtures, a favorite of the show’s legendary Director of Photography Karl Freund. “It’s a four-foot strip of light sockets on a board,” Skinner reveals. “Freund used them upfront, facing the actors. It was a way to not use old hard Fresnels, and still have soft, complimentary light.”

The operators watched playback on-set of the original I Love Lucy episodes to study the old camera style used. Rosenfeld says, “There was hardly any camera movement back then. Camera dollies were basically to get from Point A to Point B when they weren’t rolling. For shots where we were recreating

the original photography, we would often compose with too much headroom, so it feels like we’re viewing I Love Lucy shot with the same methodology. Sometimes it would force us to go against our instincts. For example, if they had a three-shot, they had one person turned profile for camera who had lots of dialogue. Your instinct would be to favor that person, so you could cut into it. But they just let it all play out in a three-shot with no cuts.

That’s how television was made back then.”

One memorable scene follows Desi on a long walk-and-talk – from his office to the stage – as he tries to hash out a problem with his team. The seamless “oner” was actually done in three parts, with Hutman and Cronenweth working closely to build interesting visuals into the move, including extras pushing wardrobe racks and other props across the frame, and across Desi’s path.

Each bit was reverse-engineered – stop point back to the start – to ensure enough distance to cover the dialogue. Rosenfeld brought the group out of Desi’s office, into a purpose-built corridor; then Bielan picked them up, using a fixed-arm 25-foot crane with a Talon remote head before being met

by Rosenfeld once again on Steadicam, who

brought them into the stage to interact with key background artists.

In another instance at Rosenfeld’s behest, Sorkin drafted additional lines of dialogue to make sure a shot timed out perfectly with the camera movement. “After he yelled ‘Cut!’ he walked over to me and said, ‘Dialogue is never a problem,’” Rosenfeld smiles. “‘Never be shy to ask for more.’”

Additional takes were another matter.

Sorkin was often ready to move on after one, two, or three at the most. “He’s the antiFincher,” Rosenfeld laughs. “Jeff and I have done many movies with David, who doesn’t hit his stride until 15 or 20 takes. And Aaron is not that guy.” As Sorkin adds: “There were times when I was good after the first take, and Jeff might say, ‘Let’s do it again.’” Sorkin would even resist requests from his cast for additional takes. “‘Why? That was perfect.

We’re good. We’re moving on,’ he’d say,” as Rosenfeld describes. “So, the actors started to go through us. Nicole would look at me after the end of a take and squint her eyes or cock her head.’ I would see that, look at her and nod.” Adds Bielan, “We’d go, ‘Aaron, do you mind if we do one more for us? We had a little thing here.’”

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SORKIN DESCRIBES CRONENWETH AND HIS CAMERA TEAM AS ALL “COAUTHORS” OF THE MOVIE. “THEY’RE WHO YOU WANT TO BE IN A TRENCH WITH, GO TO WAR WITH,” THE DIRECTOR STATES. “WE REALLY LUCKED OUT.” ABOVE L TO R: OPERATORS LUKASZ BIELAN, PETER ROSENFELD, DP JEFF CRONENWETH, C-CAMERA OPERATOR/GAFFER HAROLD SKINNER.

Two real L.A. locations also figure prominently in the film – The Wilshire Ebell Theatre and aboard The Queen Mary. Hutman says those were done “before the COVID vaccines were available. So, for economy, efficiency, and mainly COVID safety, it was useful to do as many things under one roof as possible. The Ebell, architecturally, feels like a good match for Sunset Gower.”

The theater was used not only for the cast’s dressing rooms, but also Desi’s office, a radio studio, and, most importantly, the writers’ room. Cronenweth lit that room as he and Skinner often do, sourcing the key from a window behind the cast. “ There’s so much good dialogue in those rooms that defines the characters,” Cronenweth explains, “and we wanted to

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keep it as natural as possible. A simple, bold source through a window allowed us to move around.” To that end, Skinner set six 18K Fresnels on a scissor lift outside the window as the key and supplemented with a few instruments in the room.

“There’s so much dialogue, and angles of people talking to each other,” the gaffer shares, “that you have to allow yourself an opportunity to cover these things without changing the world every time you turn the camera in one direction or another.”

One important aspect of this style of lighting is the way that Cronenweth allows an actor to momentarily slip out of a light, perhaps while in thought or while another character is speaking. Bielan notes that Director of Photography “Harris Savides [ASC]

did this – and Jeff does the same. You light the environment, and wherever the actors fall, they fall – like in reality.”

“Some DP’s will bathe the actor in beauty light,” De Lorimier adds. “But Jeff ’s not afraid of an actor’s face being dark. He has the confidence to allow us to transition from light to dark, and not be constantly fidgeting with lights, which can upset an actor’s focus. He knows that they’re going to be turning, they’re going to catch a little bit of the light, and that’s enough. And, of course, Nicole Kidman knows exactly where the light is, and how to go in and out of it. She could always find the light when the moment was needed.”

There was one example where a window didn’t exist to create the light needed, so Cronenweth asked Hutman to build it.

OPERATORS BIELAN (FAR LEFT) AND ROSENFELD (BEHIND CAMERA) CALL SORKIN THE “ANTI-FINCHER.” “JEFF AND I HAVE DONE MANY MOVIES WITH DAVID, WHO DOESN’T HIT HIS STRIDE UNTIL 15 OR 20 TAKES. AND AARON IS NOT THAT GUY,” ROSENFELD LAUGHS. ADDS BIELAN ABOUT THE ACTORS GARNERING MORE TAKES VIA THE CAMERA TEAM: “WE’D GO, ‘AARON, DO YOU MIND IF WE DO ONE MORE FOR US? WE HAD A LITTLE THING HERE.’

“There were five continuous scenes without a cut that we were going to shoot,” Sorkin explains, ending in a cove outside the writers’ room, which was a dead-end corridor. Adds Cronenweth: “There was just a dark corner that didn’t serve anything. And I was, like, ‘I can’t stand this!’ So, I went to the Art Department and asked them to build me a plug that I could put a window in,” which Rosenfeld affectionately called the “Cronenwindow.”

Hutman built a 6-inch-deep false window, behind which Skinner set a series of LiteGear elements, supplemented by LiteMats and LiteTiles hung from the walls ahead of the space. Says Sorkin, “ They created a supernova outside the window, which drenched the two actresses in both light and silhouette, depending on how I positioned

them in that small space.”

While searching for a Deco-styled location for a TV executive’s office, Hutman was brought to The Queen Mary in Long Beach by location scout Laurie Bolton, and happened upon the ship’s Queen’s Ballroom, used to recreate L.A.’s famed Ciro’s nightclub, where Arnaz, among countless others, performed regularly.

The sequence was shot with three cameras, with Rosenfeld and Beilan working together to capture the big band playing, while Skinner gathered band close-ups and audience reactions. There are also some classic tips of the hat to big-band films of the day – a favorite of Sorkin’s – capturing rows of trombone players from Dutch angles.

While the majority of the photography is close to Desi and the band, Rosenfeld wanted

to add shots capturing the bandleader and his group from the back of the room, i.e., from the POV of an average audience member who doesn’t necessarily have the best seat in the house. “Even though we were running out of time and should be moving on, we would say, ‘Listen, we really need something wide,’” Rosenfeld recounts. “Let’s just do one more pass, and let’s throw the cameras way back, and embrace the heck out of this room.”

As Sorkin concludes, noting the high level of creative filmmaking from each member of his team: “Just the fact that it was Peter’s idea, that it was important to him, was reason enough to do it. That’s why I say Jeff and his operators are co-authors of this movie.

They’re who you want to be in a trench with, go to war with. We lucked out.”

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LOCAL 600 CREW Director of Photography Jeff Cronenweth, ASC A-Camera Operator/Steadicam Peter Rosenfeld, SOC A-Camera 1st AC Paul Santoni A-Camera 2nd AC Paul Tilden B-Camera Operator Lukasz Bielan B-Camera 1st AC Bob Smathers B-Camera 2nd AC Jordan Pellegrini C-Camera 1st AC Paul Toomey C-Camera 2nd AC Mark Connelly Loader Alex Macat DIT Michele DeLorimier Digital Utility Skylar Cronenweth Still Photographer Glen Wilson, SMPSP Unit Publicist Alex Worman

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PRODUCTION DESIGNER JON HUTMAN, WORKING WITH SET DECORATOR ELLEN BRILL AND PROP MASTER TRISH GALLAHER GLENN, REPRODUCED NOT ONLY THE I LOVE LUCY SET, BUT ALSO THE ENTIRE WORKSPACE OF THE STAGE. “IT’S AN EXTREMELY WELL-DOCUMENTED MOMENT OF TELEVISION HISTORY,” SHARES HUTMAN, WHOSE DESIGN INCLUDED AUTHENTIC SELF-BLIMPED 35MM MITCHELL CAMERAS WITH RACK-OVER VIEWING SYSTEMS AND PERIOD DOLLYS. GENERATION NEXT

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Change-

MAKERS

A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS, AS OUR LARGEST-EVER GENERATION NEXT CLASS PROVES.

BY MARGOT LESTER

Here’s a quote from Samantha Power, with the United States Agency for International Development, that sums up our 2021 Generation NEXT class: “People who care – act and refuse to give up. They may not change the world, but they can change many individual worlds.” Certainly, the last 18 months have served up change – social, cultural, and political – on a scale not seen in many of our lifetimes. The list includes heightened (or more vocalized) racism and bias, an assault on LGBTQ and reproductive rights, the climate emergency, worker safety and mental health, all backdropped by a global pandemic that has yet to fully abate. All of this has made us at ICG wonder: How important is it to not only be a skilled and safety-minded union film craftsperson but someone who also wants to make the world a better place? As these past few years have revealed, Local 600 is blessed to have many “change-makers” within its ranks who walk their talk every day; so we asked this year’s Generation NEXT to share their inspiring stories. May their commitment and passion move us all to begin (or continue) to advocate to help change many individual worlds.

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C. Neo ARBOLEDA 2ND AC AGE: 37 CURRENT RESIDENCE: NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA HOMETOWN: POMONA, CA AND MIAMI, FL EDUCATION: B.S. CRIMINAL JUSTICE, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY BUSIEST GENRE: NARRATIVE TELEVISION CURRENT PROJECT: SUPER PUMPED (SHOWTIME) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 7 PORTRAIT BY: TEMMA HANKIN

For Neo Arboleda, supporting recent contract negotiations with the AMPAS was a family matter.

movies,” she remembers. “Henry introduced me to a producer who hired me as PA.”

Arboleda “believes in human rights in all aspects of that term. Neo likes to get involved in what’s

“IATSE members are my fellow brothers and sisters,” she says. “Considering we represent ourselves, it is essential that we support each other to look out for our own best interest in the present and the future. It is rare when I have felt the ‘above the line’ truly cared about the crew. I want to take care of my fellow members and strive for a better future for filmmakers now, and those still to come.”

A passion for “pursuing what’s right” predates Arboleda’s time behind the camera. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Florida International University 13 years ago, hoping to pursue a career in the field. She couldn’t find a path forward; so after running into a friend who was working in the film/TV industry back home in California, who offered to make some connections, she decided to return to California and “dive into the film industry because of the love I had for

Arboleda spent nine months as a PA on nonunion low-budget films. This was where the typical misconception that “our jobs are glamorous and fabulous was quickly put to rest,” she laughs. She switched to the camera department to get her 100 days and join the union. Her first gig was 2nd AC on Season 1 of Better Things in 2017. Director of Photography Jim Frohna [ICG Magazine June/ July 2019], who worked with Arboleda on Super Pumped, remembers the Pomona-born/Miamiraised 2nd AC “taking time to educate and inform other crew members – not just other Local 600 members; Neo has embodied the idea of solidarity by conferring and sharing info with Craft Services, Grip, Lighting and other locals,” Frohna describes.

“She has a deep love for the work we all do and advocates tirelessly for us to do it safely.” That’s why coworkers like 1st AC Faith Brewer insist that

happening and is not afraid to speak up and fight for everyone no matter who she might be up against,” Brewer shares. “She considers everyone and is essential in voicing change for all. She educates herself on the contracts and how they affect every member of IATSE.” Adds Elie Smolkin, CSC: “Neo cares about the people that she works with every day, regardless of their department or role. By being vocal and informed, she can help make positive change.”

Even as the battle for a fair and decent contract recedes, Arboleda continues to work to make the union stronger and encourage members to be more involved. “Be an active member to continue the fight for better working conditions,” she counsels.

“Read all your emails. Take courses. Talk to your Local reps. Do research. It is only up to us to take care of us.”

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Matthew BOREK 1ST AC

AGE: 37 CURRENT RESIDENCE: WEST HILLS, CA HOMETOWN: CHICAGO, IL EDUCATION: BACHELOR OF ARTS, COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO BUSIEST GENRE: SCRIPTED TV/FEATURES, COMMERCIALS CURRENT PROJECT: DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH (NARRATIVE FEATURE) PORTRAIT BY: TEMMA HANKIN

Assistant Camera Operator Matthew Borek hails from a union town, Chicago, and became active in Local 600’s Los Angeles Young Workers Group from its inception in 2017 – in 2018 he was invited to be one of four co-chairs. “The next generation understands the need for solidarity if we want to create systemic change in our industry,” describes Borek, who says he was energized by union members’ engagement in activities, including the recent negotiations.

“Our union had its highest engagement for a tentative agreement ratification/ rejection vote since before the merger and possibly ever,” he notes. “If we successfully sustain participation and build even stronger solidarity among the Hollywood Bargaining Unit, then I believe we are preparing to bring about the systemic change we need in our industry. We will gain a thriving wage for all, reasonable time away from the set for more than rest, and further acknowledgment of our contributions to the success of streaming content if we’re able to stand together and exude our strength.”

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After film school at Columbia College, Chicago, Borek moved west to work at Panavision Hollywood, which helped him transition between markets. He began freelancing full-time in 2010. His first professional gig was as the 2nd AC on an indie suspense thriller, The Appearing, shot

by Wyatt House, a close friend from college.

Director of Photography Jendra Jarnagin describes Borek as “a great example of someone who cares, who is going out and creating opportunities for increased connection and community building among our members. A lot of people view ‘the union’ as the administration and the officers doing ‘official union business.’

Matthew and the Young Workers Group really bring home how we are the union, and that all it takes is someone to organize opportunities for group activities to bring people closer. I have been continually impressed by the quantity, quality, and diversity of interesting ongoing events being offered by that committee.”

One prime example was the Camera Department Yard Sale, first held in the Fall of 2019, which attracted more than 350

current and future members to the national office, some of whom had never visited the office before. During COVID, several members made the sale virtual and raised more than $7,000 for the hardship fund.

“It’s also clear that Matthew is committed to providing opportunities for members to get to know and see each other and become more engaged in our union and especially our community,” Jarnigan adds.

True to form, Borek has been active in building connections with young workers in every region, and from Locals across the Hollywood Bargaining Unit through the Hollywood IA Young Workers Coordinating Committee and IA Activists Discord server.

“Within me is a deep passion for our union,” concludes Borek, who is currently working on a narrative romcom feature titled Diamond in the Rough. “I am grateful for the many amazing technicians who taught me about working in the trade and union membership. I intend to spend my career fighting for our betterment. I hope that I have the opportunity to impact other members even half as much as those veteran members who impacted me.”

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Ante CHENG DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY AGE: 31 CURRENT PLACE OF RESIDENCE: NOT FIXED (GLOBAL) HOMETOWN: TAIPEI, TAIWAN EDUCATION: BACHELOR’S DEGREE, NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY; MFA, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BUSIEST GENRE: DRAMA MOST RECENT PROJECT: BLUE BAYOU (FOCUS FEATURES) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 3 PORTRAIT BY: AI CHUNG

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While he’ll work with anyone, Director of Photography Ante Cheng is especially interested in partnering with directors and producers who share his goal of telling more diverse stories in an authentic manner. That’s the best way, he says, to encourage more representation and inclusion. As friend and longtime collaborator, Writer/Director Justin Chon describes: “Ante is a great example of a change-maker because of his willingness to tell stories outside of his sphere, and his ability to bring his unique life experiences and perspectives to his work. We relate to one another as humans. We talk about life quite a bit and try to bring humanity to all stories we collaborate on.”

Chon and Cheng first worked together on the indie feature Gook (2017), set during the L.A. riots – a powerful narrative that played in the NEXT section at the Sundance Film Festival and put Cheng, its DP, on the U.S. entertainment industry’s radar. More recently, the pair completed the highly acclaimed Blue Bayou (2020). Written, produced, and directed by Chon (who also plays the male lead), this beautifully visualized feature (co-shot with Matthew Chuang) tells the story of a KoreanAmerican man raised in the Louisiana bayou and earned Cannes Film Festival and Camerimage nominations.

Their next project is Pachinko, an episodic drama for Apple TV+, an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Min Jin Lee. The story follows a Korean family who moves to Japan and is met with racism, bias, and other challenges. “We were very happy Apple is investing in authentic Asian content,” explains Cheng, a native of Taipei who now resides wherever the next gig takes him. “We were able to shoot in little Korean coastal towns where the story is actually set and to keep the dialogue in Korean and Japanese with subtitles.”

Cheng says he and Chon always strive for a unified mindset in front of the camera and behind it. “We want people to want to feel connected with the project,” Cheng shares. “We want a set where everyone can bring their sensibilities, craft, and points of view to the table. We also want them to speak up when there’s something that’s not accurate or just not okay.”

To do that, Cheng creates a highly collaborative environment on set, harkening back to his first projects in college. Though he majored in economics, he had been making films as a hobby since grade school and put his skills to use in a final pre-graduation project. “I gathered 30 of my friends, and we made a web series,” he recounts.

“We all have our hobbies, and we wanted to have a chance of turning our hobbies – like dance, music, acting, and writing – into a career.” It worked. The show got a lot of attention that led to the group being hired to do music videos and commercials.

Many of the original team went on to film school, including Cheng, who did his graduate work at USC. Chon says that same vibe informs Cheng’s leadership today.

“I’ve never seen a cinematographer take care of his crew like he does,” Chon notes. “He makes sure they are protected and safe while we search for truth through our art.”

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Michelle

CLEMENTINE CAMERA OPERATOR AGE: 37 CURRENT RESIDENCE: LOS ANGELES, CA HOMETOWN: BRONX, NY EDUCATION: BACHELOR OF ARTS, BROOKLYN COLLEGE BUSIEST GENRE: TELEVISION AND COMMERCIALS CURRENT PROJECT: CHARLIE AND THE HUNT (JNINE MEDIA) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 10+ PORTRAIT BY:

“There’s this sense that we need to make the industry more diverse, and to create and nurture that talent, which is absolutely needed. But it also stands on the premise that these professionals don’t exist right now. And we do!” describes Operator Michelle Clementine.

Changing that perspective is vital to making meaningful progress on representation on set.

And Clementine, who works on narrative features, television, short-form, and commercials, is taking an active role in making it happen. “There are so many people who are amazing at their jobs and yet are overlooked and are not busy enough,” she continues – including herself. “People look at me and think I’m super busy, but even for someone like me, who has a pretty good career and has been doing pretty okay for herself, I still don’t know when my next job is going to be.”

When Clementine is on a job, she reaches out to other people of color to fill out her crew, and mentors others, showing them how to prep or do a check-out. She’s also active in Sporas, an Instagram-based “network dedicated to uplifting cinematographers and camera crews of multi-ethnic backgrounds around the world.”

Her latest project is Charlie and the Hunt, which she’s producing and shooting with a diverse and inclusive crew. The short, which earned support from the Women in Media CAMERAderie Initiative, chronicles the fantastical journey of Charlie Miles, an African American CODA (child of deaf adult) girl

NICOLA GOODE, SMPSP

with a taste for adventure.

Clementine says she’s also a vocal advocate for creating a more direct line between the Guild and rental houses, where she got her start in camera after trying to transition from being a PA. “If you want to talk about changing the face of the industry, you need the rental houses in that conversation,” insists Clementine, who worked for ARRI CSC in New York/NJ just as ARRI’s ALEXA was coming to market. “They have so much impact on what the color of Local 600 looks like. We need to create a formal program with the rental houses to create the streamline from them to the set.”

C l e m e nt i n e, w h o s h ot Ly n n D ow ’s Compassionate Release (which won the Chelsea Film Festival 2020 Audience Award for Best Short Film), is ready for more. “I’m always making myself available to talk about these things,” the L.A. resident (who recently relocated from her native New York City) says, “especially as I stand out more with being one of the few women who look like me doing what I do.” Local 600 Director of Photography Kira Kelly, ASC [ICG Magazine May 2019] is inspired by Clementine’s efforts, describing the operator as all about building community.

“Within Sporas, if you’re looking for crew recommendations,” Kelly describes, “Michelle always has someone amazing. Whether you’re in New York City, Atlanta, or LA – it doesn’t matter – she knows all of the extremely qualified people who often get overlooked in the hiring process.”

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Somebody has to go first. Inspired and emboldened, a few others follow. Slowly, they cut a path that others can more easily follow.

Brooklyn-based unit still photographer Vanessa Clifton is one of those path-makers.

As the Kalamazoo, MI native describes: “There have been many Black women before me in this industry, although so few as unit photographers, so I am very proud to do whatever I can to boost our ranks. People like [Local 600 Unit Still Photographer] Anne Marie Fox inspire me. I’ve followed her work for a few years, and it’s pretty cool to walk in her footsteps.”

Clifton, who’s been in the Guild less than a year, chose the industry when she realized there was an opportunity for photographers to build long-lasting careers and create iconic images. She earned a BFA in photography from Western Michigan University and did some non-union projects before landing her first union gig, which was an impactful one: shooting the unit and key art for Hulu’s drama Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Season 2. “That was my first time working with big-name actors and directors,” she shares. “And I am very proud that Hulu trusted me enough to go in and create work. Seeing it in the subway station and the billboards here in New York, as well as in different cities, has been mind-blowing.

That is something that I will take with me for a long time.”

As one of the industry’s few female Black unit still photographers ( joining trailblazers like Nicola Goode, SMPSP, [600

Live! June 2020] and Fox), she expected some reticence on set. “I learned that this is a myth, and the crews I have worked with have been friendly and incredibly helpful,” Clifton adds. But she also thinks the role could be given more respect, “not as an ego thing,” she says. “Our images get used for marketing; that marketing sells the film or series, which creates more viewers, which generates more money into the industry.

Especially with TV, the more views, the more likely it is for additional seasons to get picked up, which leads to more work for crews.”

Clifton isn’t the only trailblazer in her family.

“Monique Grayson, who is my first cousin, but we grew up like sisters, is one of the few Black female pilots flying for a major airline,” she adds. “I’ve watched her navigate racism and sexism in an industry that is dominated by white males, similar to the camera department. When I feel like I can’t accomplish something, I look to her for inspiration, and it helps me to keep moving forward.”

Clifton embraces her position as a pathmaker. “Representation and visibility allow others behind you to know that their dreams are achievable, that there is a door for them to enter,” she concludes. “Yesterday I had a younger Black female photographer ask me about being in the union, and it felt good to advise her on how to start building a portfolio of set photography – even as I continue to build my own!”

UNIT STILL PHOTOGRAPHER AGE: 32 CURRENT RESIDENCE: BROOKLYN, NY HOMETOWN: KALAMAZOO, MI EDUCATION: BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS, EMPHASIS IN PHOTOGRAPHY, WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY BUSIEST GENRE: EPISODIC DRAMA CURRENT PROJECT: PARTNER TRACK (NETFLIX) YEARS IN GUILD: EIGHT MONTHS PORTRAIT BY: CLIFTON PRESCOD

Vanessa

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Kate

IUELE 2ND AC

AGE: 29 CURRENT RESIDENCE: JERSEY CITY, NJ HOMETOWN: KINGSTON, NY EDUCATION: BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN COMMUNICATION MEDIA/FILM STUDIES, LA SALLE UNIVERSITY BUSIEST GENRE: DRAMA, COMEDY (50/50) CURRENT PROJECT: THE BLACKLIST (SEASON 9, NBC) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 7+ PORTRAIT BY: JEONG “JP” PARK

“I was never shy about my intentions of getting married, changing my name, having children, and building a career and life that I loved with my family by my side,” asserts 2nd AC Kate Iuele. “Sadly, at the beginning of my career, I had a lot of people tell me it was career suicide to talk that way. The myth is that you can’t have both. I couldn’t let myself believe that there was no way to commit myself to my job and to my life outside of work. Since the very beginning, my husband, Nick, has inspired me every day to be myself, do my best, and advance in my career. Even with my drive, and the love I have for my crew, without the support from Nick and my son, Theo, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Iuele, who most recently worked as C-Camera 2nd AC on Season 9 of The Blacklist, is a vocal advocate for working moms. She has requested (and received) a private room for breast pumping and coordinated with her camera department to

avoid disruption and ensure coverage. The Jersey City native also talks about quality-of-life issues with crew members and department heads to destigmatize the need to bring them up. There’s more to be done, however, and Iuele is pushing the industry to modernize such things as health benefits.

“I still cannot believe that it is 2021, and for as advanced as our industry is, we still have no established maternity/paternity family leave through our union, especially for the mothers recovering after childbirth, since our jobs are so physical,” she laments. “Even though New York State has paid family leave, it is extremely difficult for people in our industry to use the benefit because you have to prove that you have eight consecutive weeks working with one employer before the date the baby is born before you can be eligible. For most people in our industry – especially

day players and women in their third trimester who are coming to the end of their pregnancy and may not be physically able to work up until their due date – they will not be eligible. It is hard to have to explain to a state representative that ‘on paper’ you are a freelance worker, but you work 60-hour weeks full-time. Acknowledgment and support for working mothers/parents in the industry would be better than what we have now, which is nothing.”

Key mentor, Director Trish Sie, describes Iuele as “a bold, inspiring example of what’s possible – not just for women but for everyone. It seems like Kate gains energy from the delights of being both a parent and a truly excellent filmmaker. She proudly lives in a very healthy yin zone, where being a wife, mom, woman and badass all coexist magically at the same time. Kate is a fabulous example of how a fully integrated, well-rounded person can be a role model for a new way of succeeding in life.”

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Jessica

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UNIT STILL PHOTOGRAPHER AGE: 44 CURRENT RESIDENCE: ATLANTA, GA HOMETOWN: LONG ISLAND, NY EDUCATION: SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS, NYC BUSIEST GENRE: SUPERHERO/ACTION CURRENT PROJECT: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 (MARVEL/DISNEY) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 18 PORTRAIT BY: JOSH STRINGER

MIGLIO Jessica Miglio, SMPSP, didn’t set out to be a unit still photographer, much less one of the few women holding that position in the superhero and action/ adventure genres. While attending the School of Visual Arts in New York City for photography, her roommate, 1st AD Thomas Fatone, got her onto some non-union projects that led to her first union gig, The Baxter (2005).

“To be honest, I didn’t know much about the film business. I never took a film course, and they never mentioned this position in class,” the Long Island, NY-born Miglio laughs. “So, I had no preconceived notions. I guess you could say I went in blind.”

Now based in Atlanta, Miglio has worked steadily since joining the Guild more than 15 years ago. One of her proudest moments was in seeing an image she captured from Lena Dunham’s Girls, Season 2, in Times Square. “There were so many emotions seeing it for the first time,” she reflects.

“In that moment, I felt like all my hard work was paying off.”

Shortly after, Miglio found her love of the superhero and action/adventure genres while shooting Season 1 of Gotham in 2014 and 2015.

The show earned nominations from multiple organizations, including the ASC. “It was the most challenging show, at that time in my life, but it was

also the most rewarding,” she adds. “It made me change my way of thinking, the way I shot, the way I looked at a scene, and the way I moved around the camera.”

More films in the genre followed, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016), The Tick (2016-2019), The Suicide Squad (2021), Shazam: Fury of the Gods and most recently Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Miglio would like to see more women in production because “we bring a new perspective and thinking,” she says, adding, “It shouldn’t be about whether we are men or women. It should be about our work and whether the creatives feel we can capture the moments that they need.”

Those who work closely with Miglio are in full agreement. Atlanta-based Unit Publicist Liz Driscoll, who was featured in our 2019 Generation NEXT issue [ICG Magazine December 2019], considers herself “fortunate” to have worked alongside Miglio “in every season, multiple countries and in the literal trenches,” Driscoll shares. “Jessica has the uncanny ability to adapt to any situation…and adapt with professionalism and positivity. She always manages to get ‘the shot’ and does it with my favorite ‘Long Island smile’ on her face. She is an amazing photographer, teammate and mentor.”

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1ST AC AGE: 31 CURRENT RESIDENCE: ATLANTA, GA HOMETOWN: IRMO, SC BUSIEST GENRE: DRAMA CURRENT PROJECT: P-VALLEY (SEASON 2, STARZ) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 9 PORTRAIT BY: KYLE KAPLAN

Callie MOORE

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“Callie Moore is often referred to as our fearless leader – and not just on our current show,” describes 2nd AC Easton Carver, working with Moore on Season 2 of STARZ’s P-Valley [ICG Magazine August 2020]. “All across the industry people look to Callie for information, advice and direction. She is a huge activist to correct injustice, especially in our industry.

During the strike authorization vote, Callie led and organized a rally for all of our Georgiabased brothers and sisters to share thoughts and concerns and what we can do to help each other. This rally inspired similar events in LA and New York. I’m still learning how to advocate for myself, but with a boss like Callie, I’m finally gaining the confidence to do so.”

It wasn’t Moore’s first foray into activism.

The 1st AC, who works mostly on episodic dramas, founded Stay and Fight Georgia, which raised $15,000 for the state’s ACLU in support of its fight against the “Heartbeat Bill.” After the pandemic shutdown, she was motivated to get more involved in the Guild.

“Not being on set and not working left a huge hole in my life,” the Irmo, SC native relates. “I started to take better care of myself and invest in my community. A realization came that my worth is not determined by the labor I provide on TV and movie sets. That summer radicalized me in many ways. When work started up again, it didn’t take long for me to want more for myself and those around me. Being a member of the IA is an awesome responsibility, and I felt a pull to step up and make a difference if I could.”

Like many crew members, Moore used to be afraid to say anything about safety because she didn’t want to slow down production. But once she became responsible for the safety of the crew members working under her, she realized “there’s no shot worth more than a person’s safety.”

This was brought home, in the most horrifying way, after the recent death of Director of Photography Halyna Hutchinson in October. “I experienced my first gun safety check at work after her death,” Moore recalls. “Our armorer was incredibly clear, knowledgeable and safe. The moment still brought me to tears [pauses]... After every painful moment we share, there has to be some healing; but the only way forward in all of this is straight through. Acknowledging our collective tragedies and nurturing our thirst for better will make us all more unified. As a union, we are most powerful, even unstoppable, when we move together.”

Moore believes the industry is on the edge of historic changes to contracts and culture.

“Living wages, reasonable rest periods, meal breaks – these are not extravagant demands.

But somehow, we’ve found ourselves defending them,” she concludes. “We are the future of this business, and we can set an example for those who come after us of not just discipline and dedication but tolerance and love.”

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Andrew PARROTTE 1ST AC

AGE: 34

CURRENT RESIDENCE: LOS ANGELES, CA HOMETOWN: WINFIELD, IL EDUCATION: BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS IN FILM/TELEVISION, COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO BUSIEST GENRE: FEATURE/TV DRAMA, DOCUSERIES; COMMERCIALS CURRENT PROJECT: NDA (A DOCU-STYLE “EXPERIENCE” IN BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA) YEARS IN GUILD: 5 PORTRAIT BY: JAMES EVERS

On set, the Sound department is in charge of giving voice to the actors. Off set, Andrew Parrotte has created a way for all below-the-line departments to make their voices heard. He’s the creator of the Film Industry Discord, and he co-created the NWCL600 server with fellow AC Matthew Borek.

“I started both servers because Facebook is not the right tool for the current technical climate of our industry on many different levels,” the Los Angeles-based 1st AC explains. “Facebook has this underlying feeling that the threads you start are kind of ‘framed’ for all to see.”

Conversely, Discord is more of an ongoing and informal conversation. “Younger members feel more comfortable speaking their minds in the moment and thus become more active by being more vocal,” adds Parrotte, who also uses the platform for an annual charity event: a weeklong gaming marathon with content creators. “The group is called Mindcrack, and we raise money for Extra-Life, a program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals,” he explains.

“Every year, 20 to 30 members of the Mindcrack group fly into one location to play games, do some competitive cooking segments, and raise money for kids. I’m running all the cameras, lighting, and audio with a very small tech team. Eight cameras, 10 wireless mics, 15 lights, 25 computers, VR headsets, audio and video boards, four floors, and 35 people for seven days.” In 2021, the event raised $348,000 and the lifetime total raised is over $1.8 million.

“Discord makes it so much easier to communicate while planning out the event,” Parrotte explains. “I will ping Guude (aka Jason, founder of Mindcrack) and other members to have them jump

into a voice channel so we can talk about gear. Then I can share my screen to show my plans and my webcam to show the physical gear. We use Discord to call each other instead of actually calling like a traditional phone call. And since Discord is on all platforms, I can do this from my phone, too. Without contemporary platforms like Discord, it would be nearly impossible for me to fathom pulling off [the Extra-Life] event on such a scale.”

The five-year Guild member says he views embracing new technologies as an active way to support communication and collaboration. “The takeaway from the case study of NWCL600 is that the way we communicate would benefit from evolving rapidly and dynamically as the technology itself evolves,” states Parrotte, who notes that the online communities create “more avenues” for members to connect.

“The goal is for rank and file members, particularly this newer generation, to connect in the most positive and constructive way possible, and digital technology, when used correctly, definitely allows for that,” concludes Parrotte, who started in the Grip and Electric department on Chicagoarea productions after graduating from that city’s Columbia College (like his peer Matthew Borek). His first project as a 1st AC was Kate & Saalima (2011).

He recently wrapped production on a documentarystyle “experience” in Bogotá, Colombia that’s under an NDA (non-disclosure agreement).

“As these past two years have shown us, the time is now for all union members to become more active and engaged to help create the changes in this industry we all want to see.”

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DIT AGE: 35 CURRENT RESIDENCE: LOS ANGELES, CA HOMETOWN: OAKHURST, NJ EDUCATION: BACHELOR’S DEGREE, FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY, FL BUSIEST GENRE: COMMERCIALS, TV, FEATURES CURRENT PROJECT: VERIZON COMMERCIAL (SHOT BY RACHEL MORRISON, ASC) YEARS IN GUILD: 14 PORTRAIT BY: TOBIN YELLAND

Dan SKINNER DIT Dan Skinner is always looking for a better way, and his talent for innovation came in handy when COVID-19 rendered the usual way of working unworkable.

Skinner, along with his wife, fellow Local 600 DIT Erica McKee, designed a standard remote package for the talent that improved security and reduced the risk of relying on personal devices.

Each setup included a laptop with pre-installed software; an iPhone, tripod, and battery pack; and a microphone, Airpods, small SSD hard drives, and extra adapters and cables for charging and for Ethernet. After donning masks and gloves, Skinner and McKee would sanitize all the equipment, add included wipes and gloves for each recipient, and squeeze it all into a small Pelican Air 1535 case for shipping. He recruited and trained DIT’s to remotely access these systems and control all the recording devices, save files on the laptop/phone and the SSD hard drives, and then upload files to the FTP server for editing.

Another early innovation was designing Zoom rooms to mimic various production areas, such as

the set, the green room, video village, and the tech room (like a walkie on Channel 6 for the camera team). He recruited a VTR to re-embed the images and sound into those rooms so the client and agency could review footage and communicate without interrupting the shoot, moving creatives over into a private virtual room. “Our first successful shoot doing this was a Facebook commercial with Director of Photography Ashley Connor [ICG Magazine January 2019]. In the following phase, Skinner customized Pelican cases with key backbone technology – the Set2Net box included four cellular radio-bonded internet routers that tunneled into SETNET’s office using national and local carriers, plus a UNIFI mesh controller and redundant power system. “One of the more elaborate jobs was a Gatorade commercial with DP Mihai Mălaimare Jr. using eight systems,” Skinner adds.

Skinner’s also been breaking new ground in wireless data transmission. His 2019-start-up, FeedRF, is the exclusive reseller for Wave Central’s newest system, CineVue, which brings large improvements in the areas of RF coverage, latency,

ergonomics, power usage, and the passage of timecode and ancillary data. “The CineVue system uses an 8Mhz wide carrier, half-forward error correction (FEC), and it’s license-free,” Skinner shares. “This narrow 8Mhz bandwidth requires less than half the channel space of a typical system, allowing more systems on one set with a great reduction of interference. All of the previous systems marketed for filmmaking created problems as soon as you stack up more than three wireless cameras in one environment. Our system allows for as many wireless cameras – and receivers per camera – as required, with no effect on performance.”

Video Assist Operator Doug Birdsell says working with Skinner has been fun and educational.

“Dan’s always finding elegant solutions to push the limits of technology,” Birdsell describes. “I’ll never forget the time in Lone Pine (CA) when he wanted to test the range of his new transmitter. We set up a monitor rig at the location and he drove away in his van with the transmitter; and kept going as far as the eye could see. And it worked perfectly! His enthusiasm for getting it right is contagious.”

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“I love that publicity feels like a true team environment, and that so much of a campaign’s success is dependent on collectivity, and each role and department helping the other,” observes Sony Pictures Entertainment Senior Publicist Stephanie Sommer, who joined Local 600 six years ago and is part of the global publicity team for the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Sommer, who graduated with a B.A. in Communications from California State Fullerton, says she’s always been determined to find a way to make a difference beyond Hollywood.

“I’ve always loved having my hands in a lot of things, and I enjoy working behind the scenes,” recalls the Pacific Palisades native. “I was always the person organizing activities in school and with friends. I come from a large family and was always wrangling and sorting out schedules. It was exciting when I learned there was a field [publicity] that encapsulated the organizational and planning skills that came so naturally to me.”

When one of her mentors, Gloria Hann, executive vice president of global publicity for Sony Pictures Entertainment, introduced her to Alliance, Sommer knew she wanted to be involved.

“Alliance is a group of philanthropic-minded civic leaders who believe education is important, are aware of the critical issues facing our public schools and want to help scholars in L.A.’s most systemically oppressed communities,” Sommer explains. “The organization advocates for all scholars and ensures that deserving students from underrepresented populations can fund

their college experience, because education equity is one of the best hopes for racial justice. The mission is for Alliance scholars to elevate their college ambitions and to develop resources to make those ambitions attainable. Ninety percent of the kids Alliance works with are the first in their family to attend college.”

Her work with Alliance has been a two-way street.

“I’ve been so inspired by these amazing students – their drive, ambition, and their ability to think and dream big,” adds Sommer, who became involved in the Alliance Young Professionals Board and currently serves as one of the chairs of the Fundraising and Events Committee.

April Florentino, Senior Vice President of Global Publicity for Sony Pictures Entertainment, says Sommer’s passion for helping others is inspiring. “Her interest in and involvement with the Alliance Young Professionals Board is so admirable. Sommer does not expect anything in return or need recognition. She simply wants to do everything she can to help people who need to be seen. She especially believes in advocating for teens because they are our future leaders and deserve to have the same opportunities that she had while growing up.”

“I know education can be such a difference-maker in opening the doors for these students, and being a part of helping them on that journey is a true gift,” Sommer concludes. “Working with the Alliance and meeting these students is such a privilege and makes me excited and grateful that I can be a small part of helping them access these opportunities that they so deserve but may have never thought possible.”

Stephanie

SOMMER SENIOR PUBLICIST AGE: 31 CURRENT RESIDENCE: LOS ANGELES, CA HOMETOWN: PACIFIC PALISADES, CA EDUCATION: B.A. COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC RELATIONS, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON BUSIEST GENRE: MOTION PICTURE/GLOBAL PUBLICITY CURRENT PROJECT: SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 6 PORTRAIT BY: KEN SAX

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OPERATOR AGE: 27 CURRENT PLACE OF RESIDENCE: LOS ANGELES, CA HOMETOWN: PIKE COUNTY, GA EDUCATION: GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FILM AND VIDEO BUSIEST GENRE: DRAMA MOST RECENT PROJECT: DOLLAR 2 THE RICH (WITH LARUSSELL) YEARS IN GUILD: 3 PORTRAIT BY: STEVIE MURRELL

Xavier THOMPSON Xavier Thompson knew he wanted a career behind the camera. As a student at Georgia State University, he majored in film and video with a plan to work in sports. While working utility for the Atlanta Falcons during a Monday Night Football game, he saw a Steadicam for the first time and knew that was the path forward. “I wish I remembered the operator’s name, but he told me to Google ‘Steadicam Workshops,’” recalls Thompson, who hails from Pike County in West Central Georgia. “I saved up money to take the Gold workshop with Tiffen and the second I put the Steadicam on, it was like, ‘Yeah!’ And that was it.”

Thompson continued working in sports while branching out to music videos, like Alicia Keys’ Love Looks Better. From there he transitioned to episodic television, including Ava DuVernay’s Colin in Black and White (shot by Matthew J. Lloyd, ASC, CSC) [ICG Magazine May 2020] and several

shows with Guild DP Tommy Maddox Upshaw, ASC, [ICG Magazine.com April 2019] whom he credits with helping him bounce back from getting fired from his first professional Steadicam gig.

“I just wasn’t ready, and they saw that after a few days,” Thompson recalls. “I told Maddox my situation, and he brought me on to Huge in France as a day player. He liked my work and gave me an opportunity to do On My Block.” Thompson has since worked with Maddox Upshaw on Empire and Snowfall.

Taking the nod from mentors like Maddox Upshaw and Greg Smith, Thompson is paying it forward. “There’s still not many people of color behind the camera,” he laments, “and I want to use my platform to motivate others.” Thompson is a generous mentor to young operators who want to get started on the Steadicam. “I’m excited to see where we – Black operators – are headed, and I

want them to see there’s work for everybody and opportunities for everybody,” he adds.

Thompson recently worked on a PSA – executive produced by Sewit Amba, directed by Lewis T. Powell, shot by Guild DP Jody Williams, and featuring rap artist LaRussell – that encourages people to seek out therapy. The short film Dollar 2 the Rich features a man recounting traumatic experiences from his childhood before it’s revealed that he’s talking to a therapist. The narrative arc normalizes counseling and destigmatizes seeking help. It’s a vital message. Research shows that violence against and harassment of people of color has a different impact than bias against their white counterparts, prompting feelings of anxiety and isolation. Thompson says that normalizing “getting help” is key to progress. “I’m seeing how the world is divided and how insecure people are,” he concludes. “And I just want to help.”

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Chris

WAIREGI CAMERA OPERATOR AGE: 30 CURRENT RESIDENCE: BROOKLYN, NY HOMETOWN: CLEVELAND, OH EDUCATION: DUAL-DEGREE BFA IN FILM PRODUCTION AND ADVERTISING PHOTOGRAPHY, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BUSIEST GENRE: DOCUMENTARY AND NARRATIVE FILM CURRENT PROJECT: GO FETCH CLUB (TV SERIES) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 1 PORTRAIT BY: NICOLE RIVELLI

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“When I started out, people said: ‘I have never seen a Black woman in the camera department,’ and I still hear that when I’m operating or DP-ing jobs,” notes Cleveland-born camera operator Chris Wairegi. This occurred on a recent shoot in Tokyo, when Wairegi and another female camera operator were riding in a hotel elevator.

“There was a young girl and her dad with us,” Wairegi recounts. “Needless to say, there aren’t many Black people in Tokyo, never mind Black women holding $60,000 camera builds the size of a boom box! The little girl looked from me to the South Asian woman on my right slinging an identical camera build, and her eyes went wide.

She tugged at her father’s hand and whispered a question in his ear. I heard him say ‘Why don’t you ask?’ She looked right into my eyes and said, ‘Is that a camera?’ I kneeled and talked her through how it worked and answered her surprisingly thoughtful questions. Even after they walked out of that elevator, she couldn’t take her eyes off us. I imagined what I would have thought seeing me as I am when I was her age and thought how those small moments can change the course of a child’s life.”

Wairegi acknowledges the power in such moments. But she doesn’t just wait for those random opportunities to inspire change. She’s deliberate about recommending and hiring people who are accomplished filmmakers but haven’t gotten recognition or been offered opportunities.

“I’ve sort of become a one-woman hiring agency over the years, compiling lists of names to share when asked for recommendations,” she adds. “We are in a time when people are reflecting on their power to ensure sets are safe places for everyone and crews are starting to better reflect the diversity of the places we live in and the stories we tell. My work collecting names over time blossomed into what would become a monthly meetup for creatives of color in New York City.”

These are just a few of the reasons why Selene Richholt Preston, SOC, who was part of our 2018 Generation NEXT group [ICG Magazine December 2018], calls Wairegi “a huge champion of diversity on sets.”

Wairegi, who lensed VH1’s Black Girl Beauty, which showcased the challenges and opportunities experienced by women of color in America, is heartened by the industry’s progress on diversity.

“I’m excited to see women shooting,” she smiles. “I’m excited to see queer leads. I’m excited to see brown people above the line. I am excited to work on projects that reflect me and my life in some small way. And while all these positive things are happening in real-time, they still can’t happen fast enough. I am saddened by people who fear these positive changes and have heard too often how threatened people feel by the creation of equity in our workspace.

I hope more people join the fight even if the fight isn’t theirs directly. There’s always room for more.”

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THEY/THEM 1ST AC AGE: 32 CURRENT RESIDENCE: BROOKLYN, NY HOMETOWN: WILMINGTON, DE EDUCATION: UNIV. OF THE ARTS, PHILADELPHIA, PA BUSIEST GENRE: TELEVISION CURRENT PROJECT: CLERKS III (LIONSGATE) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 8 PORTRAIT BY: SARAH SHATZ

Fae Spence WEICHSEL

Though their participation is vital to a strong union, competing priorities can make it difficult for younger members to be active in the Guild. To engage members under age 35, galvanize their power, and add their voices to union actions, 1st AC Fae Weichsel launched the Young Workers’ Committee in the Eastern Region.

“Fae has always been a changemaker. It was their initiative that started the Committee in 2016, and I felt so lucky that they asked me to co-chair it with them,” asserts Operator Caitlin Machak, who is now a National Executive Board Member. “Fae’s superpower is their ability to bring so many people together and create communities within the union who are inspired to get involved and, in many cases, even create their own active working groups and regional committees.”

In addition to educating its members on their rights and how the Union can help them, the Committee encourages involvement in broader

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themes, such as LGBTQ issues. The committee started marching in the New York Pride Parade, which led to IATSE joining in and eventually the founding of the Guild’s LGBTQ Pride Committee.

Weischel’s leadership extends beyond the Committee. As an out trans, non-binary person, they also advocate for representation and inclusion within the community. “I know I am often the first trans person many people are ‘aware’ of meeting,” the Wilmington, DE native admits. “When I was working on Clerks III, Director Kevin Smith posted a photo of the director’s monitor with everyone’s names and pronouns. There was ‘they/them’ next to my name, and that was a huge deal,” Weichsel recalls. “That started a dialog and opened the door to more people feeling OK about using they/them on set. One of the most important things is to talk about it openly.”

Weichsel, who works mostly in television, says an open dialogue is vital to addressing the most

pressing issues in our industry, including worker wellbeing and safety. “COVID got rid of the notion that you were defined by your job and that if you’re not working something’s wrong with you,” they say.

“We all had to reassess our self-worth and figure that stuff out, and that has made a lot of us more open to talking about all kinds of things, instead of bottling them up or saying, ‘It’s just the industry.’ And we saw that in the vote for the strike authorization.

The important thing is talking about what is hard and what is difficult instead of keeping it bottled up. If we talk about it, we can address it and fix it or work on making it better.”

Machak credits Weichsel with leading by example. “They always bring their passion and activism to set and think of new ways to create crosscollaboration and participation with our kin IATSE unions both on and off set,” Machak explains. “I aspire to be like Fae; it’s been wonderful to see their growth as a leader and changemaker over the years.”

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Brenda

ZUNIGA CAMERA OPERATOR AGE: 43 CURRENT RESIDENCE: CULVER CITY, CA HOMETOWN: WHITTIER, CA EDUCATION: BFA IN FINE ARTS AND WORLD LITERATURE, UCLA; MFA IN FILM PRODUCTION, USC BUSIEST GENRE: DOCU-SERIES AND SCRIPTED COMEDY CURRENT PROJECT: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY (ABC TV) YEARS IN THE GUILD: 11 PORTRAIT BY: KEN SAX

Brenda Zuniga leads by example. As her frequent collaborator, Director of Photography Shana Hagan, ASC [ICG Magazine April 2018], describes: “On a recent series, Brenda brought her own reusable silverware and drinkware for use on set. Pretty soon the whole camera department was using their own reusable silverware and bringing their own water bottles. As a wrap gift, she gave out a cool travel set of her favorite reusable silverware to the camera crew. Now, I take my silverware set everywhere I go!

Brenda helped change our habits; I love the ripple effect of that.”

“Ripple” is an apt analogy, as Zuniga is a selfproclaimed “ocean nerd.”

“The underwater world fed my soul during one of the darkest times of my life,” she recalls. “It’s daunting to many people, but I found solace in my breath and peace in that silent world.”

A Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) professional diver and underwater cinematographer, Zuniga hopes to spread awareness through her adventures in the water

and helping with ocean research. “She’s worked with Kitu Kiblu, a whale shark conservation group in Tanzania and also with the Connect Ocean group in Costa Rica,” Hagan adds. “How cool is that?”

During her travels, Zuniga has seen the harm to fragile ecosystems around the planet, such as coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, river damming in Tanzania, and plastic pollution everywhere. “We can all participate in conservation efforts in our daily lives,” she insists. “Single-use plastics, though convenient, have become a way of life. So many conversations about conservation start because people around me notice these small things. I have gathered many pounds of plastic trash in places like Indonesia, Honduras, and the Bahamas. Nobody’s perfect. But the least we can do is try.”

Zuniga originally studied art at UCLA. During that time, she shot a documentary about her father’s return home to Nicaragua after 24 years away, including the aftermath of a car wreck that almost killed the family while there. “Filming the documentary changed my view of storytelling,”

the Hollywood-born, Whittier, CA-raised operator recalls. “My father’s character arc – his realization after almost losing us that home was Los Angeles – became real and accessible. I also learned that I have a heart for storytelling. Even with an unconscious mother and three broken ribs, I was able to interview my father and then turn the camera on myself. Compelling stories happen all around us – we just have to learn to keep our eyes open, observe and document. ” That experience led Zuniga to pursue a graduate degree at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where her thesis film, Santa Teresa, earned a New York Women in Film and Television Fellowship.

After graduating, she landed her first paid job as a loader on a low-budget thriller, and then as 1st AC for Exodus Fall, a feature shot by Denis Maloney, ASC. She would frame-up the camera and compose the shot while he was lighting. “Denis liked my composition so much that he bumped me up to B-Operator halfway through the show,” Zuniga recounts. “I haven’t put the camera down since.”

GENERATION NEXT

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PRODUCTION CREDITS COMPILED BY TERESA MUÑOZ The input of Local 600 members is of the utmost importance, and we rely on our membership as the prime (and often the only) source of information in compiling this section. In order for us to continue to provide this service, we ask that Guild members submitting information take note of the following requests: Please provide up-to-date and complete crew information (including that the deadline for the Production Credits is on the first of the preceding cover month (excluding weekends & holidays).

Submit your jobs online by visiting: www.icg600.com/MY600/Report-Your-Job Any questions regarding the Production Credits should be addressed to Teresa Muñoz at teresa@icgmagazine.com 94

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First Man / Photo by Daniel McFadden

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“INKBLOT”

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DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ERIC LIN ASSISTANTS: ERIK KANDEFER, BABETTE JOHNSON STEADICAM OPERATOR: DAVID ISERN LOADER: RICHARD PENA

DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM FROHNA, TREVOR FORREST OPERATORS: JODY MILLER, BRIAN PITTS, DJ HARDER ASSISTANTS: FAITH BREWER, NEO ARBOLEDA, SARA INGRAM, JENNY ROH, MELISSA FISHER, DAISY SMITH DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: PASQUALE PAOLO LOADER: KC LAUF DIGITAL UTILITY: SAMANTHA SCHMIEDESKAMP

“RUSTIN” DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: TOBIAS SCHLIESSLER, ASC OPERATORS: LUKASZ BIELAN, JAMES GOLDMAN ASSISTANTS: JIMMY JENSEN, JUAN NITO SERNA, TRISTAN CHAVEZ, BENEDICT BALDAUFF CAMERA UTILITY: KAYLA LUKITSCH DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: CURTIS ABBOTT LOADER: KIM HERMAN STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: DAVID LEE

“THE WATCHER” SEASON 1 DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JASON MCCORMICK, MACEO BISHOP OPERATORS: STANLEY FERNANDEZ, MARK SCHMIDT ASSISTANTS: GAVIN FERNANDEZ, AUSTIN RESTREPO, COREY LICAMELI DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JEFFREY HAGERMAN LOADER: DANIEL RODRIGUEZ STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: ERIC LIEBOWITZ

“YOUR PLACE OR MINE” DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: FLORIAN BALLHAUS, ASC OPERATORS: GEORGE BILLINGER, APRIL KELLEY

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“SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH ROSE”

DECEMBER 2021 PRODUCTION CREDITS

2ND UNIT DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM FROHNA OPERATORS: REMI TOURNOIS, SHELLY GURZI ASSISTANTS: MELSSA FISHER, SHARLA CIPICCHIO, DAISY SMITH, ANDY KENNEDY-DERKAY DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: SCOTT STEPHENS LOADER: ALEX GADBERRY CAMERA UTILITY: DANA FYTELSON

RANDOM PRODUCTIONS/HBO “WE OWN THE CITY”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: YARON ORBACH OPERATORS: PHILIP J. MARTINEZ, LUCAS OWEN ASSISTANTS: WARIS SUPANPONG, IAN AXILROD, RANDY SCHWARTZ, JASON HOCHREIN LOADERS: MASHA PAVLOVA, TYRA FORBES STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: PAUL SCHIRALDI

SHOWTIME PICTURES “THREE WOMEN”

DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ULA PONTIKOS, CATHERINE LUTES ASSISTANTS: JOHN REEVES, SARAH SCRIVENER STEADICAM OPERATOR: DEVON CATUCCI DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: DOUG HORTON LOADERS: LIAM GANNON, JASON GAINES STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: JOJO WHILDEN

SONY

“JEOPARDY!” SEASON 36 DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JEFF ENGEL OPERATORS: DIANE L. FARRELL, SOC, MIKE TRIBBLE, JEFF SCHUSTER, L. DAVID IRETE JIB ARM OPERATOR: MARC HUNTER HEAD UTILITY: TINO MARQUEZ CAMERA UTILITY: RAY THOMPSON VIDEO CONTROLLER: JEFF MESSENGER VIDEO UTILITIES: MICHAEL CORWIN, JEFF KLIMUCK STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: CAROL KAELSON

“WHEEL OF FORTUNE” SEASON 37 DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JEFF ENGEL OPERATORS: DIANE L. FARRELL, SOC, L.DAVID IRETE, RAY GONZALES, MIKE TRIBBLE HEAD UTILITY: TINO MARQUEZ CAMERA UTILITY: RAY THOMPSON VIDEO CONTROLLER: JEFF MESSENGER VIDEO UTILITIES: MICHAEL CORWIN, JEFF KLIMUCK JIB ARM OPERATOR: STEVE SIMMONS STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: CAROL KAELSON

STALWART PRODUCTIONS “61ST STREET” SEASON 2

DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: GLENN BROWN, ABE MARTINEZ OPERATORS: CHRIS CUEVAS, PARRISH LEWIS, SCOTT THIELE ASSISTANTS: CHRIS WITTENBORN, HUNTER WHALEN, ERIC ARNDT, SHANNON DEWOLFE DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: PAUL SCHILENS DIGITAL UTILITIES: MIKKI DICK, CHRIS SUMMERS STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: JAMES WASHINGTON

“FEAR THE WALKING DEAD” SEASON 7 DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: SCOTT WINIG, JAN RICHTER-FRIIS OPERATORS: CRAIG COCKERILL, KRIS HARDY ASSISTANTS: MARK BOYLE, SAM PEARCY, LOUIS WATT, DON HOWE STEADICAM OPERATOR: CRAIG COCKERILL DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JAMIE METZGER LOADER: MATT AINES DIGITAL UTILITIES: JASON HEAD, ASHLEY BJORKMAN TECHNOCRANE OPERATOR: JOE DATRI REMOTE HEAD TECH/OPERATOR: CHRIS SMITH STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: LOUIS SMITH PUBLICIST: SHARA STORCH

CREW PHOTO HBO - WE OWN THIS CITY

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: HEALTH AND SERVICES: JASON BROWN LOADER: MASHA PAVLOVA SEATED FIRST AC: WARIS SUPANPONG A-CAMERA OPERATOR: PHILIP J. MARTINEZ DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: YARON ORBACH A-CAMERA SECOND AC: RANDY SCHWARTZ LOADER: TYRA FORBES B-CAMERA OPERATOR: LUCAS OWEN B-CAMERA FIRST AC: IAN AXILROD B-CAMERA SECOND AC: JASON HOCHREIN PHOTO BY: PAUL SCHIRALDI

TURNER CENTER NORTH, INC.

WARNER BROS

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ANKA MALATYNSKA OPERATORS: JOHN ROMER, SCOTT KOENIGSBERG ASSISTANTS: DEAN MARTINEZ, NICALENA IOVINO, KELLON INNOCENT, MAX COLLINS DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: ANDREW PISANO LOADER: JERON BLACK STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: KAROLINA WOJTASIK

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: PATTI LEE, ASC OPERATORS: MARK DAVISON, CHRIS HINOJOSA, JON PURDY, MICHELLE CRENSHAW ASSISTANTS: JEFF JOHNSON, VITO DE PALMA, MARIANNE FRANCO, ADAN TORRES, LISA ANDERSON, ALICIA BRAUNS, LANCE MITCHELL, JORDAN HRISTOV VIDEO CONTROLLER: JOHN O’BRIEN DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: T. BRETT FEENEY STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: MICHAEL YARISH PUBLICISTS: KATHLEEN TANJI, MARC KLEIN

“PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: ORIGINAL SIN”

“RAP SH*T” SEASON 1 NY UNIT DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: LUCAS GATH, CHRISTINE NG OPERATORS: JORDAN JONES, JOSEPH SANCHEZ, VICTOR LAZARO ASSISTANTS: ANTHONY ZIBELLI, ROBERTO BALLESTEROS, CARLA SOSA, SEAN LUNSKI DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JONNY REVOLT LOADER: IAN HERNAND

“BOB HEARTS ABISHOLA” SEASON 2

“PIVOTING” SEASON 1 DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: GRANT SMITH OPERATORS: RYAN HOGUE, TIMBER HOY ASSISTANTS: RYAN GUZDZIAL, JESS FAIRLESS, KEVIN ANDERSON, ANDIE GILL STEADICAM OPERATOR: TIMBER HOY

COMMERCIALS ANONYMOUS CONTENT “INSTAGRAM SHOP”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: DARREN LEW ASSISTANTS: JOHN CLEMENS, EMILY DUMBRILL DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: TYLER ISAACSON

BISCUIT “AT&T”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: TIM HUDSON, ACS ASSISTANTS: ERIK STAPELFELDT, DAISY SMITH DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: ERIC YU

“TRUIST” DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ERIC SCHMIDT ASSISTANTS: LILA BYALL, GAVIN GROSSI DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JOHN SPELLMAN

LOADER: DEVON FERNANDEZ

DECEMBER 2021 PRODUCTION CREDITS

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BULLITT

MJZ

SUPERPRIME

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: TIM HUDSON, ACS ASSISTANTS: JEFF CAPLES, DAISY SMITH DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: SACHA RIVIERE

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JEANNE VIENNE OPERATOR: CHRIS BOTTOMS ASSISTANTS: NINA CHIEN, ROBERT RAGOZZINE, MITCH MALPICA, EMMA MASSALONE DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: GEORGE ROBERT MORSE

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ALWIN KUCHLER OPERATORS: CHRIS BOTTOMS, CHRIS CUNNINGHAM, MARTIN SCHAER ASSISTANTS: JONAS STEADMAN, COREY BRINGAS, EDGAR GONZALEZ-LEON DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: DANIEL SATINOFF

“QVC+HSN”

“SPRITE” DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: AARON KOVALCHIK OPERATORS: CHRIS DARNELL, PARKER TOLIFSON, NATE CORNETT ASSISTANTS: LAURA GOLDBERG, REED KOPPEN, CHELI CLAYTON SAMARAS, DAISY SMITH, ROB REAVES DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: DANIEL APPLEGATE

CHROMISTA

“MCDONALDS”

M SS NG P ECES “YOUTUBE”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB WITT ASSISTANTS: NICOLAS MARTIN, STEPHANE RENARD, ALAN CERTEZA DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: BEN MOLYNEUX MOVI OPERATOR: CONNOR O’BRIEN

“CHROMISTA”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ZAK MULLIGAN ASSISTANTS: WALTER RODRIGUEZ, JORDAN LEVIE, MATT DEGREFF STEADICAM OPERATOR: STEWART CANTRELL DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: MIKE KELLOGG

CMS PRODUCTIONS “MARSHALLS”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: MAZ MAKHANI ASSISTANTS: DANIEL AJEMIAN, MATTHEW BOREK DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: BEN CRUMP PHANTOM TECH: MATT DRAKE

“MARYLAND LOTTERY” DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: MISCHA LLUCH ASSISTANTS: ALEX GUCKERT, ANDY KUESTER DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JOHN VALLON

DELIRIO FILMS

MOXIE PICTURES “NETFLIX”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: BARRY PARRELL ASSISTANTS: MICHAEL GAROFALO, SCOTT GAROFALO DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: MICHAEL KELLOGG

NONFICTION “IBRANCE”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: MARYSE ALBERTI ASSISTANTS: DAISY SMITH, JESSE TYLER

PASSERINE “NIKE”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: KAI SAUL ASSISTANTS: NICOLAS MARTIN, ALAN CERTEZA DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: BEN MOLYNEUX TECHNOCRANE OPERATOR: JAMES FAVAZZO TECHNOCRANE TECH: JUSTIN ZAFFIRO REMOTE HEAD TECH/OPERATOR: JAMES DELATORRE

“BYRON BOWERS EXPERIENCE” DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREW WEHDE OPERATORS: JOHN PRUNER, JUSTIN UCHENDU, CHRIS SMITH ASSISTANTS: SAM SCOTT, RICHARD LACY, STEVE WORONKO, CHRIS VALADARES, STEPHEN KIRKPATRICK DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: KEVIN COLBER

RAKISH

EPOCH

“ANNIE LIVE - WENDY’S”

“VOLKSWAGEN” DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB HAUER ASSISTANTS: LAWRENCE MONTEMAYOR, ROSE LICAVOLI DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: RAFFI VESCO

HUNGRY MAN, INC. “AT&T”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: KAI SAUL ASSISTANTS: NICOLAS MARTIN, ALAN CERTEZA DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: BEN HOPKINS

“CALIFORNIA ALMONDS” DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JOSH MCKIE ASSISTANTS: SEAN KISCH, JINUK LEE, DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: SAM PETROV GIMBAL OPERATOR: JULE FONTANA

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DECEMBER 2021 PRODUCTION CREDITS

“ENDO”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB HAUER ASSISTANTS: LAWRENCE MONTEMAYOR, CURTIS DAVIS DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: RAFFI VESCO

SPARE PARTS

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: AXEL EBERMANN ASSISTANTS: ROB AGULO, NAT PINHEIRO LOADER: PATRICK SCANLON

SPEARS & ARROWS “QUILPA”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: MATTHEW ROE ASSISTANTS: BRADLEY WILDER, MILANA BURDETTE, DANIEL WORLOCK STEADICAM OPERATOR: RYAN WOOD DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: MICHAEL BORENSTEIN

STATE LINE “CHECKERS”

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEJANDRO WILKINS ASSISTANTS: ROBBIE CORCORAN, STEVE WORONKO REMOTE HEAD TECH/OPERATOR: JOHN MANFREDI

“VISIT CALIFORNIA”

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DECEMBER 2021 PRODUCTION CREDITS

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STOP MOTION

Niko Tavernise This was, perhaps, our second day of shooting on West Side Story and Steven was already deep into it. There are certain filmmakers who live for those moments, and he is definitely “The Godfather” of our generation. This is the second film I’ve shot with Steven, and it was a massive undertaking since he had never shot a musical before.

To think he was stressed was an understatement, but he never showed it, and watching him set up shots like in this image with Rif (Michael Faist) and Tony (Ansel Elgort), I was always trying to shoot his expression and eyes to capture that moment into his brain. He’s also one of the few directors I’ve worked with who really cares about the still photography on set and will redo a whole scene just for me to shoot. Unheard of on nearly all the films I’ve worked on.

The best communicator on set. Legend.

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