Team Deakins

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 186 - Peter Bradshaw - Film Critic
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with Peter Bradshaw, the film critic at The Guardian. We normally talk about making movies with our guests, but with Peter, we talk about watching and reviewing them instead. We learn how Peter became a film critic after being successfully sued by conservative MP Alan Clark for satire, and he shares how he thinks about criticism in general. Peter reflects on the learning curve of becoming a film critic, and we discuss how his job has changed with the proliferation of social media. Later, Peter shares how he balances the subjectivity of his own personal point-of-view of a film with the objective facts surrounding it in his reviews, and we learn which movies Peter realized, years later, he was wrong about. Peter also makes the case of cinema's competitiveness in modern life, and he shares which movies he watched growing up that sparked his love and appreciation for the movies. Plus, we reflect on living in a world where everything and everyone gets reviewed.
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This episode is sponsored by Picture Shop & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 185 - Malgosia Turzanska - Costume Designer
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with costume designer Malgosia Turzanska (HAMNET, PEARL, AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS). Malgosia's life in film began after seeking refuge from a chemistry exam in a movie theater, and, with an assist from her friend, she soon found herself helping director Agnieszka Holland (Season 1, Episode 144) on JANOSIK. Throughout the episode, Malgosia uses specific experiences from the films she's worked on to discuss her design process. During our discussion of HAMNET, Malgoisa reflects on collaborating with her fellow countryman and cinematographer Lukasz Zal (Season 2, Episode 102), and she reveals the character details she focused on during the development of the costumes for Agnes and William Shakespeare, played by Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal (Season 2, Episode 44). She later discusses how she works with actors in the fitting room, and she shares how they all might put their heads together to find the character. Plus, Malgosia reveals how cold emailing director David Lowery (Season 2, Episode 60) led to her working on AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS early in her career.
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Recommended Viewing: HAMNET
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This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Picture Shop

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 184 - Fiona Crombie - Production Designer
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with production designer Fiona Crombie (HAMNET, THE FAVOURITE, SNOWTOWN). Despite being raised on her father's film sets in Australia, Fiona didn't enter the family business until she dropped out of law school. Throughout our conversation, we discuss Fiona's general design process, her strategies for making the most of the given resources on a film, her typical day-to-day schedule during production, and how she communicates with her fellow filmmakers. Having worked on many period films, Fiona shares with us how she balances the realities of the budget with the intended vision of a film, and she reveals how she and the crew on MACBETH justified the choices they had to make under strict limitations. Fiona later reflects on working under close watch at Hatfield House on THE FAVOURITE, and she discusses collaborating with cinematographer Robbie Ryan (Season 1, Episode 148) and living a production designer's dream: seeing the whole set in a single shot. We also discuss Fiona's work in HAMNET, and she reveals the key piece of direction she received from director Chloé Zhao that unlocked the design of the film's version of The Globe Theatre. Plus, we learn what it's like to make a movie while pregnant.
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This episode is sponsored by Picture Shop & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 183 - Hlynur Pálmason - Writer / Director
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with writer and director Hlynur Pálmason (THE LOVE THAT REMAINS, GODLAND, A WHITE, WHITE DAY). Throughout the episode, we get into the weeds of Hlynur's unique filmmaking process, and we learn what his strategy has been to allow himself to fund and shoot the movies he wants to make. Hlynur describes his extensive writing process, and we learn about the importance of finding his locations while in the early development stages of his scripts. Later, we discuss Hlynur's tactics for making the most out of his relatively small budgets, and he reveals how he finds the rhythm of any given film with the actors. While discussing GODLAND, we reflect on the historical relationship between Denmark and Iceland in which the film is set, and we learn what Hlynur's motivation was for making the film to begin with. After studying still photography in Copenhagen and surviving a handful of odd jobs, Hlynur enrolled in the National Film School of Denmark, and we learn why he decided to take the film school route and what he ultimately gained from the experience.
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Recommended Viewing: GODLAND
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This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Picture Shop

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 182 - Martin Campbell - Director
In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with director Martin Campbell (CASINO ROYALE, GOLDENEYE, EDGE OF DARKNESS). Faced with limited options for a career as a cameraman in New Zealand, Martin sailed to England, and five years in TV and 51 Tom Jones shows later, Martin transitioned into directing full time. As big fans of Martin's EDGE OF DARKNESS (1985), we didn't miss the opportunity to ask him about the making of the six-part BBC limited series, and we extensively discuss his choices and the challenges he faced. Martin describes the relative freedom the BBC gave him to shoot it, and we learn why he cast Bob Peck and Joe Don Baker in the two lead roles. Martin also reveals how they filmed the show as the scripts came in, and we discuss the alternative ending originally written for the final episode. Plus, Martin reveals why he remade the show as a feature years later in the United States. With two Bond films under his belt, Martin later shares how he was approached to direct GOLDENEYE, and he reveals why CASINO ROYALE was chosen to be grounded in reality. Martin also shares his tips for dealing with studio notes, and he reflects on how, throughout his life, his previous experiences set him up for success for what came next.
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Recommended Viewing: EDGE OF DARKNESS (1985 UK TV Series)
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This episode is sponsored by Picture Shop & Aputure