SEASON 2 - EPISODE 205 Charley Gilleran - Rigging Key Grip

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

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Recommended Viewing: HAIL, CAESAR!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 204 Janice Blackie-Goodine - Set Decorator

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

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If you enjoyed listening to Janice, then we would recommend listening to Dean Goodine (Season 2, Episode 201)—a prop master and Janice's husband.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 203 John Schwartzman - Cinematographer

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