Team Deakins

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 187 - John Hillcoat - Director In this extended episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with director John Hillcoat (GEORGE & TAMMY, THE ROAD, THE PROPOSITION). Violence is often at the center of John's films, and we spend much of our conversation with him discussing its portrayal in his work, its ubiquity in the real world, and his fascination with its aftermath and consequences. Later, during our discussion of THE PROPOSITION, John reveals the source of inspiration for the project, how the film lost and then found financing, and why they shot it in the Australian Outback in the middle of the summer. John also relives the nightmare of fighting the Weinsteins over the cut of THE ROAD, and we learn how shooting the film in-camera protected it from outside meddling. Towards the end of our conversation, John describes the differences between working in television versus film, and he shares how he tried to use cinematic language within the limited series GEORGE & TAMMY. John also shares how he got his start shooting music videos in his home country of Australia, and we learn about his enduring quest to finally make the BLOOD MERIDIAN movie. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Picture Shop

Peter Bradshaw, Chief film critic at The Guardian and longtime film writer, recalls his path into criticism and early movie memories. He discusses balancing personal taste with rational analysis, revising past opinions, the impact of social media and AI on cinema, and why communal, affordable moviegoing still matters. Short, candid, and wide-ranging reflections on watching, judging, and loving films.

Malgosia Turzanska, a Polish-born costume designer known for Hamnet and Ain't Them Bodies Saints, shares her hands-on design process and career beginnings. She talks about research-driven period textures, collaborating with directors and DPs, fittings with actors, and practical techniques like distressing, dyeing, and balancing made vs. rented pieces.

Fiona Crombie, acclaimed production designer behind The Favourite, Hamnet and Snowtown, talks craft and creativity. She describes designing with tight budgets, collaborating with directors and cinematographers, and building immersive period spaces like her interpretive Globe. She also shares how limitations and reclaimed materials spark inventive solutions on set.

Hlynur Pálmason, an Icelandic writer-director known for image-driven films like A White, White Day and Godland, discusses his visual, in-camera approach. He talks about finding locations early, shooting economically, embedding photography into development, working with actors to find a film’s rhythm, and how Iceland’s landscape and history shaped his projects.

Martin Campbell, celebrated director of GoldenEye and Casino Royale, shares career-defining stories from his New Zealand roots to BBC drama and Hollywood. He discusses making Edge of Darkness with rare BBC freedom. He explains shaping GoldenEye and grounding Casino Royale in realism. He also talks about casting choices, shooting methods, and navigating studio notes.

Jack Fisk, a veteran production designer known for Days of Heaven, There Will Be Blood and Mulholland Drive, shares vivid on-location stories. He talks about building iconic sets, collaborating with cinematographers, scouting dangerous and remote sites, improvising practical effects, recreating period streets, and the rewards of hands-on, small-team filmmaking.

Nicholas Britell, acclaimed film and TV composer (Moonlight, Don’t Look Up), discusses his composing process and collaborations. He talks about scoring from script versus picture. He explains creating distinct themes and instruments for characters. He shares approaches to diegetic songs, TV time pressures, recording choices, and concerns about AI in music.

Christopher Blauvelt, a cinematographer known for natural-light, collaborative camera work, and Kelly Reichardt, an acclaimed director who often edits her own films. They recount how they met, their prep and natural-light lighting approach, creating 1970s atmosphere for The Mastermind, and the practical realities that shaped shooting and editing choices.

Fatih Akin, a Hamburg-born writer and director known for films about identity and cross-cultural stories. He talks about discovering cinema via Super 8 Bruce Lee films, fighting for creative control on Head-On, reshaping The Edge of Heaven in the edit, casting Diane Kruger for In the Fade, and adapting Hark Bohm’s memories into Amrum.