Cinemapodgrapher

From barefoot kicker for the Michigan Wolverines and the Buffalo Bills to Hollywood 1st AC, Todd Schlopy shares behind-the-scenes stories from blockbuster films such as Starship Troopers, Air Force One, Spider-Man, Transformers, Wanted, The Revenant, and Swordfish. Throughout the episode, we discuss the techniques he uses for focus pulling, offering insights into his craft. We also explore his brief yet impactful football career, including his time as a walk-on place kicker at Michigan and the unforgettable moment when he clinched an overtime victory for the Buffalo Bills. This episode is a blend of sports and cinema, showcasing Todd's remarkable versatility and dedication.

Naaman Marshall spent his early childhood visiting famous film sets designed by his uncle, such as Hook and Saving Private Ryan. This inspired him to pursue a career in the art department, where he has worked as a model maker, art director, and production designer on films including Westworld, The Dark Knight, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Mortal Kombat, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Alien: Romulus.

We discuss his work in model making and the creation of the iconic Dark Knight motorcycle, his first collaboration with Fede Álvarez on Don't Breathe, and the challenges of designing the world of Alien: Romulus.

Catherine Goldschmidt BSC was nominated for both an Emmy and an ASC Award for her work on HBO's House of the Dragon and was named a rising star of cinematography by American Cinematographer. Two seasons later, she is credited with shooting three episodes: "Lord of the Tides," "Burning Mill," and the Season 2 finale, "The Queen Who Ever Was." In this episode, Catherine shares her experiences on the inner workings of the production, her collaboration with director Geeta Patel, and we break down several scenes from these three episodes.

We also explore her work on the project Dummy, where she pioneered a new way of framing for both 16:9 and 9:16 formats, and discuss her role in co-founding Illuminatrix, a collective of professional female cinematographers based in the UK.

Erik Winquist is a renowned VFX Supervisor at Wētā FX, a leading visual effects company based in New Zealand. After leaving the US to work on the Lord of the Rings, he now has over two decades of experience working on iconic films such as Avatar, X-Men, I Robot, King Kong, Rampage, and the Planet of the Apes franchise. In this episode, we discuss the latest installment, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the evolution of motion capture, on-set processes for the crew in relation to VFX, and the extreme detail Wētā FX puts into bringing the apes to life.

The Cinemapodgrapher team travelled from Brisbane to Lisbon for Filmcare's Trinity 2, Steadicam & A Cam masterclass. We recap all the higlights of the camera operator workshop hosted by Geoff Haley SOC, Ari Robbins SOC, Curt Schaller & Fares Corbani SOC ACO. We also talk all things football, food, castles and one crazy Tuk Tuk ride down a mountain. 

The world's most famous stunt helicopter pilot, Fred North, has flown over 20,000 hours, shot 200 films, worked with directors Michael Bay, Roland Emmerich, and Sam Hargrave, holds a world record for altitude, and is the author of his autobiography, Flying Sideways. Some of his credits include Inception, James Bond: Spectre, Mission Impossible, Guardians of the Galaxy, Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon and much of the Fast Saga. We discuss growing up in Africa, his perseverance to become a pilot, and break down aerial sequences from the Fast saga, Extraction 2, and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

Mental health issues are significantly higher in the entertainment industry than in the general population. Symptoms of anxiety are ten times higher, depression five times higher, and sleep disorders seven times higher, with five suicide attempts every week. Early in his career, Ben Steel battled his own mental health issues, which led him to create the 2016 documentary "The Show Must Go On." Upon completion, Ben realized there was not enough support for filmmakers, so he founded Screen Well, an organization dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of the Australian screen industry. 

At 21, Carlos Rosario left the fashion houses of Paris for the hills of Hollywood, where his illustrations landed him his first job. Now a costume designer himself, his recent credits include A Girl in the Spider's Web, Alien Romulus, and FX's hit series Shogun. We talk about his love for fashion, being mentored by four-time Oscar winner Colleen Atwood, and how he found his voice through the costumes of Shogun. This is not just for lovers of costume but an inspiring conversation filled with lessons for all creatives.

Stuart Dryburgh ASC NZCS teamed up with Jonathan Nolan for four episodes of Amazon's new hit series, Fallout. Adapted from the popular video game series, we delve into shooting with 35mm film, combining virtual production, and working as a setup DP. We also cover Stuart's beginnings in New Zealand, shooting iconic films such as The Piano and Once Were Warriors, and his eventual move to the USA.