Visual Storytelling w/‘Alien: Earth’ DP Bella Gonzales - Just Shoot It 507

Visual Storytelling w/‘Alien: Earth’ DP Bella Gonzales - Just Shoot It 507

Author: Filmmakers Matt Enlow & Oren Kaplan December 25, 2025 Duration: 1:16:56

Bella Gonzales https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7543234/ brings a ton of insight about being a cinematographer on series like Pen 15, Fargo, Alien: Earth, and The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.


It’s a really inspiring episode that made Oren want to pick up a camera and operate again. On the other hand, Bella is a self-described lighting-focused DP (Director of Photography). And her conversation with Matt and Oren details how her approach to cinematography enhances, and perhaps even creates, the world of the show more so than an operator-focused DP.


Bella also gets into the playbook for Fargo and the rules of the road that create its uniquely offbeat look. And Bella lays out how this makes audiences feel more like they are inside the story.


You won’t want to miss this unique episode with a cinematographer who passionately explains the techniques she uses in the art of her craft.


Find Bella on Instagram @bellagonzalesdp


---

Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod


Matt's Endorsement: Ethan Hawke on social media


Oren's Endorsement: a400 round base monopod https://www.ifootagegear.com/products/monopod-a400-roundbase


Bella's Endorsement: "The Duellists", movie by Ridley Scott https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075968


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Behind every film you've ever loved is a collection of hard-won lessons, creative struggles, and moments of pure luck. Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and Directing pulls back the curtain on that process. Hosted by working directors Matt Enlow and Oren Kaplan, this podcast operates like a long-form conversation between peers, delving into the granular details of building a life behind the camera. Each episode features an interview with a filmmaker, but the focus is less on promoting projects and more on dissecting the craft. You'll hear directors, writers, cinematographers, and other artists break down their approach to story development, the visual language of a scene, working with actors, and the practical realities of navigating a career. The discussion is grounded in the hosts' own experiences, making the advice tangible and the pitfalls relatable. This isn't abstract theory; it's a field guide compiled from the trenches. Whether you're an aspiring director, a seasoned screenwriter, or simply fascinated by how movies are truly made, this podcast offers an honest, unvarnished look at the art, business, and relentless problem-solving that defines filmmaking. Tune in for a masterclass that feels like a coffee shop chat, where the goal is to demystify the journey from script to screen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and Directing
Podcast Episodes
The Horrors of Seth Worley’s "Sketch" - Just Shoot It 499 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:40
Seth Worley https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2124394/ made money selling tools for filmmakers. And Matt and Oren get him to talk about ways filmmakers can make side-income today. Can filmmakers make money selling plug-ins and…
Crafting Violent Endings w/John-Michael Powell - Just Shoot It 498 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:03
How do you define your voice as a director? John-Michael Powell https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3119508/ talks about his new film "Violent Ends" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6902560 and the career journey that brought it to…
How to Pitch with Style w/Maya Margolina - Just Shoot It 497 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:15
Maya ‘Mayachka’ Margolina https://mayachka.com/ talks about her work with luxury brands like Coach, Rihanna's Fenty, Mercedes Benz, and MCM and how she craft treatments that get her work. And she reveals her own struggle…
The Film Fixer w/Janek Ambros - Just Shoot It 496 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:02
Janek Ambros https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4471783/ doesn't use social media for self-promotion. And he tells up and coming filmmakers, you have to be annoying. Because in reality, that's what everyone in this industry is…
Getting Schooled By No Film School's GG Hawkins - Just Shoot It 494 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:20
Matt and Oren reveal their backstory in this collab with G.G. Hawkins and No Film School. https://nofilmschool.com/u/lostingraceland And you won't want to miss what it was like before smartphones , back when there was a…