JOHN SCHWARTZMAN - Cinematographer

JOHN SCHWARTZMAN - Cinematographer

Author: James Ellis Deakins, Roger Deakins July 22, 2026 Duration: 1:04:51

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.


There’s a particular kind of conversation that happens when two people who have spent a lifetime in film just start talking, following a thread wherever it leads. That’s the heart of Team Deakins. Roger Deakins, the Oscar-winning cinematographer, and his longtime collaborator and wife, James Ellis Deakins, sit down to unpack questions sent in by listeners, which means every episode begins with a specific point of curiosity-a technical detail, a business dilemma, a philosophical query about storytelling-and unfolds from there. You’ll hear them dig into the craft of cinematography, dissect the realities of the film and television industry, and share stories from their own remarkable journey. The discussion is meandering, insightful, and grounded in decades of practical experience. While it’s primarily their dialogue, they are occasionally joined by guests from across the film world, adding new dimensions to the talk. This isn’t a formal lecture series; it’s an accessible, ongoing dialogue between experts who love what they do. For anyone fascinated by how movies are made, from the lighting of a scene to the navigating of a career, this podcast offers a rare, unfiltered look behind the curtain. The entire project feels like a natural extension of their shared life in art, making each episode a unique and personal listen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Team Deakins
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