KELLY REICHARDT & CHRISTOPHER BLAUVELT - Director & Cinematographer

KELLY REICHARDT & CHRISTOPHER BLAUVELT - Director & Cinematographer

Author: James Ellis Deakins, Roger Deakins February 4, 2026 Duration: 1:13:03

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 179 - Kelly Reichardt & Christopher Blauvelt - Director & Cinematographer

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with director Kelly Reichardt and cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt. Kelly and Christopher started working together on MEEK'S CUTOFF, and they've continued their partnership through films such as FIRST COW, SHOWING UP, and THE MASTERMIND. During the conversation, Kelly (from Miami) shares how she made it out of Florida to join the film community in New York City, and Chris (from Los Angeles) reveals how he found himself following his filmmaking family into the business after a youth of truancy and rebellion. Later, we discuss their working relationship, and we learn why they  ended up meeting in the first place. We also spend much of the conversation discussing the making of their latest film, THE MASTERMIND, and we discuss the film's pacing and our changing relationship to time as an audience. Plus, Kelly reveals how long it took her to pay off the credit card she used to fund her first feature, and we stumble upon alternative titles to her films.

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Recommended Viewing: THE MASTERMIND

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Picture Shop


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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