
“Vigilante”: Indie Filmmaking Outside the Studio System




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Film vs Digital: Celluloid in the Digital Era with Rafael Leyva
Rafael Leyva specializes in feature films and focuses on capturing strong compelling stories on 35mm. In 2019 the International Cinematographers Guild of America named him as one of their Generation Next DPs. He has lensed for clients such as Disney Pictures, SONY Pictures, Netflix, FOX, NBC, Hallmark,…


Oscar Nominee Camille Friend on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hair Department Head Camille Friend stops by Filmmakers Academy for the latest edition of Finding the Frame to talk about her illustrious career, work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and her recent Oscar nomination for Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling.
WATCH FINDING THE FRAME WITH CAMILLE…

Cinematographer Mandy Walker Behind Making of “Elvis” Film
The great Mandy Walker, ASC, ACS, visited Filmmakers Academy to sit down with Brendan Sweeney for the latest edition of Finding the Frame. Mandy discusses her career trajectory as a director of photography and her cinematic approach to the movie Elvis.
Mandy was nominated for her work on Elvis by…




“One Piece” Cinematographer Nicole Hirsch Whitaker
Emmy-nominated cinematographer Nicole Hirsch Whitaker is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts and has worked in the industry for decades. Filmmakers Academy sat down with Nicole while in the middle of filming the live-action Netflix adaptation of One Piece, an extraordinarily popular manga, and…

Finding the Frame: Michael Dallatorre
Michael Dallatorre worked his way up from prepping cameras at Panavision to lensing films like Brightburn, Studio 666, and the Amazon Prime Original film Emergency. Filmmakers Academy’s Brendan Sweeney sat down with Dallatorre to discuss his career from starting out in the prep room to his approach…

Finding the Frame: Matthew Chuang, ACS
Matthew Chuang, ACS visits Filmmakers Academy for the Finding the Frame interview series hosted by Brendan Sweeney. Chuang recently returned to Los Angeles after wrapping Of an Age in Melbourne, his second collaboration with writer and director Goran Stolevski. He sits down to talk about his journey…

Finding the Frame: Alice Brooks, ASC
Alice Brooks, ASC is the award-winning cinematographer behind some of the most recent musical hits like In the Heights and tick, tick… BOOM!, working alongside icons like Jon M. Chu and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Brendan Sweeney of Filmmakers Academy sat down with Alice to discuss her career and latest work…

The Cinematography of HBO Max’s MOONSHOT with Brendan Uegama
Anyone who has ever experienced a long-distance relationship knows it’s no easy matter. But, what if you and your better half resided on two separate planets? HBO Max’s latest film Moonshot explores that very idea! Moonshot is a romantic comedy that follows two college students (Cole Sprouse and…

Inside Foo Fighters’ Studio 666 with the Producers
Studio 666 is a horror-comedy that defies all expectations to make it into theaters after contending with the pandemic. Among Foo Fighters fandom, it’s sure to become an instant cult classic. Plus, anyone who loves 80s slasher films, exceptional rock music, and slap-stick comedy will find a good time…

Interview with Producer Jamee Ranta on Halsey’s Album-Film
Singer/Songwriter Halsey released her all-new album-film If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power in 2021. A potpourri of Halsey’s latest album with a medieval horror aesthetic, the film is not only genre-defying but an artistic wonder that explores and challenges the nature of femininity. The album-film…

A Discussion with The Producers of Mass
There’s something special about a film that can spark a conversation about a taboo subject and ultimately create more empathy in the world. This very idea is what makes Mass one of the most important films of the year. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that allows the audience a fly-on-the-wall perspective…