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Newton Thomas Sigel Podcasts
Newton Thomas Sigel Podcasts
10 of The Best Podcast Episodes for Newton Thomas Sigel. A collection of podcasts episodes with or about Newton Thomas Sigel, often where they are interviewed.
10 of The Best Podcast Episodes for Newton Thomas Sigel. A collection of podcasts episodes with or about Newton Thomas Sigel, often where they are interviewed.
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5: Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC on Da 5 Bloods & Making Bold Choices
Welcome back to the Art of the Shot podcast!
I took a little mid-season break because of the pandemic, but rest assured that the Art of the Shot is alive and well. The past few months have been fruitful and I’m happy to bring you some great new episodes in the coming weeks.
This episode features Oscar-nominated cinematographer, Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC, the man responsible for lensing modern classics like The Usual Suspects and Drive, as well as Three Kings, 4 movies in the X-Men series, Bohemian Rhapsody, and the recent Netflix hit film, Extraction—the most watched Netflix film yet.
Tom and I have a really deep conversation that delves into some of his amazing life experiences, his approach to lighting, thoughts on the art and craft of cinematography, and many details on shooting his latest film, Da 5 Bloods, for director Spike Lee.
Listen and you will discover:
—Tom's thoughts on this time we're in, having grown up in Detroit during a similar period of American history. (00:04:30)
—How Tom got his career started. (00:17:40)
—How Tom became the first person to film the Contras in Nicaragua and then became mentored by Haskell Wexler, ASC. (00:24:41)
—Difference between a pro and a master and Tom's thoughts on what it takes to become a master of the craft. (00:29:47)
—Tom's general approach to lighting and some lighting techniques. (00:45:06)
—Difference between natural lighting and realistic lighting. (00:50:07)
—Film vs digital and why digital is much more forgiving. (00:55:35)
—The state of the art today and the challenge of making great images when it's increasingly easy for anyone to make good images. (00:57:30)
—Democratization of visual storytelling and making an impact amidst overwhelming noise. (01:01:02)
—Tom’s process of manipulating light to create the impression of naturalism. (01:03:38)
—How some of the shots were created in Da 5 Bloods. (01:06:12)
—How Tom got involved with Da 5 Bloods. (01:09:17)
—Tom's experience of shooting in Vietnam, having grown up during the Vietnam War era and how that informed his visual choices. (01:14:14)
—Reasons for choice of shooting 16mm reversal film. (01:17:57)
—Camera and lenses used on Da 5 Bloods. (01:25:52)
—Why the aspect ratio changes multiple times in the film. (01:26:47)
—Use of the Arri Trinity over Steadicam. (01:28:52)
—What it's like working with Spike Lee, Spike's process as a director, and what Tom has learned from him. (01:30:22)
—How Tom played a role in the casting of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in X-Men. (01:39:26)
—Tom's favorite shot from his career thus far. (01:44:16)
—The importance of being present on set and always looking for ways to serve the film. (01:47:31)
—Advice for up-and-coming filmmakers and cinematographers. (01:50:07)
If you haven't yet, please subscribe to be notified of future episodes, and share this podcast with others to help grow the show and spread the knowledge! And if you're on Apple Podcasts, a review would be very appreciated!
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Da 5 Bloods trailer audio copyright Netflix, Inc. Used with permission courtesy of Netflix.
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Da 5 Bloods / Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC, Episode #107
The cinematographer discusses “going up the river” for Spike Lee’s striking Vietnam War epic, creatively employing multiple formats for image capture.
The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #234 – Newton Thomas Sigel
On the show today we are chatting with cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel ASC about his career and his most recent worn on Da 5 Bloods. Enjoy!Commercial Cinematography: The Foundation CourseIf you are interested in Commercial Cinematography and getting the most out of Pre-Production than this course is for you. In the course I lay out a step […]
The post The Wandering DP Podcast: Episode #234 – Newton Thomas Sigel appeared first on Cinematography Podcast & Tutorials.
Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel
The Movie Geeks speak with acclaimed cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel (Drive, X-Men, Three Kings) about his roster of stunning work, including his latest collaboration with director Spike Lee on Da 5 Bloods. The film is available for streaming on Netflix beginning June 12.
Episode 70 - Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC
Sigel went on to earn a Best Cinematography nomination for his work on the film at the 2019 EE British Academy Film Awards. Bohemian Rhapsody also took home the 2019 Golden Globe for Drama Motion Picture, along with Rami Malek nabbing a multitude of accolades -- including an Academy Award -- for his portrayal of Freddie.
Having completed Dhaka in early 2019, the action-packed Chris Hemsworth starrer produced by the Russo Brothers, Sigel also recently wrapped principal photography for director Spike Lee’s upcoming war drama, Da 5 Bloods.
Since the early days of his career, Sigel has earned a powerful position amongst visual storytellers starting with his work on cult classic The Usual Suspects for director Bryan Singer. The two went on to collaborate on nine more films, including the X-Men movies, Superman Returns and Valkyrie.
Sigel’s seminal use of exotic film stocks and innovative negative processing methods on Three Kings laid the foundation to new avenues of cinematography. In 2010, he photographed Nicolas Winding Refn’s Hollywood debut, Drive, which won the Best Director Award at Cannes and is universally praised for its dazzling look.
Other credits include: Bob Rafelson’s dark noir tale Blood & Wine starring Jack Nicholson and Gregory Hoblit’s Fallen, starring Denzel Washington. Sigel then went on to photograph Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Leatherheads with longtime collaborator George Clooney; Terry Gilliam’s The Brothers Grimm; Alan Ball’s directorial debut, Towelhead; and Reginald Hudlin’s Marshall, starring Chadwick Boseman as the United States’ first black Supreme Court Justice.
Notably, Sigel has also collaborated with Master Yuen Wo-Ping, the Grandmaster of Martial-Arts Cinema, on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; with Robert Redford on The Conspirator; and with Halle Berry on Frankie and Alice.
In addition to his cinematography credits, Sigel directed HBO’s Point of Origin, as well as co-directed The Big Empty, starring Selma Blair, with his wife J. Lisa Chang.
Sigel began his artistic career as a painter and experimental filmmaker while studying at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. He transitioned to documentaries while covering the Central American wars of the 1980s, which included working on the Academy Award-winning Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements and When the Mountains Tremble. Catching the eye of legendary filmmaker Haskell Wexler, Sigel got his first narrative opportunity on Latino, a film based on Sigel’s own experiences while photographing Nicaragua: Report From the Front. The documentary chronicled the front lines of the war in Nicaragua from both sides of the conflict, becoming the first film to ever capture the contras. This led to second-unit work with Oliver Stone on Platoon and Wall Street.
Sigel is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers, the Director’s Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He is based in Los Angeles and is represented by UTA.
From The Usual Suspects to Bohemian Rhapsody: Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel
Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel has no style. No singular aesthetic, mood, or technique. Rather, his focus is on storytelling. From being the first to capture the Contras on film in Nicaragua to photographing the X-Men series and Superman Returns (2006), Sigel has worn many hats (and no, we’re not talking about his fedoras and baseball caps, although there are those, too). But his desire to pursue these projects of various genres and styles all stem from the same goal: to delve into what makes humans human.
Born and raised during a time of tense racial relations in Detroit, Sigel learned to look at the world through a political lens early in his youth, which later led to his pursuing social-minded documentaries. When his family moved from Detroit to Buffalo, Sigel got involved in a developing media-study program there, his first foray into the field. Since then, he has worked on dozens of films. He is perhaps best-known for his work on Drive (2011) and Three Kings (1999), and, of course, for his first collaboration with director Bryan Singer, on The Usual Suspects (1995). Sigel most recently worked with Singer in 2018—their tenth film together—on a celebratory biopic of Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody, which was nominated for a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award for best cinematography.
On this episode of Time Sensitive—recorded shortly after his arrival back in the U.S. from Vietnam, where he was the director of photography on Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods (to be released in 2020)—Sigel shares with Andrew Zuckerman his early years in SoHo’s vibrant art community, his earning a metaphorical film degree by working for the legendary Haskell Wexler, and how he convinced Warner Brothers to create a movie using cross-processed film.
Ep 30 – Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC – Working with Directors, Haskell Wexler, George Clooney, Bryan Singer & David O. Russell, and crafting the look of Usual Suspects, 3 Kings, Drive, X-Men, Bohemian Rhapsody and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Over the past 5 decades, Newton Thomas Sigel has amassed an amazing filmography. His work as a cinematographer is a veritable who's who of famous auteurs. In this feature interview co-hosts Ben Rock and Illya Friedman dive into the craft behind such famous films as The Usual Suspects, 3 Kings, Drive, X-Men, Bohemian Rhapsody and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
Check OutNewton Thomas Sigel - IMDBNewton Thomas Sigel - Instagram
Illya's Short End is the TV Series Counterpart Season 2Ben's Short End is the 3900 Notebook Pages of Paul Klee
Podcast Credits:
Episode SponsorsHot Rod Cameras
Editor in Chief: Illya FriedmanHost: Ben RockProducer: Alana KodeComposer: Kays AlatractchiEditior: Benjamin Katz
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Newton Thomas Sigel, Dr. Nimali Fernando, Bohemian Rhapsody, More
Before you spend your hard earned dollars at the movies, be sure to listen to what our youth reporters have to say.
The Cinematography of Bohemian Rhapsody (With Newton Thomas Sigel) GCS152
Newton Thomas Sigel is the visionary cinematographer for the highly anticipated film Bohemian Rhapsody. Tom joins Go Creative Show host and commercial director Ben Consoli to discuss Tom's decision to shoot with the Alexa 65, creating a visual language for Freddie Mercury’s story, recreating Live Aid, and all the behind-the-scenes secrets you need to know.
The Go Creative Show is supported by: Premium Beat Rule Boston Camera Hedge Shutterstock News Shooter Show Topics- Telling the visual story of Freddie Mercury and Queen
- Recreating Live Aid
- Hidden visual effects in Bohemian Rhapsody
- Using the Alexa 65
- Choosing different lenses for different time periods
- Working with Rami Malek and Mike Myers
- Working with director Bryan Singer and Dexter Fletcher
- Memories from filming the X-Men films
Valkyrie / Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC, Episode #7
Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC, cinematographer of Valkyrie, speaks with American Cinematographer's Jon Silberg about the film stocks, lens and digital intermediate processes that created the look of the film as well as the impact of Tom Cruise signing on to what had originally been a small and low-budget project.