1 00:00:08,340 --> 00:00:10,830 S1: Hey there. I'm Osman Farooqi and this is The Drop, 2 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,530 S1: a weekly culture show from the Sydney Morning Herald and 3 00:00:13,530 --> 00:00:15,840 S1: The Age, where we dive into the latest in the 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:21,870 S1: world of pop culture and entertainment. The Oscars are nearly here. 5 00:00:22,050 --> 00:00:25,230 S1: Voting for the awards kicks off this week, and Hollywood's 6 00:00:25,230 --> 00:00:27,810 S1: Night of nights is just a couple of weeks away. 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,020 S1: It's shaping up as one of the most intriguing ceremonies 8 00:00:31,020 --> 00:00:35,000 S1: in recent years. Big budget blockbusters like Avatar, The Way 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,909 S1: of Water and Top Gun Maverick are up against smaller 10 00:00:37,909 --> 00:00:41,630 S1: indie features, like everything everywhere all at once. Cate Blanchett 11 00:00:41,630 --> 00:00:44,059 S1: is in prime position to win her third Oscar, and 12 00:00:44,300 --> 00:00:47,479 S1: there's a bunch of dark horse candidates generating buzz as well. 13 00:00:48,050 --> 00:00:50,750 S1: Later on in this episode, I'll be speaking to Mandy Walker. 14 00:00:50,750 --> 00:00:54,740 S1: She's the Australian cinematographer of Elvis. It's also nominated for 15 00:00:54,740 --> 00:00:58,340 S1: Best Picture and only the third woman ever nominated for 16 00:00:58,340 --> 00:01:02,240 S1: an Academy Award for Best Cinematography. If Mandy wins should 17 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,000 S1: be the first woman ever to win in that category. 18 00:01:05,660 --> 00:01:08,120 S1: But first up, I'm joined by my colleagues Gary Maddox 19 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:12,319 S1: and Meg Watson for a 2023 Oscars deep dive. Gary, 20 00:01:12,350 --> 00:01:14,300 S1: thank you for coming on the show. How are you doing? 21 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:16,610 S2: Two weeks from the Oscars. Looking forward to it. 22 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:19,280 S1: Very excited. Meg, how you feeling about the Oscars? 23 00:01:19,490 --> 00:01:21,920 S3: Are so excited to talk about cinema. 24 00:01:22,190 --> 00:01:23,780 S1: I feel like we've been talking about them in the 25 00:01:23,780 --> 00:01:26,030 S1: office non-stop, so it's nice to be able to share 26 00:01:26,030 --> 00:01:28,790 S1: this with our listeners. Like you said, Gary, we're a 27 00:01:28,790 --> 00:01:31,440 S1: couple of weeks off from the ceremony, which is March 28 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:35,240 S1: 13th Australian time, but we're actually very, very close to 29 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,990 S1: the voting season of the Oscars, kicking off the voting 30 00:01:38,990 --> 00:01:41,840 S1: for the actual winners. Can you, Gary, give us a 31 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,229 S1: bit of an explanation about how this process works? Because 32 00:01:45,230 --> 00:01:48,680 S1: we've got our nominees and they were previously already voted 33 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:50,480 S1: on and now we're about to get into the period 34 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,240 S1: where for a week everyone votes on the actual winners 35 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,090 S1: out of those nominees. Do you mind kind of explaining 36 00:01:56,090 --> 00:01:57,050 S1: how this system works? 37 00:01:57,260 --> 00:02:00,380 S2: Sure. March 2 to 7 members of the Academy of 38 00:02:00,380 --> 00:02:03,590 S2: Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will get to vote. Everybody 39 00:02:03,590 --> 00:02:05,870 S2: gets to vote for all the categories now. Whereas in 40 00:02:05,870 --> 00:02:10,130 S2: the early around, you had the actors branch voting for 41 00:02:10,130 --> 00:02:14,810 S2: the acting nominees, producers, directors, etc., and people also voting 42 00:02:14,810 --> 00:02:18,109 S2: for best picture. And now we have a system whereby 43 00:02:18,110 --> 00:02:21,680 S2: everybody votes for all the categories that presumably have been 44 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:26,540 S2: watching on the Academy's screening streaming service like crazy, watching 45 00:02:26,540 --> 00:02:30,860 S2: all these films, taking into account some of a lot 46 00:02:30,860 --> 00:02:33,290 S2: of the interviews and podcasts that people are doing and 47 00:02:33,740 --> 00:02:37,250 S2: watching the advertising, the for your consideration advertising weighing up 48 00:02:37,460 --> 00:02:38,660 S2: how they think things will go. 49 00:02:39,290 --> 00:02:43,880 S1: So the nominees are decided by people within each branch 50 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,000 S1: voting for them. And then when you whittle down those nominees, 51 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,790 S1: you then throw it open to everyone else. Is that right? 52 00:02:49,820 --> 00:02:53,990 S2: Yep, that's right. That's right. There'll be something like 10,000 53 00:02:53,990 --> 00:02:56,900 S2: members of the Academy now. A few years ago, there 54 00:02:56,900 --> 00:03:00,890 S2: were only 6000. But since the OscarsSoWhite controversy, they've really 55 00:03:00,889 --> 00:03:07,490 S2: opened up membership to become more diverse, more international, to 56 00:03:07,490 --> 00:03:10,670 S2: try and reflect the cinema going audience much more than 57 00:03:10,940 --> 00:03:13,400 S2: they have in the past. And that really has expanded 58 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,190 S2: the numbers. And in some ways it introduces a sort 59 00:03:16,190 --> 00:03:19,640 S2: of uncertainty into how the Oscars might go. We're not 60 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,940 S2: exactly sure how would it affect things having so many different, 61 00:03:23,660 --> 00:03:27,080 S2: you know, new people voting. But it'll you know, it's 62 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:28,610 S2: potentially a really interesting factor. 63 00:03:29,210 --> 00:03:32,420 S1: We haven't really dug into the Oscars on this show yet, though. 64 00:03:32,570 --> 00:03:34,760 S1: You've been writing about it a lot this year, Gary, 65 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,490 S1: as you have in many years past. One of the 66 00:03:37,490 --> 00:03:39,920 S1: things that sort of stood out to me about the 67 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,190 S1: best picture nominations at least, was how it seemed like 68 00:03:43,190 --> 00:03:47,420 S1: those really deliberate attempt to get a lot of blockbuster 69 00:03:47,420 --> 00:03:51,290 S1: movies into that list. Sometimes the Oscars have been criticized for, 70 00:03:51,530 --> 00:03:55,190 S1: you know, nominating worthy but but smaller features that don't 71 00:03:55,190 --> 00:03:58,580 S1: necessarily don't necessarily draw big audiences. But this time around, 72 00:03:58,580 --> 00:04:02,150 S1: there's big, big movies like Avatar, The Way of Water 73 00:04:02,150 --> 00:04:06,080 S1: and Top Gun Maverick. When you saw that list of nominations, 74 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,320 S1: were there any surprises or perhaps snubs that stood out 75 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:09,590 S1: to you? 76 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:12,960 S2: Yeah, it's an interesting point, isn't it? When they expanded 77 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,960 S2: the number from five nominations, which you have for all 78 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,650 S2: the other categories to ten this year, that really opened 79 00:04:19,650 --> 00:04:22,770 S2: up the potential to get more of these blockbuster films. 80 00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:26,100 S2: And I think the word was for quite a while 81 00:04:26,100 --> 00:04:28,529 S2: that Top Gun, Maverick and Avatar, the way of water 82 00:04:28,529 --> 00:04:32,159 S2: would actually be included. Elvis is another one, a box 83 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,180 S2: office hit. Everything everywhere, all at once has been in 84 00:04:36,180 --> 00:04:39,349 S2: the arthouse circles. Quite a hit. The biggest hit for, 85 00:04:39,730 --> 00:04:43,650 S2: you know, kind of influential distributor, A24. We've actually sort 86 00:04:43,650 --> 00:04:47,039 S2: of seen a mix, a really interesting mix of the 87 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:50,370 S2: smaller films and the bigger films. Women Talking is included 88 00:04:50,370 --> 00:04:54,510 S2: in the best Picture list. We've also got Triangle of Sadness, 89 00:04:54,510 --> 00:04:58,050 S2: which was a an arthouse film, a really interesting sort 90 00:04:58,050 --> 00:05:01,680 S2: of film, which, you know, tackles the sort of the 91 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,950 S2: excesses of the uber rich and therefore it sort of 92 00:05:04,950 --> 00:05:07,590 S2: fits more into that kind of very much an arthouse category. 93 00:05:08,130 --> 00:05:10,110 S2: The Banshees have been a share, and it's another film 94 00:05:10,350 --> 00:05:13,470 S2: made outside Hollywood, but it's also been very popular. Yeah, 95 00:05:13,470 --> 00:05:15,780 S2: it's a really interesting list, I think, this year. So 96 00:05:16,260 --> 00:05:18,330 S2: the Academy will obviously be hoping that it can draw 97 00:05:18,330 --> 00:05:20,469 S2: some more people back to watch the telecast that have 98 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:21,540 S2: been watching in recent years. 99 00:05:22,170 --> 00:05:24,120 S1: How about you, Meg? I've a memory, actually, of you 100 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:27,119 S1: and I the last time we watched the Oscars together, 101 00:05:27,510 --> 00:05:31,250 S1: and I think it was the year where. La la 102 00:05:31,270 --> 00:05:35,440 S1: land accidentally won and then didn't won. And then Moonlight. 103 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:36,280 S3: Won. What a year. 104 00:05:36,430 --> 00:05:38,890 S1: I was live blogging it. You are my boss then. 105 00:05:39,100 --> 00:05:41,380 S1: Now fast forward, what, five or six years? And here 106 00:05:41,380 --> 00:05:45,520 S1: we are again. What are you particularly excited about after 107 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,940 S1: seeing what the nominees are? Or perhaps what do you distrust? 108 00:05:48,940 --> 00:05:49,960 S1: Didn't get nominated. 109 00:05:51,370 --> 00:05:54,640 S3: Like Gary. I'm excited that there's this big diverse list 110 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:56,710 S3: because I think a lot of people use the Oscars, 111 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:00,040 S3: particularly the best picture nominees, as a guide of like, 112 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,089 S3: what movies have I missed over the past year or 113 00:06:02,350 --> 00:06:04,690 S3: six months or so? What should I be watching? What's 114 00:06:04,690 --> 00:06:06,489 S3: the top things? And this list gives you a lot 115 00:06:06,490 --> 00:06:08,109 S3: of diversity in that. You know, if you're off to 116 00:06:08,110 --> 00:06:10,390 S3: the big blockbusters, these are the best ones. If you're 117 00:06:10,390 --> 00:06:12,460 S3: after a smaller film, there's a bunch that you should 118 00:06:12,460 --> 00:06:14,739 S3: be going to see, which is exciting for people who 119 00:06:14,740 --> 00:06:17,140 S3: work in the film industry that want people to go 120 00:06:17,140 --> 00:06:22,210 S3: back to the cinema. For me, I mean, in terms 121 00:06:22,210 --> 00:06:24,130 S3: of the films themselves, I was really happy with them. 122 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:26,380 S3: I would have liked to see Aurora get a nomination 123 00:06:26,380 --> 00:06:28,270 S3: and best picture, I think that would have been great. 124 00:06:28,330 --> 00:06:30,580 S1: It's a huge South Indian film. 125 00:06:30,610 --> 00:06:33,550 S3: Yeah, you might have seen it on Netflix. It got 126 00:06:33,550 --> 00:06:35,890 S3: quite a lot of play. People in Hollywood have been 127 00:06:35,890 --> 00:06:38,680 S3: talking about it recently, in recent months as well, which 128 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:40,480 S3: made people think that it might get a run. But 129 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,830 S3: in the end it didn't get anything except best song nomination, 130 00:06:44,830 --> 00:06:47,349 S3: which should win. But that was kind of disappointing to 131 00:06:47,350 --> 00:06:50,270 S3: not see it anywhere else. Also, I think there were 132 00:06:50,270 --> 00:06:55,420 S3: a few surprises and snubs with the acting categories. Most famously, 133 00:06:55,779 --> 00:06:59,979 S3: Andrea Riseborough got a nomination for Best Actress, which has 134 00:06:59,980 --> 00:07:03,099 S3: written about quite a bit, which you know would be 135 00:07:03,100 --> 00:07:04,599 S3: a name I think a lot of listeners don't know 136 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:07,029 S3: anything about. I haven't seen the film. A lot of 137 00:07:07,029 --> 00:07:09,700 S3: people haven't seen the film, but she kind of came 138 00:07:09,700 --> 00:07:12,430 S3: out of nowhere to get this nomination over people like 139 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,730 S3: Viola Davis, who people thought she'd get in for the 140 00:07:15,730 --> 00:07:18,970 S3: woman king. And then I guess with the guys, Paul 141 00:07:18,970 --> 00:07:21,250 S3: Mescal kind of snuck in there for Aftersun was a 142 00:07:21,250 --> 00:07:23,590 S3: bit of a surprise, but a welcome one as well, 143 00:07:23,590 --> 00:07:28,210 S3: I think. Exciting to see younger actors get nominated and 144 00:07:28,210 --> 00:07:31,000 S3: also a first time director, I think, with Charlotte Wells, 145 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:32,560 S3: which is exciting too. 146 00:07:32,890 --> 00:07:34,310 S1: I feel like there's a lot of these movies saying 147 00:07:34,350 --> 00:07:37,360 S1: Aftersun as an example, where they've been out in the 148 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,550 S1: States for a while, they've been out internationally for a while, 149 00:07:39,550 --> 00:07:41,950 S1: so there's a bit of buzz around the world, but 150 00:07:41,950 --> 00:07:43,930 S1: we're only starting to see some of these movies hit 151 00:07:43,930 --> 00:07:46,780 S1: our screens at the moment. One kind of obvious one 152 00:07:47,020 --> 00:07:49,990 S1: in that vein was to which is nominated for Best Picture, 153 00:07:49,990 --> 00:07:53,560 S1: which has Cate Blanchett nominated for best lead Actress, and 154 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,860 S1: that only actually came out in Australia around the time 155 00:07:56,860 --> 00:08:00,340 S1: of the Oscar nominations being revealed, because the distributors, I 156 00:08:00,340 --> 00:08:02,300 S1: think in a story you wrote, Meg, said that they 157 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,870 S1: were actually worried that people wouldn't see the movie until 158 00:08:04,870 --> 00:08:07,900 S1: it got Oscar buzz. How normal is that, Gary? Is 159 00:08:07,900 --> 00:08:10,420 S1: that something that tends to happen that Australians kind of 160 00:08:10,570 --> 00:08:13,000 S1: only get to see these movies around the time of 161 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:13,900 S1: the Oscars themselves? 162 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,950 S2: It's certainly become a feature of the release calendar in 163 00:08:17,950 --> 00:08:20,990 S2: recent years that Oscar nominated films will some of them 164 00:08:20,990 --> 00:08:23,710 S2: will come out before Christmas, and then they'll gradually get 165 00:08:23,710 --> 00:08:27,490 S2: rolled out around the Oscar nominations period leading up to 166 00:08:27,490 --> 00:08:29,619 S2: the Oscars. We've been talking to another one, and it's 167 00:08:29,620 --> 00:08:31,540 S2: only just come out in Australia and it's been a 168 00:08:31,540 --> 00:08:33,819 S2: film that there was a lot of talk about in 169 00:08:33,820 --> 00:08:35,979 S2: the States. Would it actually be up for best picture? 170 00:08:35,990 --> 00:08:38,140 S2: Would it be up for best director? It's only been 171 00:08:38,140 --> 00:08:41,470 S2: out a week or so here and there are still 172 00:08:41,470 --> 00:08:44,319 S2: some films that involve light, which is up for best 173 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,959 S2: cinematography is another one which is yet to open. So 174 00:08:47,410 --> 00:08:51,370 S2: there'll be a time for Australian cinemagoers to actually try 175 00:08:51,370 --> 00:08:53,590 S2: and catch up with these films as they as they 176 00:08:53,590 --> 00:08:54,010 S2: come out. 177 00:08:54,790 --> 00:08:56,770 S1: And it's a big part of the role. The Oscars play, 178 00:08:56,770 --> 00:08:59,410 S1: I guess, in the industry is that they do actually 179 00:08:59,410 --> 00:09:02,410 S1: help tell people who like movies but maybe don't stay 180 00:09:02,410 --> 00:09:04,449 S1: across them as much as people like us in the 181 00:09:04,450 --> 00:09:07,360 S1: media do. Hey, if you're going to see some movies, 182 00:09:07,390 --> 00:09:09,400 S1: these are the best ones you should see. Is that 183 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,650 S1: something that we see in the box office, Gary? People 184 00:09:11,650 --> 00:09:13,569 S1: tend to go and check these things out once there's 185 00:09:13,570 --> 00:09:15,040 S1: a bit of hype around them for the awards. 186 00:09:15,429 --> 00:09:17,620 S2: Yeah, I think so. And I think distributors definitely hope 187 00:09:17,620 --> 00:09:19,870 S2: this is the case. Some of the films that are 188 00:09:19,870 --> 00:09:23,439 S2: that have been out for best Picture, which as you mentioned, Tara, 189 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,590 S2: is one. The fable means is another one, Steven Spielberg film. 190 00:09:26,590 --> 00:09:28,780 S2: But it's not a high profile film in terms of 191 00:09:28,780 --> 00:09:32,319 S2: a Spielberg film. It's not a big commercial film which 192 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,620 S2: immediately grabs people in. It's a very personal story. It's 193 00:09:35,620 --> 00:09:39,490 S2: his own autobiography and it's a really strong film, but 194 00:09:39,490 --> 00:09:41,650 S2: it now has the stamp of being up for best 195 00:09:41,650 --> 00:09:44,710 S2: picture and best director at the Oscars. So people will 196 00:09:45,100 --> 00:09:48,910 S2: it will actually drag people to see it, Although one 197 00:09:48,910 --> 00:09:51,100 S2: of the interesting questions is whether people will now go 198 00:09:51,100 --> 00:09:52,750 S2: to the cinema or whether they'll wait till it comes 199 00:09:52,750 --> 00:09:56,770 S2: on streaming. That's a real big change to how the 200 00:09:56,770 --> 00:10:00,219 S2: Oscar season has rolled out. Some of the films. Everything everywhere, 201 00:10:00,220 --> 00:10:01,960 S2: all at once is now streaming on Watch It at 202 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,090 S2: the cinema and then watch it again at home. So 203 00:10:04,090 --> 00:10:08,470 S2: you've got two chances to see it. Sometimes it'll reward 204 00:10:08,470 --> 00:10:13,030 S2: you by watching them twice. It'll certainly help the distributor, 205 00:10:13,030 --> 00:10:16,210 S2: certainly help the the people who are releasing the streaming platform. 206 00:10:16,210 --> 00:10:20,920 S2: So it has advantages everywhere. But sometimes films will play 207 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,530 S2: better in cinemas. The Power of the Dog last year 208 00:10:23,530 --> 00:10:26,949 S2: was a film that really played very strongly in cinemas, 209 00:10:26,950 --> 00:10:29,380 S2: and you could see it was winning awards at festivals. 210 00:10:30,010 --> 00:10:33,370 S2: The reviews were great, and then when it came time 211 00:10:33,370 --> 00:10:36,370 S2: for the Oscars and it was watched on a streaming service, 212 00:10:36,370 --> 00:10:38,650 S2: a lot of people lost the impact of that film, 213 00:10:38,950 --> 00:10:41,800 S2: the subtlety of it. And it ended up only winning. Well, 214 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,349 S2: say Only Best Director is a pretty significant award, but 215 00:10:44,620 --> 00:10:47,500 S2: it won best director, but nothing else from the many 216 00:10:47,500 --> 00:10:50,020 S2: categories that it was touted at one stage as lucky 217 00:10:50,020 --> 00:10:50,350 S2: to win. 218 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:53,600 S3: That's really interesting with this list, because I feel like 219 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,090 S3: I've had that experience with Elvis when I went and 220 00:10:56,090 --> 00:10:57,890 S3: saw that at the cinema. I had such a good 221 00:10:57,890 --> 00:11:00,170 S3: time and it's such a spectacle, you know, at Barcelona. 222 00:11:00,170 --> 00:11:02,390 S3: And it's the glitz and the glamour of it and 223 00:11:02,390 --> 00:11:04,070 S3: you kind of get swept away. But I've since watched 224 00:11:04,070 --> 00:11:05,989 S3: it on streaming at home, you know, with just a 225 00:11:05,990 --> 00:11:09,410 S3: couple of people with me. And it was not the same. 226 00:11:09,710 --> 00:11:12,260 S3: I really felt you felt those hours drag on in 227 00:11:12,260 --> 00:11:13,829 S3: a way that it didn't at all in the cinema. 228 00:11:13,850 --> 00:11:16,130 S3: So I wonder if that's affecting Verdi's at all as well. 229 00:11:17,059 --> 00:11:19,430 S2: Yes, that's quite possible. Yeah. I haven't actually watched it 230 00:11:19,429 --> 00:11:22,370 S2: again at home, but I can imagine that could be 231 00:11:22,370 --> 00:11:24,559 S2: the case. It's such an immersive film, isn't it? It's 232 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,770 S2: one of those films that, you know, you really appreciate 233 00:11:27,770 --> 00:11:29,809 S2: seeing with an audience. You really appreciate seeing it on 234 00:11:29,809 --> 00:11:32,480 S2: the screen, having the music played up loud. It all, 235 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,750 S2: you know, contributes to quite a sort of visceral impact, 236 00:11:35,750 --> 00:11:36,920 S2: which is important for it. 237 00:11:36,970 --> 00:11:38,930 S3: Yeah, and Paul Bassett didn't get a best director. 238 00:11:39,350 --> 00:11:40,640 S1: We're going to talk about that. We're going to talk 239 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:42,290 S1: about that in a little bit. I've got lots of 240 00:11:42,290 --> 00:11:46,520 S1: thoughts about Baz's constant snubbing by the directors branch of 241 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,400 S1: the Academy Awards. But just before we wrap up on 242 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,699 S1: this chat about streaming versus cinema, I think it's really 243 00:11:52,700 --> 00:11:57,470 S1: interesting how it impacts what people vote for because you've 244 00:11:57,470 --> 00:12:00,620 S1: got these movies like you mentioned, everything everywhere. Gary feels 245 00:12:00,620 --> 00:12:03,380 S1: like that came out nearly a year ago now in movies. 246 00:12:03,380 --> 00:12:05,090 S1: And Top Gun, you know, was like eight or nine 247 00:12:05,090 --> 00:12:06,980 S1: months ago. And then you've got these other films that 248 00:12:06,980 --> 00:12:10,780 S1: are just now coming out or are available on streaming. 249 00:12:10,790 --> 00:12:13,460 S1: And I know that in Hollywood and across the states, 250 00:12:13,910 --> 00:12:17,400 S1: studios and campaigns will organize screenings for voters to go 251 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,670 S1: and actually see these things in the cinema. But you 252 00:12:19,670 --> 00:12:21,590 S1: mentioned at the start of this chat, Gary, about how 253 00:12:21,860 --> 00:12:26,000 S1: diverse and internationalized the Academy has become. For so many voters, 254 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:27,920 S1: they're not in Hollywood, they're not even in New York. 255 00:12:28,100 --> 00:12:31,610 S1: Their ability to only see some of these nominees on 256 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:35,660 S1: streaming platforms on their laptop maybe, you know, I want 257 00:12:35,660 --> 00:12:37,760 S1: to imagine that all the Academy voters have a great 258 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,010 S1: home theater system, but I doubt that that's the case. 259 00:12:40,190 --> 00:12:43,010 S1: That surely impacts what kinds of movies get get looked into. 260 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:46,520 S2: It's really interesting is that the big question this year 261 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,190 S2: is about the German film All Quiet on the Western Front, 262 00:12:49,190 --> 00:12:52,610 S2: which we haven't talked about it released in Australia without 263 00:12:52,610 --> 00:12:56,060 S2: any cinema release. It had certain limited cinema releases in 264 00:12:56,059 --> 00:12:58,190 S2: other parts of the world, but here it came out, 265 00:12:58,190 --> 00:13:02,030 S2: it just landed on Netflix. Nobody was really talking about 266 00:13:02,030 --> 00:13:03,739 S2: it didn't seem to get much in the way of 267 00:13:03,740 --> 00:13:06,500 S2: write ups or press or anything of that kind. But 268 00:13:06,500 --> 00:13:10,520 S2: it's gradually built an audience, and it's built this popularity, 269 00:13:10,790 --> 00:13:14,570 S2: which has now translated into winning best picture and best 270 00:13:14,570 --> 00:13:17,270 S2: director at the BAFTAs, and suddenly being up for a 271 00:13:17,270 --> 00:13:20,720 S2: whole bunch of Oscars and being one of the kind 272 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:24,620 S2: of interesting contenders which could effectively take things away from 273 00:13:24,620 --> 00:13:27,500 S2: everything or everywhere all at once, just because it now 274 00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:30,530 S2: has the momentum of kind of moving in and winning awards. 275 00:13:30,860 --> 00:13:34,220 S1: Let's talk about that. Let's talk about who is in 276 00:13:34,220 --> 00:13:37,250 S1: the front of these races and and maybe why. Like, 277 00:13:37,250 --> 00:13:40,190 S1: I think people who don't follow the awards season that 278 00:13:40,190 --> 00:13:43,550 S1: closely might be confused when they hear about films leading 279 00:13:43,550 --> 00:13:46,220 S1: the race or, you know, when it comes to election time, 280 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,860 S1: we do polling like we find out what voters are thinking. 281 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,350 S1: That's not really what's going on here with the Oscars. 282 00:13:51,350 --> 00:13:55,670 S1: But there are still indicators that help suggest what might happen. 283 00:13:55,700 --> 00:13:57,170 S1: I wonder, Gary, if you can give us a bit 284 00:13:57,170 --> 00:13:59,900 S1: of a crash course on what we look to when 285 00:13:59,900 --> 00:14:02,090 S1: we're when we are trying to estimate or predict where 286 00:14:02,090 --> 00:14:03,590 S1: the Oscars land on certain things. 287 00:14:03,860 --> 00:14:09,170 S2: It's the vibe. It's the vote. In the case of 288 00:14:09,170 --> 00:14:12,350 S2: best picture and Best director, the the Guilds, the Directors 289 00:14:12,350 --> 00:14:15,770 S2: Guild and Producers Guild in America are pretty influential in 290 00:14:15,770 --> 00:14:19,700 S2: terms of picking a winner, which then follows at the 291 00:14:19,700 --> 00:14:23,660 S2: Oscars at the the correspondents is is quite a lot 292 00:14:23,660 --> 00:14:27,890 S2: in recent years not not universal. So surprises still can happen. 293 00:14:28,340 --> 00:14:32,180 S2: But in terms of the lead up awards, many of 294 00:14:32,180 --> 00:14:36,470 S2: them are seen as significant indicators as to how Oscar 295 00:14:36,470 --> 00:14:39,470 S2: voters might go. There are all sorts of other things 296 00:14:39,470 --> 00:14:43,610 S2: that come into it winning awards at festivals, winning critics awards. 297 00:14:43,910 --> 00:14:48,320 S2: Half the cities in America seem to have critics awards 298 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,620 S2: which are announced. And, you know, if higher, Cate Blanchett 299 00:14:51,950 --> 00:14:55,640 S2: wins there as she has been winning everything this year, 300 00:14:55,970 --> 00:14:58,370 S2: then people are saying that, you know, this is being 301 00:14:58,370 --> 00:15:02,570 S2: recognized widely as excellence and this might well lead to 302 00:15:02,780 --> 00:15:06,229 S2: winning best actress at the Oscars. So, yeah, there are 303 00:15:06,230 --> 00:15:10,430 S2: those kinds of things. You also get publications that are 304 00:15:10,430 --> 00:15:15,110 S2: testing the waters themselves, talking to Oscar voters. The Hollywood Reporter, 305 00:15:15,110 --> 00:15:19,310 S2: for example, kind of does its own list of what 306 00:15:19,310 --> 00:15:22,070 S2: it sees as being the films that are likely in 307 00:15:22,070 --> 00:15:25,280 S2: the frame and ranks them in order. It again, is 308 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,310 S2: also not, you know, definitive, but it gives you a 309 00:15:28,310 --> 00:15:31,400 S2: flavor of what people are talking about in the in 310 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,580 S2: the film industry and how they're regarded and and how 311 00:15:34,580 --> 00:15:37,160 S2: they're regarded in comparison to other other films. 312 00:15:37,580 --> 00:15:40,400 S1: I feel like there's also not just the fact that 313 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,710 S1: someone wins an award and that reflects where that voting 314 00:15:42,710 --> 00:15:45,470 S1: base might be. But sometimes the speech that they give 315 00:15:45,470 --> 00:15:47,690 S1: or the the media narrative that comes out of that, 316 00:15:47,690 --> 00:15:52,160 S1: I'm thinking about Kihei Kwan who's. Nominee for for best 317 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,740 S1: supporting actor out of everything every all at once. His 318 00:15:54,740 --> 00:15:57,620 S1: speech when he won the Golden Globes was so moving 319 00:15:57,620 --> 00:16:00,350 S1: and genuine and earnest. And even though the Golden Globes 320 00:16:00,620 --> 00:16:02,750 S1: are not an amazing predictor of the Oscars that seem 321 00:16:02,750 --> 00:16:04,670 S1: to inject him into the race a little bit. 322 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:09,970 S4: When I started my career as a child actor, Indiana 323 00:16:09,970 --> 00:16:14,710 S4: Jones and the Temple of Doom, I felt I felt 324 00:16:14,710 --> 00:16:19,330 S4: so very lucky to have been chosen. As I grew older, 325 00:16:20,020 --> 00:16:24,010 S4: I started to wonder if that was it, even if 326 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:28,060 S4: that was just luck. For so many years, I was 327 00:16:28,060 --> 00:16:32,530 S4: afraid I had nothing more to offer, that no matter 328 00:16:32,530 --> 00:16:35,980 S4: what I did, I would. I would never surpass what 329 00:16:35,980 --> 00:16:43,660 S4: I achieved as a kid. Thankfully. More than 30 years later. 330 00:16:45,510 --> 00:16:53,000 S4: Two guys thought of me. They remember that kid. And 331 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,790 S4: they gave me an opportunity to try again. 332 00:16:59,980 --> 00:17:02,470 S2: That was a fantastic speech. And he is such a 333 00:17:02,470 --> 00:17:05,169 S2: lovable character. I've listened to a couple of podcasts that 334 00:17:05,170 --> 00:17:08,050 S2: he's been on and he is so enthusiastic, so warm, 335 00:17:08,500 --> 00:17:11,980 S2: so human, so honest that it would be it feels 336 00:17:11,980 --> 00:17:14,080 S2: like a crime not to vote for him this year. 337 00:17:14,470 --> 00:17:18,250 S2: He is so charming. Of course, people might or might 338 00:17:18,250 --> 00:17:20,320 S2: not know his story. He was a child actor. He 339 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:22,750 S2: was short ran and Indiana Jones, the Temple of Doom. 340 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:28,629 S2: He was a star. Very briefly. He as he got older, 341 00:17:28,630 --> 00:17:31,840 S2: he didn't make the transition to other acting roles. There 342 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,800 S2: was some racism that he encountered. He moved away from 343 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,109 S2: film industry and eventually dropped out of acting altogether. And 344 00:17:38,109 --> 00:17:41,619 S2: it wasn't until recent times that he he decided he 345 00:17:41,619 --> 00:17:45,240 S2: want to come back. And the Daniels who directed everything 346 00:17:45,250 --> 00:17:48,640 S2: everywhere all at once, Daniel Corn and General Sean out, 347 00:17:49,150 --> 00:17:52,240 S2: they saw him. They tracked him down. They saw that 348 00:17:52,780 --> 00:17:55,510 S2: on Twitter that he was he was back engaging with 349 00:17:55,510 --> 00:17:57,550 S2: the world again. And they spoke to him about this 350 00:17:57,550 --> 00:18:00,820 S2: role playing Wayman in this film. And he's been he's 351 00:18:00,820 --> 00:18:04,210 S2: been great. But yes, sometimes the speeches can work both ways, though, 352 00:18:04,210 --> 00:18:08,830 S2: of course, we saw Kerry Condon win the Banshees villain, Sharon. 353 00:18:08,830 --> 00:18:13,060 S2: She was the sister of Colin Farrell's character, Pat Drake, 354 00:18:13,060 --> 00:18:16,379 S2: in that film. She wanted the BAFTAs, which really it 355 00:18:16,390 --> 00:18:20,020 S2: was a surprise win because Angela Bassett is the red 356 00:18:20,020 --> 00:18:22,929 S2: hot favourite to win best supporting Actress for Black Panther, 357 00:18:22,930 --> 00:18:27,230 S2: Wakanda forever. And she's had this amazing career that people 358 00:18:27,230 --> 00:18:30,490 S2: are saying, well, you know, she deserves to win this Oscar. Now, 359 00:18:30,850 --> 00:18:34,360 S2: Kerry Condon won it and she made a speech that 360 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:38,800 S2: didn't acknowledge her rivals. Now that I'm sure the enthusiasm 361 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,950 S2: of winning an award can easily happen. But she also 362 00:18:41,950 --> 00:18:46,360 S2: went on to thank the horses and her dogs, showing 363 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,899 S2: her love and giving her life meaning. And at that point, 364 00:18:49,900 --> 00:18:52,570 S2: I thought to myself, if I was an Oscar voter, 365 00:18:52,570 --> 00:18:53,830 S2: I wasn't going to vote for you. 366 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:58,179 S1: Yes. Thanking some animals before other people that you're up 367 00:18:58,180 --> 00:18:59,830 S1: against is a bit rough. Mate, Can you think of 368 00:18:59,830 --> 00:19:02,470 S1: any moments from this race or races in the past 369 00:19:02,470 --> 00:19:05,260 S1: where it seems like things are on track and all 370 00:19:05,260 --> 00:19:07,260 S1: of a sudden things go off the rails all, you know, 371 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,090 S1: something like a take one moment where someone injects themselves 372 00:19:10,090 --> 00:19:10,990 S1: into the competition. 373 00:19:11,590 --> 00:19:13,810 S3: I don't know about specific moments, but I've been thinking 374 00:19:13,810 --> 00:19:16,510 S3: a lot about this issue in the Best Picture race, 375 00:19:16,510 --> 00:19:19,810 S3: because we we go into the Oscars ceremony pretty confident 376 00:19:19,810 --> 00:19:22,320 S3: about what the best film is going to be or 377 00:19:22,330 --> 00:19:25,179 S3: like what everyone agrees should be. But then if you 378 00:19:25,180 --> 00:19:28,449 S3: look at the past winners, I mean, last year everyone 379 00:19:28,450 --> 00:19:30,310 S3: thought Power of the Dog was going to win. Cadogan 380 00:19:30,310 --> 00:19:33,040 S3: out of nowhere, a really light riser as well. In 381 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:39,669 S3: streaming the parasite won 1917 was favourite when Shape of 382 00:19:39,670 --> 00:19:42,639 S3: Water won three Billboards was the favourite. Obviously La La 383 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:44,919 S3: Land and Moonlight was a big one actually. When you 384 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:47,379 S3: look at the history, the favourite never wins. And so 385 00:19:47,380 --> 00:19:49,960 S3: it's kind of concerning for a film like everything Everywhere 386 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:53,080 S3: all at once. It has 11 nominations and so much love. 387 00:19:53,500 --> 00:19:56,350 S3: Could it just get snaked by something like Old Clyde? 388 00:19:56,980 --> 00:19:59,020 S2: It's interesting when you say that maybe because many of 389 00:19:59,020 --> 00:20:01,240 S2: those films actually had a bit of blowback during the 390 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:05,800 S2: awards campaign, they sparked controversy for different reasons. Three billboards, 391 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:08,410 S2: for example. Suddenly people were talking about it and said, 392 00:20:08,410 --> 00:20:11,469 S2: is this film racist? Is this film at its heart 393 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,639 S2: not worthy of being supported? People were also saying the 394 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,070 S2: same thing about La la land. You know, is it 395 00:20:18,369 --> 00:20:20,880 S2: you know, do we want a film with, you know, 396 00:20:20,890 --> 00:20:24,970 S2: these two white characters who own jazz, you know. 397 00:20:25,210 --> 00:20:27,699 S3: Maybe this person being the favourite, You know, if you're 398 00:20:27,700 --> 00:20:30,159 S3: getting all this press, all this attention that comes with 399 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:31,330 S3: negative attention as well. 400 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:33,250 S1: Yeah, it's almost like in a political race, you want 401 00:20:33,250 --> 00:20:34,570 S1: to be the underdog. You don't want to be the 402 00:20:34,570 --> 00:20:37,120 S1: person at the front because that attracts all this attention 403 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:39,580 S1: and all this scrutiny that you otherwise, you know, something 404 00:20:39,580 --> 00:20:42,100 S1: like all quiet. If we'd been talking about that for 405 00:20:42,100 --> 00:20:44,050 S1: the past six months, maybe a bunch of things would 406 00:20:44,050 --> 00:20:46,600 S1: have been thrown up as to like why a story 407 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,440 S1: from a war 100 years ago is the most worthy 408 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,050 S1: story to tell right now. Maybe it isn't, maybe it is. 409 00:20:53,050 --> 00:20:55,929 S1: But it's just kind of sidestep that narrative by creeping 410 00:20:55,930 --> 00:20:57,040 S1: up out of nowhere. 411 00:20:57,190 --> 00:20:59,380 S3: And I think film nerds also kind of like to 412 00:20:59,380 --> 00:21:02,800 S3: have the controversial or left of center take, you know, 413 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:05,530 S3: So to support the film that not everyone knows about 414 00:21:05,550 --> 00:21:07,869 S3: and not everyone supports in the same way. So that 415 00:21:07,869 --> 00:21:09,070 S3: could be a factor as well. 416 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,310 S1: Let's talk a bit about the frontrunners in these categories 417 00:21:12,310 --> 00:21:15,040 S1: we've been talking about. Are you Cate Blanchett? Gary, you 418 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:19,300 S1: mentioned is probably almost a lock to win best actress. 419 00:21:19,300 --> 00:21:22,900 S1: She's won every award so far. It seems like there's 420 00:21:22,900 --> 00:21:26,109 S1: a fair bit of there's an openness to the rest 421 00:21:26,109 --> 00:21:29,710 S1: of the races, starting with best picture. Is there one 422 00:21:29,710 --> 00:21:31,600 S1: that you think, is it kind of coming down to 423 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,540 S1: everything everywhere versus all quiet, or is it more complicated 424 00:21:34,540 --> 00:21:34,960 S1: than that? 425 00:21:35,810 --> 00:21:37,970 S2: I think I think it is more complicated than that 426 00:21:37,970 --> 00:21:40,580 S2: for a couple of reasons. One, we've still got time 427 00:21:41,150 --> 00:21:45,800 S2: for controversies to happen, for people to raise questions about 428 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,560 S2: certain films. I mean, last year, Sam Elliott made a 429 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:55,250 S2: very dopey incursion into Oscars politics by talking about the 430 00:21:55,250 --> 00:21:58,340 S2: power of the dog as this this Western made by 431 00:21:58,340 --> 00:22:00,199 S2: this woman from the other part of the world who 432 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,320 S2: didn't understand the Great West. Of course, it was a 433 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:04,850 S2: very silly comment, but it seemed. 434 00:22:04,940 --> 00:22:07,189 S1: Sam Elliott forgot that he's actually not a cowboy. He 435 00:22:07,190 --> 00:22:08,860 S1: just plays them a lot. Yeah. 436 00:22:09,890 --> 00:22:14,030 S2: That's right. And Jane Campion did cleverly point out that 437 00:22:14,030 --> 00:22:18,889 S2: he's just an actor, but that seemed to actually make 438 00:22:18,890 --> 00:22:23,580 S2: people think, well, look, maybe that's right. Maybe, you know, 439 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,450 S2: this film is not the masterpiece that it's being described as. 440 00:22:26,450 --> 00:22:29,900 S2: And of course, we saw them watching it, as mentioned 441 00:22:29,900 --> 00:22:31,449 S2: on the streaming service as well. And that would have 442 00:22:32,030 --> 00:22:36,590 S2: lessen the impact of that film. There is time for 443 00:22:36,590 --> 00:22:41,179 S2: controversies to come out. Still, you know, there was a 444 00:22:41,180 --> 00:22:45,139 S2: time when the Harvey Weinsteins of the world would be 445 00:22:45,140 --> 00:22:49,129 S2: actually deliberately creating controversy that would be playing, you know, 446 00:22:49,130 --> 00:22:52,459 S2: the dark arts of film publicity and trying to undermine 447 00:22:52,460 --> 00:22:56,290 S2: the rivals. Does that still happen? That's an interesting question. 448 00:22:56,300 --> 00:22:58,820 S2: I guess we'll find out. There's an awful lot of 449 00:22:58,820 --> 00:23:02,120 S2: love for everything everywhere, all at once, for all sorts 450 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:05,659 S2: of reasons. It's got a really lovable cast. It's a 451 00:23:05,660 --> 00:23:09,500 S2: story that represents diversity because it's based on an Asian-American family. 452 00:23:09,950 --> 00:23:13,820 S2: It's creatively quite brilliant in that it's it's a comedy. 453 00:23:13,820 --> 00:23:17,450 S2: It's a sci fi film. It's a family drama. It's 454 00:23:17,450 --> 00:23:20,060 S2: got it at its heart. Some really touching stories. The 455 00:23:20,060 --> 00:23:22,430 S2: love between a mother and a daughter and also between 456 00:23:22,940 --> 00:23:25,490 S2: a husband and a wife. So there are some real 457 00:23:25,490 --> 00:23:28,760 S2: elements there, quite powerful. But on the other side of it, 458 00:23:28,820 --> 00:23:33,199 S2: sci fi films and comedy films don't generally attract the 459 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:36,140 S2: sort of Oscar voters because they don't seem to have 460 00:23:36,140 --> 00:23:39,650 S2: the heft, the the gravity that you you vote for 461 00:23:39,650 --> 00:23:42,409 S2: when you vote for best picture. When you've got something 462 00:23:42,410 --> 00:23:44,810 S2: like all quiet on the Western Front, a war drama 463 00:23:44,810 --> 00:23:49,550 S2: with the themes of. You know, human suffering in a war. 464 00:23:49,550 --> 00:23:53,510 S2: And when there's a war going on in Ukraine, people 465 00:23:54,050 --> 00:23:57,110 S2: might see that there is something significant about that, that 466 00:23:57,109 --> 00:23:59,630 S2: we should be, you know, a vote for this is 467 00:23:59,630 --> 00:24:04,820 S2: a vote for Ukraine against Russia. But I think there's 468 00:24:04,820 --> 00:24:09,020 S2: also given it's an optional preferential it's a preferential voting system, 469 00:24:09,020 --> 00:24:12,350 S2: as we have in Australian elections, that could mean that 470 00:24:12,350 --> 00:24:15,560 S2: the winner is most likely to be the one that 471 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,709 S2: is a consensus candidate. It might not be the you know, 472 00:24:18,710 --> 00:24:20,750 S2: there might be some films which are really loved and 473 00:24:20,750 --> 00:24:23,780 S2: other films are truly hated, which kind of, you know, 474 00:24:23,780 --> 00:24:26,689 S2: that shakes out in the preferential system. So the two 475 00:24:26,690 --> 00:24:30,950 S2: film that most people really like is is the likely winner. 476 00:24:30,950 --> 00:24:33,619 S2: And that could be Top Gun Maverick. 477 00:24:33,650 --> 00:24:36,280 S1: Yes, Gary. Yes, Gary, I was saying that to Meg 478 00:24:36,290 --> 00:24:38,210 S1: on the way into this record that I have a 479 00:24:38,210 --> 00:24:39,560 S1: feeling that could take it away. 480 00:24:40,010 --> 00:24:44,900 S2: That's the film that save cinema. So it it it 481 00:24:44,900 --> 00:24:47,780 S2: had a big impact for the film industry and people 482 00:24:47,780 --> 00:24:50,359 S2: might love it for that reason. Elvis also was a 483 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:52,670 S2: box office hit. Now there'll be a lot of people 484 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:56,690 S2: in the voting membership who might think, Alright, this is 485 00:24:56,690 --> 00:24:59,570 S2: creatively quite a brilliant film. It didn't get recognised for 486 00:24:59,570 --> 00:25:02,240 S2: best director. Maybe we throw a weight behind this, maybe 487 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:04,310 S2: it's our second or third choice and that might be 488 00:25:04,310 --> 00:25:07,910 S2: enough to see it win. Best Picture. Avatar The Way 489 00:25:07,910 --> 00:25:11,450 S2: of Water is terrific film. I really enjoyed it. It 490 00:25:11,450 --> 00:25:13,310 S2: has to be probably somewhere in the mix. The Five 491 00:25:13,310 --> 00:25:16,160 S2: Opens is another one. Everybody loves Steven Spielberg. This is 492 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:21,170 S2: a film which appeals to Hollywood because it's about a 493 00:25:21,170 --> 00:25:25,220 S2: great filmmaker's. It's his origin story, really. So we we 494 00:25:25,220 --> 00:25:28,670 S2: learn about the importance of film in life and how 495 00:25:28,670 --> 00:25:32,920 S2: it can shape somebody and turn them into a creative soul. 496 00:25:32,930 --> 00:25:35,419 S2: So that might be the sort of film which appeals 497 00:25:35,420 --> 00:25:39,980 S2: to voters as well. So tie in many people. You know, 498 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,850 S2: of all the films that I've watched in this Oscar season, 499 00:25:43,850 --> 00:25:47,359 S2: Tarr was one that had me talking about what it 500 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,600 S2: meant and and the kind of issues it threw up 501 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:54,020 S2: more than anything else. So maybe Tarr would also surprise, 502 00:25:54,020 --> 00:25:55,880 S2: although it's quite a cool film in lots of ways, but, 503 00:25:56,210 --> 00:26:01,070 S2: you know, it does have that element that it engages people. So, yeah, 504 00:26:01,100 --> 00:26:02,210 S2: pretty open this year, I think. 505 00:26:02,340 --> 00:26:04,100 S1: Meg, what do you think looking at that list and 506 00:26:04,100 --> 00:26:07,219 S1: taking on board what what Gary said in our reaction 507 00:26:07,220 --> 00:26:09,560 S1: to Top Gun Maverick? I mean, do you think there's 508 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,109 S1: there's one that seems to be leading the pack or 509 00:26:12,109 --> 00:26:14,000 S1: is it or is it genuinely really wide open? 510 00:26:14,940 --> 00:26:18,540 S3: I'm still backing everything everywhere. Even though there could be 511 00:26:18,540 --> 00:26:21,780 S3: that favorite blowback because of the reasons Gary mentioned and 512 00:26:21,780 --> 00:26:25,800 S3: also because of that fun factor. Because so many Oscar 513 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:29,400 S3: winners in the past have been quite so serious or dower. 514 00:26:29,910 --> 00:26:33,359 S3: And I think when when you think of what people 515 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:35,100 S3: want to actually go to the cinema and see these days, 516 00:26:35,100 --> 00:26:37,590 S3: it's fun. It is. I know it's Top Gun Maverick, 517 00:26:37,590 --> 00:26:41,010 S3: but I think everything everywhere. Add something a bit fresher, 518 00:26:41,130 --> 00:26:43,590 S3: something a bit more creative that people can back, even 519 00:26:43,590 --> 00:26:46,379 S3: if they don't necessarily want to think of themselves as 520 00:26:46,380 --> 00:26:49,050 S3: someone backing Top Gun Maverick. You know, as as much 521 00:26:49,050 --> 00:26:51,600 S3: as I love that film. Is it the best picture 522 00:26:51,869 --> 00:26:55,139 S3: in terms of what's moving cinema forward or being the 523 00:26:55,140 --> 00:26:57,959 S3: most inventive? Probably not. It's a it's a pretty complex story, but. 524 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,260 S1: Sorry, I think you have to firstly save cinema before 525 00:27:01,260 --> 00:27:03,060 S1: you can move it forward. And that is exactly what 526 00:27:03,060 --> 00:27:04,050 S1: Top Gun Maverick did. 527 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:08,010 S3: I mean, I would not be unhappy if Tom Cruise 528 00:27:08,010 --> 00:27:10,680 S3: is up on the stage like jumping on a couch. Great. 529 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,590 S1: I think the other thing about everything everywhere and this 530 00:27:13,590 --> 00:27:16,230 S1: is an opportunity, I guess, to also talk about some 531 00:27:16,230 --> 00:27:20,460 S1: of the acting categories, it clearly has support from the 532 00:27:20,460 --> 00:27:23,700 S1: acting branches as well as the directing branches, because so 533 00:27:23,700 --> 00:27:27,659 S1: many members of its cast were nominated like in Best 534 00:27:28,380 --> 00:27:30,840 S1: Actress in a supporting role. Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie 535 00:27:30,850 --> 00:27:33,480 S1: Sue are both nominated. That's two out of five are 536 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,810 S1: from the same movie Kihei Kwan. We spoke about Michelle Yeoh, 537 00:27:37,650 --> 00:27:39,689 S1: the lead. She's nominated as well. So there is a 538 00:27:39,690 --> 00:27:42,120 S1: lot of love for the movie. So you're probably right 539 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:44,669 S1: that it's still the favorite. But I do like the 540 00:27:44,670 --> 00:27:47,730 S1: idea that anything including Top Gun Maverick could could take 541 00:27:47,730 --> 00:27:48,179 S1: its spot. 542 00:27:48,390 --> 00:27:50,400 S3: It's exciting. And there's a lot of love for dances 543 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:52,530 S3: as well. And she's of any share and I mean 544 00:27:52,859 --> 00:27:56,640 S3: people inside the academy really like Martin McDonagh and that 545 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:59,369 S3: could be a light riser as well. I mean, Colin 546 00:27:59,369 --> 00:28:01,050 S3: Farrell is a favourite to take best actor. 547 00:28:01,050 --> 00:28:03,270 S1: So yeah, we haven't really talked much about the best 548 00:28:03,270 --> 00:28:06,090 S1: directing and best actor categories. Let's talk about those for 549 00:28:06,090 --> 00:28:08,520 S1: a second and on Best Directing. So the five nominees 550 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,580 S1: are Martin McDonagh for badges of ensuring the Daniels for 551 00:28:11,580 --> 00:28:14,610 S1: Everything Everywhere. Steven Spielberg for the five Women, Todd Field 552 00:28:14,609 --> 00:28:18,420 S1: for Tor and Ruben ÖSTLUND for Triangle of Sadness. To me, 553 00:28:18,420 --> 00:28:21,419 S1: it feels like Spielberg is the favourite for this. It 554 00:28:21,420 --> 00:28:23,580 S1: just feels like he like you said, Gary, it's a 555 00:28:23,580 --> 00:28:26,220 S1: movie about making a movie. It's the origin story of 556 00:28:26,430 --> 00:28:28,920 S1: one of the most acclaimed directors in Hollywood. It feels 557 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:31,679 S1: like it'd be a nice way to cap off a 558 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,919 S1: pretty stellar career. But to me, the thing that's the 559 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,380 S1: most interesting, other than the fact that we're back to 560 00:28:37,380 --> 00:28:40,710 S1: all male nominees, is that Buzz is nominated for this. And, 561 00:28:41,370 --> 00:28:44,730 S1: you know, I'm a I'm a pretty unashamed buzz supporter, 562 00:28:44,730 --> 00:28:47,460 S1: I think. Gary, you're quite a supporter of his films 563 00:28:47,460 --> 00:28:49,980 S1: and appreciate of them as well. When I think about 564 00:28:50,220 --> 00:28:53,880 S1: his films and you think about a director's role and 565 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,580 S1: what it takes to make a film, it's like there's 566 00:28:56,580 --> 00:28:58,620 S1: no one who directs more than Baz, right? Like you 567 00:28:58,620 --> 00:29:00,870 S1: see a bazillion film and it's got his stamp all 568 00:29:00,870 --> 00:29:03,270 S1: over it. It's kind of fascinating to me that the 569 00:29:03,270 --> 00:29:05,880 S1: film's nominated for Best Picture. Austin Butler was nominated for 570 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:10,270 S1: best Lead Actor. The production, the costume by his wife Catherine. 571 00:29:10,350 --> 00:29:12,510 S1: She's nominated as well. But the guy who brought it 572 00:29:12,510 --> 00:29:14,850 S1: all together, sorry, should not leave off Mandy Walker, the 573 00:29:14,850 --> 00:29:18,030 S1: Australian cinematographer, who, if she wins, will become the first 574 00:29:18,030 --> 00:29:21,240 S1: woman ever. So every piece of this movie is nominated 575 00:29:21,420 --> 00:29:23,430 S1: except for Baz who put it together. I mean, am 576 00:29:23,430 --> 00:29:26,070 S1: I losing my mind? Gary? What? How do you feel about. 577 00:29:26,100 --> 00:29:28,680 S2: Yeah, I think yeah, I think you're right. It's it's 578 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:31,860 S2: very much a film, which is a director's vision, more 579 00:29:31,860 --> 00:29:33,260 S2: so than some of these other films. 580 00:29:33,270 --> 00:29:35,640 S1: What about you? Might your thoughts on the directing field? 581 00:29:35,970 --> 00:29:38,040 S3: I think it'll go to Spielberg because I think a 582 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:39,390 S3: lot of people will see it as a bit of 583 00:29:39,390 --> 00:29:43,380 S3: a lifetime achievement award. And I mean, you know, everyone 584 00:29:43,380 --> 00:29:46,020 S3: loves Steven Spielberg. It's hard to deny it. I think 585 00:29:46,020 --> 00:29:49,560 S3: it probably from the people on that list, I'd like 586 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,690 S3: it to go to the Daniels for the reasons we mentioned. 587 00:29:51,690 --> 00:29:53,730 S3: I mean, I think everything every was a really inventive 588 00:29:53,730 --> 00:29:55,920 S3: and fun movie and the way that they kind of 589 00:29:56,310 --> 00:29:59,790 S3: merged genre in that film and made action. It's so funny. 590 00:29:59,790 --> 00:30:02,190 S3: I think it's it stands out to me, but I 591 00:30:02,190 --> 00:30:03,330 S3: think it's Spielberg's to lose. 592 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:08,160 S2: I think that probably the Daniels here might win, even 593 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:11,220 S2: if it doesn't win Best picture. I think that people 594 00:30:11,220 --> 00:30:15,060 S2: actually see these two guys as, you know, really creative, 595 00:30:15,330 --> 00:30:20,220 S2: bright sparks who who've brought this incredible film from, you know, 596 00:30:20,700 --> 00:30:24,570 S2: nowhere to actually this success. I think they would probably 597 00:30:24,570 --> 00:30:27,150 S2: be the ones that I would think most likely to 598 00:30:27,150 --> 00:30:29,010 S2: win this, even if they even if they don't win 599 00:30:29,010 --> 00:30:29,520 S2: best picture. 600 00:30:30,030 --> 00:30:32,940 S1: Yeah. There is a scenario where everything everywhere, it doesn't 601 00:30:32,940 --> 00:30:35,130 S1: get impacted in the same way that other frontrunners have 602 00:30:35,130 --> 00:30:38,520 S1: and it just continues to snowball and ends up sweeping 603 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:41,520 S1: like that is a potential scenario here, which should be 604 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:44,250 S1: pretty extraordinary. Let's, um, let's finish our chat on the 605 00:30:44,250 --> 00:30:46,920 S1: categories by going to best actor, which I think is 606 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:50,580 S1: one of the most complicated and an open races in 607 00:30:50,580 --> 00:30:53,940 S1: the sense that there's quite a few that I could 608 00:30:53,940 --> 00:30:56,850 S1: see taking it out like Austin Butler and Elvis has won. 609 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:58,770 S1: He won the Golden Globes. He gave, you know, what 610 00:30:58,770 --> 00:31:00,870 S1: everyone seemed to think was quite a good speech in 611 00:31:00,870 --> 00:31:04,350 S1: that Elvis voice that he seems to have adopted permanently. 612 00:31:04,590 --> 00:31:07,170 S1: A Colin Farrell in Banshee was one of my favorite 613 00:31:07,170 --> 00:31:09,959 S1: performances of the year. Brendan Fraser In the Well, I 614 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:12,840 S1: didn't love that movie, but there's a narrative about Brendan 615 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:15,140 S1: Fraser is kind of come back after. A lot of 616 00:31:15,140 --> 00:31:18,770 S1: challenges that he's had. Paul Mescal on Aftersun is another 617 00:31:18,770 --> 00:31:21,920 S1: extraordinary performance in Bill Nighy in Living. Not a film 618 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,320 S1: I've actually seen, but by all accounts he's great in 619 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:26,690 S1: that too. Gary might start with you. I mean, do 620 00:31:26,690 --> 00:31:28,490 S1: you do you think that this is what Austin Butler 621 00:31:28,490 --> 00:31:30,080 S1: has got sewn up or is it or is it open? 622 00:31:30,890 --> 00:31:33,590 S2: Funnily enough, as we're speaking, the Screen Actors Guild Awards 623 00:31:33,590 --> 00:31:36,680 S2: are on and it'll be really interesting to see whether 624 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:40,070 S2: Austin Butler wins there. I think he's the favourite now 625 00:31:40,790 --> 00:31:44,660 S2: for a while. I think Brendan seemed like that narrative, 626 00:31:44,660 --> 00:31:47,480 S2: the comeback narrative, was so powerful and he's so good 627 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:51,770 S2: in it and he transformed himself to play that that 628 00:31:51,770 --> 00:31:54,620 S2: role of a an English professor who is, you know, 629 00:31:54,620 --> 00:31:57,980 S2: morbidly obese and ashamed of his place in the world. 630 00:31:59,390 --> 00:32:01,340 S2: Bill Nighy I have seen, I have seen living in 631 00:32:01,340 --> 00:32:06,680 S2: he's he's quite brilliant. It's more of a contained sort 632 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:10,280 S2: of role, not necessarily the sort of role that you 633 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:14,240 S2: would would draw attention to his acting. Um, yeah, I 634 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:18,230 S2: think Austin Butler I think is probably going to win 635 00:32:18,330 --> 00:32:20,750 S2: and I think deserves it from as soon as we 636 00:32:20,750 --> 00:32:24,470 S2: saw that film we realised how much effort had gone 637 00:32:24,470 --> 00:32:31,959 S2: into transforming himself into a character who we, everybody knows Elvis. 638 00:32:31,970 --> 00:32:34,310 S2: So we he has to be unless he's going to 639 00:32:34,310 --> 00:32:38,360 S2: do something which is very distinctive and interpretation, a lot 640 00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:39,680 S2: of people are going to say, Well, he has to 641 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:41,600 S2: be like Elvis, and he certainly was. And the fact 642 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:44,270 S2: that he sang a lot of the early songs because 643 00:32:44,270 --> 00:32:47,270 S2: the mono recordings were not strong enough. Yeah, I think 644 00:32:47,270 --> 00:32:50,479 S2: that's such a brilliant performance that I think he deserves 645 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:51,440 S2: to win and will. 646 00:32:52,010 --> 00:32:55,760 S3: Hell yeah. Austin Butler I've written about how much I 647 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:58,760 S3: love us and Butler physically in this role and also 648 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:02,780 S3: how much I love Elvis generally the man, not necessarily 649 00:33:02,780 --> 00:33:06,140 S3: everything about the film, but I agree. I think it's 650 00:33:06,140 --> 00:33:09,860 S3: a race between Colin Farrell, Brendan Fraser and Austin Butler. 651 00:33:09,860 --> 00:33:12,590 S3: But I feel like maybe the votes for Colin Farrell 652 00:33:12,590 --> 00:33:15,260 S3: and Brendan Fraser all kind of cancel each other out 653 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:18,650 S3: and then Austin would sweep through with this big mainstream love. Yeah, 654 00:33:18,830 --> 00:33:21,350 S3: and I think, like you said, Gary, he deserves it. 655 00:33:21,350 --> 00:33:23,300 S3: I mean, this is a role that no one has 656 00:33:23,300 --> 00:33:27,350 S3: been impersonated more played more lived, more in the popular 657 00:33:27,350 --> 00:33:32,900 S3: imagination than Elvis Presley. And to bring something not necessarily new, 658 00:33:32,900 --> 00:33:36,050 S3: but something exciting to that is really hard to do 659 00:33:36,050 --> 00:33:39,650 S3: and also something that honors who he was and his work. 660 00:33:39,650 --> 00:33:41,330 S3: I mean, it's a hard thing for someone who was 661 00:33:41,330 --> 00:33:42,320 S3: in the twenties to do. 662 00:33:42,830 --> 00:33:44,900 S1: Gary and Meg, thank you so much for joining us 663 00:33:44,900 --> 00:33:46,880 S1: because I think it's extraordinary. There's so much to talk 664 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:49,010 S1: about when not a single vote has yet been cast. 665 00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:52,010 S1: But that's a wonderful thing about awards season Should be great. 666 00:33:52,140 --> 00:33:53,030 S2: Always lovely to talk. 667 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:56,360 S1: Let's go to my conversation with Mandy Walker, who's nominated 668 00:33:56,660 --> 00:34:08,879 S1: for best cinematography at this year's Academy Awards. Many were 669 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:12,870 S1: talking ahead of the Oscars, voting period, officially kicking off. 670 00:34:12,870 --> 00:34:17,700 S1: You're nominated for best cinematography. You're the third woman ever 671 00:34:18,090 --> 00:34:20,280 S1: in history to be nominated for that award. And if 672 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:23,040 S1: you won, you would be the first woman to ever 673 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:25,950 S1: win it. How did you react? How did you feel 674 00:34:25,950 --> 00:34:27,719 S1: when when you were nominated and how are you feeling 675 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:29,790 S1: now heading into the voting period? 676 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:36,420 S5: Look, I'm really excited about it and I'm happy and 677 00:34:36,420 --> 00:34:39,960 S5: I'm just enjoying the ride, you know, flying over to 678 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:43,650 S5: London for the BAFTAs and and our film won for. 679 00:34:43,650 --> 00:34:48,000 S5: So we were celebrating that. And then going into the 680 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:52,049 S5: the next phase, the American Society of Cinematographers. I've been 681 00:34:52,050 --> 00:34:55,020 S5: nominated for that and the Oscars. So, yeah, it's a 682 00:34:55,020 --> 00:34:56,850 S5: wild ride, but it's really fun. 683 00:34:57,420 --> 00:34:59,250 S1: And I should also point out, it's not just the 684 00:34:59,250 --> 00:35:00,960 S1: Oscars that have that record. I think if you won 685 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:03,509 S1: the AX award, you would also be the first woman 686 00:35:03,510 --> 00:35:05,279 S1: and you were the first woman to win the actor 687 00:35:05,460 --> 00:35:08,280 S1: as well, on which you have already got under your belt. 688 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:10,080 S1: We're going to get into the Oscars a bit more 689 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:13,080 S1: later on in the convo. And I also obviously want 690 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:16,020 S1: to talk to you about your work on Elvis. But 691 00:35:16,380 --> 00:35:18,590 S1: before that, can we talk a bit about your career 692 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:21,989 S1: more generally? Because I've been an admirer for a very 693 00:35:21,989 --> 00:35:24,450 S1: long time. You've had such a a fascinating and varied 694 00:35:24,450 --> 00:35:27,870 S1: career from the ABC show Raw FM, which was this 695 00:35:27,870 --> 00:35:31,890 S1: TV series about an independent radio station, one of my 696 00:35:31,890 --> 00:35:34,129 S1: favorite Australian films of all time. You were the appear 697 00:35:34,140 --> 00:35:38,130 S1: on Lantana back in 2001 and you directed what I 698 00:35:38,130 --> 00:35:41,880 S1: think is a really underrated film, 2003 Shattered Glass, which 699 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:44,879 S1: is about this real world journalism scandal. I'm really curious 700 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:49,740 S1: about how that jump happened from those Australian productions to 701 00:35:49,980 --> 00:35:52,200 S1: that American one in 2003. 702 00:35:52,890 --> 00:35:58,560 S5: Thank you for your your lovely comments. First off, the 703 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:04,109 S5: it's funny because the reason I got to work with Bess, 704 00:36:04,110 --> 00:36:08,569 S5: first of all, was because he'd seen Lantana in the Sun, 705 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:12,350 S5: The sign for shattered Glass. The director of Shattered Glass, 706 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:17,080 S5: Billy Ray, contacted me in Australia after he'd seen Lantana 707 00:36:17,100 --> 00:36:20,700 S5: about that movie. And so that was my first American film. 708 00:36:20,700 --> 00:36:23,879 S5: So that was sort of, I think I'd shot like 709 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:28,290 S5: 12 movies or something in Australia. And so when I 710 00:36:28,290 --> 00:36:31,310 S5: got to do that, I moved over here and then, 711 00:36:31,410 --> 00:36:34,050 S5: you know, of course I've been back for a few 712 00:36:34,050 --> 00:36:37,560 S5: films and I live in Los Angeles, but we never 713 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:41,520 S5: shoot in Los Angeles. So I think Canada shot five 714 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:45,270 S5: films or something and and then and Boston and New 715 00:36:45,270 --> 00:36:49,680 S5: Mexico and Atlanta. But yeah, that was that. It's interesting 716 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:52,290 S5: that you say that because that was the catalyst for 717 00:36:52,290 --> 00:36:55,080 S5: me getting, you know, quite a few jobs. 718 00:36:55,739 --> 00:36:58,230 S1: I was going to ask you about where you and 719 00:36:58,230 --> 00:37:01,560 S1: Baz first connected because you shot Australia. That was the 720 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:05,040 S1: first feature you shot with him. Where did that? Was 721 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:08,310 S1: that something that was in the works since he saw Lantana? 722 00:37:08,310 --> 00:37:11,040 S1: Were the other projects he'd worked on? In between, I'm 723 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:14,700 S1: really fascinated by what kind of was happening between those years. 724 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:19,469 S5: Well, after he saw Lantana was when he wanted to 725 00:37:19,469 --> 00:37:23,490 S5: talk to me about shooting the Chanel number five short films. 726 00:37:23,489 --> 00:37:26,310 S5: They are. They were commercials, but really they were short films. 727 00:37:26,310 --> 00:37:29,279 S5: I think we worked on them for like four weeks 728 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:33,570 S5: or something. So that was the first time he asked 729 00:37:33,570 --> 00:37:36,000 S5: to meet me. And I went in and we started 730 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:39,960 S5: talking and realized we had both had a love for 731 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:45,239 S5: photography and, and, and then he and he asked me 732 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:48,150 S5: about Lantana and also just about my work in general. 733 00:37:48,150 --> 00:37:51,330 S5: But we started a conversation that's kind of kept going 734 00:37:51,330 --> 00:37:56,910 S5: about art and photography and movies and cinematography. And and 735 00:37:56,910 --> 00:38:00,239 S5: then after that, he asked me to do Australia. So 736 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:03,690 S5: did the beginning of that was the Chanel number five, 737 00:38:03,690 --> 00:38:06,000 S5: and that was 20 years ago now. 738 00:38:06,060 --> 00:38:08,940 S1: Wow. And that also that was starring Nicole Kidman, right? 739 00:38:09,060 --> 00:38:11,850 S5: Yes, as well. Yes. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Yeah, it was. 740 00:38:12,090 --> 00:38:14,460 S5: And so that was the first time I'd worked with her, too. 741 00:38:14,730 --> 00:38:17,970 S5: And then after that, we had such a great time 742 00:38:17,969 --> 00:38:22,560 S5: and a great working relationship on that project that he 743 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:25,170 S5: said to me, Do you want to do Australia? And 744 00:38:25,170 --> 00:38:28,200 S5: for me that was a huge jump in my career 745 00:38:29,310 --> 00:38:31,770 S5: and I'd been shooting a lot of, you know, big 746 00:38:31,770 --> 00:38:36,000 S5: budget commercials and doing car commercials and things. So I 747 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,610 S5: didn't feel daunted about taking on a big project, but 748 00:38:38,610 --> 00:38:40,950 S5: I had not done a big studio film like that 749 00:38:41,670 --> 00:38:45,690 S5: and he believed in me. And I do remember he 750 00:38:45,690 --> 00:38:50,340 S5: said something that stuck with me my whole career, and 751 00:38:50,340 --> 00:38:52,170 S5: I say to other people when they're doing it to 752 00:38:52,170 --> 00:38:54,239 S5: be a bit of a jump is that he said, 753 00:38:54,239 --> 00:38:57,210 S5: You're an artist and a technician, but now you've got 754 00:38:57,210 --> 00:39:00,870 S5: to be a general. Wow. And that was about, you know, 755 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:04,230 S5: taking charge of a big crew of over 100 people 756 00:39:04,230 --> 00:39:08,440 S5: and two other units and and just kind. The process 757 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:13,090 S5: of organizing and collaborating and communicating was something I learned 758 00:39:13,150 --> 00:39:14,560 S5: on that, on that project. 759 00:39:15,430 --> 00:39:17,830 S1: I want to pick up on something you mentioned just 760 00:39:17,830 --> 00:39:20,650 S1: a couple of minutes ago, the conversation you and Buzz 761 00:39:20,650 --> 00:39:23,920 S1: started that's going on to this day about art and photography. 762 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:27,640 S1: That sounds so interesting. Is that about, you know, creators, 763 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:30,520 S1: artists that you look up to a particular moment? You 764 00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:33,370 S1: guys talk about films, old or new, that you both 765 00:39:33,370 --> 00:39:35,920 S1: think are doing something interesting. What's that conversation like? 766 00:39:36,100 --> 00:39:40,720 S5: I think it's about the exploration of of art and 767 00:39:40,719 --> 00:39:44,469 S5: photography in history and because it's something that we started 768 00:39:44,469 --> 00:39:49,210 S5: looking at for Australia as well is, you know, how 769 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:53,080 S5: he's just an amazing storyteller and he's a visionary. And 770 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:56,530 S5: how I fit into that is the team that he 771 00:39:56,530 --> 00:40:01,450 S5: puts together because there's Kathryn Mountain, of course, that works 772 00:40:01,690 --> 00:40:06,370 S5: on all his projects and they have a they start 773 00:40:06,370 --> 00:40:10,090 S5: their dialogue really early on. So and then there's me, 774 00:40:10,090 --> 00:40:15,100 S5: and then he'll bring in other collaborators such as, you know, 775 00:40:15,100 --> 00:40:19,810 S5: VFX and hair and makeup. And so there's always a 776 00:40:19,810 --> 00:40:27,400 S5: discussion going on about reference and, and inspiration and, and storytelling, basically. 777 00:40:27,670 --> 00:40:33,550 S5: And so when I come in, it will talk about 778 00:40:33,550 --> 00:40:36,040 S5: these things, but then he'll have a lot of meetings 779 00:40:36,040 --> 00:40:39,460 S5: where all of us sit together. And it's important that 780 00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:44,230 S5: on a film like this and on Australia, that the 781 00:40:44,230 --> 00:40:47,290 S5: visual language has a coherence to it and a harmony, 782 00:40:48,010 --> 00:40:52,840 S5: all those elements that are involved. So that conversation goes 783 00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:54,010 S5: on all the time. 784 00:40:55,170 --> 00:40:59,489 S1: Let's talk about Elvis. There's so many things about shooting 785 00:40:59,489 --> 00:41:02,190 S1: a film like this that I feel like makes it 786 00:41:02,190 --> 00:41:05,340 S1: particularly complicated. I mean, the first one to me is 787 00:41:05,340 --> 00:41:08,640 S1: the fact that unlike Australia, it's a film about a 788 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:12,210 S1: real person who has been filmed and been in films 789 00:41:12,210 --> 00:41:15,629 S1: so many times. How did that factor into the way 790 00:41:15,630 --> 00:41:17,819 S1: that you shot the movie or did it at all? 791 00:41:18,090 --> 00:41:22,680 S5: No, hugely, for a start. One of the things that 792 00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:29,550 S5: I started researching for myself was existing footage of Elvis 793 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:32,340 S5: that you could look at in one his movies, obviously, 794 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:36,480 S5: but also those concerts that people are very familiar with. 795 00:41:36,630 --> 00:41:42,480 S5: For instance, the NBC 68 special, The Comeback Special, that 796 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:47,489 S5: was the Vegas showroom. There's a documentary called That's What 797 00:41:47,500 --> 00:41:54,029 S5: It Is. That was shot for his first performance. And Rosewood, 798 00:41:54,030 --> 00:41:58,290 S5: which is the concert that he does, he sings Trouble 799 00:41:58,290 --> 00:42:02,790 S5: where the police come and take him offstage, though, because 800 00:42:02,790 --> 00:42:06,000 S5: we had to reproduce those exactly what was what was 801 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:11,020 S5: called Trainspotting. And he flipped. I want you to go 802 00:42:11,020 --> 00:42:14,110 S5: and study the Mandi. I want the exact lighting. I 803 00:42:14,110 --> 00:42:17,049 S5: want the exact camera angles. And it was also a 804 00:42:17,050 --> 00:42:22,690 S5: cue for me to look at home movies of Elvis 805 00:42:23,110 --> 00:42:27,880 S5: and and also art and photography from the periods that 806 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:30,640 S5: he grew up in, you know? So all those things 807 00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:32,680 S5: I was looking at and I built lenses for the 808 00:42:32,680 --> 00:42:35,080 S5: first part of his life that were more sort of 809 00:42:35,080 --> 00:42:40,390 S5: period spherical lenses that were from Lawrence of Arabia, actually. 810 00:42:40,870 --> 00:42:42,320 S5: Oh yeah. 811 00:42:42,370 --> 00:42:44,650 S1: And you recreated those lenses from that era? 812 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:48,070 S5: Yeah, yeah. The 65 mil lenses. And then we went 813 00:42:48,070 --> 00:42:51,910 S5: anamorphic for Vegas. So in my head is sort of like, 814 00:42:51,910 --> 00:42:57,100 S5: how do we represent this time, this experience to an 815 00:42:57,100 --> 00:43:00,540 S5: audience that replicated that footage, but then also, you know, 816 00:43:00,550 --> 00:43:04,360 S5: the storytelling in between. So for me there was always 817 00:43:05,170 --> 00:43:08,950 S5: the those I was always thinking of the Trainspotting footage, 818 00:43:08,950 --> 00:43:11,770 S5: the concept footage, but how it integrated with the drama 819 00:43:11,770 --> 00:43:15,910 S5: of the film. And in terms of the camera language, 820 00:43:15,910 --> 00:43:19,569 S5: there was also there was three very distinct styles that 821 00:43:19,570 --> 00:43:23,049 S5: I was following, and one was the camera had to 822 00:43:23,050 --> 00:43:27,759 S5: dance with Elvis. The camera had to fly when he flew, 823 00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:32,049 S5: and then when there was an emotional drama going on, 824 00:43:32,050 --> 00:43:35,420 S5: we really would slow down and be observational and bit 825 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:41,440 S5: more elegant. And so how to integrate those into each 826 00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:45,779 S5: part of the the sequences. Because when we were shooting 827 00:43:45,780 --> 00:43:49,060 S5: in concert, there was drama going on. So I wanted 828 00:43:49,060 --> 00:43:52,330 S5: it to look like there was a flow between the 829 00:43:52,330 --> 00:43:56,710 S5: two without jumping around and then also be conscious of 830 00:43:57,190 --> 00:44:01,420 S5: the journey of time, you know, from Vic's 50 6070s 831 00:44:01,420 --> 00:44:05,290 S5: in the progression of his career and the things that 832 00:44:05,290 --> 00:44:07,570 S5: influenced him. So, you know, there was a lot of 833 00:44:07,570 --> 00:44:10,690 S5: things going on in my head in my pre-production to 834 00:44:10,690 --> 00:44:12,400 S5: create that visual language. 835 00:44:13,290 --> 00:44:15,160 S1: You taken me very neatly to the next thing I 836 00:44:15,160 --> 00:44:17,080 S1: was going to ask you about, which is, I mean, 837 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:19,540 S1: the movie is so frenetic, which is a bit of 838 00:44:19,540 --> 00:44:22,989 S1: a trademark of Baz's, and you describe the camera, you know, 839 00:44:22,989 --> 00:44:25,570 S1: it's there. It's like it's a participant basically in what's 840 00:44:25,570 --> 00:44:28,990 S1: going on. It's dancing with Austin Butler as he's Elvis. 841 00:44:28,989 --> 00:44:33,520 S1: He's it's flying when he's flying, as you said. How 842 00:44:33,520 --> 00:44:35,890 S1: do you prepare for that? Like how much we talk 843 00:44:35,890 --> 00:44:39,730 S1: about actors in rehearsal. We talk about, you know, testing, lighting, testing, 844 00:44:39,730 --> 00:44:44,110 S1: different locations. But as a cinematographer, what is that like? 845 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:50,399 S5: Well, Perez gets me involved really early in the process, 846 00:44:51,090 --> 00:44:55,980 S5: and so I was there for Austin's first rehearsal. Lopez 847 00:44:55,980 --> 00:44:58,080 S5: called it a workshop, but it was the first time 848 00:44:58,080 --> 00:45:01,260 S5: he was working with him. And I was there with 849 00:45:01,260 --> 00:45:05,940 S5: my stills camera, taking photos, looking at angles, starting to explore. 850 00:45:06,420 --> 00:45:13,020 S5: But also, I think that I was conscious of him 851 00:45:13,020 --> 00:45:15,750 S5: getting used to me, too, because we knew that he 852 00:45:15,750 --> 00:45:17,670 S5: was going to have cameras in his face all the 853 00:45:17,670 --> 00:45:20,569 S5: time and there was going to be a crane flying 854 00:45:20,570 --> 00:45:23,009 S5: in from 50 foot away to take the crane right 855 00:45:23,010 --> 00:45:25,560 S5: up into his, you know, a big close up. And 856 00:45:25,980 --> 00:45:29,250 S5: so it was a process of us all getting together 857 00:45:29,250 --> 00:45:33,260 S5: and working out how it worked together. And also, you know, 858 00:45:33,270 --> 00:45:35,760 S5: I had to I had to get my team in 859 00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:38,879 S5: really early to learn the songs, to learn the choreography. 860 00:45:39,540 --> 00:45:42,810 S5: And I built the lenses very early on and did 861 00:45:42,810 --> 00:45:44,670 S5: a lot of tests with those. And as you were saying, 862 00:45:44,670 --> 00:45:48,270 S5: like we tested, we never kind of on a pairs film, 863 00:45:48,270 --> 00:45:54,390 S5: just test one thing. Like when we're doing a test for, say, the, 864 00:45:54,420 --> 00:45:58,080 S5: you know, the, the bus, the vista liner, you know, the, 865 00:45:58,080 --> 00:46:02,520 S5: the motorhome that was out at MGM Park when they 866 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:05,010 S5: built that. But we had to also shoot in it. 867 00:46:05,010 --> 00:46:07,380 S5: So we had to work out how the camera would 868 00:46:07,380 --> 00:46:10,589 S5: fit in there, how the that crane could move through there. 869 00:46:10,590 --> 00:46:12,450 S5: What if we needed to pull out a wall to 870 00:46:12,450 --> 00:46:15,900 S5: get a certain shot, an angle? And in that moment 871 00:46:15,900 --> 00:46:18,720 S5: we would be testing the colors of gold, the colors 872 00:46:18,719 --> 00:46:22,259 S5: of bread, the textures of bread, the curtains, the costume colors, 873 00:46:22,469 --> 00:46:26,340 S5: the lighting that I was doing and ideas. So we'd 874 00:46:26,340 --> 00:46:30,480 S5: always be doing due diligence with all the elements together. 875 00:46:30,870 --> 00:46:34,800 S5: And because I had very a quite strong look up 876 00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:38,850 S5: tables which were like color grades on each of the 877 00:46:38,850 --> 00:46:41,910 S5: sections of the movie too. So I'd be testing that 878 00:46:41,910 --> 00:46:45,540 S5: to make sure what I was doing was not clashing 879 00:46:45,540 --> 00:46:47,730 S5: with the colors in the sets and things like that. 880 00:46:47,739 --> 00:46:49,650 S5: So it was a process that we would go back 881 00:46:49,650 --> 00:46:53,219 S5: and forward quite a few times to make sure we 882 00:46:53,219 --> 00:46:54,480 S5: were in harmony, really. 883 00:46:55,420 --> 00:46:59,190 S1: It's sounds like an incredible amount of detail and an effort. 884 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:02,980 S1: Is that is that something that is particular to the 885 00:47:02,980 --> 00:47:05,470 S1: way that bass shoots things versus, you know, you've worked 886 00:47:05,469 --> 00:47:08,230 S1: with so many other directors that. Description of the process 887 00:47:08,230 --> 00:47:12,279 S1: you're talking about sounds particularly unique to a movie like this. 888 00:47:13,090 --> 00:47:16,239 S5: You're absolutely right. I don't know another director that works 889 00:47:16,239 --> 00:47:21,010 S5: like him. I mean, he's all about being. Super planned 890 00:47:21,010 --> 00:47:24,670 S5: because we had like a 93 day shoot with over 891 00:47:24,670 --> 00:47:27,700 S5: 100 sets and some of those sets a huge like 892 00:47:27,880 --> 00:47:32,380 S5: we built everything that the whole Vegas showroom, all of 893 00:47:32,380 --> 00:47:37,120 S5: the concerts were built from scratch, the lighting, the stage, everything. 894 00:47:37,120 --> 00:47:40,930 S5: We'd never shot in any theaters. And, you know, we 895 00:47:40,930 --> 00:47:43,690 S5: built Beale Street, we built four blocks of Beale Street 896 00:47:43,690 --> 00:47:47,830 S5: on a backlot. Everything in Australia is, you know. And 897 00:47:48,730 --> 00:47:52,750 S5: he likes to be like everybody turns up on set. 898 00:47:52,750 --> 00:47:56,230 S5: We know exactly what we're doing. And then because we're 899 00:47:56,230 --> 00:47:59,020 S5: planned and we know what we're doing, you leave yourself 900 00:47:59,020 --> 00:48:02,290 S5: open to special moments or something magic that might happen 901 00:48:02,710 --> 00:48:06,040 S5: during the shooting day. Like so, for instance, we're doing 902 00:48:06,100 --> 00:48:10,000 S5: Trainspotting sequences, which are the ones that we're replicating. And 903 00:48:10,000 --> 00:48:12,609 S5: then he would say, Okay, we're in a riff now. 904 00:48:12,640 --> 00:48:14,819 S5: The camera's going to go, You're going to get on 905 00:48:14,830 --> 00:48:19,210 S5: stage with us and dance with Austin and or, you know, 906 00:48:19,390 --> 00:48:23,920 S5: something's happening with him coming out of the dressing room 907 00:48:24,219 --> 00:48:27,009 S5: that works with him coming on stage from this angle. 908 00:48:27,010 --> 00:48:31,360 S5: So we'd be able to explore and and try things 909 00:48:31,750 --> 00:48:35,470 S5: that we see in the moment. And that comes from 910 00:48:36,010 --> 00:48:38,410 S5: being super plan and not making it up as you 911 00:48:38,410 --> 00:48:42,250 S5: go along. You know, I mean, my job is like 912 00:48:42,250 --> 00:48:44,350 S5: I have to be a bit of a chameleon because 913 00:48:45,370 --> 00:48:48,219 S5: there's working with bears and then there's working with other 914 00:48:48,219 --> 00:48:52,390 S5: directors that I really admire. But the different way of 915 00:48:52,390 --> 00:48:55,030 S5: working that I like to explore on the day when 916 00:48:55,030 --> 00:48:57,160 S5: the actors come on the set, we're in the moment 917 00:48:57,160 --> 00:49:00,160 S5: of the scene. We work out the blocking, we work 918 00:49:00,160 --> 00:49:03,129 S5: out how to shoot it in that at that very 919 00:49:03,130 --> 00:49:06,190 S5: moment of shooting the scene. So, you know, I have 920 00:49:06,190 --> 00:49:08,080 S5: to kind of work at very early on when I'm 921 00:49:08,080 --> 00:49:12,970 S5: in early discussions with the director is how they work 922 00:49:12,969 --> 00:49:15,850 S5: with storytelling. And there's a few, you know, different ways 923 00:49:15,850 --> 00:49:18,279 S5: of working and how they want me to work because 924 00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:22,510 S5: my job is to help them tell a story through 925 00:49:22,510 --> 00:49:27,580 S5: visuals and lighting and camera. So yeah, so but with bears, 926 00:49:27,580 --> 00:49:30,190 S5: I know what it is now, and I know from 927 00:49:30,190 --> 00:49:34,089 S5: the very beginning it's going to be that journey of 928 00:49:35,170 --> 00:49:37,810 S5: being super prepared on, on the day. 929 00:49:38,170 --> 00:49:43,299 S1: I thought this even before this conversation. It's kind of 930 00:49:43,300 --> 00:49:46,060 S1: extraordinary to me that as for Elvis or for any 931 00:49:46,060 --> 00:49:48,580 S1: of his movies has not gotten a best director nomination 932 00:49:48,580 --> 00:49:51,370 S1: because they are movies that seem to be the most direct. 933 00:49:51,700 --> 00:49:53,140 S1: You know, when you think about a movie that gets 934 00:49:53,330 --> 00:49:55,089 S1: a best picture nom, who do you think made it? 935 00:49:55,120 --> 00:49:58,270 S1: Who pulled it all together? It's quite, quite, quite interesting. Yeah. 936 00:49:58,810 --> 00:50:02,020 S5: I know we're all there doing our work because he's 937 00:50:02,020 --> 00:50:02,680 S5: our leader. 938 00:50:03,310 --> 00:50:05,469 S1: Let's talk about the Oscars a bit more generally. And look, I, 939 00:50:06,280 --> 00:50:09,580 S1: I don't want to just talk about the diversity because 940 00:50:09,580 --> 00:50:12,040 S1: I think, you know, your your role, the movie, your 941 00:50:12,040 --> 00:50:16,690 S1: work on it stands on its own. But I do think, 942 00:50:16,690 --> 00:50:19,390 S1: you know, these things when these statistics come up, when 943 00:50:19,390 --> 00:50:22,299 S1: you talk about how if Michelle Yeoh wins for best actress, 944 00:50:22,300 --> 00:50:24,850 S1: she'll be know the first East East Asian woman to 945 00:50:24,850 --> 00:50:28,660 S1: win the conversation around OscarsSoWhite was was years ago. Now 946 00:50:28,660 --> 00:50:31,719 S1: there's not been a black DP who's won I think 947 00:50:31,719 --> 00:50:34,810 S1: there's only been three who've been nominated. It feels like 948 00:50:34,810 --> 00:50:38,080 S1: the Academy is still kind of really struggling with this. 949 00:50:38,080 --> 00:50:38,860 S1: Is that fair to say? 950 00:50:39,700 --> 00:50:44,739 S5: Well, yeah, look, it's good that it's been brought up, 951 00:50:44,800 --> 00:50:46,670 S5: you know, like it's good that we talk about it 952 00:50:46,780 --> 00:50:49,330 S5: in the conversation because I think a lot of people 953 00:50:49,330 --> 00:50:54,520 S5: are not aware and and the also I think it's 954 00:50:54,520 --> 00:50:59,350 S5: definitely getting better because I am the third and in 955 00:50:59,350 --> 00:51:03,640 S5: terms of women and I think that the more we 956 00:51:03,640 --> 00:51:06,580 S5: talk about it, the more people are going to be 957 00:51:06,910 --> 00:51:10,419 S5: cognizant of the change. And when I first started, I 958 00:51:10,420 --> 00:51:13,299 S5: was like the only woman on set, you know, in 959 00:51:13,300 --> 00:51:19,239 S5: my department, definitely for a really long time. And then, 960 00:51:19,450 --> 00:51:23,049 S5: you know, I think even now, something like 6% of 961 00:51:23,050 --> 00:51:26,500 S5: films last year was shot by women. And so what 962 00:51:26,500 --> 00:51:32,169 S5: I'm doing consciously doing is having is having mentees every 963 00:51:32,170 --> 00:51:36,460 S5: year and training and having more a more diverse crew 964 00:51:36,790 --> 00:51:40,060 S5: in terms of people of color and of of having 965 00:51:40,060 --> 00:51:43,450 S5: more women in my department. But a lot of people 966 00:51:43,450 --> 00:51:47,110 S5: on working with are as well like Beth is always 967 00:51:47,140 --> 00:51:49,720 S5: got a lot of women heads a department. There's me, 968 00:51:49,719 --> 00:51:55,000 S5: there's Katherine Martin, there's Karen Murphy, there's Gail Berman. And 969 00:51:55,180 --> 00:51:59,230 S5: you know, these are many women in on his movies 970 00:51:59,800 --> 00:52:04,960 S5: that are in strong positions. And I take on mentees 971 00:52:04,960 --> 00:52:08,710 S5: and trainees on every movie now and the studio. I 972 00:52:08,710 --> 00:52:10,750 S5: talk about it all the time, like the last three 973 00:52:10,750 --> 00:52:15,040 S5: films in the discussion when I've come on board is, Okay, Mandy, 974 00:52:15,040 --> 00:52:19,210 S5: we're committed to a more diverse crew and and how 975 00:52:19,210 --> 00:52:20,890 S5: do we do that? How can you help with that? 976 00:52:21,219 --> 00:52:25,239 S5: And so it is changing. It's becoming more of a 977 00:52:25,239 --> 00:52:28,930 S5: positive push, but it's going to take a while. And 978 00:52:28,930 --> 00:52:31,360 S5: it's the same with directors. You know, there's not many 979 00:52:32,440 --> 00:52:36,820 S5: diverse directors that are getting up there and getting nominated. 980 00:52:36,830 --> 00:52:39,250 S5: So I know I totally agree with you and I 981 00:52:39,250 --> 00:52:43,239 S5: don't know why it's taken so long. And for me, 982 00:52:43,239 --> 00:52:45,940 S5: who's been working in shooting for 30 years, it's still 983 00:52:45,940 --> 00:52:49,120 S5: like I'm still only the third, you know, it's. Hmm. 984 00:52:49,570 --> 00:52:53,260 S5: I don't understand how it's happened, but but now by 985 00:52:53,260 --> 00:52:56,620 S5: us talking about it, it's making people more aware. And. 986 00:52:56,800 --> 00:52:59,140 S5: And there has to be the positive push for change. 987 00:52:59,980 --> 00:53:02,620 S1: I mean, it also fascinating that there's been three the 988 00:53:02,620 --> 00:53:07,450 S1: last two yourself included last couple of years, both Australian R.E. 989 00:53:07,450 --> 00:53:09,070 S1: Wagner as well. Pretty amazing. Yeah. 990 00:53:09,250 --> 00:53:12,640 S5: Yes. Yes. These you know, it was interesting because in 991 00:53:12,640 --> 00:53:17,140 S5: Australia that I'm pretty sure we had like a 5050 992 00:53:17,739 --> 00:53:21,020 S5: gender parity. Now in my department, that's pretty much the 993 00:53:21,440 --> 00:53:23,560 S5: first time I've done that. And it's not for lack 994 00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:26,080 S5: of trying. It's because, you know, that's why I'm talking 995 00:53:26,080 --> 00:53:29,410 S5: about trainees, because I want to work with good people 996 00:53:29,410 --> 00:53:31,299 S5: and people that are great at their job. And if 997 00:53:31,300 --> 00:53:35,799 S5: there's no one available in a certain position, then I'm 998 00:53:35,800 --> 00:53:38,920 S5: going to train them, you know, or help them be trained, 999 00:53:38,920 --> 00:53:41,940 S5: help people become good at their job. So yeah, it's 1000 00:53:41,950 --> 00:53:44,919 S5: it's a constant thing in my mind anyway. 1001 00:53:45,489 --> 00:53:48,460 S1: So Elvis, aside from your nomination, is also nominated for 1002 00:53:48,460 --> 00:53:52,150 S1: best Picture. As we mentioned, Austin is nominated for for 1003 00:53:52,150 --> 00:53:55,120 S1: best actor. Kathryn has got a couple of nominations in 1004 00:53:55,120 --> 00:53:57,670 S1: categories that she tends to win when she gets nominated, 1005 00:53:57,910 --> 00:54:01,210 S1: production and costume. But I'm wondering with a you know, 1006 00:54:01,210 --> 00:54:04,390 S1: someone who enjoys movies, which I'm sure you do, aside 1007 00:54:04,390 --> 00:54:07,029 S1: from making them, are there other films from the past 1008 00:54:07,030 --> 00:54:11,860 S1: year or performances that you found particularly standout that you're 1009 00:54:12,010 --> 00:54:14,770 S1: either quietly rooting for to win or just just think 1010 00:54:14,770 --> 00:54:17,830 S1: were quite impressive, you know, feats of cinema? 1011 00:54:18,580 --> 00:54:22,239 S5: Well, you know what? I actually think that all the 1012 00:54:22,239 --> 00:54:26,920 S5: films in my category I really love and they're very different. 1013 00:54:27,280 --> 00:54:31,600 S5: They're really, really different genres and different styles of cinematography. 1014 00:54:31,780 --> 00:54:37,900 S5: And so that's why I really love those films, for one. 1015 00:54:37,900 --> 00:54:41,830 S5: And I found that this whole experience, we, all of 1016 00:54:41,830 --> 00:54:45,130 S5: us who are nominated, including Greg Fraser, who's been nominated 1017 00:54:45,130 --> 00:54:49,210 S5: for Batman for Best Actor and and Spacey and ASC, 1018 00:54:49,780 --> 00:54:53,440 S5: we we all kind of get together at these events 1019 00:54:53,440 --> 00:54:57,399 S5: and cheering on because all the works great. And I 1020 00:54:57,400 --> 00:55:02,259 S5: feel like it's there's a real camaraderie with cinematographers and 1021 00:55:02,260 --> 00:55:05,680 S5: that's my experience of this. That's something I'm going to 1022 00:55:05,680 --> 00:55:08,590 S5: take away from this, is that we all rooting for 1023 00:55:08,590 --> 00:55:12,580 S5: each other and congratulatory to each other. At the BSA Awards, 1024 00:55:12,580 --> 00:55:16,239 S5: which is a British society of cinematographers, I sat next 1025 00:55:16,239 --> 00:55:18,730 S5: to James friend. We were holding hands when the oh 1026 00:55:18,730 --> 00:55:21,250 S5: wow license were read out. And then when he got up, 1027 00:55:21,250 --> 00:55:23,560 S5: I gave him a hug. And and, you know, I 1028 00:55:23,560 --> 00:55:26,740 S5: just really loved that part of of this experience. It's 1029 00:55:26,739 --> 00:55:29,049 S5: been really lovely, I think. 1030 00:55:29,739 --> 00:55:32,290 S1: Yeah. I always find that so fascinating that you go 1031 00:55:32,290 --> 00:55:34,990 S1: to the luncheons, you're travelling the world at these awards. 1032 00:55:34,989 --> 00:55:36,850 S1: You obviously become pretty tight knit. You get to know 1033 00:55:36,850 --> 00:55:38,709 S1: each other and then at the end it's like, which 1034 00:55:38,710 --> 00:55:40,509 S1: one of you gets to win, you know? 1035 00:55:40,510 --> 00:55:44,860 S5: Yeah. And we all kind of see each other as equal, 1036 00:55:44,860 --> 00:55:48,009 S5: you know, it's it's not a competition. It's really not. 1037 00:55:48,010 --> 00:55:52,480 S5: I mean, for me to walk away if nothing more happens, 1038 00:55:52,840 --> 00:55:56,140 S5: I walk away with the Actor award and I've been 1039 00:55:56,140 --> 00:55:59,260 S5: nominated for a BAFTA and an Oscar, and I say, 1040 00:55:59,260 --> 00:56:01,390 S5: That's really fantastic already. 1041 00:56:01,750 --> 00:56:03,700 S1: Yeah, it's amazing. Mandy, thank you so much for your 1042 00:56:03,700 --> 00:56:07,060 S1: time and congratulations on those nominations and good luck for 1043 00:56:07,060 --> 00:56:08,050 S1: the Oscars. 1044 00:56:08,650 --> 00:56:10,900 S5: Thank you so much. It was a pleasure. Thank you. 1045 00:56:10,910 --> 00:56:11,920 S5: USMAN Thank you. 1046 00:56:18,400 --> 00:56:20,799 S1: This episode of The Drop was produced by Cheech Chong. 1047 00:56:21,340 --> 00:56:23,740 S1: If you enjoyed listening to today's episode of The Drop, 1048 00:56:24,010 --> 00:56:26,140 S1: make sure to follow us in your favorite podcast app. 1049 00:56:26,410 --> 00:56:28,420 S1: Give us a review or better yet, share it with 1050 00:56:28,420 --> 00:56:37,210 S1: a friend. I'm husband Fergie. See you soon. Oh.