1 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:11,479 Speaker 1: Welcome to Daily Variety, your daily dose of news and 2 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: analysis for entertainment industry insiders. It's Tuesday, January sixth, twenty 3 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: twenty six. I'm your host, Cynthia Littleton. I am co 4 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: editor in chief of Variety alongside Ramin Sutuda. I'm in 5 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: LA He's in New York, and Righty has reporters around 6 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: the world covering the business of entertainment. In today's episode, 7 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: we'll hear from Jazz Tanke, who has a sharp eyed 8 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 1: observation about the significance of the Oscar Shortlist for cinematography 9 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: contenders this year. But before we get to that, here 10 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: are a few headlines just in this morning that you 11 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 1: need to know. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is formally 12 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: shutting down after being defunded by the Trump administration. The 13 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: remaining board members decided the responsible thing to do would 14 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: be to dissolve the body. Goodbye CPB. Thank you for 15 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: Sesame Street and mister Rogers and everything else you've helped 16 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: bring to the screen. In much lighter news, Emily in 17 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: Paris has been renewed for season six by Netflix. Meanwhile, 18 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: Taylor Sheridan and Paramount Plus we'll call it a rap 19 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: on the Mayor of Kingston after the upcoming season five. 20 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: All of these stories and so much more can be 21 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: found on Variety dot com right now, Jazz, thank thank 22 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: you so much for joining me, Thank you for having 23 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: me back. I was looking over our website I came 24 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: across the headline that caught my attention. Women cinematographers from 25 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 1: Cinner Song, Sung Blue and Wicked for Good could make 26 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: Oscar history. I knew before I even looked that you 27 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: wrote it a keen observation from you that this year, 28 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: on the short list of potential cinematography nominees, there are 29 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: three women. And that is the exact number of women 30 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: that have been nominated in the past. In nearly one 31 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: hundred years of Oscar history, three women, yes, three women, 32 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: have been nominated for cinematography and exactly zero have won. 33 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: So already, with the shortlist having three, that's a big leap, 34 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: and goodness knows, we hope Academy voters can rectify this 35 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: great wrong and recognize a woman in this category and 36 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: it will be just like when Catherine Bigelow won for 37 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: the hurt Locker. She held that thing up and it 38 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: felt like a win for all of womanhood. In Hollywood, 39 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: going back to Dorothy Arsner and Mary Pickford. So as 40 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 1: you can see, I'm quite animated. But Jazz, tell me 41 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: what was the spark for this story. 42 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 2: This is the first year that the Academy has put 43 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 2: the cinematographers in the shortlist. Prehistorically they have not done that. 44 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 2: Just explain a little bit about the shortlist branch of 45 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 2: the shortlisting. They can choose between ten and twenty movies. 46 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 2: This year they chose sixteen. So as I was going 47 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,239 Speaker 2: through them, and the official list does not actually say 48 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 2: the names, but because I work with these titles so frequently, 49 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: I was like, wait a minute. We knew Autumn gerald 50 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 2: A Caapol was probably going to be nominated for Sinners. 51 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 2: She is one of the front runners. Then I saw 52 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 2: Song Song Blue, and I was like, wait a minute, 53 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 2: hang on, let me just google this Amy Vincent another female. 54 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 2: And then I saw Wicked for Good and that's Sallas Brooks, 55 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 2: who we gave the create collaborator war to the Middle 56 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 2: Bug Film Festival, and to me, I was like, this 57 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 2: warrants a story. 58 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 3: This is huge, and I felt that. 59 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,519 Speaker 2: Kav Bigelow moment was like, oh my gosh, is the 60 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 2: ninety eighth Academy Award, like the year that. 61 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 3: A woman finally wins. We all know. 62 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: That's up to the fates and the voters, but here's 63 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: hoping that. You know, it's about damn time. To quote Lizzo, 64 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: I just love the origin story of that story, because 65 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: those are sometimes the best stories. You're just staring at data. 66 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: Sometimes if you stare at something long enough, things come 67 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: to you. You are, of course, so conversant with all 68 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: the great dps, male and female. Let's talk a little 69 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: bit about the three women and what it is about 70 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: their work. To start with Autumn durald okupa of Sinners, 71 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: which has quite a look to it. There is no 72 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: question that the look and feel of that movie is 73 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: such a big part of it, and that reflects her 74 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 1: collaboration with director Ryan Coogler. But specifically, what is it 75 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: about her cinematography in that movie that is getting the attention. 76 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 2: Originally it was meant to shoot an eight sixteen Elimentum film. 77 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 2: She has become the first female cinematographer to shoot on 78 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 2: imac's sixty five milimeter and ultra panavision. 79 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 3: So Sinners just looks incredible. 80 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 1: That explains why it just every frame looks so expansive. 81 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 2: So they did tests and they decided that it was 82 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 2: inspired by The Hateful A eight, which Tarantino shot, and 83 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 2: they decided it looked much better that way. But I 84 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 2: think to your point, it's just the way she shoots. 85 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 2: You know, that magic howa scene when Jack O'Connell drops 86 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: into a frame of azeramic and we learn he's a 87 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 2: vampire and turns the whole film around. Just you know, 88 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 2: even that Duke joint scene beautifully shot. Every single frame 89 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 2: in that film is picturesque and incredible. So she's getting 90 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: a lot of attention. She's also Filipino and African Americans. 91 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 2: There's so many ceilings she would shatter if she were 92 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:25,359 Speaker 2: to win. Has she worked with Ryan in the past, 93 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 2: have they been collaborators, She's been his go to cinematographer. 94 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: All the more reason that it's great that she's getting recognition, 95 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: whether it goes all the way to the win, it's 96 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: definitely great that she's getting the recognition for all the 97 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: reasons you said. Let's talk about Alice Brooks too, also 98 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: Wicked for good. From the minute you go into the movie, 99 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: you know, forgive me, but you're not in Kansas anymore. 100 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 2: Alice Brooks and John Chew they went to USC Film 101 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 2: School together, so they go way back. So it's almost 102 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 2: any time John is shooting a movie, he calls Alice. 103 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 3: And you know the story of Wicked for Good is 104 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 3: a lot dark. 105 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 2: If anybody's seen the musical, you know that there's a 106 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 2: lot happening in that. She says, the key to the 107 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 2: Wicked for Good is the emotion, So how do you 108 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 2: reflect that? And she tells such a good story of 109 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 2: how she'sed every color of the rainbow in lighting the movie, 110 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 2: and so red we see, you know, in Nasa Rose's house, 111 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 2: who becomes the Wicked Witch of the East and the 112 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 2: house drops on her. Orange is Alphabe's color that reflects transformational, 113 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 2: and then blue is the color of love, which you 114 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 2: wouldn't normally think of. If you watch the two movies 115 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 2: back to back, you see that. So there's so much 116 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 2: thought that Alice put into that. She didn't get nominated 117 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 2: last year for Wicked, so it's great to see Alice 118 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 2: shortlisted for her work on this one. 119 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: I just love these insights because as I think about it, 120 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:51,239 Speaker 1: there are moments when it's bathed in red and moments 121 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 1: when it's bathed in a beautiful blue and somebody had 122 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: to think about that. Somebody had to have the vision. 123 00:06:56,720 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 1: And another close collaboration, it sounds like between her and 124 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 1: too over the years they go back to film score. 125 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 2: He was looking for a cinematographer and her, Dallas Brooks 126 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,280 Speaker 2: was the person and she, you know, she's worked with 127 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 2: him ever since. 128 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: Let's talk about Amy Vincent and Song Sung Blue. I 129 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: have not left the theater pumping my fist for a 130 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: movie as hard in a long time. I loved it, 131 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: loved it, loved it. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson Chef's 132 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: Kiss an amazing experience, and Craig Brewer really just beautifully 133 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: thought out story, beautifully rendered, based on a true story. 134 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 1: Tell me about Amy's work with Craig Brewer. 135 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 3: Amy Vincent's. I think part of what makes this. 136 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 2: Film so incredible and emotional, because at the end you're like, oh, 137 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 2: my goodness, is because of Amy's work in this movie. 138 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 3: She is not only shooting these. 139 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 2: Live concert performances and setting up the stage for musical numbers, 140 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 2: She's also shooting an incrediblely emotional story between Hugh Jackman 141 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 2: and Kate Hudson and you know, I'm not quite sure 142 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 2: what cameras she used for, but just that grainy look 143 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 2: that takes us back into you know, the nineties and 144 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 2: how she shoots, you know, that dynamic between the two 145 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 2: of them. There's a scene where Kate Hudson's on the 146 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 2: couch after something happens, and you feel the power in 147 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 2: just the framing. 148 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 3: Of that sequence. 149 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 2: And then there's a secret towards the end with Hugh 150 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 2: Jackman when he's in the bathroom and she's got the 151 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: camera looking at him in the mirror. Amy is such 152 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 2: a great cinematographer. She's on so many group movies, but 153 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 2: this is to see her get recognized for this, with 154 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 2: her work with Craig. 155 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 3: It's an incredible year for women. 156 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:43,839 Speaker 2: Also, the ASC the American Society Cinematographers, will announce their 157 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 2: nominations later on this week. What's very exciting about that 158 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,439 Speaker 2: is this year, or last year, I should say, Mandy Walker, 159 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 2: who was nominated for Elvis, is now the president of 160 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 2: that guild. So let's hope that come of the Oscars 161 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 2: in March, there is a woman on that post making history. 162 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:03,719 Speaker 1: We don't know what's going to happen, but the one 163 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: thing we do know is you will be there to 164 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:09,479 Speaker 1: report on the road to the Oscars and all the 165 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: awards and kudos in between. Jazz, thank you for taking 166 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 1: time on a busy first week of the year. There 167 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: is no rest for the weary and awards season. And 168 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:20,319 Speaker 1: I hope you're taking your vitamin because it's going to 169 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:21,839 Speaker 1: be a really busy one this year. 170 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 3: We can feel it already. Thank you so much for 171 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 3: having me. 172 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: You're in your element. 173 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 3: I love it. Thank you so much, Jazz, take care. 174 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 3: Thank you. 175 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: As we close out today's episode, here's a few things 176 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: we're watching for. We're expecting news from Warner Brothers Discovery 177 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: by Friday on its response to Paramounts Guidance's latest takeover offer. 178 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: And then the question is will that set off a 179 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: new round of higher bids from Netflix? Will anyone else 180 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 1: jump in at what seems to be about the tenth 181 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: hour for this deal? We'll find out. We need to 182 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 1: acknowledge that Wednesday, January seventh, marks one year since the 183 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: La firestorms that devastated the Pacific Palisades and Altadena. It's 184 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: been a very hard year for so many colleagues and friends. 185 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: On tomorrow's episode, we'll hear from NBC News correspondent Jacob Soberoff. 186 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 1: He's written a book about the disaster that has touched 187 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: his family deeply. We love to hear from our listeners, 188 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: so please send thoughts, gripes, and other feedback about Daily 189 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: Variety to podcasts at Variety dot com before we go. 190 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: Congrats to James Stephen. He's joined Universal Music Group as 191 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: executive vice president and Chief Communications Officer. He is based 192 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: in New York. He comes to Universal after ten years 193 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: with Warner Music Group. Thanks for listening. This episode was 194 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 1: written and reported by me Cynthia Littleton, with contributions from 195 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: Jazz Tanke Stick Snick's hick Picks. Please leave us a 196 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: review at the podcast platform of your choice, and please 197 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: tune in tomorrow for another episode of Daily Variety