IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

'Sinners' Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw

IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

Show Notes

For her masterful work on "Sinners," Autumn became only the fourth woman in history to be nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar. She opened up with IndieWire VP Chris O'Falt about the prospect of becoming the first woman to win that award, and how being a woman in the field affected her early career and her current balance between work and family. And of course we dig into all the nerdy craft details, including a more candid conversation about the decision to use IMAX than you may have heard elsewhere.

Revisit our episode with "Elvis" Cinematographer Mandy Walker, the third woman nominee in the category - open.spotify.com/episode/5iPCSArQfCBhCce1HbdsWE?si=CleehbCZTPmF7POubrB9ow

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0:00 - Intro

1:53 - Autumn's career and personal live leading to "Sinners."

15:00 - Why the look of "Sinners" is so personal to Autumn.

18:50 - Capturing the authentic harsh sun & muggy nights of Mississippi Delta

23:54 - The challenges and technical details of shooting on IMAX film cameras.

35:13 - Executing the surreal 'I Lied to You' sequence.

40:12 - The challenges of blending VFX and ultra high-res IMAX footage.

48:44 - The awards campaign and how it feels to potentially be the first woman to win the Best Cinematography Oscar.

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