13 New ASC Clubhouse Conversations on MZed – Gain Insights from World-Renowned Cinematographers

MZed Education

by Mascha DeikovaJune 28^th, 2023

There is a general rule that if you want to become and stay great at something, you should never stop learning. Filmmaking is, of course, no exception. There are different ways to develop your skills, and one of the most exciting ones is listening to world-renowned industry professionals sharing their insights. We are thrilled to announce that a bunch of new ASC Clubhouse Conversations are waiting for you on MZed.com – and these episodes are watchable for free. This time we’re peeking behind the scenes of the striking series, “Beef”, the latest season of “The Crown”, Star Wars’ fantastic show “Andor”, and many more.

If you’re someone who, like me, enjoys watching “making-of” movies and never wants to miss any scene breakdowns from your favorite films, then this format will certainly resonate with you. There are a lot of hidden treasures in these conversations. For example, you can gain useful tips on how to film a realistic blizzard in June (from “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) or learn the best techniques for the naturalistic camera approach from Nomadland’s cinematographer Joshua James Richards. I can’t stress enough how much I love the ASC Clubhouse Conversations, so I want to give you a sneak peek into the latest episodes that were just added to MZed.

What are the ASC Clubhouse Conversations?

If you are new to this party, the ASC means the American Society of Cinematographers, and they frequently release a format called Clubhouse Conversations. These are a series of talks with world-renowned cinematographers who offer valuable insight into their inspiration, creative processes, experiences, and in-depth analysis of their latest work.

On MZed we offer 129 (!) episodes of the ASC Clubhouse Conversations for you to watch, and more are added consistently. Just imagine, more than 140 hours of valuable filmmaking knowledge, carefully distilled from your favorite shows (including previous Oscar winners). Our latest additions feature exciting series that are generating a lot of buzz, ranging from the loud, dark-comedy newcomer “Beef” with cinematography by Larkin Seiple to the world-famous “The Crown” in its 5th season.

Let’s look at some of these conversations in more detail.

Nicola Daley’s cinematographic journey in The Handmaid’s Tale

This episode of the ASC Clubhouse Conversations explores the acclaimed dystopian Hulu series “The Handmaid’s Tale”, and the work of cinematographer Nicola Daley on its latest season. Have you watched this impressive futuristic story? If so, you should have definitely noticed its incredible visual language, wide symmetrical shots, and detailed thought-through camera approach. For Nicola Daley, who filmed six episodes of the new season, it was an interesting challenge to carry on the visual style of the show and put her own stamp on it at the same time. For instance, she suggested bringing back some color and contrast to the picture, as it had become somewhat monochromatic during the middle sections of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

(Spoiler alert!) As the rebellious main character June Osborne (performed by Elisabeth Moss) spends a lot of time in Canada this season, Nicola also had to deal with filming the “real-life” world, instead of basing her cinematography solely on the already familiar setting of Gilead. Still, we see a lot of parallels in the camera work, like the intense shafts of light piercing through various scenes, including those set in Toronto (as you can see in the still image above). Nicola explains that although June has escaped her prison, the lingering presence of Gilead remains within her. They emphasized her inner trauma through the deliberate use of visually rhyming cinematography.

In the interview, you will also get to know the DP’s horror-inspired approach to building tension through camera movement, and how she creates a bond between the actors and the camera. Nicola also breaks down the complicated ballet and funeral scenes.

The second season of Yellowjackets and its new DP

The second season of the Emmy-nominated thriller series “Yellowjackets” introduced a new cinematographer, Shasta Spahn. In the interview with Suki Medenčević, she admits that it was terrifying at first – coming to an already successful show and keeping up with what had been done previously. But she gained self-confidence quite quickly and shares some of her insights along the way.

As an example, they decided to shoot a long take for one episode’s opening. Although it turned out nicely, there was a discussion on set about whether they should also pick up an insert of a note one of the characters read. But Shasta stood her ground and asked the director to avoid shooting coverage “just in case”. She was sure if they had done it, editors would have cut to it. Together, they defended the oner. A brave and challenging, yet important decision to make.

In the ASC clubhouse conversation, Shasta Spahn also talks about her strategies for depicting a wintry forest and cabin with realism and gives us an in-depth look at her preferred techniques for shooting fire-lit scenes.

A raw and realistic approach to the Star Wars universe in Andor

One of my personal last year favorites is the Disney+ limited-series prequel to Star Wars, “Andor”. It feels very different from the classic features – very real, “human”, raw, and even dirty. Now, we can also peek behind its curtain together with the cinematographer, Damián García. And indeed, he explains how it was possible to achieve such a visual style. While another renowned Star Wars show, “The Mandalorian,” opts for shooting within the LED-Volume stage, they had the incredible advantage of filming on an authentic, constructed set.

But not only this. Damián’s approach to cinematography plays an important role in keeping the series’ visual style both grounded in realism and in the vein of spy cinema. During the ASC conversation, he breaks down the camera movement and, for example, explains why he went for eye-level action in the battle sequences, among other exciting insights.

Other new episodes waiting for you

Of course, it’s impossible to give you a thorough overview of all the cinematographic tips and techniques discussed in our new ASC Clubhouse Conversations within one article. Indeed, it’s better to hear them from the filmmakers themselves, especially taking into account the incredible films they refer to. Putting aside the additions we already mentioned, among the new episodes you will also find:

• If These Walls Could Sing – an interview with the cinematographers Tim Cragg and Ben Maghay and director Mary McCartney;
• Mrs. Davis – a discussion on this sci-fi dramedy series with Joe Anderson;
• Swarm – Drew Daniels’s work on the satirical horror-thriller show about a young woman’s dark obsession with a pop star;
• A Friend of the Family – going in-depth into the making of the dramatic miniseries that recounts the true story of a family who fell victim to kidnapping twice over a period of two years;
• Daisy Jones & the Six – the episode dedicated to the cinematography of Checco Varese;
• And much more.

You can see the whole list of the ASC clubhouse conversations (the new and the old ones) here.

What else do you get with MZed Pro?

As an MZed Pro Member you also get access to over 450 hours of filmmaking education, including The ASC Clubhouse Conversations, plus we’re constantly adding more courses (several in production right now).

For just $30/month (billed annually at $349), here’s what you’ll get:

• 54+ courses, over 850+ high-quality lessons, spanning over 500 hours of learning.
• Highly produced courses from educators who have decades of experience and awards, including a Pulitzer Prize and an Academy Award.
• Unlimited access to stream all content during the 12 months.
• Offline download and viewing with the MZed iOS app.
• Discounts to ARRI Academy online courses, exclusively on MZed.
• Most of our courses provide an industry-recognized certificate upon completion.
• Purchasing the courses outright would cost over $9,000.
• Course topics include cinematography, directing, lighting, cameras and lenses, producing, indie filmmaking, writing, editing, color grading, audio, time-lapse, pitch decks, and more.
• 7-day money-back guarantee if you decide it’s not for you.

Full disclosure: MZed is owned by CineD

Join MZed Pro now and start watching today!

What about you? Do you also enjoy watching conversations with filmmakers to learn from them and their experiences? What film or series would you like the ASC Clubhouse Conversations to discuss next? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature image source: a collage of the film stills from “Andor”, “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “The Crown”, and “Yellowjackets”.