Definition June/July 2026 - Web

DEAKINS INTERVIEW

HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE From bowling alleys to battlefields, such as this one from Jarhead, Deakins’ films span genres and locations

all done in camera; there weren’t any visual effects on Barton Fink at all.” Working this way “means you have all of the elements around you, which makes it easier for the actors as well,” argues James. “I think you get more nuanced performances from them, which make for a better film.” Deakins points to Bob Rafelson’s Mountains of the Moon as an example. “We shot the scenes in the UK before the scenes in Africa,” he details. “Both main actors said they wished they had done the African segments first because it would have informed the aftermath of the expedition in the story. The experience of doing things on location on real sets makes a big difference.” A GEOGRAPHICAL ODDITY In 1992, the year following the release of Barton Fink , Deakins shot the western

thriller Thunderheart on location in South Dakota. It was on that production he first met script supervisor James Ellis, who would later become his wife. Since working on that film together, their collaboration has evolved. “It’s just continued to grow and grow,” says James. “People didn’t know how we worked together in the beginning. I was doing a lot in the background, but then my role became more complex as digital came up.” “James became part of the team,” adds Deakins. “First working with the labs and then with the DI process that came in with O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). After that, the whole way of making films became more complicated, ironically. You would think digital would simplify everything, but it hasn’t.” Deakins and the Coen brothers aimed to infuse O Brother, Where Art

Thou? with a sepia-toned look to evoke the Great Depression era in which it is set. After strenuous testing with various types of filtration in front of the lens, they chose to digitally colour grade the film in post- production. It marked the first time digital technology had been used to alter every frame of a feature film. As well as pioneering the DI process, Deakins is renowned for his motivated approach to lighting. His guiding principle is: keep it simple. “I don’t overcomplicate things,” he states. “It’s about what the story is, and each story might require something completely different. You must always react to the script and the circumstances, the discussions with the director and everybody around you. It is an instinctive reaction that ends up with the image.” Filming The Shawshank Redemption (1994) proved particularly challenging when it came to lighting. In Reflections: On Cinematography , Deakins observes that fellow cinematographers thought it involved little lighting and looked more like a documentary. This wasn’t the case. “Every interior had to be lit,” he reveals. “There was no natural light for most of the interiors because it was too dark. It takes a lot of effort just to make a film look simple sometimes.”

I KEEP IT very simple WHEN IT COMES TO equipment ”

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