News
An Oral History of Requiem for a Dream
OCT. 16, 2020
Darren Aronofsky’s 2000 movie is the work of artists who hadn’t yet been told what they could and couldn’t do.
American Film Institute Partners With AMC to Establish Black Production Fund for Thesis Filmmakers
Oct. 16 2020
The American Film Institute on Friday unveiled the establishment of a Black Production Fund in partnership with AMC Networks.Funds will provide grants to Black students in their second year of education at the non-profit conservatory. This effort, along with the recently announced Thomas P. Pollock Endowed scholarship for producing fellows, is part of AFI's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion program to increase Black voices in storytelling.
New House, New Horrors: Cinematographer James Kniest on the Visual Distinction of ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’
Oct. 18, 2020
The Haunting of Bly Manor reunites creator Mike Flanagan with some familiar faces from his hit series The Haunting of Hill House, just in a different time and place. Cinematographer James Kniest is not one of those returning collaborators, though he has worked with Flanagan before, on the 2016 slasher film Hush, which he refers to as a “Netflix darling.”
Shooting ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ to the Rhythm of Aaron Sorkin’s Layered Script
Oct. 16, 2020
Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael shot the courtroom scenes in large-format and the riot like a documentary with two hand-held cameras.
Creative Arts Emmys: 'Dune' DP Greig Fraser, Baz Idoine Win Cinematography Emmy For 'The Mandalorian'
September 16, 2020
They are no stranger to the 'Star Wars' universe, as Fraser was the director of photography and Idoine was the second unit DP on 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.'
Six and a Half Months in Orbit: Junk Food and Sublime Moments
September 2020
Former NASA astronaut Terry Virts spent 200 days on the International Space Station in 2014 and 2015. In his latest book, How to Astronaut: An Insider’s Guide to Leaving Planet Earth, he talks about what he learned during his extended stay. He spoke with Senior Associate Editor Diane Tedeschi.
Justine Seymour and Antonio Gambale reflect on their Emmy nominations
September 2, 2020
Costume designer Justine Seymour was strolling with a friend to have dinner at a Berlin restaurant when her phone pinged with numerous congratulatory messages: She had just scored her first Emmy nomination, for Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for Netflix’s Unorthodox.
‘Mulan’ Cinematographer Mandy Walker on That Battle Sequence, the Film’s Colors, and More
September 7, 2020
If you want to succeed, it’s best to have a battle plan. Cinematographer Mandy Walker knows this full well having worked on films ranging from Shattered Glass to Australia to Hidden Figures, but she faced her biggest challenge when she signed on to tackle Disney’s epic live-action remake of Mulan.
Mulan's Wardrobe in Disney's Live-Action Remake Is Just as Powerful as the Character
September 3, 2020
Disney's live-action Mulan is almost here, and it's full of powerful wardrobe moments. The Niki Caro-directed film stars Liu Yifei as Mulan, Jet Li as the Emperor, Donnie Yen as Commander Tung, and Gong Li as the main antagonist, a powerful witch named Xian Lang.
Mulan: Behind the scenes with the creatives who made Disney's warrior so fierce
September 6, 2020
I never got to see Mulan on the big screen. The March 19 press screening in San Francisco was canceled. The March 27 release was postponed. For months I've been sheltering in place at home, wondering about the fate of this movie (and movies in general in this pandemic).
Mulan hair, makeup, prosthetics designer Denise Kum talks creative process
September 8, 2020
Denise Kum, Makeup Designer, Hair Designer, and Prosthetics Designer for Disney’s Mulan spoke to The Natural Aristocrat about her diligent, academic-like exploration of historic Chinese culture for the live-action film adaption.
Watch the team behind Requiem for a Dream reunite for its 20th anniversary
September 14, 2020
Director Darren Aronosfky, star Ellen Burstyn, composer Clint Mansell, and more reflected on the cult film’s legacy in a panel discussion
American Film Institute and Universal Pictures Extend Partnership to Present “Black Stories Matter” Series
August 24, 2020
As part of its AFI Movie Club initiative, AFI has teamed with Universal to offer five films for free on digital platforms.
Emmy-Nominated Cinematographers on Techniques They Used to Capture Michelle Obama, Issa Rae and Cheerleaders
August 27, 2020
The six women nominated in the DP categories also explain how they highlighted the diversity efforts that added authenticity to those projects. This year, the Television Academy nominated six women across the six cinematography categories. Though their field remains largely dominated by men, these women identify shifts in hiring practices as a step toward more diversity on set.
‘Dune’ trailer: Does Timothee Chalamet look like a future Oscar winner in these scenes from the hotly anticipated epic?
September 9, 2020
Warner Bros. Pictures released a full trailer for its upcoming sci-fi epic “Dune” on September 9, so how does it look? Watch the jam-packed three-minute preview for the film above, and scroll down to let us know how you think it’ll do at the Oscars. And you can now predict several categories at the 2021 Oscars here in our predictions center.
