- 2 months ago
In this discussion on EoM Presents, Thomas Manning talks with cinematographer Cristina Dunlap about "Chili Finger," which recently had its world premiere at SXSW. Dunlap breaks down the process of balancing a very calculated approach to cinematography within a chaotic narrative. Directed by Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad, "Chili Finger" stars Judy Greer, Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston, and John Goodman.
World premiere during SXSW Film & TV Festival 2026.
Official Synopsis:
When Jessica Lipki discovers a severed human finger in her bowl of chili, she recognizes an opportunity to seize control of her stagnating life. Jess blackmails the regionally-beloved fast-food chain for $100,000 in return that she and her blissfully ignorant husband, Ron, keep quiet about the incident. Unbeknownst to Jess, her stunt has caught the attention of "the" Blake Junior, the plutocratic founder behind the "Blake Junior’s" food empire. He recruits his ex-marine buddy, Dave, to investigate Jess and discover the truth behind the chili finger...
"Chili Finger" SXSW website: https://schedule.sxsw.com/2026/films/2249860
Directed By: Edd Benda, Stephen Helstad
Written By: Stephen Helstad
Cast: Judy Greer, Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Madeline Wise, Paul Stanko, Sarah Herrman, Sara Sevigny, Dann Florek, Shaya Harris
World premiere during SXSW Film & TV Festival 2026.
Official Synopsis:
When Jessica Lipki discovers a severed human finger in her bowl of chili, she recognizes an opportunity to seize control of her stagnating life. Jess blackmails the regionally-beloved fast-food chain for $100,000 in return that she and her blissfully ignorant husband, Ron, keep quiet about the incident. Unbeknownst to Jess, her stunt has caught the attention of "the" Blake Junior, the plutocratic founder behind the "Blake Junior’s" food empire. He recruits his ex-marine buddy, Dave, to investigate Jess and discover the truth behind the chili finger...
"Chili Finger" SXSW website: https://schedule.sxsw.com/2026/films/2249860
Directed By: Edd Benda, Stephen Helstad
Written By: Stephen Helstad
Cast: Judy Greer, Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Madeline Wise, Paul Stanko, Sarah Herrman, Sara Sevigny, Dann Florek, Shaya Harris
Category
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Short filmTranscript
00:00We're alive, we're alive!
00:02Hey there and welcome into EOM Presents.
00:04This is Thomas Manning, Senior Interviewer for Elements of Madness.
00:07And today we're talking with cinematographer Christina Dunlap about her work on the film
00:12Chili Finger, which recently premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival.
00:17Chili Finger is directed by Ed Benda and Stephen Helstead and stars Judy Greer, Sean Astin,
00:24and John Goodman and Bryan Cranston, among others.
00:26And in watching this film, I was reminded greatly of the work of the Coen brothers.
00:32And Christina specifically mentions Fargo as a reference point in this interview.
00:37So it was really great to break down a lot of the technical aspects of her cinematography approach
00:44from the framing to lighting and working with a massive practical fire set piece.
00:49And then also, you know, how she operates narratively and emotionally in capturing the performances
00:57of someone like Judy Greer, who is just absolutely phenomenal in this film, as she always is.
01:03So thank you all so much for watching and listening.
01:06I hope you all enjoy the conversation with Christina Dunlap as we talk about her work on Chili Finger.
01:12And I'll send it over to the conversation now.
01:15So, you know, first of all, well, congratulations on Chili Fingers.
01:19And, you know, I know you've got many other projects you've been working on over the years.
01:24I love your work in American fiction as well.
01:26So, you know, love what you're doing.
01:28But specifically with this project, I want to start off talking about your relationship
01:34with the directors, Ed Benda and Stephen Halstead, you know, how collaborative was your relationship
01:42with them?
01:43And I'm just curious what you remember about, like, your first meetings with them and your
01:47approach to this project from there.
01:50Well, thanks, Thomas.
01:51Well, I got the script from them and I read it and just thought it was the most fun.
01:58And so when we first met, they had been working on the project for about five years.
02:05So they had storyboarded a lot of it.
02:08They had a lot of ideas, but they were super open to me bringing ideas to the table, too.
02:14So we were able to take what they had already come up with and meld it with some new ideas.
02:19And that evolved even more once we saw the locations and started to lock those in.
02:25And then we really sort of formed the blocking and the shots to fit our location, since everything
02:32was on location and not on a stage, except for the interior of the barn, which we were
02:38able to build.
02:39Yeah.
02:40And then in the very opening sequence of the film taking place in this bottling factory,
02:47you're capturing this entire factory process and all of these machines and mechanics.
02:52Um, and just, it's a very dynamic environment with a lot of movement.
02:57Um, I'm sure for you, that was interesting to, uh, kind of depict that chain of events.
03:03Um, so I'm curious for you, just from a photography standpoint, um, you know, what, what was especially
03:09interesting to you in, uh, capturing how a factory operates like that?
03:15Yeah, I mean, we were looking for that bottling factory for a really long time.
03:20It was, it was hard to find an operational bottling factory that would let us film in it.
03:26So we, that was actually our last day of photography.
03:30It was sort of a, I don't know, it might've only been six or eight hours, but it was about
03:35a three hour drive from where we were shooting.
03:38And so we brought a skeleton crew down and we had already shot the whole movie and we
03:43knew sort of where it was going to go.
03:46And so we sort of wanted to bookend it.
03:49So it starts in a really surprising, crazy place and then sort of takes a turn into a
03:55more neutral, uh, story of a family and then things really go off the rails and we end
04:03back, you know, where we end.
04:05I don't want to ruin it for anybody, but, um, to the bottling factory, uh, yeah, it was,
04:12it was a crazy environment to shoot in because they were working there and they would let us
04:18in the spaces, um, you know, in a very small group, sort of where we needed to be.
04:25And I used a lot of scope lenses and, and different angular lenses to try and get us
04:32right along the, the bottles as they were passing through to get that motion.
04:37And they had already chosen the song that was going to play.
04:41And that was one of the first things we looked at together is they had sort of storyboarded
04:45this montage to this polka music.
04:49And it just had this sort of haunting rhythm to it that we wanted to capture.
04:55Um, and of course, you know, being in an actual bottling factory, what's, what's you're able
05:01to do versus what's in the boards is, is a little different.
05:04So we had to pivot on the spot and find things that work, but I think we were able to
05:09get a
05:10lot of angles in there, it was me and my, um, other camera operator was shooting sort of
05:16a second unit there, Greg arch.
05:18And yeah, we had a lot of fun.
05:20Yeah.
05:21And, uh, another very significant location in the film is the Blake, Blake jr's diner.
05:27And, um, obviously diners or restaurants like that are one of the most used locations in all
05:33of movies.
05:34Um, and so I'm wondering for you, were there some challenges in, um, shooting a diner scene
05:40and making it feel, um, making it feel unique and separate from other films, but also finding
05:46ways to make each sequence in this film and Blake jr's look and feel unique.
05:50Um, because I did feel like, uh, you know, I wasn't just looking at the same shots over
05:55and over, but I'm just curious for you, uh, from a photography standpoint, um, how you kind
06:00of approach those scenes.
06:01Oh, thanks.
06:03Well, the diner was not operational.
06:06So a lot of it fell on the art department.
06:10They had to source all of the kitchen materials and booths and sort of bring everything in.
06:16And then, um, we all talked a lot about what the menu would look like the color palette.
06:22And I worked a lot with our production designer, Chris Spellman, um, on sort of how we wanted
06:29Blake jr's to feel.
06:30And of course, you know, you make plans and they don't work, but initially the thought
06:36was that we start on sort of a neutral day, which worked out.
06:41And then the next scene in the negotiation, I wanted it to feel like, you know, it was late
06:47afternoon.
06:47The sun was coming through and we're in this room with all windows.
06:52So we had planned around, um, you know, the sun being in the correct spot when we were
06:59shooting there.
06:59And then of course we got thunderstorms that day and we're looking straight out into the
07:04rain and it's raining and then not raining and then raining.
07:06So we had to do a lot of work to just make it consistent.
07:11And that's sort of what that scene became about, which is ironic because the last scene,
07:17we really wanted it to feel rainy and, um, just a different feel than you've seen in the
07:24diner before.
07:25We're in a different place in the film.
07:26Everyone's in a different headspace.
07:28Things have sort of unraveled and we want it to be, you know, you walk into the diner,
07:32it's the owner who doesn't even turn the lights on.
07:34They're just sitting there in this, uh, gloomy environment as he's trying to sort of get
07:44them to admit what has happened more or less.
07:48And, you know, one of the, the money shots in the film, I guess you could say is when
07:53the title card drops the chili finger title card.
07:56And that's, as we see this, obviously finger in a bowl of chili, and that's not really a
08:01spoiler.
08:02That's the, that's what the entire film is built around.
08:04But, um, curious for you, just approaching the responsibility of getting that one shot
08:10where, you know, that's where the title card is going to drop.
08:13And, uh, that's kind of what kicks off this adventure.
08:16Um, can you discuss your just approach to, you know, framing and, uh, shooting just a
08:21fake finger and a bowl of chili?
08:23Yeah.
08:24I mean, in the diner, we tried to create as many dynamic shots as possible.
08:30Like the opening shot when, you know, we start at the counter and then we see him getting
08:34the ketchup and eventually going to the seat.
08:37And this was one of those shots that we had really planned out where we're going to, you
08:41know, move past Judy and then push in on Sean and then whip over and then go back to the
08:48finger.
08:49And it just, it started to get a little complicated and we actually had to sort of, um, edit down
08:56what that shot was.
08:57And it just goes from Sean to the finger.
09:02Yeah, definitely dynamic in some way.
09:05And just, you know, I think we were maybe trying to do too much in the, just the finger
09:11in the bowl, this kind of, you really needed the simplicity.
09:15Yeah.
09:15I think scaling it back was a great decision.
09:18Um, and there's another shot, um, with Judy Greer that really stuck with me.
09:24Um, it's, I believe it is when they have their first dinner after, uh, they take their daughter
09:31to college and, um, you're lingering on the dinner table and she's setting the table for
09:37the three of them just out of habit.
09:38Um, but then of course she kind of hits her breaking point.
09:41She realizes this emptiness that she feels in the house.
09:44Now that her daughter has moved off to college, um, and the camera slowly pants up to Judy
09:50and you just see this wave wash over her, um, this kind of wave of suppressed emotion finally,
09:57uh, coming to the surface.
09:59Um, you know, what do you remember about shooting that moment and what were some things you were
10:04keeping in mind in that specific sequence?
10:06I mean, Judy's just such an incredible actress and it was really fun to see her get to play
10:15through a ton of different, you know, ranges and emotions in this film.
10:21She really goes from some like internal introspective, dramatic, sad moments to just full unhinged chaos.
10:31And then sort of even in the last scene, there's so much going on and, and she still has this
10:38undertone
10:39of like grieving mother that is, is incredible that she can hold all of that in this space.
10:45So, um, yeah, I think we wanted to plan this scene and obviously, you know, you caught that
10:53she sets the third place, but we didn't want to make a meal of it.
10:58No pun intended.
10:59It was like, we're going to do an insert of her setting the plate and then go to her.
11:03It was just sort of, she's doing her routine and then she has the realization herself and
11:09hits this breaking point.
11:11So it was just really about Judy in that moment because, you know, she's such a fantastic actress.
11:18We didn't have to do a whole lot to, to bring the audience's attention where it needed to be.
11:26Yeah.
11:27And in addition to Judy, you have a phenomenal cast from top to bottom.
11:31You're working with, you mentioned Sean Astin, of course, uh, John Goodman as well,
11:34and a handful of others.
11:36Um, so I'm curious for you about like developing those relationships with the actors and fully
11:43understanding how to best capture their performances and, you know, how they operate in front of
11:48the camera.
11:48Um, what does that look like from your standpoint and, you know, figuring out, um, how, how you
11:54want to shoot them, but also, you know, what best serves the narrative as well?
11:58Sure.
11:59Yeah.
11:59I mean, these are all people that I have watched throughout my life and have some of my favorite
12:07performances of all time.
12:09So it was mostly about being intentional about giving them the space to do what they do best
12:15and not overcrowd them with tons of flags and lights and, or, you know, choosing their
12:22blocking for them.
12:23There was a lot of times we had it planned a certain way.
12:26And, you know, especially in the hallway scene, there's not a lot else that could have happened
12:32there, but just trying to give them the space to, to work out what their characters might
12:37do.
12:38And, and Brian Cranston, especially had a lot of really fun ideas of what he might do.
12:44Um, when we first meet, uh, John and Brian's characters and we're in Blake Jr.'s house and we
12:52are sort of going along the wall and then we reveal both of them.
12:56That was a sort of fun moment.
12:58We had planned this entire shot and for the most part it worked, but, you know, there were little
13:03things like Brian's like, why would I walk that way around the couch instead of this way?
13:07So we just, you know, tried to adapt things to what felt best to their character.
13:13Yeah.
13:14I'm glad you mentioned Brian Cranston as well.
13:15His, uh, mustache beard combination, whatever you call that was, uh, that was one of the best
13:20looks I've seen on film in a while.
13:22So he was great.
13:24He was really great.
13:25Um, and another tricky thing, or you're working with reflections in windows in a handful of
13:31shots.
13:32Um, and you can see what's happening on both sides of the glass in a single shot, um, where
13:38you might see a character walking away based on the reflection, but then you can see the
13:43glass and see a character standing on the other side.
13:45Um, so can you kind of dig into the process of framing those shots, uh, and, you know,
13:52figuring out just, um, how to operate with a glass in that capacity?
13:58Yeah.
13:59I mean, I feel like specifically for the one where Judy's looking out the window and Brian's
14:06walking away.
14:07Um, we were scouting the location and, and I was walking around with Ed and Steven and
14:14we noticed that, you know, it had the way the placement of the window had the perfect
14:19reflection of the street.
14:21So we decided to sort of add this shot after having the location.
14:25And, um, honestly, it's just about finding like a strategically placed dark object.
14:31And I believe we had a planter that was killing part of the reflection, a hanging planter.
14:37So Judy's face could land in that exact spot and we'd still have the trees around, but there
14:42was something that was practical, not like a flag or a film shape you could make out that.
14:48So we were able to see her face.
14:52And you also set up shots from unique viewpoints where cameras usually don't go, um, like looking
14:59up from the bottom of a pot or a pan in the kitchen or, um, looking outward from a kitchen
15:04cabinet or from a freezer.
15:07Um, was that something that, uh, you know, did you have a lot of fun doing that kind of
15:12thing?
15:12How did that, uh, how, what did that ask of you?
15:15Yeah.
15:15I mean, it, it started as an inside joke between Ed and Steven and I, because we always knew
15:21we were going to have the camera in the frigerate.
15:24I mean, sorry, in the microwave when she throws the spaghetti.
15:27And then once we got into the kitchen, like I'd said, the art department built the entire
15:32kitchen.
15:33So they were able to take the back off the fridge or cut the bottom off the pot of chili.
15:37And we were kind of, I was saying it's me, a few too many camera hidden inside of something
15:45for my taste.
15:46And then, so they kept sort of throwing out ideas like, oh, let's put it here and let's
15:50put it there.
15:50And I just, you know, it, it sort of became a running joke for us.
15:54And we weren't sure if the audience would pick up on it or, or find it funny, but we
15:59wanted to see how many different things we could put the, the camera inside of.
16:03And, um, I didn't think they would all make the edit, but most of them did.
16:10There's also a, uh, a dolly sequence, a tracking shot that stuck out to me.
16:15And it's when we're revealed a very, uh, crucial piece of information about Judy Greer's
16:21character.
16:22Um, but the camera set up from a distance and we're tracking her movement, um, across the
16:28sidewalk in front of her house and in her driveway.
16:30Um, you know, was, was that in the script to be kind of a dolly tracking shot like that?
16:37Or when, uh, when was that decision made that that's how, um, that particular scene was going
16:42to be shot?
16:44I'm, I'm, if I remember correctly, it was in the script is maybe a single shot or just,
16:52you know, we see her come out and sneak and put the, the cooler or take the, put the cooler
16:58in the trash can and, um, yeah, at the location, it just had this perfect line that we could
17:07follow and pulling back all the way felt a little too wide for me, but it's still, we
17:14wanted to feel a bit observational and a bit like, oh, things are moving in a direct, different
17:19direction.
17:19And, you know, this movie surprisingly is quite still there's, we wanted it to feel very
17:28framed and calculated and not chaotic because what's going on is so chaotic.
17:35We wanted the camera to reflect something different.
17:38And so this was a time that it felt like, okay, the story is moving in a different direction
17:43now, and we're going to bring you along with us.
17:47Yeah.
17:48Yeah.
17:48And, uh, earlier you mentioned the barn, uh, location and, uh, we'll get to that piece
17:53in a minute, but generally I just want to talk about shooting at night.
17:56Um, and, and there are multiple sequences where the only light that we see that's actually
18:02like from the, from the movie itself is from headlights, from car, car headlights.
18:07Um, you know, can you elaborate on some of those situational decisions that you have
18:12to make there from a shooting and lighting standpoint?
18:14Um, when you're, you know, basically filming in pitch black in the middle of the night,
18:19or I don't know what time of night you filmed at, but, uh, you know, just, it, it takes place
18:24in the middle of the night within the film itself.
18:27Yeah.
18:27I mean, I think it was maybe Ed that actually told me this zone that we were in is, uh,
18:33uh,
18:34something called a dark zone.
18:35So it's known for having the least amount of light pollution.
18:38So when it is pitch black out there, it is pitch black and it's hard to see three feet
18:46in front of you.
18:47So especially on a night when there's no moon, we really wanted to bring that, uh, that feeling
18:54to the audience.
18:55And I think where, where we were able to really capture that is when she's driving and there's
19:04the collision and her car stops and she looks back to see where his car is.
19:10And there's just, all you see is black.
19:13There's just nothing.
19:14Um, so that was really fun to, to purposefully get to shoot just pitch black.
19:20And then in terms of the barn, yeah, we wanted it.
19:24It didn't make sense that the barn would have any light on it since it's his uncle's barn that
19:29he doesn't use anymore.
19:30There's not really electricity.
19:31So we decided to keep the car headlights on as you would in, in real life.
19:37So you could actually see something.
19:40Um, and yeah, we added a little bit of moonlight and we were able to shoot on the Alexa 35,
19:47which has a low light since the, in the ES mode.
19:50So it actually, you know, is taking in everything that's available.
19:55And then we got to sort of pick and choose where we added highlights or, or brought something
20:02to bring your eye to the place we wanted you to be looking.
20:07And, uh, in the barn scene, there is a massive fire that, uh, that occurs.
20:12And this was a, this was totally practical from what I understand.
20:15Is that right?
20:17Yes.
20:18We did light the barn on fire and it, it burned down.
20:23So the shot you see the next day is actually what was left of the barn.
20:27Um, but you know, there were some things, obviously we couldn't have the barn on fire the entire
20:35shoot.
20:36We were there for three nights.
20:37So we did the, the two shots where the, the barn is actually on fire is when Judy runs
20:47toward camera and she's screaming and then goes to get in her car.
20:51And then the driving away from the barn shot and the rest of it, we sort of hid lights inside
20:57the barn and did practical effects with smoke.
20:59And we had a few flame bars here and there, um, just to make it read lifelike in the eyes.
21:08But we, yeah, the, everything else where they're sitting in front of the barn is fake.
21:13And then in the interior of the barn, we built a set and our, um, special effects team built
21:19all the back wall out of cement and made it look like wood.
21:24So we were able to actually choose when to light that up or not.
21:30So did you have any experience with, uh, capturing a fire like that on film before?
21:34Or was this, uh, this your first time doing that?
21:37I, yeah, no, it was my first time building down a full building.
21:41I've done stuff with flame bars and, you know, special effects fire before, but actually burning
21:48down a building, uh, that was, that was the first time.
21:51Yeah.
21:51Yeah.
21:52Yeah.
21:53So, um, someone on fire, I've, I've done two shoots where we've lit a person on fire,
21:58but yeah, I mean, the, the trickiest thing about it is just how bright fire burns.
22:06And when you're in an exterior where everything else is pitch black, um, just having the latitude
22:11within the camera to capture the highlights without everything being blown out and still
22:17maintain some detail.
22:19I was, I was really impressed with what the Alexa 35 was able to, to keep.
22:24Right.
22:26So did you have any visual references from other movies for your work?
22:29This, uh, for your work in this, I know, obviously tonally, I was reminded of the Coen
22:34brothers films.
22:35Um, but you know, from a technical standpoint, from a cinematography standpoint, was there anything
22:40that you kind of had in the back of your mind that you wanted to emulate or put a spin
22:44on
22:44in your own way?
22:46Yeah.
22:46I mean, we, we watched quite a few movies together in prep and we were certainly influenced by
22:54different sections of different movies and, you know, Fargo is a obvious comp, but it
23:01was sort of, um, especially the car chase scene just at a point in that movie, I think because
23:07they're in the snow and it's a night, everything gets so stark and the movie starts out or sorry,
23:15chili finger starts out sort of a, like a family dramedy.
23:19And I think we were looking at, um, three billboards and lady bird and a few films that
23:26are just, you know, more grounded, but have a look to them.
23:30And then we wanted it to evolve into this very stark, the, the lights are light and the
23:37darks are dark and there's not a lot in between once we're in the night exterior mode.
23:43And then that sort of evolves into the diner when everything is a little more subdued and
23:49cloudy.
23:50So, yeah, we wanted to really take you on evolution.
23:53And then we, we watched Tokyo story during prep.
23:58And although it has nothing to do with our film, there was a lot of moments we found ourselves
24:05referencing Tokyo story with a frame within a frame and sort of setting up a frame and
24:10letting things play out in it.
24:12And then maybe just panning to reveal something else because there was such restraint with
24:18the camera back then.
24:19I mean, it was hard to move it and we had made the choice to keep our camera really still.
24:23So trying to find ways to be really, to be really thoughtful about the movement and what
24:33was in the frame and how the frame, you know, how people exist within the frame, either moving
24:39toward camera and away from camera or there in, especially in the trailer, there was a lot
24:45of frame within a frame.
24:46So we made a lot of jokes about Tokyo story being a huge reference for us, even though
24:52it doesn't make a lot of sense.
24:55And something you mentioned earlier that kind of goes back to the movement within the frame,
25:00talking about the opening sequence, how you knew it was going to have that particular song
25:05with that opening scene.
25:07Um, so is that unusual for you to kind of know the music that's going to be implemented
25:14in the shot you're setting up?
25:15Um, or, you know, is that something that you've worked with before or how was, how was that
25:20in this case?
25:21Yeah.
25:22I mean, a lot of times, you know, it's, it's a process to get the rights to a song and
25:27also
25:27knowing where your budget plays out and what's it going to be.
25:30So you often can't, um, really sync something unless the rights have already been purchased
25:39and, and, and, you know, in the indie film world, it's really rare to know that off the
25:44bat.
25:45So being that this is like not super popular, uh, well, I don't want to get this wrong, but
25:52I'm pretty sure, no, no, that's a different song.
25:56Sorry.
25:56The beer barrel polka they play at baseball games in Wisconsin.
26:00And this is a different song, but yeah, it, it was something that they were fairly certain
26:06they were going to get the rights to.
26:07So we did keep in mind, um, keep in mind the pacing and, and the length of shots and how
26:14it was going to play out.
26:17And I know you have a background in music videos yourself.
26:20Um, so, you know, what are some aspects of that background that are still kind of ingrained
26:26in your approach to cinematography and how does that translate to narrative film projects?
26:32It's a great question.
26:33Um, music videos are, you know, at some of the most fun stuff that you can shoot, there's
26:41a freedom to it.
26:42You really get to be experimental.
26:44And I think honestly, the biggest thing that carries over is shooting on a tight timeline.
26:51You're moving so fast and you're trying to get as much as possible in a day or two days
26:57so that you have a lot of different things to cut to in a music video.
27:02And it, it's sort of the same with, with indie films.
27:06You're, you know, we shot this in 23 days, so we were moving at an insane pace and just
27:13being able to find the fun in it and keep morale up and, and look for interesting shots while
27:19being on a tight timeline.
27:20I think music videos are great training for that.
27:25Right.
27:26And, uh, with Chili Finger, you begin and end the film with a shot of a particular object.
27:32Um, I guess I won't reveal exactly what that is, but, uh, it has a lot of thematic significance,
27:38just this one particular object and, uh, kind of goes back to my earlier question about
27:44the title card and getting the money shot at the Chili Finger, um, was, I'm sure that
27:50was interesting for you to figure out how you wanted to photograph the certain thing,
27:55uh, and kind of tie it together full circle from the beginning to the end of the film.
28:00Um, yeah, I mean, that was, it's hard to talk about without naming what it was, but yeah,
28:09we, we definitely had to plan around it and try a lot of different sizes to see what felt
28:16right.
28:17Um, and there were a lot of, uh, well, yeah, I don't, I don't know how to talk about that
28:24saying what it is.
28:25We can probably say what it was.
28:27Uh, I don't think it's a spoiler without context.
28:29Um, I mean, Oh yeah, but the, yeah, there's a googly eye.
28:35And so we, I bought a variety of different sizes sort of play around with like how much
28:42of it you hold in focus and what looks best on camera and, and what makes it look like
28:46the appropriate size, especially for the last shot, um, in the film, when we boom down and
28:54reveal that it's there, we had to try a lot of different sizes to get the, the scale.
29:00Right.
29:00Right.
29:01Right.
29:02And, uh, I know generally for you, uh, kind of the way you got into a narrative feature
29:07film was a bit of an interesting journey.
29:10And I think it was American fiction, your first feature film that you shot.
29:15No, um, American fiction, I think was my fourth film.
29:20Um, but yeah, I, it actually came by way of, of music videos is I had, um, Dakota Johnson
29:31directed a music video with a mutual friend of ours, uh, Corey James Bailey for, um, Coldplay.
29:40And so I met her on that film and we just really got along creatively and she was just starting
29:49to produce films around then.
29:51So she went on to produce a film called, am I okay?
29:55And, um, originally the timing wasn't going to work out and then COVID hit and they had
30:02lost the DP they already had.
30:04And, and I came on and, and then we've worked, collaborated together many times since then.
30:10So that was sort of my open door into films.
30:13I had done one feature, um, maybe five years prior, it was a sort of, uh, horror vampire
30:22movie, but, um, yeah, it had, it had been a little while and that was really the, the
30:30breakthrough that I needed, I think.
30:31Right.
30:32And so moving forward, do you kind of continue to see yourself doing a healthy mix of narrative
30:37projects and would you see yourself working in music videos continuously as well?
30:42Or, um, what's that going to kind of look like for you as a cinematographer moving forward?
30:46Yeah.
30:47I mean, in an ideal world, I would do one or two movies a year and fill in the rest
30:53of the
30:53time with music videos and commercials.
30:55But I think people are often afraid to reach out about music videos if you've done movies
31:01and, and vice versa.
31:03It's, it's funny how this industry can be very narrow minded in that originally I was
31:10viewed as a commercial DP.
31:12And so it was really hard to break into narrative.
31:15And now that I have, I think people are like, oh, she's a narrative DP.
31:19She doesn't do commercials or music videos when really that's, you know, what I, what I grew
31:24up doing.
31:25I, I started working in film when I was 17 and I've been doing it for, you know, over
31:3320 years.
31:34And so, uh, I've done everything.
31:37And as long as I'm inspired by the material, it, the, the budget is, is less important,
31:44you know?
31:44Right.
31:45Right.
31:45Definitely.
31:46Well, I'm glad you were inspired by the material chili finger and that you were able to be a
31:50part of the project.
31:51Cause, uh, I really, I really did love this film and, uh, congrats on the, the South by
31:55Southwest premiere.
31:56And, uh, you know, looking forward to that more people are going to have a chance to see
32:00it down the line.
32:01Um, but I appreciate your time today, Christina has really been a pleasure to talk with you and,
32:05uh, hopefully we share more conversations in the future.
32:08Yeah, I hope so too.
32:09Thank you so much.
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