Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Cinematography Podcast 2026 Oscar Special
Jenelle Riley, three-time Emmy-winning entertainment journalist and host, chats with Ben and Illya for our SEVENTH annual Oscar nominations special. With a focus on cinematography, they discuss what they liked, what will win, what should win, and their favorite movies of the year that may not have been recognized.
They discuss this year’s nominations, including the likeliest Best Picture and Best Director contenders, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. F1 is also mentioned as an outlier for the category, although the cinematography by Claudio Miranda is excellent. This year’s new category, Achievement in Casting, is celebrated as a much needed addition. The competition for cinematography is a heated one, with both Autumn Durald Arkapaw and Michael Bauman as favorites, with Bauman recently winning the ASC Award. Some of the snubs this year include one of Jenelle’s favorite movies, The Life of Chuck. Song Sung Blue also didn’t receive much awards love. Last year’s awards omitted the worthy film, Thelma.
Also discussed: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.
Academy Award nominees for Best Cinematography this year are:
Frankenstein: Dan Laustsen
Marty Supreme: Darius Khondji
One Battle after Another: Michael Bauman
Sinners: Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Train Dreams: Adolpho Veloso
Find Jenelle Riley on Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, X: @jenelleriley
and Substack. Tune in to the SAG/AFTRA foundation YouTube Channel to see Jenelle’s interviews with several of the nominees this year.
Host and editor in Chief: Illya Friedman
Instagram: @illyafriedman @hotrodcameras
Host: Ben Rock
Blue Sky: @benrock.com
Instagram: @bejamin_rock
Producer: Alana Kode
All web and social media content written by Alana Kode
Composer: Kays Al-Atrakchi
Check out Kays' new YouTube Channel, Kays Labs, where he repairs old synthesizers.
Editor: Alana Kode
The Cinematography Podcast 2026 Oscar Special
Jenelle Riley, three-time Emmy-winning entertainment journalist and host, chats with Ben and Illya for our SEVENTH annual Oscar nominations special. With a focus on cinematography, they discuss what they liked, what will win, what should win, and their favorite movies of the year that may not have been recognized.
They discuss this year’s nominations, including the likeliest Best Picture and Best Director contenders, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. F1 is also mentioned as an outlier for the category, although the cinematography by Claudio Miranda is excellent. This year’s new category, Achievement in Casting, is celebrated as a much needed addition. The competition for cinematography is a heated one, with both Autumn Durald Arkapaw and Michael Bauman as favorites, with Bauman recently winning the ASC Award. Some of the snubs this year include one of Jenelle’s favorite movies, The Life of Chuck. Song Sung Blue also didn’t receive much awards love. Last year’s awards omitted the worthy film, Thelma.
Also discussed: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.
Academy Award nominees for Best Cinematography this year are:
Frankenstein: Dan Laustsen
Marty Supreme: Darius Khondji
One Battle after Another: Michael Bauman
Sinners: Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Train Dreams: Adolpho Veloso
Find Jenelle Riley on Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, X: @jenelleriley
and Substack. Tune in to the SAG/AFTRA foundation YouTube Channel to see Jenelle’s interviews with several of the nominees this year.
Host and editor in Chief: Illya Friedman
Instagram: @illyafriedman @hotrodcameras
Host: Ben Rock
Blue Sky: @benrock.com
Instagram: @bejamin_rock
Producer: Alana Kode
All web and social media content written by Alana Kode
Composer: Kays Al-Atrakchi
Check out Kays' new YouTube Channel, Kays Labs, where he repairs old synthesizers.
Editor: Alana Kode
