Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
DOP Gustav Danielsson, FSF on shooting HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms with naturalistic firelight, practical battlefield fog, and in-camera POV shots
Podcast highlights include:
-How Gustav and director Owen Harris planned the show's night time, fire-light-driven look.
-Beginning their shoot day at dusk to catch the natural blue hour light in the wide shots before moving into closer setups.
-Pulling off the massive dueling tournament in Episode 5, using practical fog and mud to set the mood.
-The sinister gray mist was chosen as a practical solution to use fewer extras, and added to the atmosphere of dread as it obscured the combatants. As for the mud, it looked great, but the production team had to adjust as it quickly became hard as concrete when it dried.
-Using a Ronin 4D rigged to an operator's chest for the helmet POV shots. Rather than adding digital effects, the second unit shot the visceral mace-impact perspective entirely in-camera.
-Shooting the flashback sequences on a Panavision’s T-Series Anamorphic lenses to distinguish it from the present-day story without adjusting the color grade.
Find Gustav Danielsson: gustavdanielsson.com
Instagram: @gustavdanielssson
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is currently streaming on HBO.
SHOW RUNDOWN:
02:39 Close Focus
Theatrical movies are definitely back this summer, with big box office earnings. Spider-Man: Brand New Day made a half-billion domestically and nearly $1 billion globally in just a single week. The Odyssey continues to sell out IMAX screens, and Toy Story 5 is still at #3.
10:44-01:04:42 Gustav Danielsson Interview
**Go to camnoir.com/ep368 for show notes and links**
01:05:10 Short Ends
Ben’s short end: The new Eli Roth horror movie, Ice Cream Man used generative AI in some sequences.
Illya’s short end: California has a website for residents to easily limit the amount of information data brokers can take. DROP- Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform is the free state-owned, one-stop website where you can tell data brokers to delete and not sell your information.
01:14:26 Credits
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
Editor: Alana Kode
Composer: Kays Al-Atrakchi
Check out Kays’ new YouTube Channel, Kays Labs, where he repairs old synthesizers.
The Cinematography Podcast website: camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social
DOP Gustav Danielsson, FSF on shooting HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms with naturalistic firelight, practical battlefield fog, and in-camera POV shots
Podcast highlights include:
-How Gustav and director Owen Harris planned the show's night time, fire-light-driven look.
-Beginning their shoot day at dusk to catch the natural blue hour light in the wide shots before moving into closer setups.
-Pulling off the massive dueling tournament in Episode 5, using practical fog and mud to set the mood.
-The sinister gray mist was chosen as a practical solution to use fewer extras, and added to the atmosphere of dread as it obscured the combatants. As for the mud, it looked great, but the production team had to adjust as it quickly became hard as concrete when it dried.
-Using a Ronin 4D rigged to an operator's chest for the helmet POV shots. Rather than adding digital effects, the second unit shot the visceral mace-impact perspective entirely in-camera.
-Shooting the flashback sequences on a Panavision’s T-Series Anamorphic lenses to distinguish it from the present-day story without adjusting the color grade.
Find Gustav Danielsson: gustavdanielsson.com
Instagram: @gustavdanielssson
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is currently streaming on HBO.
SHOW RUNDOWN:
02:39 Close Focus
Theatrical movies are definitely back this summer, with big box office earnings. Spider-Man: Brand New Day made a half-billion domestically and nearly $1 billion globally in just a single week. The Odyssey continues to sell out IMAX screens, and Toy Story 5 is still at #3.
10:44-01:04:42 Gustav Danielsson Interview
**Go to camnoir.com/ep368 for show notes and links**
01:05:10 Short Ends
Ben’s short end: The new Eli Roth horror movie, Ice Cream Man used generative AI in some sequences.
Illya’s short end: California has a website for residents to easily limit the amount of information data brokers can take. DROP- Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform is the free state-owned, one-stop website where you can tell data brokers to delete and not sell your information.
01:14:26 Credits
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
Editor: Alana Kode
Composer: Kays Al-Atrakchi
Check out Kays’ new YouTube Channel, Kays Labs, where he repairs old synthesizers.
The Cinematography Podcast website: camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social
