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IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit
Chris O'Falt
'Sinners' Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw
53 minutes Posted Feb 26, 2026 at 12:30 pm.
Intro
Autumn's career and personal live leading to "Sinners."
Why the look of "Sinners" is so personal to Autumn.
Capturing the authentic harsh sun & muggy nights of Mississippi Delta
The challenges and technical details of shooting on IMAX film cameras.
Executing the surreal 'I Lied to You' sequence.
The challenges of blending VFX and ultra high-res IMAX footage.
The awards campaign and how it feels to potentially be the first woman to win the Best Cinematography Oscar.
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Show notes
For her masterful work on "Sinners," Autumn became only the fourth woman in history to be nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar. She opened up with IndieWire VP Chris O'Falt about the prospect of becoming the first woman to win that award, and how being a woman in the field affected her early career and her current balance between work and family. And of course we dig into all the nerdy craft details, including a more candid conversation about the decision to use IMAX than you may have heard elsewhere.
Revisit our episode with "Elvis" Cinematographer Mandy Walker, the third woman nominee in the category - open.spotify.com/episode/5iPCSArQfCBhCce1HbdsWE?si=CleehbCZTPmF7POubrB9ow
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