published by postPerspective
With a career that began on the sets of Godzilla, Men in Black and Far From Heaven, cinematographer Jay Feather cut his teeth in the industry as a camera assistant before stepping behind the lens as a director of photography. His commercial work for brands like Nike, Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods laid the groundwork for his transition into television, where he helped shape the visual style of HBO’s Veep over three seasons. Feather’s versatility has also been key to his success, contributing as second unit DP on Eastbound and Down and serving as NYC unit DP for Alan Ball’s high-octane Cinemax drama Banshee.
Feather has been shooting the MGM+ show Godfather of Harlem, which is now in its fourth season. We reached out to him to talk about his workflow.
When did you start on Godfather of Harlem?
In the second season. It’s always a challenge working within an established aesthetic and integrating my own vision, but it was a fun challenge on Godfather because the script and characters are so rich.
How would you describe the look of the show?
The show is uniquely immersive in the sense that it is an homage to the era in which it is set. At its core, it’s a show about gangsters, but it takes a wider lens on the historical context and the politics of the era — as well as how those layers affect the characters as individuals. My job in that is to figure out how the lighting and camera movements can enhance the script.
The series is in Season 4, and you’ve worked on all but Season 1. How has the look of the show evolved over those four seasons, and what role did you play in that evolution?
Every season of Godfather has a slightly different historical focus, so while the overall look has remained fairly consistent, each season requires some adaptations. The sets are different, the locations are different, new actors are introduced — and I take all of that into consideration as I approach the lighting. My colleague, DP Jack Donnelly, has worked on the show since the beginning, and I have to give him credit for establishing the look, which has been an amazing foundation to work from.
How do the showrunners explain the look they want? Is there a lookbook?
Godfather’s showrunner, Chris Brancato, is a visionary. He has brought together so many elements that people don’t usually expect to find together — both visually and conceptually. Swizz Beatz doing the music is a subtle but powerful gesture to connect with today. Chris’s use of poetic license throughout the show, and his integration of the historical characters within the fictionalized narrative, is brilliant and ambitious… it’s a true pleasure to be a part of bringing it all together.
Do you work with on-set LUTs and a DIT? How did you work with the show’s colorist?
We have one show LUT that we use the whole season. There is no DIT. Our colorist is Rob Sciarratta from Picture Shop. He is the best. We’ve been working together since I started on the show, and he knows exactly what we are going for and delivers every single time.
The show shoots on Sony Venice with Leica lenses. Why was that the right choice for this one?
I like the Sony Venice for its low-light sensitivity. For lenses, we used a full set of Leica Summilux that was modified by Panavision New York, the Noir #1 [Editor’s Note: The Noir #1 lens is a specific adaptation or re-housing of existing Panavision lenses.].
I like the Leicas because of how they render skin tones. They also allow for deep, rich blacks. I like to have a shallow depth of field, and I tend to shoot at a 2.0 or wide open and the Leicas are a 1.4. The Noir can help take off the sharp edge that can happen with digital photography.
What episode are you most proud of and why?
Episode 408, directed by Carl Seaton. I’ve worked with Carl every season, and he is a true filmmaker. When we block together, his ideas are always so creative and expansive. He really brings a whole new dimension to the storytelling. Episode 8 is heavy. It becomes clear that Bumpy is really at risk of being defeated and losing it all to the Italians.
Toward the end of the episode, there’s a scene at Belmonte’s where all the stakeholders are sitting around a table, and in order to get the effect we wanted here, we cut out the center of a table and used a remote head to shoot. It was an effective way to survey the tension around the table. We then see that storyline fulfilled as Bumpy loses the battle.
Finally, you have shot many different genres. Do you have a favorite, or are you able to find something new each time?
I’ve always gravitated toward dark comedy, but as long as I am working on something with a compelling narrative and complex characters, I am happy. I’ve worked on everything from satire to horror, and every project has enabled me to integrate different tools and approaches to cinematography. Working on a period piece like Godfather has been particularly fulfilling. Part of what I love about being a cinematographer is the opportunity to work with so many different brilliant creatives — from the actors and directors to the visual effects and stunt teams.
