published by Production Hub

With a resume that includes the satirical sharpness of Veep and the glossy tension of The Flight Attendant, cinematographer Jay Feather brings a dynamic storytelling sensibility to the fourth season of Godfather of Harlem. Using a combination of Sony Venice and Leica cameras, along with Litegear Litemats to shape the show’s moody palette, Feather helps elevate the gritty streets of 1960s Harlem into something visually poetic. As Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) navigates the fallout of the Malcolm X murder trial and a city on the brink, Feather's lens captures the raw urgency of the era, while honoring the emotional complexity at the heart of this crime saga rooted in real history.

PH: Godfather of Harlem is known for its textured, visceral aesthetic. How did you build on that in Season 4 while keeping the look fresh?

Jay Feather: I have to give credit to my colleagues and friends Jack Donnelly, Guillermo Navarro, and Chris Norr, who established the aesthetic of Godfather in Season 1, before I started working on the show. We’ve built on that over the past three seasons as the storyline has evolved and required subtle adjustments. It’s always fun to work on a show long-term like this because you can make small changes that may not alter the essence of the aesthetic, but refine it in definitive ways. Each season has a different historical arc, so while we visually adhere to the same building blocks, we also have the flexibility to take different approaches.  

PH: You paired Sony Venice and Leica glass with Litegear Litemats—what about that combination helped you achieve the show’s signature intensity?

Jay Feather: The Sony Venice is great because of its low-light sensitivity and the efficiency and compact size of Litemat allows for invaluable on-set flexibility. Panavision New York was great to work with for all our gear. They were super supportive and made sure we had everything we needed, including a set of modified Leica Summilux Noir #1 lenses. 

PH: How did you approach recreating the real-world moments in history, like Elise’s testimony in the Malcolm X trial, through your lens?

Jay Feather: Chris Broncato, the creator and showrunner of Godfather, can integrate definitive historical events from the 60s with the show’s storyline with incredible grace and sophistication. The integration of archival footage allows the audience to be part of these moments in history, while creating the context for the characters and story narrative. 

PH: You’ve worked on everything from Veep to The Flight Attendant to Godfather of Harlem. How does your comedy background inform your work on darker, more dramatic narratives?

Jay Feather: The genre is of course, one aspect of a project, but there are so many elements that go into making every show I’ve worked on. My approach is always informed by so many pieces of the project — the location, the director, the narrative itself — I can’t specifically narrow down how my approach differs for comedy versus drama because ultimately, they are all conversations that have so many unique elements and layers. I do think my background in comedy helps me approach things with a certain space that allows for the aesthetic to evolve and respond to the needs of the project. 

PH: What draws you to stories rooted in politics, whether fictional (Veep) or historical (Godfather of Harlem)?

Jay Feather: I’ve always been interested in politics and was a political science major in college. Whether or not we are always able to see this or admit it, the political circumstances surrounding us define the ways we think about our lives and how our more personal dramas unfold. I’ve been drawn to stories where the intersection of the personal and political is at the forefront of the drama.