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Recorded live at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, this annual Director of Photography Roundtable features No Film School’s GG Hawkins in conversation with cinematographers Lidia Nikonova, Sam Levy, and Maria Herrera. The group discusses their unconventional paths into cinematography—from orchestras and photojournalism to weddings and radio DJing—how they landed their Sundance projects, and why connection, rhythm, and trust matter more than flashy lookbooks. They also break down the tools they used to communicate vision, navigate long dialogue scenes, and adapt to technical and emotional challenges on set.
In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests discuss…
Shooting at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and hosting at the BraveMaker house
Maria Herrera’s transition from music to cinematography and operating handheld for emotionally intense performances
Sam Levy’s mentorship under Harris Savides and how that shaped his approach to narrative filmmaking
Lidia Nikonova’s journey from photojournalism and the Canon EOS 5D Mark II to AFI and shooting narrative features
How each DP landed their Sundance projects through relationships, cold emails, and creative chemistry
When to bring visual references to a director meeting—and when to just listen
Using tools like Figma to build collaborative lookbooks and visual worlds
Why dialogue rhythm and musicality influence cinematography choices
Shooting on 35mm with an Arricam ST versus digital on the ARRI Alexa 35
Working with vintage Super Baltar lenses (famously used on The Godfather) for a modern crime thriller
Referencing L'Argent by Robert Bresson for insert shots and cinematic economy
How to approach 10+ page dialogue scenes without losing visual intention
The value of shooting weddings and low-budget projects to build craft and confidence
Advice for emerging cinematographers: show up early, trust your vision, and get your reps in
Memorable Quotes:
“This child will never play a musical instrument ever in her life.”
“If you have good dialogues, it's like, okay, here's something.”
“Just connect with her.”
“Show up at least one hour early… and do not use your phone on set.”
Guests:
Lidia Nikonova
Sam Levy
Maria Herrera
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