Episode 237 Dolby Creator Talks

Lol Crawley and the Cinematography of The Brutalist

February 10, 2025

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Academy Award®-nominated cinematographer Lol Crawley joins us to discuss his approach to "The Brutalist," the epic indie film from writer / director Brady Corbet. Crawley delves into his decision to shoot the film in VistaVision, how it shaped the film’s aesthetic, and his use of practical lighting to create its atmospheric look. He also shares insights into how they executed the film’s many “oners” (one-shot scenes), the challenges of capturing the marble quarry sequence, and how his cinematography reinforces the film’s themes of ambition, displacement, and artistic legacy.

The VistaVision shot… it's a little bit like anamorphic, in the sense of [it capturing] two things in one. You get this intimacy, but you also have this wide field of view. So you see the world, and you see the performance. And I think that's what gives the film a certain grandeur. And its debt to early 50s, 60s American cinema.

Lol Crawley, Director of Photography, "The Brutalist"

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