Clubhouse Conversations — Dead Man's Wire

In this episode, cinematographer Arnaud Potier, AFC and director Gus Van Sant are joined by interviewer Arlene Nelson, ASC to discuss on Dead Man's Wire — an historical crime drama centered on a 1977 kidnapping.

Dead Man's Wire tells the story of Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård), an Indianapolis native who carried out the kidnapping of his bank mortgager, whom he held hostage for 63 hours while making phone calls to a local radio station, which broadcasted the chaotic event. The film, which marks Van Sant's first feature since 2018 (Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot), had its world premiere in August at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival.

Conversation Highlights

Potier and Van Sant's conversation with Nelson explores a range of strategies, as well as the creative and practical challenges they encountered, including:

• How they crafted a 1970s-inspired visual language rooted in handheld realism and cinema vérité
• The production's use of refurbished broadcast cameras to re-create vintage news footage
• How the filmmakers' lens tests ultimately helped them achieve a textured period look
• Designing a set with 360-degree lighting to enable unrestricted camera movement
• Choreographing and executing multi-camera sequences on a 20-day shooting schedule

Arnaud Potier, AFC is a cinematographer whose credits include the features Breathe, Galveston, Skin and Aggro Dr1ft.

Gus Van Sant is a filmmaker whose directing credits include Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho; To Die For; Good Will Hunting; Finding Forrester; Elephant; Milk; and Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot.

Arlene Nelson, ASC is a cinematographer whose feature credits, include A Mighty Wind, This Is Paris, Secrets of Playboy and Home Sweet Home.

You’ll find all episodes in our ASC Clubhouse Conversations discussion series here.

Images courtesy of Row K Entertainment.