Clubhouse Conversations — Frankenstein

In this episode, cinematographer Dan Laustsen, ASC, DFF is joined by interviewer Lol Crawley, ASC, BSC to discuss his work on Frankenstein — writer-director Guillermo del Toro's gothic-romanticist vision of Mary Shelley's classic creature tale.

Frankenstein tells the story of egomaniacal scientist Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), whose success in performing an audacious experiment gives life to the Creature (Jacob Elordi), with disastrous consequences. Del Toro's singular spin on the timeless story marks his fifth feature collaboration with Laustsen, following the pair's work together on Mimic, Crimson Peak, The Shape of Water and Nightmare Alley.

Conversation Highlights

Laustsen's conversation with Crawley explores a range of strategies, as well as the creative and practical challenges he encountered, including:

• How he and del Toro incorporated influences to create a classical yet modern aesthetic
• How his camera and lens choices helped balance a feeling of intimacy with wide-angle framing
• His approach to shooting miniatures to achieve a sense of depth and realism
• His preference for practical steam over smoke to build atmosphere
• How the crew's rigorous prep and testing helped refine their lighting of large-scale sets

Dan Laustsen, ASC, DFF is a cinematographer whose credits include Crimson Peak (2015), The Shape of Water (2017), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), and Nightmare Alley (2021). He received both Academy Award and ASC Award nominations in 2018 and 2022 for his work on The Shape of Water and Nightmare Alley, respectively.

Lol Crawley, ASC, BSC is a cinematographer whose credits include the features Four Lions, 45 Years, The Childhood of a Leader, Vox Lux, The Secret Garden, White Noise and The Brutalist. For his work on The Brutalist, he received the Academy Award for Best Cinematography in 2025.

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

Images courtesy of Netflix.