Clubhouse Conversations — HBO Max 2022 Emmy Nominee Roundtable: Insecure, Barry & Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

In this 72-minute episode, cinematographers Ava Berkofsky, ASC; Carl Herse and Todd Banhazl are joined interviewer Patrick Cady, ASC to discuss their respective nominated series.

Berkofsky’s Insecure episode “Reunited, Okay?!” is nominated in the category Outstanding Cinematography for A Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour). The cinematographer relied on Arri Alexa Mini cameras (ProRes 4444 HQ), pairing them with Cooke S5i primes.

Herse’s Barry episode “starting now” is also nominated in the Outstanding Cinematography for A Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour) category, which he shot with Arri Alexa Mini cameras (3.2K 16:9) and Arri Master Primes.

Nominated in the category Outstanding Cinematography for A Single-Camera Series (One Hour), Banhazl employed a variety of film cameras on Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, from Panavision Millennium XL2, Arricam LT and Arri 435 and 416 units shooting 35mm and 16mm to Pro8mm Max 8 Beaulieu 4008 Super 8 cameras. Stocks included Kodak color negative and color and black-and-white reversal emulsions. Optics included glass from Panavision, Cooke, Zeiss and Angénieux. Vintage Ikegami ITC-730A and HL-79 video cameras were also used. (A full AC story on the complex production can be found here.)

Born in Wales (United Kingdom), raised in California, and now based in Los Angeles, Berkofsky is a three-time Emmy nominee. The cinematographer's previous two nominations were earned in 2019 and 2020, also for Insecure, where Berkofsky collaborated with director and executive producer Melina Matsoukas to create the distinct look and visual language of the show. The cinematographer's feature credits include A24’s Share, directed by Pippa Bianco, which won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award at Sundance and was nominated for the Caméra d'Or at Cannes, and Free In Deed, directed by Jake Mahaffy, which earned a nomination for Best Cinematography at the Independent Spirit Awards, among other accolades.

Based in Los Angeles and New York, Banhazl is relatively new to narrative television but well-established in shooting commercials for such clients as Swiss Air, H&M, Converse, Donna Karen, and Samsung, as well as music videos for Bruno Mars, Cat Stevens, Lorde, The Strokes, Muse, and Janelle Monáe. His feature credits include Between Us, The Strange Ones, Braid, Blow the Man Down and Hustlers (for which he earned an Independent Spirit Awards nomination for Best Cinematography). This is his first Emmy nomination.

Herse directed his first broadcast work at 12 years old for his local public access station. After studying film at Columbia College in Chicago, he worked in set lighting while building a name for himself in the world of cinematography. His television credits include Nathan for You, The Last Man on Earth, Moonbase 8, Black Monday and The Afterparty. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, interior designer Martha Mulholland, and enjoys continual inspiration from art and design in all its forms. This is his first Emmy nomination.

Interviewer Patrick Cady was raised in rural New York and attended Ithaca College, later studying cinematography and directing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. “My middle-school teachers encouraged me that a country kid could actually end up working in the movie business,” he told American Cinematographer. “I then learned from a slew of wonderful cinematographers in the 1990s when I was a gaffer. Sol Negrin, ASC and [honorary ASC member] Larry Parker have mentored me in both film and family.” His career took a turn in 2000 after shooting his first feature, director Karen Kusama’s award-winning drama Girlfight. His extensive television credits include Cold Case, Make It or Break It, Suits, Rizzoli & Isles, Body of Proof, Betrayal, Rectify and Bosch. He earned a 2018 Emmy Award nomination for his work on the series Insecure. He has been a member of the ASC since 2011.

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