Clubhouse Conversations — Maria

In this episode, cinematographer Ed Lachman, ASC is joined by interviewer Caleb Deschanel, ASC, to discuss his work on Maria — the biographical psychodrama from director Pablo Larraín that explores the latter years of opera singer Maria Callas.

Maria follows the eponymous opera legend (played by Angelina Jolie) as she reflects on her glamorous, yet turbulent life while residing in Paris in the 1970s. The film marks the second collaboration between Lachman and Larraín, following the 2023 dark comedy El Conde. (Find our Clubhouse Conversation on El Conde here.)

Also Read — El Conde: Political Satire With Fangs

In this interview, Lachman discusses crafting Maria’s visual style through a mix of black-and-white and color sequences; capturing intimate moments with Super 8 footage; navigating the challenges of shooting in historical theaters and on large-scale locations; how his lighting choices helped convey Maria Callas’ emotional depth; how he and Larraín's creative partnership helped shape the film’s operatic tone, and more.

Ed Lachman, ASC is a cinematographer whose feature credits include Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), The Virgin Suicides (1999), Erin Brockovich (2000), Howl (2010) Dark Waters (2019) and El Conde (2023).

Caleb Deschanel, ASC is a cinematographer whose feature credits include The Right Stuff (1983), The Natural (1984), National Treasure (2004), Jack Reacher (2012), and The Lion King (2019).

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