An exclusive interview with cinematographer TODD MCMULLEN discussing the beauteous cinematic world of 1969 and the smash hit AppleTV+ series, PALM ROYALE.
SYNOPSIS: PALM ROYALE is a true underdog story that follows the ambitious Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig) as she schemes to secure her seat at America’s most exclusive table: Palm Beach high society circa 1969. As Maxine attempts to cross that impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots, PALM ROYALE asks the same question that still baffles us today: “How much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice to get what someone else has?” Set during the powder keg year of 1969, PALM ROYALE is a testament to every outsider fighting for their chance to truly belong.
Created by Abe Sylvia with episodes directed by Sylvia, Tate Taylor, Stephanie Liang, and Claire Scanlon, PALM ROYALE stars Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney, Ricky Martin, Josh Lucas, Julia Duffy, Leslie Bibb, Laura Dern, Mindy Cohn, and Carol Burnett, just to name a few of this star-studded cast.
TODD McMULLEN is one of the most gifted cinematographers working today, particularly in series television. He has a unique visual style that brings depth and texture to a story such as with other series “The Son”, “Friday Night Lights”, “The Newsroom”, “Waco: The Aftermath”, or my favorite of Todd’s work, “Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story.” But now, stepping out of what one might consider Todd’s long-time comfort zone of darker material and into PALM ROYALE, the first word that comes to mind on seeing mere frames of PALM ROYALE is glorious…or gobsmacking beauty. One might wonder why step out of a “comfort zone”, but for Todd that’s an easy answer. “I don’t ever want to get comfortable in something. I am somebody who just observes so many things and I like to put those observations into visual storytelling. So whatever chance I get on something different, something interesting and eclectic, or is just downright funny like [PALM ROYALE}, I’m game!” And he certainly was game with PALM ROYALE.
The way Todd uses and manipulates light so that we feel that Palm Beach regional sun and humidity is stunning. And then you add the color and texture of the work of his collaborators Production Designer Jon Carlos, Set Decorator Ellen Reede, and Costume Designer Alix Friedberg, and the canvas is ready to be captured.
As with his fellow collaborators on PALM ROYALE, the first piece of the puzzle for the visual and emotional tonal bandwidth showrunner Abe Sylvia was seeking came from the images of renowned American photographer Slim Aarons. Pick up any high-end magazine in the 50s, 60s, and 70s and you will find Aarons’ images of socialites, jet-setters, and celebrities, including one that served as the guiding visual and emotional force for PALM ROYALE and its artisans. That provided the base.
Delving into the specifics of lensing PALM ROYALE, Todd discusses, among others:
- looking at each location and determining how to lens it, emotionally and logistically; “the locations own you until you figure them out”
- visually following Abe Sylvia’s storyline
- specific locations such as the pool/guest house (wanting to go as wide as possible thanks to the verdant beauty but then moving in tighter for an intimacy), Norma’s mansion, Maxine’s motel
- Havana Nights Ball which had the added element of dialogue within all of the choreographed dancing; lighting effects, spotlights, color, a Latin jazz group; 3 camera shoot; Steadicam and into Technocrane for cutaways and to “keep the dance alive”
- Beach Ball (a set on the Paramount lot) -shot tighter, more intimate, various table elevations within the tent
- employing dutching angles dependent on the character POV within the story
- wanting to shoot with anamorphic lenses (but unable to secure them because they are in such high demand) and then electing to use Panaspeed lenses from Panavision with filters that give the feel of anamorphic lenses
- challenges of the water scenes, most notably Maxine floating in the ocean and having to shoot the scene in a large pool out in the Valley and build in black and blue screen, build a platform inside the pool for Wiig to stand on as it was an all day shoot, maintain a water temp, etc.
- the triptych mirror scene
- maintaining a visual tonal bandwidth that’s light and bright versus negative space
- Carol Burnett
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 04/15/2024
PALM ROYALE is currently streaming on AppleTV+.
