August 31, 2026

Shot Talk – DTF St. Louis with Showrunner Steven Conrad & DP James Whitaker, ASC

Where to watch

Summary

In this episode of Shot Talk, Lawrence Sher, ASC sits down with Showrunner/Writer/Director Steve Conrad & DP James Whitaker, ASC for an in depth conversation about their work on the Emmy-nominated series DTF St. Louis.

From their approach to storyboarding the series in pre-production, to how they captured a stylized suburbia with a blend of real locations and liminal stage builds, the duo breaks down the creative process behind the critically-acclaimed series.

Key moments

  • 00:02:55 The Origins of DTF St. Louis
  • 00:04:40 Building Suspense Into a Modern Noir
  • 00:05:29 Changing the Visual Approach for a New Cast
  • 00:07:37 Shooting More Coverage with LED Lighting
  • 00:09:30 Controlling Daylight Exteriors
  • 00:12:00 Creating Consistent Winter Light in Suburban Atlanta
  • 00:13:50 Building a Crew Around Trust
  • 00:17:15 Scene Breakdown: Jason Bateman’s Intro
  • 00:19:45 Using Prosthetics to Transform David Harbour
  • 00:21:23 Lighting Close Ups in a Natural Way
  • 00:23:33 Balancing Comedy and Emotional Weight with Great Actors
  • 00:31:40 Scene Breakdown: The Swing Set
  • 00:40:07 Why Testing and “Day Zero” Matters
  • 00:41:40 The Importance of Establishing On Set Principles
  • 00:45:00 Designing Action Scenes
  • 00:47:25 Making Decisions as a Showrunner
  • 00:52:02 Storyboards as a Jumping Off Point to Create Your Own
  • 00:53:02 Creating a Modern Noir
  • 00:56:13 Elevating the Footage in Color Timing
  • 00:59:48 Developing the Look and Building the LUT
  • 01:02:35 Testing the Alexa 265 and Prime DNA Lenses
  • 01:03:22 The Trials of Shooting on Location
  • 01:05:20 Avoiding TV Tropes in Interrogation Scenes
  • 01:07:50 Building the Sheriff’s Office
  • 01:09:23 Creating a Single Source “Sun” on a Soundstage
  • 01:11:00 Photographing Richard Jenkins
  • 01:13:06 Trusting Actors to Discover Their Blocking
  • 01:16:34 Trusting Your Instincts When Staging a Scene
  • 01:17:50 Using Two Cameras to Find More Meaningful Angles
  • 01:19:40 Scene Breakdown: The Roller Rink
  • 01:23:35 Programming Moving Lights and Lighting to the Beat
  • 01:25:40 Lens Choices: 58mm, 80mm & 120mm
  • 01:26:06 How to Film an Actor Thinking
  • 01:28:10 Writing Believable Dialogue
  • 01:31:14 The Recurring Themes in Steve Conrad’s Work
  • 01:37:00 Handling the Ups and Downs of the Filmmaking Career
  • 01:40:30 Pick the Right Partners and Make Work That Speaks for You
Where to watch

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