New York, NY – January 13, 2022 - Manhattan Edit Workshop’s “Sight, Sound & Story: Live” monthly online event series continues on January 27th “Behind the Lens: Shooting the Western Film” with Cinematographers Mihai Malaimare Jr., and John Matyśiak with Moderator Sean Weiner.
Inside Episode XVII: The western is one of the most popular film genres in American film history. Beginning in 1903 with Edwin Porter's "The Great Train Robbery," the western portrays a time and look that is uniquely American. Join us for a fresh take on this classic film genre with Cinematographers Mihai Malaimare Jr. and John Matyśiak, as they discuss their creative process in filming "Old Henry" and "The Harder They Fall." Sean Weiner, who is the Director of the Creative Culture program at the Jacob Burns Film Center, will guide the conversation as well as show and discuss scenes from both films. This is a free online event!
All attendees who register for this event will receive a link and password 30 minutes prior to the event. The event will be available at 5:00 PM EDT/ 2:00 PM PDT on January 27th. This will gain free access for all attendees who register.
This event wouldn’t be possible without our Master Storyteller Sponsors: OWC, American Cinema Editors, & EditFest Global; as well as our Technology Sponsors: ZEISS, AJA Video Systems, and Filmmaker U. We are also grateful for the continued support of our partners ProductionHUB, Digital Cinema Society, Filmmaker U, LAPPG, NYWIFT, Film Fatales, and The D-Word.
About Our Panelists:
Director of Photography Mihai Malaimare Jr. is currently working on “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” the biopic about the Los Angeles Lakers’ dynasty during the 1980s, set to release in 2022. Netflix’s action-packed Western "The Harder They Fall" is Malaimare’s most recent project, starring Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors and Zazie Beetz. Which was recently released late last year on Netflix.
Malaimare worked on director Taika Waititi’s satirical comedy "JoJo Rabbit" in 2019, which went on to win an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film received acclaim from numerous film festivals, earning Malaimare Jr. the Hollywood Film Award for Cinematographer of the Year, as well as a nomination for the Golden Frog at Camerimage.
In 2018, his work on the film "The Hate U Give," directed by George Tillman, Jr. earned more than 20 awards and is regarded as one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year.
He is also known for his collaboration with Academy Award® winning writer and director Francis Ford Coppola on feature film, "Youth Without Youth," for which Malaimare received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Cinematography. The two went on to collaborate on more films, including the drama feature "Tetro" and the surrealist genre film, "Twixt."
His burgeoning profile and evocative early work landed him a spot on Variety’s coveted “10 Cinematographers to Watch” list in 2007. Malaimare’s other feature credits include: Paul Thomas Andersons’ "The Master," which earned five Best Cinematography awards; "A Walk Among the Tombstones," "November Criminals," "Sleepless," and "Delirium."
Malaimare’s prolific commercial portfolio includes numerous award-winning ads for clients such as Apple, Samsung, Nike, Sony, Hulu and Toyota. His work features a wide variety of luminaries from world-class athletes Blake Griffin, Lionel Messi and LeBron James, award-winning movie talents Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx and Spike Lee, plus celebrated musicians such as Taylor Swift, Adam Levine, Drake, Nikki Minaj and Sean Combs.
A native of Romania, Malaimare began his film career after attending the National University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest. Now based in Los Angeles, he remains an avid still photographer, a passion he’s sustained since childhood. He is represented by Worldwide Production Agency in Los Angeles.
Director of Photography John Matyśiak’s career has focused on shooting internationally recognized independent films, which have screened at over 50 festivals worldwide, including the Festival de Cannes. Matyśiak is widely admired for his arresting, contemporary images, which evocatively support and amplify his directors’ vision.
He recently shot "Meet Cute," a genre-defying dark comedy starring Pete Davidson and Hayley Cuoco, directed by Alex Lehmann and produced by Akiva Goldsman.
Prior to shooting "Old Henry," which premiered at TIFF 2021, Matyśiak achieved the Best Cinematography award at the 25th Los Angeles Asian-Pacific Film Festival for his work on the feature films, "Two Shadows" and "Model Minority."
His commercial clients include Audi, Jameson, Nissan and Lexus. Matyśiak studied film at the Czech National Film School, FAMU, in Prague and Emerson College in Boston, MA. He is a member of the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600.
He is based in Los Angeles, CA.
As Director of Programs, Media Arts Lab, Sean Weiner leads the growth, overall strategic vision, and wildly talented staff of the education program and Creative Culture–an artist support program for emerging and established filmmakers guided by a philosophy of inclusion and collaboration. Since 2016, Creative Culture’s fellowship program has produced short films steadily selected at film festivals like Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW with acquisitions by Criterion, Fox Searchlight, POV, and other reputable outlets. In support of feature films, Creative Culture’s residency program is curated in partnership with sister organizations like Black Public Media, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and Sundance Institute.