Den of Geek: Lets start withSicario.

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Roger Deakins: I dont know, really.

There wasnt that kind of initial conversation, really.

I mean we talked about the script and the look of the film sort of developed out of that.

Obviously theres a lot of action in the film.

And Denis was concerned that the action was strong.

The look of the film I think evolved slowly through conversations and looking at locations and all the rest.

So the biggest challenge is to create a film that hangs together as a piece.

Youve just go to think it out.

You think of the best options.

You think whats best and what is cost effective.

So it was a whole mixture of different elements.

How do you check that it stays consistent?

Its just something you have in your head.

I didnt really look at anything.

But it is tricky.

For instance, the interior of the jail, which is supposedly in Mexico, was in Albuquerque.

And we shot in Albuquerque weeks in advance of going to Mexico.

We shot in Mexico City right at the end of the schedule.

That was the only way I could think of covering myself when we went to Mexico.

How often do you get on the set and just sort of throw away the storyboards?

I mean you do it quite often, really.

Im trying to think of a specific moment.

I cant, frankly, but it does happen.

It happens a lot, really.

What opportunities and/or what difficulties does shooting in the desert pose?

Well, Ive shot out there quite a lot.

We were based in Albuquerque.

Ive shot there four or five times now.

I kind of love it.

Its like being on the ocean and away from some of the places.

You know, just that sense of space.

We imagined a much more sort of bland look to our experience.

But then it was very active monsoon season when we were there.

So we got these amazing cloud formations.

Neither Denis nor I had talked about that.

We had actually talked about it being really quite bland.

It was almost a character.

Is that something that you are conscious of and thats something you would like to preserve in your work?

I dont know if its in a conscious way.

But I kind of trained as a painter when I was a kid.

Then I discovered still photography and I was interested in still photography.

I mean thats kind of something I do as a hobby.

And so, composition is very, very important to me.

Have you ever thought of doing a book of your still photographs?

Its not that Ive got a huge number, but Ive got a few I kind of like.

[laughs]

This is the second time youve worked with Denis.

You are going to work with him again onBlade Runner 2.

I mean it happens more quickly than that, really.

It happens quite soon on a shoot.

In fact, withPrisonersit was as soon as we were in pre-production.

I thought we got on.

You know, its just like any relationship, really.

Sometimes you click with somebody or you dont.

But I mean with Denis, yeah, its quite special, really.

Yeah, its a good collaboration, I think.

Have you had any preliminary talks aboutBlade Runner?

And do you stay up at night thinking about how to follow up a film with such iconic imagery?

I certainly sort of think about following up the initial one.

I mean it is kind of a responsibility.

But, on the other hand, a film is a film.

Its a different script.

Its going to be what its going to be.

I have so much confidence in Denis taking it somewhere thats going to be interesting.

Weve talked about it a little bit.

Were going to be starting some prep on it next week, in fact, in Montreal.

Things are moving ahead.

Have you seen the script yet?

I know that moving into science fiction is something youve wanted to do.

That was hardly science fiction in a way.

I thinkNineteen Eighty-Fourwas sort of the closest Ive come to creating a vision of the future.

Again, that was a kind of retro future.

But yeah, so Im looking forward to it.

Its a different idea, really.

And Ive always loved science fiction.

Not only the movies, but reading science fiction.

I mean, quite honestly, Ive worked with a director that sort of said, Look.

You obviously know about what you do, camera, lighting.

You do that and I want to deal with the script and the actors.

I mean it depends where the director is coming from.

Some directors, like Joel and Ethan, know the whole process back to front.

Other directors dont know one lens from another.

But thats fair enough.

Thats just the range of people that direct films.

You just finished your 12thcollaboration with Joel and Ethan (onHail Caesar!, pictured above).

[laughs]

Are you guys at the point now where you dont have to even talk on set?

Well, we talk about things, but maybe not so much about the film on hand.

No, Im only joking.

We talk a lot.

I mean the process hasnt really changed that much fromBarton Fink, really.

I mean I hope.

Trust builds obviously with every movie.

But yeah, the process hasnt really changed.

Again, somehow I think we just hit it off onBarton Fink.

Is working with The Coens like working with one brain with two bodies?

Theyre very much in sync.

Because theyve worked on the script together, they know it in and out.

Theyve worked through every aspect of the production together.

Basically, the three of us are totally in sync most of the time [laughs].

Are you an advocate for using film as much as possible?

Or do you feel like we just go where the technology takes us?

Im the latter, really.

I dont have any real affiliation either way.

I just think its a natural progression.

I mean theres definitely a lot of advantages to shooting digital.

Quite frankly, Joel and Ethan wanted to shoot the last one on film, so thats fine.

Im happy with that.

I thought I would be unhappy about it, but Im wasnt unhappy about it.

Its like an old friend, really.

But I must say I havent shot much film.

That was the first one Id shot on film sinceTrue Grit, actually.

Quite a while, really.

I was a bit nervous, I suppose, truth be told!

[laughs]

Sicariois out now in theaters.