For more than two decades, Joe “Jody” Williams has served on an array of productions, from short films, music videos and documentaries to major film productions for the likes of Gus Van Sant, Lee Daniels and Spike Lee, among others.
Cinematographer Jody Williams
Williams’ early career opportunities as a DP were on docs and short films, including the Africa Movie Academy Award-nominated short The Lost One and the Emmy-winning documentary Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender.
It was his work on Empire as camera operator for three seasons that eventually led to his rise to director of photography on more than two dozen episodes in the final two seasons of the series. A warm and inspired collaboration with Craig Brewer — one of several notable directors of Empire — resulted in an invitation from Brewer to reteam for the long-awaited sequel to Coming to America, starring Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall. Coming 2 America marks Williams’ first foray into shooting a major studio feature film, which is now streaming on Amazon.
Williams took some time to talk to postPerspective about the project and his career.
Tell us about your relationship with Craig Brewer. What direction did he give you about the look of Coming 2 America?
I met Craig as the A operator on Season 2 of Empire. We connected on the same wavelength early on, and I started working with him as DP on Season 3 of the show.
Our discussions on the look of Coming 2 America were fairly straightforward. They centered on highlighting the beautiful wardrobe designs of Ruth E. Carter and making these iconic characters look as majestic and honest as possible 30 years after the first installation. There was a beautiful look book that materialized late in the preproduction process, but there were many meetings with production designer Jefferson Sage about materials, textures and colors.
Coming 2 America is a sequel to the 1988 film Coming to America. Were there discussions about it having a similar feel as the first one? How does it differ?
There were no true considerations to replicate the looks or visual styles of the first film. We had a couple of shots that are a nod to the original film that fans will recognize, but the main difference in Coming 2 America is in the tech advances. We shot digitally and there were numerous VFX shots (with animals, castle extensions and de-aging actors) that our VFX “guru” Jon Farhat led. He worked with Eddie (Murphy) on Klumps and Dr. Doolittle.
How did you go about choosing the right camera and lenses for this project? Why was this the right combination of tools?
I chose Panavison DXL2 (with the Red Monstro sensor) because I’ve been a fan of Panavision since I was a film loader, and I’ve always had a great relationship with Zoe Borys (the GM of Panavision Chicago). I wanted to shoot large format and use Panavision’s Artiste lenses. Of the ones I tested, I was drawn to these because they rendered smooth imagery, and the focus rolls were buttery. They also had a natural softness with no halation, which I loved.
Where was the movie shot, and how did that influence your lighting decisions?
The film was shot half on stages and half at locations in Atlanta, with a day in New York for the James Earl Jones sequences. The overall objective, lighting wise, was to keep it easy, semi-soft and fast because even though it was a big comedy movie, the schedule was tight like TV. I knew I needed to give room for so many amazing comics to create and improvise.
Who was your colorist on the project?
Corinne Bogdanowicz from Light Iron was colorist. She was Craig’s colorist on his previous movie with Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name.
L-R: Director Craig Brewer, Eddie Murphy and Jody Williams
How did you become interested in cinematography?
I unknowingly became interested in cinematography as a 10-year-old child when my grandfather would project Super 8 home movies at home. My family would narrate all the visuals and get the most enjoyment from seeing each other and themselves. He bought a VHS camcorder when they came out for consumers in the mid-1980s and told me to shoot the next home movies.
What inspires you artistically?
In general, history and culture inspire me. They are constantly being made, and I’ve long had the desire to help tell it for the culture.
How do you stay on top of advancing technologies in filmmaking?
Though I can’t say I’m on top of any new tech because it’s constantly evolving, I stay friends with smart ACs, gaffers, grips and other DPs. Between reading trades and digital forums, I stay open for information flow.
What are some of your best practices that you try to follow on each job?
I try to be respectful to all crew members. Everyone is there for a reason. Keep good communication. Do what makes sense.
As production restarts, are you looking at new gear or trying new methods of filmmaking to support your process going forward?
As I head into my next endeavors, I’m considering new tools out there in lighting and camera rigs, like the Trinity.
