ShotDeck Presents Shot Talk

ABOUT THE EVENT:

Join acclaimed cinematographer and ShotDeck founder Lawrence Sher, ASC as he hosts a special edition of Shot Talk. In this in-depth conversation, Sher will sit down with director Sydney Freeland and cinematographer Kira Kelly to explore their collaborative work on the new film REZ BALL. Together, they’ll discuss the unique visual language they crafted for the film, the challenges of capturing the energy and spirit of basketball on screen, and how their Native American heritage influenced their storytelling approach. Don’t miss this deep dive into the art of cinematography!

ShotDeck is the world’s largest library of fully-searchable high-definition cinematic images. With over 1.3 Million shots and now an App for iPhone and iPad, ShotDeck is an invaluable reference, planning, and collaboration tool for filmmakers, students, and creatives of any kind.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR:

Lawrence Sher

Lawrence Sher ASC is an American cinematographer and film director best known for his work on JOKER (2019), GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (2019), WAR DOGS (2016), THE HANGOVER (2009) and GARDENT STATE (2004). Sher has just completed filming JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX – the follow up to the 2019 film.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS:

Kira Kelly

Kira Kelly, ASC, is a groundbreaking, two-time Emmy-nominated cinematographer known for her compelling visual storytelling. She earned nominations for Ava DuVernay’s 13TH and HBO’s INSECURE, and her work continues to push boundaries. Kira’s recent projects, both directed by Sydney Freeland, include Marvel’s ECHO and the Netflix feature REZ BALL, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival to critical acclaim. Kira recently wrapped production on Monkeypaw’s upcoming genre film, HIM.

She shaped the visual language for FX’s Y THE LAST MAN and contributed to Marvel’s SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Her ability to craft iconic images has earned her spots on American Cinematographer’s Rising Stars list, Variety’s Top Cinematographers to Watch, and ICG Magazine’s GenNext.

Kira is represented by WME and resides in Los Angeles with her family. She continues to innovate in the industry.

Sydney Freeland

Sydney Freeland is an Emmy-nominated writer, director, and producer known for her work across film and television that centers on marginalized characters and diverse voices. Most recently, Freeland’s feature film REZ BALL – which she directed, executive produced, and co-wrote along with Sterlin Harjo – premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September before launching on Netflix on September 27. REZ BALL is a coming-of-age sports drama about an Indigenous basketball team from Chuska, New Mexico that must band together after losing their star player if they want to keep their quest for a state championship alive. REZ BALL is produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company. Freeland also directed and executive produced the limited Marvel series ECHO, which premiered in January 2024 at number one on both Disney+ and Hulu with Marvel’s first ever full season drop. The series, a spinoff of 2021’s HAWKEYE, centers on Maya Lopez (also known as Echo), a deaf Native antihero who is forced to flee the New York criminal underworld to her childhood home in Oklahoma. ECHO features contributions from a variety of indigenous writers, directors and cast members and stars Alaqua Cox as Lopez/Echo alongside Vincent D’Onofrio, Charlie Cox, Zahn McClarnon, Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning and Academy Award nominee Graham Greene. Freeland’s other TV directing work spans a wide range of shows, including STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS, GREY’S ANATOMY, THE WILDS, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, RUTHERFORD FALLS and P-VALLEY, among others. Notably, she also wrote and directed for the first season of FX’s award-winning comedy series RESERVATION DOGS, executive produced by Taika Waititi and Sterlin Harjo. On the film side, Freeland’s debut feature, DRUNKTOWN’S FINEST, premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was Executive Produced by Robert Redford. The film was influenced by her experience growing up on the Navajo reservation. Her second feature was the Netflix original DEIDRA AND LANEY ROB A TRAIN, which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

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