Creating the galaxy of The Acolyte: DP Chris Teague

The Disney+ series The Acolyte continues the saga of the Star Wars
universe with a crime thriller. A former Jedi Padawan, Osha,
reunites with her Jedi Master, Sol, to investigate a murder spree
against their fellow Jedis. They uncover secrets from Osha's past
and must fight the dark sides of the Force. Cinematographer Chris
Teague has crafted stunning visuals for a variety of projects, from
indie dramas like Obvious Child to critically acclaimed series like
Russian Doll, GLOW, and Only Murders in the Building. He feels his
style is constantly evolving. For the Star Wars series The Acolyte,
Chris worked with saturated colors and key lighting, as though the
illumination in many scenes was from a single source. He wanted to
immerse viewers in the world of the series, without calling
attention to the cinematography. When approaching a project, Chris
delves into the script and references, often discovering new
insights along the way. “As you're reading a script, as you're
looking at references, you have these little epiphanies, these
little discoveries, but they're always sort of partial
discoveries,” Chris says. “And then hopefully, they evolve into
something that's specific to the project itself. The joy of
filmmaking is to collaborate and combine all the creativity into
something that feels cohesive.” He believes that these discoveries
gradually evolve into a style specific to the project. As the lead
DP, Chris established the look of the show over 6 months of prep.
He split the episodes with fellow cinematographer James Friend, and
they tested cameras and lenses together. Friend's episodes took
place in different locations so he was able to establish his own
look for his episodes. For The Acolyte, Chris worked closely with
the production designer to create sets that were both practical and
visually stunning, with multiple angles for the camera to explore.
He and showrunner/director Leslye Headland also embraced the
challenge of shooting in real locations, selling the scale of the
Star Wars universe without relying heavily on blue screen. They did
not use a volume stage at all, wanting it to look as close to what
director George Lucas would do, with a visual style that was
powerful but not overbearing. Several of the scenes in episodes
four and five were filmed on location in Madeira, an island off the
coast of Africa. Madeira offered lots of wild beauty, with
incredible views from craggy bluffs. They did face some weather
challenges while shooting there, with sweeps of fog and cloud that
rolled into a full whiteout at times. Beyond the visuals, Chris
also focused on capturing the intricate stunt choreography and
fight sequences in a way that would keep the audience engaged. His
attention to detail ensured that these action-packed moments felt
both exciting and integral to the storytelling. As a Star Wars fan,
Chris was excited to be involved in The Acolyte. He says of the
experience, “I can't believe I'm in this room right now watching
this happen. It really feels like you're part of this creative
process that people are going to fall in love with.” Find Chris
Teague: http://www.teaguefilmworks.com/home Instagram:
@_christeague Listen to our previous interview with Chris Teague on
Only Murders in the Building. https://www.camnoir.com/ep174/
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