ComingSoon had the opportunity to speak with Director of Photography Brian Rigney Hubbard about his work on Prime Video’s Dramaworld.
Some of his award-winning credits include Paint it Black by Amber Tamblyn, LA Film Festival award for Visual Achievement; Circumstance, directed by Maryam Keshavarz, Sundance Audience Award; May in the Summer, directed by Cherien Dabis, Sundance; Tanner Hall, directed by Tatiana von Furstenberg and Francesca Gregorini, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the GenArt NY Festival; The Salton Sea by Veena Sud, winner of best film at the NY Scandinavian Film Festival.
Jeff Ames: What led you to become a director of photography?
Brian Rigney Hubbard: I was very interested in painting and printmaking as a kid, especially the Mexican muralists because of the intersection of art and politics. I was in university in Chile during the transition from dictatorship to democracy. Banned books returned to shelves; illegal raves raged; censored movies screened. Everything you did as a young art student seemed to push political culture, things we took for granted in the U.S. I saw Naked Lunch in Chile, it raised issues about sexuality and drug addiction.
By prompting discussion, it created a rupture in a society that seemed so rigid. But there I was watching art push the boundaries of democratic culture, an art it was driven by photography and as big as a mural. This is when I should say I fell in love with cinema, but it was more like awe and admiration for it.
What was it about Dramaworld that made you want to work on it?
After season one, I was hooked and excited to come back and work with the Dramaworld team again, especially my gaffer Boram Kim.
Dramaworld plays off of several genres in Korean TV and film, so the visuals became an important guide for the audience to know where they are in the story. Research feeds me creatively, and this required tons. Second season was during COVID-19 and winter, but I still got out and about on foot on the days off because I felt it informed the work. Luckily Liv Hewson (Claire) likes coffee as much as I do, so I had an awesome partner wandering around Seoul.
What was the most challenging aspect of Dramaworld and how did you overcome that?
Dramaworld was filmed during the first months of the Covid outbreak in 2020. The restrictions required constant pivots and gymnastics. By sticking to the essential story elements laid down by director Chris Martin, and creating strong visual guidelines for each genre, we were able to maintain the original vision. Still, the essential included over 100 locations, gangsters, K pop stars, vampires, were-tigers, large rallies — even 1980s Olympic ping pong.
Do you have any fun, behind-the-scenes stories about the making of Dramaworld?
Sahee Kim Youngsuk, who plays a vicious villain in both seasons that could give Cruella Daville a run for her money, is actually an avid dog rescuer. When she found out I was a huge canine fan, she would bring a different dog for me to meet every time she came to set.
What were some of the things you learned from Dramaworld that you’re excited to apply
to future endeavors?
Every time I work with the gaffer Boram and his crew, I feel like we are sharing a slew of ideas and developing something new. Our industries and materials are actually very different, and coming to an understanding always comes up with a third solution better than the original two.
I could go on about LEDs and lighting methods, but I think remembering that the third solution can be the strongest is a real gift from that project.
Do you have any other projects coming up that you can share with us?
I recently completed a project called Beau, it’s a Broadway directed by Josh Rhodes, musical written by Douglas Lyons, scored by Ethan Pakchar, and produced by Hunter Arnold. Instead of breaking scenes into separate setups, we designed a way that allowed the Broadway talent to do their thing and flow through the whole performance while filming with more cinematic angles than the traditional proscenium view from a Broadway theatre seat.
The solution was a magical merger of talent from Broadway and film. Ha! A third solution.
