Inspired by real events, the Apple TV+ limited series Black Bird tells the story of Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), who, in exchange for early release from his 10-year prison sentence, agrees to be placed in a maximum-security prison where he's tasked with eliciting a confession from suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser). The heart of this story is a character study that dives deep into a complex examination of misogyny and the spectrum of evil that lies within humanity, says cinematographer Natalie Kingston, who photographed all six episodes. My goal for the cinematography was to create a darkly textured and viscerally unnerving feeling to this underground prison world.
Kingston worked with Panavision New Orleans to assemble a camera and lens package that included Panavision H Series optics and a Panavised Alexa Mini LF camera. Panavision recently caught up with Kingston to discuss her work on the show, which began streaming on July 8.
Panavision: How would you describe the look of Black Bird?
Natalie Kingston: Much of the series is centered around the disturbingly intimate relationship between the two main characters, Jimmy Keene and Larry Hall. We spend a large amount of time inside their conversations, which take place within the confines of a jail where they are physically unable to escape. I wanted the audience to feel uncomfortably immersed in that space where Jimmy grows to confront his own demons. Large format's wide field of view was a tool that helped create that visual metaphor. That format paired with a 2:1 aspect ratio allowed me to frame the characters in a way that felt vast and expansive, where the viewer feels every subtle, nuanced expression.
The lighting was always rooted in naturalism but shaped and sculpted in a way that aimed to enhance the tension and disturbing nature of the story. The prison gets darker and more unsettling as the series progresses, as does the inmates' relationship. I tried to maintain rich contrast with a subdued color palette that would transport you to this gritty, haunting world.
Were there any visual references you looked at for inspiration?
Kingston: My main visual reference was Gordon Parks' 1957 photo essay, The Atmosphere of Crime. I was extremely inspired by the rich, pastel-like palette of the photos. The vivid contrast and striking compositions Parks created really resonated with me. The way he used available light felt considered but expressive. These were all elements that I wanted to infuse into Black Bird.
What brought you to Panavision for this project?
Kingston: I've been working with Panavision since the beginning of my career. They have supported me and my projects, large and small, throughout the years, so there was no question that I would work with them on Black Bird.
What optical characteristics did you see in the H Series lenses that make them the right match for Black Bird?
Kingston: Before I even tested lenses, I had a strong feeling that the H Series would be the ones I'd use to shoot this project. I had used them before on a handful of commercials and fell in love with them. There's a subdued feeling to the color palette, like that pastel-like quality that I was after. There's also a slightly textured feel with a soft roll-off that is very filmic and appropriate for this story set in the 1990s.
How did Black Bird differ from other projects in your career?
Kingston: This was my first television project, and I shot all six episodes. It was a new challenge for me, and I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to create and maintain the look of an entire series. Up until that point, I had shot independent features and commercials, so it was the longest shoot I had done, with the most resources.
What inspired you to become a cinematographer and what keeps you inspired today?
Kingston: My infatuation with the camera began when I was around 10 years old. I would check out stage-play books from the library and turn them into little movies that I'd shoot with my parents' VHS home video camera. The idea of telling stories with a camera stuck with me. Even though at the time I didn't know what a cinematographer was, I think that was the first seed planted that ultimately led me down this path.
I'm always so energized with every new project as it's a new opportunity to create a visual language for a world that's never existed before. The possibilities are endless. Looking at still photography is a big source of inspiration for me. I also draw a lot from the mundaneness of everyday life. There's so much visual magic in it if you just sit with it and observe.
Images courtesy of Apple TV+.
Watch a conversation with Natalie Kingston here: The Making of Black Bird
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
29/01/2026
RT has today announced that Annette Malone has been appointed to the role of Chief People Officer, RT following a public competition.
As Chief People Officer...
28/01/2026
Music discovery should feel intuitive and personal. That's why we're continuing to give you more control, so you can ask for what you want, shape what y...
28/01/2026
Today, Charlie Hellman, Spotify's Head of Music, shared the following note on the Spotify for Artists blog that the company paid out more than $11 billion t...
28/01/2026
As demand for more complex live sports coverage grows, Balkan broadcast specialist MVP has upgraded its flagship HD1 progressive OB truck with the installation ...
28/01/2026
Luxembourg, January 26, 2026 - SES S.A. ( SES or the Company ), a leading space solutions company, acknowledges the credit rating action announced by Fitch to...
28/01/2026
28 Jan 2026
VEON Notes Kyivstar Group Publication of Selected Full Year 2025 Fi...
28/01/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host 2026 edition of its online event Demystifying EMC Rohde & Schwarz invites the global EMC community to join a crucial discussion on pre...
28/01/2026
Stadtwerke Wolfhagen Modernize Customer Management with AEP.energysuite from Arv...
27/01/2026
Click for Japanese version
Tokyo, Japan - January 27, 2026 - Akamai Technolo...
27/01/2026
Today, Spotify is proud to support our partner Backline, an industry-leading men...
27/01/2026
With nearly 29 million monthly listeners and clear momentum on Spotify, Net n Ve...
27/01/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
27/01/2026
New agreement for uninterrupted UHF connectivity for Australian Defence Force through 2033, With Options Extending to 2041
Luxembourg, January 13, 2026 - Satel...
27/01/2026
Tuesday 27 January 2026
SNL UK creative team expands as Pauli Lovejoy, Annie Ha...
27/01/2026
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to support a dynamic programme of cultural events taking place across Ireland this February. From visual art, film, music, ...
26/01/2026
Music videos play a huge part in how fans connect with their favorite songs, but...
26/01/2026
Wuppertal January 26, 2026
Riedel and Media Tailor Deliver Unified Broadcast a...
26/01/2026
26 Jan 2026
VEON Unveils the New Beeline Uzbekistan Network Operations Center, ...
26/01/2026
Bookish is created by and stars Mark Gatiss
Images available HERE
Following th...
26/01/2026
Monday 26 January 2026
New Sky Original Series explores Entertainment Juggernaut, The X Factor
Sky today confirmed it has greenlit a premium, definitive docum...
26/01/2026
Monday 26 January 2026
Sky confirms major investment to transform Livingston ca...
26/01/2026
Software for Stable Data Management and Lasting Business Success in Uncertain Ti...
26/01/2026
RT is today publishing a statistical summary of the Register of External Activities for the third quarter of 2025.
The RT Register of External Activities com...
24/01/2026
RT and Virgin Media Television kick off comprehensive free-to-air coverage of t...
23/01/2026
Staines-upon-Thames, UK, 29 July, 2025 - Yospace, the global leader in Dynamic A...
23/01/2026
Spotify's annual Best New Artist celebration honors the rising stars whose talent, creativity, and dedication have propelled them to the music industry'...
23/01/2026
Paramount is transforming its operations by unifying the media supply chains of their top brands into a scalable global pipeline.
This transformation enhances ...
23/01/2026
Every delay costs. When a subtitle fails QC, even the smallest issue can mean missed deadlines, extra vendor costs, or frustrated teams. The new Accurate.Video ...
23/01/2026
Find out where Sare and Suze are now on RT One and RT Player Thursday 29 January at 10.15pm
Hit drama SisterS, created by, written by and starring real-life ...
23/01/2026
Friday 23 January 2026
Sky appoints Lisa Clark as Commissioning Executive for SNL UK
Lisa Clark headshot
PNG (468KB)
Lisa Clark joins Sky as Commissioning E...
23/01/2026
RT is delighted to announce that the RT and F s ireann / Screen Ireland supported short film Retirement Plan has been nominated for Best Animated Short at th...
22/01/2026
Last November, Ed Sheeran returned to his musical roots for an intimate, one-nig...
22/01/2026
Every delay costs. When a subtitle fails QC, even the smallest issue can mean missed deadlines, extra vendor costs, or frustrated teams. The new Accurate.Video ...
22/01/2026
Thursday 29 January 9:35pm on RT 2 and RT Player
The dating show returns with something old, something new and a dater you may already know
Thursday evenings...
22/01/2026
Rohde & Schwarz, Qualcomm, and Motorola demonstrate successful 5G Broadcast comp...
22/01/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
21/01/2026
Wednesday 21 January 2026
Backing Britain on the global stage: Sky becomes an o...
21/01/2026
Fox Corporation Executives to Discuss Second Quarter Fiscal 2026 Financial Resul...
21/01/2026
Baselight v7 brings colourists and post-houses smarter mattes, faster workflows and deeper control
FilmLight, known for its detailed colour toolset and longsta...
21/01/2026
RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of Jackie Fox as its new Washington Correspondent. Jackie is a multimedia journalist with RT News and has repor...
19/01/2026
Monday 19 January 2026
Sky News reinvents News at Ten for the modern audience with The Wrap
Sky News today announces The Wrap, a bold evolution of its 10pm ou...
19/01/2026
DPA Microphones is striking a new chord in piano miking with the debut of its DPK2015 Piano Stereo Kit, an out-of-the-box, plug-and-play miking solution that ta...
19/01/2026
DPA Microphones will present its 4099 CORE Instrument Microphone and redesigned...
19/01/2026
Trianel relies on Arvato Systems for future-proof data center operations
Moving to the cloud: Arvato Systems implements extensive IT migration project
Migrat...
19/01/2026
Celebrating 21 Years of the RT Choice Music Prize
RT Choice Music Prize
In association with IMRO and IRMA
Irish Album of the Year 2025 - Shortlist Announce...
Inspired by real events, the Apple TV+ limited series Black Bird tells the story of Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), who, in exchange for early release from his 10-year prison sentence, agrees to be placed in a maximum-security prison where he's tasked with eliciting a confession from suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser). The heart of this story is a character study that dives deep into a complex examination of misogyny and the spectrum of evil that lies within humanity, says cinematographer Natalie Kingston, who photographed all six episodes. My goal for the cinematography was to create a darkly textured and viscerally unnerving feeling to this underground prison world. 
