
Writer-director Jeff Nichols and cinematographer Adam Stone, the critically acclaimed duo behind such celebrated films as Loving, Midnight Special and Mud, reunite to immerse viewers in another unique setting with their latest film, The Bikeriders. This time, the drama unfolds from the seats of vintage Harley Davidsons amidst the upflung dust of 1960s Americana, and Stone ensures every remnant is felt through the screen.
Photographed with Millennium XL2 cameras and G Series anamorphic lenses provided by Panavision Woodland Hills, the motorcycle-club drama adds a certain grit to Nichols and Stone's impressive collection of collaborations. Here, the cinematographer explains how their continued commitment to shooting on film uniquely benefits The Bikeriders and helped them achieve the authenticity they sought.
Panavision: How would you describe the look of The Bikeriders?
Adam Stone: The look is simple, organic and a bit rough-hewn. It's meant to pay homage to a tactile, bygone era when the motorcycle subculture took root in America. Think cigarettes, musty bars, flat beer, blue oil-laden exhaust plumes, chrome and old leather jackets. We strove to make the imagery as authentic as possible, so we opted to shoot on film, and the production was entirely location based.
Were there any particular visual references you looked at for inspiration?
Stone: The movie is based on Danny Lyon's photobook, The Bikeriders, so a lot of inspiration was pulled from his visuals. I was also captivated with the work of Jim Miteff. His work, though similar to Danny Lyon's, was a bit more subversive and raw. And, yes, I revisited Easyrider and The Wild One.
What led to your decision to shoot with G Series lenses and Millennium XL2 cameras?
Stone: Jeff Nichols and I shoot all our projects on film, and I use Panavision cameras and lenses for all my film projects. Panavision has the best lenses and service in the business.
We've used XL2s on every collaboration since Mud. The XL2 is a total workhorse. It's compact and has never let production down. And the G Series have been my go-to lenses for over a decade. They are the most gorgeous lenses on the planet. The combination of G Series and film is ethereal. The fall-off, bokeh and imperfect analog feel has always been appealing to me.
How did your experience shooting The Bikeriders differ from other projects you've photographed in your career?
Stone: This project was particularly challenging because we had to shoot actors on bikes, without helmets, in a safe and interpersonal way that's engaging to the audience. We trialed many methodologies: e-bike, pursuit car and hard-mounted on a Slingshot. We finally had a eureka moment when we rigged a trike so we could shoot handheld 3 feet from the actors. Shooting in this configuration felt as if you, the audience, were actually on the bike. It was super-visceral and engaging.
What inspired your decision to become a cinematographer?
Stone: My grandfather was a photographer/pilot for the Air Force and owned a Kodak shop in Texas. As a child I was mesmerized with his pictures of cloud formations and wartime imagery. That's when I was bitten by the proverbial camera bug.' I dabbled in photography for many years, but it wasn't until I saw Baraka in 70mm that I knew I wanted to pursue film and cinematography. It was truly a revelatory moment.
Inspiration is everywhere. A beautiful sunset, an esoteric film, a song, a painting, a sublime recipe, even a social-media post can cultivate creativity and inventiveness. It's easy to stay inspired with so many talented artists who inhabit this planet.
Photos by Bryan Schutmaat, Kyle Kaplan and Adam Stone.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
09/09/2026
Italy launch follows UK and Germany as Nielsen expands product across EMEA
Milan, Italy, September 9, 2026 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, ...
09/09/2026
Planned solutions tackle accuracy, cost and latency barriers to deploying AI at ...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, introduces its new Model 791 Control Console at IBC 2026 (N...
09/09/2026
Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects and visualization, is headin...
09/09/2026
NUGEN Audio unveils DialogCheck v1.2, the latest evolution of its intelligent dialog intelligibility and compliance tool, at IBC 2026 (Pod P27). With a sharpene...
09/09/2026
Trusted Partner Network Launches Fix It or Risk It to Help the Entertainment Industry Tackle Everyday Security Risks
Industry-Wide Campaign Launches at IBC2...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
AI has moved firmly beyond experimentation in UK advertising, with more than eight in ten marketers (83%) now actively using or piloting AI in production, accor...
09/09/2026
IBC2026 - Stand 7.D22
At IBC2026, Pixitmedia by DataCore will showcase its latest capabilities designed to simplify distributed production, accelerate workflow...
09/09/2026
Stockholm, Sweden September 9th, 2026 At IBC2026, on booth 1.B47, Net Insight will showcase Open Live Media, its architecture for delivering resilient live ...
09/09/2026
Net Insight today announced that DMC Production Norway is continuing the use of its Open Live Media technology for premium European football, deploying Nimbra 5...
09/09/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud platform for unified broadcast, streaming, and monetization, will showcase four new AI-native capabilities at IBC2026, Hall 5, S...
09/09/2026
Limecraft today announces version 2026.6 of its AI-powered production platform, extending capabilities for connected media operations. An AI-assisted approach t...
09/09/2026
Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, today announced the next evolution of its Practical AI strategy, evolving its comprehensive portfoli...
09/09/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the appointment of Brian Doheny as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
09/09/2026
LiveU is now a Clarus Integrated Reseller, bringing Starlink's fast, reliable broadband directly into LiveU's cellular bonding EcoSystem through a singl...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/09/2026
Wisycom is showcasing the latest additions to its ecosystem of professional RF technologies at IBC 2026 (Stand 8.D60). This includes its new MATF Wideband Anten...
09/09/2026
AMSTERDAM, IBC2026 VisualOn, Inc. and Cires21 today released an updated joint whitepaper at IBC 2026 demonstrating measurable, high-impact improvements in visu...
09/09/2026
Sony Electronics Introduces Its First Fisheye Zoom G Lens
Brie Clayton September 8, 2026
0 Comments
Compact, lightweight SEL814G Full-frame lens deliv...
09/09/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces DaVinci Resolve 21.1
Brie Clayton September 8, 2026
0 Comments
Major update adds AI assistant integration, expanded camera...
09/09/2026
Cuez Integrates AI into a Unified Broadcast Production Workflow
Brie Clayton September 8, 2026
0 Comments
Cuez announces the expansion of its cloud-ba...
09/09/2026
Baselight-powered color comes natively to Media Composer, connecting creative de...
09/09/2026
Twenty Years Strong...
09/09/2026
At the IBC conference, running Sept. 11-14 in Amsterdam, the creative, technology and business communities are coming together to turn ideas into action and dis...
09/09/2026
RT brings three packed days of live radio, entertainment, news, weather and fun
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, Oliver Callan, Today with David McCullagh,...
08/09/2026
Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) has announced a multi-year agreement with A E...
08/09/2026
Spectra Logic today announced the availability of Media Insight, a new capabilit...
08/09/2026
Rogers Communications and Quebecor have announced a 12-year sublicensing agreement for French-language national NHL games beginning with the 2026-27 season. TVA...
08/09/2026
Skyline Communications and Bridge Technologies will demonstrate two integrations...
08/09/2026
Boland Communications will make the European debut of its 4K55HDR7SNB 55-inch super-narrow-bezel monitor at IBC2026 (Stand 12.C57, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-1...
08/09/2026
Ateme and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) have announced a collaboration comb...
08/09/2026
Haivision has joined the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme as part of t...
08/09/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced price reductions on its PYXIS 6K and Cinema Camera 6K models, effective immediately through Blackmagic Design resellers worldwid...
08/09/2026
AI-Media will demonstrate its LEXI Suite at IBC2026 (Booth 5.C34, September 11-1...
08/09/2026
Bitmovin and Ad Insertion Platform (AIP) have announced the first live deploymen...
08/09/2026
Grass Valley will demonstrate story-centric media workflows at IBC2026 (Booth 9.A01, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14), connecting newsroom production, content ma...
08/09/2026
M2A Media and Ateme have announced a partnership integrating Ateme's video processing solutions into M2A Media's MediaToAnywhere platform for live sport...
08/09/2026
Ikegami will exhibit at IBC2026 (Stand 12.A31, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14), including a Day 1 introduction of new cameras in the UNICAM XE series. Additiona...
08/09/2026
Broadcast industry analysts will be gathering plenty of insights at the 2026 IBC Show this weekend in Amsterdam, but Caretta Research has offered up some though...
08/09/2026
SENSHI and DAZN have announced a global broadcast partnership that will bring SENSHI's live events free to viewers in more than 200 markets. The partnership...
08/09/2026
New architecture built with Evertz will bring 4K HDR to Monday Night Football, N...
08/09/2026
Built for rap producers, by rap producers
Sauceware Audio, the independent plug-in company founded by Grammy-nominated producer Jacob (Travis Scott, 21 Sava...