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 ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Frequency, the engine powering many of the world's leading streaming television channels, today announced the launch of In-Scene Advertising, a new monetiza...
05/06/2026
Berklee Study Reveals Video Has Become Essential to Music Careers Survey findings show social platforms have become the primary source of music for video cont...
04/06/2026
Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...
04/06/2026
This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...
04/06/2026
For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...
04/06/2026
Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin and Akamai have announced a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French mult...
04/06/2026
Telestream will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7952), demonstrating media work...
04/06/2026
Sony has announced the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm format image sensor block for the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera, targeting release in the first half of...
04/06/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N8025, June ...
04/06/2026
Bell Media's TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian broadcasters of FIFA Wor...
04/06/2026
The Challenge: Receiving Heavy Media Files From Road Games Quickly and ReliablyT...
04/06/2026
MASV, a managed file transfer platform used in broadcast and live sports product...
04/06/2026
NESN has announced the appointment of Fahad Haider as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Haider returns to NESN, where he previously served as Vice P...
04/06/2026
David J. Halberstam, who spent almost 50 years in sports as a broadcaster and an executive, died June 2 after a years-long battle with brain cancer.
Over his l...
04/06/2026
Although collegiate production programs are tasked with delivering high-quality ...
04/06/2026
California studio, two production trucks, global distribution system are combine...
04/06/2026
New global program empowers and supports storytellers through scriptwriting course and access to industry experts
TikTok and Sundance Institute today announce...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
Is Your Job Making You Work this June?
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS Launches the World Cup Watchers' Rights Association to Stand Up For Australians&...
04/06/2026
Statement regarding unauthorised use of SBS logos on third party social content
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS has become aware of social media posts in c...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business onli...
04/06/2026
American Underground (AU), the Startup Hub of the South and a community of mor...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
NVIDIA and Microsoft Reinvent Windows PCs for the Age of Personal AI
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
RTX Spark - a 1-Petaflop Superchip, the Full...
04/06/2026
Inside the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Grade
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Simone Grattarola discusses shaping the look in DaVinci Resolve...
04/06/2026
Cine Gear Expo Announces 2026 Awards of Excellence Recipients
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Ed Lachman ASC, Caleb Deschanel ASC, and M. David M...
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. 
