Created by showrunner Abe Sylvia, the Apple TV+ comedic drama Palm Royale navigates the tale of one womans ambitious journey to make it amongst the upper crust, through extravagant settings that evoke the golden era of Life magazine. Cinematographer David Lanzenberg was behind the camera for the first two episodes, working with director Tate Taylor, and then passed the baton to fellow director of photography Todd McMullen, who shot the remaining eight episodes. With support from Panavision Woodland Hills, the cinematographers opted to pair Panaspeed large-format spherical primes with the Millennium DXL2 camera. Here, the collaborators highlight how the series' visual language was distinctly enhanced by the choices made by the art, wardrobe, and hair & make-up departments.
Panavision: Were there any particular visual references you looked at for inspiration?
David Lanzenberg: From the beginning, [executive producers and directors] Abe Sylvia and Tate Taylor had very specific references they wanted Todd and me to follow. The idea was really about following the tone and feeling and opulence of the amazing photography of Slim Aarons, which had a very Kodak Ektrachrome feel from the '60s and '70s, with vivid primary colors.
Todd McMullen: Slim was a World War II Army photographer who, after returning from the war, turned his lens towards attractive people, doing attractive things, in attractive places.' Slim was a master at composing frames that were inclusive, stylish, bold, and included the landscape and architecture of the changing time period.
How would you describe the look of Palm Royale?
McMullen: Visually, the show presents a retro style that is aspirational, inviting, and center-punches a bold new color palette that was blooming in the '60s. We dig into the patterns, the fabrics and the daring styles that were emerging. America was coming out of the black-and-white, monotone flavor of the '50s and starting to bleed color. And because the story is set in Palm Beach, Florida, it felt appropriate to keep our world warm and sunny and welcoming.
Lanzenberg: I remember in my first meeting with Tate Taylor, I said, Im really interested in telling the story with one camera. Every show is different, but for Palm Royale, to set that tone and look in the first two episodes, having only one camera really helped. There are some scenes by the pool where the positioning of where everything was placed in the background was very calculated with the operator. There was a certain symmetry. The attention to detail within the set dressing, within the staging, when we would go to a close-up, when we wouldnt everything was very important. It was great to be able to do that.
What brought you to Panavision for this project?
Lanzenberg: Todd was on another show when I started prep on the first two episodes of Palm Royale, but this show was a great opportunity to come back to Panavision and achieve something special. Panavision is a very familiar environment no matter where you are in the world, be it Canada, New York, L.A., Paris. There is very much a close-knit community.
McMullen: Panavision is the first collaboration call for me on any project. The reasons are lengthy, but the service, selection of tools, and the experience in crafting those tools is paramount and accessible. Also, the Panavision team is unwavering they will help you find your solutions without hesitation. And the number of locations they have around the world to access equipment is a sigh of relief.
What led to your choice of Panaspeed lenses and the Millennium DXL2 camera?
McMullen: As David said, I was on another show when Palm Royale started, so David and 1st AC Chad Rivetti had the fun of landing the right equipment for the look, and the Panaspeeds fit the bill. They were brilliant in their speed, look and imperfections' for framing the colorful world of the '60s. Also, the DXL2 is such a workhorse and has the large-format capabilities and a sensor that I feel is natural and smooth.
Lanzenberg: I'd appreciated working with that camera in the past because it has a certain print' quality that's achievable with its Monstro sensor. To me, it's reminiscent texture-wise of some of the films of the '70s that I grew up with and really appreciate. One of the things with shooting digitally sometimes is that youre losing that texture that you were able to manipulate with film. As a cinematographer, you still want to be able to have that input, and one of the things with the DXL2 is that it does allow you to have that. One shoe doesnt fit all, and different cameras will definitely give you different options, but this one added a print quality that I appreciate.
What optical characteristics did you see in the Panaspeeds that made them the right match for Palm Royale?
Lanzenberg: On a previous show, I had tested Panaspeeds and really liked them. Theres a certain gentleness within the image, and there's a three-dimensionality that I would normally get with anamorphic lenses. When the opportunity came to work on Palm Royale, we did quite a few tests with other lenses that Panavision provided, but those were always in the back of my mind. It was great to have them, and we used them with these anamorphic flare attachments that Dan Sasaki has come up with, so we were able to create this very subtle tone to the image that had slight aberrations to the background or the edges and how the focus would react in certain parts of the distance. With that combination, we had the best of all worlds.
How does this project differ from others in your career?
McMullen: Palm Royale was a wonderful project to pivot from the darker and moodier tones I'm normally associated with in storytelling. I felt it was certainly a comedy, but the story emotionally had an edge and layers of underlyin
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...
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...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
18/05/2026
ZEN-Core synth goes mobile
Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...
18/05/2026
Versatile new limiter plug-in announced
Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...
18/05/2026
A new use for convolution?
Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...
18/05/2026
Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for E...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
18/05/2026
18 May 2026
Dubai and New York, May 18, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a glob...
18/05/2026
Monday 18 May 2026
Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...
18/05/2026
Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
Besides drawing on experience with boxing, the production integrates specialty c...
Created by showrunner Abe Sylvia, the Apple TV+ comedic drama Palm Royale navigates the tale of one womans ambitious journey to make it amongst the upper crust, through extravagant settings that evoke the golden era of Life magazine. Cinematographer David Lanzenberg was behind the camera for the first two episodes, working with director Tate Taylor, and then passed the baton to fellow director of photography Todd McMullen, who shot the remaining eight episodes. With support from Panavision Woodland Hills, the cinematographers opted to pair Panaspeed large-format spherical primes with the Millennium DXL2 camera. Here, the collaborators highlight how the series' visual language was distinctly enhanced by the choices made by the art, wardrobe, and hair & make-up departments.
