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 ...
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...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
16/07/2026
33 leading exhibitors are taking part in the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilions and linked locations across IBC2026 (Amsterdam RAI, 11 14 September)...
16/07/2026
Hitomi Broadcast will introduce Spectra, a new HDR colour verification solution measured in picture, not using VPID, at IBC2026 (Hall 10, Stand A40). Expanding ...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today announced a strategic new integration to deliver ...
16/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Capture Immersive Flight for New Cirrus App
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Leader in Personal Aviation taps URSA Cin...
16/07/2026
XenData Announces LTO Archive Appliances with both File and S3 Object Storage In...
16/07/2026
Together the semi-finals had a combined reach of 1.98 million unique individuals...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Launched alongside new FreqSoft installer
Designed to bridge the gap between hardware and software, Freqport's FreqInOut FO1 unit provides a simple way ...
15/07/2026
Save up to 55% on software until 23 July 2026
Expressive E have just launched their Summer Offer sale, with discounts of up to 55% now applied across their ...
15/07/2026
Real-time stem-separation tool updated
zplane have recently released a new and improved version of their real-time stem-separation plug-in which they say ma...
15/07/2026
A new benchmark in bass enhancement
Described as a new benchmark in bass enhancement , Baby Audio's latest release has been designed to augment the lo...
15/07/2026
DMC Production's AR 1 and AR 2 units reverse the conventional OB workflow, keeping all production-critical processing at the venue while operators work remo...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
15/07/2026
Brazilian media organization builds nationwide CDN with Broadpeak's high-performance software for low-latency streaming and new content distribution service...
15/07/2026
DHD announces a new utility designed to increase the efficiency of its audio mixing systems during initial installation and subsequent configuration.
Anyone w...
15/07/2026
BCNEXXT Brings Next-Generation Vipe to IBC2026, Breaking the 1:1 Channel-to-Server Ratio New innovations liberate broadcasters from legacy playout infrastructur...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
General-purpose robots and autonomous machines are moving from research labs to ...
15/07/2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026
Screeners and press pack now available: Gomorrah: The Or...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
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.
