The psychological thriller Homecoming returns for its sophomore season with fresh twists, nail-biting cliff-hangers, and more of the unnerving cinematography that characterized the critically acclaimed first run.
Cinematographer Jas Shelton and director Kyle Patrick Alvarez took the reins for all of Season 2, following the work of DP Tod Campbell and director Sam Esmail on Season 1. For Shelton and Alvarez, who had previously collaborated on the features C.O.G. and The Stanford Prison Experiment, their challenge with Homecoming lay in maintaining continuity with the storytelling that made the first season of the Amazon Prime original so distinctive while finding a new visual language for a timeline that overlaps and extends the drama.
Our intent was to deliver continuity with Season 1, for example in color palette, the use of long takes, and a subjective point of view, but to find a new camera language to tell some new ideas, Shelton explains.
The setup for Season 2 finds lead character Jackie (Janelle Monae) waking up in a row boat adrift in a lake, unable to recall her name, birthday or address. Her ensuing search for identity will lead her into the heart of the Geist Group, the unconventional wellness company for war veterans behind the Homecoming Initiative.
Our camera package was guided by Season 1, but that was not the only reason for continuity with the Millennium DXL2, Shelton explains. We wanted to shoot with a large sensor and shallow depth of field. The Light Iron color science in the DXL2 maximizes these attributes to create beautiful images.
He continues, I've worked with the DXL many times before [including on the feature Like a Boss and the series Soundtrack] and I keep coming back to it. Each digital cine camera can be treated like film stock in that you select the sensor that will give you the right look for the particular project at hand, but I really like the color science of the DXL. It's not just what you can capture off the sensor, its what the Light Iron color science is able to do with the image that is impressive.
As with Season 1, Shelton paired the camera with G Series anamorphic lenses that were modified for the show. Panavision's Guy McVicker explains, Through the use of some new proprietary processes and unique adjustments, we were able to give Jas the opportunity to really embrace the aesthetic that anamorphic has to offer. The larger imager of the DXL also gave us more negative to exploit and stretch.
Shelton adds, The uniqueness of the anamorphic aesthetic was heavily embellished, yielding a much stronger curvature of the field and additional obliqueness in the bokeh. Also, the contrast was lowered, the sharpness reduced, and the gradation of focus from sharp to soft enhanced.
We recorded full-resolution 8K in compressed 7:1, sometimes dropping to 3:1 for scenes with heavy VFX, he continues. It was important to obtain the maximum information from the sensor and to cover the anamorphic glass, which lends a 3D quality to the visuals.
While the first series used changing aspect ratios to relay different story timelines, Season 2s filmmakers opted to lean into a cleverly calibrated color design. Shelton explains, We decided to keep anything that takes place in Geist's headquarters as sun-kissed and warm, and we made a different LUT for scenes with Jackie. This is apparent from the moment she wakes up in the boat and goes on her journey of self-discovery. It emphasizes dark blues, cool greens, and a gothic palette especially in the first part of the show with lots of fluorescent lighting built into the sets.
Because of the complex nature of the show, Shelton used meticulous storyboards. This is also reflective of his close collaboration with production designer Nora Takacs Ekberg. The wide range of locations meant, for instance, shooting exteriors at the Big Sky Movie Ranch in Simi Valley, Calif., and then traveling south to Torrance for Geist HQ interiors, which posed their own complications because there was only eight hours of daylight and the facility had a giant sun roof. Trying to create a daylight look in there that we could use for 12 hours rather than eight was challenging, the cinematographer says. Then we went up to Lake Arrowhead for a week, shooting out on the water quite a bit for the opening sequence.
Touch points for Season 2s tone included Alan J. Pakula's 1970s conspiracy films like The Parallax View and Todd Hido's dark and moody landscape photography.
Kyle wanted shots of Jackie to have this subjective point of view so that the audience is always following with her and experiencing her discovery, Shelton notes. The idea was to never let the camera settle until she comes face to face with Audrey Temple [played by Hong Chau] at the end of the second episode.
To underscore her state of mind, he adds, we borrowed ideas from the movies of Pakula and Brian De Palma where the camera has a very probing quality to it.
Shelton mounted the DXL2 on an Oculus gimbal head and moved it on a dolly to convey a floating camera movement. The design of the camera makes it easy for me to devise shots, he reports. We play with POV by using wider, more deliberate angles and longer takes in the early episodes, and then, as we unravel the mystery of what happened to Jackie, we employ tighter, more frenetic handheld shots in the later episodes.
DXL2 just suits the way I want to work, he adds. Its look is very filmic and soft, especially when using depth of field. The colors are muted, not overly punchy, whereas with other cameras the results are more saturated and I have to reign them in.
The final shot of Episode 1 features one of the series' elaborate long takes. The setup starts with a close-up of Chris Cooper (portraying Leonard Geist) in a farm field. As Cooper walks into his fa
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...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
The psychological thriller Homecoming returns for its sophomore season with fresh twists, nail-biting cliff-hangers, and more of the unnerving cinematography that characterized the critically acclaimed first run.
