The popular National Treasure franchise has embarked upon a new adventure on Disney+. The 10-episode first season of National Treasure: Edge of History follows 20-year-old Jess Valenzuela (played by Lisette Olivera) as she joins the hunt for a much sought-after lost treasure and, in so doing, unlocks her own family's hidden history. Following Declan Quinn, ASC's work on the pilot episode and working with settings that evoked the rich palettes of famed Mexican muralists, cinematographer Abraham Mart nez worked alongside fellow director of photography Tom Camarda to craft a cohesively colorful look for the series.
Supported by Panavision New Orleans, the filmmakers embraced VA large-format spherical primes to help them bring history to life. Panavision recently connected with Mart nez to further explore the inspirations and personal history he brought to the production.
Panavision: How would you describe the look of the series?
Abraham Mart nez: Season 1 launches as an offshoot of the National Treasure universe, which is about an explorer's journey, this time with a woman lead. The explorer's wonder offered many ranges of looks for the show. As the series centers on treasure, we leaned into the warmth of treasure and the coolness of the chase, which offered loads of opportunities for camera movement. Similar to the movie franchise, we take the adventure to a range of settings and topography. From the jungles of South America, to the outskirts of Mexico City, to the Alamo in San Antonio, alternating DP Tom Camarda and I were able to create a range of looks as the characters look for clues to the treasure.
How did you and Tom ensure there would be a consistency and unified look across the episodes you were each shooting?
Mart nez: Tom and I were locked-in with the same tools and team, so we had our baseline for consistency. We also understood that each of us had our own adventures to capture, offering us the chance to play with color and techniques that enhanced Jess' journey.
Were there any particular visual references you looked at for inspiration?
Mart nez: Yes! For me personally, as a Mexican-American, I was excited that the show offered an opportunity to explore the rich beauty and history of color and tones of our Mexican muralist heritage. I researched The Three Great' muralists: Diego Rivera, Jos Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros. All three had a unique perspective on color and contrast and an eye for history that was full of both playfulness and tension. I approached their work as if looking for clues for color, contrast and composition that I could take with me for inspiration.
What brought you to Panavision for this project?
Mart nez: I've been working with Panavision since the late '90s when I was a film loader. My first movie in the film industry was with cinematographer Ralf Bode, and from then on, Panavision has been a home for me. While I was working my way up through the camera department, other cinematographers I worked alongside used Panavision as well, such as Robert Elswit, ASC; Dean Cundey, ASC; Donald McAlpine, ASC, ACS; Amir Mokri; and Bill Pope. Panavision has been consistent in their support all throughout my camera-department career.
I'm thankful for all of Panavision's reps from coast to coast who help provide the tools, solutions and logistics to get what I need as a photographer who lives on the road. It's an ongoing dialogue of support.
You shot in large format with prototype VA primes. What optical characteristics did you see in those lenses that made them the right match for the show?
Mart nez: The VA large-format lenses have a familiarity that I can't quite put my finger on in a beautiful way. It feels like they embrace warm and cool colors equally, allowing both to play on our camera sensor without either one overpowering the other. I also see an artful balance of sharpness and softness in their bokeh. There was never a need to add diffusion filters to help smooth out the image. I loved the lenses so much that I rolled them onto my next series, Obliterated, for Netflix.
What did this project mean to you on a personal level?
Mart nez: The lead character is on a journey to uncover her personal history, and it was the same for me and my heritage. I looked into my own past while I was working on the series, and I was inspired to learn more about my family history. I went as far back as the 1700s, uncovering my indigenous and Spanish roots.
There has always been tension and challenges of identity for any group of people who are displaced, and I view the explorer as a displaced person, an immigrant, a dreamer. Each journey is an opportunity to use one's gifts, which is ultimately the treasure for all of us. That's the story of our lead, Jess Valenzuela.
What inspired you to become a cinematographer?
Mart nez: After watching The Killing Fields shot by Chris Menges, BSC, ASC in middle school, I wanted to become a combat cameraperson, but by my senior year in high school, I realized I was in love with movies. Fortunately, every step of the way, I've had tremendous support and love from my camera-department family, who have encouraged me along the way to my own adventurous journey.
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
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...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
13/01/2026
Independent media in Brazil and Colombia is facing an urgent crisis of traditional business models alongside a deteriorating security environment, according to ...
13/01/2026
Luxembourg, December 17, 2025 - SES S.A. ( SES or the Company ), a leading spa...
13/01/2026
Written and executive produced by Steve Lightfoot and Angela LaManna, produced b...
13/01/2026
New updates to Hitmaker Expansion from Celemony and Softube Edit pitch-perfect vocals with Melodyne Essential and get radio-ready guitar tones from Softube...
13/01/2026
Live broadcasts from RT 2FM Breakfast with Carl, Roz & Aisling, RT Radio 1 Tod...
12/01/2026
Spotify's new co-CEOs, Alex Norstr m and Gustav S derstr m, start off the new year with a message of renewed leadership, creative responsibility, and what&#...
12/01/2026
At Spotify, we listen to a lot of music. And every year, our global editors and artist partnerships teams come together to spotlight the emerging voices we beli...
12/01/2026
Spotify's global editors and Songwriter & Publisher Partnerships team spend their days immersed in new music, tracking the writers behind the songs breaking...
12/01/2026
X-Rite and Rhopoint Launch Rhopoint PANTORA Aesthetix to Streamline Creation of...
12/01/2026
12 Jan 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Launches 5G Pilot in Lviv Lviv, January 12, 2026 - VEON, a global digital operator (Nasdaq: VEON), today announces that Kyivsta...
12/01/2026
Monday 12 January 2026
The ultimate betrayal: Harry and Jamie Redknapp, Paul Me...
12/01/2026
Rohde & Schwarz opens larger office in Japan to increase its support for the Jap...
12/01/2026
Welcome to the AVECO team: introducing new members of management
At AVECO, we are continuing to implement our #newAVECO strategy, which aims to build an even s...
12/01/2026
For the first time in the nine-year history of Dancing with the Stars, the first...
10/01/2026
This year, podcasts are making their Golden Globes debut with a new category honoring the medium's leading shows and creators. To mark the occasion, Spotify...
09/01/2026
RT Player has 157 million streams, up 10% year-on-year
An increase on 2024, RT...
09/01/2026
RT 2FM has today announced the highly anticipated list of 2FM Rising Artists for 2026, kicking off 2FM Rising week for the eighth year on The Tracy Clifford Sh...
09/01/2026
RT to Host the 2026 RTS Ireland Awards
Thursday, 16 April 2026 | Dublin Royal Convention Centre
The RTS Ireland Television Awards 2026 | Gradaim RTS 2026 | R...
08/01/2026
An evidence-based analysis on disinformation and information manipulation in Sudan's ongoing conflict is published today. (January 8th 2026).
Thomson Found...
08/01/2026
In 2025 we launched the Spotify Partner Program to give creators more ways to tu...
08/01/2026
On Wednesday in Los Angeles, Spotify welcomed creators and press to a brunch cel...
08/01/2026
TSA awards Rohde & Schwarz contract for advanced airport screening ahead of Socc...
08/01/2026
The review looks back at DPA's miniature microphone development over the years. It compares the evolving technologies from the original mics through CORE an...
08/01/2026
Comscore Launches Audio Targeting and Measurement Capabilities with The Trade De...
08/01/2026
Tonight, on RT Prime Time at 9:35pm on RT One and RT Player
Tonight, Prime T...
08/01/2026
The Late Late Show celebrates the very best of traditional Irish music with its first-ever full special dedicated entirely to the tradition
Lisa Canny | Kevin...
08/01/2026
It will be murder on the dancefloor when Dancing with the Stars returns this S...
07/01/2026
Spotify is launching a week-long celebration spotlighting creators at the center...
07/01/2026
We know people use Spotify not just to listen, but to share the songs, podcasts, and audiobooks they love with their friends and family. When we launched Messag...
07/01/2026
This week, all eyes are on the podcast industry as the Golden Globes recognizes ...
07/01/2026
Podcasts are stepping onto a new stage this week as the Golden Globes recognize the medium for the first time. To mark this milestone moment, we're hosting ...
06/01/2026
Spotify is launching a week-long celebration spotlighting creators at the center...
06/01/2026
Lorde. A$AP Rocky. JENNIE. Baby Keem. KATSEYE. That's just a taste of who...
06/01/2026
Channel 4 and UKTV are giving viewers even more reasons to stream, with UKTV's U service set to feature thousands of hours of free, unmissable and bingeable...
06/01/2026
Tuesday 6 January 2026
An update on our Sky Mobile prices
Devesh Raj, Chief Operating Officer, Sky
Today, we've announced some changes to the prices of ...
06/01/2026
Comscore Launches Daily Program-Level Reporting with Deduplicated Insights on Sh...
06/01/2026
Comscore Completes Recapitalization Transaction with Preferred Stockholders Foll...
05/01/2026
Bad Bunny's DeB TiRAR M S FOToS defined the sound of 2025 for listeners eve...
05/01/2026
As the clock struck midnight and 2026 was born, so was an exciting range of new ...
05/01/2026
These Sacred Vows starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Justine Mitchell and Jason O'...
05/01/2026
DANDANCING WITH THE STARS RETURNS TO SHAKE UP SUNDAY NIGHTS
Reigning Rose of Tr...
02/01/2026
Any Given Day: Cork University Hospital premieres Wednesday 7 January on RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
RT will debut a powerful new six-part documentary se...
02/01/2026
Friday 2 January 2026
All episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and...
02/01/2026
Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026
New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT
...
01/01/2026
The Quantum 852 is situated in the 6,500-seat Seoul-based place of worship, a church which is home to a 1,000-person choir and a 50-piece orchestra. There are f...
The popular National Treasure franchise has embarked upon a new adventure on Disney+. The 10-episode first season of National Treasure: Edge of History follows 20-year-old Jess Valenzuela (played by Lisette Olivera) as she joins the hunt for a much sought-after lost treasure and, in so doing, unlocks her own family's hidden history. Following Declan Quinn, ASC's work on the pilot episode and working with settings that evoked the rich palettes of famed Mexican muralists, cinematographer Abraham Mart nez worked alongside fellow director of photography Tom Camarda to craft a cohesively colorful look for the series.
