Steve Yedlin’s gothic look for Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 340: Steve Yedlin, ASC

Cinematographer Steve Yedlin, ASC, and director Rian Johnson have shared a creative shorthand for over thirty years. Their collaboration is so deep that it rarely requires extensive dialogue. “Rian will mention things he wants to do differently or specifically, but a lot of it is already in the script,” says Yedlin. Johnson describes the vision; Yedlin elevates and translates it to the screen.

While Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) remains the series’ constant touchstone, each Knives Out installment is a visual standalone. “Rian and I are adamant that we don’t want to repeat ourselves—that’s boring,” Yedlin notes. “We want to push the medium forward and tell the story in the most visually arresting way possible.”

For Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man, the duo pivoted toward a Gothic aesthetic with horror overtones. Yedlin introduced inky, high-contrast blacks and utilized “creep zooms” to heighten the tension. However, the film’s atmosphere is most heavily dictated by the lighting. Within the central church setting, outdoor light shifts were meticulously programmed using Yedlin’s proprietary software, as the external environment mirrors the internal drama of the scene.

The most technical challenge of a Knives Out production is managing the sprawling ensemble cast. Filming large groups can risk “breaking the stageline”—violating the 180-degree rule that maintains spatial consistency for the audience. To avoid disorienting cuts, Johnson and Yedlin identify the strongest “stageline” between two key characters and commit to it. Rather than relying on traditional coverage, they use anchored shots that emphasize depth, showing how characters interact across the foreground and background.

Reflecting on their lifelong partnership, Yedlin views the work as both professional and personal. “He’s been my best friend,” he says. “Rian is a brilliant filmmaker. Even if I had nothing to do with his movies, they would be my favorites. And then I get to work on them because he keeps bringing me along.”

See Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man streaming on Netflix.

Find Steve Yedlin: Instagram @steveyedlin

SHOW RUNDOWN:
01:27 Close Focus
The ASC welcomed 18 new members in 2025, several of whom have been on the podcast.

10:45 Steve Yedlin, ASC interview
See Show Notes at https://www.camnoir.com/ep340/ for TECH SPECS and LINKS

58:57 Short ends
Ben’s short end: The 2023 short film, War is Over! which won an Academy Award, is now available to watch on YouTube.

Illya’s short end: Say Anything, the 1989 movie directed by Cameron Crowe is worth watching or rewatching.

01:07:27 Wrap up/Credits
Host and editor in Chief: Illya Friedman
Instagram: @illyafriedman @hotrodcameras
Host: Ben Rock
Blue Sky: @benrock.com
Instagram: @bejamin_rock
Producer: Alana Kode
All web and social media content written by Alana Kode
Composer: Kays Al-Atrakchi
Check out Kays' new YouTube Channel, Kays Labs, where he repairs old synthesizers.
Editor: Alana Kode