In this episode, we welcome cinematographer Nik Summerer ASC, best known for his work on the critically acclaimed series Dark, as well as 1899 and the feature film Color Book, now streaming on Netflix. In our conversation, Nik shares his journey into cinematography, reflecting on his influences and the path that led him behind the camera. We take a deep dive into the making of Color Book, exploring his visual storytelling approach, the techniques he employed, and the tools he used to bring this striking black-and-white drama to life. Nik also offers real-world advice for students and emerging filmmakers looking to build a career in the industry.
“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:
AJA introduces high-performance Thunderbolt™ 5-enabled PCIe expansion chassis
Meet Io Xpand, a Thunderbolt 5 expansion chassis for AJA KONA and Corvid I/O cards. Io Xpand lets video professionals integrate the performance of AJA PCIe I/O cards on Thunderbolt 5 laptops and mini-PCs for an incredibly powerful, fast, and portable I/O solution for on set, remote production, and live switching. Visit here
Intelligent Production Hub
New this summer from the Intelligent Production Hub: hands-on training in the AI and real-time tools working productions run on.
Intro to NVIDIA NvRTX (Jul 29), AI Video Creators Workshop (Aug 7), AI Creativity with Comfy (Aug 12), plus role-based AI sessions for editing, VFX, sound, and design.
See the full schedule here
A Solution Built Around Your Workflow
The OWC Express 4M2 Ultra is available in a range of configurations to fit your workflow and budget. Choose from ready-to-run solutions with up to 32TB of high-performance NVMe storage, giving you the speed, capacity, and reliability needed for everything from multi-camera editing to demanding VFX and finishing workflows. Available now. Learn more here
ZEISS Introduces Horizon Anamorphic: Full-Frame 2x Anamorphics with a New Lens Technology Platform
ZEISS unveils the Horizon Anamorphic series, a new lineup of full-frame 2x anamorphic cinema lenses designed to deliver a distinctive cinematic look along with a new lens technology platform that answers the need for speed and precision demanded by contemporary production workflows.
Spanning 35mm to 200mm across seven focal lengths, Horizon lenses combine their anamorphic look—incorporating a pronounced oval bokeh and stretched sense of spatial depth—with a lightweight, fully integrated motorized system that eliminates the need for external focus or iris motors. Read more here
Elgato Prompter XL
The Elgato Prompter XL is a professional all-in-one teleprompter with a 15.6" removable display and a reading range of up to 15 feet. Featuring USB 3.2 connectivity and broad compatibility, it's ideal for live productions and content creation. Available now at Videoguys.com—call 800-323-2325 to learn more.
Explore here
Podcast Rewind:
July 2026 - Ep. 142.
Explore a Partnership with The Making Of:
Reach over 275,000 film production industry, broadcast professionals, and content creators reading this newsletter. To learn more, please email mvalinsky@me.com
