Echo: Breaking Barriers with Kira Kelly, ASC | Cinepod

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 273: Kira Kelly
Echo continues the journey of Maya Lopez, a skilled fighter who was first seen in the Marvel series, Hawkeye. After the death of her father, Maya escapes Kingpin’s gang by returning to her Choctaw Nation home in Oklahoma. It’s the first Marvel series to feature a Native American character and explore indigenous culture and history. As Maya Lopez, Echo star Alaqua Cox breaks barriers as a deaf, indigenous amputee.
Cinematographer Kira Kelly, ASC enjoyed crafting a Marvel story that didn’t require a rigorous backstory from previous Marvel movies or shows. The script included depictions of the history of the Choctaw, including the Choctaw creation myth. “What starts the pilot is the creation myth of the Choctaw people, which had never been shown before,” says Kira. “Sydney Freeland, our director, made sure we did it in a very respectful way, and a way that was authentic to (the Choctaw.) Being able to be part of that visual storytelling is not something that you get to do every day.”
Different parts of Echo are separated by a specific look and feel. Most of the series was shot using anamorphic lenses, but Kira chose 12 and 20 mm spherical lenses to depict the beginning of the Choctaw nation at the dawn of time. For Maya’s world in New York, Kira used darker and more desaturated lighting. She and director Sydney Freeland agreed that once Maya goes back home to her roots in Oklahoma, deeper, more saturated colors should be part of the visual story.
Kira enjoys lighting, and a big part of it is speaking with the production and set designers about what can be built in naturally for success later. She purposefully changed the treatment of the light between the characters of Fisk (Kingpin) and Maya. For Fisk, she played with a direct, single source side light on his face that created more falloff and emphasized shadows to question his loyalties and motivations.
Echo was Kira’s first experience shooting extensive action sequences and working with a large second unit. She particularly enjoyed recreating the Choctaw Powwow in Oklahoma for the final sequence at the conclusion of the series. The crew had visited the real powwow on a scout, and some of the dancers were hired to perform for the show. “It was a really emotional sequence because we got to be a part of this thing that people who aren’t Native American never get to experience. We had created this space for it and the people who are a part of it came up and said, ‘This is like a real powwow. You guys created a powwow.’ And so it was an honor to be part of something that was visually fulfilling and a great challenge.”
Kira is partnering again with director Sydney Freeland for her film, Rez Ball, coming this fall.
Hear our previous interview with Kira Kelly.
Find Kira Kelly: Instagram: @kirakellydp
Close Focus: Peacock includes every Olympic event on their channel, and has a personalized, daily AI commentary available for your chosen events if you download their phone app. Here’s an example of the AI voice recap.
Ben’s short end: Toby Wilkins, a mutual friend, has been tinkering with old cameras and 3D printing new adapters so that you can slide an iPhone into the old body and use the lenses and optics. He’s named the prototypes ObscuraFlex and is creating more. See his reels featuring ObscuraFlex experiments on Instagram: @tobywilkins
Illya’s short end: The Joker: Folie á Deux trailer was released.
Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras
Sponsored by ARRI: The ARRI Hi-5 SX single axis hand unit remote focus system brings ARRI dependability to the control of almost any lens on any camera. You can buy a Hi-5 unit at Hot Rod Cameras.
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Producer: Alana Kode
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Host and editor in Chief: Illya Friedman
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