How does NFL Films create some of the most iconic images in sports?
On this episode of Frame By Frame, Daniel sits down with NFL Films cinematographer Hannah Epstein, DP of Hard Knocks with the Seattle Seahawks, to go behind the camera of one of the biggest productions in sports.
Hannah breaks down the making of the JSN “Silver Surfer” sequence, capturing Sam Darnold’s spiral at extreme slow motion, and how NFL Films approached photographing the Pacific Northwest. She also takes us inside the massive operation behind Hard Knocks — from a 35-person field crew to shooting 12–14 hour days and turning around an episode every week.
They also nerd out on the tools of the trade, including the ARRI Alexa 35 Extreme, shooting at 660fps, NFL Films’ incredibly rare 33:1 lens, and how Hannah developed her signature style using negative space, abstraction and emotional moments away from the football.
Plus, Hannah shares her journey from being rejected from the NFL Films internship program twice to eventually becoming a staff cinematographer and DP — and what she’s learned about breaking into sports filmmaking along the way.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — Intro
00:57 — Breaking down the JSN “Silver Surfer” sequence
04:09 — Capturing Sam Darnold’s spiral in extreme slow motion
06:00 — Advice for learning to shoot football
07:11 — Capturing the look of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest
08:18 — Inside the massive Hard Knocks production machine
11:23 — How Hannah assigns the Hard Knocks camera crews
12:14 — Hannah’s specialty as a cinematographer
12:41 — Finding fresh ways to photograph football
15:05 — The six-week Hard Knocks marathon
16:34 — Hannah’s favorite moments from the Seahawks season
18:28 — Hannah’s journey into NFL Films
21:22 — How NFL Films trains its cinematographers
23:22 — Why NFL Films was always the goal
24:14 — The football shot Hannah is still chasing
25:14 — Developing a signature visual style
26:11 — Where NFL Films cinematographers find inspiration
27:16 — ARRI Alexa 35 vs. AMIRA
28:39 — Shooting the Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory
30:05 — Hard Knocks vs. Quarterback and Receiver
31:19 — Hannah’s advice for aspiring sports filmmakers
Frame By Frame is a podcast about the craft behind great filmmaking, hosted by director Daniel Mogg.