Behind the Frame: The Conjuring 2 (Crooked Man Sequence)

What does it take to shut down a Los Angeles freeway for a musical number, transform a small North Carolina town into the setting of an Oscar-winning film, or recreate the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans?This week on Roll the Credits, Christina sits down with veteran location manager Robert Foulkes, whose nearly four-decade career includes films like La La Land, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Ford v Ferrari, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Crime 101.Robert takes us behind the scenes of some of cinema’s most memorable locations, from the surprising challenges of filming La La Land‘s iconic pool party to the extensive search for the perfect town in Three Billboards. He shares how location managers help shape a director’s vision, navigate the unpredictable realities of production, and turn seemingly impossible ideas into unforgettable moments on screen.We also revisit his early days as a child actor, the high school films he made with Nicolas Cage and Crispin Glover, and the advice that’s stayed with him throughout his career.It’s a conversation about the art of finding the perfect location, the people who make filmmaking possible, and why, after nearly 40 years in the industry, Robert still loves what he does.Robert’s credits include:CRIME 101 (2026)AMSTERDAM (2022)THE HIGH NOTE (2020)FORD V FERRARI (2019)THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI (2017)LA LA LAND (2016)SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS (2012)TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (1991)…and many more.Follow Robert's work below:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0288316/

How does one of horror’s most unsettling sequences go from an idea in a director’s mind to the screen?In the first installment of Behind the Frame, a new Roll the Credits series exploring memorable moments in film through the eyes of the artists who helped create them, we’re revisiting The Conjuring 2 (2016), directed by James Wan.Joining us is storyboard artist James Doh, who worked directly with Wan to help visualize the film’s unforgettable Crooked Man sequence.Using his original storyboards, James walks us through the creative process, from interpreting the script and collaborating with Wan to planning camera movements, building suspense, and developing the creature’s terrifying reveal.Along the way, we explore how storyboards shape the language of a scene, why certain shots make it into the final film while others don’t, and how even the smallest creative decisions can transform the way an audience experiences fear.A huge thank you to James for joining us and sharing such a fascinating look into his creative process.Explore more of James’s work: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2568535/

What does it take to bring a cinematographer’s vision to life?This week on Roll The Credits, Christina Chironna sits down with gaffer Chip Carey, whose credits include Django Unchained, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Hush, Special Ops: Lioness, Antebellum, and Primetime, to explore the often-overlooked art of lighting for film and television.From getting his start booking background actors on Runaway Jury to working alongside some of the industry’s most accomplished cinematographers, Chip shares how curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to experiment have shaped his career.He takes us behind the scenes of Primetime, revealing how he and cinematographer David Bolen created flexible lighting environments to preserve director Lance Oppenheim’s documentary-style approach, including an elaborate nighttime rain sequence with custom lightning effects. He also breaks down the unique challenges of lighting Hush and 10 Cloverfield Lane, the unconventional techniques used on Antebellum, and the invaluable lessons he learned working alongside legendary gaffer Ian Kincaid on Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.Throughout the conversation, Chip reflects on the importance of developing a shared creative language with cinematographers, trusting unconventional ideas, and embracing the unexpected moments that can lead to something extraordinary.An inside look at one of filmmaking’s most essential crafts, and a reminder that sometimes the best creative decisions happen when you throw the plan out the window.Chip’s credits include:LOVE OF YOUR LIFE (2026)PRIMETIME (2026)CHRISTY (2025)LIONESS (2023)TWISTED METAL (2023)REMINISCENCE (2021)ANTEBELLUM (2020)EMANCIPATION (2022)HUSH (2016)10 CLOVERFIELD LANE (2016)…and many more.Follow Chip's work below:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1345776/

On this episode of Roll The Credits, Christina sits down with first assistant camera Zachary Blosser.Zachary shares the unexpected path that led him into the camera department — from making skate videos with a Hi8 camcorder and discovering a deeper love for cinema through A Clockwork Orange, to landing his first job on a feature film without ever having attended film school. He breaks down what a 1st AC actually does, the technical skills and instincts required to keep a shot in focus, and how the craft has evolved from taking physical measurements beside a film camera to pulling focus on high-definition monitors. He also explores the often-overlooked responsibility of the camera department: anticipating what a production needs, adapting to the unexpected, and making sure the technical side of filmmaking never gets in the way of the creative process.Zachary dives into his work on some wildly different productions, including navigating an unconventional mix of vintage broadcast cameras, MiniDV camcorders, and modern digital cinema cameras on Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime, working alongside Jim Henson’s Creature Shop on Five Nights at Freddy’s, and using forced perspective, miniatures, and practical effects to bring a 13-foot-tall character to life in Boots Riley’s I’m a Virgo. He also shares behind-the-scenes stories from Underwater, Spinal Tap II, and a recent Phoebe Bridgers music video.Above all, Zachary reflects on the relationships, collaboration, and camaraderie that make filmmaking so special.Zachary’s credits include:PRIMETIME (2026)FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S 2 (2025)SPINAL TAP II (2025)FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S (2023)HITMAN (2023)I’m A VIRGO (2023) EMANCIPATION (2022)…and many more.Follow Zachary's work below:
https://www.instagram.com/ztblosser/

On this episode of Roll The Credits, Christina sits down with visual effects supervisor Bodie Clare.Bodie shares the unconventional path that led him into visual effects — from discovering storytelling through Final Fantasy VII and Studio Ghibli to leaving university, teaching himself animation and beginning his career in the industry at just 19 years old.He talks about why his job is often to figure out how to do less visual effects, the importance of designing shots before they ever reach post, and why some of the best VFX work is the work audiences never realize is there. He also breaks down the role of a VFX supervisor as a bridge between the creative and technical sides of filmmaking — helping directors turn seemingly impossible ideas into something that can actually be put on screen.Bodie dives into his work on some of the most ambitious films of the last two decades, including standing alongside Christopher Nolan to solve the backwards-and-forwards logic of Tenet in real time, helping determine what could be accomplished practically on Mad Max: Fury Road, and using invisible visual effects to preserve the unsettling realism of The Zone of Interest.He also reflects on how AI is changing visual effects, why human taste and an understanding of reality remain so important, the value of finding great mentors, and why there is no single path into the industry.After more than 20 years in VFX, Bodie also opens up about burnout, learning not to make yourself indispensable, choosing the right people to surround yourself with, and realizing that the projects you work on will never be more important than the life and people you have outside of them.Bodie’s credits include:THE ODYSSEY (2026)THE WHEEL OF TIME (2025)DAMSEL (2024)THE ZONE OF INTEREST (2023)TENET (2020)WONDER WOMAN 1984 (2020)AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019)MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — FALLOUT (2018)ALIEN: COVENANT (2017)ASSASSIN’S CREED (2016)MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)HAPPY FEET TWO (2011)300 (2006)HAPPY FEET (2006)…and many more.Follow Bodie's work below:
https://bodieclare.com

On this episode of Roll The Credits, Christina sits down with cinematographer David Bolen.David shares the path that led him to cinematography — from growing up in Toronto and discovering arthouse films at a young age to developing an instinctual approach centered on subjectivity, emotion and seeing the world through a character’s point of view.He talks about why he sees cinematographers as “emotion seekers” rather than technicians, how he finds the visual language for a documentary by spending time with its subjects, and why emotional precision matters more to him than technical perfection.David also dives into his longtime creative partnership with director Lance Oppenheim and the making of Primetime — including throwing out the shot list, giving Robert Pattinson the freedom to explore, and experimenting with everything from Alexa and DV cameras to tube cameras and even a colonoscopy camera.He also reflects on learning to trust his instincts, staying creatively vulnerable on increasingly large sets, why bigger budgets don’t necessarily make better projects, and the importance of remembering that the experience of making films with people you love matters just as much as the films themselves.David's credits include:YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING (2026) PRIMETIME (2026) UNTOLD (2021-2026) RORY MCLLROY: THE MASTERS WAIT (2026) WILD BOYS: STRANGERS IN TOWN (2026) ANDY KAUFMAN IS ME (2025) OCTOPUS! (2025) THE PYTHON HUNT (2025) SPERMWORLD (2024)THELMA (2024)CHEF’S TABLE: NOODLES (2024) …and many more.Follow David's work below:
https://www.davidbolen.com

On this episode of Roll The Credits, Christina sits down with Justin and Josh of The Blasting Company.Justin and Josh share the path that led them to making music together — from growing up as half brothers and discovering music as a way to spend time together, to developing a creative partnership that has lasted more than two decades.They talk about what it actually means to compose music for film and television, why music ultimately has to serve the story, and the unique relationship between music and image — including how the right combination can create an emotion neither could produce on its own and permanently change the way we remember a piece of music.Justin and Josh also break down their unusual creative process, from lying on the floor and experimenting at the piano to arguing their way toward better ideas, and why learning to identify exactly what isn’t working (rather than simply rejecting an idea) has become one of the most important parts of their collaboration.They also dive into their work on Over the Garden Wall, from receiving Patrick McHale’s earliest concept art and writing music before the pilot was even finished to their decision to avoid sampled instruments, the happy accidents and hidden musical themes woven throughout the series, and the phone-recorded piano sketch from their very first exchange with Patrick that ultimately became the show’s end credits music.Justin and Josh also reflect on rediscovering the music that shaped them, letting go of perfectionism, why there’s no wrong way to make music, the value of making art simply for the sake of making it, and why after more than 25 years of creating together, their relationship as brothers remains at the heart of the music they make.The Blastin Company's credits include:THE CROOKED MOON (2026)ADULT SWIM'S THE ELEPHANT (2025)COSTUME QUEST (2019) OVER THE GARDEN WALL (2014)THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT (2012)BURLESQUE (2010) …and many more.Follow The Blasting Company work below:
https://www.blastingcompany.com

On this episode of Roll The Credits, Christina sits down with film editor John Axelrad.John shares the path that led him to editing — from studying film production at USC and initially thinking he wanted to direct, to discovering that the editing room was where he truly belonged.They talk about what an editor actually does, why John considers editing the final rewrite of a film, and why only about a third of the job is pure craft, with the rest requiring psychology, diplomacy, and an ability to navigate directors, producers, studios, and the many personalities involved in making a movie.John also breaks down the process of shaping a film from the first day of production through the director’s cut, including how editors build performances, find pacing and rhythm down to individual frames, know when a scene needs to go, and learn to let the footage dictate what the story ultimately wants to become.They also dive into his work on Crazy Heart, Ad Astra, and The End of Oak Street, from finding subtle moments that helped shape Jeff Bridges’ Oscar-winning performance to spending months constructing Ad Astra’s lunar rover chase and navigating the unusual visual language of The End of Oak Street.John also reflects on working across genres, collaborating with first-time directors, the value of audience screenings, what separates good editors from great ones, and the chance encounter at 17 years old that ultimately changed the course of his life and led him to filmmaking.Darils credits include:THE END OF OAK STREET (2026)SPACEMAN (2024)CHEVALIER (2022)ANTEBELLUM (2020)AD ASTRA (2019)PAPILLON (2017) THE LOST CITY OF Z (2016)KRAMPUS (2015)MILES AHEAD (2015) BEFORE WE GO (2014) SOMETHING BORROWED (2011) THE SWITCH (2010)CRAZY HEART (2009) BOOGEYMAN (2005)…and many more.Follow John and his work below:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006777/

On this episode of Roll The Credits, Christina sits down with producer, writer, and entrepreneur, Daril Fannin.Daril shares the unlikely path that led him to filmmaking — from growing up in a strict religious community where movies were off-limits, to discovering The Matrix at 17, spending nine years as a combat medic, and eventually moving to Los Angeles to pursue screenwriting.They talk about selling a television series to Netflix with the support of Matt Damon, what an executive producer actually does in film versus television, and the advice Matt gave Daril that helped shape his career.Daril also breaks down the business of independent film, including how he evaluates projects as investments, what filmmakers should understand about budgets, distribution, minimum guarantees, theatrical and streaming windows, and why getting a movie made is only part of the equation.They also dive into his experience investing in and executive producing Undertone, its eventual deal with A24, the thinking behind Kino Studios and ScreenKey, and why Daril believes the next decade could be an especially exciting one for independent filmmakers.Darils credits include:UNDERTONE (2025)#AMFAD (2024)MVP (2022)GREEN BERET'S GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE APOCALYPSE (2022)ADOPTED (2021)…and many more.Follow Daril and his work below:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7050977/https://www.instagram.com/darilfannin/?hl=en

On this episode of Roll The Credits, Christina sits down with composer Stephen Rennicks, whose work includes Normal People, Room, The Quiet Girl, Frank, and Conversations with Friends.Stephen shares how he became an “accidental film composer,” why he still thinks of himself as a filmmaker first, and the philosophy that has shaped his work: if you’re listening to the music instead of watching the scene, something may have gone wrong.They talk about his decades-long creative partnership with director Lenny Abrahamson, finding the sound of Normal People, composing around silence and intimacy, and why great scoring is often less about writing a beautiful piece of music than solving the emotional problem of a scene.Stephen also opens up about creativity, collaboration, taking feedback, resisting the urge to impress, and why some of his best ideas arrive when he’s supposed to be doing something else.A conversation about music, filmmaking, vulnerability, and learning when to stay out of the way.Stephen's credits include:WHITETAIL (2025) FRAN THE MAN (2025) ALICE & JACK (2023-2024)CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS (2022)THE QUIET GIRL (2022) NORMAL PEOPLE (2020) THE LITTLE STRANGER (2018)REBELLION (2016) ROOM (2015)FRANK (2014)…and many more.Follow Stephen and his work below:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0719673/