"Jaws" Production Designer Joe Alves on his Career, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Escape from New York," & More

In this episode, we welcome Oscar-nominated Production Designer Joe Alves. Joe made history for his work on Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws 2, and Escape from New York. In our chat, he shares on his career working alongside masters such as Walt Disney, Alfred Hitchcock, Rod Serling, Steven Spielberg, and John Carpenter. He talks about starting out as a young Art Director, working as a Production Designer, and other hats he wore. Joe also offers advice on the business, breaking down a script — and other insights from a life in the industry.“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:DIT Chris Bolton talks on-set live grading and routingIn on-set production, precise, real-time color management and conversion and reliable routing are essential, which is why DIT Chris Bolton leverages AJA ColorBox and KUMO 3232-12G across projects. Read this interview to get his perspective on what makes a great DIT and to learn more about his live grading setup.Next-Gen Connectivity for Demanding WorkflowsThe OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock delivers cutting-edge performance with Thunderbolt 5 ports that offer up to 2x more bandwidth than previous generations. Perfect for post-production pros, it powers up to 3 high-res displays, ultra-fast storage, and pro accessories simultaneously. With 2.5Gb Ethernet and a full array of essential ports, it's your all-in-one hub for high-performance creative workflows.Explore hereInspiration from Embeth Davidtz: Featured Documentary Project:In 1990, environmental engineer Hugo Martínez Cazón discovered the last standing factory of the Lumière Brothers’, which had been lost to history for almost a century. This short documentary follows his journey of mystery and discovery, while uncovering the birthplace of color photography in America — and a forgotten landmark of early cinematic history. Learn more hereZEISS Summer Savings Event:Now through September 1, save up to $4,000 on select Nano Prime lens sets and another $3,000 on the ZEISS Lightweight Zoom LWZ.3.Explore hereNew Solutions from Videoguys:Bring your vision to life with the SanDisk Professional Creator Series—fast, reliable storage designed specifically for content creators like you. Whether you're capturing footage on your iPhone or Android device, flying a drone, or shooting with a digital camera, SanDisk gives you the tools to stay in control of every shoot, every transfer, every edit, and every backup. From microSD and SD cards to portable SSDs and high-performance flash drives, the Creator Series is built to keep up with your creativity.Ready to take your content to the next level? Call Videoguys today at 800.323.2325 to learn more and find the perfect storage solution for your workflow! Browse herePodcast Rewind:July 2025 - Ep. 91…“The Making Of” is created by Michael Valinsky.Advertise in this newsletter and reach 250,000 filmmakers, TV production pros, & content creators each week. For more information, email: [email protected] Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe