"The Long Walk" Cinematographer Jo Willems ASC, SBC on Making the Thriller, His Career Path, & More

In this episode, we welcome cinematographer Jo Willems, ASC, SBC. Jo has shot an impressive list of films including Hard Candy, 30 Days of Night, Limitless, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and 2, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Red Sparrow, His House, Finch, and The Long Walk. In our chat, he shares about the making of The Long Walk, adapted from a Stephen King novel. He speaks about all the filmmaking techniques employed to pull off this gritty, naturalistic story — and offers advice for the next generation of creators today.“The Making Of” is presented by AJA:Gear up: AJA just launched new techFlexibility is everything in production, which is one of many reasons to check out AJA's newest products. IP25-R bridges SMPTE ST 2110 networks and 4K SDI/HDMI infrastructure, UDC-4K scales between HD and 4K/UltraHD, and BRIDGE LIVE 12G-4 provides a multi-channel UltraHD IP video workflow bridge for remote production, streaming, video contribution, and more. Learn more.Next-Gen DIY Storage, UnleashedThe OWC Express 1M2 80G delivers over 6000 MB/s real-world performance using the latest USB4 v2 (80 Gb/s) interface, with Thunderbolt 5 compatibility for next-gen workflows. Choose a ready-to-run or DIY enclosure—upgradeable to 8 TB using NVMe M.2 SSDs. Its passive heatsink design ensures silent, consistent speeds, all in a bus-powered, palm-sized form factor. Explore hereInsights from Legendary TV Director Alan Taylor:Introducing Ninja TX:Introducing Ninja TX, the all-new addition to the Ninja family. It’s equipped with 12G-SDI and HDMI, so now you can monitor & record from any pro camera to ultra-fast CFexpress media or external USB-C storage. You also get built in Wi-Fi for C2C workflows and AirGluTM timecode for multicam projects, all in a lightweight, compact 5-inch form factor. Atomos Ninja TX is available for pre-order for only $999 at Videoguys.com. Learn more herePost|Production World NY 2025:We’re proud to support Post|Production World NY 2025, October 22–23 at NAB Show New York. Join editors, filmmakers, and creators for two days of expert-led sessions in color grading, cinematography, workflows, and creative AI. Save 15% with code FMCP15. Get your pass hereNewsletter Rewind:Sponsor “The Making Of” newsletter and reach 250,000 filmmakers, TV production pros, and content creators each week. For more info, email [email protected] Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe