Joseph M. Wilcots

On his early life and influences

On this early interest in film; on running into Desi Arnaz on the Paramount lot; on joining the Navy

On joining the Navy; on filming his first movie

On his career plans after the Navy; on breaking into the business after leaving the Navy

On doing visual effects at the Westheimer Company for various shows; on doing visual effects for commercials

On doing visual effects for Star Trek; on working with Gene Roddenberry on Star Trek; on shooting models for the visual effects on Star Trek; on how effects held up over the years

On doing visual effects for The Learning Tree; on working on The FBI and on joining the union

On the cinematographers union not being quick to welcome Black members; on what he learned while working on feature films early on; on working with Gordon Parks and in independent film

On working on The Last Picture Show and on working with John Wayne; on how he came to be involved with Roots

On how he came to be involved with Roots; on his first day shooting Roots; on staging a scene for the show

On the challenges of lighting Roots; on staging the Roots scenes in which "Kunta Kinte's" foot is cut off and where "Kissy" is taken from her family; on the directors of Roots

On the diversity of the Roots crew and on his interaction with Alex Haley; on the success of Roots; on the legacy of Roots

On his Emmy nominations for Roots; on his work on Roots: The Next Generations and on what Roots has meant to his life and career

On depth of field and selective focus when shooting; on the use of filters

On people with whom he worked, including Georg Stanford Brown, Bill Cosby, and Michael Jackson ; on then-current projects and his proudest career achievement

On then-current projects; on how things have changed for Black cinematographers during his career; on technological innovations during his career; on working with a crew

On advice to an aspiring cinematographer; on his mentors and mentoring others; on how he'd like to be remembered