Joseph M. Wilcots

Director of Photography


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his over three-hour interview, Joseph M. Wilcots (1939-2009) speaks about his interest in photography as a teenager and his filmmaking experiences while serving in the Navy. He describes his work at the Westheimer Company -- in particular, the creative work being done for the special effects on the original Star Trek series. He relates how he became the first Black member of the cinematographers union and identified the slow shift in adding other Black members over the years. Wilcots talks about his work in independent filmmaking and reminisces about some of the people he worked with, including director Gordon Parks and cinematographer Robert Surtees. He speaks in great detail about the two projects for which he is most associated, the miniseries Roots and Roots: The Next Generations, for which he served as director of photography. He recalls meeting and working with Alex Haley, and talks of working with actor Marlon Brando. He notes the impact of Roots and what the miniseries meant to him, and acknowledges his work on the Alex Haley/Norman Lear series Palmerstown U.S.A. Lastly, he gives his impressions of three individuals for whom he worked extensively: actor/director George Stanford Brown, Bill Cosby, and Michael Jackson. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on December 5, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I tried to show the dirt in the scenes of Roots... to make you smell the dirt, to make you realize that the place was dirty... it's all about the earth and all about the dirt on the earth and it is an innate part of us. If we pay attention to it, there's a picture there."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Joseph M. Wilcots on shooting models for the visual effects on Star Trek and on how they held up over the years
02:21
Joseph M. Wilcots on working with Gene Roddenberry on Star Trek
01:57
Joseph M. Wilcots on staging the Roots scenes in which "Kunta Kinte's" foot is cut off and where "Kissy" is taken from her family
04:16
Joseph M. Wilcots on what Roots has meant to his life and career
01:47
Joseph M. Wilcots on becoming the first Black member of the cinematographers union
04:09
Joseph M. Wilcots on advice to an aspiring cinematographer
01:04
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

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

Chapter 2

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

Chapter 3

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

Chapter 4

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

Chapter 5

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

Chapter 6

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

Chapter 7

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
Shows

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

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Joseph M. Wilcots on being nominated for Emmys for Roots
00:38

FBI, The

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Joseph M. Wilcots on working on The FBI
03:54

Roots

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Joseph M. Wilcots on how he came to be involved with Roots
03:51
Joseph M. Wilcots on how he came to be involved with Roots
03:46
Joseph M. Wilcots on his first day shooting Roots
05:14
Joseph M. Wilcots on staging a scene for Roots
01:36
Joseph M. Wilcots on the challenges of lighting Roots
03:54
Joseph M. Wilcots on staging the Roots scenes in which "Kunta Kinte's" foot is cut off and where "Kissy" is taken from her family
04:16
Joseph M. Wilcots on the directors of Roots
02:25
Joseph M. Wilcots on the diversity of the Roots crew and on his interaction with Alex Haley
03:59
Joseph M. Wilcots on the success of Roots
02:29
Joseph M. Wilcots on the legacy of Roots
00:51
Joseph M. Wilcots on being nominated for Emmys for Roots
00:38
Joseph M. Wilcots on what Roots has meant to his life and career
01:47

Roots: The Next Generations

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Joseph M. Wilcots on shooting Roots: The Next Generations
02:49
Joseph M. Wilcots on the "George Lincoln Rockwell" scene in Roots: The Next Generations
04:01
Joseph M. Wilcots on the staging of the assassination of Malcolm X in Roots: The Next Generations
01:54

Star Trek

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Joseph M. Wilcots on how the Star Trek transporter effects were created in post-production
03:19
Joseph M. Wilcots on how the Star Trek phaser effects were created in post-production
00:53
Joseph M. Wilcots on how the various Star Trek effects were created in post-production; working with Gene Roddenberry; creating effects depicting the ship
05:57
Joseph M. Wilcots on doing visual effects for Star Trek
05:45
Joseph M. Wilcots on working with Gene Roddenberry on Star Trek
01:57
Joseph M. Wilcots on shooting models for the visual effects on Star Trek and on how they held up over the years
02:21
Topics

Advice

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Joseph M. Wilcots on advice to an aspiring cinematographer
01:04

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Joseph M. Wilcots on his mentors and mentoring others
00:55

Emmy Awards

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Joseph M. Wilcots on being nominated for Emmys for Roots
00:38

Historic Events and Social Change

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Joseph M. Wilcots on becoming the first Black member of the cinematographers union
04:09
Joseph M. Wilcots on the cinematographers union not being quick to welcome Black members
06:05
Joseph M. Wilcots on how things have changed for Black cinematographers during his career
00:42

Memorable Moments on Television

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Joseph M. Wilcots on staging the Roots scenes in which "Kunta Kinte's" foot is cut off and where "Kissy" is taken from her family
04:16

Pivotal Career Moments

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Joseph M. Wilcots on his mentors and mentoring others
00:55

Representation on Television

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Joseph M. Wilcots on becoming the first Black member of the cinematographers union
04:09
Joseph M. Wilcots on the cinematographers union not being quick to welcome Black members
06:05
Joseph M. Wilcots on how things have changed for Black cinematographers during his career
00:42

Technological Innovation

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Joseph M. Wilcots on technological innovations during his career, and on working with a crew
05:46

Television Industry

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Joseph M. Wilcots on advice to an aspiring cinematographer
01:04

Underrepresented Voices

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Joseph M. Wilcots on being the first African-American in the camera operators union
05:56
Joseph M. Wilcots on becoming the first Black member of the cinematographers union
04:09
Joseph M. Wilcots on the cinematographers union not being quick to welcome Black members
06:05
Joseph M. Wilcots on how things have changed for Black cinematographers during his career
00:42

We Cried

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Joseph M. Wilcots on staging the Roots scenes in which "Kunta Kinte's" foot is cut off and where "Kissy" is taken from her family
04:16
Professions

Camera Operator

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Joseph M. Wilcots on becoming the first Black member of the cinematographers union
04:09
Joseph M. Wilcots on the cinematographers union not being quick to welcome Black members
06:05

Cinematographer

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Joseph M. Wilcots on becoming the first Black member of the cinematographers union
04:09
Joseph M. Wilcots on the cinematographers union not being quick to welcome Black members
06:05
Joseph M. Wilcots on the challenges of lighting Roots
03:53
Joseph M. Wilcots on depth of field and selective focus when shooting; on the use of filters
05:47
Joseph M. Wilcots on technological innovations during his career and on working with a crew
05:46
Joseph M. Wilcots on advice to an aspiring cinematographer
01:04

Production Professionals

View Profession
Joseph M. Wilcots on becoming the first Black member of the cinematographers union
04:09
Joseph M. Wilcots on the cinematographers union not being quick to welcome Black members
06:05
Joseph M. Wilcots on the challenges of lighting Roots
03:53
Joseph M. Wilcots on depth of field and selective focus when shooting; on the use of filters
05:47
Joseph M. Wilcots on technological innovations during his career and on working with a crew
05:46
Joseph M. Wilcots on advice to an aspiring cinematographer
01:04
Genres

Commercials

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Joseph M. Wilcots on shooting early commercials using doctored products
02:14
Joseph M. Wilcots on doing visual effects for commercials
02:31

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

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Joseph M. Wilcots on working on The FBI
03:54

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

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Joseph M. Wilcots on doing visual effects for Star Trek
10:03

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

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Joseph M. Wilcots on doing cinematography for Roots
28:32
Joseph M. Wilcots on doing cinematography for Roots and Roots: The Next Generations
11:09
People

Desi Arnaz

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Joseph M. Wilcots on trying to get into motion pictures and running into Desi Arnaz on the Paramount lot
01:06

Marlon Brando

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Joseph M. Wilcots on the "George Lincoln Rockwell" scene in Roots: The Next Generations
04:01

Georg Stanford Brown

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Joseph M. Wilcots on working with Georg Stanford Brown
01:44

Marvin J. Chomsky

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Joseph M. Wilcots on the directors of Roots - Marvin J. Chomsky
01:25

Bill Cosby

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Joseph M. Wilcots on working with Bill Cosby
03:06

Alex Haley

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Joseph M. Wilcots on the diversity of the Roots crew and on his interaction with Alex Haley
03:59
Joseph M. Wilcots on the legacy of Roots
00:51

Michael Jackson

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Joseph M. Wilcots on working with Michael Jackson
04:52

Gilbert Moses

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Joseph M. Wilcots on the directors of Roots - Gilbert Moses
00:51

Gordon Parks

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Joseph M. Wilcots on Gordon Parks
02:09
Joseph M. Wilcots on working with Gordon Parks
06:12

Gene Roddenberry

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Joseph M. Wilcots on working with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry
03:52
Joseph M. Wilcots on working with Gene Roddenberry on Star Trek
01:57

Robert Surtees

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Joseph M. Wilcots on his mentors
00:15

John Wayne

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Joseph M. Wilcots on working with John Wayne on the film The Cowboys
05:30

Malcolm X

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Joseph M. Wilcots on the staging of the assassination of Malcolm X in Roots: The Next Generations
01:54

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