Before Natalie Kingston won an Emmy for her cinematography on the Apple TV+ miniseries ӰרBlack Bird,Ӱר before she was named a Ӱרrising starӰר by the American Society of Cinematographers and before she collaborated on music videos with Billie Eilish, she graced the Burke-Hawthorne Hall Theater stage Ӱר covered in gold feathers Ӱר in a 2003 adaptation of AristophanesӰר ӰרThe Birds.Ӱר
Kingston, who was awarded Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Television Academy's 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Jan. 6, admits the stage ultimately wasnӰרt her calling. Still, her time as a mass communications major and theatre minor at the Ӱר left a lasting impact.
ӰרThat community just really had an effect on me as an artist,Ӱר says Kingston, over a video call from her home in Los Angeles. ӰרI really got to just let go and tap into my inner artist. It was a magical time.Ӱר
Kingston recently wrapped production on a feature film, ӰרThe Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write about a Serial Killer,Ӱר directed by Tolga Karaçelik and starring Steve Buscemi, John Magaro and Britt Lower.
Life, she says, has been moving especially fast since she got the call for ӰרBlack Bird,Ӱר which was developed for television by Dennis Lehane of ӰרThe WireӰר and gave Kingston the opportunity to film in New Orleans. The 2022 drama earned three Golden Globe nominations and four Emmy nominations, including its cinematography recognition. Kingston's win made her the first woman in Emmy history to receive top honors in cinematography for a work of fiction.
ӰרIt really felt surreal; just going back home,Ӱר says Kingston of her time shooting in Louisiana. ӰרIt was a hard shoot. We were in a prison for a long time. We went through Hurricane Ida, we went through COVID. IӰרm really proud and really honored for the nomination.Ӱר
Originally from New Iberia, Kingston says her Cajun roots shaped her work behind the camera. One of her first productions was a documentary-style show for KDCG in Opelousas, where she leaned on skills acquired in her broadcast journalism courses. The experience became her working film school and led to other opportunities to collaborate with Lafayette-area creatives during the tax-incentive led production boom.
ThereӰרs still a soulful South Louisiana aesthetic to her work, no matter where sheӰרs filming.
ӰרThere's just such a grit and a texture to where we're from,Ӱר says Kingston. ӰרI tried to bring that to my imagery and never make anything so clean and perfect. And let it be a little rough around the edges.Ӱר
Kingston says even though she didnӰרt always know she wanted to be a cinematographer, she was raised to appreciate the power of creative storytelling. She credits her family and community for cultivating the empathy that is so crucial to her artistic process.
ӰרWe're storytellers at heart,Ӱר she says. ӰרWe tell stories around the table eating gumbo, we tell stories through music and through our culture. It's just so ingrained in us.Ӱר
Photo Caption: Natalie Kingston received an Emmy for her work on "Black Bird." (above) Paul Walter Hauser and Taron Egerton in the Emmy-winning episode of "Black Bird." Photo credit: Apple TV+.
