Today, thanks to a heads-up from some friends, we can report that cinematographer Armando Salas, as well as editor Gina Sansom, have joined Marvel Studios’ Wonder Man! To learn more about the talented crew members brought in to bring Destin Daniel Cretton’s vision to life, read on!
The roles of cinematographer and editor
Some of you may know the parts that a cinematographer and editor play in the production of a television show or film, but others might be wondering what exactly they do. Most people remember the names of a project’s director, as they are the visionary behind bringing the film or show to life. However, there are others that are responsible for the practical aspects of that dream. That’s where an editor and cinematographer come into play.
A cinematographer is the person who actually shoots/records the footage of whatever project they are working on. They are in charge of the camera crew and all that goes into that, such as lighting. Their goal is to hear and understand the overall picture of the director’s vision, then interpret that as they set fit, to create the show or film that you see on screen. While interpretation is one aspect of the job, cinematographers work within the vision they are given to create a work of art that has their distinct fingerprint all over it. And yet, many times their work goes unnoticed by the general population or rolled into the praise that the director receives.
An editor is much more straightforward and most people can guess their role if they didn’t know off the top of their head. Their job is to take all the footage that is recorded for a specific project and assemble it together. Editors work through tons of stimuli, such as footage, dialogue, and even special effects, to create one cohesive story that looks and sounds spectacular. It’s no easy feat to bring together so much for high-profile projects and without the editors a project could be lost.
Every role associated with a film or television series is important, as each piece helps bring the final product one step closer to our screens. If you have a favorite film, thank a cinematographer and editor, because it wouldn’t exist without them. So now that we know what a cinematographer and editor do, it’s time to talk about the reason you’re all here, for the names of those involved in Wonder Man.
Armando Salas joins Wonder Man as cinematographer
Per his official website, Armando Salas is working alongside Destin Daniel Cretton to bring the adventures of Simon Williams to the Disney streaming service. Salas is a Cuban cinematographer who has worked on quite a few projects that you’ve probably heard of. Of the 39 projects that he’s worked on, notable ones are The Terminal List, Invasion, Ozark, The Old Man, Raising Dion, and From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series.
From his resumé, it seems that he leans towards projects with a darker tone, which is something I wasn’t quite expecting for Wonder Man. But with Salas serving as cinematographer, it could give us an idea of the tone and trajectory that this new MCU series could be taking. Could Wonder Man be dark in tone and more aligned with that of Secret Invasion and the upcoming Blade and untitled Deadpool and Wolverine movie? I personally was expecting something more in the vein of WandaVision or Agatha: Coven of Chaos, seeing that Simon Williams is an actor after all.
That being said, a darker tone isn’t a far stretch from what we’ve seen from Cretton in the MCU already. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings did a fantastic job of blending overtly comedic aspects and gritter moments. There are a ton of darker aspects within the film, which worked well with the kung-fu-inspired vibes of older movies of the same genre. Perhaps this means that Cretton wishes to bring the same blend of light and dark to his film, like Yin and Yang.
Thank you to Scarlet Witch Updates, who brought this information and link to our attention.
Gina Sansom will serve as editor for this MCU series
Also along for the ride is Gina Sansom, who will work as an editor on Wonder Man (per her resume). This heads-up came from another friend, Kepler, who is an active member of our community. Sansom has worked on many notable projects as well, such as Our Flag Means Death, Reservation Dogs, Silicon Valley, and Louie.
However, perhaps the most interesting project she’s worked on with Cretton before is American Born Chinese. Seems like the director and Sansom have a good working relationship and hope to keep it that way! Interesting to note as well that a good chunk of Sansom’s work is in the realm of comedy, which could lean itself to the idea of the dark mixed with the light in terms of tone for this series.
What do you think of these BTS additions to Wonder Man?
We look forward to the strikes being resolved, for the writers and actors to be treated and paid fairly, and work to resume on some of our most anticipated projects. Currently, Wonder Man doesn’t have a release date listed.
What are your thoughts on this Wonder Man news? Let us know on Twitter or in The Cosmic Circus Discord.
Exclusive: Wonder Man Production Co. and Working Title Revealed
