Conversation With Dune Still Photographer Chiabella James

I get a lot of requests to review books and do interviews. Many are of no interest to me and or my audience. Occasionally, though, one does pop up that grabs my attention. That was the case when I was asked if I would like to interview the still photographer for Dune Part One.  

Dune was an excellent movie in my book, and the cinematography was outstanding. The whole movie was epic. So, I jumped at the chance to interview Chiabella James the movie’s still photographer, and learn more about how she approached the movie’s photography. Upon calling her, I was pretty surprised as we hit it off right away.  We had a wonderful conversation that is shared in the video below.

The Book

From the cliffs of Norway to the deserts of Jordan, unit photographer Chiabella James was on set to capture every moment of Dune, director Denis Villeneuve’s Oscar-nominated sci-fi epic based on Frank Herbert’s classic novel. DUNE PART ONE: THE PHOTOGRAPHY is curated from thousands of stills shot throughout the filming of Dune. This deluxe volume compiles the most compelling photos to form a remarkable visual journey that fully captures the unique spirit of the production. Encompassing the epic vistas witnessed on-location shoots, through to candid moments between Villeneuve and key cast members including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Zendaya, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and Jason Momoa, this book also features a foreword by executive producer Tanya Lapointe (The Art and Soul of Dune), a preface by Ferguson, and an afterword by Brian Herbert. 

About Chiabella James

Chiabella James is a British feature film, editorial, and portrait photographer. Her portfolio has been published in outlets such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, Empire, and Entertainment Weekly. Her features include Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Dune, and King Richard. She splits her time working between Los Angeles and London.

About Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE 

Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve directed Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ Dune. The film stars Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Oscar nominee Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, David Dastmalchian, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling, with Jason Momoa, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem. Villeneuve directed Dune from a screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Villeneuve and Oscar® winner Eric Roth, based on the novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert. The film’s producers were Oscar® nominee Mary Parent, Villeneuve, Cale Boyter, and Joe Caracciolo, Jr. The executive producers were Tanya Lapointe, Joshua Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, and Kim Herbert, with Kevin J. Anderson as special consultant. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present a Legendary Pictures Production, a Film by Denis Villeneuve, Dune. The film is slated to be released worldwide this fall, in theaters from September 15 internationally and in the U.S. on October 22. The film has been rated PG-13 for sequences of intense violence, some disturbing images, and suggestive material.

The Conversation Video (48:00)

Final Words

As mentioned in the above video, I have this book sitting front and center on my coffee table. It’s a wonderful book to browse when you want to relax. It’s different oo as many of my books focus on landscape and other types of photography. Chiabella’s book is the first, if not the only, book I own about still photography of an epic movie. I highly recommend this book if you are a book collector. The book is available to purchase HERE.

Dune Part One: The Photography
Insight Editions | July 2023 | 11in x 10in | 282pp
Hardcover | $60.00 – See my link above for special pricing
ISBN: 978-1647228989

Kevin Raber
October 2023

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