In the new Netflix crime comedy The Thursday Murder Club, Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Ben Kingsley headline a cast of wise-cracking retirees who gather to discuss cold cases as a hobby—until they find themselves entangled in an active murder investigation. Based on the novel by Richard Osman and directed by Chris Columbus, the film blends wit and intrigue with a distinctly British charm.
Don Burgess, ASC—a longtime collaborator of Columbus—describes the project as “a lovely, lighthearted comedy with a heart.” Honored in 2024 with the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award, Burgess embraced the opportunity to light and frame the expressive faces of the ensemble cast. Sumptuous English exteriors, stately manor-house locations, and meticulously crafted sets at Shepperton Studios shaped the film’s visual language. With no-blue screens, the production was grounded in practical environments.
“Chris and I were just striving to make it real,” says Burgess. “He worked hard to get the cast he wanted, with these wonderful actors. He wanted their faces to be chiseled out from the environment, and to not get lost in the surroundings. At the same time, we needed to highlight the production design and set decorations, which were very impressive and a big part of the story.”
Much of the comedy is based on dialog and character, which also emphasized the importance of the performances.
“One of my goals every day that I go to work is to give the director the opportunity to get more performance, and to do that without sacrificing the lighting or the overall look of the movie,” says Burgess. “It’s not just ‘hose it down and we’ll figure it out in the editing room.’ When you work with directors like Chris Columbus or Robert Zemeckis or James Wan, you get to elevate your game, because they are capable of that. They have the ability to take what’s on the page and make it better. If I can help them do that through efficiency, great.”
Constant evolution in filmmaking technology allows for that added efficiency – in the right hands, says Burgess.
“Filmmaking has changed so dramatically thanks to the cameras, the light, and all the tools,” he says. “Take changing the color temperature of a light – that used to mean getting a ladder, changing the gels, dropping in a double. Now, because of LED lighting, we can sit by the monitor and use the dimmer board to find the right look. That has given us the ability to work faster and more efficiently, which can mean more takes and hopefully a better movie. And the RED camera is also part of that.”
Burgess’s experience with RED cameras goes all the way back to The Book of Eli, which he shot for director Albert Hughes in 2009 on the original build, creating a desaturated look that suited the material.
Roughly 15 years later, The Thursday Murder Club was done with the RED RAPTOR 8K and Panaspeed lenses, for a pleasant softness that still maintains natural clarity. The large-format Panaspeeds cover more than 90% of the big sensor.
“The cameras have evolved so much,” says Burgess. “I shoot the RED camera all the time and I know the chip very well. It suits my eye. I often mix in some smaller RED cameras to capture certain shots. I’ve become comfortable with that camera because I think it’s extremely versatile. I like the images that I’m getting from it, and I don’t have any issues when I get to the DI. The 8K VV-size chip makes it practical in many ways, and that sensor works well with Panavision large format lenses.
“I like the Panaspeeds because there’s no color differential,” he adds. “They just line up really well and they match. These digital cameras are far more sensitive to color than the film cameras were. I find that I can get those lenses to look like I want the movie to look, and there’s a lot of inherent consistency there that I don’t have to worry about.”
In post, subtle warmth was added to the brighter areas of the images while a slight coolness subdues the darker areas. The result is a rich and filmic look.
“On any project, I’m always trying to push the image in a particular direction to tell the story I’m seeing in my head,” says Burgess. “And of course, to help the director make the movie that’s going on in his or her head – and hopefully the two worlds find common ground.
“Chris and I click. We really enjoy working together. I understand what he’s trying to say, and I Hope I help in my way. The shooting part of making a film is just endless compromise. Filmmakers ultimately are just looking for people to help them make their movies in spite of the compromises. I try to be that person.”
The Thursday Murder Club premiered on Netflix to resounding success, becoming one of the summer’s most-watched programs. Burgess has since reunited with longtime collaborator Robert Zemeckis to begin filming The Last Mrs. Parrish, captured in stunning detail using RED RAPTOR 8K cameras and large-format Panavision lenses.
Special thanks to Don Burgess, ASC, for taking the time to speak with RED about his work on The Thursday Murder Club, and to Netflix for the opportunity to spotlight the project.