On this episode of Lamp Dock, we sit down with two legends of the lighting world—Martin Smith and Lee Eldred—whose partnership has taken them from the early days at Harry Potter all the way to the wild extremes of Mission Impossible. With over 25 years working together, they share how a rental house apprenticeship turned into a global career—rigging cliffside lights in Norway, defrosting generators in the Arctic, and diving 30 meters deep for underwater scenes. But at the heart of it all? Loyalty, laughter, and a relentless passion for the craft.

PART ONE

John Alcantara’s journey from a curious kid with an artist dad to one of New York’s most respected gaffers is nothing short of inspiring. In this in-depth interview, John shares how a free PA gig and a crash course in lighting sparked a lifelong passion — leading to major projects like Only Murders in the Building, The Many Saints of Newark, and the Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown.

We dive into:

• His early struggles and breakthrough moments

• Creative problem-solving in New York’s toughest locations

• Lighting for mood, speed, and story on set

• Behind-the-scenes stories with Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, Meryl Streep & Paul Rudd

• The evolving craft of gaffing in the era of LED and wireless tech

If you’re an aspiring filmmaker, gaffer, or just love behind-the-scenes film talk — this one’s for you.

Jeff Murrell is a distinguished Hollywood gaffer with a career spanning several decades, contributing his expertise in lighting to numerous high-profile films. His notable works include "Men in Black" (1997), "Gone in Sixty Seconds" (2000), "Lords of Dogtown" (2005), "Live Free or Die Hard" (2007), "Ted" (2012), "Captain America: Civil War" (2016), "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018), "Avengers: Endgame" (2019), "Black Widow" (2021), and "The Tomorrow War" (2021).