Dynamic Duos: Ben Semanoff & Igor Martinovic
Posted on Dec 22, 2025 by Admin
While Black Rabbit is their latest shared credit, director Ben Semanoff and DOP Igor Martinovic go way back. We catch up with the pair, discovering the key to their years-long creative partnership
Top image Michele short / Netflix
Definition: What were your first impressions of one another?
Ben Semanoff: Igor was a cinematographer on The Night Of, and he interviewed me as his camera operator. It was like a bolt of lightning when I sat down with him; I had never been with a filmmaker who seemed so passionate and enthusiastic about cinema. I felt like there was a wealth of knowledge to gain from him.
Igor Martinovic: I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do, but I needed somebody who could come in and execute that – and then add more. That was something I felt like Ben would provide, and he absolutely did. Immediately, it was abundantly clear we could do something together that would enhance each other’s work.
Def: Ben, when you were on Black Rabbit you stepped into a directorial role. How did your relationship with Igor change?
BS: I don’t think it felt that different. There wasn’t hesitation from Igor to contribute ideas or challenge me. That’s what our relationship has always been – challenging each other in a respectful way, which benefits the work.
IM: I believe there is a certain visual language we speak. It’s really easy to work with somebody that speaks the same language as you. It’s all about trust and believing someone is going to interpret things in a way that is close to your vision.
BS: You are just looking for the sound of two hands clapping, don’t you think? I think that having worked with Igor over the years, no matter what our roles have been, it has always felt that way. The two of us are genuinely listening to each other and adding to each other’s ideas in a truly constructive way.
Def: How do your visual styles complement one another?
IM: I care a lot about framing. It’s crucial for connecting to the audience and creating visuals that can convey emotion. The way I do it is often by having unusual framing – not your classical coverage. When we started working together, Ben immediately said, ‘This is what I love as well.’ I think that’s where we match the most.
Def: Describe your collaboration on Black Rabbit.
BS: On one scene, we had a super-long zoom lens, and we were on one overpass shooting another overpass. It was an incredibly hot day; Jason Bateman had bought these quasi-ridiculous umbrella hats for everybody. We shot that overpass with the camera zooming in slowly and then coming out. We go back to video village, and the three of us are watching together, and it’s like, ‘Let’s walk away.’ None of us needed any convincing.
Other times, I’ll bring something to Igor, and I’ll be so proud and so courageous. There’s a scene at the beginning of episode 5 where we reverse time, and we see the night before. I said to Igor, ‘What if the bathtub is overflowing, and then we cut suddenly to a shot of the shower running, but the colour temperature has changed?’ He goes, ‘I don’t think that’s going to work.’
IM: Ben is a very visual storyteller. There was one sequence where it’s a conversation in a hallway, and Ben suggested a camera move that I didn’t see. We tend to push each other whenever possible.
BS: For me, the thing that drives filmmaking to be its best are those uncomfortable, challenging situations when everybody has to become even more creative.
Def: What are your reflections on Black Rabbit, now that it has been released?
BS: Other than how proud I am of this series, I’m equally as happy about the fact that Igor and I got to work together again. I love the guy. I hope we get to collaborate many, many more times; it was one of the things that made the experience unbelievable. It was a pleasure behind the camera.
IM: It was the set with the least conflict or drama. What makes Ben an incredible director – and I think he’s going to have a great future as a director – is that he’s prepared. It makes my job much easier when the skeleton is there.
Def: Do you have any more projects in the works?
BS: Not yet. It’s tricky; as a guest director, I often come into a show where the cinematographer has already been hired. As I forge my way ahead into hopefully working on pilots or, God willing, a feature film, there’s one phone call that I will make right away, and it’s to Igor.
Learn about other filmmaking dynamic duos in this interview with Greg Fisher and Robbie Ryan.
This article appears in the November/December 2025 issue of Definition
