Dynamic duos: Nick Antosca & Celiana Cárdenas, AMC

When showrunner Nick Antosca created Cape Fear, DOP Celiana Cárdenas immediately came to mind. We find out what makes them gel and how they turned the series – their third together – into an Apple TV hit

Words Katie Kasperson

Definition: When did your working relationship begin? Tell me about your first project together.

Nick Antosca: We’ve done a number of shows together, starting with Brand New Cherry Flavor. Celi shot every episode. I had admired her work before that and was excited by the opportunity to work with her.

Celiana Cárdenas: Before Brand New Cherry Flavor, Nick did another series called Channel Zero, and he interviewed me for that series. The network didn’t approve me because I didn’t have any experience in TV. Nick came looking for me again for Brand New Cherry Flavor; he was like, ‘No, I want you and I’m going to fight for you.’

Def: Nick, why did you feel so strongly about bringing Celiana on for Cape Fear?

NA: The only time I’ve ever directed was on an episode of Brand New Cherry Flavor, with Celi as the DOP. I saw how supportive she was in terms of the vision but also the emotion. Every cool visual is motivated by the psychology of the scene. It’s so valuable to have the DOP also be an advocate for the story.

When we were going to do Cape Fear, I really wanted to work with her again. Celi is a leader who sets the tone, not just in the camera department but also on the set as a whole. The actors trust and like her. Thank God she was available.

Def: Tell me about how you established the look of the show. Was it ever challenging, working with so many different directors?

NA: So much happens before we’re shooting, in terms of prep, choosing the colour palette and so on. Celi, Eben Bolter, the pilot director and I did a lot of that work, but we also left enough space for every new director to come in and innovate.

CC: We had nine directors for ten episodes. As always, you’re dealing with different visions, different personalities. Neither Nick nor I knew these directors previously. We knew what they were capable of. My job was to help them with their vision but with my gaze.

NA: We wanted to do something that was like a nightmare, and we created this swampy, sweaty, intense visual language. Celi and Eben built this fever dream inspired by the 1991 film, which we love. I’ve heard people describe the aesthetic as ‘pulpy’, which I take as a compliment.

CC: Everything was shot digitally; we used the ARRI Alexa 35. It’s very saturated, it has a lot of contrast. We always wanted to feel the heat and humidity of Savannah, which means we did wet-downs, even in daylight. As the series starts to progress, it becomes suffocating – between what’s happening, psychologically, with the characters and the environment itself.

Def: What are the defining elements of your relationship? Why are you a successful pair?

CC: We create a team that’s passionate and that believes in the project. But secondly, it’s respect – respect and love. As a leader, I recognise every effort from everybody on my team. Nick also values that and he trusts me.

NA: One thing I look for in any collaborator is ideas. I can put all my ideas into the script, but it’s going to falter if people aren’t bringing their own ideas and saying, ‘Here’s how we’re going to elevate it.’ Celi will always go above and beyond.

Def: Do you have a favourite sequence from Cape Fear?

NA: Oh, man. There are a lot of them, but the acid trip – I liked what Celi and Trey Shults came up with. An acid trip in film or TV can be cliché, but what they did felt, to me, like how it feels to have a psychedelic trip. It was fun to watch them play with the actors because this show is so tense. To have that release was interesting, and I was super happy when I saw the dailies.

CC: We didn’t want to fall into the cliché. It’s all about what’s happening to them; it’s completely subjective. Trey and I, we went to Nick to talk about it, and when Trey talked to the actors they felt the same way. I used pulsing lights and changed the aspect ratio. There aren’t any complicated camera movements, but it feels organic. I love that scene.

Def: Do you have any projects in the planning phase?

NA: I have other projects in mind that I would like to do. I will absolutely collaborate with Celi again.

CC: I love working with Nick. I love his mind. I love that he is capable of bringing these stories to life, and I love the human being that he is. I definitely want to work with him, always.

This article appears in the August/September 2026 issue of Definition