Michael LewisBlockers

Michael Lewis makes complicated systems compelling through the people inside them. For Blockers, I directed films and portraits that put his wit and physical humor to work.

An image of Ed Ruscha covered in books suggested a literal “body of work”: Michael reclining beneath his own titles. Elsewhere, an unwieldy stack made the scale of his output visible and funny. High and low camera positions introduced an imbalance that echoed the institutional instability he was discussing.

In the films, I gave Michael’s curiosity and comic timing room to lead a conversation about government. The humor offered an invitation into the argument.

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Director of Photography: Zachary Rockenstyre. Editor: Chris Gomez. Photographer: Danny Bristoll. Art Department: Melissa Lum.