Orange Is the New Black

Cinematographer Ludovic Littee emphasizes planning, communication, and efficiency for the series Orange Is the New Black.

It’s tough times for the inmates of Litchfield prison in season four of Orange Is the New Black, Netflix’s Emmy-winning prison drama. But one person who’s happy to be back behind bars is Ludovic Littee, director of photography since midway through season three.

This time around, Piper Chapman, the self-absorbed Brooklyn yuppie whose story kicked off the series, gets entangled with white supremacists. The prison is spinning out of control following its privatization, with severe overcrowding, guards recruited from the military, and chain-gang labor masquerading as vocational education. On the lighter side, inmate Judy King is introduced, a television chef who’s the proverbial steel magnolia. Then there’s the continuation of inmate and guard backstories, which open up the proceedings beyond the drab prison walls. As always, the writing is sharp and timely, referencing hot topics such as Black Lives Matter, Abu Ghraib, and Eric Garner’s death by police chokehold, as well as the broader debate surrounding appropriate punishment for minor crimes.

On Littee’s end, Orange is a significant milestone: It’s his first major job as director of photography. [...] Read the full article below