For the latest episode of Geektown Talks To…, I’m joined by Jules O’Loughlin, ASC, ACS, the acclaimed cinematographer behind Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2, for a deep dive into how one of Disney’s biggest fantasy shows was actually put together.
Jules is the only cinematographer to return from Season 1, giving him the job of safeguarding the visual language of the show while also helping evolve it. In our conversation, he breaks down how Season 2 deliberately shifted away from heavy use of Volume stages, instead leaning into real-world locations, massive practical sets, and grounded cinematography to make the mythological world feel more tactile and real.
We talk in detail about the jaw-dropping chariot race, which wasn’t created in a computer or stitched together from fragments, but built as a full-scale arena in Canada. Jules explains how the team constructed a bespoke process trailer system that allowed two chariots to move independently, collide safely, and be filmed from every conceivable angle using Russian arms, drones, cranes, and mounted cameras, all while keeping both actors and horses safe. It’s one of those sequences where the logistics are just as impressive as what ends up on screen.
Water work is another big focus of the chat. Drawing on his experience from Black Sails, Jules talks about shooting dawn and dusk sequences on the water, using everything from helium “grip clouds” to cranes mounted on speedboats, and the constant challenge of matching real-world water photography with backlot and stage work. If you’ve ever wondered how shows maintain visual continuity when switching between real oceans and controlled environments, this episode is full of answers.
We also get into some of the later Season 2 set pieces, including forced-perspective giants, transforming Canada’s Okanagan region into Polyphemus’ Island, and why drones and cable cams become very nervous creatures when you put them in dense forests. Jules shares how depth of field, camera placement, and movement are used to sell scale without relying entirely on VFX.
Beyond Percy Jackson, Jules chats about his path into cinematography, from photography and futures trading to film school, as well as working on shows like See, The Old Man, Ms. Marvel, and the possibility of Black Sails finding a whole new audience in the UK. He also talks about the kind of projects he still dreams of tackling, and why anything set before electricity is a cinematographer’s playground.
It’s a fascinating, highly technical, but very accessible conversation about what it actually takes to shoot large-scale fantasy television without losing realism along the way.
You can listen to the full interview now via the Geektown Talks To… podcast.
This episode of Geektown Talks To… features Jules O’Loughlin, ASC, ACS, cinematographer on Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2, which is airing weekly on Disney+.
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