Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel was in Thailand shooting the Netflix action movie "Extraction" when he got the offer to go do another movie for the streaming giant.
But this would be a special one because it meant he would get to work with Spike Lee.
Though the Oscar-winning writer-director and the veteran cinematographer go way back, as the two have worked together on commercials Lee has directed, they have never done a feature together. Sigel was excited to do the movie, though he literally had zero preparation for it.
"I finished 'Extraction,' went home for a few days, and started 'Da 5 Bloods,'" Sigel told Insider.
"Da 5 Bloods" is a powerful look at four Vietnam veterans who return to the country to find the gold they left behind and bring back home the remains of their fallen squad leader, Stormin' Norman. And to pull that off, Lee sought out the talents of Sigel. Though known for bringing lush photography to movies over his career like "The Usual Suspects," "Drive," and "Bohemian Rhapsody," Sigel also was a documentary filmmaker early in his career.
"I spent a number of years doing documentaries in war zones in Central America so that style was familiar to me," Sigel said. "Spike also wanted something epic and sweeping. I think he recognized that I could deliver both ends of the spectrum for him."
Insider spoke to Sigel about five of the most memorable shots in the movie, including his personal favorite, to get the behind-the-scenes story of how they were pulled off:
"Da 5 Bloods" is streaming now on Netflix.
Warning: Spoilers below if you have not seen "Da 5 Bloods."