Apples Never Fall
Performance-Driven Operating

A Conversation with Steve Atkin & Simon Harding
Hosted by David Daut

Apples Never Fall, Peacock’s limited series thriller about a family unraveling in the wake of their mother’s disappearance, comes on the heels of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers as the third major television series to be adapted from Liane Moriarty’s novels. While the action of the story has been relocated from the novel’s original setting of Australia to West Palm Beach Florida, the series itself was primarily an Australian production, shooting mostly in Queensland.

For this Camera Operator video feature, we were able to talk to A camera and B camera operator Steve Atkin and A camera and Steadicam operator Simon Harding about working on the series, from the physical challenge of shooting the show—more than 95% handheld—or the more nuanced task of working alongside the series’ ensemble cast to allow performance to guide the movement of the camera.

Following a long career as tennis players, coaches, and owners of a tennis school, the Delaneys are well-known and respected in their community of West Palm Beach, Florida. Behind closed doors, however, there is deep dysfunction between Joy and Stan Delaney and their four semi-estranged children. When Joy goes missing under mysterious circumstances, these dysfunctions bubble up to the surface, exposing deep wounds and mistrust as the search for a missing person steadily progresses into an investigation of a suspected murder. Apples Never Fall is based on the novel by Liane Moriarty and is developed by Melanie Marnich. The limited series stars Annette Bening, Sam Neill, Jake Lacy, Conor Merrigan-Turner, Essie Randles, Georgia Flood, Jeanine Serralles, Dylan Thuraisingham, and Alison Brie.

Apples Never Fall

A Conversation with Steve Atkin & Simon Harding

Hosted by David Daut

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Steve Atkin 

Steve has an impressive 39-year career in the film and television industry, with 25 of those years dedicated to his craft as an accredited Steadicam operator. His passion for creative storytelling in filmmaking shines through his work. Currently, he is deeply involved in feature film and TV series production. Throughout his career, Steve has contributed to a diverse range of productions, including TV commercials, music videos, live outside broadcasts, and corporate videos. His expertise extends beyond the set, as he also serves as a guest lecturer at various local film and television institutions. Here, he enthusiastically shares his knowledge and experience, particularly in lighting, shooting sequences, and Steadicam operating. Based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, Steve frequently travels both interstate and internationally for his work.

Simon Harding

Simon was born in the UK and started work in 1987 at Thames Television in London working on sitcoms, TV dramas, and game shows. He undertook a Steadicam course in 1991, which opened the door to the film world. After 10 years as a freelance camera / Steadicam operator in London working in both film and TV, he moved with his family to Sydney, Australia, in 2002 . In Australia Simon has been able to work with many great directors and actors, including George Lucas, Peter Jackson, George Miller, Spike Jonze, Bruce Beresford, Robert De Niro, Sir Ian McKellen, Jodie Foster, Nicole Kidman, and Hugh Jackman while working on films such as Star Wars Episode III, King Kong, Superman Returns, The Hobbit trilogy and, most recently, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

David Daut

A writer and critic for more than a decade, David Daut specializes in analysis of genre cinema and immersive media. In addition to his work for Camera Operator and other publications, David is also the co-creator of Hollow Medium, a “recovered audio” ghost story podcast. David studied at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and works as a freelance writer based out of Long Beach, California.