Cinematographer Sam McCurdy knew he was part of something special during his nearly year-long tenure on FX’s “Shōgun,” where he shot five episodes of the 10-part historical epic set in 1600s Japan. But the U.K.
native noticed something different leading up to its premiere as the network rolled out one of its biggest campaigns to launch a show in recent history. “I remember driving into Los Angeles from Altadena going over the canyon roads, and somewhere in the middle of Glendale there were posters for the show,” he says. “I was like, ‘Oh, they made it way out here.
That’s really cool.’ And I remember seeing trailers at the cinema too. There was something that felt old-school about ‘Shōgun.
’ It was more like an event.” The sprawling reach paid off, both critically and among audiences, as the premiere broke FX domestic and international streaming records . When Emmy nominations were announced , the success continued as creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo told the L.
A. Times’ Tracy Brown it was “ surreal ” for “Shōgun” to lead the way with 25 nominations, including nods for series, acting, production design, costume design, sound, editing and visual effects. “We don’t do this for the awards, we do it because we love the work,” says McCurdy, who was nominated for the gripping, albeit harrowing episode “Crimson Sky,” in which one of the series’ more beloved characters dies.
“But I will be eternally grateful to production des.