Emmy-nominated cinematographer Adam Bricker, ASC is known for Hacks, Chef’s Table, and American Vandal. Based in Los Angeles. Commercial clients include Google, McDonald’s, and Discover.

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I first read the pilot back when it was still called the “Untitled Jean Smart Project.” I fell in love with the characters, the story, and the world. The opening oner was written right into the script, and I could see it so clearly. It was both the funniest and most visual thing I’d read, and I was desperate to shoot it.

 tells the story of Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas comedian played by Jean Smart. From the start, the showrunners, Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky, and I were on the same page: just because it’s a half-hour comedy didn’t mean it had to look like one. We were free to build a visual language that felt character-driven, naturalistic, and expressive.

I wanted a sense of nostalgia, a subtle nod to Deborah Vance’s heyday. To help evoke that, I partnered with Guy McVicker at Panavision to rework the modern Primo 70s into something more period-inspired. Director Lucia Aniello and I had been referencing films like 

, and I passed those along to Guy as visual touchstones. He engineered a custom lens treatment that softened the highlights, added a bit of bloom, and gave the flares a warm, vintage glow.

Five years later, I’ve shot every episode of 

 four seasons. What started in Las Vegas has since expanded into a much broader journey, following Deborah through new cities, new stages, and new chapters in her career. It’s been such a joy to collaborate with Lucia, Paul, and Jen and evolve the look of the series as the story continues to unfold.

Hacks

Emmy Winner for Outstanding Comedy Series

Emmy Nominee for Outstanding Cinematography for Single-Camera, Half-Hour

American Society of Cinematographers Nominee for Single-Camera, Half-Hour

Peabody Award Recipient for Excellence in Storytelling and Cultural Impact

American Film Institute Honoree for Television Program of the Year

Golden Globe Winner for Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy

"Evil Woman"

Created by

 is a half-hour comedy series created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky for Max. Starring Jean Smart as Las Vegas comedy legend Deborah Vance, the show follows her unexpected partnership with a young writer, played by Hannah Einbinder, as they navigate generational divides and career reinvention. The series has received widespread critical acclaim, earning 48 Emmy nominations, including the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2024, and a Peabody Award for its nuanced exploration of ambition, identity, and creative collaboration. Its cinematography has been nominated for three Emmy Awards and three ASC Awards.

Colorist

Post House

Camera

Glass

Camera House

“The Opening Oner”

"Shredded to the Bone"

"The Click"

Deborah

Vance

 is a genre-bending feature that swings between romantic comedy and paranoid thriller. Written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski, we shot the film in just 18 days on a tight budget, but I’m really proud of how it turned out.

Within days of meeting BenDavid for the first time, we were in prep on his film. He has an incredible talent for establishing tone. Even though he had pre-visualized extensively, he was always open to collaboration. It was a thrill to jump on board and get moving so quickly.

To give the story an otherworldly, sci-fi quality, we chose detuned Panavision G-Series anamorphics and incorporated an anamorphic optical zoom to give it a voyeuristic edge. 

We pulled it all off thanks to our first-rate crew. The film was lit by Gaffer Chris Faulkner and Key Grip Randy Garcia, with a camera team led by 1st AC Charlie Panian and beautiful framing by operators Chloe Weaver and Joel Marsh. Its final look was brought to life in the grade by colorist Shane Reed.

(About Film)

Happily

Tribeca Film Festival 2020 Official Selection

"Keeping Up Appearances"

Director

 is a dark comedy thriller written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and stars Joel McHale, Kerry Bishé, Stephen Root, Natalie Morales, Paul Scheer, and Natalie Zea. Filmed in Los Angeles, CA in April 2019.

"My Martian"

"Be Smooth"

“Keeping Up Appearances”

Mood Reel

this was my big break. We shot the pilot at chef Ben Shewry's restaurant Attica in 2014, and since then I've traveled the world with the show. I've been chased by moose in the woods north of Moscow, spear hunted for mud crabs in the mangrove swamps of Australia, and been lucky to do it all with a crew of close collaborators who have become like family to me. 

The visual foundation of the series was shaped by creator David Gelb's documentary 

, which redefined how food could be captured on screen. Its slow-motion, high-resolution macro photography set a tone we carried into the series and continued to build on.

, I had limited documentary experience and no experience shooting food. I'm still surprised I got the job. But in some ways, that naiveté shaped the visual style. I lit dishes like I would light actors in a grounded film — motivated, natural, and simple. In vérité scenes, I realized it was often more about which lights I turned off than what I added. 

My closest collaborator is director and executive producer, Brian McGinn. For our tenth episode together, we profiled Jamie Oliver as part of the 

 series celebrating a decade of the show.

In that time, it has become Netflix’s longest-running original series, earning two Emmy nominations for cinematography, an ASC nomination, and a James Beard Award.

Chef's Table

Emmy Nominee for Outstanding Documentary Series

Emmy Nominee for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program

American Society of Cinematographers Nominee for Documentary

“Angel León and the Salt Flats”

 is a documentary series created by David Gelb for Netflix. It profiles chefs from around the world, exploring their creative processes, personal stories, and culinary philosophies. The series helped redefine food television with its cinematic style and global scope, and has become the longest-running original series on the platform. It has earned two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program, an ASC Award nomination, and a James Beard Award for Visual and Technical Excellence.

“Dough in his DNA”

“Frozen Road to Fäviken”

“Journey to Yan Ta Khao”

Global

Food

"Better Get You Some"

This Papa Johns campaign was directed by Dave Meyers for RadicalMedia with creative by The Martin Agency. I grew up watching TRL after school, and Dave’s music videos, especially Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” were iconic. So when the opportunity came to collaborate with him on this campaign, I jumped at it. 

I worked alongside Scott Cunningham, ASC, who shot the live-action elements, while my team handled the food cinematography. We shot on the RED V-Raptor and Phantom Flex 4K, capturing high-speed practical effects—exploding tomatoes, airborne ingredients, and a custom-built spherical pizza moon. The spot features an original track by Big Boi of Outkast.

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