“Palm Royale” is a dazzling rags-to-riches journey starring Kristen Wiig as Maxine Simmons, a ray of sunshine with a gift for gab who deftly navigates her way into the glitz and glamor of high society. Florida, circa 1969. “Visually, we tried not to impose too much of the camera on the actors,” says cinematographer David Lanzenberg, who referenced Slim Aarons' photography to create a vibrant color palette that defines the era. “We shot most of the first two episodes with a single camera to try to keep the focus on the acting and lighting on a single camera. The approach allowed the actors to really work within the frame.” In “Maxine Saves a Cat,” just when things are looking up for the former beauty queen, her world comes crashing down with an eviction order. The plot twist shows her walking down a flashy catwalk toward a hotel pool in a vintage canary yellow dress. “Maxine's story is almost an accident that happens in slow motion, which is fun and exciting, but this is the only moment where you really feel that there is fragility in the character,” says Lanzenberg. “To quote director Tate Taylor, she is washing away her sins and floating away.”
