For decades, most commercial TV programming featured bumpers, a visual transition between the actual program and advertising.
They are now largely obsolete, but “Saturday Night Live” keeps the flame alive 50 years after it began, taking bumper photos of its hosts and musical guests from its very first episode featuring George Carlin.
As part of the 50th anniversary of the legendary NBC show, “SNL” photographer Mary Ellen Matthews has released a coffee table book “The Art of the SNL Portrait,” featuring images she’s taken over two decades. She will be at Don Purcell Jeweler in Buckhead Village on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. to sign books.
Credit: ABRAMS
Credit: ABRAMS
The book is packed with iconic photos of actors such as Paul Rudd and Melissa McCarthy, “SNL” vets like Will Ferrell and Eddie Murphy and musicians such as Billie Eilish and Justin Bieber. She has actors reimagine famous images like Jim Carrey as James Dean and Amy Poehler and Tina Fey as Simon and Garfunkel.
There is Aubrey Plaza as Sharon Stone in “Basic Instinct,” Daniel Radcliffe as Dustin Hoffman in “The Graduate” and Megan Thee Stallion in a takeoff of “Attack of the 80-Foot Woman.” Steve Carell channels Andy Warhol, Emma Stone becomes Gilda Radner and Lin-Manuel Miranda transforms into Gene Kelly in “Singin’ in the Rain.”
Credit: ABRAMS
Credit: ABRAMS
Action star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hugs a prop rock, Atlanta resident and decorated actor Josh Brolin rides a live horse backward on Times Square and “Inside the NBA” host Charles Barkley is surrounded by basketballs (of course).
“I’ve always loved portraiture,” Matthews said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I love to catch that decisive moment, when you feel you can capture the essence of that person in that moment. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could end up with a job like this. I feel very lucky.”
Matthews is only the second longtime photographer with these duties at “SNL” over its 50 years. Edie Baskin was the originator of the bumper photos and a mentor to Matthews.
Like everyone else at “SNL,” Matthews is in a major time crunch every week the show airs.
Once she knows who the host is, she researches them and offers up ideas when she meets them, typically seeking something that would be fun and joyful. She will provide props and set pieces. She will also take a serious photo, typically the one that appears right before the host says goodbye and the credits roll.
“It’s my job to keep it moving along,” she said. “I don’t want anyone overthinking anything.”
Matthews usually has just an hour to 90 minutes with the host and musical acts to create eight to nine usable images. She typically shoots them on Thursday afternoons, giving her just 55 hours to refine them and order them for broadcast. She is often editing the photos to the very last second.
“I like the chaos,” she said.
Her images appear on screen for maybe three seconds at a time. Yet some have become iconic works of art.
Credit: ABRAMS
Credit: ABRAMS
Picking her favorite photos out of a pool of around 4,000 was difficult. She ultimately chose an image of “SNL” alum Andy Samberg dressed as an olive in a martini glass for the cover.
“I love that image and its ridiculousness,” she said. “I loved the commitment on his part. The concept is so funny. It’s just him with this matter-of-fact look on his face in an olive outfit.”
Sometimes she’ll play against type. “I remember dressing Jason Momoa, a big hunky guy, in a ponytail looking like a little girl,” she said. (The Momoa photo that made the book is the actor dressed as an angel holding a Bible but with a Playboy magazine inserted inside.)
Credit: ABRAMS
Credit: ABRAMS
Credit: ABRAMS
Credit: ABRAMS
IF YOU GO
Mary Ellen Matthews “The Art of the SNL Portrait” book signing
Free, 5-7 p.m., Wednesday. Don Purcell Jeweler, 3012 Bolling Way, Atlanta. RSVP at rsvp@carenwestpr.com
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