Ep 290: Liz Moughon: Turning Type 1 Diabetes into Art

Show Notes

What does it really mean to film something that can't be seen?

In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations, I sit down with award-winning documentary cinematographer Liz Moughon to explore the emotional and technical craft of visual storytelling.

Liz has worked with ProPublica, Blue Chalk Media and some of the world's leading documentary filmmakers, creating films that explore grief, illness, identity, hope and resilience. From documenting families affected by stillbirth to investigating one of the largest medical device recalls in history, her work demonstrates how cinematography can reveal emotional truth through observation rather than spectacle.

We discuss why perspective matters just as much as composition, how documentary filmmakers earn trust during intimate moments, and the importance of knowing when to keep filming—and when to simply listen.

Liz also opens up about living with Type 1 diabetes, explaining how she transformed a deeply personal experience into an artistic project by photographing an entire year's worth of the medical supplies that kept her alive. Rather than seeing them as waste, she began seeing them as evidence of resilience, creativity and survival.

This is a thoughtful conversation about empathy, collaboration, vulnerability, emotional landscapes, and why the most powerful stories are often found in the quiet moments people overlook.

In this episode we discuss:

• How Liz discovered filmmaking through photojournalism

• Why documentary cinematography is about perspective rather than simply beautiful images

• Capturing grief, hope and emotional truth on camera

• Filming intimate moments ethically