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The smallest camera makes the biggest images.

This still frame was pulled from 5k RED EPIC motion footage from 42 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. & Legendary Pictures Productions LLC.

www.red.com
2013 Red.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Ive been shooting lm all my life. Now I shoot RED.

Don Burgess, ASC

The International Journal of Motion Imaging

On Our Cover: Starfleet officers Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Kirk (Chris Pine)
lead a manhunt to track down a malevolent terrorist in Star Trek Into Darkness, shot by
Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC. (Photo by Zade Rosenthal, SMPSP, courtesy of
Paramount Pictures.)

FEATURES
34
48
60
68

Boldly Captured
Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC shoots anamorphic and large
formats on Star Trek Into Darkness

48

Living Large
Simon Duggan, ACS brings stereoscopic perspectives to
The Great Gatsby

A Killer with 2 Faces

Bobby Bukowski dramatizes a real-life killer for The Iceman

Utopian Dreams

60

Eric Gautier, AFC follows student revolutionaries through

Something in the Air

DEPARTMENTS
10
12
14
20
82
86
100
101
102
104
106
108

Editors Note
Presidents Desk
Short Takes: The Volt Plasma Challenge
Production Slate: Frances Ha Spring Breakers
Filmmakers Forum: Edgar Burcksen, ACE
New Products & Services
International Marketplace
Classified Ads
Ad Index
ASC Membership Roster
Clubhouse News
ASC Close-Up: Shelly Johnson

VISIT WWW.THEASC.COM

68

The International Journal of Motion Imaging

SEE AND HEAR MORE CINEMATOGRAPHY COVERAGE AT WWW.THEASC.COM

Dwayne Johnson, Mark Wahlberg and

Anthony Mackie star in Pain & Gain,
shot by ASC member Ben Seresin
(pictured, at camera).

In an exclusive online podcast, Ben Seresin, ASC, BSC will discuss his cinematography for Pain & Gain, an action-packed
crime comedy about three bodybuilders in Florida who become embroiled in a kidnapping and extortion scheme that goes wildly awry.
Seresin will explain how he achieved the movies colorful aesthetic with director Michael Bay, and detail their strategy of mixing 35mm
anamorphic with digital video captured with a variety of cameras (including Red Epics, Canon 5Ds and 7Ds, and GoPro rigs attached
to the actors.)
THIS MONTHS ONLINE QUESTION: Whats your favorite secret weapon when youre lighting a set?
Adam J. McKay: Unbleached muslin and Adrian Sierkowski: VNSP Pars. Lots of
haze.
punch for little amp and I like bouncing them
Cricket Peters: Peppers. Easy to hide, light
off the floor sometimes.
enough to put almost anywhere.
Barry Garcia: Love Dedo lights!
Craig Chartier: My thermal cutter and lots
Michael Woodruff: Reflective windshield Robert Guthrie: Gam Stik-Ups. Theyre of 1-inch bead board.
cover and a Stanley Tripod flashlight.
great for little accents, hidden just about anywhere.
Ronald Plante: Joker-Bug in a Leko setup.
Ysidro Sore: Bounce natural light from a
mirror through some nice silk. Love it!
Jacob Gardner: I only use it sometimes, but Steve Perrong: A Litepanels LED brick.
I love paper-taping a 4-foot Kino bulb so that Works great to fake a cellphone or a computCraig Newman: A peach gel and silk on the only a small strip or line of light remains. Then er-monitor source, eyelight or even an extra
key light and a 1K UV spot that I use either as Ill use it as an eyelight. The reflection in the kick behind a bookshelf.
a highlight or fill (with a CTO). UV lamps can eye can be really cool. Also, on an extreme
be used to make some really unique looks. close-up, if someone holds and rotates it, the Alan Meyer: The little $10 construction clip
effect can really stand out if desired.
on flood lights that you get at Home Depot. I
Matthew Espenshade: 2K zips. I know
use a few of the clip-on lights on the ceiling
Im old-fashioned.
Richard Bartram: Lights directed through to give some slight fill light from above. Clip a
windows covered with tracing paper. The soft little spun over it and it gives a smooth topJeremy Rogers: I love Opal, especially on natural lighting produces the perfect illusion light that can really make characters pop
my backlights. Softens the light without mak- of an interior lit by exterior available light. onscreen in a very subtle manner.
ing it spread so you can still control the cut.
John Craine: I once used a rubber doormat Andrew Beard Rodger: Sometimes the
Blake Larson: My gaffer and I love to with a honeycomb design as a gobo (at an edge of a lamp can be very beautiful. Ill often
employ little 150-watt units with diffusion on angle really near the lamp) to create a moon- pan a lamp away and use the spill, especially
boom poles to augment practicals in a scene. light through trees effect on a really small if I dont need the full exposure from it. The
They have a short throw, so you dont have to location. It works a treat now I carry one artifacts you find there can be far more comflag them much, and they provide a beautiful with me.
plex and natural.
side- or toplight on almost any actor.
John Rotan: I often use a frosted shower Vincent Moreno: Natural light.
Travis Jones: Bouncing off colored walls or curtain for diffusion when lighting closecards to get a warmer look, or constructing a ups.
tinfoil snoot!
To read more replies, visit the magazines Facebook page: www.facebook.com/AmericanCinematographer

Photos by Mark Fellman (left) and Jaimie Trueblood, SMPSP, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Billy Straub: My gaffer.

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The International Journal of Motion Imaging

Visit us online at

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PUBLISHER Martha Winterhalter

EDITORIAL
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Stephen Pizzello
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ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jon D. Witmer
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American Cinematographer (ISSN 0002-7928), established 1920 and in its 93rd year of publication, is published
monthly in Hollywood by ASC Holding Corp., 1782 N. Orange Dr., Hollywood, CA 90028, U.S.A.,
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POSTMASTER: Send address change to American Cinematographer, P.O. Box 2230, Hollywood, CA 90078.

American Society of Cinematographers

The ASC is not a labor union or a guild, but
an educational, cultural and professional
organization. Membership is by invitation
to those who are actively engaged as
directors of photography and have
demonstrated outstanding ability. ASC
membership has become one of the highest
honors that can be bestowed upon a
professional cinematographer a mark
of prestige and excellence.

OFFICERS - 2012/2013
Stephen Lighthill
President

Daryn Okada
Vice President

Richard Crudo
Vice President

Kees Van Oostrum

Vice President

Victor J. Kemper
Treasurer

Frederic Goodich
Secretary

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MUSEUM CURATOR

Steve Gainer

While reports of films death have been greatly exaggerated

for decades, no one would deny that its stock is dropping.
Doomsayers continue to predict a filmless industry in the
near future, yet the venerable formats champions continue
to produce stellar work showcasing its myriad virtues.
Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC and director J.J. Abrams are the
latest filmmakers to prove that emulsion still merits respect.
By combining anamorphic 35mm with 15-perf and 8-perf
65mm on Star Trek Into Darkness, the two expand the striking style that made their 2009 franchise reboot so visually
distinctive. Add to the mix a 3-D conversion, and Trek diehards will surely turn out in droves. (I almost wrote in
force, but decided it might rile my Federation brethren now
that Abrams is also in charge of the Star Wars universe.) Mindel lobbies passionately for film,
and Abrams also expresses his unequivocal endorsement. I think film has the greatest look
and the greatest resolution, the director tells Michael Goldman (Boldly Captured, page
34). The studio wanted a 3-D movie, and [shooting film] became an easier decision once we
realized we could deliver that with a quality conversion. My goal was to make as good a film
as I could in 2-D and let it be converted to 3-D for those who wanted the hot sauce.
The makers of The Great Gatsby opted to shoot in native 3-D with Red Epic-X cameras.
As Australian correspondent Simon Gray reports (Living Large, page 48), director Baz
Luhrmann and cinematographer Simon Duggan, ACS felt the format would help them
envelop audiences in the Roaring Twenties flamboyance of F. Scott Fitzgeralds story. Almost
everything in Gatsby is brand new, brashly modern and exciting, explains Duggan. The
immersive quality of 3-D was invaluable in realizing Bazs ambitions. He sees parallels between
3-D and live theater: the screen plane is analogous to the proscenium, and you use positive
and negative space to stage action upstage and downstage.
Viewers should feel grateful that the main character of The Iceman, real-life hit man
Richard Kuklinski, appears only in 2-D. Played with trademark intensity by Michael Shannon,
Kuklinski was a serial killer who joined the Mob and somehow managed to conceal a prolific
string of killings (more than 100) from his loved ones. Cinematographer Bobby Bukowski used
digital capture and shallow depth-of-field to zero in on Shannon. Given the subject matter,
this movie could have been a gore fest, Bukowski tells Patricia Thomson (A Killer with 2
Faces, page 60). Instead, its Kuklinskis face and the detached way he does his job that are
really chilling.
Eric Gautier, AFC cast his vote for film while re-creating the early 1970s for the French
drama Something in the Air. As he explains to European correspondent Benjamin B (Utopian
Dreams, page 68), We didnt have enough [budget] to do a completely faithful reconstitution of the period, so it was important to get an image texture that would evoke the period
and put us in the present of that period. I was inspired by American movies of the 1970s,
where you really felt the film stock. Flashing [the negative] was used a lot by Vilmos Zsigmond
[ASC] and others, yielding images that are a little veiled, not too contrasty and pretty desaturated. I tried to create that look, which is the opposite of todays very sharp, very contrasty
digital images.

Stephen Pizzello
Executive Editor
10

Photo by Owen Roizman, ASC.

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This issue includes a thoughtful Filmmakers Forum by Edgar Burcksen, ACE, who
writes about the morphing of jobs in the motion-picture industry. He notes, for
example, that when non-linear-editing systems began adding what had been opticals in the past wipes, dissolves, fades, etc. that work was lifted from the
shoulders of artists at traditional photochemical optical houses and placed on the
shoulders of editors.
In a similar vein, we note that local TV-news camera crews now drive vans
with microwave transmitters and masts, and they edit their video footage in the
truck on a laptop, erect the mast and then transmit the story. It is truly a one-man
band, and all that work was lifted from the shoulders (and jobs of) a video engineer,
a soundman and an editor.
I have observed in the past that the introduction and proliferation of
computing has not only increased productivity in many professions, but also created
many productive but not-so-good craftsmen. I am sure Mr. Burcksen will admit he
is not as skilled at color correction as a professional colorist, an artist who does only
that day in and day out. But Mr. Burcksen is right: This morphing is unstoppable and
driven by the desire for a smaller number on the bottom line of production budgets.
Editors have machines that are essentially what we used to call online,
and that term may soon be retired because editors will no longer have to match
low-resolution and full-resolution copies through an edit decision list, but instead
will edit only in the resolution to be output for final versions. Will there be colorcorrection suites, or will editors take over that work? They have already taken it over
in the nonfiction arena, as Mr. Burcksen notes. We wonder what will transpire in the DI suites for other feature films, where cinematographers are finishing the image work they began during production. Throughout the industry, there has been resolute
resistance to paying the cinematographer anything to be involved in post; this is, perhaps, a holdover from release-print timing,
when the time to review the color-correction work was only about as long as it took to project the film. This bottom-line thinking fails to recognize that the color-correction time in a DI suite is seldom simply about polishing the image, but is instead about
properly finishing work that was begun on set. In many cases, substantial time and effort are required to make the image fulfill
the storytelling requirements.
We were chilled to hear of a recent comment made by a producer, who observed that if a scene were shot in 4K, he
could ask only for a wide shot and then just pan-and-scan into the close-ups. Hello? Is this not the very definition of a jump cut?
In many edit rooms, this ship has already sailed, and, as Mr. Burcksen notes, reframing the image happens often, sometimes with
bizarre consequences.
It seems to me that the way forward for the cinematographer is to be a valuable collaborator from prep through post,
from previsualizing images (whether with storyboard software or pen-and-ink), to planning workflows with the editors, to shooting with the powerful tools of the DI suite in mind, to the final color work in the post house. By maintaining a constant presence on the project from the earliest point possible, the cinematographer will, we hope, earn the producers respect, and will
not have to fight to be involved through the end of post.
Determining the storytelling requirements of an image is the work of an artist, as is the shaping of those images by an
editor. Cinematographers must strive to not be distracted by the technobabble that pervades our world. Instead, we need to
take time to walk through museums, study images, and remember that our bottom line is not only about being responsible to
the budget, but also about being responsible to the story and the directors intent.

Stephen Lighthill
ASC President
12

June 2013

American Cinematographer

Photo by Douglas Kirkland.

Presidents Desk

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Short Takes
Cinematographer
Eric Koretz
showcases Hive
Lightings Plasma
fixtures with the
2013 Chevy Volt
in The Volt
Plasma
Challenge.
Below: Koretz
lines up a shot as
actress Francesca
Eaddys makeup
is applied.

Hive Plasmas Illuminate Chevy Volt

By Jennifer Wolfe

Directed by Mo Twine and shot by cinematographer Eric

Koretz, the latest 30-second spot for the Chevy Volt, The Volt
Plasma Challenge, emphasizes the hybrid electric cars reputation
for a light ecological footprint. Conceived as a showcase for Hive
Lightings Plasma fixtures, the ad was lit with instruments powered
only by batteries and a single, lightweight, 60-amp generator.
Koretz, whose credits include the feature Dragonslayer and
the Webby-nominated AMC series The Trivial Pursuits of Arthur
Banks, was introduced to Hives energy-efficient lighting products at
last years NAB Show. I think its important for cinematographers to
be up on the latest cameras, lighting and accessories because they
can change how we work, he comments. Im always looking at
the latest equipment and working out how to integrate that into my
shoots.
Koretz and the Hive production team were enthusiastic about
The Volt Plasma Challenge, which marked the first time Hive Plasmas were the sole fixtures used for an entire production. I had used
them before, but never on this scale, says Koretz. We wanted to
push the lights to the limit and show what they could do. At the
same time, of course, we wanted to make a beautiful commercial
for the Chevy Volt. Mo is an incredibly visual director, and he wanted
to reframe how people perceive the car.
During the overnight shoot in downtown Los Angeles, Koretz
and his team worked with two Red Epic cameras, an Epic-M from
Radiant Images and an Epic-X from Digital Film Studios. We also
had a Red Scarlet on a drone, he adds. Footage was recorded in 5K
14

June 2013

raw to Red r3d files. Both Epics were outfitted with Zeiss Ultra Prime
and Superspeed lenses, which were also provided by Digital Film
Studios. I had an excellent camera crew, including camera assistants Adam Becker and John Jurko and Steadicam operator Xavier
Henselmann, who were adept at working with the three cameras
seamlessly, says Koretz.
The Epic is a perfect complement to the Hive lights, he
continues. Like the lights, it is versatile and can be scaled up or
stripped down in size and weight. Also, the support equipment
tripods, jibs and camera accessories is smaller, and that
enables you to move quickly. For example, we were able to monitor
wirelessly from all three cameras using the Paralinx Arrow, which is
the size of a USB stick and has less than 2 ms [millisecond] latency.
We could be incredibly mobile and pull focus from the monitor away

from the camera.

American Cinematographer

Photos courtesy of Hive Lighting.

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Top left: Eaddy confers with director Mo Twine on a rooftop set. Top
right: Gaffer Nicolas Amato sets a Hive Drone Plasma Spot. Middle: This
lighting diagram shows where each Hive Plasma fixture was placed on
the rooftop. Bottom: This frame grab shows a scene from the 30-second
spot with two Hive Killer Plasma Maxis in the background.

Even with all the company moves

we made, the on-set and post processes for
the Epic were fast and easy. [Digital-imaging
technician] Jared Bargiel transcoded
footage using his DIT cart with a Red Rocket
16

June 2013

Card. He could transcode on the fly to

ProRes, transfer footage and also dial in
looks using [Blackmagic Designs] DaVinci
Resolve to do a base color grade on the fly.
Shooting raw enables you to take more
American Cinematographer

chances as long as youre monitoring the

waveform and vectorscopes to know where
your highlights, shadow area and color
information lie.
One of the most challenging setups
featured the Volt driving through a tunnel
at night. The Hive lights really showed
their versatility and low-power-draw advantages there, Koretz recalls. We had eight
Wasp Plasma Pars, four Drone Source Four
Retrofits and two Killer Plasma 4-Light
Maxis. We put batteries in the Wasp Pars all
the way down the tunnel, and then shot
them upward to create columns of light
that could be part of the story.
At the end of the tunnel, Koretz
positioned the Killer 4-Lights to shine back
into the tunnel, and beyond them, a Drone
Source Four was placed with two more Pars
to light the Volt as it emerged from the
tunnel. All together, Koretz says, the fixtures
gave the tunnel a futuristic look. If wed
had to run cable, it would have taken a long
time to light that tunnel, but with the
[battery-powered] Hive units, we were able
to do it in roughly 30 minutes. Smoke
machines added to the ambience. Also, the
filmmakers employed a Cinestar Octocopter remote-controlled aerial-camera
platform from Drone Dudes to capture
shots leading and following the Volt
through the tunnel with the Red Scarlet.
We had to be nimble and make
adjustments quickly, says Koretz. Mo is
great at thinking on his feet, and we both
had the confidence that the lights would
give us the flexibility we needed. Avoiding

big generators allows you to use your intuition, respond quickly and change ideas on
the fly, and I love working that way. Gaffer
Nicolas Amato was excellent at this as well,
coming up with creative ways to use the
Hive lights in every shot.
Koretz was as impressed by the Hive
lights durability as he was by their versatility. Theyre built to last a long time, and
most importantly, theres a beautiful quality
to the light with a high CRI. LEDs are great,
but theyre not single-source like the Plasmas are. You can beam a Plasma right at the
subject and not see multiple shadows, and
it wont have the green spike that a lot of
LEDs have. Theyre also flicker free, so you
can shoot at high speeds.
I love where lighting technology is
heading everything is getting smaller and
more powerful. The 4-Light Maxi is equivalent [in output] to a 2.5K HMI, but you can
plug it into a wall. Because of these new
tools, huge power draws arent necessary
on many jobs now. We can scale down and
still get a beautiful look.

Top: This lighting diagram shows where Plasma fixtures were placed inside the 6th
Street tunnel. Middle: A view of the Chevy Volt as its driven through the tunnel lighted by
battery-powered Wasp Plasma Pars, with a Red Scarlet on an Octocopter trailing behind.
Bottom: The Red Epic, mounted on a Steadicam, stands ready for the next shot.

18

June 2013

American Cinematographer

Alan Albert,
Senior Executive
Vice President

Tom Boelens,
Vice President
Technical Manager

Meet our Gizmologists!

When you need a custom gizmo, or anything technical, these are the Go To Guys, Alan
Albert and Tom Boelens. Both have been with Clairmont since forever and absolutely
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Production Slate

Finding Her Way

By Iain Blair

Directed by Noah Baumbach and shot by Sam Levy, Frances

Ha follows 27-year-old Frances (Greta Gerwig), a New Yorker and
would-be dancer who, along with her friend Sophie (Mickey
Sumner), is navigating a life full of failed romances, unreliable roommates and crushing career disappointments. When Sophie suddenly
deserts her to move in with another friend, Frances must pick up the
pieces and find some direction for herself.
Levy, whose credits include Wendy and Lucy, met Baumbach
through the late Harris Savides, ASC. Harris was a friend and
mentor, and he had worked with Noah on Margot at the Wedding
and Greenberg, says Levy. When he wasnt available to shoot this
movie, he recommended me to Noah.
Noah knew he wanted the movie to be black-and-white,
and together, the three of us shot a black-and-white test with a
Canon [EOS] 5D Mark II that Noah had been experimenting with,
Levy continues. He was interested in shooting a whole feature with
it. Using the 5D wasnt a foregone conclusion, however. We
discussed the pros and cons of a number of formats but kept coming
back to the 5D, says Levy. I wanted the freedom and lightness of
a small camera for this project. The story has a great buoyancy, and I
wanted to bring that out.
20

June 2013

The trio gave the test footage to colorist Pascal Dangin, who
had worked with Savides previously. Pascal made a black-andwhite 35mm print, and it was so beautiful we became convinced
the 5D was the way to go, says Levy.
During principal photography, Levy used just one 5D (carrying a backup) and shot everything in color. The 5D is capable of
capturing in black-and-white, but that severely reduces the dynamic
range we could see in our test that it wasnt going to work for
us, says Levy. Just prior to our shoot, Technicolor created its
CineStyle Profile for the Canon, which basically flattens the image
and gives it a raw look, but in color. We decided to use that, and
then I did even more tests.
Judging black-and-white values while shooting color proved
to be relatively straightforward. On set, Noah and I each had a 5.6inch TV Logic [VFM-056WP LCD monitor]; mine was on the camera,
and his was tethered to mine, the cinematographer recalls. Both
monitors had the chroma turned off so we could watch what we
were shooting in black-and-white. Having these calibrated monitors
on set enabled me to set an exposure without using a light meter.
Testing had prepared me to work like that. In prep, I used a meter
to study what the 5D sensor does and determined how to calibrate
our monitors accurately. After wrap, Levy and digital-imaging technician/2nd AC Gregorio Franchetti would screen that days work on
Franchettis 27" Apple HD monitor, which was set to universal

American Cinematographer

Frances Ha photos courtesy of IFC Films.

Frances (Greta
Gerwig, right)
and her
roommate,
Sophie (Mickey
Sumner), talk
on the fire
escape of their
New York City
apartment in a
scene from
Frances Ha, shot
by Sam Levy
and directed
by Noah
Baumbach.

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Top right: Levy lines up a shot with 1st AC David

Feeney-Mosier at his side. Top left: Frances and
Sophie discuss their living situation as they play a
board game. Middle: Frances receives applause from
dinner-party attendees. Bottom: Frances watches TV
with roommate Benji (Michael Zegen).

access so Levy could evaluate the footage

in neutral black-and-white.
During his 2-month prep, Levy
graded all of his tests with Dangin at Box,
Dangins company in New York. Pascal
worked out a very sophisticated way of
applying black-and-white to the color
images I was capturing, he says. Our testing was made simpler by going with the
5D, because I could shoot tests whenever I
wanted. The interior scenes in Chinatown
were shot in Gretas own apartment, and
we had unlimited access to that location, so
I could go there at different times of day to
study the light and shoot tests.
The 50-day schedule, which
included locations in New York, California
and Paris, had to be well organized,
reports Levy. Noahs concept was to keep
it small and manageable, and the shoot was
designed to give us the freedom to take our
time with each scene. In many cases, we
were even able to revisit scenes we thought
we could improve.
Levys entire technical crew consisted
of just two, 1st AC David Feeney-Mosier
and Franchetti. David and I set the light
together, says Levy. He also did a brilliant
job with the 5D; its a very complicated
camera for focus, but he could follow
anything.
This streamlined approach also
applied to the gear, with Levy using Canon
L Series prime lenses (35mm, 50mm and
85mm) and a Canon L Series 70-200mm
zoom. I used the zoom for telephoto dayexterior shots, he notes. I love the L
Series; theyre beautiful lenses. He used an
22

June 2013

American Cinematographer

81B filter to warm day interiors and an 81C

to warm day exteriors.
The lighting package was just as
streamlined. For interiors, we mainly used a
650-watt Tweenie wired to a Variac dimmer,
and wed often bounce it into a wall, says
Levy. Id keep my hand on the dimmer, and
if the available light wasnt sufficient, Id dial
up the brightness.
For exteriors, we spent a lot of time
looking for locations that gave us good
natural light, and we used the Tweenie only
when necessary, he continues. One exception was a night exterior shot at Vassar
College that depicts a class reunion. For
that, I also used a Lowel open-faced 1K.
For scenes set in California, the filmmakers shot at Gerwigs family house in
Sacramento. Thats Gretas real mom, dad,
sister and dog in the film, and the same bathtub she used growing up, notes Levy. That
feeling of home added a wonderful and
unique quality; the California sequence is one
of my favorite parts of the film.
The location work in Paris was done
by the same small crew. There were just
seven of us, and it was toward the end of the
shoot, so we had our system down, Levy
reports. It helped that they worked guerrilla
style. We were only in Paris for four days,
but we were able to show Frances all over the
city.
The team also shot at John F. Kennedy
International Airport, aboard a flight to Paris,
at Charles de Gaulle Airport, and aboard Paris
subways. All those locations add to the
scope of the movie, says Levy. We were
able to create a grand canvas for Frances.
For the final grade, Baumbach and
Levy worked closely with Dangin at Box. We
told Pascal we wanted the look to have a
silvery glow, and his color mastering brought
the silver forward in a beautiful way, says
the cinematographer.
Summing up, he calls Frances Ha
one of the most satisfying filmmaking experiences Ive had. Walking out of Box, I was
walking on air.

TECHNICAL SPECS
Top: Frances stays in a Parisian apartment building during an impulsive solo trip.
Middle: Frances walks the streets of Paris alone. Bottom: The would-be dancer finds some
happiness in working as a ballet instructor.

24

June 2013

American Cinematographer

1.85:1
Digital Capture
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon L Series

Girls Gone Wild

By Iain Stasukevich

Spring Breakers follows four co-eds

(played by Ashley Benson, Vanessa
Hudgens, Selena Gomez and Rachel
Korine) who are so desperate for the ultimate spring vacation that they will commit
robbery and car theft to make it happen.
Along the way, the women meet Alien
(James Franco), a drug dealer and rapper
who serves as their tour guide to the dark
side of paradise. The film marks the first
collaboration between American director
Harmony Korine and Belgian cinematographer Benot Debie, AFC. Debie recently
discussed his work on the picture with AC
via Skype.
American Cinematographer:
How did you meet Harmony Korine,
and how familiar were you with each
others work?
Benot Debie, AFC: Harmony is a
close friend of Gaspar No, and I think he
likes Enter the Void [AC Oct. 10]. I knew
Gummo, and Spring Breakers was interesting for me because Harmonys style is
usually more like Dogme [95], but his ideas
for this movie were a bit bigger in terms of
cinematography, and we had to shoot very
26

June 2013

fast. We had about five weeks, and the idea

was to change locations every day, sometimes three times in a day. So, I had to find
a way to light very simply. During prep, we
tried to find locations that would not
require additional lighting. For instance, at a
gas station with fluorescents, I would only
change the color of the lights with gels,
usually yellow or pink. Harmony wanted me
to be very fresh with the colors. He wanted
something very pop, like candies.
Whose decision was it to shoot
film?
Debie: The producers wanted us to
shoot digital, but Harmony didnt think that
was the right way to do it, and I agreed with
him. I argued for film because I knew he
wanted me to use strong colors and play
with fluorescents and practicals, and I knew
that would be more difficult with digital. I
know because Ive worked both ways. I
knew the lamps would all burn out [on digital], and that we would have to do a lot of
work in post to fix the colors. Harmony had
to cut three days from the shoot to pay for
the film stock.
To help save money, we shot mostly
2-perf with an Aaton Penelope, and we
only shot anamorphic for [select] scenes
rather than for the whole movie. I thought
American Cinematographer

it would be nice to use older anamorphic

lenses, round-front Russian Lomos, to create
nice flares at sunset. I brought the Lomos
with me from Europe because theyre nearly
impossible to find in the United States. Our
spherical lenses were Cooke 5/i primes. We
also shot with VHS cameras and some plastic toy cameras from Japan that Harmony
likes. You can see the VHS footage during
the big party at the hotel. Harmony felt it
was like having old spring-break footage.
Tell us more about the toy
camera.
Debie: Its called a Digital
Harinezumi, and Harmony was able to get
prototypes from Japan. It has a plastic body
and a plastic lens. The [620x480] image
quality is like a Polaroid, kind of bad but very
interesting. You can change the settings
from Monochrome to Vivid or Normal, and
we used all three. The idea was to sometimes grab an image with them, so I shot the
entire movie with three of them on top of
my lens; one was set to Monochrome, one
to Vivid and one to Normal. Each time we
went to shoot, I had to switch them all on.
We could have made an entire feature with
just that footage, we shot so much! The
image has a kind of blur and a lot of pixels.
You may have noticed it in the scene where

Spring Breakers photos courtesy of A24.

Four friends
Candy, Brit, Cotty
and Faith (from
left to right:
Vanessa
Hudgens, Ashley
Benson, Rachel
Korine and
Selena Gomez)
are arrested after
committing
robbery to fund
their spring
break in Spring
Breakers, directed
by Harmony
Korine and filmed
by Benoit
Debie, AFC.

Alien is rapping on the outdoor stage, or in

some shots during the big party.
At times the movie seems to
present an artificial reality, but that is
tempered with scenes of documentary-style authenticity. How did you
maintain that authenticity?
Debie: We tried to find an older
motel to use as a location [in St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Fla.]. The one in the film
was abandoned. In the middle of the
movie, theres a big party there, and that
was written as a night scene, but Harmony
suggested it would be better to shoot it
during the daytime to make it feel more
normal, because the rest of the movie is
full of intense colors and darkness. So, we
shot the big party without any movie lights
or practicals because I could work with the
daylight coming in from outside. Inside, we
wanted the light to be flat and neutral to
help this documentary feel.
What were some of your strategies for heightening the artifice?
Debie: For the first part of the film,
the music-video part, we shot on the
beach, and I was using only sunlight along
with a Blue/Yellow or Blue/Lime Varicolor
Polarizer on the lens. When you turn the
filter, you change the colors of the sky and
the sea while also changing the reflections.
I also used the filter for the scene where
the girls are riding the scooters. It helped
create that strange, dreamy feel.
The robbery of the diner is
presented from two perspectives, the
POV of the getaway driver as the car
circles the building, and, later, the POV
of the robbers as they recount the
event. How did you work out that
sequence?
Debie: That location was quite
interesting. It had big windows, kind of like
an aquarium. The idea was to use the fluorescent practicals inside and just change
their color with blue gels. Everything
outside the diner was completely black, so
the art department added some bulbs and
signs on the windows to make it a bit
sexier. When we were at the location
during prep, I told Harmony I thought it
would be cool to make a 360-degree
move around the building to shoot the
robbery in one take. I would be in the car
with the camera, and Rachel would be

Top: Co-eds wave

from the motel
balconies during
the films poolparty scene.
Middle: A camera
crane stretches
out over the pool
to capture the
party atmosphere
in St. Petersburg,
Fla. Bottom:
Rapper and drug
dealer Alien
(James Franco) in
a scene from the
film.

28

June 2013

American Cinematographer

Alien drives a boat into the pier with the masked Candy and Brit at his side in
one of the films final scenes.

driving. I used a radio to talk to Ashley and

Vanessa inside to help the speed of the car
match the action in the diner. For me, thats
the shot of the movie. Its more violent than
seeing all the action up close. Later, when

30

the girls explain the robbery to Selena,

Harmony had the idea to show the inside
action as a flashback. That footage was
shot by [B-camera operator] Erik Curtis,
who was shooting from behind a wall in the

diner while I was shooting from the car. For

the interior, we also played with the film
speed a bit, shooting some action at 6 fps.
It was very choppy and blurry when we
played it back at 24 fps.
How did you add visual interest
to scenes that take place in less colorful
locations, like the university classroom?
Debie: Some of our locations were
quite boring, with white walls and fluorescent lighting, and the classroom was one of
them. While we were scouting, I went into
another classroom and saw all the students
using their computers, which gave me the
idea to close the curtains and light the scene
with only the computer screens. I thought
we might even be able to change the
[screen] colors to get something other than
blue or white. It was a challenge to try to
make that amount of light work and still
make the scene interesting.
Tell us how you approached the
gunfight at the end of the movie.
Debie: Harmony wanted that to
play like a video game, and he also wanted
to shoot it that way. We had to shoot the

whole sequence the boat approaching

the pier, the shootout at the pool, and the
bathroom scene with Gucci [Mane] in
one day, and everything had to be lit. It
seemed quite impossible, but my gaffer,
Mark Manthey, and I got [the lighting] done
in something like 24 hours! We placed Kino
tubes gelled deep purple underneath the
dock, and because we were shooting 60
fps, we used a 400-watt black-light bulb on
a boom to follow Ashley and Vanessa. We
wanted them to be glowing under the
black light, and I worked with the
costumers to find the right phosphorescent
colors for their wardrobe. The outside of
Guccis house was lit with pink-colored
LEDs, and the backyard was lit with sodiumvapor lights. Inside the house, we used
more 400-watt black-light bulbs. My stop
was a T1.4, which was true for most of our
night scenes.
Throughout our work together,
Harmony encouraged me to experiment
with different kinds of looks and was always
excited about doing that. When he first
called me to talk about the film, he said he

Debie on set.

had great actors, but he also wanted my

work to be a star the light and the image
needed to be a character in the film. That
was exciting to hear, because that is not
always the case.

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Boldly

Captured
Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC and J.J. Abrams
combine anamorphic 35mm with
8-perf and 15-perf 65mm for
Star Trek Into Darkness.
By Michael Goldman
|

34

June 2013

American Cinematographer

Photos by Zade Rosenthal, SMPSP, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

or Star Trek Into Darkness, director

J.J. Abrams and cinematographer
Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC initially
planned to shoot digitally in 3-D,
but in the end, their shared affection for
the anamorphic format and their desire
to maintain visual consistency with
2009s Star Trek (AC June 09) led them
to choose film instead. Mindel likens
their decision to a confrontation
between the Enterprise crew and an
intergalactic threat, recalling that it
sparked an epic battle.
I was never too keen to shoot in
3-D, says Abrams, but the studio
[Paramount] wanted to do it that way.
However, some stereoscopic-conversion
tests conducted on clips from 2009s
Trek convinced him that it was possible
to shoot in 2-D and create high-quality
3-D in post, and Mindel lobbied hard
to emphasize the anamorphic visual
style and the lens flares that distinguished the look of the first movie. The
cinematographer recalls, All along, I
was suggesting to J.J. that we shoot 3-D
only at certain points in the film, and
then create the rest of the 3-D in post.
That would allow us to use all the
anamorphic lenses we love and be less
constrained during production. A
conversation sprang from that, and
when we were able to look at all the
options and tests, we decided not to
shoot in native stereo.
Abrams also became interested in
adding large-format material to the mix.
Once J.J. decided he might want to do
that, I contacted Wally Pfister [ASC] to
discuss his experiences shooting Imax
[on The Dark Knight and The Dark
Knight Rises] for Christopher Nolan,
says Mindel. Then, Pfister and Nolan
started lobbying J.J. to shoot film, which
gave me some allies. In the end, J.J.
agreed we should use anamorphic
combined with Imax. So, we set off
down a road that involved 15-perf and
8-perf 65mm and anamorphic 35mm,
which allowed us to create a gorgeous
movie. (Some inserts and aerial plates
were captured digitally with Red Digital
Cinema cameras.)

Opposite: Capt.
James T. Kirk (Chris
Pine) faces off
against John
Harrison (Benedict
Cumberbatch) in a
scene from Star Trek
Into Darkness, shot
by Dan Mindel, ASC,
BSC and directed by
J.J. Abrams. Above:
Nyota Uhura (Zoe
Saldana) helps Spock
(Zachary Quinto)
adjust his heat suit.
Left: Mindel
considers a shot.

The basic breakdown involved

shooting 35mm for all interior scenes
and 65mm for exteriors. Abrams
mandated long sequences in each
format because he didnt want the transitions to be distracting. As the information changes, the mind goes with it
if [the approach] is consistent, he
observes. I think most people wont be
aware of the format changes.
According to A-camera 1st AC
Serge Nofield, one of the challenges of
moving between the two formats was
working in the different aspect ratios.
In an effort to bridge that difference,
we didnt use the entire [1.43:1] Imax
negative we masked it to achieve a
ratio of 1.66:1, he says. When viewed
in an Imax theater, the movie will shift
from 2.40:1 to 1.66:1.
When Mindel spoke to AC, he
was shooting another blockbuster
sequel on film, the latest Spider-Man,
www.theasc.com

but he recognizes that film acquisition

may not be an option on such productions for much longer. Still, he is
convinced that anamorphic film images
suit the Star Trek franchise best. The
shape of the Enterprise is perfectly
captured in the anamorphic frame, and
so is the geography of the ships bridge,
he states. For this film, we did a bit of
a makeover on the ship [by making it
bigger], but weve kept the essential
symmetry and feeling of it.
Abrams is equally pleased that he
was able to shoot Into Darkness on film
and convert to 3-D. I think film has
the greatest look and the greatest resolution, he says. The studio wanted a
3-D movie, and [shooting film] became
an easier decision once we realized we
could deliver that with a quality conversion. We were lucky to work with stereographer Corey Turner, who did
incredible work that adds to the thrillJune 2013

35

Boldly Captured
Top: The crew
films on the
bridge of the
Enterprise.
Middle: The
bridge goes into
red alert. Bottom:
Shrouded in
green, the camera
crew readies an
angle into the
bridge. Other
cameras were
positioned within
the bridge
looking out
toward this
camera; later,
visual-effects
work made the
open front of the
set appear as the
ships view
screen.

ride aspect of the movie. My goal was to

make as good a film as I could in 2-D
and let it be converted to 3-D for those
who wanted the hot sauce. I think we
achieved that.
Mindel used a wide range of
Panavision C-Series, E-Series and
Primo anamorphic primes, as well as
Primo zooms (3:1 ALZ3 270-840mm
T4.5, 11:1 ALZ11 48-550mm T4.5,
AWZ2 40-80mm T2.8 and ATZ 70200mm T3.5), with three Panaflex
Millennium XL2s and an Arri 435ES.
For the 65mm material, the filmmakers used four Imax MSM 9802
cameras, two Iwerks 8/70 cameras and
one Iwerks Lightweight 8/70. Lenses
included Imax and Iwerks prime lenses,
some 2x80 Hasselblads loaned to the
production by Christopher Nolan, and
others made for the show by Panavision
optical engineer Dan Sasaki.
Abrams describes shooting Imax
as cumbersome, laborious and tedious.
The cameras are not new machines, and
they dont always work perfectly. They
are as loud as can be and difficult to
move with any speed. But despite all
that, it could not have been more worth
it. Imax delivered an unbelievable
image.
Nofield notes, These largeformat cameras are meant to be out
36

June 2013

American Cinematographer

there in nature, shooting maybe one

mag a day, but we were reloading
constantly. The design and movement
make the camera difficult to thread, and
it can take three to four times longer to
reload it [compared to a 35mm
camera].
Visual-effects supervisor/2ndunit director Roger Guyett adds, The
reality of shooting Imax is dealing with
the mechanics of the equipment, the
size of the camera and the extended
load times. [You have to consider] the
choices and the feel of the images, and
you also have to anticipate how they will
be projected. It was a learning experience for most of us to try to understand
the correct framing.

My goal was to
make as good a
film as I could in
2-D and let it
be converted to
3-D for those
who wanted the
hot sauce.
A-camera
operator
Colin
Anderson agrees that shooting in Imax
required a mindset adjustment. He
explains, When you look at the Imax
frame in an Imax theater, you look
straight at it. Because of the screens
height, the top part of the screen is not
comfortable to look at. So, in framing a
close-up for Imax, you put the subject
right in the center of the screen. Even
when framing a landscape scene, we
would frame toward the center of the
screen rather than the bottom. That was
something we all had to get used to.
The biggest challenge for us

Top: Starfleets brass gathers in a Federation conference room. Bottom: When the meeting
falls under attack, the lighting changes to reflect the red-alert status.

www.theasc.com

June 2013

37

Boldly Captured

Top: Spock and Uhura detect troubling signals at a monitor station on the Enterprise bridge. Bottom:
Mindel (wearing green) and Abrams (holding finder) set up a shot inside the National Ignition Facility at
the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which stood in for different sections of the Enterprise.

38

June 2013

American Cinematographer

operators was avoiding each other in our

shots, he continues. For a volcano
sequence early in the film, we had dueling Technocranes swinging around
amid flames and sparks, and keeping
each camera out of the others shot was
not easy. [B-camera operator] Phil
Carr-Forster and I worked hard to
synchronize our moves for those kinds
of scenes.
Imax is also tough on focus
pullers, says Nofield. The best way to
move Imax cameras is on a crane, so we
brought those in whenever possible, but
on a crane you are limited with your
marks. And with Imax, you need telephoto lenses to achieve a normal field of
view, so we were always shooting tight.
You really have to rely on crane operators to hit marks as well as they can.
In addition to crane moves, there
is a lot of Steadicam in the movie, says
Anderson. We did two Steadicam
shots with the Lightweight 8/70 Iwerks
camera, and we had to have a special

plate made just to balance it on the rig.

Of course, theres a compromise
involved because of the weight the
rig wont fly exactly as its designed to.
You get tremendous inertia from the
added weight, which makes quick pans
and tilts impossible. But there were two
shots we felt we had to do with the
Steadicam. One is inside a shuttlecraft
that has landed on a planet. We push
down the length of the shuttle and then
pan out the door and onto the landscape. It was tricky because of the
limited physical headroom [inside the
shuttle]; I had to do the shot hunched
over! Also, because of the weight of the

beautiful anamorphic C- and E-Series

lenses.
We like the idea of antagonizing
the lens! says Mindel. Whether its
a piece of glass in the foreground or
some sort of in-camera aberration,
we will do it if it fits. It allows us to
bring just a bit more life to what could
otherwise be a conventional-looking
picture. I think flares and other dings
in the image add effervescence to it. It

feels very naturalistic.

Gaffer Chris Prampin observes
that Abrams and Mindel have become
experts at flares it is second nature to
both of them. But, according to
Anderson, the team had to be careful
while crafting flares on set: You can
definitely go from a beautiful blue flare
running across the frame to milking,
which is unattractive. Sometimes, in
order to preserve a flare, we pulled the

The reality of
shooting Imax is
dealing with the
mechanics of the
equipment, the size of
the camera and the
extended load times.

camera, the Steadicam arm was

absolutely maxed out. You almost have
to lift the camera so the arm doesnt
bottom out, which further compromises
the move.
The extensive use of anamorphic
lens flares is a hallmark of the look
Abrams and Mindel have designed for
Star Trek, and most of these flares were
accomplished practically, often by crew
waving Xenon flashlight beams at the
lens at key moments. Abrams concedes
that his use of such flares has become a
bit of a joke, so we did try hard not to
overdo it. But it was part of the first
movies aesthetic, so we needed to maintain a certain consistency. I cant help but
love what happens when light hits those
39

Boldly Captured

Spock explores an
alien planet in a
sequence filmed
in 65mm Imax.
Despite what he
calls a
cumbersome,
laborious and
tedious process,
Abrams enthuses
that shooting in
Imax for the films
exterior scenes
could not have
been more worth
it. Imax delivered
an unbelievable
image.

diffusion filter if we were carrying one.

That would stop the milking and
produce a harder flare. Dan asked to
have small, hot, directional lights built
into the set, and we would sometimes
aim them down the lens. If we were
doing a close-up and wanted a flare,
Dan would stand just out of shot with a
Xenon flashlight and pan it on and off,
40

June 2013

or move it slowly off to the side of the

frame until we found the most pleasing
flare. For Steadicam shots, he would
often stand right in the frame, and as I
panned through him, hed fire [the
flashlight] straight down the lens. The
image gets whited out, so you dont see
him standing there.
Abrams wanted the Enterprises
American Cinematographer

look to be consistent with its appearance in the last movie, but bigger. Into
Darkness reveals the bowels of the ship,
as well as other nooks and crannies that
were not previously shown onscreen.
Meanwhile, the famous bridge maintains the filmmakers commitment to a
clean, high-tech aesthetic that Mindel
likens to an Apple Store. Most lighting
for the bridge was built into that set as
practicals, LEDs, fluorescents and
Tungsten MR16 units that the crew
called eyeballs. Mindel explains, We
built the lights into the set so the
camera could go in any direction without running into movie lights. The idea
was to be able to shoot everywhere
without ripping walls or breaking the
fourth wall. The bridge is so iconic that
we needed to preserve its integrity.
The LEDs were the workhorse
units for the bridge. Prampin notes,
LEDs have advanced since we made
the last movie. Theyre easier to control,
and we can do more with them than
fluorescents when were creating effects
like lights-out cues or flickering. They
also gave us more consistent color
because we didnt have to mix them as
much with fluorescents. LEDs dont

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Boldly Captured

Top: Harrison
readies his next
attack in front of a
spaceship-landing
beacon, an
absolutely
humongous rig,
says Mindel.
Bottom left: Uhura
steels herself for
the fight. Bottom
right: Mindel
frequently aimed
flashlights down
the barrel of the
lens to create
flares. I think
flares and other
dings in the image
add effervescence
to it, he says.

always work well with film because they

can flicker, but Al DeMayo [of
LiteGear] has made them more
motion-picture friendly with a line of
flicker-free dimmers and power
supplies. That technology allowed us to
control the LEDs better.
Events taking place off the
Enterprise really challenged the filmmakers, particularly if the scenes
42

June 2013

involved Imax cameras. One such

sequence follows Kirk (Chris Pine) and
McCoy (Karl Urban) as they are chased
through a red-hued alien forest to the
edge of a cliff, where they decide to
jump. Because Abrams wanted to
capture authentic sunlight, the set was
constructed outside at Playa Vista
Studios, where the art department
created extensive foliage for the alien
American Cinematographer

jungle. Guyett recalls, [Production

designer] Scott Chambliss built the
jungle, but that meant the set got smaller
than wed hoped, and the whole chase
sequence had to be done over a distance
of less than 100 feet. But J.J. understood
how to use the camera to create space so
that we could properly extend the jungle
[digitally] in post. As part of the set, we
built a ramp so the actors could jump 4

Boldly Captured

The crew captures the action aboard the Enterprise as the ship is attacked. The shape of the
Enterprise is perfectly captured in the anamorphic frame, says Mindel, and so is the geography
of the ships bridge.

44

June 2013

American Cinematographer

or 5 feet to get the enormous openingup moment in the move, where we stay
on the same line as the actors. As they
jump, the camera rises up and exposes
the huge cliff and the water below.
Executing the move, Anderson
explains, involved a two-axis shot
running down the length of the set
using a NavCam [stabilized wire-rig
control system] strung between two
cranes. The shot was difficult to frame
because the NavCams acceleration
would periodically cause the Imax
camera to swing back and forth. On the
second day of shooting the sequence,
however, the camera was re-rigged to
shorten what key grip Charley Gilleran
calls the periscope, a 3' riser that separated the camera from the cable. This
eliminated the pendulum effect and
made the entire rig more manageable.
The crews rigging expertise
proved essential throughout the

production. This was a massive rigging

show, says Abrams. In addition to the
cliff jump, three other aspects of the
exterior work stand out in this regard.
On the set depicting the Klingon
city of Kronos, a pulsating lighting rig
that Mindel describes as absolutely
humongous stood in as a spaceshiplanding beacon, the predominant light
source in the sequence. Prampin
explains, We built half of it, and the
other half was CGI. Dan, [rigging
gaffer] John Manocchia and I decided
we should build a wall of Pars, and we
used 1,200 1K narrow-globe Par cans
on dimmers operated by [lightingconsole programmer] Josh Thatcher,
who used a Hog 3 console to control

floated from the ceiling, and inside

those we had Xenons, moving lights,
Lightning Strikes units and Par cans.
Each had its own operator.
Another rigging trick enhances a
key scene in which an alien ship
launches a surprise attack on a
Federation conference room situated
atop a skyscraper on Earth. Abrams
wanted the ship to slowly rise up the
side of the building, shine lights into the

conference room and then launch its

attack. To create the illusion, Guyett,
Gilleran and rigging key grip Kevin
Fahey developed what Gilleran
describes as a 15-foot equilateral triangle of flying lights. The rig required
two electricians to ride along to operate
the lamps. We were limited to 1,400
pounds for the whole thing to operate
within the flight envelope we needed, so
one struggle was just to find lightweight

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light and a Catalyst Media Server to

send content across it. Josh created a
nice pulse with various flickers filtered
with Lee 101 Yellow. [That rig] was
essentially a wall positioned off to the
side, stretching almost floor-to-ceiling
in a semicircle. Above it was a truss rig
that held four 20K Molebeam projectors. The light came through a translucent set piece that the art department
built to act as a diffuser. It was the most
complicated lighting setup on the
show.
Strategic rigging also solved
another logistical test on the Kronos set,
where the night sky is marked by a variety of light effects that represent spaceship traffic. We created floating rigs to
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Boldly Captured

A group of redshirts take Harrison into custody.

electricians! Gilleran says. The task of

programming the whole thing and
installing the winches fell to Jason
Shupe, the NavCam programmer, who
used an automated motion-control
system called Navigator Software [from

46

Fisher Technical Services]. That

allowed us to fly a 1,400-pound unit
around the stage like it was an alien
ship.
Guyett says the shot exemplifies
how well Into Darkness combines live-

action photography and visual effects.

First, we animated the spaceship
moves in [Autodesk] Maya, and then
we put that data into the NavCam
system so the lights would inherently
have the motion of the vehicle we had
created, he explains. It was a very
effective collaboration between the
rigging department and visual effects.
On Star Trek, Abrams chose the
interior of a Budweiser brewery in
Northridge, Calif., to stand in for parts
of the Enterprise engine room, and the
production turned to that location again
for Into Darkness. Abrams also sought
additional practical locations that could
represent other sections of the starship.
One such location, the Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory, was
used to depict several different areas of
the ship. At a location like that, youre
presented with options you cant get if
you build an interior set, notes the
director. There are more opportunities
for camera placement, and where the

light is and what it is doing cant be

predicted completely, [which] presents
opportunities. Using the Livermore labs
gave some of the interiors we shot a
granular reality, which helps to ground
the movie.
However, the facility came with
certain restrictions. We were limited on
what lights we could bring inside
because we were not allowed to change
the air temperature in there, Mindel
says. This was such a concern that
during prep, Mindel sent Manocchia to
Livermore so the lab officials could test
every instrument the filmmakers
intended to use during the shoot.
Prampin submits, Ultimately, we could
only use smaller, cooler lights: a lot of
Kino Flos, LEDs and some small
HMIs. The facility was quite large, and
it was challenging to rig there without
affecting its normal operations.
FotoKem processed all of the
productions footage and created dailies
for both formats. ASC associate

member Mark Van Horne, FotoKems

director of production services, interacted daily with Mindel and, when
necessary, transported 35mm dailies to
the filmmakers location. At press time,
the filmmakers were beginning the final
grade with colorist and ASC associate
member Stefan Sonnenfeld at
Company 3 in Santa Monica, and
Mindel anticipated that the process
would help with contrast-level adjustments. The lenses we used are high
contrast, and 5219, our main negative, is
low contrast, says the cinematographer.
By using high-contrast lighting, I can
[increase] the contrast of the negative,
and by using high-contrast Primo
lenses, I can get even more contrast.
Then, in the DI, we can balance
that out and give the blacks and the
other dense tones still more density
and heaviness.

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Living Large

The Great Gatsby, shot by Simon Duggan, ACS,

uses 3-D to immerse viewers in a hedonistic era.
By Simon Gray
|

F.

Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby is both a tragic love

story and a symbolic indictment of the corruption of the
American Dream by the excesses of the 1920s. Published
in 1925, the novel charts the ruination of the wealthy and
charismatic yet fatally idealistic Jay Gatsby. The story is told
through the eyes of Nick Carraway, who, during a hot
summer in 1923, became Gatsbys only real friend. The material is perhaps not an obvious choice for a 3-D motion picture,
but in bringing Gatsby to the screen, director Baz Luhrmann
(Moulin Rouge; AC June 01) believed the stereoscopic format
would help draw the audience into the characters emotions.

48

June 2013

As much as Baz is known for eccentricity and spectacle in his

filmmaking, his main use of 3-D in Gatsby was to serve the
drama of the story and characters, says Simon Duggan, ACS,
the films director of photography.
Luhrmann and Duggan sought to completely immerse
the audience in the hedonistic atmosphere of those who had
it all in the 1920s. Almost everything in Gatsby is brand new,
brashly modern and exciting, explains Duggan. The immersive quality of 3-D was invaluable in realizing Bazs ambitions.
He sees parallels between 3-D and live theater: the screen
plane is analogous to the proscenium, and you use positive and

American Cinematographer

Photos by Matt Hart, Justin Ridler and Douglas Kirkland, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

negative space to stage action upstage

and downstage.
Before commencing the official
prep, Luhrmann rehearsed several
scenes with the lead actors in New York,
and Duggan attended these sessions.
He and Luhrmann had already decided
to shoot with Red Epic-X cameras and
3ality TS-5 rigs, and they used the
rehearsals to familiarize themselves
with the rigs, choose lenses and experiment with foreground and background
elements to establish the films parallax
range.
Baz and Simon decided to use
shorter focal lengths, even for close-ups,
which brought a huge advantage to
3-D, says Alonso Homs, the productions stereographer. Staying with wider
lenses is an efficient means of arriving at
the desired depth and volume. One
percent of onscreen parallax on a 32mm
lens is nothing like 1 percent of
onscreen parallax on a 50mm lens.
Duggan adds, Zeiss Ultra Primes in
the 16mm to 85mm range had a realistic feel and also gave the 3-D images

Opposite: Simon
Duggan, ACS teamed
with Baz Luhrmann
to bring the Roaring
Twenties to 3-D life
in The Great Gatsby.
Above (from left):
Nick Carraway (Tobey
Maguire), Jay Gatsby
(Leonardo DiCaprio),
Daisy Buchanan
(Carey Mulligan) and
Tom Buchanan (Joel
Edgerton) look out at
a lavish party. Below:
Duggan confers with
gaffer Shaun Conway
on the ballroom set.

great volume and depth. The 28mm

and 40mm became firm favorites.
Also prior to the official prep, Acamera 1st AC David Elmes was given
invaluable access to the Red Epic-X
cameras and 3ality rigs used on The
Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (AC Jan.
12). He recalls, Andrew Lesnie [ASC,
ACS] and his team allowed me to
spend time with their cameras and technician teams very early on, and this cut
www.theasc.com

down our camera-prep time by at least

two weeks. Also, our two 3ality technicians, Jeff Amaral and Don Presley, had
just finished working on The Amazing
Spider-Man [AC Aug. 12], and that
streamlined our lens-matching and
camera-matching processes. The
Gatsby team carried two standard TS-5
rigs for production and crane work and
a lighter, carbon-fiber version of the rig
for Steadicam work.

June 2013

49

Living Large

Right: Musicians
and dancers
keep the energy
lively in a scene
from the film.
Below: Gatsby
dances with
Daisy, an old
flame.

Having worked with Red

cameras since early builds of the Red
One for Alex Proyas Knowing (AC June
09), Duggan had few concerns about
using the Epic-X. I simply set basic
color temperature and tint on set for
each scene, and [digital-imaging technician] Brook Willard later fine-tuned
in RedCine-X, he says. This method
50

June 2013

allowed continuity from scene to scene,

especially when shooting parts of scenes
separated by weeks on the schedule, and
was also helpful to our second-unit
cinematographer, Damian Wyvill. We
also had experienced stereo engineers,
stereographers and other DITs who
were very familiar with the 3-D equipment.
American Cinematographer

Duggan shot Gatsby at T2.8T4.0 for interiors and T5.6-T8.0 on

exteriors. Footage was captured in 5K
Redcode Raw at 4:1 compression. Inset
frame lines for 2.39:1, roughly a 10percent crop on the Epic sensor, left
room for reframing and convergence
adjustment in post.
Principal photography took place
over 120 days between September 2011
and February 2012. Much of the action
in the film occurs in Gatsbys mansion,
shot across three stages at Sydneys Fox
Studios. The original set was so large it
had to be broken down into three separate overlapping pieces, with the interior of the house and garden terrace
built in the 38,000-square-foot Stage 1,
the pool area and private beach built in
the 32,355-square-foot Stage 2, and
Gatsbys jetty built in an above-ground
water tank in the 14,246-square-foot
Stage 3.
Stages 1 and 2 were pre-lit with
more than 1,500 Par 64 lamps layered
two and four rows deep, respectively,
and running the length of the stages
perimeters. Once rigged, the system
was quick to use, recalls gaffer Shaun

Conway. We could leave one side hard

for the key and then pull Grid Cloth
scrims on wires over the Pars on the
other side for fill. The Par 64 banks
were a very flexible source, adds
Duggan. For instance, we used them as
a very broad source of sunlight ambience, and we also used them to suggest
exploding fireworks at night by using
clusters of heads programmed through a
dimmer board.
For cooler ambience, dozens of
black-skirted 6K tungsten space lights
gelled with CTB were rigged in the
studio ceiling. Half Grid Cloth scrims
measuring 40'x40' could be pulled out
along suspended wires under the space
lights to create an even softer ambience.
Kino Flo Image 80s were used to light
the greenscreens that surrounded the
sets.
Like a peacock proudly displaying his iridescent plumage, Gatsby
(Leonardo DiCaprio) throws opulent
parties at his mansion in an attempt to
attract the attention of Daisy Buchanan
(Carey Mulligan), an ex-lover whom he
still holds in high regard. Featuring
hundreds of extras, snowstorms of glittering confetti, fireworks and lively
contemporary music, Gatsbys parties
serve as visual motifs for the morally
vacuous lifestyle of the rich and famous.
These scenes were perfect for our
combination of energetic camerawork
and 3-D theres just so much to see,

Top: Gatsbys car sits parked in front of George Wilsons garage in the Valley of Ashes. Bottom: The
camera crew films DiCaprio and Maguire in the car.

says Duggan. Keeping the camera

relentlessly moving through architectural features, foreground pieces, foliage
and other elements constantly revealed
and accentuated volume and depth.
At least three cameras were used
to cover the party scenes, two on 23' and
37' Scorpio cranes and one on a
Steadicam. Each crane used stabilized
Scorpio heads supplied by Service
Vision, which also purpose-built the 37'
Scorpio. Key grip Toby Copping
explains, Reinforced carbon fiber was
used to carry the 176-pound payload of
www.theasc.com

the stabilized head and stereo rig. The

crane has the footprint of a 30-foot
model, which fit perfectly into our sets.
Gatsbys world of glamour and
excess is revealed to the audience
through the point-of-view of Daisys
second cousin, Carraway (Tobey
Maguire), who narrates the action. A
bond salesman from the Midwest who
has come east to seek his fortune,
Carraway moves into a small house next
door to Gatsbys and eventually
befriends him. Duggan designed crane
and Steadicam moves to place the audiJune 2013

51

Living Large

These shots
show the setup
around the
driveway where
the guests
arrival and
departure for
Gatsbys grand
parties are
staged.

ence firmly in Carraways shoes when he

attends one of Gatsbys parties for the
first time. A series of crane moves either
lead or follow Maguire from the front
door of the mansion as he and several
hundred extras wend their ways down
the 60'-long entrance hall to the Grand
Ballroom, where champagne flows like
rivers. The crane continues with
Maguire onto the terrace, and then picks
him up again as he moves through the
dance floor and down another flight of
stairs to the pool.
The 37'-Scorpio crane move
would typically start high and wide on a
20mm or 24mm lens to show off the
entire set, and then the crane arm would
scope out over the partiers heads as the
52

June 2013

main actors walked through the throng,

the camera finally returning to earth
and ending in a close-up of Maguire or
DiCaprio. The healthy duration of
these shots allows the audience to feel
more connected to the action in 3-D,
points out Duggan. Down on the floor,
A-Camera/Steadicam operator Mark
Goellnicht kept pace with Maguire as
he wove through hundreds of partygoers avidly gossiping about Gatsby,
allowing the audience to experience the
heady atmosphere in 3-D glory.
Luhrmann employed a very intimate camera to create compelling 3-D
close-ups. For a confrontational scene
between Gatsby and Tom Buchanan
( Joel Edgerton) in a hotel suite,
American Cinematographer

Goellnicht and dolly grip Brett

McDowell found themselves so close to
the actors that maintaining direct
eyelines became difficult. We were
shooting the close-ups on a 40mm or a
50mm, depending on the shot, and Baz
was urging either me or Brett, Push in!
Push in! until the camera couldnt physically push in any further, recalls
Goellnicht.
One of the greatest difficulties
with shooting in 3-D is the sheer size
and weight of the camera even the
so-called lighter-weight carbon-fiber
TS-5 rig was about 75 pounds once we
added all the gizmos to make the
system totally wireless, Goellnicht
continues. That made Steadicam operating incredibly grueling, especially
given that Baz likes to do repeated takes
without cutting the camera to keep the
actors with the same energy and motivation that he builds upon from one
take to another. There were times that I
often wore the Steadicam rig for over
20 minutes at a time without resting.
Baz was always appreciative, and he was
very happy when we nailed something
special after one of the extended rolling
resets, as in the hotel-suite scene. I
know Leonardo and Toby certainly
preferred when they could get on a roll
and do hot resets.
Despite the size of Gatsbys

Living Large

The exterior of St.

Patricks Seminary
in the Sydney
suburb of Manly
served as the
exterior of
Gatsbys mansion,
but portions of
the mansion were
built onstage.

Grand Ballroom, the set was lit quite

simply for day scenes. With the space
lights providing ambience, Duggan
used 20Ks from the edge of the set
aimed through windows and doorways
as strident sunlight. Portable and lightweight Tetris Lights, built by Conway
and his crew, were used for additional
keylight or fill. These lights come in
multiple combinations: 4'x1', the smallest unit, containing six CP81 300-watt
globes; 4K 4'x4'; 8K 8'x4'; and 16K
8'x8'. Each Tetris is skinned with reflective white bounce material and fronted
with Grid Cloth diffusion. As the
name implies, the lights can be stacked
54

June 2013

on top of each other if required.

In 1920s America, the rich were
tapping technological advances in lighting to create underwater and architectural effects, as well as using follow spots
to pep up their soires. That was our
justification for using PRGs BadBoys
throughout the party scenes, says
Duggan. We used them as though they
were manually operated follow spots, an
indulgence someone like Gatsby would
have put on public display. The
programmable lights feature a zoom
range from 7-56 degrees and use the
Quantum Color system. The production rented 14 BadBoys, and although
American Cinematographer

Duggan initially intended to use them

only for the party scenes, they proved so
versatile that we placed them strategically around Stage 1 so they could be
multi-purposed as key-, back- or even
fill light for other scenes, says Conway.
The production rented St.
Patricks Seminary in the Sydney
suburb of Manly to serve as the exterior
of Gatsbys mansion for a three-night
shoot. The location had a classic circular driveway leading to a sandstone
faade, and thats where we staged
the arrival and departure scenes of the
party guests, recalls Duggan. Soft
moonlight over the driveway was

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Living Large

Right: A ring of
lights
illuminates this
set depicting
Gatsbys pool
littered with
post-party
debris. Below: A
camera films an
interior shot
from the
window of
a faade
surrounded by
greenscreen.

created by suspending a 30'x30' soft box

containing nine 12K space lights
fronted with Grid. I prefer to run
any soft light with a multi-source setup
so I can give Simon any level he needs,
points out Conway. The soft box had
the added benefit of providing flattering
reflections on the guests period cars.
Ground Rows were used to
accent the buildings faade, and
Duggan adopted the same ring-of-light
principles used for the interior set. Four
pairs of 20Ks on 80' Condors positioned
at each corner of the building provided
contrast as required. We never ran all
56

June 2013

the 20Ks at the same time, the cinematographer explains. We needed a

system that provided us with quick
options. Eight Arri T12s with
Chimeras where positioned on the firststory balcony of the house to provide
backlight and edgelight for the arriving
guests.
When Carraway meets Gatsby, it
is the first time Gatsby is also fully
revealed to the audience. When
Gatsby turns to address Nick, he is
revealed as an extremely handsome
man, and I lit Leo with classic portraiture lighting, says Duggan. To key
American Cinematographer

DiCaprio, he used a Tetris soft box for a

34-front key and created eyelight with
two 1'x1' Litepanels at low angles.
Backlight was provided by dozens of
Par 64s programmed in fireworks
mode. For Gatsbys darker moments,
such as when he is dealing with his
bootlegging associates or revealing his
less-than-glamorous background to
Carraway, Duggan keyed DiCaprio
with a hard Fresnel source often from a
high crosslit angle, keeping half his face
shaded to parallel Gatsbys concealed
emotions.
One location that embodies
many of The Great Gatsbys darker
themes is the Valley of Ashes, a desolate
stretch of terrain that is used as a dumping ground for ashes from the coal fires
of the wealthy. A potent symbol of the
moral and social decay that results from
uninhibited greed, the site also personalizes the plight of those whom wealth
has passed by. Inspired by the massive
cinder dump in Queens, N.Y., that was
active from 1909 to 1930, the Valley of
Ashes is the moral center of Fitzgeralds
story, and stands in stark visual contrast
to the storys other settings.
The production used Sydneys
White Bay as the location for the valley.
Duggan explains, We constructed a
road running adjacent to the existing

railroad, as well as a small service town

that included the auto garage of George
Wilson ( Jason Clarke), a few other
shops and practical streetlights, and
then we surrounded it with mountains
of ash. The only splash of color in
the monochromatic environment is
provided by the wealthy hurtling
through the valley in their vehicles,
which include Gatsbys yellow
Duesenberg J Sport Phaeton (changed
from the Rolls Royce in the novel).
Duggan made sure that the background
of every wide shot showed the physically debilitated working-class men
shoveling the mountains of ash that are
slowly killing them.
A major subplot that drives the
narrative to its fatal conclusion is the
affair between Tom Buchanan, an
emotionless bully, and Wilsons wife,
Myrtle (Isla Fisher). In the main
sequence, which was shot at White Bay
over several nights, Myrtle is run down
and killed by Daisy, who is driving
Gatsbys car. Over the main intersection, we suspended a 30-by-30-foot
moon box, surrounding the ash mounds
with 20Ks on Condors to backlight the
airborne ash, recalls Duggan. Smaller
tungsten fixtures were scattered around
the valley to illuminate the workers and
add depth in the background.
For two short but pivotal scenes
at Wilsons garage, Duggan used small
sources to create an ominous mood.
When Myrtles body is laid out on a
work bench, the scene was toplit by
300-watt tungsten Fresnels, and then, in
the tiny adjoining office, where
Buchanan convinces the distraught
Wilson to murder Gatsby, the actors
were lit with several Litepanels 1x1
LEDs warmed with CTO to give the
effect of a single work lamp.
During the shoot, Homs concentrated on interaxial distance, placing the
convergence to best serve the edit.
Thanks to an app that Vlado Struhar at
Qtake designed for us, I used an iPad
tapped into the Qtake HDx2 videoassist system, so I could adjust the horizontal image translation without
affecting the footage, says Homs.

Living Large
Duggan on set.

One novel aspect of the productions data workflow was the absence of
a dedicated post house. Throughout the
shoot, all technical processes were
handled by Willard, data manager Steve
Freebairn and an in-house visual-effects
department. Once Willard had
completed matching, initial grading,
framing information, syncing the 3-D
clips and adjusting convergence, he

handed over the camera magazines and

RMD files to Freebairn, who rendered
3-D dailies for projection and editorial
and 2-D dailies for Luhrmanns iPad.
Dual LTO5 copies of all camera and
sound data were made, and a copy was
also kept on 48TB DAS SAS RAIDs.
Once the visual-effects team
received the raw Red files, it generated
color-matched and distortion-corrected

5K EXR files using SGO Mistika. The

creative color corrections applied on set
by Willard as RMD files were translated
into a look-up table applied to the EXR
deliverables. External vendors receiving
the corrected EXR files also received the
individual LUTs derived from each
shots RMD, thus maintaining color
accuracy throughout the workflow. We
were viewing 3-D high-definition
footage as we shot, and editorial was
receiving the dailies almost immediately,
so the traditional dailies screening wasnt
as well attended, notes Duggan with a
hint of regret. Today, directors can go
straight into editorial and start cutting.
The final grade was handled at
Cutting Edge in Sydney by colorist
Adrian Hauser, who used FilmLights
Baselight Eight and Two as images were
projected via a Christie 2K projector
onto a 6-meter screen. Hauser explains,
We graded underneath a traditional
DCI version of a photochemical filmemulation LUT. Considering the

pictures bright, saturated palette, the

print-style LUT provided a good result
for skin tones, and theres something in
the mastered color science of those
profiles that adds an analog granularity
to the color. Colors twist, density
changes and colors separate in unexpected ways, creating a unique palette.
The Baselight Eight was also
used for performing stereo sweetening
via a final convergence pass. We held
back on 3-D tricks, setting most of the
film behind the screen, as though looking through a proscenium arch, says
Hauser. This set up the dramatic pushin shots, wherein the character naturally
comes forward into the auditorium.
Asked whether digital acquisition
has changed his on-set methods,
Duggan responds, Apart from the fact
that new digital cameras have more
sensitivity than film does, my approach
to lighting hasnt really changed. I never
light by the monitor on Gatsby, we
had two 52-inch LG passive 3-D TVs

Director Baz
Luhrmann
(middle
foreground)
views playback
on set with
script
supervisor
Sophie FabbriJackson.
Standing
beyond them
is Luhrmanns
assistant, Blake
Ternacz.

but I must admit, I rarely use my

light meters anymore. I first light by
eye, then check the monitor for trims,
and then I obtain an exact exposure
from the cameras sensor, often using
the built-in false-color meter to see
where all the separate tones are sitting.

TECHNICAL SPECS
2.40:1
3-D Digital Capture
Red Epic-X
Zeiss Ultra Prime

A Killer with

2 Faces
W

Bobby Bukowski creates a gritty

look for the period crime drama
The Iceman, which profiles a
notorious hitman.
By Patricia Thomson
|
60

June 2013

hen Richard Kuklinski was arrested in 1986 outside

his suburban home in Dumont, N.J., he had been a
contract killer for two decades and was responsible for
more than 100 hits. Dubbed The Ice Man for his
cold demeanor when dispatching targets, and for his practice
of freezing his victims corpses to disguise their times of death,
Kuklinski kept his loved ones entirely in the dark about his
livelihood. To his wife and daughters, he was a loving father
and gainfully employed husband who worked in currency
exchange.

American Cinematographer

Photos by Anne Marie Fox, courtesy of Millennium Entertainment.

Opposite page:
Richard Kuklinski
(Michael
Shannon) leads a
double life as a
contract killer
and family man.
This page, top:
Kuklinski dotes
on his wife,
Deborah (Winona
Ryder), and two
young daughters.
Bottom: The
hitman pulls the
trigger.

Director Ariel Vromen became

obsessed with Kuklinskis double life,
devouring books and documentaries
about him. How do you constantly live
a lie? Vromen muses. He recalls that he
had a cousin whom the family believed
to be a Mossad agent. He would disappear for three weeks, and nobody knew
where he went. Kuklinski fascinated me
in a similar way.
Vromen asked Bobby Bukowski
to shoot The Iceman after being
impressed with the cinematographers
work on Rampart (AC Feb. 12) and The
Messenger. Rampart, in particular, had
also embraced a dark character, and
Vromen loved what Bukowski had
achieved on the picture with the Arri
Alexa, which the director planned to use
on The Iceman. Bobby is a master at
knowing how to push the Alexas limits
in terms of how dark you can go, says
Vromen.
The film follows Kuklinski
(Michael Shannon) from the 1960s to
his 1986 arrest, and most of the principal photography took place in
Shreveport, La., a city thats frozen in
the period we were shooting, says
Bukowski. It has a patina of another

era that no scene painter or production

designer could add to, especially in the
more illicit locations. One additional
day of photography took place in New
York City. Altogether, the low-budget
production hit 56 locations in 30 days.
Speed dictated the use of two
Alexa Pluses, which captured in ProRes
4:4:4 on SxS cards for a 1.85:1 frame. A
third camera, a Panavised Canon EOS
7D, was added to the mix for car scenes.
www.theasc.com

Bukowski operated the A camera, while

Michael Stumpf shot Steadicam and B
camera. On second unit, David
Stragmeister was the cinematographer
and A-camera operator, while David
Chameides operated Steadicam.
Bukowski shot the picture with a
set of Panavision legacy prime lenses,
Ultra Speeds ranging from T1.1 to
T1.9. The glass in those days was hand
cut and hand polished, so there are
June 2013

61

A Killer with 2 Faces

Another target
(James Franco)
cowers after
Kuklinski arrives
to exact
retribution for
an unpaid debt.

imperfections that bring a certain softness to the very hard HD image, he

notes. The absence of anti-halation
coating causes a slight flare, and that
also translates into a kind of softness.
He routinely added a Tiffen
Glimmerglass filter to the lens to
further soften details and make the
62

June 2013

highlights glow. I really like to use that

filter, he says. If you hold it up to a
light, you can see small flecks of chipped
glass inside. It halates highlights a bit.
For a final bit of softening, he made
liberal use of smoke, which was easy to
justify with cigarettes given the storys
period.
American Cinematographer

The big question, says Vromen,

was how to make Kuklinski sympathetic. Using shallow depth-of-field to
make Shannon the strongest element in
the frame was one answer. In a lot of
scenes, the world around Michael feels
almost secondary to what his face is
projecting, Vromen says. Its a good
psychological effect; it helps you
connect with the character. It also
emphasizes Kuklinskis isolation. A
man whos carrying all the weight of
that secrecy is ultimately very isolated,
Bukowski observes. So we maintained
a shallow depth-of-field by often working in the lower end of the lenss T stop.
The visual design also involved
high-contrast lighting, with deep shadows and bright highlights, and different
palettes for Kuklinskis home and criminal lives. All are introduced in the first
three scenes. The film opens in a diner,
where Kuklinski is on a first date with
Deborah (Winona Ryder), his future
wife. Later that evening, he plays pool
with some friends and is angered when
one makes crude remarks about
Deborah. When that man gets into his
car, Kuklinski slides in behind him, slits

Noir lighting underscores the shadowy world

Kuklinski occupies when hes on the Mobs clock.

his throat and then hurries away down

the dark alley, silhouetted by a distant
streetlight. In the caf, we wanted to
start on a very romantic footing, because
it was important for the audience to
believe Deborah could be charmed and
seduced by this man, says Bukowski. As
with all the domestic scenes that follow,
the palette is warm and contrast
subdued. I was using very soft light,
Lowel Rifas bounced off unbleached
muslin, along with Jem balls. The lighting temperature was very warm. I was
also using a [Tiffen] Black Pro-Mist on
the lens; that made everything softer but
didnt change the highlights.
For the following scenes, the
high-contrast look of Kuklinskis criminal life comes into play. The pool hall
was a dark practical location. Sconces
provide wall accents, while the keylight
comes from lamps hanging over the pool
tables and bouncing off the green felt.
That green bounce introduces the cooler
palette that also characterizes Kuklinskis
working life. That spotty light and its
quick drop-off allowed Shannon to use
the darkness to modulate his level of
menace. Vromen explains, In that

A Killer with 2 Faces

Left, top to bottom: A potentially ugly confrontation

with Mob boss Roy Demeo (Ray Liotta) is defused
when one of Kuklinskis daughters emerges from the
familys home. Above: Cinematographer Bobby
Bukowski prepares a dolly shot for the sequence.

scene, theres a moment where hes one

of the guys, and then a moment where
you feel hes not one of the guys. That all
happens through the lighting. We
played with shadows when we wanted
viewers to be more afraid of him.
The joy of a light like that is the
characters will be lit anywhere around
the table, says Bukowski, who shot the
scene with two cameras on dollies positioned at right angles. When the actors
step back, they become less lit. The
drop-off is severe, so theres a wide
range of exposure, which I always find
interesting.
With its low bounced light, the
pool-hall scene also illustrates
Bukowskis preferred method for
providing Shannon with eyelight.
Michael has very deep-set eyes, so we
always worked to bring light into his
eyes, says the cinematographer. I find
that a light thats coming from below
kicks back into the eyes really nicely.
Even if the actor squints, the light will
always reflect.
64

June 2013

American Cinematographer

June 2013

JESS HALL IS LIVING IN

THE SPECTACULAR NOW

When he read the script for his latest project, The
Spectacular Now, Jess Hall, BSC felt an instant connection with
the material. The story had a kind of resonance, he says. It
reminded me of situations that Ive been in throughout my
real life. I thought it stood out. Its quite rare that you read
something that really touches you in that way.
Halls background includes fine
art still photography as well as
eye-catching music videos and
commercials, along with the feature
films Hot Fuzz, Brideshead Revisited,
Creation, The Switch, and 30 Minutes
or Less. He studied film at Central
Saint Martins University for the Arts
and Design in London.
When Hall joined The Spectacular
Now, director James Ponsoldt was
already scouting locations in his
hometown of Athens, Georgia, a
setting that would play a key role and
flavor every subsequent decision.
One of the first things he said to Hall:
This is a 35mm anamorphic film.
Thats how I want to shoot it, and
thats what I told the producers. I feel
very passionately about this.
Ponsoldt chose the widescreen
format despite working with a trim
$2.5 million budget.

I was impressed by his conviction, says Hall. Id shot

Son of Rambow, a small-budget feature in 35mm anamorphic,
and James loved that film, so I wasnt put off by the idea.
James wanted to make something with scope. Thats how he
had seen the film the first time hed read it. And he had very
strong feelings about film, and the way skin is captured and
represented on screen.

James wanted to make

something with scope.
Thats how he had seen
the film the first time
hed read it.

In The Spectacular Now, a high

school senior who lives only for the
present meets a different kind of girl.
Its a tender tale of human beings
finding their identities in the world,
so faces were important.
In Son of Rambow, we were also
working with young actors, and
we had to shoot with very minimal
coverage, Hall recalls. So we
did a lot of developing shots
start in a wide shot, develop into
a two-shot and possibly end in a
close-up. That was how we got the
best performances from the kids.
Its a technique we adapted for The
Spectacular Now. James wanted
to see the relationships and the
scenes evolve on screen in real
time, in a way.
Hall was very involved in
choreographing and blocking

THE

GLAMOUROUS

HERO

the shots. The widescreen aspect ratio worked well with

two-shots, and wider shots that evolve into two-shots. He
helped make the format work within the budget by drawing up
a lean equipment list, and by creating efficiency on the set, in
collaboration with the entire cast and crew.

The front-end lab was Deluxe, and a digital intermediate

was done at Company 3 with colorist Sean Coleman. The DI
was pretty seamless and fast, Hall adds. The look of the film
our intention was very much set in the lighting and the
photography.

James trust and generosity allowed me to really have a

large part in designing the film visually, says Hall. And the
actors delivered great performances without needing a lot
of takes. They were prepared. They were in their role. There
wasnt a lot of coverage. We committed to these shots that
told the story rather than trying to get a lot of coverage for
everything.

Authenticity was an important concept to the filmmakers.

James childhood and adolescence was spent in Athens,
and that really added another layer, Hall relates. We were
shooting in places that had a kind of a history for him as
well. We were very much preoccupied with the thought of
authenticity. We wanted it to feel like a genuine experience
of that age. At Sundance, I was pleased to find how many
people were touched emotionally by the film. I think thats, in
a way, because we did kind of succeed in that sort of sense
of truthfulness. Things were pretty stripped down, and the
choices were informed by James subtle sensibility.

The camera was a PANAFLEX MILLENIUM XL with a mixture

of lenses, mostly PANAVISION E-series anamorphics. The
main stocks were KODAK VISION3 500T Color Negative Film
5219 and KODAK VISION2 50D Color Negative Film 5201. A
few exteriors were shot using KODAK VISION3 250D Color
Negative Film 5207.
James didnt want the film to be placed in a specific
time, Hall explains. We were going for a classic look, and
the 50-speed stock was great for that. We had quite a lot
of exteriors, and we wanted to capture the warmth of the
southern atmosphere. I wanted it to feel like a real summer in
the south, without being over the top with warmth. Colors were
naturalistic I tended to bounce into textiles that had some
color. The light was often coming through multiple layers of
textiles and diffusion to warm the light and soften it.
Hall points to an important shot, done on a 50mm lens,
which appears about one-third of the way in. We wanted really
to authenticate the performances, which we did in long takes,
says Hall. This four-and-a-half minute walk-and-talk shot
really sets up the movie. The main character takes this girl to
a party where the hipsters, and his beautiful ex-girlfriend, are.
Shes very out of place. They walk away from the party through
a nearby wooded area. Its basically a pull-back and a two-shot
with them on the STEADICAM. The shot required an entire
400-foot mag. You see their relationship evolving in real time,
and its an amazing thing to watch. It goes from tentative flirting
and vulnerability to the blossoming of potential love within a
single shot.
Five takes of their walk were done over one day. To me, that
was the most interesting thing about this film the way these
long takes work was a significant aspect of how we conceived
it, says Hall. Theres a triangle between the camera crew,
the director and the actors, and without the encumbrance of
the DIT and the video village, that core group created a very
interesting dynamic. I think the film is quite pure in that way.

Film critic Marlow Stern, writing in The Daily Beast, called

The Spectacular Now one of the most poignant and gratifying
films at this years Sundance. The film is slated to run at a
number of film festivals before a wider theatrical release in
late summer 2013.
Hall is currently serving as director of photography on
Transcendence, the directorial debut of OSCAR-winning
cinematographer Wally Pfister, ASC, BSC.
Photos: Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley in scenes from The Spectacular Now
(Jess Hall, BSC/courtesy A24). Previous page, bottom: Jess Hall, BSC (Matt
Evans/courtesy A24).

the high heat and bright sun

of Rajasthan. As always, 50D
[Film] did not disappoint.

Where does Hero go to up

their glamour quotient? India.
For Heros Glamour a
popular motorbike in the trafficcluttered cities of India the
company chose cinematographer
Paramvir Singh to shoot their
latest ad. The DP is a graduate
of the Film & Television Institute
of India, and also a former
creative in advertising.
The ad portrays women
falling in love while riding in the
comfort of the back seat of the
new Hero Glamour. Director
Shikha Makan envisioned a
series of female protagonists
thrown into a romantic fantasy
the minute they catch sight of
the bike. But she aimed to keep
the dream world more based
in reality, showing different
women going about work or
daily activities to create a
feeling that this scenario could
actually happen to them.

Shikha used Indian visual

metaphors of love like yellow
autumn leaves, bursts of Holi
(the blazing oranges and
reds from the Indian Festival
of Colors), and vistas of the
high mountains, explains
Singh, which all translate the
imagination of the women into
a visual image. Our locations
were varied. We shot in the
streets of Mumbai, a dark
tunnel in Pune city, a heritage
palace in the heart of Jaisalmer,
Rajasthan, and the beautiful
sceneries of Kashmir.
To capture all of these colors,
Singh chose KODAK VISION3
50D Color Negative Film 5203
for its color saturation and vivid
blacks. Throughout the ad, it
was very important that the red
color of the bike stood out like
the star and also the elements
of leaves, Holi colors and the
Kashmir valleys alpine greens.
The 50D [Film]
did wonders in
controlling the
saturation, he says.
I wanted to use
a stock that was
also able to hold

For the misty scenes of the

Kashmir Valley, Singh used the
low-contrast KODAK VISION3
500T Color Negative Film 5219.
It is an excellent stock that
brings out a great tonal range
in dense environments, offers
Singh. Thanks to [5219 Film],
we kept shooting, even past the
light meter signaling E. That is
the beauty of shooting on film.
It brings to my mind what my
cinematography teacher said
once: When
in doubt, close
your eyes and
roll. Eastman will
save you.
Including
travel, the shoot
schedule was
roughly 15 days
with many of
the locations
lacking an airport
or a railway station. But despite
the slower travel by vehicle
and other logistical challenges,
Singh felt secure the whole
time knowing that they were
shooting on film.
We wrapped the shoot in
Gulmarg and the nearest airport
was Srinagar, remembers
Singh. But that is an ultra-high

security, old and small airport. I

was worried about the baggage
scanners. Not wanting to take
chances, we sent the stock to
New Delhi via cars, from where
production carried it to the lab
in Mumbai by air.
A lot of cinematographers
still love shooting on film in
India, adds Singh. I think it
is only aggressive marketing
for (digital) that has led many
uninformed people to opt for it
as a choice above film. Ask any
trained, visual aesthetician what
medium he would choose, and
he would pick film.

Photos: Courtesy of Kiss Films, India.

THE

GLAMOUROUS

HERO

the shots. The widescreen aspect ratio worked well with

two-shots, and wider shots that evolve into two-shots. He
helped make the format work within the budget by drawing up
a lean equipment list, and by creating efficiency on the set, in
collaboration with the entire cast and crew.

The front-end lab was Deluxe, and a digital intermediate

was done at Company 3 with colorist Sean Coleman. The DI
was pretty seamless and fast, Hall adds. The look of the film
our intention was very much set in the lighting and the
photography.

James trust and generosity allowed me to really have a

large part in designing the film visually, says Hall. And the
actors delivered great performances without needing a lot
of takes. They were prepared. They were in their role. There
wasnt a lot of coverage. We committed to these shots that
told the story rather than trying to get a lot of coverage for
everything.

Authenticity was an important concept to the filmmakers.

James childhood and adolescence was spent in Athens,
and that really added another layer, Hall relates. We were
shooting in places that had a kind of a history for him as
well. We were very much preoccupied with the thought of
authenticity. We wanted it to feel like a genuine experience
of that age. At Sundance, I was pleased to find how many
people were touched emotionally by the film. I think thats, in
a way, because we did kind of succeed in that sort of sense
of truthfulness. Things were pretty stripped down, and the
choices were informed by James subtle sensibility.

The camera was a PANAFLEX MILLENIUM XL with a mixture

of lenses, mostly PANAVISION E-series anamorphics. The
main stocks were KODAK VISION3 500T Color Negative Film
5219 and KODAK VISION2 50D Color Negative Film 5201. A
few exteriors were shot using KODAK VISION3 250D Color
Negative Film 5207.
James didnt want the film to be placed in a specific
time, Hall explains. We were going for a classic look, and
the 50-speed stock was great for that. We had quite a lot
of exteriors, and we wanted to capture the warmth of the
southern atmosphere. I wanted it to feel like a real summer in
the south, without being over the top with warmth. Colors were
naturalistic I tended to bounce into textiles that had some
color. The light was often coming through multiple layers of
textiles and diffusion to warm the light and soften it.
Hall points to an important shot, done on a 50mm lens,
which appears about one-third of the way in. We wanted really
to authenticate the performances, which we did in long takes,
says Hall. This four-and-a-half minute walk-and-talk shot
really sets up the movie. The main character takes this girl to
a party where the hipsters, and his beautiful ex-girlfriend, are.
Shes very out of place. They walk away from the party through
a nearby wooded area. Its basically a pull-back and a two-shot
with them on the STEADICAM. The shot required an entire
400-foot mag. You see their relationship evolving in real time,
and its an amazing thing to watch. It goes from tentative flirting
and vulnerability to the blossoming of potential love within a
single shot.
Five takes of their walk were done over one day. To me, that
was the most interesting thing about this film the way these
long takes work was a significant aspect of how we conceived
it, says Hall. Theres a triangle between the camera crew,
the director and the actors, and without the encumbrance of
the DIT and the video village, that core group created a very
interesting dynamic. I think the film is quite pure in that way.

Film critic Marlow Stern, writing in The Daily Beast, called

The Spectacular Now one of the most poignant and gratifying
films at this years Sundance. The film is slated to run at a
number of film festivals before a wider theatrical release in
late summer 2013.
Hall is currently serving as director of photography on
Transcendence, the directorial debut of OSCAR-winning
cinematographer Wally Pfister, ASC, BSC.
Photos: Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley in scenes from The Spectacular Now
(Jess Hall, BSC/courtesy A24). Previous page, bottom: Jess Hall, BSC (Matt
Evans/courtesy A24).

the high heat and bright sun

of Rajasthan. As always, 50D
[Film] did not disappoint.

Where does Hero go to up

their glamour quotient? India.
For Heros Glamour a
popular motorbike in the trafficcluttered cities of India the
company chose cinematographer
Paramvir Singh to shoot their
latest ad. The DP is a graduate
of the Film & Television Institute
of India, and also a former
creative in advertising.
The ad portrays women
falling in love while riding in the
comfort of the back seat of the
new Hero Glamour. Director
Shikha Makan envisioned a
series of female protagonists
thrown into a romantic fantasy
the minute they catch sight of
the bike. But she aimed to keep
the dream world more based
in reality, showing different
women going about work or
daily activities to create a
feeling that this scenario could
actually happen to them.

Shikha used Indian visual

metaphors of love like yellow
autumn leaves, bursts of Holi
(the blazing oranges and
reds from the Indian Festival
of Colors), and vistas of the
high mountains, explains
Singh, which all translate the
imagination of the women into
a visual image. Our locations
were varied. We shot in the
streets of Mumbai, a dark
tunnel in Pune city, a heritage
palace in the heart of Jaisalmer,
Rajasthan, and the beautiful
sceneries of Kashmir.
To capture all of these colors,
Singh chose KODAK VISION3
50D Color Negative Film 5203
for its color saturation and vivid
blacks. Throughout the ad, it
was very important that the red
color of the bike stood out like
the star and also the elements
of leaves, Holi colors and the
Kashmir valleys alpine greens.
The 50D [Film]
did wonders in
controlling the
saturation, he says.
I wanted to use
a stock that was
also able to hold

For the misty scenes of the

Kashmir Valley, Singh used the
low-contrast KODAK VISION3
500T Color Negative Film 5219.
It is an excellent stock that
brings out a great tonal range
in dense environments, offers
Singh. Thanks to [5219 Film],
we kept shooting, even past the
light meter signaling E. That is
the beauty of shooting on film.
It brings to my mind what my
cinematography teacher said
once: When
in doubt, close
your eyes and
roll. Eastman will
save you.
Including
travel, the shoot
schedule was
roughly 15 days
with many of
the locations
lacking an airport
or a railway station. But despite
the slower travel by vehicle
and other logistical challenges,
Singh felt secure the whole
time knowing that they were
shooting on film.
We wrapped the shoot in
Gulmarg and the nearest airport
was Srinagar, remembers
Singh. But that is an ultra-high

security, old and small airport. I

was worried about the baggage
scanners. Not wanting to take
chances, we sent the stock to
New Delhi via cars, from where
production carried it to the lab
in Mumbai by air.
A lot of cinematographers
still love shooting on film in
India, adds Singh. I think it
is only aggressive marketing
for (digital) that has led many
uninformed people to opt for it
as a choice above film. Ask any
trained, visual aesthetician what
medium he would choose, and
he would pick film.

Photos: Courtesy of Kiss Films, India.

Sylvain Chomets

Sun, Sand and Serenity on

Attila Marcel

Digs Deep into the Psyche

When Sylvain Chomet, the wildly inventive director of the
animated feature films The Illusionist and The Triplets of Belleville,
set out to direct his first live-action feature, Attila Marcel,
he chose to work with acclaimed cinematographer Antoine
Roch, AFC. Roch, a veteran of more than 30 feature films, was
introduced to Chomet by producer Claudie Ossard. Director and
cinematographer were immediately simpatico. I was drawn to
Attila Marcel by Sylvain, the DP relates. He is so creative, and
has such a feeling for odd, wonderful characters the too big,
the too small. He has a very strong secret garden.
And then there was the script. It was beautiful, Roch adds.
It was all about the power of memory to transform. Right from
the start I saw ways in which I could help Sylvain achieve the
power of these memories in Pauls (the main characters) life.
In Attila Marcel, Guillaume Gouix plays Paul, an emotionally
stunted man living with his two aunts (Helene Vincent and
Bernadette Lafont) in a dim Parisian apartment. He has the
emotional age of a 2 year old, which is when his parents were
killed in an accident. He has no girlfriend, and no life other than
the one planned for him by his aunts, who are pushing him to
be a concert pianist. One day, he is given a magical brew by a
neighbor that allows him to revisit his memories of his parents to
find out what really happened to them.
Roch has his own memories of what
drove him to filmmaking. I think for
me it was Harold and Maude, he says.
Hal Ashby was such a great director.
I thought this is what I want to do.
So Roch made his first Super 8 movie
at the age of 12. It was a comedy,
with special effects. You know, when
youre a boy, its all about the tricks,
the effects. We were so proud we
made a dolly by screwing wheels on a
three-legged table.
Ingmar Bergman came later as an influence, while Roch was
a student at the famed Belgian film school Institut National
Suprieur des Arts du Spectacle et des Techniques de Diffusion.
Though he shot his first film at 26, the road wasnt always easy.
I grew up in western France, he explains. My parents were
doctors. They didnt really understand you could make a life in
film. Now, I think theyre okay with it.
Finding your way in life is one of the themes of Attila Marcel. Paul
is a character who has essentially lost 25 years of his life and has to
break from the path his aunts have set for him and discover his own
way. It is this psychology that Roch found fascinating because it lent
itself to very specific lighting. Because Attila is such a whimsical
movie, I could take chances, be bold. I could really use the psychology
of the characters to light them.
For instance, the aunts apartment
has very high ceilings that swallow up
the light. Its dim, almost suffocating.
This is Pauls world. In the piano room,
there is a single natural light source
the window. But when he opens the
lid of the piano, it blocks out the light,
a visual metaphor for the life Paul
doesnt want. Since Pauls memories
of his parents span the ages of about

The advantage of working

on Reef Doctors is getting
to be in the sun, sand and
serenity of Australian tropical
paradises like the Gold Coast,
Port Douglas and the Great
Barrier Reef. So whats the
catch? Sand, sun and serenity
arent always all theyre
cracked up to be.

To me, film aids emotion in

a way that digital cant quite
match. I wanted textures and
nuances.
6 months to 2 years, revisiting them demands a purely objective
camera when his parents talk to him, they look directly into the
camera. POVs are low, with the camera always moving, mimicking a
childs curious eye. Hands reach right at the camera, just as a toddler
would see them as they reached for him in a crib.
For Roch, film was the perfect and obvious choice for image
capture. Attila Marcel is a very emotional movie, very human. To me,
film aids emotion in a way that digital cant quite match. I wanted
textures and nuances. I wanted to feel what Paul was feeling.
In musical terms, Roch was looking not just for major notes, but
the minor ones the ones that add depth. This is where film stands
alone in conveying the sweetness and heartbreak of memory.
Convincing the producers to shoot on film was not difficult
they trusted Roch and knew that the cost was essentially
the same. Roch utilized KODAK VISON3 500T Color Negative
Film 5219, KODAK VISON3 200T Color Negative Film 5213 and
KODAK VISON3 50D Color Negative Film 5203, relying mainly
on 5213 Film for the grain and nuance it gave him. He shot
with the ARRI ST and ARRI LT cameras in 3-perf format, using
COOKE S4 Prime and ANGENIEUX Optimo Zoom lenses.
Roch also values the color range film gives him. While the
present-day scenes in Paris are classically lit, with a real-life color
palette, Pauls memories are an entirely different story. They are
full of light. The colors are rich, deep, and in some cases almost
garish. For instance, in one scene, Paul re-experiences a musical
band composed of life-size cartoon characters including a fish
and a frog just like he remembered them. And over all of these
memories is a particulate haze, with edges slightly dimmed, to
give the viewer a truer feeling of being inside Pauls mind. To
Rochs eye, the value of film is simple: Its more beautiful, so it
gives more emotion.
Attila Marcel is a movie about the
liberating possibility of memory. Its
part musical, very Parisian, and no
surprise coming from the mind of
Chomet touchingly offbeat. Rochs
eyes twinkle when he comments, I
think youll remember it!
Photos: Top and bottom: Scenes from Attila
Marcel. Middle: Cinematographer Antoine Roch.
(Photo credit: Laurent Bourlier).

Reef Doctors is produced

by Jonathan M. Shiff and
co-produced by Lisa McCune,
who also stars in the drama
series. The show is about the
remote Hope Island Clinic on
the Great Barrier Reef, run
by Sam Stewart (McCune),
an accomplished doctor who
along with her team looks
after the residents of all the
neighboring islands, as well as
the holidaymakers and thrill
seekers who visit the area.
Sam is also a single mother
with a free spirit, and a
determination for an unusual
hobby: venom.
Hope Island, where the
show takes place, is not a
real island but a carefully

selected showcase of tropical

Queensland locations,
explains Colin Budds, the
director of the first seven
episodes. We were in the
rainforests in the southeast,
palm-lined beaches of the far
north and the brilliance of the
Great Barrier Reef. What a gig,
eh? But it was bloody hot and
we had stingers (jellyfish) in
the water and leeches in the
trees. One day when we laid
down track, there was a giant
Python within one meter of us.
Seemingly unperturbed with
its feed, it remained unmoved
whilst slowly digesting.
Reef Doctors will premiere
on Australias TEN Network
in 2013 and has been
shooting on KODAK Film
since the beginning.
KODAK VISION3 500T
Color Negative Film 7219
has given us excellent
results when shooting in
the rainforest under a dense
canopy, says cinematographer Zenon Butch Sawko,
who worked his way up to
director of photography
from a grip at the Australian
Broadcasting Commission. It
has superior performance in
low-light situations handling
extremes in contrast well.
We managed to use minimal
lighting whilst maintaining
detail in densely shadowed
situations.
Sawko found that KODAK
VISION3 50D Color Negative
Film 7203 was ideal for
exterior shots, producing rich
color saturation with a clean
image and great tonal range.
And for interiors he uses
KODAK VISION3 200T Color
Negative Film 7213.
As with the other
KODAK Films selected for
Reef Doctors, the 200T Film
produces a more natural
balance in skin tones and
texture with a fine grain and
richer blacks, adds Sawko.

Filming in the hot, humid

tropics is no easy task.
Whether working in the
sand, scrambling through the
tropical jungle, or fighting
the tide, there arent many
easy shots to set up. Sawko
and Budds knew theyd need
ample support from local
experts and in the end felt
they were well provided for
from ground to air, beach to
reef.
Sawko shot on AATON
XTR prod 16mm cameras with
10.5mm-180mm CANON
lenses, framing for 4:3 and
protecting 16:9.
Wed use two cameras
wherever possible to
maximize coverage, says
Sawko, who has won three
Australian Cinematographers
Society Awards, one for a
dramatized documentary Just
Another Climb and two for
corporate films. My directors
(Budds and Grant Brown, who

directed episodes 14 through

26) would block a scene for
the A-camera and when able
to, without compromising the
shot, add a second camera.
As usual, adds Budds, I
(politely) demand and the
crew facilitates, with most
of the onus falling on the
camera department, or more
specifically Butch. But we have
worked together for over 20
years so theres shorthand
and a trust. His results
under the conditions are just
outstanding. From burning
skies, blinding reflections
off the water, black beneath
ancient canopies and the
unpredictable fronts of the
wet season, his was not an
easy task.
Photos: Top: Andy Conder, Steven
McGrath and Zenon Butch Sawko on
Reef Doctors (photo by Jasin Boland).
Left: Susan Hoecke as Freya and Richard
Brancatisano as Dr. Rick DAlessandro,
(photo by Jasin Boland). Bottom:
Underwater filming on Reef Doctors (photo
Jasin Boland). (All photos Jonathan M
Shiff Productions.)

Sylvain Chomets

Sun, Sand and Serenity on

Attila Marcel

Digs Deep into the Psyche

When Sylvain Chomet, the wildly inventive director of the
animated feature films The Illusionist and The Triplets of Belleville,
set out to direct his first live-action feature, Attila Marcel,
he chose to work with acclaimed cinematographer Antoine
Roch, AFC. Roch, a veteran of more than 30 feature films, was
introduced to Chomet by producer Claudie Ossard. Director and
cinematographer were immediately simpatico. I was drawn to
Attila Marcel by Sylvain, the DP relates. He is so creative, and
has such a feeling for odd, wonderful characters the too big,
the too small. He has a very strong secret garden.
And then there was the script. It was beautiful, Roch adds.
It was all about the power of memory to transform. Right from
the start I saw ways in which I could help Sylvain achieve the
power of these memories in Pauls (the main characters) life.
In Attila Marcel, Guillaume Gouix plays Paul, an emotionally
stunted man living with his two aunts (Helene Vincent and
Bernadette Lafont) in a dim Parisian apartment. He has the
emotional age of a 2 year old, which is when his parents were
killed in an accident. He has no girlfriend, and no life other than
the one planned for him by his aunts, who are pushing him to
be a concert pianist. One day, he is given a magical brew by a
neighbor that allows him to revisit his memories of his parents to
find out what really happened to them.
Roch has his own memories of what
drove him to filmmaking. I think for
me it was Harold and Maude, he says.
Hal Ashby was such a great director.
I thought this is what I want to do.
So Roch made his first Super 8 movie
at the age of 12. It was a comedy,
with special effects. You know, when
youre a boy, its all about the tricks,
the effects. We were so proud we
made a dolly by screwing wheels on a
three-legged table.
Ingmar Bergman came later as an influence, while Roch was
a student at the famed Belgian film school Institut National
Suprieur des Arts du Spectacle et des Techniques de Diffusion.
Though he shot his first film at 26, the road wasnt always easy.
I grew up in western France, he explains. My parents were
doctors. They didnt really understand you could make a life in
film. Now, I think theyre okay with it.
Finding your way in life is one of the themes of Attila Marcel. Paul
is a character who has essentially lost 25 years of his life and has to
break from the path his aunts have set for him and discover his own
way. It is this psychology that Roch found fascinating because it lent
itself to very specific lighting. Because Attila is such a whimsical
movie, I could take chances, be bold. I could really use the psychology
of the characters to light them.
For instance, the aunts apartment
has very high ceilings that swallow up
the light. Its dim, almost suffocating.
This is Pauls world. In the piano room,
there is a single natural light source
the window. But when he opens the
lid of the piano, it blocks out the light,
a visual metaphor for the life Paul
doesnt want. Since Pauls memories
of his parents span the ages of about

The advantage of working

on Reef Doctors is getting
to be in the sun, sand and
serenity of Australian tropical
paradises like the Gold Coast,
Port Douglas and the Great
Barrier Reef. So whats the
catch? Sand, sun and serenity
arent always all theyre
cracked up to be.

To me, film aids emotion in

a way that digital cant quite
match. I wanted textures and
nuances.
6 months to 2 years, revisiting them demands a purely objective
camera when his parents talk to him, they look directly into the
camera. POVs are low, with the camera always moving, mimicking a
childs curious eye. Hands reach right at the camera, just as a toddler
would see them as they reached for him in a crib.
For Roch, film was the perfect and obvious choice for image
capture. Attila Marcel is a very emotional movie, very human. To me,
film aids emotion in a way that digital cant quite match. I wanted
textures and nuances. I wanted to feel what Paul was feeling.
In musical terms, Roch was looking not just for major notes, but
the minor ones the ones that add depth. This is where film stands
alone in conveying the sweetness and heartbreak of memory.
Convincing the producers to shoot on film was not difficult
they trusted Roch and knew that the cost was essentially
the same. Roch utilized KODAK VISON3 500T Color Negative
Film 5219, KODAK VISON3 200T Color Negative Film 5213 and
KODAK VISON3 50D Color Negative Film 5203, relying mainly
on 5213 Film for the grain and nuance it gave him. He shot
with the ARRI ST and ARRI LT cameras in 3-perf format, using
COOKE S4 Prime and ANGENIEUX Optimo Zoom lenses.
Roch also values the color range film gives him. While the
present-day scenes in Paris are classically lit, with a real-life color
palette, Pauls memories are an entirely different story. They are
full of light. The colors are rich, deep, and in some cases almost
garish. For instance, in one scene, Paul re-experiences a musical
band composed of life-size cartoon characters including a fish
and a frog just like he remembered them. And over all of these
memories is a particulate haze, with edges slightly dimmed, to
give the viewer a truer feeling of being inside Pauls mind. To
Rochs eye, the value of film is simple: Its more beautiful, so it
gives more emotion.
Attila Marcel is a movie about the
liberating possibility of memory. Its
part musical, very Parisian, and no
surprise coming from the mind of
Chomet touchingly offbeat. Rochs
eyes twinkle when he comments, I
think youll remember it!
Photos: Top and bottom: Scenes from Attila
Marcel. Middle: Cinematographer Antoine Roch.
(Photo credit: Laurent Bourlier).

Reef Doctors is produced

by Jonathan M. Shiff and
co-produced by Lisa McCune,
who also stars in the drama
series. The show is about the
remote Hope Island Clinic on
the Great Barrier Reef, run
by Sam Stewart (McCune),
an accomplished doctor who
along with her team looks
after the residents of all the
neighboring islands, as well as
the holidaymakers and thrill
seekers who visit the area.
Sam is also a single mother
with a free spirit, and a
determination for an unusual
hobby: venom.
Hope Island, where the
show takes place, is not a
real island but a carefully

selected showcase of tropical

Queensland locations,
explains Colin Budds, the
director of the first seven
episodes. We were in the
rainforests in the southeast,
palm-lined beaches of the far
north and the brilliance of the
Great Barrier Reef. What a gig,
eh? But it was bloody hot and
we had stingers (jellyfish) in
the water and leeches in the
trees. One day when we laid
down track, there was a giant
Python within one meter of us.
Seemingly unperturbed with
its feed, it remained unmoved
whilst slowly digesting.
Reef Doctors will premiere
on Australias TEN Network
in 2013 and has been
shooting on KODAK Film
since the beginning.
KODAK VISION3 500T
Color Negative Film 7219
has given us excellent
results when shooting in
the rainforest under a dense
canopy, says cinematographer Zenon Butch Sawko,
who worked his way up to
director of photography
from a grip at the Australian
Broadcasting Commission. It
has superior performance in
low-light situations handling
extremes in contrast well.
We managed to use minimal
lighting whilst maintaining
detail in densely shadowed
situations.
Sawko found that KODAK
VISION3 50D Color Negative
Film 7203 was ideal for
exterior shots, producing rich
color saturation with a clean
image and great tonal range.
And for interiors he uses
KODAK VISION3 200T Color
Negative Film 7213.
As with the other
KODAK Films selected for
Reef Doctors, the 200T Film
produces a more natural
balance in skin tones and
texture with a fine grain and
richer blacks, adds Sawko.

Filming in the hot, humid

tropics is no easy task.
Whether working in the
sand, scrambling through the
tropical jungle, or fighting
the tide, there arent many
easy shots to set up. Sawko
and Budds knew theyd need
ample support from local
experts and in the end felt
they were well provided for
from ground to air, beach to
reef.
Sawko shot on AATON
XTR prod 16mm cameras with
10.5mm-180mm CANON
lenses, framing for 4:3 and
protecting 16:9.
Wed use two cameras
wherever possible to
maximize coverage, says
Sawko, who has won three
Australian Cinematographers
Society Awards, one for a
dramatized documentary Just
Another Climb and two for
corporate films. My directors
(Budds and Grant Brown, who

directed episodes 14 through

26) would block a scene for
the A-camera and when able
to, without compromising the
shot, add a second camera.
As usual, adds Budds, I
(politely) demand and the
crew facilitates, with most
of the onus falling on the
camera department, or more
specifically Butch. But we have
worked together for over 20
years so theres shorthand
and a trust. His results
under the conditions are just
outstanding. From burning
skies, blinding reflections
off the water, black beneath
ancient canopies and the
unpredictable fronts of the
wet season, his was not an
easy task.
Photos: Top: Andy Conder, Steven
McGrath and Zenon Butch Sawko on
Reef Doctors (photo by Jasin Boland).
Left: Susan Hoecke as Freya and Richard
Brancatisano as Dr. Rick DAlessandro,
(photo by Jasin Boland). Bottom:
Underwater filming on Reef Doctors (photo
Jasin Boland). (All photos Jonathan M
Shiff Productions.)

Aguirresarobe reteams
with Allen for

Blue
Jasmine

portrait even in the most dramatic moments. This was crucial

considering the expressiveness and wonderful interpretation
of this great actress throughout the movie. For me, it was
a complete luxury to work with her day after day an
unforgettable experience.
The approach to lighting grew organically from the story
and locations. Like Vicky, Blue Jasmine is not a comedy, says
Aguirresarobe. It is a movie that holds a dramatic mood,
coming close to an emotional realism. That concept drove me
to raise natural and believable atmospheres.
Natural sources predominate, and contrast is controlled.
Lighting fixtures included KINO FLOs, some FRESNELs, and 4K
and 1,800-watt HMIs. Intense mid-day sun was controlled with
large silks.
The camera lived on the STEADICAM, following the
characters almost throughout and sometimes necessitating
iris control during the shot. Our collaboration was focused on
solving the equation of each sequence, says Aguirresarobe.
How to move the camera and how to organize the
choreography and the movements of the actors to tell the story
with the highest level of expressiveness.
Unlike Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which used a completely
photochemical post path, Blue Jasmine went through a digital
intermediate at Company 3 with colorist Stefan Sonnenfeld.
The colors are more neutral, less warm. Also, the aspect ratio
changed from Allens usual 1.85:1 to the wider 2.35:1. The
format was 3-perf Super 35.
We agreed that the more panoramic format would provide
us with more flexibility in telling the story, especially in shooting
long scenes, says Aguirresarobe. Using 3-perf has two main
advantages. The first is economic: we save about 25% of each
roll of film. The second and more important reason is that we
can shoot 25% longer with each magazine.

Javier Aguirresarobe, AEC, ASC brings a unique sensibility to

his work. A master with more than 100 narrative films and six
GOYA Awards to his credit, the Basque-born cinematographer
has collaborated with Pedro Almodvar (Talk to Her), Milos
Forman (Goyas Ghosts), John Hillcoat (The Road), James Ivory
(The City of Your Final Destination), and Alejandro Amenbar
(The Sea Inside).
In 2007, Aguirresarobe teamed with Woody Allen on
Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The collaboration clicked, and the
duo recently reunited for Blue Jasmine. Prior to Vicky Cristina
Barcelona, I studied the light and
camera movement in Woodys
films, says Aguirresarobe. I found
that almost all of them distilled
to a similar style and way of
storytelling. I saw a preference for
warm tones. All of them obey a
similar visual concept.
From my point of view,
the universe of Woody Allen
possesses a very definite visual
aesthetic that includes not only
the photography but also the
wardrobe, the production design,
and the color palette, he adds.
My goal was to comply with this
aesthetic universe the one he wishes for his movies and
also to help him to mold his language in the making of shots and
sequences.
The filmmakers agreed that film was the right choice.
The entire movie was shot on KODAK VISION3 500T Color
Negative Film 5219, utilizing ARRI/ZEISS Master Prime lenses.

Aguirresarobe says that texture is a very important concept

in his approach. Its the texture of the film, but its also the
texture of the light that is projected on the screen, he explains.
That is one of the main elements, and it deeply affects all the
other elements. To me, texture is what makes the difference
between one cinematographer and another. The texture and
the material depend on the story, of course. But when the story
moves you, it motivates you to add your own personality to it.
The special texture of color provided by KODAK Films
is important to me, especially for skin tones and faithful
reproduction of the true colors of
the scene we are shooting. Blue
Jasmine went to the DI process
with such a base of color and
thickness that we could gain
access to the definitive tones very
quickly. The negative provides an
enormous flexibility at the color
correction stage, and it provides a
wonderful image texture.
Lead actor Cate Blanchett
worked with two different
treatments in makeup, wardrobe
and lighting. The first was for
scenes depicting flashbacks to her
life in New York City, where she
lived an abundant existence. The second treatment is set in San
Francisco, where she is searching for a new way of living. San
Francisco is the setting for conflict, and New York is the setting
for opulence.
In both ambiences, she gets light that fits a leading actress,
says Aguirresarobe. I wanted to paint an attractive, beautiful

The time consideration works hand in hand with the wide

frame. In principle, I think the 2.35 format is better able to
integrate the action and elements that make up a scene,
he relates. The language changes when we shoot with a

Blue Jasmine went to the

DI process with such a base
of color and thickness that
we could gain access to the
definitive tones very quickly.
The negative provides an
enormous flexibility at the
color correction stage, and it
provides a wonderful image
texture.
more panoramic format. We can relate the scene in another
way. It allows you to play with the choreography and camera
movement in ways that simplify the cinematographic narration
and make certain other scenes unnecessary.
As an example, Aguirresarobe points to a long take in
which Jasmine, played by Blanchett, is harassed by a dentist,
played by Michael Stuhlbarg. The sequence was practically
solved with a single shot in a minimal space the reception
area of a doctors office, he says. The efficiency and
expressiveness of the scene is mainly due to both actors,
but the position and movements of the camera also give it a
touch of authentic realism.
On Blue Jasmine, Allen and Aguirresarobe used an on-set
monitor, but access to this monitor was limited only
the two of them were allowed to view it. This
mysterious game with the image on the set, this
enormous discretion, are key points in the movies
of Woody Allen, says the cinematographer.
It makes me think that film will keep on being
the essential support in his movies. Shooting
with film provides the appropriate texture for
Woody Allens aesthetic universe and favors the
discretion he prizes during the shooting.
Blue Jasmine is rolling out in theaters
starting in July.

Photos: Left page: Top: Cate Blanchett stars

in Blue Jasmine. Center: Javier Aguirresarobe,
AEC, ASC. Right page: Woody Allen and
Aguirresarobe on set. (Merrick Morton
2013 Gravier Productions, Courtesy of Sony
Pictures Classics)

Aguirresarobe reteams
with Allen for

Blue
Jasmine

portrait even in the most dramatic moments. This was crucial

considering the expressiveness and wonderful interpretation
of this great actress throughout the movie. For me, it was
a complete luxury to work with her day after day an
unforgettable experience.
The approach to lighting grew organically from the story
and locations. Like Vicky, Blue Jasmine is not a comedy, says
Aguirresarobe. It is a movie that holds a dramatic mood,
coming close to an emotional realism. That concept drove me
to raise natural and believable atmospheres.
Natural sources predominate, and contrast is controlled.
Lighting fixtures included KINO FLOs, some FRESNELs, and 4K
and 1,800-watt HMIs. Intense mid-day sun was controlled with
large silks.
The camera lived on the STEADICAM, following the
characters almost throughout and sometimes necessitating
iris control during the shot. Our collaboration was focused on
solving the equation of each sequence, says Aguirresarobe.
How to move the camera and how to organize the
choreography and the movements of the actors to tell the story
with the highest level of expressiveness.
Unlike Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which used a completely
photochemical post path, Blue Jasmine went through a digital
intermediate at Company 3 with colorist Stefan Sonnenfeld.
The colors are more neutral, less warm. Also, the aspect ratio
changed from Allens usual 1.85:1 to the wider 2.35:1. The
format was 3-perf Super 35.
We agreed that the more panoramic format would provide
us with more flexibility in telling the story, especially in shooting
long scenes, says Aguirresarobe. Using 3-perf has two main
advantages. The first is economic: we save about 25% of each
roll of film. The second and more important reason is that we
can shoot 25% longer with each magazine.

Javier Aguirresarobe, AEC, ASC brings a unique sensibility to

his work. A master with more than 100 narrative films and six
GOYA Awards to his credit, the Basque-born cinematographer
has collaborated with Pedro Almodvar (Talk to Her), Milos
Forman (Goyas Ghosts), John Hillcoat (The Road), James Ivory
(The City of Your Final Destination), and Alejandro Amenbar
(The Sea Inside).
In 2007, Aguirresarobe teamed with Woody Allen on
Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The collaboration clicked, and the
duo recently reunited for Blue Jasmine. Prior to Vicky Cristina
Barcelona, I studied the light and
camera movement in Woodys
films, says Aguirresarobe. I found
that almost all of them distilled
to a similar style and way of
storytelling. I saw a preference for
warm tones. All of them obey a
similar visual concept.
From my point of view,
the universe of Woody Allen
possesses a very definite visual
aesthetic that includes not only
the photography but also the
wardrobe, the production design,
and the color palette, he adds.
My goal was to comply with this
aesthetic universe the one he wishes for his movies and
also to help him to mold his language in the making of shots and
sequences.
The filmmakers agreed that film was the right choice.
The entire movie was shot on KODAK VISION3 500T Color
Negative Film 5219, utilizing ARRI/ZEISS Master Prime lenses.

Aguirresarobe says that texture is a very important concept

in his approach. Its the texture of the film, but its also the
texture of the light that is projected on the screen, he explains.
That is one of the main elements, and it deeply affects all the
other elements. To me, texture is what makes the difference
between one cinematographer and another. The texture and
the material depend on the story, of course. But when the story
moves you, it motivates you to add your own personality to it.
The special texture of color provided by KODAK Films
is important to me, especially for skin tones and faithful
reproduction of the true colors of
the scene we are shooting. Blue
Jasmine went to the DI process
with such a base of color and
thickness that we could gain
access to the definitive tones very
quickly. The negative provides an
enormous flexibility at the color
correction stage, and it provides a
wonderful image texture.
Lead actor Cate Blanchett
worked with two different
treatments in makeup, wardrobe
and lighting. The first was for
scenes depicting flashbacks to her
life in New York City, where she
lived an abundant existence. The second treatment is set in San
Francisco, where she is searching for a new way of living. San
Francisco is the setting for conflict, and New York is the setting
for opulence.
In both ambiences, she gets light that fits a leading actress,
says Aguirresarobe. I wanted to paint an attractive, beautiful

The time consideration works hand in hand with the wide

frame. In principle, I think the 2.35 format is better able to
integrate the action and elements that make up a scene,
he relates. The language changes when we shoot with a

Blue Jasmine went to the

DI process with such a base
of color and thickness that
we could gain access to the
definitive tones very quickly.
The negative provides an
enormous flexibility at the
color correction stage, and it
provides a wonderful image
texture.
more panoramic format. We can relate the scene in another
way. It allows you to play with the choreography and camera
movement in ways that simplify the cinematographic narration
and make certain other scenes unnecessary.
As an example, Aguirresarobe points to a long take in
which Jasmine, played by Blanchett, is harassed by a dentist,
played by Michael Stuhlbarg. The sequence was practically
solved with a single shot in a minimal space the reception
area of a doctors office, he says. The efficiency and
expressiveness of the scene is mainly due to both actors,
but the position and movements of the camera also give it a
touch of authentic realism.
On Blue Jasmine, Allen and Aguirresarobe used an on-set
monitor, but access to this monitor was limited only
the two of them were allowed to view it. This
mysterious game with the image on the set, this
enormous discretion, are key points in the movies
of Woody Allen, says the cinematographer.
It makes me think that film will keep on being
the essential support in his movies. Shooting
with film provides the appropriate texture for
Woody Allens aesthetic universe and favors the
discretion he prizes during the shooting.
Blue Jasmine is rolling out in theaters
starting in July.

Photos: Left page: Top: Cate Blanchett stars

in Blue Jasmine. Center: Javier Aguirresarobe,
AEC, ASC. Right page: Woody Allen and
Aguirresarobe on set. (Merrick Morton
2013 Gravier Productions, Courtesy of Sony
Pictures Classics)

naturalistic, because it takes a lot of work to make it look

real. The light comes from the windows, but there is always a
reflector outside mimicking daylight. At the same time, its an
enhanced realism. That is the way I usually work. The design,
location and wardrobe changes, of course, are specific to the
project.
Goldman eschewed extreme angles or wide angle lenses,
opting instead for a classic, elegant and sober look.
The grand courtroom locations lent an August air to the
proceedings. The production was only allowed access to these
working chambers on Sundays, and they faced strict limits on
rigging.

I prefer to call our approach

realistic, as opposed to
naturalistic, because it takes
a lot of work to make it look
real.

These interiors were very beautiful, says Goldman.

You could feel the tradition. It was important to establish
the weight of the law and how it affects these characters.
Its absolutely different from shooting on a soundstage. We
bounced sources on white walls, and in one case, they allowed
us to have one big HMI balloon light. I think the London legal
world is really well shown in the film.
The grip crew set up tracks for almost every dolly shot.
That way, if Crowley decided to add some movement to a
given shot, the work was already done. I think that these
subtle moves add a special touch to the movie, says
Goldman. Once we get into the thriller part of the story,
STEADICAM and handheld cameras played a more important
role, adding motion, speed and tension. In the second half of

PEEKS INTO LONDON LEGAL WORLD

Adriano Goldman, ABC, the Brazilian cinematographer
behind the images in Sin Nombre, City of Men, 360, and
Jane Eyre, began his career in television, so he understands
electronic imaging. Im not nostalgic, he says. But today,
even the producers understand that while video cameras
have improved, they are not better than film, and they are not
cheaper and not faster.
Goldmans most recent project is Closed Circuit, which he
photographed for director John Crowley (Intermission, Boy A,
Is Anybody There?). The story, a thriller set in Londons legal
world, follows a team of lawyers who are also ex-lovers. The
duo is forced to work together on a terrorists legal defense,
and soon find their lives threatened. The cast features
Rebecca Hall, Eric Bana, Ciarn Hinds, Anne-Marie Duff and
Jim Broadbent.

natural illumination. The production sought out interiors with

large windows to facilitate lighting. One key differentiation
highlighted by the cinematography is between the world of
Claudia, played by Hall, and the world of Martin, played by
Bana. Claudia lives in a trendy, light-filled London apartment
that Goldman portrayed as bright and graphic. Martin, who
is getting over a difficult divorce, lives in a smaller apartment
that is darker and less inviting even creepy, says Goldman.

the movie, there are quite a few sequences where we chose

unique compositions and more exciting camera work.
An ARRICAM LT was the main camera, with ZEISS Master
Prime lenses, and two lightweight zooms. About 70% of the
film was shot on KODAK VISION3 500T Color Negative Film
5219. On bright day exteriors, Goldman went with KODAK
VISION3 200T Color Negative Film 5213.

The colorists Ive been working with say that material

originated on digital cameras feels like a thin negative,
says Goldman. With film, you can dig deep to enrich the
image. Theres a lot of latitude there, a lot of quality. We
did the Closed Circuit grade in 80 hours, and we had plenty
of time. We went through it four times. If I had shot on a
digital format, I would have needed more time. The people at
Technicolor gave us excellent service with no problems. They
have seen everything, and they also think film is the better
support for images.

The format was

3-perf Super 35, for
a 2.40:1 aspect ratio.
Goldman used the
frame to accentuate the
characters loneliness,
and later in the story, it
was conducive to elegant
two-shots.
This is a film about
real places and real
people lawyers, judges
and the government,
says Goldman. I prefer
to call our approach
realistic, as opposed to

A contemporary film
shot mostly on locations
in London, Closed Circuit
called for realism, with
Photos: Ja

Im very happy with Rebeccas close-ups in the film, he

says. We want her to look beautiful, but not too much. I
never wanted this to look like a commercial, ever. She is a
real character, not a perfect female leading actor. Im glad I
found a way to make it look elegant and soft, and film was an
important part of that. I dont really trust the skin tones on
most digital cameras.
The digital intermediate was done at Technicolor Creative
Services in London with colorist Paul Ensby one of the best,
according to Goldman. The decision to originate on 35mm
film also paid dividends in post-production.

The other settings were dark night exteriors in London,

and grand courtrooms where the trial unfolds. For the night
exteriors, Goldman imbued the images with film grain. I tried
to make it a little grittier and grainier sometimes, he says.
You still feel the film texture.

John is a visual guy,

Goldman says of Crowley.
He enjoys the process.
He comes from a theater
background, but he
loves the storytelling
techniques that come with
filmmaking. John loves
film and the texture it
brings.

much, especially on close-ups, he says. I can also put some

sharpness back on the DI and I can still maintain the softness
on the skin.

For some cloudy day exteriors, I used the 500T Film, he

says. I honestly think its the best stock I really like the
grain, even when it is as fine as we get with the [52]19. I like
the soft texture it gives me.
Goldman shot with a half Soft/FX filter on 90% of the
film. It gives me a little extra softness that I actually like very

Closed Circuit is scheduled for an August release.

Photos: Top left: Eric Bana stars as Martin Rose in John Crowleys Closed Circuit, a Focus
Features release. Bottom left: (l to r) Bana as Rose and Ciaran Hinds, who stars as Devlin.
Top right: Rebecca Hall stars as Claudia Simmons-Howe. Bottom right: Bana as Rose.
(Courtesy Focus Features.)

naturalistic, because it takes a lot of work to make it look

real. The light comes from the windows, but there is always a
reflector outside mimicking daylight. At the same time, its an
enhanced realism. That is the way I usually work. The design,
location and wardrobe changes, of course, are specific to the
project.
Goldman eschewed extreme angles or wide angle lenses,
opting instead for a classic, elegant and sober look.
The grand courtroom locations lent an August air to the
proceedings. The production was only allowed access to these
working chambers on Sundays, and they faced strict limits on
rigging.

I prefer to call our approach

realistic, as opposed to
naturalistic, because it takes
a lot of work to make it look
real.

These interiors were very beautiful, says Goldman.

You could feel the tradition. It was important to establish
the weight of the law and how it affects these characters.
Its absolutely different from shooting on a soundstage. We
bounced sources on white walls, and in one case, they allowed
us to have one big HMI balloon light. I think the London legal
world is really well shown in the film.
The grip crew set up tracks for almost every dolly shot.
That way, if Crowley decided to add some movement to a
given shot, the work was already done. I think that these
subtle moves add a special touch to the movie, says
Goldman. Once we get into the thriller part of the story,
STEADICAM and handheld cameras played a more important
role, adding motion, speed and tension. In the second half of

PEEKS INTO LONDON LEGAL WORLD

Adriano Goldman, ABC, the Brazilian cinematographer
behind the images in Sin Nombre, City of Men, 360, and
Jane Eyre, began his career in television, so he understands
electronic imaging. Im not nostalgic, he says. But today,
even the producers understand that while video cameras
have improved, they are not better than film, and they are not
cheaper and not faster.
Goldmans most recent project is Closed Circuit, which he
photographed for director John Crowley (Intermission, Boy A,
Is Anybody There?). The story, a thriller set in Londons legal
world, follows a team of lawyers who are also ex-lovers. The
duo is forced to work together on a terrorists legal defense,
and soon find their lives threatened. The cast features
Rebecca Hall, Eric Bana, Ciarn Hinds, Anne-Marie Duff and
Jim Broadbent.

natural illumination. The production sought out interiors with

large windows to facilitate lighting. One key differentiation
highlighted by the cinematography is between the world of
Claudia, played by Hall, and the world of Martin, played by
Bana. Claudia lives in a trendy, light-filled London apartment
that Goldman portrayed as bright and graphic. Martin, who
is getting over a difficult divorce, lives in a smaller apartment
that is darker and less inviting even creepy, says Goldman.

the movie, there are quite a few sequences where we chose

unique compositions and more exciting camera work.
An ARRICAM LT was the main camera, with ZEISS Master
Prime lenses, and two lightweight zooms. About 70% of the
film was shot on KODAK VISION3 500T Color Negative Film
5219. On bright day exteriors, Goldman went with KODAK
VISION3 200T Color Negative Film 5213.

The colorists Ive been working with say that material

originated on digital cameras feels like a thin negative,
says Goldman. With film, you can dig deep to enrich the
image. Theres a lot of latitude there, a lot of quality. We
did the Closed Circuit grade in 80 hours, and we had plenty
of time. We went through it four times. If I had shot on a
digital format, I would have needed more time. The people at
Technicolor gave us excellent service with no problems. They
have seen everything, and they also think film is the better
support for images.

The format was

3-perf Super 35, for
a 2.40:1 aspect ratio.
Goldman used the
frame to accentuate the
characters loneliness,
and later in the story, it
was conducive to elegant
two-shots.
This is a film about
real places and real
people lawyers, judges
and the government,
says Goldman. I prefer
to call our approach
realistic, as opposed to

A contemporary film
shot mostly on locations
in London, Closed Circuit
called for realism, with
Photos: Ja

Im very happy with Rebeccas close-ups in the film, he

says. We want her to look beautiful, but not too much. I
never wanted this to look like a commercial, ever. She is a
real character, not a perfect female leading actor. Im glad I
found a way to make it look elegant and soft, and film was an
important part of that. I dont really trust the skin tones on
most digital cameras.
The digital intermediate was done at Technicolor Creative
Services in London with colorist Paul Ensby one of the best,
according to Goldman. The decision to originate on 35mm
film also paid dividends in post-production.

The other settings were dark night exteriors in London,

and grand courtrooms where the trial unfolds. For the night
exteriors, Goldman imbued the images with film grain. I tried
to make it a little grittier and grainier sometimes, he says.
You still feel the film texture.

John is a visual guy,

Goldman says of Crowley.
He enjoys the process.
He comes from a theater
background, but he
loves the storytelling
techniques that come with
filmmaking. John loves
film and the texture it
brings.

much, especially on close-ups, he says. I can also put some

sharpness back on the DI and I can still maintain the softness
on the skin.

For some cloudy day exteriors, I used the 500T Film, he

says. I honestly think its the best stock I really like the
grain, even when it is as fine as we get with the [52]19. I like
the soft texture it gives me.
Goldman shot with a half Soft/FX filter on 90% of the
film. It gives me a little extra softness that I actually like very

Closed Circuit is scheduled for an August release.

Photos: Top left: Eric Bana stars as Martin Rose in John Crowleys Closed Circuit, a Focus
Features release. Bottom left: (l to r) Bana as Rose and Ciaran Hinds, who stars as Devlin.
Top right: Rebecca Hall stars as Claudia Simmons-Howe. Bottom right: Bana as Rose.
(Courtesy Focus Features.)

Find a Lab

SPOTLIGHT ON

with Kodaks Lab

Locator App and
Online Directory

LABS

Every day, in cities around

the world, talented experts
at an array of outstanding
laboratories help storytellers
bring their images to life.
InCamera checked in with just a
few of these labs to see whats
developing and on the horizon.
This year marks FotoKems
50th anniversary as a
full-service post-production
facility serving the creative
community. With one of the
most well-known labs in the
world, the Burbank-based
company offers a broad
spectrum of services, including
a palette of new digital
workflows for 65mm, 35mm
and 16mm film acquisition.
Mike Brodersen, FotoKems
VP of strategy, notes, In
recent months, both 65mm
and 35mm 2-perf have
seen a boost in popularity
filmmakers shooting 65mm
as the gold standard in image
quality and 2-perf 35mm as
a cost-effective acquisition
choice for scope aspect
ratios. Offering new digital
tools in conjunction with film
acquisition gives productions a
wide array of finishing options

for a variety of budget levels,

with the added benefit of a
built-in archive format for
future proofing.
(www.fotokem.com)
IMAGICA WEST Corp.,
located in Osaka, Japan,
recently purchased a new
ECP PHOTOMEC Processor
to continue to provide the
industry with stellar images.
The lab strives to not only have
the best equipment but also to
employ talented professionals.
Our employees are quite
diverse, says Hiromi Inatsuchi,
president of IMAGICA WEST,
a subsidiary of IMAGICA
Corp. Our workforce is
young, with the majority still
in their 30s, but we also have

a number of highly-skilled
employees in their 60s on the
front line, which may be rare
in todays film laboratories.
The younger ones are eager
to learn something new, as
well as something old (past
techniques, history, etc.) from
such senior employees. Film
will exist for a long time from
now. And we want to be the
place where experts gather.
Film is the most superior
medium, especially in handling
mixed colors, adds Inatsuchi.
Experts are very aware of
the advantages, thus as long
as budgets allow, film will be
in demand for a long time.
(www.imagicawest.com/
westcom)

Over at Technicolor
PostWorks, in New York
City, they are seeing a
reversal of recent trends,
with more directors and
cinematographers choosing to
capture on film. Filmmakers
are finding that digital
media lacks the warmth and
emotional power that their
narratives need. Film-original
projects that we have recently
serviced (or are currently
servicing) include Inside Llewyn
Davis, Bluebird, Chinese Puzzle,
Delivery Man, The Butler, Noah,
Non-Stop and Fading Gigolo.
We also continue to service
the television series Boardwalk
Empire, which is shot on film.
TechnicolorPostWorks works
with filmmakers to develop
novel workflow, cultivate
technological and creative
solutions to control costs, and
to address other practicalities
that might otherwise stand in
the way of filmmakers desire
to shoot film. That strategy is
working and as a result, we
believe the long-term future
of film is bright, says Charles
Herzfeld, senior vice president
of feature sales.
(tpwny.slatemediagroup.com)

the UK and at the levels that

a major studio project would
expect in every regard; that
is our commitment. Projects
on the horizon for i dailies (via
Company 3) include Disneys
Cinderella for director Kenneth
Branagh. (www.i-dailies.co.uk)

London-based i dailies
is installing a second
PHOTOMEC Processer, which
will run at 100 feet per minute,
doubling their capacity to
90,000 feet per eight-hour
overnight shift. The lab always
finishes the processing that
began at the start of the shift,
and if necessary, can run a
daytime processing bath on
demand. The facility is also
putting in the infrastructure
to provide 35mm printing
services for rush printing and
print deliverables for delivery
schedule requirements. I can
honestly say that we have a real
passion for film, says i dailies
co-founder Nigel Horn. We are
dedicated to helping provide a
viable infrastructure for all filmoriginated projects shooting in

Cineworks Digital
Studios, Inc. has facilities in
Miami, Florida; New Orleans,
Louisiana; and Studio City and
Santa Monica, California. The
New Orleans location offers
a full-service front-end lab, in
addition to a comprehensive
digital infrastructure where
traditional post-production
workflows and HD converge.
President Vinny Hogan,
a 36-year veteran in the
industry, leads this highly
experienced staff that follows
meticulous guidelines for
quality assurances. Film
projects that have reached out
to Cineworks for their expertise
and post-production solutions
include Olympus Has Fallen,
Twelve Years a Slave, Oldboy, The
Paperboy, G.I. Joe: Retaliation,
and Looper.
(www.cineworks.com)

The KODAK IMAGECARE

Program is a prestigious quality
program for motion picture
film processing laboratories.
With member labs in Bulgaria,
Canada, Czech Republic,
France, Germany, Greece,
India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico,
Poland, Romania, Turkey and
the UK, the Program includes
rigorous quality standards
that assure member labs
adhere to established practices
with full documentation of
procedures and calibration.
Kodak works very closely with
laboratory personnel to assure
these standards are met and
maintained.
Visit www.kodak.com/go/
imagecare for more information
on the KODAK IMAGECARE
Program and a list of member
laboratories with contact
information.

On location in an unfamiliar
city, and need to find a lab? Using
your current location and selecting
the service you are looking for,
Kodaks free Lab Locator app will
find a location near you and provide
contact information and a map to
help you get there. The tool also
provides the ability to search other
locations by filling out the search
form.
The Lab Locator app is available
for iOS and ANDROID Devices. The
same information is also available
on Kodaks website. The online lab
directory allows you to search for
facilities by service and/or country.
To download the app, visit the
iTunes Store or ANDROID Market,
or go to http://motion.kodak.com/
motion/Support/Laboratories_
Directory/index.htm to find the
right location for your project.

Photos: Top: Film scanner

at FotoKem. Top, inset:
Technicolor-PostWorks DI
room. Bottom left: Hiromi
Inatsuchi, president of
IMAGICA WEST, a subsidiary
of IMAGICA Corp. Right
center: London-based i dailies.

Find a Lab

SPOTLIGHT ON

with Kodaks Lab

Locator App and
Online Directory

LABS

Every day, in cities around

the world, talented experts
at an array of outstanding
laboratories help storytellers
bring their images to life.
InCamera checked in with just a
few of these labs to see whats
developing and on the horizon.
This year marks FotoKems
50th anniversary as a
full-service post-production
facility serving the creative
community. With one of the
most well-known labs in the
world, the Burbank-based
company offers a broad
spectrum of services, including
a palette of new digital
workflows for 65mm, 35mm
and 16mm film acquisition.
Mike Brodersen, FotoKems
VP of strategy, notes, In
recent months, both 65mm
and 35mm 2-perf have
seen a boost in popularity
filmmakers shooting 65mm
as the gold standard in image
quality and 2-perf 35mm as
a cost-effective acquisition
choice for scope aspect
ratios. Offering new digital
tools in conjunction with film
acquisition gives productions a
wide array of finishing options

for a variety of budget levels,

with the added benefit of a
built-in archive format for
future proofing.
(www.fotokem.com)
IMAGICA WEST Corp.,
located in Osaka, Japan,
recently purchased a new
ECP PHOTOMEC Processor
to continue to provide the
industry with stellar images.
The lab strives to not only have
the best equipment but also to
employ talented professionals.
Our employees are quite
diverse, says Hiromi Inatsuchi,
president of IMAGICA WEST,
a subsidiary of IMAGICA
Corp. Our workforce is
young, with the majority still
in their 30s, but we also have

a number of highly-skilled
employees in their 60s on the
front line, which may be rare
in todays film laboratories.
The younger ones are eager
to learn something new, as
well as something old (past
techniques, history, etc.) from
such senior employees. Film
will exist for a long time from
now. And we want to be the
place where experts gather.
Film is the most superior
medium, especially in handling
mixed colors, adds Inatsuchi.
Experts are very aware of
the advantages, thus as long
as budgets allow, film will be
in demand for a long time.
(www.imagicawest.com/
westcom)

Over at Technicolor
PostWorks, in New York
City, they are seeing a
reversal of recent trends,
with more directors and
cinematographers choosing to
capture on film. Filmmakers
are finding that digital
media lacks the warmth and
emotional power that their
narratives need. Film-original
projects that we have recently
serviced (or are currently
servicing) include Inside Llewyn
Davis, Bluebird, Chinese Puzzle,
Delivery Man, The Butler, Noah,
Non-Stop and Fading Gigolo.
We also continue to service
the television series Boardwalk
Empire, which is shot on film.
TechnicolorPostWorks works
with filmmakers to develop
novel workflow, cultivate
technological and creative
solutions to control costs, and
to address other practicalities
that might otherwise stand in
the way of filmmakers desire
to shoot film. That strategy is
working and as a result, we
believe the long-term future
of film is bright, says Charles
Herzfeld, senior vice president
of feature sales.
(tpwny.slatemediagroup.com)

the UK and at the levels that

a major studio project would
expect in every regard; that
is our commitment. Projects
on the horizon for i dailies (via
Company 3) include Disneys
Cinderella for director Kenneth
Branagh. (www.i-dailies.co.uk)

London-based i dailies
is installing a second
PHOTOMEC Processer, which
will run at 100 feet per minute,
doubling their capacity to
90,000 feet per eight-hour
overnight shift. The lab always
finishes the processing that
began at the start of the shift,
and if necessary, can run a
daytime processing bath on
demand. The facility is also
putting in the infrastructure
to provide 35mm printing
services for rush printing and
print deliverables for delivery
schedule requirements. I can
honestly say that we have a real
passion for film, says i dailies
co-founder Nigel Horn. We are
dedicated to helping provide a
viable infrastructure for all filmoriginated projects shooting in

Cineworks Digital
Studios, Inc. has facilities in
Miami, Florida; New Orleans,
Louisiana; and Studio City and
Santa Monica, California. The
New Orleans location offers
a full-service front-end lab, in
addition to a comprehensive
digital infrastructure where
traditional post-production
workflows and HD converge.
President Vinny Hogan,
a 36-year veteran in the
industry, leads this highly
experienced staff that follows
meticulous guidelines for
quality assurances. Film
projects that have reached out
to Cineworks for their expertise
and post-production solutions
include Olympus Has Fallen,
Twelve Years a Slave, Oldboy, The
Paperboy, G.I. Joe: Retaliation,
and Looper.
(www.cineworks.com)

The KODAK IMAGECARE

Program is a prestigious quality
program for motion picture
film processing laboratories.
With member labs in Bulgaria,
Canada, Czech Republic,
France, Germany, Greece,
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rigorous quality standards
that assure member labs
adhere to established practices
with full documentation of
procedures and calibration.
Kodak works very closely with
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these standards are met and
maintained.
Visit www.kodak.com/go/
imagecare for more information
on the KODAK IMAGECARE
Program and a list of member
laboratories with contact
information.

On location in an unfamiliar
city, and need to find a lab? Using
your current location and selecting
the service you are looking for,
Kodaks free Lab Locator app will
find a location near you and provide
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The Lab Locator app is available
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or go to http://motion.kodak.com/
motion/Support/Laboratories_
Directory/index.htm to find the
right location for your project.

Photos: Top: Film scanner

at FotoKem. Top, inset:
Technicolor-PostWorks DI
room. Bottom left: Hiromi
Inatsuchi, president of
IMAGICA WEST, a subsidiary
of IMAGICA Corp. Right
center: London-based i dailies.

Gregg Fienberg
On HBOs
True Blood,
vampires are
just another
misunderstood
minority. And
the visuals
are one key to
success.
Producer Gregg Fienbergs
credits include some of the
most visually innovative
and memorable television
productions of the last two
decades, including Twin Peaks,
Deadwood, John from Cincinnati
and Carnivle. His current
production, True Blood, is the
latest in his 13-year association
with HBO. Every show he has
done at HBO has been originated
on film.
Fienberg earned a degree in
economics at UCLA, and one day
he had to choose between an
interview at a Big 8 accounting
firm and a PA gig on a Roger
Corman film. He took the

kodak.com/go/motion
@Kodak_ShootFilm
KodakShootFilm
KodakMotionPictureFilm

filmmaking path, and today he

says that his academic training
helped prepare him for the
interdependent complexities of
television production. True Blood
was originally based on a series
of novels called The Southern
Vampire Mysteries. Viewership
started modestly, but soon the
show was a smash, earning a
dozen EMMY nominations
and becoming the highest-rated
HBO series since The Sopranos.
The show begins its sixth
season in June.
Why is film important to you
on True Blood?
Weve chosen to stay on film
for a couple of reasons. The first
is that the show has an amazing
look. That truly is a big part
of our success. Film gives us a
certain feel, and I dont want to
mess with that. Film also gives us
range. We use several different
stocks each season, depending
on the type of scene were doing,
to help us achieve a specific look.
Our cinematographers have both
expressed a desire to continue
shooting film. I cant speak very
well about video, because the
only video Ive ever shot is of my
kids soccer games.

Youve been working with

David Klein, ASC and Romeo
Tirone, ASC, who alternate
episodes. Why does your
collaboration work with them?
Theyre different cameramen
with different styles. I think the
key for me, regardless of the
medium, is telling our story and
telling it appropriately not
having the camera tell the story,
but having the actors tell it with
the cameras capturing that.
Thats something we talk about
a lot, especially when we get
into some of the crazier things
that we do, like the different
visions or planes of existence.
The guys get to have fun giving
life to these worlds with different
stocks and lenses. We describe
these realms, and they come
back to us with looks that really
surprise us. At the same time, we
try to keep the show grounded
and maintain a consistent overall
look. We call it a popcorn movie
for adults. We want to create an
everyday look that people can
believe in, so that when a crazy
creature or weird world comes
along, we give the audience
a chance to go along for the
ride. I think David and Romeo
are both very good at helping
the directors achieve whats
most important which is the
storytelling and then letting
their style help inform that.
Is the long term archival
stability of True Blood a concern
for you?
Certainly, for us, its nice
to know that film is where we
started. If we decide to go in
and do anything down the
road, well have the film to do it
with. Usually, once youre done
with the final version, thats

what you live with forever. But

certainly our dailies wont be
disintegrating anytime soon. I do
think that, ultimately, content is
king. What we create will live on
whether a studio lives or dies.
Desilu doesnt exist anymore,
but I Love Lucy certainly does,
and most likely it will forever. So
there must be a way of keeping
content alive and looking great,
especially as time goes on. Who
knows what the next generation
of big screen televisions will
look like? So we must keep our
images as pristine as possible.
At this point in time, film most
definitely is the best medium to
achieve that.
Whats your sense of the
future of film?
Ive seen a lot of different
things come and go over the
years. In the beginning of my
career, when I was doing music
videos, I remember delving into
Super 8. I still own the camera.
Ive heard predictions about the
demise of film, but my sense of
it is that every medium, even
black and white, has a place,
and that all of the different looks
help tell stories. My hope is that
film is here, along with all the
other tools that are available to
filmmakers, for a long, long time
to come.
Can you give us any inside
info on whats coming up in
season six of True Blood?
Youll have to watch and see.
Photos: Top left: Gregg Fienberg. Bottom left:
Anna Paquin stars in True Blood (photo: John
P. Johnson/HBO). Bottom right: (L-R) Stephen
Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard, Lucy Griffiths of
True Blood (photo: Lacey Terrell/HBO).

InCamera is published by Eastman Kodak Company. To see our expanded online edition, go to www.kodak.com/go/incamera. To be
featured in the magazine, please contact your local representative. You will find your Kodak representative contact information at
www.kodak.com/go/motioncontact.
Kodak, 2013. KODAK, EASTMAN, VISION, VISION2, VISION3, and the film numbers are trademarks. OSCAR is a trademark of the
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The opinions expressed by individuals quoted in articles in InCamera do not necessarily represent those of Kodak Limited, Eastman Kodak
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products from time to time. Details of stock availability and specifications given in this publication are subject to change without notice.

Top: Mr. Freezy

(Chris Evans), a
killer who
operates out of an
ice-cream truck,
becomes
Kuklinskis partner
in crime. Bottom:
Following a minor
traffic accident,
the tension
mounts as
Kuklinskis family
experiences his
frightening
temper.

In other scenes, he continues, If

I was trying to make the light warm, Id
bounce a wide-angle Leko into muslin
on the floor. If it was supposed to be
cool, Id use bleached muslin with an
HMI, and between the bounce and the
actor there would be a 4-by-4 muslin or
a 4-by-4 216 softening the light and
making the source bigger.
Adapting to the Alexa, Bukowski
might even use a double bounce. With
film, bouncing off a source and putting
it through diffusion is enough, but with
the Alexa, I sometimes like to put a light
into a bounce card, and then direct that

light to another bounce card that sends

the light through a diffusion. The more
indirect the light is with the Alexa, the
more pleasing it is to me.
In the alleyway outside the pool
hall, Bukowski took his lighting cues
from the location. To me, reality is a
good place to start, he says. In this case,
it was a single streetlight at the end of
the alley. To illuminate the action in the
car, his crew hung fluorescents in an
adjacent parking garage to create sidelight. On the alleys brick walls, bare
household bulbs in sockets created little
pockets of light, while smoke (motiwww.theasc.com

vated by the bars kitchen) provided

enough atmosphere to create a strong
silhouette of Kuklinskis escaping figure.
The high-contrast look comes
into full bloom in the office of Mob boss
Roy Demeo (Ray Liotta), Kuklinskis
employer. Ostensibly set on the upper
floor of a bar, the space features a rich
chiaroscuro, with sunlight filtering
through drawn Levolor blinds into an
otherwise dark room. The location was
in fact a ground-floor anteroom to a bar,
and the art department built a wall with
windows. We were actually lighting
from the bar, as if it were an exterior,
June 2013

65

A Killer with 2 Faces

Freezy and
Kuklinski meet
in a public
park to discuss
their deadly
business.

says Bukowski. We wanted the scene to

be quite contrasty, so we decided to
try to shoot mainly either to the desk
or from the desk. The key source
for contrast would be a side source.
With hazers providing atmosphere,
Bukowskis crew placed 1.2K HMIs
outside the windows, bouncing them

into UltraBounce and again through

muslin. The final touch was the Levolor
blinds. Its probably my preferred
window treatment, because it allows me
to bring hard light into windows without blowing them out. I can also open
them to make a softer, more diffuse
source.

Over the years, Bukowski has

learned that his involvement in location
scouting is essential. I insist on that,
because I can save production a lot of
money by saying, for instance, Lets be
on the ground floor, because I know Im
going to be lighting with big lights.
Earlier in my career, I walked onto some
films whose locations had already been
set by the production designer and
director, who were both in love with
them, but it cost more to actually make
the locations work. People forget that
the locations have to work; they cant
just be something we fall in love with.
Can we light it? Can we get gear up
there?
On our prep for The Iceman,
Bobby was a hero, Vromen attests.
Bukowskis experience was critical when
choosing exteriors that could maintain
the period look without restricting
where the lens could point. That was a
huge challenge, says the cinematographer. We didnt have a big budget for

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66

painting things out in post.

Whats more, says Vromen,
Bobby knows how to utilize the workforce better than anybody else, and he
stayed relaxed, even when we lost some
production financing and had to do
some things for less.
Bukowski could tell his input was
appreciated. Ariel called me Maestro
through the entire shoot! It was funny
but also respectful and warm. He is
quite generous, very specific and intent
on what he wants, but also able to listen
to ideas.
Bukowski was unable to attend
the final grading sessions at Cineworks
in New Orleans, but he stayed involved.
At the end of every session, [colorist]
Bradley Green sent me JPEGs of reference frames, and I would go through
them and make notes, as well as talk to
him and Ariel by phone every day.
The surprise of the DI was that
Ariel started to really like a certain level
of desaturation, he continues. It wasnt

something we talked about as we

created the film, and that was fine, but if
youre desaturating the entire frame,
youre taking color out of flesh, too.
Flesh tone was something I wanted to
hold onto, particularly in Kuklinskis
domestic scenes, so the big challenge of
post was how to maintain chroma in the
flesh tones. That required considerable
work with windows, isolating faces from
the surroundings and occasionally
adding magenta to them.
Vromen and Bukowski agree
that the actors faces carried the day.
Once you lock onto Michael Shannons
face, all you need to do is make sure
hes in focus a close-up of Michael
holds mileage, says Vromen. Adds
Bukowski, Given the subject matter,
this movie could have been a gore fest,
but instead, its Kuklinskis face and the
detached way he does his job that are
really chilling.

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67

Utopian Dreams
Eric Gautier, AFC seeks an early1970s look for the French drama
Something in the Air.
By Benjamin B
|

omething in the Air follows Gilles (Clment Mtayer), a

French high-school student, as he and his friends explore
ideas about art, revolution and love in the aftermath of the
May 1968 uprising in France. The groups radical theories
lead them to participate in violent demonstrations, but they
also party and romance one another as their sentimental and
political journeys take them to Provence, Tuscany and
London. Gilles is torn between two lovers, a political organizer and an artistic hippie, and he is eventually drawn away
from revolution and toward filmmaking.
The film marks the fifth feature collaboration between

68

June 2013

director Olivier Assayas and cinematographer Eric Gautier,

AFC. AC recently caught up with Gautier in New York,
where he was shooting a television pilot for director Alfonso
Cuarn.
American Cinematographer: What inspired the look
of the film?
Eric Gautier, AFC: The storys time frame is 1971-72.
We didnt have a big budget, we didnt have enough to do a
completely faithful reconstitution of the period, so it was
important to get an image texture that would evoke the period
and put us in the present of that period. I was inspired by
American movies of the 1970s, where you really felt the film
stock. Flashing [the negative] was used a lot by Vilmos
Zsigmond [ASC] and others, yielding images that are a little
veiled, not too contrasty and pretty desaturated. I tried to
create that look, which is the opposite of todays very sharp,
very contrasty digital images. Three years ago, I shot Ang
Lees Taking Woodstock, which took place in the same period,
but Ang and I wanted very saturated colors, something pretty
flashy, as if it were left over from the 1960s.
We shot Something in the Air in 3-perf Super 1.85 with

American Cinematographer

Images courtesy of Eric Gautier and IFC Films. Bottom photo on this page by Guido Cacialli.

Opposite: Students run from the police after

a demonstration turns violent in Something
in the Air. This page, top left and right:
Cinematographer Eric Gautier, AFC (in tan
jacket) films the action from an open-top
vehicle. Bottom: Director Olivier Assayas
works with his cast.

my camera of choice, the Aaton

Penelope. Most of the film is shot
handheld to convey a sense of freedom.
I used two Fujifilm Eterna Vivid negatives: 250D for day exteriors, and 500
otherwise. I usually work with higherspeed stocks because I find 50-ASA
negatives too defined. Higher-speed
stocks naturally diffuse a little more, and
they feel more alive. I used an old set of
Zeiss T2.1 [Standard Prime] lenses that
are very beautiful with faces. They have
some flare, and I let the flares come even
if the light source was off screen; I never
tried to avoid windows or protect the
lens. Flares evoke the period, and they
give a realistic feel of something that is
caught in the moment. They also
helped to desaturate the colors. I think
the newest lenses are too sharp; they feel
surgical. You can count the spots on the
actors nose. That doesnt interest me,
although Ive used them on some films.
What other steps did you take to
give the imagery its unique texture?
Gautier: I overexposed everything between 3 and 4 stops, and I also

push processed 1 stop. I really tortured

the film stocks and then compensated
for it in the DI. Naturally, when we tried
to get back toward a normal-looking
image, we lost a lot; the colors were
completely washed out. Also, we timed
the entire film with a light cyan tint,
which kills the red byproducts that
came out from our process. Of course,
all of this also increased the grain, even
though I wasnt really looking for grain.
My overexposure approach would not
have worked with photochemical color
timing because it goes too far, but I
knew we could rework it in an interesting way in the DI. Isabelle Julien was
our colorist. We did the DI at her
www.theasc.com

company, Ike No Koi, in a week and a

half. Once we found the right settings, it
went very quickly. Its rare for me to
spend a lot of time in the DI. We
worked in 2K, which was more than
sufficient. Because the exposure washed
things out a lot, the temptation in the
DI was to bring back too much contrast,
which would have given us something
very graphic, with no finesse, but still
very beautiful. But I wanted to keep the
thread of what I was seeking: an image
thats a little milky, a little gray and typical of the Seventies. The image is not
realistic, but its believable.
Why did you push-process the
negative in addition to overexposing?
June 2013

69

Utopian Dreams

Right: French
high-school
student Gilles
(Clment
Mtayer)
struggles to find
the intersection
of art and
politics. Below:
Students gather
to discuss their
plans for
revolution.
Gautier says he
tortured his
film stocks in
search of an
image thats a
little milky, a
little gray and
typical of the
Seventies.

Gautier: It was an intuitive

choice. When you push the negative,
you increase the contrast, but you also
raise the blacks. Its a little peculiar. I
wanted to get a very contrasty image
that was also very gentle, which is
contradictory! But Im often looking for
that. I like working with contradictions.
Its pretty daring to overexpose
and push the negative so much,
because you cant undo it.
Gautier: Its daring but not risky,
because I knew it would work. I had
tested it in the past, and I spent one day
shooting more tests right before the
shoot to make sure everyone agreed. I
shot in the school we were planning to
use as a location. I dont know how to do
tests on a stage with charts and a neutral
background it doesnt speak to me. I
need to see real images, as if theyre
images from the film. We took our tests
through the entire workflow, and Olivier
and the producers were very happy with
the results.
How did you measure the overexposure on set?
Gautier: I usually took an incident reading and opened up 3 or 4 stops,
depending on how much I wanted to
keep the blacks. I measured what interested me, what needed to be exposed
70

June 2013

American Cinematographer

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Utopian Dreams

Right: Christine
(Lola Crton)
picks up a
revolutionary
tract outside of
school. Below: To
light a night
exterior in which
a group of
students paint
slogans on their
school building,
Gautier
positioned 18K
Alphas gelled
with CTO and
Green on
adjacent roofs;
he further
finessed the cyan
look in the DI.

properly, and I didnt worry about the

rest. Of course, my experience came
into play. I didnt measure the sky, for
example, because if you measure that
you become too prudent. If you start to
measure with a spot meter and you
want to control, youll end up with
something lukewarm.
Its amazing to see the details in
the highlights with 4 stops of overexposure.
Gautier: Yes, this film would
have been impossible to shoot digitally
or without the DI. Todays negatives are
really incredible. For example, we shot a
scene with no lighting inside a caf,
with full sunlight outside. The outside
was very overexposed, but we still
retained a lot of detail and color in it.
Youll never get that with a digital
camera; youre obliged to light inside or
put ND on the windows. Also, you cant
get this latitude with photochemical
timing.
Can you talk about the unusual
color rendition in the film?
Gautier: The colors are complex
and a little hard to define, which I like a
lot. They arent pure and bright; theyre
smothered. You can sense that the
colors have been twisted and tortured.
In the DI, we also decreased the
72

June 2013

American Cinematographer

Utopian Dreams

Christine goes to work with a group of radical filmmakers. Gautier notes that throughout the
film, the colors are complex and a little hard to define theyre smothered.

contrast a bit, so the image stayed soft,

as though we flashed the negative, and
this also desaturated the colors.
The film has a lot of blue and
green tones.
Gautier: I chose Fuji negative
because I wanted dominant greens and
blues. Those colors are beautiful with
Fuji, but not so with Kodak, which is
beautiful when you go toward magenta.
And again, we added a point of cyan to
the entire film in the DI. Also, the shadows in the film arent neutral. Its like the
74

June 2013

Impressionists paintings of exteriors:

they put cyan or violet in the shadows.
Its the color contrast that makes the
sunlight look more orange. For example,
inside the van the characters drive to
Italy, the shadows are a little bluish
because its overexposed, but the
sunlights reflections are so strong that it
gives a warm feeling to the faces.
How did you approach the day
interiors, like those in Tuscany?
Gautier: I shot most of the day
interiors with the 500-ASA stock, and I
American Cinematographer

never used an 85 filter. Sometimes I

supplemented the daylight with 400watt or 800-watt HMI Jokers diffused
and bounced on the walls or on polys.
In a few day-interior scenes, like when
Gilles draws Christine [Lola Crton]
while shes sleeping, I would shoot with
250D to get a little more definition and
a richer color.
How did you manage the
contrast in day exteriors, such as the
backlit scene in which the camera
cranes up after Gilles burns a poem?
Gautier: For that scene, we used
two 4-meter-square frames of Light
Grid Cloth, one for bouncing the
sunlight, and the other with fill from an
Alpha 4K HMI. At the beginning,
Gilles gets only the reflected Alpha, and
when he moves forward and is framed
in front of the landscape, he also gets
the sun bounce. Otherwise, I would
have gotten a silhouette, which would
have been beautiful, but I felt that we
needed a more peaceful image to correspond to his pensive mood. I did cut the
reflections on the tree branches above
him, so theres a little more contrast at
the end of the crane move. I often do
stop changes during a shot, and on this
I closed down as we craned up.

Utopian Dreams

What was your approach to the

cyan night-exterior scene in which the
students paint slogans on their school
building?
Gautier: The hardest thing to do
on this film was the nights, and there
were a lot of them. There were no
sodium lights in that era, but we didnt
have the budget to change the streetlight bulbs, so I put some blue in during
the shoot and also in the DI to evoke
the cool mercury-vapor lights of the
Seventies. There are a few orange
sodium lights in the background, but we
mostly succeeded in making them
white. I used the color codes of the
period, when night exteriors were very
blue. Its not my usual thing, but I think
it really takes you back to the period. To
be precise, the color of these nights is
cyan, and its desaturated and not too
flashy. My main sources for all the night
school scenes were 18K Alphas; we
positioned two or three where we could
on adjacent roofs. I like Alphas because
theyre very compact, lightweight and
easy to manipulate. I warmed up the
HMIs a little with 12 CTO and 12
Green to get a light cyan. I wanted all
the equipment to be as light as possible.
I used a Super PeeWee dolly and
Alphas so we could move quickly with a
small crew. I usually had two electricians
76

June 2013

American Cinematographer

Bottom photo by Carole Bethuel.

Laure (Carole
Combes, top)
hosts a house
party replete
with bonfires.
Gautier enhanced
the fiery
ambience with
gas pipes that
produced
additional flames,
as well as 5K and
10K tungsten
Fresnels diffused
through Grid
Cloth and
bounced onto
silver reflecting
frames.

Utopian Dreams

Right: The
interior of Laures
house was lit
primarily with
practical lamps
fitted with 60watt bulbs.
Strategically
positioned 650watt units and
1K Redheads
provided
additional
illumination as
needed. Below:
The production
went onstage for
a scene in which
Laures bedroom
goes up in
flames.

and two grips, although we occasionally

brought some reinforcements and a
generator, as in this graffiti scene.
How did you film the long
house-party scene with the bonfires in
the garden?
Gautier: Although there is still a
lot of green, this sequence feels more
orange than the rest of the film. It has to
do with what comes before it. Because I
rarely used orange in the rest of the film,
its that much stronger in that scene. Of
course, we had the bonfires onscreen,
but we also used some real flames off
camera with gas pipes. On a large scale,
flicker machines feel fake to me. For
some shots, I lit through the flames of
the gas pipes, which gives the light a
chaotic fluctuation. I used 5K or 10K
tungsten Fresnels, which we diffused
through Grid Cloth onto a silver
reflecting frame so that you dont feel
the source. Other times, we hung the
silver reflector loosely on the frame and
shook it slightly to [create a flicker
effect]. The camera wanders freely
between the outside garden and inside
rooms. The lighting inside is very low,
mostly household bulbs. Theres very
little fill; its a lot of well placed practical
lamps with 60-watt bulbs, and we
sometimes removed the lampshades. I
also had some small tungsten fixtures
78

June 2013

American Cinematographer

Utopian Dreams

This page and next: Laure approaches the camera and reaches out toward the lens in this series of frame grabs from the final shot of the film.
Gautier notes, Flares evoke the period, and they give a realistic feel of something that is caught in the moment.

hidden here and there, 650-watt units

or 1K Redheads, depending on whether
I wanted to diffuse. The fixtures are
bouncing off the wall or, when I wanted
to avoid too much spill, off polys. The
fire in the bedroom was shot on a stage.
Its very overexposed, almost abstract.
This resonates with the final, very overexposed images of the film.

80

What was it like working with

so many actors who had little professional experience?
Gautier: It was the first film for
almost all the actors. Lola Crton is a
professional, whereas the others all had
an incredible fragility, and [our goal
was] to capture that fragility. Thats also
why we needed a handheld camera. We

needed to be ready to capture the

emotions that came from them, something not acted. The focus of the film,
after all, is youth and utopian beliefs. I
tried to use delicatesse, setting things up
discreetly so the actors werent facing a
bunch of lights, a huge dolly and a large
crew. I was very careful about that. I
didnt use many fixtures, and I would

TECHNICAL SPECS
Super 1.85:1
3-perf Super 35mm
Aaton Penelope
Zeiss Standard Prime
Fujifilm Eterna Vivid
250D 8546, 500 8547
Push Processing by
Digimage
Digital Intermediate
join the actors at the last minute with
my camera and my assistant.
Fujifilm stopped manufacturing most of its film stocks in March,
so this is one of the last features shot
on Fuji negative.
Gautier: Its natural for cinema
to keep changing, but its very sad to
lose a tool that has not been completely

explored. Im delighted to be shooting

for Alfonso Cuarn with an [Arri]
Alexa at the moment, but film negative
is much more flexible than digital when
you want to create images that go to the
extreme.

81

Cinematographer-Editor Collaboration
More Crucial Than Ever
By Edgar Burcksen, ACE

When digital technologies started to make inroads in cutting

rooms, images were still captured on film. Although editors were
struggling to keep up with the new technology and trying to redefine what our job meant, cinematographers were not affected in a
big way; they still
worked with their
trusted
equipment,
crew and color timers
for theatrical releases,
and for TV projects they
adjusted easily to the
colorists who were at
the dials of the telecine.
Everyone in the imagemaking chain was still
dealing with film negative, and they relied on
well-defined techniques
and standards that were
in place globally for the
processing and printing
of emulsions that were
manufactured in a similar way by companies
such as Kodak and Fujifilm.
By the time cinematographers began to deal with the digital
era of their art, we had been applying our art to digital media via
ever-evolving software applications for several years. When we
edited film negative, our storytelling tools were simple: we selected
shots, measured the length of the film clips, and organized and reorganized them to tell any story in any genre. But in the digital age,
software began to give us an increasing number of tools to manipulate elements that were previously the domain of other departments.
Suddenly, we could instantly flop, flip, speed up, slow down,
dissolve, fade in, fade out, wipe, zoom in, zoom out, reframe, blow
up, size down, key, composite, title, color time, increase or decrease
contrast, and brighten or darken an image. And this was only on the
image side!
Initially, this expansion of our tools and responsibilities only
applied to the work print, or to low-resolution exports from the Avid
that were upgraded to the final in labs, where the negative was still
cut, timed and printed, or post houses that on-lined our work for
broadcast. But now that the software and storage can handle enormous amounts of data, what leaves our cutting room today is often
82

June 2013

the final product, especially when were working, as I often do, on

independents and documentaries. If history is our guide, then this
trend in the indie world indicates what the majors will encounter in
the not-so-distant future, because innovations and improvements
are driven only by the desire to spend less time and money on
productions.
Clearly, when all these new tools and responsibilities were
loaded onto editors shoulders, they were lifted from somewhere
else. At first I welcomed
many of the new tools
because they enhanced
my storytelling abilities,
and they mainly were
derived from the field of
opticals and visual
effects. However, some
tools gave me control
over things that previously were controlled
solely by the cinematographer: Camera moves,
zooms, framing, resizing
and, perhaps more
important, color timing,
contrast and brightness
were all put on my
untrained and uneducated eye. I have used
these tools sparingly, but I have used them.
Early this year, I was asked by a good friend, cinematographer
Kees van Oostrum, ASC, to edit a tribute reel for Robby Mller, NSC,
BVK, who was going to be honored with the ASC International
Award. I admire Robby greatly, so I agreed to put together a piece
featuring interviews with directors and cinematographers who had
worked with him or were influenced by him. As I watched interviews
with such heavyweights as Janusz Kaminski; Seamus McGarvey,
ASC, BSC; and Wally Pfister, ASC, BSC, I saw their dedication and
love for what they do, but I also heard the term storyteller
mentioned often in respect to their work. I realized that we editors
have appropriated that term ever since Avid popularized it in the
advertising slogan Tools for Storytellers, and it occurred to me as
I watched Kees interview footage that cinematographers are storytellers as well. As the first artists to capture the narrative, they set the
tone through their use of light, framing and camera moves, all key
components in the dramatization of the story. We editors truly
appreciate the crucial contributions of the cinematographer, and
working with Kees on the Mller tribute gave him and me a rare
opportunity to discuss our jobs, how they have evolved, and how

American Cinematographer

Photo by Branko Burcksen.

Filmmakers Forum

editors have consciously or unconsciously

encroached on the cinematographers
terrain.
When I flop a shot to fix an eyeline
problem, it can compromise the light source
the cinematographer established on set.
When I blow up, reframe or zoom in on a
shot, Im messing with the depth-of-field.
When I slow down or speed up a shot, Im
screwing with motion blur. When I turn a
day shot into dawn, dusk or even night, I
am definitely interfering with the cinematographers intent, and when I try to
color time a shot to make it fit into a
sequence, I am most certainly doing it
again. In my defense, I must note that when
I commit these infractions, I am usually
trying to mold vrit documentary footage
into an appealing sequence. However, I
have occasionally committed them on
fictional projects as well.
What I did not realize until recently is
how dissatisfied cinematographers are with
how their work is represented on the editing devices we use. Gone are the days when

84

the whole crew, including the editor,

watched dailies together in the morning or
evening. With the arrival of monitors that
can replay a shot instantly on set, the ritual

We editors truly
appreciate the crucial
contributions of the
cinematographer.

of watching dailies has been deemed

disruptive and time consuming. Now, DVD
dailies or, even worse, MPEG 4 files of
dailies are distributed to executives and
producers, who, if they watch them at all,
screen or zip through them on TV sets,

tablets and even cellphones. A technical

assistant, an overworked individual at the
lowest rung of the ladder, is tasked with
transcoding the original camera files to
usable media for viewing and editing, and
in doing so he or she can fundamentally
alter the cinematographers work. For
instance, the Avid workflow guide to
prepare Red files for Avid import includes
this line item: Adjust color, crop and scale
as needed.
Nowadays, with the exception of Alist productions, cinematographers often do
not see how their footage has been used
until they attend the final color-timing
session. In some cases, they discover that
the look they developed with the director
has been thrown out the window because
the director and/or producer has since
grown accustomed to the look the technical assistant set during the transcoding
process, most likely with good intentions
and while working late hours after everybody else left the set.
The ASC is, of course, actively

addressing the problem of color timing in

the digital era. Its Technology Committee
has worked diligently to develop the ASC
Color Decision List and, in concert with the
Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and
Sciences, the Academy Color Encoding
System. What has not been addressed in
these very important initiatives are the role
of the editor and how these new systems
will be integrated into the software editors
use.
When post involved film negative
and low resolutions, the need for editors
and cinematographers to work together
was not as crucial, because the boundaries
between our respective crafts were clearly
drawn; but today, those lines are blurring,
and there needs to be a renewed understanding of where one job ends and the
other begins, how they converge, and how
we can communicate in a more transparent
way. It is equally important for the companies that design our production and post
tools to respect the art of cinema. Too often
technical progress is driven by the desire to

simplify or streamline a given process, and

its creative implications are an afterthought.
Avid has been especially responsive to
editors concerns and suggestions, but we

There needs to
be a renewed
understanding of
where one job
ends and the other
begins.

become so intertwined that cinematographers and editors need to work together

closely to ensure that our creative endeavors are protected, used and processed the
way the filmmakers intended.

A longer version of this article was originally

published in the Summer 2013 issue of
CinemaEditor, the magazine of the American Cinema Editors.

must recognize that the creation of motion

pictures is now, more than ever, an integrated effort, and it must be addressed as
such. Production and post tools have

85

New Products & Services

Cooke, Angenieux Collaborate on Anamorphics
Cooke Optics and Thales Angenieux have worked together,
sharing the designs of Cookes new Anamorphic/i series of primes and
Angenieuxs new Optimo 2S anamorphic zooms, in order to bring
cinematographers a full range of compatible anamorphic lenses.
Cooke primes and
Angenieux zooms
have always complemented each other in
terms of look and
color, says ASC associate Les Zellan, chairman and owner of
Cooke Optics. They are
frequently used together
on feature films as the combination of our respective expertise brings
something special to the screen that cinematographers have long
valued. We are confident they will not be disappointed with the
results of this initiative, as we make anamorphic production available
for a new generation of filmmakers.
Pierre Andurand, CEO and president of Thales Angenieux,
adds, In our ongoing quest to provide cinematographers with the
very best tools, we are developing a complete line of compact
anamorphic zooms that maintain a superb level of resolution while
keeping a very human feel in the image. The entire line will perfectly
match with the new
Cooke primes and will be
friendly, usable, compact
and lightweight.
Angenieux has
unveiled the first lens in
its planned line of
compact Optimo 2S (2x
squeeze) anamorphic
zooms: the 56-152mm
T4 zoom. Weighing only 4.8 pounds, the lens incorporates a unique
optical design that combines spherical and cylindrical elements in the
same group to deliver exceptional sharpness and low distortion.
Cooke has designed seven prime lenses for its Anamorphic/i
system: 25mm, 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm and 135mm,
all T2.3. The lenses, which are approximately the size of Cookes S4/i
lenses, retain the Cooke Look and are color matched with the Cooke
5/i, S4/i and MiniS4/i ranges. Each lens also comes equipped with /i
Technology to capture lens metadata.
Both companies expect to ship the new lenses in early 2014.
For additional information, visit www.cookeoptics.com and
www.angenieux.com.

86

June 2013

SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Please e-mail New Products/Services releases to
[email protected] and include full contact
information and product images. Photos must be
TIFF or JPEG files of at least 300dpi.

Cooke Adds to MiniS4/i Range, Launches

Metrology Tools
In response to customer demand, Cooke Optics has added
40mm and 65mm lenses to its MiniS4/i range of primes, which
consists of smaller, lighter-weight lenses that bring the professional
Cooke Look to content creators at an affordable cost. The
MiniS4/i range now comprises 18mm, 25mm, 32mm, 40mm,
50mm, 65mm, 75mm, 100mm and 135mm focal lengths, all at
T2.8, with calibration and color matching to the entire Cooke range.
Cooke has also launched Cooke Metrology, a range of
affordable lens-testing equipment designed by Cooke and manufactured by Pure4C. The first product in the line will be a lens-test
projector designed for todays fast lenses. Many current projectors
cannot pass a beam correctly through lenses that are faster than T2;
the Cooke Metrology projector is bright enough to be demonstrated
in daylight, making it much easier to discern flaws and artifacts in
fast lenses.

We have been thinking for some time about the testing

instruments we use and how we could improve them, says ASC
associate Les Zellan, chairman and owner of Cooke Optics. As
lenses have become faster and more complex, testing equipment
has struggled to keep pace and is often, in our opinion, overpriced.
We decided to develop our own tools that would not only live up to
our exacting standards but also be affordable, and we are pleased
that we can share the resulting products with the industry.
For additional information, visit www.cookeoptics.com.
Mole-Richardson Highlights MoleLED Fresnels
The Mole-Richardson Co., an industry leader in the engineering and manufacturing of lighting and power distribution equipment since its founding in 1927, has introduced a line of MoleLED
Fresnels, which boast a design familiar to generations of lighting
professionals but fitted with state-of-the-art electronics and the
latest LED-chip on-board technology. The MoleLED Fresnel fixtures

American Cinematographer

use a
proprietary
Quantum Dot
LED developed and
produced by Mole to exactly replicate
film and television 3,200K tungsten and
5,600K daylight color temperatures.
The line of MoleLED Fresnels
comprises three sizes and wattages: The
100-watt TweenieLED has a 4.5" lens, the
150-watt BabyLED has a 6" lens, and the
200-watt JuniorLED has an 8" lens. Each
fixture is a single color, tungsten or daylight,
and uses a borosilicate glass Fresnel lens to
perform identically to an existing incandescent or HMI Fresnel fixture.
Built rugged and based on more than
70 years of successful Fresnel design,
MoleLED Fresnels are ideally suited for all
set-lighting needs. Each fixture contains a
built-in universal power supply, built-in local
dimming and on-board DMX dimming.
Additionally, all three fixtures share accessory
sizes with the legacy Solarspots, so barn
doors, gel frames and speed rings remain
compatible.
Mole also offers retrofit kits to
convert existing Tweenie, Baby and 8" Junior
Solarspots to tungsten or daylight MoleLED
Fresnels.
In an industry inundated with massproduced, eco-friendly products, the
MoleLED Fresnels are truly a hybrid of handcrafted quality and the most advanced solidstate lighting technology available, says
ASC honorary member Larry Mole Parker,
executive vice president of the MoleRichardson Co.
MoleLED Fresnels are designed, engineered and built in the United States for
professionals everywhere. For additional
information, visit mole.com.

Blackmagic Grows
Camera Family
Blackmagic Design has expanded its
Cinema Camera line with the Blackmagic
Production Camera 4K and the Blackmagic
Pocket Cinema Camera.
The Blackmagic Production Camera
4K, which incorporates a large Super 35sized sensor, global shutter and EF lens
mount, shoots to high-quality compressed
CinemaDNG raw and ProRes 422 (HQ) files
in 4K using the built-in high-speed SSD
recorder. Blackmagic Design will also implement a QuickTime wrapper for the openstandard CinemaDNG and companion
codec, allowing the camera to record in a
format that allows raw editing in popular
editing software. Additionally, users have
the choice of recording Rec 709 video files.
With standard connections and an
internal battery packed inside a machined-

aluminum design, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K is built to endure the rigors
of location work. A high-resolution LCD
display shows settings such as shutter
speed, color temperature, aperture and
time code in an easy-to-read status strip.
The built-in capacitive touchscreen offers
direct access to menus with a touch of the
finger and allows changing settings such as
recording format, shutter angle and more;
the touchscreen also allows users to enter
metadata that is compatible with editing
software such as Final Cut Pro X.
The camera supports 6G-SDI videoout that can be down-converted to HD or
used for Ultra HD video production. The
camera also includes a built-in Thunderbolt
port and UltraScope software for real-time
waveform monitoring. For audio, the
camera features " jack mic/line inputs
plus 12-volt to 30-volt DC input, a 3.5mm
headphone socket and LANC remote
control.
The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema

          
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87

Camera is a pocket-sized digital-cinema

camera with a Super 16mm-sized 1080HD
sensor, Micro Four Thirds lens mount, 13
stops of dynamic range, a built-in SD card
recorder for Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), and
lossless compressed 12-bit Log CinemaDNG raw capture. As with the Production Camera 4K, Blackmagic Design will
implement a QuickTime wrapper for the
Pocket Cinema Camera that will accommodate the open-standard CinemaDNG
and companion codec.
The compact design of the Pocket
Cinema Camera which measures less
than 1" thick and boasts most of the
features of the original Blackmagic Cinema
Camera allows the camera to be used in
more situations where a larger camera
would not be practical. The Super 16
sensor size enables the use of industry-standard Super 16mm cine lenses (via MFT
adapters), while the Micro Four Thirds
mount is compatible with a wide range of
low-cost lenses; the mount is also compatible with PL-mount adapters.
The built-in large LCD display makes
focusing easy and allows playback of
recorded files. The camera also features a
built-in microphone, as well as external
jack-based mic/line level balanced audio
connections. When reviewing recorded
clips, audio can be played through the
built-in speaker and routed through the
headphone port or micro HDMI output.
The HDMI output includes all camera data
such as time code, transport control, shutter angle, color-temperature setting and
ASA overlaid in anti-aliased fonts.
The Blackmagic Production Camera
4K and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera
are slated to be available in July for $3,995
and $995, respectively.
For additional information, visit
www.blackmagicdesign.com.

Hexolux Illuminates Xum7 LED

Hexolux has unveiled the Xum7
(pronounced zoom seven) LED Fresnel.
The hexagonal design of the Xum7 allows
the fixture to function as a modular system;
each Xum7 can be used individually, or
multiple Xum7s can be mounted together
as a team to create a large, seamless,
bright source.

Weighing only 5 pounds, the

absolutely flicker-free Xum7 features silent
hybrid cooling, DMX remote control and
optional wireless DMX. The Hexolux
CineWhite LED solves the color-rendering
problems often associated with LEDs,
providing a smooth, continuous spectral
distribution with a high CRI of 98 to
produce pure white on film and digital
cameras and match existing tungsten
sources. Additionally, the unit is fully
dimmable from 0-100 percent and incorporates f-stop dimming, which lets users
adjust the light output in 1/10-stop increments.
At full output, the Xum7 consumes
125 watts/1 amp on 120-volt AC power.
The fixture is world compatible from 85264-volt AC, and it accepts 12-24-volt DC
with a locking DIN connector. Additionally,
an integrated battery yoke can accept Gold
Mount or V-mount batteries.
Hexolux offers customizable
portable three-light kits that include ultralightweight Xoft hexagon softboxes, which
boast instant setup with SpeedSwap
mounting and a removable diffuser panel
for additional contrast control, and a Rella
umbrella that can be used with one, two or
three Xum7s to create a large, soft source
with excellent throw.

Hexolux lights are handcrafted in

America and come with a 2-year warranty.
For additional information, visit
www.hexolux.com.
Rosco Acquires Gam
Rosco Laboratories, Inc. has signed
an agreement to acquire the assets of Los
Angeles-based Gam Products Inc. The addition of Gams products including
GamColor, Gam Patterns, Blackwrap and
TwinSpin will significantly expand the
creative solutions Rosco offers.
For more than 35 years, Gam has
provided high-quality lighting products to
the film, television and theatre communities. Rosco will continue to market and
promote Gams products worldwide
through its extensive global-distribution
network.
For existing and loyal Gam
customers, it will be business as ususal with
Gams entire catalog of products available
through Rosco, says Mark Engel, CEO of

Rosco. Were especially looking forward to

leveraging our world-class dealer network
to expose these excellent products to new
clientele.
Gam was founded in 1975 by ASC
associate Joe Tawil (pictured, left). Fellow
ASC associate Stan Miller (pictured, right),
the chairman of Rosco Laboratories, notes,
Ive known and respected Joe and his
company since the beginning. Im proud
that he trusts Rosco to continue his brand
and legacy. Gams business will complement
Roscos perfectly, and customers will now
have an even larger selection of tools from
which to choose. We look forward to the
opportunity.
Tawil adds, Stan was the first
89

person I called when I decided it was time

for me to exit the business. It was important
to me to find a company with the same
reputation for excellent service that Gams
customers expect. Rosco was the natural
choice and Im excited by the prospect that
Gam products will now be seen by an even
larger audience.
For additional information, visit
www.rosco.com.

ONE TO FOUR-WEEK FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS | 12-WEEK

CINEMATOGRAPHY RESIDENCY | INDEPENDANT FILMMAKING
CERTIFICATE | LOW-RESIDENCY MASTERS OF FINE ART

LEARN MORE AT WWW.MAINEMEDIA.EDU

90

PHOTO 2012 MARK EDWARD DAWSON

AadynTech Unleashes Hurricane

AadynTech has introduced the
weatherproof, IP65-rated Jab Hurricane LED
fixture. Totally protected against dust and
low-pressure water jets, the Jab Hurricane
delivers 1,771 foot candles at 10' (according
to AadynTechs photometrics) while
consuming only 1.77 amps of AC power,
187 watts, or 30 volts of DC battery power.
The Hurricane, like other Jab fixtures
from AadynTech, is available in three
models: Daylight, Tungsten and Variable.
The fixture is convection-cooled and flickerfree up to 14,000 fps. Optical efficiency
allows for a single light source and eliminates multiple shadows. Integrated special
effects include variable lightning and strobe.
The unit also features quick-change lenses
for switching between spot and flood.
Additional features include no UV or
IR emissions, a 60,000-hour warranty on the
LEDs, a three-year warranty on the fixture
itself, DMX compatibility and full dimming
without color shift. AadynTech has developed, engineered and assembled the Jab
Hurricane in the U.S.A.
For additional information, visit
www.aadyntech.com.

Zylight Offers
Compact F8 Fresnel
Zylight has introduced the F8 LED
Fresnel. Available in tungsten (3,200K) or
daylight (5,600K) versions, the compact
fixture collapses to less than 4" thick for
easy transport and storage.
Equipped with an 8" Schott glass
lens, the fully dimmable F8 maintains singleshadow traditional Fresnel beam shaping
and offers a patented focusing system for
spot and flood operations. Its beam spread
is adjustable between 16-70 degrees.
The F8 draws only 90 watts but has
close to the light output of a traditional
1,000-watt Fresnel. While its silent operation makes it ideal for studio use, the F8 is
also water resistant (IP54) for exterior conditions. The fixture can be powered by a
worldwide AC adapter or standard 14.4volt camera battery.
Like other Zylight models, the F8 is
equipped with ZyLink wireless technology,
which makes it easy to link multiple Zylight
units for simultaneous remote control. The
F8 can also be controlled via DMX.
The F8 ships with barn doors and a
yoke mount. Additional options and accessories, including DMX-motorized focus,
pole yoke mounting, ZyLink-controlled
multi-head mount, handgrip and kit box are
available separately. The F8 sells for $2,400.
Additionally, Zylight now ships its
IS3c large-panel cyclorama and beauty light
with a custom soft
box produced exclusively by Chimera for
Zylight. The fully
dimmable IS3c is a
high-output soft light
with built-in controls
for adjusting color
temperature, color

correction and Zylights Color Mode, which

produces millions of colors without gels or
filters.
Zylight has also unveiled an optional
travel case for its compact Z90 LED fixture.
Available in DV, ENG and DP configurations,
the case features custom foam cutouts for
secure storage of the light and its accessories. The Z90 can instantly switch
between daylight and tungsten, and offers
full Color Mode output with separate hue
and saturation control.
For additional information, visit
www.zylight.com.

Fill-Lite Introduces Low-Profile

LED Fixtures
Fill-Lite LLC has introduced the FillLite family of LED-based soft-light squares
for use in both still photography and
motion-picture applications.
Designed by Owen Stephens, SOC,
founder and president of Fill-Lite, the ultrathin, modular Fill-Lite fixtures are built
around 24"x24" LED light squares that
make use of peripherally mounted LEDs and
a special diffusion screen in order to provide
soft, uniform output; the design enables the
Fill-Lite square to be only " thick.
The Fill-Lite family currently
comprises three formats: The Fill-Lite 200
measures 24"x27" and utilizes a single LED
light square; the Studio model uses four
squares and measures 51"x59"; and the
Wall model allows users to add as many
units as necessary in a modular configuration wherein each square can be tilted in
two directions for optimal illumination.
Fill-Lite products can be operated via
traditional controls or through a mobiledevice application.
For additional information, visit
www.fill-lite.com.

91

Frezzi Takes SkyLight On the Go

Frezzi Energy Systems has introduced
the compact SkyLight LED lamp, which
delivers a daylight-balanced (5,500K)
output comparable to a 650-watt tungsten
or 125-watt HMI source while drawing only
75 watts of power. Suitable for stage and
location production, the fixture can be
powered by standard broadcast batteries
(such as Anton/Bauer or V-mount), or with
AC power. Additionally, the SkyLight is fully
dimmable (0-100 percent) without color
shift and features quick-change reflectors
for selectable beam angles of 24, 30 and 50
degrees.
The silent-running and weatherproof
SkyLight fixture is constructed from rugged
aircraft aluminum and boasts 75,000-hour
LED lamp life. According to Frezzis photometrics, when fitted with the 24-degree
reflector, the unit delivers 640 foot candles
at 5'.
For additional information, visit
www.frezzi.com.

Rotolight Engineers 6K Ringlight

Rotolight has unveiled the
RotoFlood, a 6K LED light ring comprised of
six Rotolight Anova bi-color LED floodlights.
Weighing approximately 40 pounds, the
hexagonal light ring can be mounted to

lighting stands or on a specially designed

19mm rail-support system; when used with
the rail system, the complete rig can be
panned and tilted along with the camera.
The flicker-free RotoFlood 6K is ideal
for super-slow-motion work. It delivers a 110degree beam angle and color-controllable
soft light. The rig can be controlled locally, by
DMX, or over Wi-Fi with the Rotolight Magic
Eye iPhone/iPad app.
Rotolight has further expanded its
Anova line with the Anova 5600 and Anova
3200 fixed-color LED floodlights. 35-percent
brighter than the bi-color Anova, these
fixtures share such features as V-Lock battery
plates, and DMX and Anova networking
capability. The fixed-color Anovas also feature
the latest generation LEDs, which boast a CRI
of 97 for excellent skin-tone reproduction.
For additional information, visit
www.rotolight.com.
Manfrotto Extends
Camera-Support Line
Manfrotto Distribution has introduced
the Sympla Shoulder Rig, the latest addition
to the Sympla line of camera supports that
can be assembled, configured and adjusted
to a wide range of shooting situations in
seconds without tools. Every product in the
line, from the Flexible Matte Box to the Variable Plate, is made of steel and aluminum to
withstand the rigors of professional use.
Sympla accessories are 100-percent compatible with other Manfrotto photo and video
support products.
The basic [Sympla Shoulder Rig] can
be configured to accommodate most of the
interchangeable-lens video cameras in the
market right out of the box, with little or no
additional accessories, says ASC associate
Wayne Schulman, Manfrottos sales and
product manager for video. The Sympla line
bridges the gap between off-the-shelf, readyto-use convenience and custom modularity.
Sympla modular rigs incorporate
design and technology elements from
Manfrottos full range of product offerings.
For example, self-supporting clamps that stay
in place even before theyre locked come
from heavy-duty stage lighting; flexible, easylocking ball-joint hand grips were inspired by
Manfrottos photographic ball heads; multiaxis micro-adjusters and single locking mechanisms, which make fine-tuning easier and

safer, come from Manfrottos photographic

geared heads; and sliding plates with quickrelease and secondary safety buttons were
borrowed from Manfrottos professional
video heads.
Manfrotto has also introduced the
500 Video Head, a lightweight fluid head
designed for use with HDSLRs and video
cameras; the 500 replaces the 701HDV and
becomes the smallest head to be built
around Manfrottos successful Bridging
Technology.
Thanks to the hollowed-out structure of Bridging Technology heads, the 500
is lightweight but still manages to feature a
broad top plate that is better for supporting
the wider shape of a DSLR. The top plate is
also longer, so its sliding plate has a greater
range of adjustment to balance the shifting
center of gravity of a camera used with
interchangeable lenses. Professional fluid
cartridges on both pan and tilt axes ensure
smooth, controllable movements, and the
heads comfortable pan bar can be switched
between left and right sides depending on
operator preference.
The 500 features a side lock lever
that allows the camera and a sliding quickrelease plate to click quickly into the head
from above. There is only one locking
control to release, and the camera lifts easily
out from above. Additionally, the 500 is set
to a fixed counterbalance of around 5
pounds, but locking power on the tilt axis
ensures the head is perfectly stable under
camera equipment weighing up to 11
pounds. To allow an external monitor or
other accessories, the 500 has an industrystandard Easy Link 38" connector.
The 500 is available as a standalone
head, in either flat-based or 60mm half-ball
versions, in a kit with twin aluminum-leg
tripod or single carbon-fiber-tubes tripod. A
combination of the 500 head with
Manfrottos fluid monopod is also available.
For additional information, visit

www.manfrotto.us.
93

www.aerocrane.nl
818.458.9790
SEE

US AT

CINE GEAR EXPO

94

Redrock Micro Unveils Black Line

Redrock Micro has announced the
Redrock Black line of premium cinema rigs
and accessories, which emphasize ultrahigh-quality materials, time-saving features
and exclusive priority services and incentives
through membership to Redrock Concierge.
The Redrock Black line consists of
accessories and rigs designed for modern
digital cinema cameras. The line includes
the UltraCage system for Canon EOS
Cinema, Sony F and FS, Red Digital Cinema
and Blackmagic Cinema cameras. Redrock
Black accessories and supports are easily
identified by their sleek black look with
subtle gold accents and badges. The Black
line will grow with additional product
enhancements and support for other digital
cinema cameras.
Qualifying Redrock Black products
come with a complimentary membership to
Redrock Concierge, which offers services
and incentives to inspire and support video
professionals, including complimentary rig
tune-ups, live Skype setup assistance, and
incentives and rewards at events and online.
Redrock Micro has also introduced a
line of Cobalt Cages and accessories for
GoPro cameras, including the GoPro Hero3.
Constructed from precision-machined military-grade aluminum, the impact-proof
Cobalt Cage offers exceptional mounting
and rigging support with four sides of
industry-standard " taps (22 mounting

points in total). A GoPro finger-mount plate

is also included, so existing GoPro accessories and mounts can be used with the
Cobalt Cage. The Cobalt Cage can be used
with or without the Hero underwater housing, and it enables full access to all ports,
switches and card slots, and it secures the
camera with six points of contact, not just
the finger mount.
Additionally, Redrock Micro has
unveiled the One Man Crew motorized
parabolic slider that operates unattended
and delivers elegant movements while
keeping the subject both in focus and
stationary within the frame. The system
features a 36" track, and shorter limits can
be set by the user. The system also allows
for speed changes in real time; manual start,
stop and change of direction; and speed
ramp up and down. The One Man Crews
compact design, quick setup, push-button
ease-of-use and unattended operation
make it a perfect choice for corporate interviews, documentaries and production/tabletop video.
The One Man Crew ships with everything needed for use and is productionready straight from the box. The included
Heavy Load Tilt Head can hold up to 20
pounds, and the system is powered by an
included AC adapter (with international
plug adapters). It can be mounted onto a
standard tripod via its integrated "-20 and
38"-16 cheeseplate, and it also features
rubberized feet for low-profile tabletop
placement. The One Man Crew also ships
with a soft carry case for easy transport.
The Cobalt Cage is available for $99.
The One Man Crew is available for $1,495.
For additional information, visit
www.redrockmicro.com.

Anton/Bauer Expands
Battery Solutions
Anton/Bauer, part of Vitec Videocom, a Vitec Group company, has introduced the Dionic HD lithium-ion battery for
broadcast and digital-media professionals.
Part of the companys Logic Series of
batteries, the Dionic HD powers highcurrent applications in a lightweight and
robust package, making it an ideal solution
for cameras such as the Sony F65, Arri
Alexa, Vision Research Phantom and more.
Delivering up to 10 amps of power,
the Dionic HD is a 183-watt-hour battery
that features special-application Li-Ion
technology. Employing sixth-generation
cell technology, the Dionic HD incorporates
Anton/Bauers latest software architecture
and an improved LCD for superior safety
and reliability even in extreme environmental conditions. Weighing 40 percent less
than a NiCad or NiMH battery, the Dionic
HD boasts 25 percent more capacity and
will run a 30-watt camera, monitors and
multiple accessories for more than six
hours.
The Dionic HD also includes
Anton/Bauers enhanced RealTime display.
Simple and easy to understand, the display
indicates both fuel gauge and remaining
run-time data simultaneously, without
requiring any setup. The display incorporates readouts of hours, minutes and
remaining capacity, making battery-change
decisions quick and easy. Additionally, its
motion-detection feature incorporates a
sleep-mode setting that reduces battery
self-discharge and allows for extended
periods of storage with minimal capacity
loss.
For additional information, visit
www.antonbauer.com.

95

K-Tek Launches
Nautilus
K-Tek has introduced the Nautilus Microphone
Suspension Mount, which incorporates a completely new, patentpending design to offer the maximum isolation with minimum
compromise.
We saw a need for a modern
microphone suspension that not
only isolates the microphone but is lightweight, incredibly strong and allows for
quick microphone changes, says Brenda
Klemme Parker, owner of K-Tek. We came
up with something simple [and] elegant
and it works!
Inspired by natures extended coil
design, the Nautilus Suspension Mount fits
both short and medium-length shotgun
microphones, as well as smaller cardioid
production microphones. Rather than
depending on traditional elastic mounts or
pop-in vertical clips, the Nautilus floats the
microphone in a round spring designed

with horizontal clips over molded rubber,

achieving optimum isolation. The coil is
made from a proprietary material that is
engineered to allow the microphone to
hang suspended, but it has the strength to
hold the mics weight. The coils slide along a
T-bar and lock in place, allowing for quick
microphone changes. For particularly heavy
microphones, users can add more coils. KTek will offer coils in a variety of tensions
with different sizes of clips to allow for
customization.
All K-Tek products are made in the
United States. For additional information,
visit www.ktekbooms.com.
Boxx TV Powers
High-Current Cameras
Boxx TV has expanded its range of
camera accessories with 260-volt camera
batteries designed for use with high-current
cameras. These batteries incorporate a
manganese compound to provide the high
level of current needed to run digital
cameras such as the Arri Alexa and Vision
Research Phantom.

Scott Walker, co-founder of Boxx TV,

explains that using 26-volt instead of 16-volt
batteries produces less heat in the battery
and the wiring of the
camera. If the
battery you are using
now is getting hot,
then its telling you
that its working too
hard and you are
shortening its overall
life, says Walker.
When you take a
100-watt Boxx TV
manganese battery
off a fully [accessorized] Alexa, its
barely warm. This is
because the manganese chemical makeup
of the battery has been designed to supply
very high current, much higher than standard lithium-ion batteries.
For additional information, visit
www.boxxusa.com.

$VD'LUUH
HFWRURI3KRWRJUDSK\RQHVKRXOG
DOZD\V
\VJRLQWRDOLJKWLQJVHWXSZLWKD
UPSODQLQPLQGEXWEHUHDG\WRWKURZ
LWRXWWKHZLQGRZLIQHFHVVDU\,WLVRIWHQ
WKHLQQXPHUDEOHFKDQFHRFFXUUHQFHVWKDW
KDSSHQDVWKHOLJKWLQJSURJUHVVHVWKDW
DUHWKHVWXIIWKDWEULOOLDQFHLVPDGHXSRI
~ Peter Stein, ASC





 
  
 










 








 
 








 













6SRQVRUHGE\
96





 
 





Canon Develops 35mm

Cine Prime
Canon has announced the development of a 35mm Cinema prime lens for
large-format single-sensor cameras that
employ Super 35mm, full-frame 35mm or
APS-C-size imagers. The 35mm Cinema
prime will join Canons line of 14mm,
24mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm EFmount Cinema prime lenses, filling a strategic optical need between the 24mm and
50mm lenses. As with Canons precisionmatched, competitively priced CN-E prime
lenses, the 35mm lens under development
will deliver 4K optical performance and
inherit the professional operability of the
existing CN-E prime-lens line.
Canon Cinema prime lenses are part
of the Canon Cinema EOS system of professional cinematography products, which also
includes the EOS C500 4K/2K digital cinema
camera, EOS C300 digital cinema camera,
EOS C100 digital video camera, EOS-1D C
4K DSLR cinema camera and four Canon
Cinema zoom lenses.
Canon is committed to supporting
cinematic culture and the continued
advancement of tools for visual storytelling
at all levels, says Yuichi Ishizuka, executive
vice president and general manger of
Canon U.S.As Imaging Technologies &
Communications Group. During the past
18 months, Canon brought our Cinema
EOS product line to market, and in that time
we have introduced HD, 2K and 4K
cameras, lenses and workflow solutions, as
well as structured a comprehensive service
and support network of professionals in the
theatrical motion picture and television
markets to enable customers to create and
deliver exceptional imaging content and
cinematic brilliance.
For additional information, visit
www.usa.canon.com.

Schneider Showcases Glass

Schneider Optics has announced the
Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon FF-Prime
lenses, a family of prime lenses specially
designed for digital cinematography with
full-frame-sensor HDSLR and other professional cameras.
Built in Germany by SchneiderKreuznach, the Xenon FF-Prime series so far
includes 35mm T2.1, 50mm T2.1 and
75mm T2.1 lenses. Each lens is available
with a Nikon F, Canon EOS or PL mount.
Additional wide-angle and telephoto lenses
will be added soon.
Each compact 3.3-pound lens offers
an all-new optical and mechanical design.
The circular 14-blade aperture is specially
engineered for a smooth and consistent

bokeh. The precision constant volume

focusing design minimizes breathing, and a
300-degree barrel rotation offers accurate
manual-focus markings. All Xenon FFPrimes are also color-matched for consistency across the line.
Engineered for compatibility with
industry-standard cine-style accessories such
as follow-focus rigs and matteboxes, the
Xenon FF-Primes feature identical external
dimensions and positioning of focus and
gear rings in each focal length. Oversized
focus and distance scales are readable on
both sides of the lens. Each lens also has a
100mm front diameter and standard 95mm
thread to accommodate filters and other
accessories.
Schneider has also debuted the 1.4x
MK II PL-to-PL Century Extender for PLmount single-sensor cameras. This highresolution optic increases a PL-mount lens
range by a factor of 1.4 with only a 1-stop
loss in light.
Featuring rugged stainless-steel
construction, the 1.4x MK II Extender
97

mounts between a PL-mount camera and a

PL-mount lens (with mount clearance of up
to 14mm from the PL-mount flange), and
incorporates high-quality lens coatings to
provide the optical performance required for
large-sensor cameras. The Extender allows
zooming while maintaining focus.
Additionally,
Schneider
has
expanded the True-Streak Filter series.
Designed to provide dramatic horizontal
streak effects emanating from point sources
of light, True-Streak filters are made from
the same water-white optical glass Schneider is famous for. The filters are available in
a variety of colors, including blue, red,
orange, green, yellow, violet, pink and clear;
each color is available in four steps of
strength.
The anamorphic blue streak was
the origin of the concept, says ASC associate Ira Tiffen, Schneider Optics vice president of Motion Picture and Television Filters.
But typically it could only be generated by
using anamorphic lenses, which was often
limited to big-budget productions. I realized
there was a need for a cost-effective filter in

standard sizes to reproduce the effect, and

developed the True-Streak. True-Streak
filters are available in 4"x4", 4"x5.65" and
6.6"x6.6" sizes.
For additional information, visit
www.schneideroptics.com.
Fujinon Goes Wide with
Cabrio Zoom
Fujifilm Optical Devices has unveiled
a preliminary model of the Premier 1428mm Cabrio wide-angle lens, model
ZK2x14, designed for ENG or cine-style
shooting. The PL-mount, T2.9 zoom
features 200-degree focus rotation.
Designed using the latest opticalsimulation technology, the wide-angle
Cabrio lens offers excellent optical performance across the image, including the
corners of the frame. The digital servos 16bit encoding assures operators that all lensdata output such as the position of the
zoom, iris and focus, is accurate; the lens
supports Lens Data System and /i metadata
formats. Like the PL 19-90mm and PL 85300mm Premier Cabrio zooms, the PL 14-




 




  







28mm Cabrio features a detachable servo

drive unit, making it suitable for use as a
standard PL lens or as an ENG-style lens. It
can also be controlled using standard wireless controllers and existing Fujinon wired
and wireless units.
Like the PL 19-90mm, the 14-28mm
is equipped with such features as flange
focal distance adjustment and coverage of
a 31.5mm-diagonal sensor. Other specifications of this lens are still being determined;
Fujifilm Optical Devices has scheduled a
tentative delivery date of the end of this
year for the lens.
For additional information, visit
www.fujifilmusa.com.






  
 


 

 









 

 










 


 

  

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KDQGVRQZRUNVKRSVLQ0DQKDWWDQ1HZ<RUNZLWKLQGXVWU\OHDGHUVDQG
H[SHUWV~Andy Levison, Steadicam Operator
7KHOLJKWLQJZRUNVKRSZLWK3HWHU6WHLQ$6&ZDVJUHDWEHFDXVH,KDYH
EHHQZRUNLQJLQ79DQGOPSURGXFWLRQIRURYHU\HDUVDQG3HWHU
WDXJKWVRPHWULFNVWKDW,ZLOOGHQLWHO\XVHWRPDNHP\SURMHFWVKDYH
DPRUHSROLVKHGORRN3HWHU6WHLQ$6&NQRZVKRZWRFRQWUROOLJKWQR
PDWWHUZKDWWKHVLWXDWLRQLV~Will Fonseca, Director

Sponsorre
ed by:
98

quality conversion and real-time scaling of

computer DVI-D and HDMI outputs to
baseband video over SDI. With audio functionality, image scaling and an elegant user
interface, as well as aspect ratio and framerate conversion, ROI seamlessly incorporates computer signals into video production.
The Hi5-4K and ROI are available for
$595 and $995, respectively. For additional
information, visit www.aja.com.
AJA Adds to
Mini-Converter Offerings
AJA Video Systems has introduced
the Hi5-4K and ROI Mini-Converters.
The Hi5-4K Mini-Converter provides
a simple monitoring connection from
professional 4K devices using four 3G-SDI
outputs to new and upcoming consumer
4K displays equipped with 4K-capable 1.4a
HDMI inputs. Compatible with HD workflows, the Hi5-4K is also a flexible MiniConverter for HD workflows requiring
3G/HD-SDI to HDMI conversion.
The ROI Mini-Converter allows high-

Boris Offers Individual

Filter Packages
Boris FX, a developer of integrated
visual-effects and workflow technology for
video and film, has made each category of
its Boris Continuum Complete filters available as a separate unit. The shift will allow
artists to choose toolsets geared toward
their specific needs. Each of the 16 filter
categories offered such as 3D Objects,
Art Looks, Blur and Sharpen, Color and
Tone, Film Style, Image Restoration, Match
Move, and Particles are now available for
individual purchase. Filters are compatible

with Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere

Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion and
Sony Vegas Pro.
The Boris Continuum Units product
family is available from the Boris FX website
at www.borisfx.com. Pricing ranges from
$199 to $299 per unit, and upgrades from
previous unit versions are available for
$49.95.

99

International Marketplace

Alura Carry Handles

toll free: 877-467-8666

www.oppenheimercameraproducts.com

100

June 2013

American Cinematographer

INTRODUCING THE GR-2,

AN AFFORDABLE
MASTER CLOCK

DENECKE, INC.
25209 Avenue Tibbitts
Valencia, CA 91355
Phone (661) 607-0206 Fax (661) 257-2236
www.denecke.com Email: [email protected]

CLASSIFIED AD RATES
All classifications are $4.50 per word. Words set in
bold face or all capitals are $5.00 per word. First word
of ad and advertisers name can be set in capitals without extra charge. No agency commission or discounts on
classified advertising.PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY ORDER.
VISA, Mastercard, AmEx and Discover card are accepted. Send ad to Classified Advertising, American
Cinematographer, P.O. Box 2230, Hollywood, CA
90078. Or FAX (323) 876-4973. Deadline for payment
and copy must be in the office by 15th of second month
preceding publication. Subject matter is limited to items
and services pertaining to filmmaking and video production. Words used are subject to magazine style abbreviation. Minimum amount per ad: $45

CLASSIFIEDS ON-LINE
Ads may now also be placed in the on-line Classifieds at the ASC web site.
Internet ads are seen around the world at the
same great rate as in print, or for slightly more you
can appear both online and in print.
For
more
information
please
visit
www.theasc.com/advertiser, or e-mail: [email protected].

Classifieds
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
4X5 85 Glass Filters, Diffusion, Polas etc. A
Good Box Rental 818-763-8547
14,000+ USED EQUIPMENT ITEMS. PRO VIDEO
& FILM EQUIPMENT COMPANY. 50 YEARS
EXPERIENCE.
New: iLLUMiFLEX LIGHTS &
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TRIPODS.
www.UsedEquipmentNewsletter.com AND
w w w . P r o V i d e o F i l m . c o m
EMAIL:
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CALL BILL 972 869 9990, 888 869 9998.

SERVICES AVAILABLE
STUCK? BLOCKED?
Give me 30 minutes (at no cost to you):
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STEADICAM ARM QUALITY SERVICE OVERHAUL
AND UPDATES. QUICK TURNAROUND. ROBERT
LUNA (323) 938-5659.

Worlds SUPERMARKET of USED MOTION

PICTURE EQUIPMENT! Buy, Sell, Trade.
CAMERAS, LENSES, SUPPORT, AKS & MORE!
Visual Products, Inc. www.visualproducts.com
Call 440.647.4999

www.theasc.com

June 2013

101

Advertisers Index
16x9, Inc. 88
Abel Cine Tech 21
AC 100, 103
Adorama 11, 73
Aerocrane Sales & Leasing
94
AJA Video Systems, Inc. 25
Arri 13
AZGrip 100
Backstage Equipment, Inc.
97
Band Pro Film & Digital 17
Barger-Lite 88, 101
Best Film Service, Inc. 47
Birns & Sawyer 100
Blackmagic Design, Inc. 41
Cammate Systems 8
Carl Zeiss SBE, LLC 27
Cavision Enterprises 79
Chapman/Leonard Studio
Equipment Inc. 71
Cinebags Inc. 101
Cinematography
Electronics 8
Cinekinetic 100
Cineo Lighting 63
Clairmont Film & Digital 19
Codex Digital Ltd. 75
Convergent Design C3
Cooke Optics 15
Creative Industry Handbook
99
Denecke 101
Duclos Lenses 8

102

Eastman Kodak 64 a-l, C4

EFD, USA 43
Film Gear 57
Filmotechnic USA 80
Filmtools 94
Freefly Systems 9
Glidecam Industries 23
Grip Factory Munich/GFM 88
Hertz Corporation 55
Hive Lighting 84
Hollywood Post Alliance 92
Hollywood Rentals 59
Huesca Film Office/HUFO 90
J.L. Fisher, Inc. 46
K5600 29
Kino Flo 31
Koerner Camera Systems 92
Lee Filters 67
Lights! Action! Co. 100
LiteGear 85
LitePanels 5
Los Angeles Film Festival
107
Maccam 101
Maine Media 90
Manfrotto Distribution 45
Manios Optical 101
Matthews Studio
Equipment/MSE 63
M.M. Mukhi & Sons 100
Movcam Tech. Co., Ltd. 77
Movie Tech AG 100, 101
NBC Universal 39
Nevada Film Commission 30
Nila, Inc. 95

Oppenheimer Camera Prod.

6, 100
Outsight Pty. Ltd. 53
Ovide 102
Panther Gmbh 58
PC&E 81
PED Denz 87
Pille Film Gmbh 100
Powermills 100
Pro8mm 100
Radiant Images 89, 91, 93
Rag Place, The 57
Red Digital Cinema C2-1
Schneider Optics 2,
Service Vision 66
Siggraph 83
Sony Electronics, Inc. 7
Super16 Inc. 101
T-Pars, Inc. 90
Thales Angenieux 32-33
VF Gadgets, Inc. 100
Visual Products 95
Willys Widgets 101
Welch Integrated 96, 98
www.theasc.com 100

American Society of Cinematographers Roster

OFFICERS 2012-13
Stephen Lighthill,
President
Daryn Okada,
Vice President
Richard Crudo,
Vice President
Kees Van Oostrum,
Vice President
Victor J. Kemper,
Treasurer
Frederic Goodich,
Secretary
Steven Fierberg,
Sergeant-at-Arms
MEMBERS
OF THE BOARD
John Bailey
Stephen H. Burum
Curtis Clark
Richard Crudo
Dean Cundey
Fred Elmes
Michael Goi
Victor J. Kemper
Francis Kenny
Matthew Leonetti
Stephen Lighthill
Michael O'Shea
Robert Primes
Owen Roizman
Kees Van Oostrum
ALTERNATES
Ron Garcia
Julio Macat
Kenneth Zunder
Steven Fierberg
Karl Walter Lindenlaub

104

June 2013

ACTIVE MEMBERS
Thomas Ackerman
Lance Acord
Marshall Adams
Javier Aguirresarobe
Lloyd Ahern II
Russ Alsobrook
Howard A. Anderson III
Howard A. Anderson Jr.
James Anderson
Peter Anderson
Tony Askins
Christopher Baffa
James Bagdonas
King Baggot
John Bailey
Florian Ballhaus
Michael Ballhaus
Andrzej Bartkowiak
John Bartley
Bojan Bazelli
Frank Beascoechea
Affonso Beato
Mat Beck
Dion Beebe
Bill Bennett
Andres Berenguer
Carl Berger
Gabriel Beristain
Steven Bernstein
Ross Berryman
Josh Bleibtreu
Oliver Bokelberg
Michael Bonvillain
Richard Bowen
David Boyd
Russell Boyd
Uta Breisewitz
Jonathan Brown
Don Burgess
Stephen H. Burum
Bill Butler
Frank B. Byers
Bobby Byrne
Patrick Cady
Antonio Calvache
Paul Cameron
Russell P. Carpenter
James L. Carter
Alan Caso
Michael Chapman
Rodney Charters
Enrique Chediak
Christopher Chomyn
James A. Chressanthis
T.C. Christensen
Joan Churchill
Curtis Clark
Peter L. Collister
Jack Cooperman
Jack Couffer

Vincent G. Cox
Jeff Cronenweth
Richard Crudo
Dean R. Cundey
Stefan Czapsky
David Darby
Allen Daviau
Roger Deakins
Jan DeBont
Thomas Del Ruth
Bruno Delbonnel
Peter Deming
Jim Denault
Caleb Deschanel
Ron Dexter
Craig Di Bona
George Spiro Dibie
Ernest Dickerson
Billy Dickson
Bill Dill
Anthony Dod Mantle
Stuart Dryburgh
Bert Dunk
Lex DuPont
John Dykstra
Richard Edlund
Eagle Egilsson
Frederick Elmes
Robert Elswit
Geoffrey Erb
Scott Farrar
Jon Fauer
Don E. FauntLeRoy
Gerald Feil
Cort Fey
Steven Fierberg
Mauro Fiore
John C. Flinn III
Anna Foerster
Larry Fong
Ron Fortunato
Jonathan Freeman
Tak Fujimoto
Alex Funke
Steve Gainer
Robert Gantz
Ron Garcia
David Geddes
Dejan Georgevich
Michael Goi
Stephen Goldblatt
Paul Goldsmith
Frederic Goodich
Victor Goss
Jack Green
Adam Greenberg
Robbie Greenberg
Xavier Grobet
Alexander Gruszynski
Changwei Gu
Rick Gunter

American Cinematographer

Rob Hahn
Gerald Hirschfeld
Henner Hofmann
Adam Holender
Ernie Holzman
John C. Hora
Tom Houghton
Gil Hubbs
Shane Hurlbut
Tom Hurwitz
Judy Irola
Mark Irwin
Levie Isaacks
Peter James
Johnny E. Jensen
Jon Joffin
Frank Johnson
Shelly Johnson
Jeffrey Jur
Adam Kane
Stephen M. Katz
Ken Kelsch
Victor J. Kemper
Wayne Kennan
Francis Kenny
Glenn Kershaw
Darius Khondji
Gary Kibbe
Jan Kiesser
Jeffrey L. Kimball
Adam Kimmel
Alar Kivilo
David Klein
Richard Kline
George Koblasa
Fred J. Koenekamp
Lajos Koltai
Pete Kozachik
Neil Krepela
Willy Kurant
Ellen M. Kuras
George La Fountaine
Edward Lachman
Jacek Laskus
Denis Lenoir
John R. Leonetti
Matthew Leonetti
Andrew Lesnie
Peter Levy
Matthew Libatique
Charlie Lieberman
Stephen Lighthill
Karl Walter Lindenlaub
John Lindley
Robert F. Liu
Walt Lloyd
Bruce Logan
Gordon Lonsdale
Emmanuel Lubezki
Julio G. Macat
Glen MacPherson

Paul Maibaum
Constantine Makris
Denis Maloney
Isidore Mankofsky
Christopher Manley
Michael D. Margulies
Barry Markowitz
Steve Mason
Clark Mathis
Don McAlpine
Don McCuaig
Michael McDonough
Seamus McGarvey
Robert McLachlan
Geary McLeod
Greg McMurry
Steve McNutt
Terry K. Meade
Suki Medencevic
Chris Menges
Rexford Metz
Anastas Michos
David Miller
Douglas Milsome
Dan Mindel
Charles Minsky
Claudio Miranda
George Mooradian
Reed Morano
Donald A. Morgan
Donald M. Morgan
Kramer Morgenthau
Peter Moss
M. David Mullen
Dennis Muren
Fred Murphy
Hiro Narita
Guillermo Navarro
Michael B. Negrin
Sol Negrin
Bill Neil
Alex Nepomniaschy
John Newby
Yuri Neyman
Sam Nicholson
Crescenzo Notarile
David B. Nowell
Rene Ohashi
Daryn Okada
Thomas Olgeirsson
Woody Omens
Miroslav Ondricek
Michael D. OShea
Vince Pace
Anthony Palmieri
Phedon Papamichael
Daniel Pearl
Edward J. Pei
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Lowell Peterson

J U N E

2 0 1 3

Wally Pfister
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Michael Weaver
William Billy Webb
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Gordon Willis
Dariusz Wolski
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Robert Yeoman
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Vilmos Zsigmond
Kenneth Zunder
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Alan Albert
Richard Aschman
Kay Baker
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Amnon Band
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Thomas M. Barron
Larry Barton
Wolfgang Baumler
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Jill Bogdanowicz

Mitchell Bogdanowicz
Michael Bravin
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www.theasc.com

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HONORARY MEMBERS
Col. Edwin E. Aldrin Jr.
Col. Michael Collins
Bob Fisher
David MacDonald
Cpt. Bruce McCandless II
Larry Parker
D. Brian Spruill
Marek Zydowicz

June 2013

105

Film Festival. Her feature credits include

Little Birds, For Ellen, The Magic of Belle Isle,
the documentary Shut Up and Play the Hits
and the upcoming release Kill Your Darlings.
In 2011, Morano received Women in
Films Kodak Vision Award for Cinematography and was named one of Varietys 10
Cinematographers To Watch.
Society Welcomes Associate
Mankofsky
New associate member Chris
Mankofsky became involved with photography in high school and continued to
pursue it as an adult. While shooting stills
for an independent film in Cincinnati, Ohio,
in 1973, she met Isidore Mankofsky, ASC.
The two married in 1974, and Chris began
working as a camera assistant in IATSE Local
659, which she did for years before pursuing a career in decorative art. She has edited
the ASC member newsletter with her
husband since 2004, and she organized
stills for the ASC Fine Art Photography
show.

From top: Reed Morano, ASC;

associate member Chris Mankofsky.

Morano Joins Society

New active member Reed Morano,
ASC was born in Omaha, Neb., and moved
around the country with her family while
she was growing up. As a child, she often
wrote and shot movies that starred her
three younger siblings. Moranos father
encouraged her to apply to film schools,
and it was while studying at New York
University that she decided to focus on
becoming a cinematographer.
After college, Morano shot short
films and documentaries and also worked
as a key grip. In 2006, she shot the independent feature Frozen River, which won
the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance
106

June 2013

Book Spotlighting
Cinematography Wins
Academy Grant
ASC cinematographers Gregg
Toland, John F. Seitz and Robert Burks
will be among the filmmakers featured in
The Image on the Screen: Directors, Cinematographers and the Collaborative
Process, a proposed book by Christopher
Beach that recently received a $25,000
Academy Film Scholars grant from the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
Beach will focus on the collaborations between Billy Bitzer and D.W. Griffith,
Toland and William Wyler, Seitz and Billy
Wilder, and Burks and Alfred Hitchcock, as
well as more contemporary duos, including
some whose work has appeared in the last
decade. I plan to bring the study into the
present, and, in fact, more recent collaborators will probably receive greater emphasis,
but I havent yet decided which filmmakers
American Cinematographer

to focus on for the more contemporary part

of the book, says Beach. Im also considering whether and/or how to tackle the
digital revolution, which has obviously had
an enormous impact on cinematography.
Beach says the idea for the project
was born a few years ago, when he was
working on the book The Films of
Hal Ashby (2009) and had the opportunity
to interview ASC members Michael
Chapman, Caleb Deschanel and Haskell
Wexler about their work with the late
director. Ashby was a very collaborative
filmmaker, and I decided I wanted to do a
project that focused on the collaborative
nature of filmmaking, he says. Ninetynine percent of academic film criticism
focuses on the director, and I wanted to
take a deliberately anti-auteurist approach.
Im also very interested in the aesthetics of
film, and I thought focusing on the directorcinematographer collaboration was the
best way to get at both of those subjects.
He chose to study only Hollywood
filmmakers mainly to narrow the projects
scope. Apart from that, my only rule is that
the director and cinematographer must
have made at least three films together.
Obviously, there are dozens of collaborators
that could be interesting topics, and I have
to whittle that down to six or seven.
The AMPAS Grants Committee is
chaired by Buffy Shutt, and its other
members are John Bailey, ASC; Albert
Berger; Mitchell Block; Rosemary Brandenburg; Willie Burton; Suzanne Cole; Chris
Donahue; William Nix; Michle Ohayon;
Peter Samuelson; John Singleton; Bill
Taylor, ASC; Alfre Woodard, and Chuck
Workman. The committee has also
awarded an Academy Film Scholars grant
to University of Texas-Austin professor
Thomas Schatz, who will write Hollywood
in the Conglomerate Age.

Photo of Clubhouse by Isidore Mankofsky, ASC; lighting by Donald M. Morgan, ASC.

Photo of Chris Mankofsky by Isidore Mankofsky, ASC.

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Shelly Johnson, ASC

When you were a child, what film made the strongest impression on you?
The Wizard of Oz (1939) was the first one I was truly blown away by.
How can a film transport you with images, color and music? It did
what I like to do with films, which is to create a new world in which
a story can exist.
Which cinematographers, past or present, do you most
admire?
Ill keep this to cinematographers Ive actually seen
work on the set: ASC members Bill Fraker, Conrad
Hall and Allen Daviau. It was absolutely amazing to
watch them work with actors, directors and their
crews. The respect they had for other people was
equal to the respect they received. I came across all
three by total happenstance, and Ill never forget
those experiences.

the edge of our abilities and well outside our safety zones in pursuit
of creative imagery. Its not a comfortable place to work, but the
results are expressive and often surprising, especially to the cinematographer!
Have you made any memorable blunders?
Oh, yes! Big, fat, glorious blunders! They will always keep me
humble.
What is the best professional advice youve
ever received?
Learn from your mistakes, not your successes.
What recent books, films or artworks have
inspired you?
This is going to sound strange, but theres a painting
at the Huntington [Library, Art Collections and
Botanical Gardens] called Two Boys by Candlelight,
Blowing a Bladder, by Joseph Wright. Its an image
of two young brothers playing with an inflated pigs
bladder positioned in front of a candle. The source
of light in the painting is the luminescent backlight
through the bladder. If I ever have to shoot a scene
where two boys are inflating a pigs bladder, Ive got
the inspiration!

What sparked your interest in photography?

Life Magazine. I had no idea how those photographers had the presence of mind to create those
images until I got a chance to meet a few of them.
Then it came clear: They are people who understand
what life is, and they have a deep desire to share that
outlook in a positive way.
Where did you train and/or study?
The Art Center College of Design. It was a well-rounded education
that included film students fumfering around in life-drawing classes.
The art students were quite entertained/mortified, and the instructor
took pity on us and gave us a passing grade.
Who were your early teachers or mentors?
Larry Bolens; Allen Daviau, ASC; and Woody Omens, ASC. I still hear
their words echoing in my head today, although I had no understanding of what they were talking about when I was 19.
What are some of your key artistic influences?
Im interested in how artists live their lives and access their creativity
through vulnerability and fearlessness. I try to do that as well but pull
up short of cutting my ear off.
How did you get your first break in the business?
My dad was a television director, and I always admired his camera
crews. When I got a chance to work with them, they made fun of
me relentlessly and introduced me to the concept of not resting on
my laurels.
What has been your most satisfying moment on a project?
Some directors know how to challenge cinematographers to work at
108

June 2013

Do you have any favorite genres, or genres you would like to

try?
I like the fact that a cinematographer can move freely through all
genres. I cannot think of one I want to avoid.
If you werent a cinematographer, what might you be doing
instead?
An architect or an artist, I guess. I didnt get past C on the alphabetical list of job categories. I made a U-turn when I got to doctor.
Which ASC cinematographers recommended you for
membership?
Russell Carpenter, Don Burgess and Richard Rawlings Jr.
How has ASC membership impacted your life and career?
Being a member of the ASC is the fulfillment of a lifelong goal and
gives me a forum to help others as many have helped me. ASC
members are a class act, and I love their heritage and plans for the
future. In my case, Groucho Marxs famous quote easily comes to
mind! If the ASC ever figures out that Im useless without a good
crew, a well-written script and a collaborative director, they will have
no choice but to lock all the doors and windows when they see me
walk up the driveway.

American Cinematographer

Photo by Owen Roizman, ASC.

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