Ron Prince has over three decades of experience in the film, TV, CGI and VFX industries, and has written about cinematography for 20 years. In 2014, he won the ARRI John Alcott Award from the BSC. He also runs the international content marketing and PR communications company Prince PR. “Count” Iain Blair Our Man In LA, is a British writer/musician who lives in LA and writes extensively about film/entertainment for outlets including LA Times, Variety and Reuters. He interviews movie stars and Hollywood’s top filmmakers.
Darek Kuźma is a film and TV journalist, translator/interpreter, and a regular collaborator/programmer of the EnergaCamerimage Film Festival. He is an ardent cinephile who has a lifelong romance with the visual language of cinema.
David Wood is a freelance journalist covering film/TV technology and production He was a former technology editor at Televisual, and is a regular contributor to Worldscreen, TVB Europe and Broadcast.
John Keedwell GBCT/UAV Pilot is a documentary and commercials cameraman who has worked on productions worldwide. He has great knowledge of film, tape/file-based formats and lighting, and their uses in production.
Kirsty Hazlewood has over two decades of editorial experience in print/ online publications, and is a regular contributor to folk/roots music website Spiral Earth.
Natasha Block Hicks is an artist/designer/maker, who spent a decade as a freelance film and TV camera assistant, and indulges her love for cinema and cinematography through research and writing.
Now, there’s been a recent forecast, from the accountancy firm PWC, estimating the UK entertainment industry will be worth a whopping £121 ($155) billion by 2028.
Whilst this report focusses on streaming, games, advertising and live events as the generators for most of that cash, it fails to mention the value of the production industry making features and high-end episodic TV. However, positive word amongst some of the high-ups we are close to, plus moves like Amazon’s recent purchase of Bray Studios, and Disney’s investment of at least $5 billion in production across the UK and continental Europe over the next five years, all point to a rosier picture than of late.
UK inward and homegrown investments are expected to rise, especially if the new government administration keeps-on keeping-on with the incentivised support of the previous administration – but hopefully without the possibility of crippling levies on studios or other unforeseen money-draining wrinkles.
Although some skills gaps need to be plugged, the sheer quality and depth of the workforce, and abundance of studio space aplenty, mean the UK remains a safe and attractive destination for content producers.
But, rather than the increase in work being a deluge, we are told to expect a steady drip, drip, drip of productions getting underway over the coming months, forming what you might call a healthy-sized puddle. For anyone thinking the opposite, the message is… there is hope!
If you’re attending IBC 2024, come to see us at the Cinematography World Pavilion (Hall 12, Stand G45), and we’ll tell you how we can assist you in this growing atmosphere of optimism!
Until we see you again, keep safe and shine-on everyone!
Ron Prince Editor in Chief
Ron Prince
photo by Joe Short www.joeshort.com
Official Media Partners
True Cinema. For All.
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BETTER-OFF TOGETHER
Two years with a very limited amount of production left rental companies weakened and disheartened around the US. Because of the series of labour actions and contract negotiations all coming in the same span of time, production starts were practically non-existent.
The lack of work brought about financial and emotional pain to everyone working in the motion picture and television industry. It is difficult to remember a period when the business has been this bad for this long a period.
Now, finally, the negotiations are over, and production will begin to ramp back up. As we enter this phase, there needs to be some understanding and compassion throughout the production community.
People and businesses have been stressed and stretched to the max. Many important staff had to be laid-off. Companies are now digging themselves out of financial peril. Not just rental companies, the entire collective support infrastructure –stages, caterers, lighting and grip, camera, equipment manufacturers and transportation are all on the verge of collapse from the lack of work.
PERG’s message to clients and competitors alike is that, unlike most industries, we are all reliant upon one another. Work will not get done if a single provider of goods or services flounders. We are all in this together and we need to be willing to have discussions on how we can help one another survive the changes in our industry.
We are all reliant upon one another… and look forward to getting busy again
As production ramps back up there needs to be understanding and compassion throughout the community
How can any of that happen without any service technicians, without any back-up equipment, without a network of other local suppliers and contacts, without direct contacts to equipment manufacturers, without anyone to ensure that maintenance schedules and firmware updates are performed, without accounting and legal contracts and all the other cogs that turn together to make this thing work. Production companies and studios and crew and everyone else need rental companies in order to do what they do.
Crew members have always been extremely vulnerable to financial calamity during work slowdowns due to the freelance structure under
which productions hire them. But brick-and-mortar businesses also have families to support and bills to pay, even when no revenue is being generated.
People have a tendency to think that businesses are less vulnerable than individuals. To an extent that is true, and it’s because they have such an immense responsibility to their employees and to their clients that they plan carefully for slow times.
The rental industry in the US suffers from three primary afflictions: productions beating them up on discounts; crew members syphoning revenue by forcing an ever-increasing amount of their own equipment onto rentals; and run-away productions going out of the country.
These three things have left rental companies with such thin margins that many business owners are deeply-concerned about the direction these trends will take our industry.
Rental companies are critical infrastructure in every production community. Rental companies are proud of their high standards. Crew members and producers have come to rely on them for the highest levels of service and professionalism. In so many ways, the rental companies are a resource for education, for mentorship of young up-andcoming talent, for local contacts, for the newest and best equipment, and support of every kind.
There was a time when you pulled into a gas station, the attendant would run out and fill your tank, clean your windshield, and offer to check your oil. Like so many things in modern life, now you do it yourself. But what does that kind of costcutting look like when applied to our industry? Could a TV show really prep a two-camera show from the camera assistant’s living room?
People working in production often don’t realise just how much the rental company is on the team of their clients. If it were a soccer team, the crew and production staff are the players on the field and the rental companies are the trainers, the nutritionists, the assistant coaches, the medical staff on the sidelines.
People who operate rental companies get enjoyment from seeing the success of talented cinematographers and supporting great entertainment. In a recent conversation with John Rule, owner of Rule Camera in Boston, he said it perfectly, “Lord knows, it’s not just about making a living. It’s about contributing to an artform that we are passionate about. It’s about a commitment to service. Rental Houses are a hospitality business, after all, and we care about making our clients look good. We care about the client experience. We care about the product being successful. My team and I love the technology, we study the art, and we are proud to work with the peculiar mix of smart, ambitious, artistic and ingenious people who gravitate to this industry.”
We look forward to getting busy again.
I am here to tell you, the rental community is going to put on a brave face and pretend that everything is great, and we are ready for anything, but we are recovering from a blow, just like everyone, and we all need to enter into this thing with compassion and patience for one another.
Harry Box PERG Manager Production Equipment
Rental Group (part of ESTA)
Find out more about joining PERG at www.esta.org/PERG/
INVESTMENT DRIVES SUSTAINABILITY AT SUNBELT RENTALS
FILM & TV
Sunbelt Rentals Film and TV has introduced 18 Euro 6 lighting trucks, with stage 5 generator engines, into its growing fleet of sustainable equipment. The £3 million investment demonstrates Sunbelt’s dedication to supporting the film and TV industry in its transition towards implementing more sustainable practices in productions..
The vehicles include stage 5 generators, capable of delivering up to 250KW, to provide productions with a single solution for power and light on-location. Integrated technology also automatically activates the generator to recharge the battery when needed, reducing overall energy consumption, reducing the lifetime cost for
productions.
Mike Pollard, managing director of Sunbelt Rentals Film and TV, commented, “Our continued investment in environmentallyfriendly equipment demonstrates our support in helping customers implement sustainable practices in their productions. By committing to providing innovative solutions such as these state-of-the-art
BAFTA ALBERT REVIEW SHOWS GREATER COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
The BAFTA Albert 2023 annual review highlights significant progress in environmental sustainability within the film and TV industries. The report reveals that over 3,000 carbon footprints were completed in 2023, marking an 11% increase from 2022. Productions submitted 32% more data points on average, enriching the data set, though there was also a 33% rise in emissions per hour of content.
Sustainability efforts extended beyond the UK, with 467 international productions from 38 countries also submitting carbon footprints. Film industry participation increased, with 78 film footprints submitted, up from 57 in 2022.
April Sotomayor, BAFTA Albert’s head of industry sustainability, emphasised the
trucks, we can help them to realise their creative visions and reduce their carbon footprint at the same time.”
industry’s growing commitment to sustainability and the value of the more detailed data collected. The report also introduced the Climate Themes Snapshot, a new summary of climate content data. Continuing dramas and news had the highest inclusion of climate references, with 70% of productions in these genres addressing climate issues. The Snapshot serves as a benchmark for future progress.
To further drive industry-wide climate action, BAFTA Albert launched the Climate Action Blueprint in 2023, focusing on several key areas: on-screen actions; culture and capability; standards, measurement and reporting; and off-screen actions. The report details the progress made in these areas.
Matt Scarff, managing director at BAFTA Albert, acknowledged the need for faster action to reduce emissions and expressed pride in the organisation’s role in leading the screen industries towards sustainability. Despite the progress being made, the rising emissions highlight the on-going challenges and the necessity for continued collective effort.
CINELAB FILM & DIGITAL REVEALS RECENT PROJECTS
Cinelab has released news about the latest production supported by its film and digital services, including some of the biggest motion pictures and streamed series.
The company provided digital lab services, including digital dailies and dailies colour, on Deadpool & Wolverine, lensed by cinematographer George Richmond BSC and directed by Shawn Levy. Cinelab’s Joshua CallisSmith was supervising dailies colourist and Daniel Rosenberg the dailies colourist on the film.
Cinelab also supported season two of The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power with digital lab services, including digital dailies and dailies colour, and delivered digital lab services on We Live In Time, from director John Crowley lensed by cinematographer Stuart Bentley BSC, releasing in the USA in October and rumoured to be getting a screening at the 2024
London Film Festival.
For Rock ‘N’ Roll Ringo, directed by Dominik Galizia film, and shot on 35mm 2-perf Kodak 500T 5219 by cinematographer Elias C. J. Koehler, the firm provided film processing and 4K scanning.
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With multiple mounting points and accessory side plates, it’s easy to configure Blackmagic PYXIS into the camera you need it to be! PYXIS’ compact body is made from precision CNC machined aerospace aluminum, which means it is lightweight yet very strong. You can easily mount it on a range of camera rigs such as cranes, gimbals or drones!
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STEVE MCQUEEN TO RECEIVE ENERGACAMERIMAGE OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR AWARD
British filmmaker Steve McQueen will be honoured with the Special Award For Outstanding Director at the 2024 EnergaCAMERIMAGE festival in Torun, Poland, 16th to 23rd November.
Known for his uncompromising approach to tackling social and political issues such as racism, violence and inequality, McQueen is recognised as one of the most influential contemporary filmmakers, and the festival ’s director, Marek Żydowicz, has praised McQueen’s vivid filmmaking style for sparking discussion and engaging audiences on pressing issues.
McQueen’s career highlights include his 2008 debut Hunger (DP Sean Bobbitt BSC), the historical drama about the 1981 Irish hunger strike, which won the Camera D’Or at Cannes, and the erotic psychodrama Shame (2011, DP Sean Bobbitt BSC), both starring Michael Fassbender. His 2013 film 12 Years A Slave (DP Sean Bobbitt BSC), based on the true story of Solomon Northup, won numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture, and earned McQueen accolades for his directing. He continued to impress with the heist movie Widows (2018, DP Sean Bobbitt BSC) and his anthology series Small Axe (2020, DP Shabier Kirchner), which focussed on the lives of London’s West Indian community between the 1960s to the 1980s, and garnered critical acclaim, including fifteen BAFTA nominations.
McQueen’s latest project, Blitz (DP Yorick Le Saux AFC), follows a young boy’s harrowing
journey during World War II and stars Saoirse Ronan. The film is set for a theatrical release in November 2024, followed by streaming on Apple TV+.
McQueen is also recognised for his documentary work, including the Cannespremiered Occupied City (2023, DP Lennert Hillege NSC) and the BAFTA-awarded series Uprising (2021, DP Charlie Laing). Remarkably, the vast majority of McQueen’s work has been captured on 16mm or 35mm film.
In addition to his film achievements, McQueen has been celebrated in the art world, winning the Turner Prize and Johannes Vermeer Prize, and his work is featured in major galleries and museums worldwide.
In other news, EnergaCAMERIMAGE has revealed the official poster for this year’s edition, where renowned figures such as actress Cate Blanchett and DP Edward Lachman ASC are confirmed attendees along with McQueen.
The poster, designed by Marcin Wolski features the aurora borealis shaped like a film strip stretching over Toruń’s historic Gothic architecture. This design symbolises the magic and beauty of cinema, likened to the captivating and inspirational nature of the Northern Lights.
The aurora motif represents the artistic impact of the films showcased at the festival and connects the cinematic experience with the natural beauty of this luminous phenomenon.
The poster also highlights the festival’s theme of blending tradition with modernity and art with technology. The unpredictable nature of the Northern Lights parallels the unique, ephemeral experience of watching films, where each screening evokes different emotions and reactions. Festival director Marek Żydowicz emphasised the symbolic connection between the aurora and the festival, viewing film as a guiding light that leads to new discoveries.
The poster also pays tribute to the festival ’ s title sponsor, Energa, part of the Orlen Group, which promotes ecological energy solutions. Energa is transitioning towards greener energy, with about half of its energy now coming from renewable sources. The festival ’s commitment to environmental issues aligns with Energa’s efforts in energy transformation, making this year’s event a reflection on both cinematic artistry and ecological responsibility.
JANET YANG RE-ELECTED AS ACADEMY PRESIDENT
Producer Janet Yang has been reelected president of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences by the organisation’s board of governors.
A member of the Academy’s producers branch since 2002, Yang’s extensive film producing credits include South Central, The Joy Luck Club, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Zero Effect, Savior, The Weight Of Water, High Crimes and the Oscar-nominated animated feature Over The Moon. She won an Emmy for the HBO film Indictment: The McMartin Trial Yang is beginning her third term as president and her sixth year as a governor-at-large, a position for
which she was nominated by the sitting Academy president and elected by the board of governors in 2019 and 2022.
“I am thrilled to have Janet return as Academy president for a third term to continue our great work of the past two years,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer.
“I look forward to collaborating with our officers and governors to advance the Academy’s mission, serve our global membership, celebrate the work of our international filmmaking community, continue to ensure the financial health of
the Academy, and broaden our reach and impact within the industry.”
PANALUX CARDIFF WELCOMES NEW TEAM MEMBERS
Panalux has welcomed two new members to the dedicated team at the company’s Cardiff facility. Lighting, camera and grip technician Alex Turner previously worked in sound and editing and as an AV technician in addition to providing design consultation to recording studios.
Client contact Adam Hanson brings experience as a freelance cinematographer and videographer and previously served on the Telegenic camera crew for Sky Sports. Turner and Hanson join branch supervisor Iain Rose, who has been with the company for more than five years.
Panalux Cardiff is housed in a dual facility shared with Panavision Cardiff, offering productions a
seamless experience for lighting, grip and camera hire. With access to the complete rental inventory shared across all Panalux locations, Panalux Cardiff ’s in-house lighting stock includes popular Astera Titan Tubes, Creamsource Vortex LED heads and ARRI Sky Panels.
Panalux provides lighting and power solutions for all production segments, including commercials, features and series. Credit highlights for the company include the series Dope Girls, Paris Has Fallen, Lost Boys & Fairies, Willow, Keeping Faith, Sex Education, His Dark Materials, The Lazarus Project, Industry, A Discovery Of Witches and War Of the Worlds
RICHARD BLANSHARD RELEASES CANNES UNCUT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK
When 22-year-old photographer Richard Blanshard arrived at the Cannes Film Festival in 1976, he unknowingly embarked on a two-decade journey as an official photographer for the UK and US film industries. His inaugural assignment was to capture Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly promoting their compilation film That’s Entertainment, Part II, and this marked the beginning of a prolific career for the young snapper.
Over the years, Blanshard enjoyed unprecedented access to stars, capturing both their glamorous public personas and candid, personal moments at Cannes. His work provided a rare glimpse into the interactions and behind-the-scenes activities of Hollywood legends and rising stars from the ‘Golden Years’ of cinema. His extensive collection of photographs, complemented by detailed captions, offers an uncensored look at the world’s most prestigious film festival—a stark contrast to today’s focus on red carpet images.
concerned with their public image. Blanshard’s archive provides invaluable insights into an era of film history that will never be replicated.
Blanshard is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker with a career spanning feature films, TV, and documentaries. Represented by the Sygma agency in Paris and Getty Images, his work includes content for major broadcasters including ITV, Discovery and HBO.
This remarkable collection stands-out as a unique historical record, showcasing a time when actors were less
DEDOLIGHT FLAG SYSTEM DELIVERS HARD & SOFT LIGHT FROM A SINGLE SOURCE
The Dedolight Lightstream Flag system is designed to control excess light in film and photographic set-ups, preventing unwanted light reflections that can affect a scene. The system features flags in square or round shapes, with a central mounting point for attaching reflectors.
The flags come in five sizes – from 22 to 62-inches – to fit various reflector sizes. Multiple flags can be mounted on a single stand, avoiding the clutter of multiple stands commonly needed in other lighting set-ups.
The primary purpose of the system is to block excess light from reflectors, but it also offers additional creative possibilities. Different flag surface colours – black, gold, silver, or white – affect the light’s behaviour. Black absorbs light, whilst the other colours create larger reflective surfaces, which can be used to
produce soft or hard light depending on the distance from the subject. The system allows cinematographers to simultaneously use both soft and hard light from a single source, offering enhanced control over the lighting’s impact on shadows and highlights.
Dedo Weigert, a former cinematographer and the system’s inventor, says, “Hard and soft light, regarding the formation of shadow and light and the transitions between shadow and light, are only dependent on the size of the area that emits light or reflects light in relation to the distance to the lit object or talent.”
The Dedolight Lightstream Flag system facilitates this control, enabling photographers and cinematographers to achieve their desired balance of soft and hard lighting, all while reducing set clutter and increasing flexibility in lighting design.
ARRI CAMERAS CAPTURE BILLY JOEL’S LANDMARK MADISON SQUARE GARDEN CONCERT
For Billy Joel’s 100th consecutive performance at Madison Square Garden, the producers chose ARRI’s Alexa 35 and Mini LF cameras to capture the event for a CBS primetime broadcast.
The historic concert required the highest quality imaging to match the significance of the moment, and ARRI’s cameras delivered through their exceptional dynamic range, colour science and low-light performance, allowing the production team to capture both the intimacy of Joel’s performance and the vivid grandeur of the venue.
requiring cameras that could suitably capture the remarkable occasion.
“Billy’s 100th concert at The Garden was an historic milestone,” he said. “We needed cameras that could deliver an unparalleled visual experience to viewers at home, preserving the energy and intimacy of this landmark performance for posterity.”
The decision to use ARRI’s cameras was pivotal in achieving the production’s vivid look, with cinematographer Brett Turnbull and director Paul Dugdale praising their ability to handle varied lighting conditions, crucial for live concert films.
The success of this production not only drew an impressive 23 million viewers but also set new standards for live concert broadcasts.
Funicular Goats provided technical management, integrating the cameras into the production’s workflow, ensuring the creative vision was fully-realised. This production exemplifies how the right technology can transform a live event into a visually stunning experience, resonating with both critics and audiences, and setting a new benchmark for live entertainment.
Executive producer Barry Ehrmann emphasised that this was not just another show but a historic milestone,
Lighting designer Steve Cohen highlighted the cameras’ ability to faithfully capture his lighting design, creating a dramatic look rarely seen in live broadcasts.
SONY AND TAV TEAM-UP FOR HISTORIC VASCO ROSSI ROCK CONCERT AND FILM
Trans Audio Video (TAV) and Sony Europe supported the filming of Italian singersongwriter Vasco Rossi’s live concerts in Milan and Bari in June 2023, using an unprecedented 22 Sony cameras, including full-frame models, to capture the iconic rock star’s performances.
This large-scale production aimed to create a cinematic experience, led by director Pepsy Romanoff and EMG Italia, with the goal of conveying the intense emotions of the concerts at San Siro Stadium.
The cameras used included the new HDC5500V with Variable Neutral Density (VND) filter technology, enabling continuous depthof-field control and seamless integration with other cinema cameras. Six HDC-4300 4K HDR cameras were also employed for live footage on a massive LED screen, delivering stunning visuals with exceptional colour and definition. Additionally, high-end cameras including the Venice 2 and Burano, plus various models
from Sony’s Cinema Line, such as the FX6, FX3 and FX9, were strategically placed to capture dynamic shots and close-ups, enhancing the audience’s immersive experience. Sony’s advanced background technology, in the form of the CNA-2 Camera Network Adapter and PVM-X2400 4K HDR monitor, ensured precise control and optimal image quality.
This innovative set-up resulted in a visually captivating production that set new standards for live concert filming. Pepsy Romanoff, director, commented, “I have chosen to portray my
stories with Sony for years. The ability to evolve its cameras to reach where they are today –including the Burano, Venice 2 and especially the amazing HDC-F5500V – has enabled me to create the perfect mix of cinema and broadcast.”
Emanuele Cerri, director of photography, added, “Thanks to Sony Burano, the filming of Vasco Rossi’s concert was achieved with a cinematic quality that will enhance the visual experience for fans. I hope to soon have the opportunity to test this exceptional machine also in documentary and film.”
ATOMOS INTRODUCES SHINOBI II MONITOR
Atomos has simultaneously announced and shipped Shinobi II, a slim, lightweight, high-brightness, 5-inch 1500nit HDR monitor for vloggers, creatives and photographers – now available now from Holdan.
Atomos is known for inventing the Apple ProRes HDR monitor-recorder, and its Ninja and Shogun lines are market leaders in that field. Atomos’ first monitoronly device, Shinobi, was launched in 2019 and has been extremely successful, selling over 100,000 units worldwide.
“The most common requests from Shinobi users have been for camera control and a brighter HDR screen,” commented Atomos CEO Jeromy Young. “Camera control required a USB-C port for the widestpossible camera compatibility and a new, brighter screen required a redesign. So, Shinobi II has been rebuilt from the ground-up for modern mirrorless/DSLR cameras and HDR or SDR video workflows, as well as
amazing HDR photo shooting.”
At launch, Shinobi II will control most Canon, Panasonic and Sony mirrorless cameras over USB-C, and Z CAM E2 models through a separate serial cable. With future firmware updates Atomos plans to support cameras from Fujifilm, Nikon, OM System and Sigma.
Kriss HamptonJoyce, head of technology at Holdan, said, “Incorporating camera control into a monitor of this pedigree, and at this price point, really makes this a possibility for the masses.
I look forward to seeing
KINEFINITY LAUNCHES EAGLE SDI E-VIEWFINDER
Kinefinity has introduced the Eagle SDI e-Viewfinder, a versatile and lightweight viewfinder compatible with all cine cameras. Featuring SDI functionality, a Micro OLED 1080P display, and premium optics, it delivers noise-free, zero-delay performance. The Eagle supports 3G and HD SDI, offering universal connectivity with frame rates from 23.97 to 60, and is designed for seamless integration across diverse cinematic set-ups.
The viewfinder’s 0.7” Full HD Micro OLED display offers 1080P resolution with 10-bit processing, ensuring exceptional colour depth and contrast. It includes a built-in diopter adjustable from -6D to +2D, accommodating a wide range of vision needs and providing a comfortable viewing experience.
the breadth of projects Shinobi II will be part of, and ultimately how it helps empower customers to create.”
The Eagle SDI e-Viewfinder is designed for efficiency, featuring low power consumption, silent operation, and real-time image capture for seamless focusing.
Weighing-in as the lightest in its class, it includes essential features such as RS triggering, five function buttons and various mounting options for adaptability in any shooting environment.
The Eagle SDI e-Viewfinder is part of Kinefinity’s commitment to innovative filmmaking tools and offering professional cine solutions globally from its marketing and support network across North America, Europe, Australasia, and the Middle East.
MATTHEWS UNVEILS APPLE BOX TOPPER
Matthews has taken the wrappers off the Apple Box Topper, a seat cushion designed to transform any standard full apple box (20”x12”x8”/51x30.5x20.5cm) into a comfortable seat on-set.
The cushion fits securely over the apple box in its vertical position, thanks to a 6-inch (15cm) skirt that ensures a snug fit. Moving the apple box around is hassle-free with the webbing strap, which is connected by a double-release buckle, allowing you to easily carry both the seat and the apple box together.
Constructed from durable, water-resistant
black Cordura with distinctive orange stitching, the cushion is both stylish and built to last. It features a 4-inch (10cm) thick, firm cushion that provides consistent comfort. The design also includes vibrant, retro-Matthewsorange pockets (8”x6”/20.5x15.25cm) on either side of the skirt, perfect for storing an iPad, walkie-talkie, water bottle, pens and other essentials needed on-set.
The Apple Box Topper is now shipping. With a patent pending, it is packaged with shipping dimensions of 13”x9”x6” (33x23x15cm) and weighs 2 lbs (1kg).
DP JACK EDWARDS WINS BSC SHORT FILM AWARD FOR PULISZKA
Cinematographer Jack Edwards began his career after studying at Falmouth University, starting as a camera operator on the Windsurfing World Tour, where he worked for four years. He later transitioned into drama, spending several years as a camera assistant while aiming to become a DP.
After seven years in camera assisting and shooting on the side, he attended the National Film & Television School, where he won multiple awards. Jack kindly wrote in with details about his work on the 2024 BSC Short Film Award-winning Puliszka, his second such award in shortform.
“Our short film Puliszka won the Student category at the BSC Short Film Awards, and I was thrilled to receive this honour for the second time. My first win was for Whiteboy, directed by Matty Crawford.
In Puliszka, set against the rural backdrop of Transylvania, we follow a family of mill workers who are struggling after their mill shaft breaks and leaves them without food. As they grow increasingly desperate, they face a grim decision involving a mystical cave at the top of a nearby mountain. Rumoured to be a place from which no one returns, the cave becomes a potential solution to their dire situation, leading the family to debate who should make the perilous journey.
and oppressive landscape where the setting almost takes on a protagonist’s role. Our film was set in the rural areas just outside Budapest and along the Danube, which provided the perfect backdrop for our story.
I arrived about two weeks before shooting commenced to collaborate closely with director Villő Krisztics. We had been friends prior to this project, and she worked tirelessly to bring me on-board. I have to give her immense credit for being such a fantastic collaborator and for overcoming various challenges during the shoot. Our locations presented significant challenges – ranging from cramped mill interiors to vast open spaces – so having a precise shot list was crucial.
For this film, we drew inspiration from a diverse range of sources, including Ivan’s Childhood (1962, dir. Andrei Tarkovsky, DP Vadim Yusov), The Revenant (2015, dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu, DP Emmanuel Lubezki AMC ASC), The Road (2009, dir. John Hiollcoat, DP Javier Aguirresarobe AEC ASC), The Witch (2015, dir. Robert Eggers, DP Jarin Blaschke), and Fargo (1996, dirs. Joel & Ethan Coen, DP Sir Roger Deakins CBE BSC ASC).
From these references, we aimed to capture a bleak
Natural lighting played a vital role in our film, particularly since a large portion of it was set outdoors. Fortunately, in Hungary during early January, the sun stays in a golden-hour position for a considerable part of the day, which we leveraged to our advantage. However, this also meant we had to carefully plan our shooting schedule to make the most of the lighting conditions.
We used an ARRI Alexa Mini with Zeiss Standard Speed lenses for most of the film, chosen for their periodappropriate look and neutral colour rendition. For the boat sequence, we incorporated Angenieux EZ zooms.
Being the only English-speaking crew member on a predominantly Hungarian set presented its own challenges, particularly with the language barrier. Communication was often facilitated through drawings and sketches, which proved essential, leading me to purchase a phone with a pen to simplify the process.
One major hurdle was the lack of snow, which was crucial for our winter setting. Due to global warming, there was no snow, so we decided to use fog as an alternative. Fog provided a wintry feel and aligned with the film’s theme of poisonous gas, also
serving as a foreshadowing device.
The film’s grade, handled by Mara Ciorba at Cheat, was critical to achieving our desired look. We employed celluloid emulation techniques to create the film’s final aesthetic. Additionally, I used Tiffen filters, specifically Soft FX and Low Contrast, at a subtle intensity. These filters enhanced the character of the Zeiss Standard Speeds and helped match the Angenieux EZ zooms to the primary lens set. Mixing different eras of lenses, I find that applying a small amount of diffusion to the main lens set allows for more dramatic diffusion effects on the modern lenses, resulting in a cohesive visual style.”
Since shooting his winning short film Puliska, Jack has just finished his first feature as main unit DP and represented by Worldwide Production Agency (WPA).
AMAZON BUYS BRAY STUDIOS
Amazon has bought Bray Film Studios, Berkshire, UK, the legendary production base of the horror and fantasy productions made by Hammer Films, in a push to expand its UK production of television series and feature films.
Bray Film Studios has been the production home for the second season of the hit Prime Video series The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power since 2022. The first Amazon MGM Studios production to be located at the studio postacquisition will be the second season of the Russo Brothers’ spy series Citadel, starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, which is scheduled to begin filming in September 2024.
This purchase is in addition to Amazon’s significant presence at the UK’s Shepperton Studios, where it has a long-term contract for the exclusive use of nine new state-of-the-art sound
stages, workshops and office accommodation, totalling approximately 450,000sq/ft.
“With Bray as our creative home in the UK, we are committed to deepening our relationships with the UK creative community, which is rich with world-class storytellers and creative talent of all kinds,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.
“The acquisition of a studio with such a storied heritage not only empowers us to produce more film and television in the UK, but also unveils a wealth of opportunities in the local community with respect to jobs and skills training at all levels of the production process.”
MCDONALD & DODDS S4 FILMED AT THE BOTTLE YARD STUDIOS
The popular ITV detective series McDonald & Dodds returned recently for its fourth series with a new set of three feature-length episodes.
Filmed at The Bottle Yard Studios and locations around Bristol and Bath, the show continues with Tala Gouveia as the ambitious DCI McDonald and BAFTA-winner Jason Watkins as the brilliant but modest DS Dodds. Claire Skinner joined the cast as Chief Superintendent Ormond, while Charlie Chambers returns as DC Goldie. New to the cast is Bhavik C Pankhania as DC Lee, alongside guest stars like Pixie Lott, Toby Stephens, and Lydia Leonard. Production company Mammoth Screen utilised
The Bottle Yard Studios for set construction, including the police station precinct. Bristol Film Office supported filming at various local spots, including
The King William Ale House, renamed ‘The Sunne Rising’ for the show, and other locations like Chandos Road and Petherton Road. In Bath, the Film Office facilitated shooting at the Temple Of Minerva, Royal Crescent and other iconic locations.
Veronica Castillo, head of production at Mammoth Screen, said, “ The Bottle Yard Studios is the perfect base for McDonald & Dodds, the consummate fit of great facilities, excellent studio space, highly talented local crew, fabulous and historic locations both city and rural within easy reach, with a wonderfully supportive team. Who wouldn’t want to come back again?!”
WLAB COLLABORATES WITH BROMPTON & PIXREAL FOR NEW YORK CITY XR STUDIO
WLab, a New York City XR Studio, aims to democratise virtual production by using advanced Brompton Technology LED processing and Pixreal Avatar series LED panels.
The studio addresses a key issue: whilst virtual production is advancing rapidly at major studios such as Disney, Amazon and Sony, it remains a complex and costly field for students, artists, and independent creators. WLab is designed to provide an accessible entry point for first-time filmmakers interested in virtual production.
“We questioned why such a critical and transformative aspect of modern filmmaking should only be accessible to a privileged few, and how we could resolve this imbalance,” said WLab’s co-founder, Tommy Wu.
Since its opening, WLab has partnered with NYU’s Tandon School Of Engineering and ‹Tandon At The Yard› at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, to host workshops, demos and open studio sessions for students from NYU, Parsons School of Design, the School Of Visual Arts and
the Brooklyn Steam Center. The studio has also launched an in-house grant programme to support first-time virtual production filmmakers.
WLab features a 9m x 3m curved LED wall with a 2.3mm pixel pitch, composed of 132 Pixreal Avatar2.3 panels and powered by two Brompton S8 LED processors for high-quality visuals. The LED wall is calibrated with the Hydra system for Brompton HDR readiness. The studio uses advanced Vive Mars tracking technology for precise motion capture, and includes a Red Komodo camera, Unreal Engine for real-time 3D creation, plus an NVIDIA
A6000 graphics card, making it a cutting-edge facility for immersive experiences.
Rayne Feng, sales and marketing director at Pixreal, said, “We were excited to partner with WLab for their New York City XR Studio. Our Avatar series was designed for virtual production applications, featuring an elite system and hardware design that delivers incredibly accurate colour rendition, pinpoint greyscale accuracy and superior HDR capability.”
MAKING LIGHT WORK
Our regular round up of who is shooting what and where
BERLIN ASSOCIATES:
Edward Ames is still shooting Waterloo Road S14 for Wall To Wall/Warner Brothers TV/ BBC. Will Baldy is lighting The Sandman S2, a Warner Bros. show for Netflix. Sarah Bartles Smith is lensing Red Planet’s Beyond Paradise S3. Claudio Cadman recently shot G’wed S2 for ITV, with producer Mario Stylianides. Andy Clark recently wrapped The Good Ship Murder S2 for Clapperboard Studios. Nick Cox is also still shooting Waterloo Road S14. Len Gowing recently completed shooting So Awkward S9, Channel X North for CBBC. Annemarie LeanVercoe wrapped filming on Outrageous for Firebird Pictures. Trevelyan Oliver has completed on The Marlow Murder Club S2. Pete Rowe is shooting The Chelsea Detective S3, and Expectation Entertainment production for Acorn Television, with directors Jennie Darnell and Richard Signy. Alistair Upcraft is lensing Banijay/BBC’s Man Like Mobeen S5. Matt Wicks is lighting Smoggie Queens, produced by Chris Jones for Hat Trick Productions.
SARA PUTT ASSOCIATES:
Akhilesh Patel has wrapped on Mixtape where he operated B-cam with DP Marden Dean. Alastair Rae worked with Stephen Frears on Brian & Margaret for C4. Andrei Austin is working on After The Hunt at Shepperton Studios. Andrew Bainbridge has started on The Hermit for Two Brothers, a six-part thriller set in Greece. Ben Mankin was B-camera operator after the planned hiatus The Sandman S2. Chris Maxwell is operating A-camera Steadicam on Apple TV+’s The Buccaneers S2. Dan Evans worked with King Bert operating B-camera on the sixth and final season of Malory Towers Danny Bishop is working on a project shooting in Asia. Ed Clark operated 2nd unit on Three Bags Full, starring Hugh Jackman. Ilana Garrard has been busy on dailies, including Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, before starting on her next projects. James Frater shot on location on Frankenstein with DP Dan Laustsen DFF ASC. James Leigh is lensing on Towards Zero, adapted from an Agatha Christie novel, for Mammoth Screen. Julian Morson continues on 2nd unit on Project Hail Mary, which stars Ryan Gosling. Rick Woollard worked with his AR for Knucklehead and Ragi Productions, and his Steadicam on a Zara job for Gainsbury & Whiting. Tanya Marar operated B-camera dailies with DP Greig Fraser ACS ASC on Project Hail Mary Tom Walden worked with DP Giulio Biccari on the Amazon thriller Haven Vince
McGahon continues on the newest series of Slow Horses for Apple TV+. Will Lyte recently wrapped on Christmas Karma with director Gurinider Chadha. Zoe Goodwin-Stuart is prepping for the Doctor Who spin-off, The War Between The Land And Sea Giulio Biccari was block two DP on Drama Republic’s high-end thriller Haven, which will air on Amazon. Yinka Edward continues on Boarders S2, with Studio Lambert for BBC Three. Toby Moore wrapped a block of Call The Midwife and before prepping on Mothers Pride.
UNITED AGENTS:
Remi Adefarasin OBE BSC is shooting My Oxford Year with director Iain Morris for Netflix. Søren Bay DFF has graded the Outlander prequel Blood Of My Blood. Mark Nutkins has graded Curfew with Vertigo for Paramount+, directed by Joasia Goldyn. Philippe Kress DFF recently wrapped on The Sommerdahl Murders S6 for Sequoia Global Alliance with director Kenneth Kainz. John Lee BSC has completed the DI on Archery Pictures’ Band Of Spies Danny Cohen BSC is shooting Slow Horses S4. Damian Paul Daniel is shooting the art fraud documentary For The Money Matt Lewis is shooting Jack Thorne’s Adolescence, directed by Philip Barantini. Laurie Rose BSC is on Mad Fabulous. Bet Rourich AEC recently wrapped
the Spanish feature Los Aitas John Sorapure is directing and lighting 2nd unit on Project Hail Mary. Simon Tindall is shooting Sally Wainwright’s upcoming series Riot Women. Ollie Downey BSC is lighting Reunion, directed by Luke Snellin, after which he will prep the feature The Fires, directed by Ugla Hauksdóttir. Laurens De Geyter SBC is shooting the Belgian feature Foley Man with director Frank van Passel Álvaro Gutiérrez AEC shooting on Black Mirror Sam Heasman has graded Lazarus with director Nicole Volavka. James Friend BSC ASC is lighting Edward Berger’s next feature Ballad Of A Small Player Anton Mertens SBC is lighting series Bookish, written by and starring Mark Gatiss. Neus Ollé AEC BSC lit the final block of What It Feels like For A Girl for Hera Pictures. Niels Reedtz Johansen is shooting the feature Climb for director Hayley Easton Street. Ben Wheeler BSC is lighting for director Jeremy Lovering on The Undertow, a Netflix series produced by Complete Fiction. Magni Ágústsson is shooting Amadeus with director Alice Seabright in Hungary. Alex Barber shot in Lithaunia, with director Max Sherman, via BWGTBLD for Uber Eats. Laurent Barès is shooting The Hermit with director Lisa Mulcahy in Athens. Alfie Biddle has wrapped on BBC’s Shetland S9 with director Andrew Cummings. Simon Chaudoir shot in London on a Helzburg Diamonds’ commercial with director Liz Collins, and then in Lithuania with Psyop on a Lilly ad for director Terry Hall. Sara Deane shot a commercial with director Lauren Winter in the UK. Sam Heasman lit an Energizer TVC with director Will McGregor in Poland for The Mill. Florian Hoffmeister BSC is shooting the feature The Roses for director Jay Roach in the UK and Europe, and received an Emmy nomination for his work on True Detective: Night Country with director Issa López. Julian Hohndorf framed a commercial in Jersey with Martin Aamund through The Gate. Stephen Keith-Roach shot in Belgium on a Maggi ad for director Jim Gilchrist at Subliminal Pictures. Ali Little lensed a Foals music video for director Kit Monteith. Tim Maurice Jones BSC has been shooting in London with director Michael Clowater via Creators Inc. Alex Melman lit a Tombola spot for directors Big Red Button in Slovenia through Blink. Erik Messerschmidt ACS has been shooting in LA with directors Dorian and Daniel via Movie Magic, Italy. Ben Moulden is working The Change S2. James Oldham recently shot on Casualty for director George Siougas in Cardiff. Tristan Oliver BSC has been shooting for ITV Creative
Images: two photos of DP Pete Rowe shooting Chelsea Detective.
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with director Andy Gent. Matias Penachino framed a car commercial in Toronto for director James Coton. Simon Richards shot an episode of Vera for director Paul Gay in Northumberland. Simona Susnea was in Glasgow shooting The Buccaneers with director Will McGregor for Apple TV. Haris Zambarloukos BSC GSC latest feature Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, for director Tim Burton, opened the 81st Venice Film Festival. Marcel Zyskind shot a Sunrise spot in Zurich and Istanbul for Adam Hashemi via Pumpkin Films.
MCKINNEY MACARTNEY MANAGEMENT:
Stuart Biddlecombe BSC recently wrapped Mr Burton for BBC Wales, and then started prepping for Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale S6 in Toronto. Ben Butler and Alessandra Scherillo have been filming commercials. Sergio Delgado BSC has been shooting All Her Fault for Peacock in Australia. Gavin Finney BSC has finished shooting additional photography on episodes 3 and 4 of The Diplomat S2 for Netflix. Steve Lawes is working on NCIS Europe in Budapest. Dale Elena McCready BSC NZCS is lensing on Disney’s The War Between The Land And Sea Sam McCurdy ASC BSC is filming HBO Max’s Peacemaker S2. Andy McDonnell is shooting Boarders S2 for BBC Three. Richard Mott recently wrapped on BBC’s Silent Witness S28. Richard Stoddard is shooting Let Me In for BBC.
INDEPENDENT TALENT:
Ole Birkeland BSC is working with Philippa Lowthorpe on an undisclosed project. Eben Bolter BSC ASC is shooting on the latest season of Slow Horses Bjorn Bratberg is lighting block one of Karen Pirie S2. Jordan Buck has been shooting commercials, as has Miguel Carmenes Chris Clarke lensed with Jason Schmidt for Chanel at the 2024 Venice Biennale, completed a short written/directed by Pip (Ben Seed) and lit spots for Chessington, Iceland and P&O. Ben Davis BSC is prepping for The Woman In Cabin 10 with Simon Stone. Anthony Dod Mantle DFF BSC ASC has
wrapped on Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later Jermaine Edwards shot Ish with Imran Parretta. Michael Filocamo is readying for The Witness with Alex Winckler. Kit Fraser has wrapped on The Scurry with regular collaborator Craig Roberts. Sam Goldie is lighting block two of Karen Pirie S2 with Amanda Blue. Katie Goldschmidt BSC is in Canada shooting the new series of The Last Of Us Billy Kendall has been lensing music videos for various artists and directors. Suzie Lavelle BSC has finished on Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, directed by Michael Morris. Rick Joaquim is lighting Bad Influencers in his native South Africa for Netflix. John Mathieson BSC is shooting the new Jurassic Park film with Gareth Edwards. Bani Mendy is lensing on Death In Paradise S14. Andreas Neo sas continued to shoot various VP projects, plus commercials. Mark Patten BSC is lighting Young Sherlock with Guy Ritchie. Stephan Pehrsson BSC is prepping The Donovans with Guy Ritchie. George Richmond BSC is shooting Ruben Fleischer’s Now You See Me 3 James Rhodes has wrapped on Malice with Leonora Londsale. Martin Ruhe ASC is prepping The Department with Grant Heslov. Maja Zamojda BSC lit block two of The Franchise Mark Waters is currently shooting Grantchester directed by Rob Evans. Erik Wilson is prepping Crime 101 with Bart Layton. Mark Wolf is prepping on Marc Munden’s Lord Of The Flies
VISION ARTISTS:
James Blann has been shooting feature film I Swear starring Rob Aramayo as tourettes activist John Davidson, directed by Kirk Jonas. Luciana Riso has been shooting a feature documentary on Polaroid in Ghana, directed by Tobias Perse and produced by Tom Wallmann. Nick Morris has been prepping for a new feature from Harry Lighton, produced through Element Pictures, starring Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård. Jonas Mortensen lit an episode of Netflix’s Untold sports series, following a famous footballer-turned-actor. Will Hanke has graded Deep Cover, an Amazon Studios’ feature, written by Colin Trevorrow, directed by Tom Kingsley
and starring Orlando Bloom, and will shortly start shooting a new TV series produced by Merman.
ECHO ARTISTS:
The trailer for We Live In Time, which was shot by Stuart Bentley BSC, is now available online. Nadim Carlsen DFF has wrapped on Clerkenwell Films’ six-part series The Death Of Bunny Munro, starring Matt Smith, based on the novel by Nick Cave, directed by Sarah Adina Smith. A Knight Of Seven Kingdoms is being lensed by Federico Cesca ASK Rachel Clark is currently shooting CC: Emily, directed by Alicia MacDonald for Working Title. Nick Cooke has wrapped on Paul Wright’s feature, Mission Korsshan Schlauer has graded Odyssey Felix Wiedmann BSC is in prep for new series Babies, directed by Stefan Golaszwski. Patrick Meller, Edgar Dubrovskiy, Noel Schoolderman, Toby Leary and Korsshan Schlauer have all been shooting commercials
WORLDWIDE
PRODUCTION AGENCY:
PJ Dillon ISC ASC continues principal photography on the second series of Tim Burton’s Netflix hit Wednesday Richard Donnelly ISC is shooting the third block The Witcher S5 with director Alex Garcia Lopez for Netflix. Mattias Nyberg BSC continues on The Girlfriend with director Robin Wright for Amazon. Meanwhile, Paul Morris is prepping the next block of The Girlfriend with director Andrea Harkin. Callan Green ACS NZCS is lensing on the second instalment of the action feature Nobody with director Timo Tjahjanto via 87North for Universal Pictures.
Ed Moore
BSC continues principal photography on Idris
Elba’s Hijack S2 with director Jim Field Smith for Apple TV+. Katie
Images: (top) Stuart Biddlecombe concentrating on Mr Burton, photo by grip Ed Lancaster; (below) Simon Archer lensing on The Forsyte Saga.
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WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
Swain and Robert Binnall have been shooting splinter units on Lionsgate/Netflix’s Knives Out 3 with director Rian Johnson. Jamie D. Ramsay SASC is prepping on Working Title/StudioCanal’s WW2 drama Pressure, starring Adam Scott and Brendan Fraser, with Anthony Maras directing. Lorenzo Senatore ASC is in prep on the feature The Beast with director James Madigan for Unified Pictures and Fifth Season. Matt Windon continues prepping 2nd unit on the HBO series The Hedge Knight with director Sarah Adina Smith. Jaime Ackroyd continues prep on Brian Cox’s directorial debut for Lionsgate, Glenrothan Arthur Mulhern ISC shot 2nd unit on The Night Manager S2 with director Michelle Savill for AMC, and has graded The Gone S2 with director Dathaí Keane. Anna Patarakina FSF is lighting Down Cemetery Road with 60Forty for Apple TV+, whilst also grading Joy GharoroAkpojotor’s directorial debut Dreamers for BBC Film. Alejandro Chavez AMC has started shooting the feature Campeón Gabacho with director Jonás Cuarón. Emily Almond Barr is lensing the new
Playground TV/PBS series Maigret with director Alice Troughton. Vanessa Whyte is shooting The Nest with director Paul Andrew Williams for Giant Productions and Meraki Films. Bryan Gavigan continues shooting on new series Cold Water with director Lee Haven Jones for Sister and ITVx. Manoel Ferreira SASC continues as 2nd unit director/DP on Atomic with
Pulse Films for Sky. Job Reineke is shooting on the new iteration of Bergerac with director Colm McCarthy for BlackLight TV and UKTV. Stephen Murphy ISC BSC has wrapped on the Divide/Conquer and Spyglass feature Heart Eyes in New Zealand, directed by Josh Ruben. Simon Archer BSC has wrapped on the BBC’s new series The Forsyte Saga with director Annetta Laufer. Joel Devlin BSC completed principal photography on BBC series This City Is Ours in Liverpool with director Saul Dibb, and then rolled into prep on BBC One drama series Joe with director Julia Ford. Tony Slater Ling BSC wrapped on Apple TV+’s Bad Sisters S2 with director Dearbhla Walsh through Merman, and started prep on The Undeclared War S2 with director Paul McGuigan for C4. Ruairí O’Brien ISC BSC has wrapped on the A24 feature Eternity in Vancouver with director David Freyne. Baz Irvine ISC BSC shot 2nd unit on Havoc with director Xavier Gens and has graded his work on Apple TV+’s sci-fi show Silo S2 with director Michael Dinner. Nathalie Pitters wrapped on Baby Cow/ C4’s 4Brian & Margaret with director Stephen Frears, and then started prepping for the second block of Hat Trick/Netflix series How To Get To Heaven From Belfast with director George Kane. Narayan Van Maele completed on the feature The Restoration At Grayson Manor with director Glenn McQuaid, and the started on Soulm8te with director Kate Dolan for Blumhouse and Atomic Monster. Catherine Derry lit The Choice with director Amy Neil for Netflix, before starting prep on Out Of The Dust with director Jim Loach, also for Netflix. Adam Barnett has wrapped on the new BBC series We Go Again with director Nathaniel Martello-White. Jamie Cairney BSC has finished shooting across several documentaries. Sunshine Hsien-Yu Niu shot the short The Game with director Charlotte Gwinner and producer Suri Ellerton. Carl Burke lensed a spot for Tide with
Images: (top) Narayan Van Maele shooting on Restoration; (middle) Bryan Gavigan eyeing-up a shot on Cold Water; (below) Stephen Murphy ISC BSC making the light work on Heart Eyes.
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
Sidekick Studio and director Stu McCardle. Matthew Fox collaborated with Rogue director Alex Boutell for ASDA Peter Hadfield shot with director Taso Alexander and Arts & Sciences on a Tesco ad. Amelia Hazlerigg framed a TVC for Aqua with Alex Simpson via Untold Studios. Joel Honeywell shot the latest Jade Thirlwall promo with director Theo Adams. Pieter Snyman travelled to Lithuania with Kinetic Popcorn and Claire Norowzian for a Lego ad. Fabian Wagner BSC ASC lit with director Marielle Heller and Caviar for a John Lewis campaign. Stefan Yap wrapped with Swords & Eagles for Jorja Smith’s latest promo, directed by KC Locke. Courtney J. Bennett shot in Lithuania for Primark with Jazmin Garcia via Somesuch, and then continued on to shoot with 7Stars and Hannah Berry George on a spot for JD Williams
LOOP TALENT:
The agency recently signed DP Marti Guiver who has been shooting TVCs for brands including HP Omen, H&M and Dior. Ryan Eddleston lit the BBC Original series Death Valley, and his feature Timestalker directed by Alice Lowe, was shown at the Edinburgh and Locarno Film Festivals. Matt North is lensing a BBC series. Bertrand Rocourt is in prep for a British indie feature. Lorenzo Levrini is prepping an Italian feature film with director Carolina Cavalli. Ali Asad is shooting a feature in the UK. Denson Baker ACS NZCS is prepping for a feature shooting in Canada. Martyna Knitter lit a feature in the Middle East and has started prep on a documentary. Natalja Safronova is shooting a feature. Kyle
Macfadzean has been shooting short form in Costa Rica. Paul MacKay recently wrapped on Levon’s Trade and has been lighting shorts. Olly Wiggins has been shooting short form too. Dave Miller has been framing documentaries and ads all over Europe. Emma Dalesman is lensing a documentary. Jon Muschamp has been meeting for HETV and film projects. Nick Bennett lit TVCs for brands including Weetabix and Hilton. Chris O’Driscoll has been framing short form for brands including Lego and Singapore Airlines. Tom Turley recently shot a documentary and beauty ads. Iikka Salminen has been lighting shorts. Chris Fergusson has been shooting spots. Camera operators Jack Smith and Alice Sephton have been operating on shorts. James Anderson ACO is in prep on a new series shooting in Cardiff for Bad Wolf. Ben Eeley ACO was camera/Steadicam operator on Outrageous Michael Eshun-Mensah ACO operated dailies on a thriller feature film. Sebastien Joly ACO is working in his native France on a Netflix series as a B-camera/Trinity operator. Grant Sandy-Phillips
Images: (top) Marti Guiver at the camera; (middle) Iikka Salminen with the rangefinder; (below) Ryan Eddleston framing for Death Valley; (below right) two shots Aaron Reid on Supacell.
ACO is in prep for a new series for Firebird Pictures. Gary Kent, Laura Seears, Michael Vega, have been operating Steadicam on commercials.
WIZZO & CO:
The agency welcomes Aman K Sahota to its roster, who recently shot a short directed by Emily Freda Sharp. Luke Bryant is shooting Netflix’s The Seven Dials Mystery alongside director Chris Sweeney, and Aaron Reid is lighting Nicole Lecky’s A Perfect Town, directed by Toby Macdonald. Darius Shu shot 2nd unit in Thailand on Justin Lin’s feature Last Days Ashley Barron ACS lit the opening block of How To Get To Heaven From Belfast, directed by Michael Lennox, and Tim Sidell BSC is shooting The Night Manager S2 alongside director Georgie Banks Davies. Chas Appeti has completed the grade on
feature Heavyweight Adam Gillham shot and had graded the opening episodes of Amazon’s Haven alongside director Sam Miller, with Gary Shaw shooting further eps also with Sam Miller. Franklin Dow has wrapped and graded grade Sky’s The Gunpowder Seige, directed by Mark Everest. Karl Oskarsson IKS has done the DI on Cheaters S2, as has Jan Richter-Friis DFF on his episode of Grace Steven Ferguson is framing a drama for Apple+. Nicola Daley ACS is prepping the final series of The Handmaid’s Tale, directed by Elisabeth Moss, and Charlie Goodger has graded Big Boys S3, directed by Jim Archer. Christophe Nuyens SBC has completed the grade on Andor S2, as has Simon Stolland on Nick Love’s feature, Marching Powder Ryan Kernaghan ISC is prepping Trespasses directed by Dawn Shadforth, and Fede Alfonzo has
graded Jamie Rafn’s feature, Near Miss Susanne Salavati has done the DI on The Crow Girl, and Matthias Pilz continues shooting an embargoed documentary. Oli Russell has completed the colour work on The Gold S2, as has Scott Coulter on The Feud Sverre Sørdal FNF is prepping an embargoed project, Nick Dance BSC graded an episode of Doctor Who Carmen Pellon Brussosa shot the short Child’s Fare alongside director Kirsty McLean. Murren Tullet t shot for Vincent Peone, Theo Garland with Andrew Lang and Joe Douglas with Man Vs Machine. David Procter BSC shot with Joe Connor, and Ben Magahy shot with Naoh Harris. Dmytro Nedria worked with Sam Preece and Arran Green with Thomas Davis. Henry Gill shot with Niyadre, Hamish Anderson with Oscar Cariss, and Will Bex with Balmond.
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Images: four photos of Arran Green pictured variously with spark Ant Punt and director Tommy Davis on Soft Play Act Violently; and (below right) Arran Green shooting on DSM’s We Are Dream Catchers.
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
PRINCESTONE:
Of the agency’s camera/Steadicam operators… Simon Baker ACO Associate BSC is shooting Death By Lightning, a Netflix series about the assassination of President James Garfield, shooting in Budapest with DP Adriano Goldman BSC ASC. Michael Carstensen ACO is lensing on The Witcher S4 with DP Scott Winig and director Sergio Mimica Gezzan, starring Henry Cavil, Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra. Matt Fisher ACO is Steadicam/AR operator on Focus Films’ Bugonia, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, with DP Robbie Ryan ISC BSC, starring Emma Stone. Rob Hart ACO has been shooting
as 2nd unit DP on The Undertow, directed by Jeremy Lovering, with DP Ben Wheeler BSC. Tony Kay ACO was in Gran Canaria lensing on Eleventh Hour’s TV series by Anthony Horowitz, Nine Bodies In A Mexican Morgue, with DP James Mather ISC, starring Eric McCormack. James Layton ACO Associate BSC was in Dublin working on The Mayfair Witches, and has since started prep on the new Young Sherlock with director Guy Ritchie and DP Mark Patten BSC. Dan Nightingale ACO has been framing on the second on series of The Night Manager in the UK, Columbia and Spain with director Georgi Banks Davies and DP Tim Sidell BSC. Peter Robertson ACO Associate
BSC is filming on The Department, with director Joe Wright, written by Jez Butterworth and starring Michael Fassbender, based on the French series The Bureau Fabrizio Sciarra ACO SOC GBCT Associate BSC was in Glasgow shooting Steadicam on Blood Of My Blood for Outlander, before returning to Ireland to frame on the final block of Wednesday, directed by Tim Burton, starring Jenna Ortega. Of the agency’s DPs… Thomas English has been shooting short films and commercials, including Gillette spots with director Melody Maker and Betfair ads with Man vs Machine.
Images: (main) Adam Gillham at the camera on A Gentleman in Moscow; (middle row) camera/Steadicam operator Peter Wignall, second from right, with camera crew on Nine Bodies In A Mexican Morgue, and also pictured, front row right, with the camera crew on Giant; (below) camera/Steadicam operator Tony Kay ACO having fun on Nine Bodies In A Mexican Morgue; and DP Thomas English enjoying a laugh with director Melody Maker.
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RARE TALENT
By Natasha Block Hicks
Des Whelan ACO SOC GBCT Associate BSC is reminiscing about a tête-à-tête he once had with Richard Harris, during the second flourish of the legendary actor’s career.
“He told me he’d been planning to rot away in a cottage somewhere, then suddenly he was getting better parts than ever,” relates Whelan. “That fairytale-like turnaround is one of the amazing things about the film industry.”
Growing-up in Ireland in the 1960s, Whelan never imagined he would one day pursue a career in the movies, let alone consider someone like Harris a “great friend”.
“Becoming an astronaut would have been more accessible,” he laughs.
Music was Whelan’s main pursuit and, being technically minded, he’d set his sights on a career in sound engineering. At 17 he followed opportunities to London, but an offer to join the sound department at Ireland’s Ardmore Studios
pulled him back home. The studio was quiet, so Whelan was assigned to a small animation house, run by “genius” animator Gunther Wulff.
“I loved the animators,” Whelan recalls fondly, “they were so inventive, laughing and sketching all the time.”
Before long Whelan was operating the rostrum camera, cutting film negative and learning about in-camera effects such as back projection and bipacking cameras. Then one night, he was asked to courier a specialist lens to the set of Barry Lyndon (1975, dir. Stanley Kubrick, DP John Alcott BSC).
“I’d never been on a film set before,” remembers Whelan, “there were huge lights and people running around; it was so cool. I thought, ‘I could do this’.”
Whelan became a camera trainee, then –thanks to his fast-track education in the animation studio – a loader soon after. Opportunities were
sporadic, mainly in commercials and music videos, though he landed his first film job with The Hard Way (1980, dir. Michael Dryhurst, DP Henri Decaë) and moved up to 1st AC during a period of relative security on three-seasons of The Irish R.M. (1983-1985).
I might have done physics if I hadn’t run away with the circus
Whelan was minding his business pulling focus on TV drama Troubles (1988, dir. Christopher Morahan, DP Gabriel Beristáin ASC BSC AMC) when he was called to its production office one Friday. Morahan wanted to transfer the operator role to Whelan, to free-up Beristáin to concentrate on his lighting.
“He said he thought I’d make a great operator,” Whelan relates. “Gabi was very gracious, and even though I was nervous, I felt like I was suddenly off-the-leash; I knew I had the instinct for it.”
Reintroducing himself to the industry as an operator was a test of nerves.
“I was terrified,” Whelan admits, “I’d been a busy 1st AC, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to work.”
He hadn’t long to wait. Beristáin endorsed Whelan’s burgeoning operating skill by bringing him onto his next picture, Joyriders (1988, dir. Aisling Walsh). Then a feature from first time director Jim Sheridan, about the disabled Irish writer and artist Christy Brown, cemented Whelan in the role on camera operator.
“I met Jim on the day my son was being born and I was checking my watch thinking I needed to get to the hospital,” recalls Whelan. “Although Jim was really engaging, I secretly wondered how a film about a guy painting with his foot could be anything but boring.”
Whelan, however, quickly revised his scepticism on reading the script for My Left Foot (1989, DP Jack Conroy).
“It was an incredible, human story,” Whelan remembers, “I got really excited about it. I rang Jim straight away and he must have seen the difference in my enthusiasm.”
My Left Foot went on to win two Oscars, including Best Actor for its rising star Daniel Day-
DES WHELAN ACO SOC GBCT ASSOCIATE BSC•
Lewis. Whelan collaborated with Sheridan on two subsequent films: The Field (1990, DP Jack Conroy) – the picture responsible for the aforementioned upturn in Harris’ fortune – and In the Name Of The Father (1993, DP Peter Biziou BSC).
“I became the busiest operator in Ireland,” Whelan recalls.
He operated for Brendan Galvin ISC on Rat (2000, dir. Steve Barron), nurturing a collaboration which would stretch to seven movies with the DP, including Veronica Guerin (2003, dir. Joel Schumacher) and Flight Of The Phoenix (2004, dir. John Moore).
Thanks to the introduction of Irish film tax incentives, Whelan also became known to international DPs filming on his home turf. The connections he made, such as Philippe Rousselot ASC AFC for whom he operated A-camera on The Tailor Of Panama (2001, dir. John Boorman) at Ardmore Studios, led to offers on American productions shooting in the UK.
“That was a whole new gear change,” Whelan admits.
Shelly Johnson ASC – a contact made in Ireland – hired Whelan for B-camera on the Moroccan unit of Hidalgo (2004, dir. Joe Johnston), and then invited him to England on a further two collaborations with Johnston as director: The Wolfman (2010) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).
“Shelly is technically brilliant; I learned so much from him,” relates Whelan.
“Wolfman was the first film to use a Technocrane as a platform. Shelly saw it the same way I did, and Joe was invested, so we were endlessly coming-up with shots that you could never get any other way; it was really exciting.”
When Whelan operated on WW2 tank drama Fury (2014, dir. David Ayer, DP Roman Vasyanov ASC RGC), utilising the Technocrane in this fashion came into its own.
“You couldn’t lay track in a muddy field, but you could use the Technocrane – with a good crew – to achieve a 30-foot tracking shot,” he illustrates.
“The freedom was fantastic; we could easily
adjust the shot and the actors didn’t need marks because we were moving with them – like secret observers – which it gave it an edginess. It’s standard procedure now, but we were breaking ground at the time.”
By the time he shot Fury, Whelan was several pictures into one of the most important collaborations of his career, with the director and former animator Tim Burton, to whom he’d been introduced by Rousselot on Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (2005).
I knew I had the instinct for operating
“I understand how animators think,” explains Whelan, “they’re very efficient about how they use the camera to tell the story. Tim’s storyboards show the pivotal waypoints of the narrative, rather than every single shot, and I get that.”
Burton, Whelan and Bruno Delbonnel ASC AFC collaborated on three pictures in the middle of this run: Dark Shadows (2012), Big Eyes (2014) and Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (2015).
Then Whelan reunited with Rousselot once again on Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (2016, dir. David Yates), which he says was “technically complicated”.
“Most of the performers are animated characters so you have to frame up space for them,” he explains. “You have to be able to visualise the shot from top to bottom before you execute it.”
A change in pace came when Delbonnel offered Whelan the Churchill biopic Darkest Hour (2017, dir. Joe Wright).
“I demonstrated a Stabileye miniature stabilised head to Joe and Bruno, and Joe immediately started dreaming-up shots around it, he has a great
cinematic eye,” relates Whelan. “Many of the sequences he came up with were one continuous take, very challenging to shoot, but combined with Bruno’s beautiful lighting and Gary Oldman’s immersive performance the results had a nice flow to them.”
Another Burton connection, Ben Davis BSC –who Whelan met during production on Dumbo (2019) – invited him back to shoot in Ireland – Whelan’s the first time in two decades – on The Banshees Of Inisherin (2022, dir. Martin McDonagh).
“I realised how much I had missed filming a script which was just about performance and dialogue,” admits Whelan. “No special effects, no massive budget, just two people in a room with the camera as an observer. I sometimes wish it could be like that all the time.”
But Whelan’s colleagues in Hollywood aren’t letting him go that easily. Last year he shot four projects, including Burton’s latest picture Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024, DP Haris Zambarloukos BSC GSC).
“The original Beetlejuice (1988, DP Thomas E. Ackerman ASC) was pedigree,” Whelan enthuses, “I wondered how Tim was going to match that, but he is an extraordinary individual and we were howling with laughter shooting the sequel. It was fascinating to watch the cast naturally fall back into character. I love that about the industry: you don’t see someone for 35 years, then pick up again like you just broke for lunch.”
In his scarce free time, Whelan is an avid reader, particularly of non-fiction books like biographies and history.
“I’m fascinated by the repetition of history and keen to know if we are learning anything,” he reports. “I hugely admire directors, like Joe Wright on Darkest Hour, who recognise their responsibility to relate the implications of recent history to a new audience.”
He is also keen on mathematics, and science. “I love physics,” he muses, “I might have done that if I hadn’t run away with the circus.”
Images: (Main Opposite) Des at the camera on A Good Day To Die Hard; (This page, clockwise) (top left) operating on Darkest Hour; pictured on Expendables; operating on Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil; with Haris Zambarloukos BSC GSC and Tim Burton on Beetlejuice 2; with actor Bruce Willis & director John Moore on A Good Day To Die Hard; and with Bruno Delbonnel AFC ASC on the set of Darkest Hour.
Students see how precise you have to be
KREATIVITÄT DURCH TECHNIK
By Natasha Block Hicks
Markus Förderer ASC BVK, known for sci-fi series Constellation (2024) and Nikolaus Summerer, DP on all three seasons of Netflix series Dark (2017-2020), both passed through Slansky’s tutelage, since HFF’s cinematography department was founded in in 2011.
“I was so proud,” comments Slansky. The anecdote came as part of a wider discussion on what qualities a film school such as HFF hopes to instil in its graduates.
“Creative diversity,” concludes Slansky after some consideration, “based on technological solid ground.”
An alumnus of the University Of Applied Sciences and The Academy Of Media Arts in Cologne, Slansky worked for a decade as a director, DP and producer, before taking up teaching in 1992. He joined HFF in 1999. During his 25-year professorship at the school he has taken on additional roles in the University Council and Senate, presented numerous papers, specialist books and worldwide seminars on aspects of cinematography and film education, and supervised the construction of the new HFF building in the Munich Arts Quarter. In 2023, the Association Af Cinema, Audiovisual & Media Schools (CILECT) recognised Slansky with the CILECT Teaching Award.
HFF offers seven degree programmes, currently delivered over the traditional German diploma of 8+1 semesters. These are: Directing Fiction (Dept. III), Directing Documentary (Dept. IV), Editing (Dept. III / IV), Production & Media Business (Dept. V), Screenwriting (Dept. VI), Cinematography and VFX (both Dept. VII).
All students entering HFF undertake the Department I Media Studies and Department II Technology general studies curriculums. In the sixth semester students choose between Media Studies and Technology to continue alongside their specialisations up to semester eight. The final semester,
When Peter Slansky – managing professor of Department II Technology at the University Of Film & Television Munich (HFF), established in 1966 –attended Euro Cine Expo 2024 in Munich, he was delighted to see two of his former students included in a photo gallery featuring prominent film industry professionals.
of flexible length, is dedicated to the production of degree films.
In the next few years, HFF will start to offer these courses split into Bologna-compliant BA and MA degrees.
Each course runs its own application process. During the initial round, prospective cinematography students must fill out a questionnaire, submit a portfolio of still photographs, and present a new film they have shot on one of a selection of topics given by HFF. The cinematography committee reviews the submissions and invites 12-15 applicants to attend HFF for a four-day programme of group workshops, plus an individual interview. Six cinematography places are on offer per yearly intake.
“It’s not about forcing competition, it’s about seeing how applicants interact and collaborate,” explains Slansky. “We don’t seek technical perfection from our inductees, but rather we imagine how each person might develop over the course of their studies.”
HFF is committed to equal opportunities, helped in part by the German policy of free university education, even for foreign students. At the HFF open day, tables of female students are on hand to impart insider knowledge directly to any prospective female applicants who may be curious about the courses.
Within his own department, Slansky – responsible for hiring staff during his tenure – has aimed to model the diversity he wishes to see represented within the student body and industry as a whole.
“I try to find that balance,” he states, “if you really take your time, it’s achievable.”
Students who secure a place at HFF can expect to shoot numerous practical exercises during their studies. In semester 3, for example, the whole cohort of 50-55
students – split into two consecutive teams – undertake a four-day live studio television production workshop hosted by five professional freelancers, resulting in a 20-30 minute TV show.
Cinematography students also take up the camera for their fellow fiction and documentary directors’ personal projects at least twice per year, on top of their own timetabled workshops such as ‘lighting for night scenes’ or ‘the technology and techniques of shooting 3D stereoscopic film’.
“Plus, there are additional assignment like TV journalism or commercial spots,” adds Slansky.
A highlight of the Dept VII calendar is the annual excursion to the Camerimage festival of cinematography in Poland, where students attend various workshops and present their films.
The school’s inventory of equipment includes four ARRI Alexa cameras, an ARRI Amira, Alexa Mini and Mini LF, each with their own Zeiss or Sigma prime lens set and zooms. First year students focus on working with Canon C300 Mk. III cameras, of which the school has twelve, each with two Sigma zoom lenses. There are also fifteen smaller cameras available to students, such as Panasonic GH5 or Sony FX70.
Students have access to four studios for their
HOCHSCHULE FÜR FERNSEHEN & FILM (HFF) – MUNICH•
We don’t seek technical perfection from our inductees, but we do imagine how they might develop during their studies
graduates’ work and to help them with submissions.
Graduation sci-fi short Almost Home (2022, dir. Nils Keller) won the Gold Medal for Narrative at the 2022 Student Academy Awards, as well as garnering a Golden Tadpole nomination at Camerimage for its DP Georg Nikolaus. In striking similarity the HFF drama short Eigenheim/Home (2021, dir. Welf Reinhart) won the Silver Medal for Narrative at the 2021 Student Academy Awards and a Golden Tadpole nomination for its DP Matthias Kofahl the year before.
productions, of 300sq/m, 210sq/m and 2x60sq/m respectively, plus 13 editing suites running Adobe, Avid and DaVinci Resolve, four colour grading suites, three sound recording rooms and a Clipster mastering suite. Screenings and seminars are held in HFF’s four cinemas of 384 seats, 186 seats, 84 seats and 15 seats.
The school has a large faculty staff and the majority of teaching is delivered in-house, in German language. The cinematography department is headed by Franz Kraus, former ARRI board director and recipient of the 2012 Academy Award of Merit, alongside Camerimage Golden Frog-nominated DP Christian Rein as its full-time professor.
DP Peter Zeitlinger BVK ASC, known for his collaboration with Werner Herzog, holds a halfprofessorship or ‘chair’ at HFF in tandem with his shooting career, where he gives additional lectures and workshops on the subject of ‘Image, Light, Space’, examining how these three components interact to open a window into the world created by the filmmaker.
Around a quarter of the programme, including any subjects requiring specialist knowledge, is delivered by visiting tutors and professionals. Georgian writer/ director Dato Janelidze and Sir Roger Deakins CBE BSC ASC have both hosted seminars at HFF, as has Hollywood ‘Master of Disaster’ and HFF alumnus Roland Emmerich. Tony Costa AIP, head of cinematography at Lusófona University in Lisbon, visits the school annually to present a masterclass focused on the craftsmanship of camera movement.
“Students see how precise you have to be in a very physical way,” explains Slansky of Costa’s workshop, “they are sweating trying to execute the same shot 20 times! But that control is critical.”
In the final semester, cinematography students lens at least two of the fiction and documentary directors’ final films – from shorts to feature length –plus two short personal films to receive their degree.
HFF has a dedicated film festival office with a full-time administrator whose role it is to identify which festivals are the most suitable destination for
Feature-length graduate documentary Nuclear Nomads/Nomades Du Nucléaire (2023, dirs. Tizian Stromp Zargari, Kilian Armando Friedrich, DP Jacob Kohl), was nominated for the CompassPerspektive-Award at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival. A previous collaboration between Friedrich and Kohl, Überleben (2021), earned the DP a Golden Frog in the Short Documentary Films Competition at Cameraimage in 2021.
HFF graduates are connected with an alumni network stretching to two thick volumes published by the school, to help them on their journey into the industry.
“The film school is close to the business in its tradition,” relates Slansky, “many of the production companies in Munich are founded by alumni of HFF.”
Cinematography alumni garnering acclaim in the industry – aside from the aforementioned Förderer and Summerer – include American Cinematographer Magazine’s ‘Rising Star’ Christopher Aoun, who lit Oscar-nominated Lebanese drama Capernaum
(2018, dir. Nadine Labaki), and recent graduate Aleksandra Dyja, who was recognised with the German Camera Prize ‘Young Talent Award’ for her lighting of short drama Ich Bin Nur Scheintot/I Only Appear Dead (2022, dir. Mira-Belle Rose Bryld).
Slansky is now HFF’s longest-serving professor and continues tirelessly to research and promote the pedagogy of filmmaking. He is particularly proud to share the news that he has helped secure millions in third-party funding for the founding of the new CreatiF Centre at HFF: “a unique laboratory for the development and testing of new technologies in film and television production”, according to the announcement on the HFF website.
In another parallel funding bid, Slansky has helped to establish an Artificial Intelligence Research Professorship at HFF. “We are one of the few film schools in the world to have something like that,” he enthuses.
“This is a ‘big fish’ for our university.”
GHOST
WITH THE MOST
By Ron Prince
He’s back! Thirty-six years after the events depicted in Beetlejuice (1988, Thomas Ackerman ASC), the Deetz family returns home to Winter River after Charles Deetz’s unexpected death, where the place is still haunted by Betelgeuse, an eccentric ghost who works in the netherworld as a bio-exorcist.
Lydia, once a rebellious teenage goth and now a mother, finds life turned upside-down when her equally rebellious daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the local town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is opened accidentally. Trouble soon starts brewing in both realms, and it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the rascal returns to let loose his very own brand of pandemonium.
A sequel to the original film, and the second in the franchise, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was directed by
Tim Burton, from a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on a story by Gough, Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith. It stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara reprising their roles alongside new cast members Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe.
The film was shot by Haris Zambarloukos BSC GSC, who studied cinematography at AFI Conservatory and worked as a camera intern under the legendary Conrad Hall ASC, before embarking on a career, where his credits as DP feature Venus (2006, dir. Roger Michell) and Mamma Mia! (2008, dir. Phyllida Lloyd), and an array of movies for Kenneth Branagh including Sleuth (2007), Thor (2011), Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014), Murder On The Orient Express (2017) and Belfast (2021). Beetlejuice Beetlejuice represents the DP’s first collaboration with Burton.
“It was a real honour to be invited to shoot this
film,” says Zambarloukos. “I had worked with one of the producers, Tommy Harper, before, on Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, and that was where the introduction and the recommendation to Tim came from. I was very happy to receive the call to interview, but it was with some trepidation, because when you look at the fabulous cinematographers who have worked with Tim before, there were big boots to fill.”
However, Zambarloukos says he needn’t have worried overly, as he remarks, “Tim makes it easy, in the way that he’s such a visual director who gives clear instructions. Also, although he’s a private, quiet person, I quickly came to appreciate his innate warmth and generosity. He has a real love for humanity, which shines through in his films and also in the relationships he has with his filmmaking collaborators. During production I found that he created a really pleasant atmosphere around the team. I had a lot of admiration
HARIS ZAMBARLOUKOS
I had to throw things at this production that would punk it up
for that, and it gave me strong motivation to work hard work and get it right.”
Elaborating further about Burton’s filmmaking process, Zambaloukos adds, “Tim sketches a lot and works with the production designer to establish what the sets and costumes will like, and there’s a recognisable style in there. But he would never hinder his actors by storyboarding. He rehearses a great deal, and the blocking is always led by the actors, with whom he has great rapport.
“You can sense he has a shot in mind and that he’s trying to get the performance for that. During production, unless we arrived at both those places at the same time, where performance and visuals were what he wanted, we didn’t do a take. In this way his process is economical and precise. There wasn’t a single scene we shot that was left on the cutting room floor, which is pretty much unheard of in general.”
Before embarking on this particular cinematographic journey, Zambarloukos made a point of revisiting a number of films in Burton’s canon of works during prep. Along with the original Beetlejuice, these included Edward Scissorhands (1990, DP Stefan Czapsky) and Sleepy Hollow (1999, DP Emmanuel Lubezki AMC ASC), along with the stop-motion animated features, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993, DP Pete Kozachik) and Frankenweenie (2012, DP Peter Sorg)
“I’ve watched those many, many times over the years, some for myself, others with my children,” Zambarloukos declares. “Tim has an effortless way of interpreting the human condition in such an imaginative way that is also ageless. Some of the themes he tackles are quite difficult, and sometimes you don’t realise them immediately because the imagination in the artistry is so high. They just glide along and that’s what makes his
films so repeatably watchable for people of different ages and backgrounds.
Zambarloukos adds, “Although Tim does not reference his own films, watching them was my way of understanding who I was working with in a concise way, and getting some general clues about things like lens sizes, blocking and attitudes towards colour. They also seemed to be in the range of filmmaking that Tim was interested in pursuing for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. In this way, I could minimise my questions during prep by doing things that were already apparent, and get new details by asking simple questions based on previous things that he had done.”
Other key references imbibed by Zambarloukos included personal favourites of Burton’s, namely the gothic horror movies of the Italian filmmaker Mario Bava, whose low-budget genre films are known for their distinctive visual flair and stylish technical ingenuity, and which feature recurring themes and imagery around illusion and reality.
As regards the influence of the original Beetlejuice, Zambarloukos remarks, “Tim would typically say, ‘I’ve already made that film. We’re now making something that is 36 years later.’ It was a very simple statement that said a lot, and it gave us all a kind of visual liberty to interpret the story in a new way, using techniques and methods that simply did not exist when the original film was made.
of both films, there was a definite irreverence in the relationships between the mother and the rebel teenager, but Lydia is now a mother and Astrid is a different kind of teenager in a different day and age.
“I thought the original film was really bold – dirty, gritty, grimy and colourful – and if there was such a thing as ‘punk cinematography’, that movie was it. It reminded me of Picasso’s saying about taste being the enemy of art. So I decided that I had to throw some things at this production that would punk it up still further, with a more contemporary irreverence to the cinematography.”
Accordingly, Zambarloukos shot a variety of experimental test looks for Burton that included: colour and B&W scenes with the infrared (IR) filter removed from the camera; shots using infrared lights to make pupils dilate; and sets with programmed effects from modern LED lighting technology.
It was a real honour to be invited to shoot this film
“We even tested a candlelight effect of tall flames, made from burning butane gas coming through copper pipes, which we called ‘Witches Fingers’,” Zambarloukos explains. “I also experimented applying the grain from original silver nitrate to the digital footage. I am happy to say that Tim loved the results from this work, and you will see these in the final film.”
effects and CGI, preferring a ‘handmade’ feeling to the production.
“For me, what Tim meant by ‘handmade’, was code for how much could we shoot ‘in-camera’?” says the DP. “For example, the shrunken-headed spirits, called ‘Shrinkers’ could have been created in 3D and composited in post-production. But we actually had performers under each of the costumes, essentially working as puppeteers, and each character had an animatronic head, with operators remotely controlling and animating the eyes, ears and mouths.
“In the boiler-room scene we had 20 Shrinkers, which meant having to set-up a shot which captured the scene in one take – puppeteering, prosthetics, mechanical heads, intricate framing and camera moves, as well as lighting cues, all working together in unison –that’s what he meant by ‘handmade’ and ‘in-camera’.”
Production on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice took place between May and July 2023, when filming was suspended, a just few days before it was meant to have wrapped, due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming resumed in mid-November before concluding at the end of that month.
“Thinking about the characters and the stories
During his pre-prep conversations with Burton, Zambarloukos says he discovered the director was not particularly interested in a process that was technologyheavy, nor over-reliant on digitally-created visual
Studio work was done on multiple large and elaborate sets constructed at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, near Watford, London, and shooting also took place on-location at West Wycombe Park, a regular haunt for filmmakers. The exteriors of the original film’s locations were recreated in East Corinth, Vermont, and Manchester-By-The-Sea, near Boston, Massachusetts, during several days of on-location shooting.
Zambarloukos framed the movie in 1.85:1 aspect ratio, capturing the action using Sony Venice 2 cameras at 8.5K through Panavision Ultra Panatar II
HARIS ZAMBARLOUKOS
and Auto Panatar vintage lenses, some of the very first Anamorphic lenses produced by the company. The package was supplied by Panavision in London for the UK leg of production, and by Panavision New York during the US stint.
“We shot in 1.85:1 as it’s the format Tim prefers – all his films have been in that aspect ratio,” says Zambarloukos. “The Ultra Panatar II and Auto Panatar lenses have a classically-soft and glamorous look, with lovely fall-off, and their 1.3x Anamorphic squeeze ratio uses a capture area of exactly 1.9:1, which was very close to 1.85:1, with no cropping to the image on the sensor.
“I went with the Sony Venice 2 for several reasons, the chief being that the pictures it produces are fantastic and the higher 3200ISO makes it an amazing lowlight camera, allowing us to shoot the many dimly-lit scenes without digital noise in the picture.
“Also, I was able to bring in some techniques that fulfilled Tim’s desire to create looks incamera. For example, you can easily cut the IR filter in the Sony Venice 2. He really liked that look and the way messed with the colours, like the night-vision green, and how the actor’s pupils enlarged when we used IR lighting on-set, which created a suitably eerie effect.
fields appear glowing white. Lighting our scene with candlelight and shooting in IR B&W looked really cool.”
Zambarloukos’s crew included Des Whelan ACO as main unit A-camera operator, with Stamos Triantafyllos on B-camera/Steadicam when a second camera was introduced, assisted respectively by Dean Thompson and Rana Darwish as focus pullers. Hamish Doyne-Ditmas was the splinter unit DP. Malcolm Hughes of Gypsy Grips led the grip team, with Dan Lowe heading the lighting crew as the gaffer.
“Tim has set ideas about framing and camera movement,” says Zambarloukos. “Basically, he likes to be close and wide, and have a proscenium style. Although he is generally not a fan of Steadicam, we did manage to introduce some very nice moves, courtesy of Stamos.
We introduced some very nice camera moves
“For the waltz dancing scene, we also introduced a selfie-cam style, where the actor was mounted on the crane or sat on a dolly with the camera swirling around as if it were attached to them, adeptly shot by Des and Malcolm working in perfect harmony with the performers.”
real advantage of fixtures like ARRI Sky Panels and Creamsource Vortex’s to flood colour and strobing effects into our grand sets.”
The lighting package was supplied by the in-house lighting department at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, under the auspices of Hugh Whittaker, its VP of set lighting and rigging.
“Like I always do, I used my time during prep to watch the rehearsals and pre-light the sets according to the actors’ movements, so that when we came to shoot the immediate lighting requirement was more about finessing the highlights.
“We also used backlit Rosco screens with interactive lighting to create, for example, the undulating blue/green light of the sky outside for our boiler room scenes, thereby negating the need to shoot greenscreen and fix in post. These approaches really paid maximum dividends towards Tim’s desire to capture as much as possible in-camera.”
Modern digital cinema cameras produce sharp images, almost clinical, and along with vintage optics cinematographers typically look for ways to soften the impact by adding grain to get the feel and texture of celluloid film. The most popular method has been to scan real film and overlay that scan on top of the digital image during the final DI grade.
“We also had a 700-year flashback sequence set at night, which Tim wanted to shoot in B&W. I recalled the famous daytime sequence in I Am Cuba (1964, dir. Mikhail Kalatozov, DP Sergey Urusevsky) where the filmmakers used IR film to make the sugarcane
Speaking about his approach to the lighting, Zambarloukos says, “I took on-board the colour schemes from the original film – such as the green they used for the afterlife – but really wanted the lighting to undulate, move and flash much more in keeping with our irreverent, punk-like approach. Working with my gaffer Dan, and our desk-op/ lighting programmer, Chris Craig, I was able to take
Zambaloukos, however, reveals that he has never been satisfied about the results of this process, and instead elected to harness LiveGrain real-time texture mapping, developed by Suny Behar. The system uses scans from different vintage and modern film stocks at different density and colour values, encodes them in a visually-lossless proprietary codec, and then analyses each frame of the digital footage, mapping the respective grain particulates to appropriate levels of
There wasn’t a single scene we shot that was left on the cutting room floor
brightness and colour in each frame.
“LiveGrain is unlike anything else I’ve seen,” Zambarloukos enthuses. “It gives the impression of organic, living celluloid baked right into the digital image, smoothing the colour and skin of the actors, helping to sell prosthetics and other make-up effects, and overall producing a more forgiving image.
“I asked Suny which was the oldest stock we could use for this process, and he revealed that he had perhaps the last-known canister of Kodak Eastman Plus X Film (1231), a silver nitrate-based stock from 1938, in his freezer. My initial idea was that I would use a modern stock for the colour work and the nitrate for the flashbacks. But when Tim and I saw the test results during prep, we decided to apply the silver nitrate texture to everything during the DI.”
The final grade and application of the LiveGrade grain was conducted by senior colourist, Rob Pizzey at Goldcrest, a regular collaborator with Zambarloukos on longform features.
“Unlike the bleach-bypass process, where you keep the silver in your print, but augment the colour in the production design when you’re shooting, you don’t need to compensate for that with the silver-nitrate Live Grain, as the images are very saturated in colour. I enjoyed a very collaborative process with Suny and the team at LiveGrain, and a very easy application of the silver-nitrate grain during the grade at Goldcrest.”
Looking back at his experience shooting Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Zambarloukos says, “Tim is certainly a man who has observed life and can translate all of its nuances into storytelling in a fantastical way. That’s part of his genius as a director.
Another part is the way he works to ensure even the smallest details of sets, costumes, performance, cinematography and lighting come together in the moment, in the camera. It’s really joyous to watch when you shoot and to see it again in the dallies, and makes you want to come back the next day and challenge yourself all over again.”
I really wanted the lighting to undulate, move and flash in keeping with our irreverent approach
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MODEL … PHOTOGRAPHER… HEROINE!
By Darek Kuźma
Cinematographer/director Ellen Kuras
ASC brought seasoned Polish DP, Paweł Edelman PSC, on-board to shoot Lee, a fearless cinematic tribute to the iconic photographer and photojournalist Lee Miller.
Lee does not waste time on skimming through Miller’s early years as a fashion model and her turbulent apprenticeship with pioneering artist/ photographer Man Ray. Right from its brief prologue, set in sunny pre-World War II France, it presents the audience with Miller as a fullydeveloped, daring, independent photographer who wanted to be more than someone who met the eye, and went on to become one of the major chroniclers of the war’s unimaginable horrors.
The film follows Miller in war-damaged London and along the tumultuous streets of liberated, but traumatised, Paris. We accompany her to the infamous Dachau concentration camp, witness her own infamous dip in Hitler’s bath, and are left in no doubt about her post-war emotional and mental struggles. We see exactly why this beautiful woman, who could have spent the whole war oblivious to what was happening in the world, was and still remains a role-model to many.
Kuras counts herself as one of those inspired by Miller’s work and courage – an unsung heroine still to be known beyond her work as a photographer.
This film was made in the spirit of the truth
“When I was filming Kate Winslet on the set of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004, dir. Michel Gondry) it occurred to me that Kate resembled Lee Miller, not only in looks but also in her tenacity, boldness and passion. Years later, Kate happened to buy a table owned by Lee and she started to look into having a script written after contacting Lee’s son, Antony Penrose,” Kuras recalls.
“Knowing that I had been Academynominated for a documentary I directed (The Betrayal – Nerakhoon) (2008) and that I was also directing episodic television, such as Ozark and Catch-22, she asked me if I would be interested in directing this film.”
When it came to choosing her cinematographer, Kuras says, “My parents are Polish, I always followed Polish cinema and love Paweł Edelman’s
work, his sensitivity and way of looking at different things. When it came to deciding who should shoot Lee, I knew in my heart it had to be him.”
Speaking about being approached to shoot the film, Edelman says, “I knew Ellen’s work and I had shot with Kate
before. So when I read the script about this incredible woman and her trials and tribulations I did not hesitate for a second.”
Edelman initially envisioned Lee as a B&W film. “It seemed fitting to focus on Lee Miller this way, partly because her photographs were B&W. Even though Ellen loved the idea, we knew the producers would not let us shoot it that way. So we agreed to do a B&W film in colour: to pull-back the colour a bit, even in bright locations of carefree pre-war France, and to mute-down the palette, contrast and saturation with each scene. When Lee goes to the liberated Dachau, or visits Hitler’s apartment and uses his bathtub, it’s almost an homage to B&W filmmaking, but still in colour. It gave us the emotional resonance we wanted.”
Whilst the depiction of Miller’s journey was highly-emotional for the Kuras and Edelman, they refrained from being too graphic, preferring to leave much of the horrors experienced by the character to the viewers’ imaginations.
“I was determined to make a rich and evocative film where the point-of-view was with the character. I didn’t want to objectify Lee, rather to tell her story as if we were enduring the war with her,” Kuras explains.
“We recreated some of Lee’s iconic B&W photos, including the one in the Hitler’s bathtub, using similar light, angles and focal lengths,” Edelman adds. “Yet we didn’t want to be recreators but creators. This was a feature film, not a documentary, done in the spirit of the truth, but enhancing the truth to evoke an emotional response.”
Kuras and Edelman admit that making Lee was far from easy, but the trust they shared right from the prep helped to boost their creativity every
single day on-set.
“I’ve always approached cinematography through thinking about it as a director would. So being the director and handing all of the technical part to a DP I fully-trusted was an incredible gift,” Kuras says.
Edelman continues, “Months before the proper prep, Ellen came to my home in Warsaw to get to know each other. Then, we prepped by analysing Lee’s photographs, watching war movies and archival materials from the liberation of Paris or Dachau, and carefully shot-listed the film.
“We then had an intensive three-month prep in Budapest, and scouted the locations, etc. I did everything to make Ellen confident that we’re shooting the same film. By knowing that, she could focus on working with the actors, blocking, and directing.”
Lee was created over approximately 50 shooting days in the summer and early autumn of 2022. Most of the film’s interior and exterior work was done in Budapest, whilst Croatia served as a stand-in for the south of France.
The muted colour palette gave us the emotional resonance we wanted
“I’d say about a third of the film was shot on-stage, but only because it was impossible to recreate spaces like a war-torn London apartment, or Hitler’s flat, and we couldn’t afford to shoot in London or Germany,” Edelman exclaims.
“But we tried to do as much on location as possible, and Budapest was gracious enough to provide us with dozens of spaces to do so. The same with Croatia. We shot the prologue near a gorgeous villa and found a great location to plan out some of our war-time scenes, so we additionally built some stuff there.”
Choosing the camera and lenses for the shoot proved an interesting process. “Ellen and I agreed that using ARRI Alexa Mini LF would make the most sense for the film, as its size and sensor suited our needs. I did two series of tests with different sets of lenses and chose to equip the Mini LF with Leitz primes that were fast, reliable and had this kind of unassuming style that was a good fit for the story,” says Edelman.
“However, at literally the last moment before we shot, discovered that the new Alexa 35 would be available to us and decided to jump at the opportunity to use it, because it was even better for all the challenges that we knew laid ahead of us.”
Although Edelman swapped-out the camera, he stood by his choice of lenses and used a set of Leitz Summilux-Cs, mostly in the 35mm to 75mm focal range, and complimented them with Angénieux Optimo zooms (15-40mm, 24290mm). The package was provided by ARRI Rental Budapest.
“As we knew we didn’t have time to shoot with one camera only, we broughtin the second Alexa 35 whenever it was reasonable,” Edelman recalls. “My dear friend and trusted collaborator, Marcus Pohlus, operated A-camera with focus
puller Gergõ Csepregi. We used zooms mostly on the B-camera which was handled by Vincent Prochoroff, my student from Łódź Film School, with the help of focus puller Tamás Bakos.”
Even though Lee is predominantly a poignant portrait of a woman who risked her life to reveal to the world the truth about the war, the film contains some electrifying handheld sequences, including a scene in which Lee runs under fire and barely survives an explosion nearby.
“The war scenes had to be raw, real and horrific, and I’m proud with the work done by our camera crew, including key grip Balázs Simonics,” says the DP, “although we tried not to obscure the emotions and relations between the characters with flashy camera movement.”
Because of this, Edelman’s lighting was quite classic and his package, provided by Visionteam, included ARRIMAX 18/12 Daylights and HMIs, ARRI Skypanel 360s and S60Cs as well as LiteGear S2 LiteMat 1, 2 and 4s, and a set of Astera RGBAmberWhite AX5 Pars.
“It was consciously a mix of LED and Tungsten lamps, along with HMI workhorses,” Edelman explains. “As we tried to mute-down the colour palette in the latter parts of the film, both to show the consequences of the war and to depict Lee’s state of mind, my gaffer Szabolcs Galgóczi and
Lee Miller was a heroine
I didn’t need as many lamps as we’d perhaps use in a different kind of a war film. On-stage and in bigger interiors, Tungsten sources gave us a level of control we wanted, while in smaller spaces, like single rooms, LED light proved extraordinarily good.
“We had everything precisely planned and I spent some time on our LUT and the colour palette with my Hungarian colourist Máté Ternyik and my DIT Dávid Vécsey who was with me from our first camera tests. I believe we couldn’t have done more stuff in-camera.”
The upshot of this organised approach was that when Edelman went into the DI, with his trusted
colourist Jean-Clément Soret at London’s Company 3, he was surprised to finish the work in two weeks.
“Ellen trusted us and didn’t hang over our shoulders. We took the first couple of days to set the look we envisioned and then she came in, made some tweaks, and that was it. Everyone was happy with the result,” he remarks.
“People have tried to make films about Lee Miller before but they were primarily men and her son, Antony Penrose, was afraid they wanted to present his mother in a certain light. He wanted someone to show that there was more to her life than just seeing the damage of war and the
damage it caused to her personally – that she was a heroine who should be understood both through her incredible, eye-opening work and her fragility, vulnerability and flaws. I hope we were able to do that in Lee,” says Ellen Kuras.
Edelman emphasises: “We embarked on a challenging journey to present the truth about Lee Miller in a very cinematic way, to create a portrait of a woman who many people know only by the legacy of her photographs, to see her life in full dimension. I believe we did right by her, and I hope that the audiences around the world will see her through – pun intended – a different lens.”
ME , MYSELF
By Ron Prince
In Camera, director Naqqash Khalid’s scathing satire about identity, tokenism and showbiz, stars Nabhaan Rizwan as Aden, a British-Asian twenty-something who yearns for success as an actor.
However, the dismal ordeals of the audition process in an industry beset with prejudice, hypocrisy and quota-filling, begin to take their toll as he tries to find his next paying role – whether that be in ‘Teen Drama’ or a toothpaste commercial, as a generic ‘Asian terrorist dude’, or even as a surrogate son in therapy sessions for grieving parents.
Meanwhile, Aden’s flatmate Bo (Rory Fleck Byrne), a junior NHS doctor is strung-out too, to the point of hallucination. But, when Conrad (Amir ElMasry), a self-promoting and immaculately-attired fashion consultant, moves into the household, his alternative world-view about minority Britons and declaration that it’s “our time” to seize the spotlight, inspires Aden to find a new path to reach his goal.
The striking film, Khalid’s feature debut, has been hailed as both frank and acerbically funny for its unsettling eye on the oddities of contemporary Britain, and was shot by British DP Tasha Back, whose stark cinematic style bears bold witness to the glassceilinged world that Aden can’t seem to break out from.
“I shot a couple of shorts with Naqqash, including one called Stock (2019) for Sky Arts – a left-field story about a Frenchman, newly-living in the UK, who becomes caught-up in an unwanted and surreal conflict with the authorities, which Naqqash described as ‘a post Brexit fairytale’. I learnt from
Naqqash is experimental and likes to challenge conventions by playing with different perspectives
these experience that he’s experimental and likes to challenge conventions by playing with different perspectives,” says Back whose recent credits as a DP include Girl (2023, dir. Adura Onashile), The Tower S3 (dir. Rene Pannevis) for ITV, and 2nd Unit on Apple TV’s epic historical drama Masters Of The Air
& I
“I first started talking about In Camera with Naqqash when we were shooting Stock, and knew then that it would be an exploration into diversity and the cynical attitudes that exist within the film and TV industry, amongst other themes.
“He’s a real cinephile and draws on references from the most obscure films, but he also loves ScoobyDoo! For In Camera he had a particular fixation about certain types of framing, and exploring things from different angles, and we looked a lot at the idea of how the body of an actor can be a framing device.”
As Back explains, “For example, we had a book of stills photographs of Muhammad Ali, taken by Gordon Parks, which we studied in terms the way that the body is used to create shapes within the film frame.
“Naqqash also wanted to develop a camera language, a style of movement, that he referred to as ‘first person’, to connect the audience to the characters. In this respect, we looked at films such as the supernatural thriller Personal Shopper (2016, dir. Olivier Assayas, DP Yorick Le Saux AFC) and psychological aspects of Spencer (2021, dir. Pablo Larraín, DP Claire Mathon AFC) for the way the camera moves with the main protagonist and immerses you in their experiences.”
Translating this approach to the characters in In Camera, Back says, “A compelling part of the storytelling is how Aden shows himself to be a remarkable actor who can slip effortlessly between characters, yet is awkward, stumbling and most uncertain when being himself.
“So we decided that the camera would generally be locked to Aden, with plenty of closeups and conventional camera moves when he’s acting, and to juxtapose that with slightly fractious handheld when he’s being himself, more agitated, looking in the mirror or taking selfies. I think this
approach really underlined the idea about Aden’s search for identity and validation.
“We expanded that thinking to depict Aden’s interactions with his flatmates. So we generally see the back of Bo’s head or his face in quarter profile, and we decided to depict the larger-thanlife Conrad, who is secure in his surroundings, using wider frames and mid-shots.”
We developed a ‘first person’ camera language to connect the audience to the characters
Production on In Camera took place over 30 shooting days, between April and June 2022, at locations around Manchester, including the stylish Native Hotel, and at the city’s Space Studios, where numerous sets were built. Production also took place in the wilds of the Lancashire countryside north of Bolton.
“Manchester is great location-wise, a very filmic city,” says Back. “We had a brilliant location manager, Chris Chambers, who found some amazing places for us to shoot at, like the atrium of the Native Hotel, where Aden waits for his audition number to be called.”
Back framed In Camera in 2.39:1 widescreen aspect ratio, shooting with an ARRI Alexa Mini LF and vintage Canon K35 lenses. The shooting package was
supplied by No Drama in Manchester, which carries an extensive inventory of digital cameras and optics.
“Shooting in widescreen gave me opportunities to isolate Aden within the frame, or to put our characters on opposite side of the screen for dramatic effect, and I think the letterbox format worked really well for that in the context of the storytelling in this production,” says Back.
“I went with the ARRI Alexa Mini LF as shooting in large format allowed for a nice shallow depth-of-field and thereby created a more contemplative kind of photography, especially on the close-ups of Aden, which we shot mainly on an 85mm lens. Large format also gave a more distinctive sense of place in the wider shots, for example the scenes with Conrad, which we shot with wider lenses, such as the 24mm, and a 45mm for his
close-ups,” Back recounts.
“As for the lenses, we did a test day and narroweddown the selection to Cooke S7s and the K35s. Comparing the two, we felt the Cookes were too warm and friendly, whilst the K35s brought a more suitable contrast and coolness to the look. For the film-within-thefilm sequences we used some different lens sets from No Drama – for example, for the ‘Teen Drama’ we used the Canon Rangefinders and a Leica Noctilux 50mm.”
Prior to production, Back collaborated with film colourist Simone Grattarola at Time Based Arts in London’s Shoreditch area, who also conducted the final DI grade, to create a LUT for the production.
“Simone and I have very similar taste in terms of colour palettes, and this production had a vibrant look, but not
distastefully so – reds move into a richer brown or orange tone, and yellows towards a dirty type of green or mustard,” she remarks.
“On-set, I like to light quite softly, but with shape and contrast on faces, and during the shoot my first priority is always the onset exposure. So Simone created a LUT that would bring everything down by a couple of stops and force me to light-up, thereby protecting my exposure. On-set, the LUT showed me something far darker than I was actually recording, so I knew I would have plenty of room in the grade to treat the colours properly and have details in the dark image areas without crushing the blacks.”
Back operated during production, both handheld and from the dolly, with Louise Murphy pulling focus as 1st AC, whilst Tim Battersby wielded the Steadicam. Myles Soldenhoff was the key grip, with Paul Joy heading-up the lighting team as gaffer.
“We stuck pretty much to our conventions when it came to moving the camera to depict our different characters during different
Images: Courtesy of Conic Films.
moments in the film, but did introduce other types of visual language using Steadicam – for example when Aden appears to be floating through life, like the scenes in the atrium of the Native Hotel and the long take when he participates in the fashion photo-shoot for Conrad, which is one of my favourite moments in the film.”
As for her approach to the lighting of the movie’s many different scenarios, Back says, “We had a mixture of LEDs, Tungsten and HMIs in our lighting package. To light Aden’s flat, which was on the first floor at the Native Hotel, we had a 18K HMI, sometimes with or without a half CTO according to time of day or mood of the scene, and used Astera Titan tubes inside to wrap the light around faces. I usually use a lot of negative fill, but there was no need to here because the flat was naturally so dark already. We built a ‘skylight’ above the kitchen table by bouncing Titans into silver in a recessed part of the ceiling and diffused this further with grid cloth below to create a very soft top light.
“We wanted he film-set sequences to look purposefully-odd, almost unreal, and we flooded
Shooting large format allowed for a nice shallow depthof-field and a more contemplative kind of photography
these scenes with bold colours, such as red or teal, using fixtures we carefully concealed around the set. For those lights in-vision on the film sets we used 10K MoleBeams dimmed right down to create super-warm hotspots, or Dinos because we felt they looked better in vision.
“For Aden’s photo-shoot, which was one long Steadicam take of about three-and-a-half minutes, I went with the natural light coming through the window and supplemented that with an Aputure LS 600d Pro to give quite a harsh photographic light him.
For the cupboard waiting room, where Aden stands with his fellow auditioners, we created a heavily-diffused top box above them. It was purposely very ‘toppy’ so as to allow their eyes to fall into shadow. The intention was to enhance the feeling of anonymity along with their matching clothes.
Speaking about her work with Grattarola during the final grade, Back says, “For the films-within-thefilm we went really bold with colour from the original on-set lighting. The Teen Drama was particularly fun in this respect and it allowed us to play with pastel pinks and lilacs as well as stronger tones. The other bold
sequence was the bleeding building dream where we went for a very strong scarlet red for the blood to enhance the odd, dreamlike quality to it. I love the contrast of red and green against the blue and black of the building in this scene.”
Looking back on her experience on the production, Back concludes, “It was great fun. I found our cast to be brilliant and funny both on and off-camera. As a director, Naqqash is unique in terms of his vision, and brave as a first-time filmmaker in the themes and ideas he wants to explore. We discussed a lot of ideas about camera and lighting in prep and then he allowed me to create that technically on set and I’m proud of the results we achieved.”
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Directed by Greg Kwedar and co-written by Clint Bentley, Sing Sing, is far from the regular prison-based drama you might expect. Captured on KODAK 16mm film by DP Pat Scola, the movie presents an altogether different picture about incarceration and the transformative power of the arts on those behind bars, and is widely-tipped for accolades in the 2025 awards season.
The film is based on the real-life, on-going Rehabilitation Through The Arts (RTA) programme that operates within six New York State prisons. It is designed to help people in prison develop critical life skills through the arts, modelling an approach to the justice system based on human dignity rather than punishment, so they are more able to meet the challenges of connecting with family and community when released, and thereby reduce recidivism.
Set inside Sing Sing Correctional Facility, one of the world’s most infamous maximum security institutions, the narrative follows Divine G, jailed for a murder he did not commit, who finds solace and purpose by acting in an RTA theatre group alongside other incarcerated members. Until, that is, the hottempered Divine Eye joins the troupe to participate in
its next production.
The reasons why this band of brothers are variously imprisoned are never revealed, nor does the film itself depict regular prison life. Rather, most of the action takes place in the rehearsal room, focussing on the inner hopes and fears of the RTA group as they practice and discuss the meaning of scenes in their forthcoming production, to ultimately reveal how theatre becomes their psychological and emotional life raft.
CAGED BIRDS
By Ron Prince
DP Pat Scola harnessed the glow of KODAK 16mm film to bring warmth and honesty to director Greg Kwedar’s affecting drama Sing Sing.
The human face was our landscape
Apart from a small number of recognised actors – including Colman Domingo, who plays Divine G, Paul Raci as Brent Buell, a visitor/volunteer who helps the prisoners in running their RTA programme, and Sean San José as inmate Mike Mike – most of the characters on-screen went through RTA themselves, including Clarence Maclin, who plays Divine Eye.
The sub-$2m production is the result of an eightyear labour of love by Kwedar and Bentley, who undertook research for the project by volunteering as teachers in RTA sessions. Produced by Black Bear, the film premiered at the 2023 Toronto Film festival, where it was picked up by A24 and garnered critical acclaim around the world.
“I wanted to be part of this production from the moment Greg initially pitched it to me over the phone,” says Scola, who was named in Variety ’s ‘10 Cinematographers To Watch’ in 2021, and won the ASC’s Spotlight Award for his work on Michael Sarnoski’s Pig (2021).
“When Greg told me that he and Clint had been working on a story based around the RTA
programme, and its positive impact on prisoners, I instantly loved what he was talking about and thought it could be really special.
“However, well before I read any kind of script, what I got initially was a wealth of Zoom video conversations that Greg had been having with the RTA and the cast, including Clarence Maclin. I learned about their real, lived experiences, and got a really great sense about what I’d be stepping into.
“When I eventually read the script, I loved how the storytelling swung subtly by turns – floating between laughter and sadness, joy and heartbreak, vulnerability and transformation – which you don’t see so much in movies at the moment.”
Scola says he was also impressed with Kwedar’s particular approach to the feel of the film.
“Rather than having clanking keys, crashing cell-doors and flickering fluorescent lights that you see in regular jail-based dramas, the active intention aesthetically was to follow the men and their emotional journeys through their acting, to let what was happening in front of the camera drive the filmmaking and, in that way, to deliver the unexpected.
“Greg wanted us, the crew, to step out of the way,
and although there was a script, I knew the film would be partly improvisational, a kind of hybrid narrative documentary. This way of thinking about the film as a whole stuck with me and heavily influenced the approach the camera would end-up taking.”
Apart from a collection of stills photographs from the 1970s depicting the daily lives of inmates and the way prisons are generally run, Scola says there we no other visual cues for the film, adding, “I think that staying away from certain references is helpful when you’re trying to crack something that feels a little different inside a place like that.”
Production on Sing Sing took place over the course of 19 shooting days in July 2022, and was split between three major locations in Upstate New York: the decommissioned Downstate Correctional Facility and nearby Hudson Sports Complex , which of both doubled for different exteriors and interiors of the real Sing Sing prison, plus Beacon High School in Upstate New York, where the RTA theatre shows were filmed.
“When we scouted the Downstate Correctional Facility, one of the things I found both impressive and oppressive, was the number of windows and the natural daylight coming through them,” Scola recalls.
“Beyond the confines of the prison walls and the razor wire, you can see trees and forests in the distance. That element of tragedy – that you can see the world out there, but can’t actually go and touch it, that the place was actually light and warm, and not bleakly lit with fluorescents – was really striking. We made the decision to allow the spaces to light themselves naturalistically and speak to the visual story we were looking to tell.”
As for shooting on 16mm film, Scola remarks, “While this was my first feature on film, it wasn’t something I was tremendously concerned about. I started-out as a film loader on features, and have
regularly shot shorts, commercials and music videos on film as a DP. Greg, Clint and our producer, Monique Walton, were fully-behind the choice of 16mm film, and were great creative partners throughout.
He adds, “This film was all about honesty and intimate observation, and there’s nothing better than film, especially the colour and texture of 16mm film, to depict that. It was also about us, the filmmakers, keeping back, letting the performers do their thing, often in long uninterrupted oners or 360-degree turns, and that’s something that was also supported by the comparatively small footprint which comes with shooting on film – we were just nine people including me, when we filmed.”
Scola framed Sing Sing in 1.66:1 aspect ratio, using ARRIFLEX 416 and SR3 16mm cameras, fitted with Zeiss Ultra 16 lenses, plus a Canon zoom, capturing on KODAK VISION3 250D 7207 16mm film for the vast majority of the production. The camera and lens package was provided by Panavision New York.
“In this story the human face was our landscape, often with very intimate closeups. The taller nature of the 1.66:1 frame allowed us create that kind of intimate portraiture, and we used the 25mm a great deal during production,” Scola explains.
This film was all about honesty and intimate observation, and there’s nothing better than 16mm film to depict that
rolling for an entire magazine length without cutting.”
Scola elected to film Sing Sing entirely on KODAK VISION3 250D 7207 16mm, apart from a long oner of the dress rehearsal for the group’s new show that introduces all the characters in their costumes, which was filmed on KODAK VISION3 500T 7219 16mm, due to the dark environment and minimal lighting. Film processing was done at Kodak Film Lab in New York, with dailies and 2K scans provided by Metropolis Post.
“As opposed to digital, I find film allows me to be a little less precious with my lighting and is a lot more forgiving. I chose the 250D as I wanted a visual consistency and cohesion in the looks across our day/night, interior/exterior scenes. The 250D sits nicely in that middle ground, where you’re not staring through a dense grain structure, but still feel there is some texture and grit to the image. The 250D also has natural warmth and richness of colour to it, which was something we felt would support the presence and emotional performances of our cast on-screen.
“The Ultra 16 lenses are small, simple and fast, typically T1.3, and give great optical performance on 16mm film. They are also lightweight, around a kilo each, which was another key consideration in choosing them, as I knew I’d be holding the camera for the majority of the film and that we’d often be
“I didn’t have a tremendous amount of time for testing, so I essentially chose the 250D basedoff positive experiences I’ve had in the past. It’s pretty expansive in its latitude, retaining details in the highlights or darker areas of the image, and it was never a concern as to how the variety of skin tones would mix together, all while exposing normally on-set and processing normally at the lab. I think the 2K scans helped to retain a bit of the raw magic that comes with 16mm.”
Scola operated the camera, supported by Eric Macey and Chris Feleppa working as 1st AC and 2nd
Images: Courtesy of Black Bear and A24. BTS photos by Pat Scola, Greg Kwedar, Clint Bentley and Phyllis Kwedar.
This was stripped-down, bare-bones filmmaking
AC respectively, and Danielle Carroll as the loader. The key grip was Justin Duquette, aided by Dennis Pires, and the lighting team was led by gaffer Joel Marich, with Adrienne Subia as best electric.
“That was everybody. It was a small team,” Scola remarks. “Greg wanted the actors to feel free to act, and it was my job to capture their performances in a way that felt cinematic, yet part of the story. We didn’t have the budget for fancy filmmaking gear like cranes, and equipment like that would have been too intrusive anyway.
“I am pretty rigorous when it comes to shot listing, and Greg was both willing and generous with his time, to go through the entire script, line by line, beat by beat with me. A lot of what we came up with exists on-screen, although sometimes we threw it away when something better appeared on the day.
“We shot a lot of the movie handheld, but nothing frenetic, with the purpose of connecting the audience to the emotions of the characters – their energy, joyfulness and vulnerabilities – and contrasted that with more composed, static or locked-off camera work in other scenes.
“For the 360-degree pans around the ensemble we used a tripod or sometimes used a ‘Butt Dolly’, which was basically a stool with little rubber wheels where I could use my feet and legs to turn myself around on the seat. This was strippeddown, bare-bones filmmaking, where I had to be very tuned-in to the performances, but it was very effective nonetheless.”
Being a low budget film, the stripped-down nature of production also extended to the lighting.
“Our lighting package was very simple, and we embraced the natural daylight coming through the widows when we shot at Downstate Correctional Facility and Hudson Sports Complex. To keep things looking natural we generally illuminated our scenes with just a couple of Creamsouce Vortex LEDs plus Astera Titan tubes. We also had a Lite Gear 4x8 LiteTile box that we used as a fill while using the windows as the key light, or to help balance the exposure so I could carry the window exposure the
whole time if the weather changed outside.”
Scola did, however, juxtapose the sense of naturalism by infusing the imagery with greater warmth and colour for some of the film’s more tender moments, as well as the theatrical performances themselves.
He explains, “For the scene in which Divine G and Mike Mike converse with one another between their cells at night, we created a sodium vapour orange that prisons would have had back in the day, so as to generate a certain warmth to the image and convey friendship and camaraderie that exists between them.
“For the theatrical production scenes which we shot at Beacon High School, we were able to get a little more adventurous and expressive with the lighting. Liaising with the drama department at the school, we installed some of our lamps on the stage lighting gantry to supplement their own existing bank of Tungsten Pars and follow-spots. They also allowed us to hire one of their students to run the lighting console as they knew the board and how to operate fixtures.
Due to variation of low and bright illumination in that scene we shot on the 500T 7219, and I was very pleased with the result.”
Looking back over his time and efforts on the production Scola observes, “I felt a great responsibility towards shooting this film. Most of the characters had never seen a film camera before, and had certainly never made a film. So it was my prime concern to make sure they were lifted and celebrated, and not exploited for the sake of the storytelling.
“Ultimately, 16mm film is a tool, a format and an artistic medium that I personally just happen to love, and it brought a certain warmth and honesty to this unique production.
“Artistic endeavour is a process through which we can strive to better understand ourselves and each other. I hope, more than anything, that when people get to see this film it might upend their thoughts about what it is like for the wealth of humans who are locked-away, not just the RTA participants, who we don’t get to see or hear about.”
We shot a lot of the movie handheld with the purpose of connecting the audience to the emotions of the character
GREAT GEAR GUIDE•IBC 2024 PREVIEW
SHOWSTOPPERS…
If you’re heading to IBC 2024 in Amsterdam, or even if you’re staying-put, here are some of the highlights on the showfloor, including our special guests at the Cinematography World Pavilion in Hall 12, Stand G45.
APUTURE:
(Hall 11.B22)
Amongst its many lighting products for filmmakers, Aputure is showing Sidus Four, which it says is the most robust and capable CRMX/DMX lighting control system on the market. Sidus Four simultaneously supports transmission of up to four CRMX universes and four wired DMX universes, for a whopping total of eight lighting universes –and even more, thanks to the ability to link multiple units together.
Following the arrival of Sidus One, an entry level CRMX transmitter, and Sidus Link Pro which brings wireless DMX control to the already popular lighting app, this new combination makes the power of console-level programming available to all
ARRI: (Hall 12.F21)
Visitors will learn more about ARRI’s live entertainment offerings. From sports to concerts, from news to events, ARRI has scalable, state-of-the-art camera and lighting equipment for all of that.
One of ARRI’s focus topics at the show is the new Alexa 35 Live – Multicam System, a complete production toolset for the requirements of live content producers, combining the visually striking ARRI look with easy integration into existing live production environments.
Other highlights include Trinity Live and Trinity 2 Pan Axis stabilisers, Claypaky’s moving heads Sinfonya and Arolla Aqua, together with ARRI’s award winning SkyPanel family and new L-Series Plus luminaires. All these tools are dedicated to making live productions stand out from the crowd.
filmmakers via mobile app.
Attendees will get a hands-on demo of Sidus Four and the Sidus Link Pro iPad app during the show, already used by pro-lighting programmer David Slodki ICLS Local 728, who has programmed such productions as Avengers: Infinity Wars and StarTrek Starship Troopers with this formidable kit.
ASTERA: (Hall 12.F55)
Watch out for the newly released LunaBulb, whose innovative design combines the appearance of a conventional lightbulb with the practical qualities of an LED light by leveraging Astera’s advanced TitanLED engine for versatility and precision control.
Drawing only 3.5 watts, the LunaBulb features adjustable white levels (1,750 to 20,000K), extensive colour mixing (RGB, Mint and Amber, with RGB, HIS, XY and Filter Gel colour selection options), with no flicker, making it suitable for broadcast production and filmmaking. It fits standard bulb sockets, maintains an IP4 rating and integrates seamlessly with Astera’s ecosystem
CINEO LIGHTING:
(Cinematography World Pavilion – Hall 12, Stand G45)
Cineo Lighting, a leader in innovative lighting technology, returns to IBC as part of the Cinematography World Pavilion to showcase its newest fixture, the Reflex R10!
via app, wireless remote, B2B or CRMX, using a handy on-the-go PrepCase for configuration.
Being the only LED-based bulb with inbuilt CRMX, together with Astera’s NYXBulb, the brand-new LunaBulb is available with an E26, E27 and B22 fitting and, like a conventional bulb, screws directly into an AC-wired bulb socket.
The LunaBulb can be coordinated seamlessly with the wider Astera ecosystem using Astera’s intuitive app, the series of White and FX remotes, BTB link or wireless CRMX. Configuration is achieved using either the Astera battery-powered PrepCase or PrepInlay for
LunaBulb, which hold up to eight bulbs and allow for efficient configuration, blue mode activation and DMX address assignment on the move.
Expanding the Reflex series of LED lighting products and weighing in at just 57lbs, the Cineo Reflex R10 utilises Cineo’s patented liquid-cooling and cutting-edge LED technology, all in a durable IP-X5-rated fixture designed to
replace legacy HMI and Tungsten lights. Along with its compact size, the Reflex R10 features a modular design that allows for easy replacement of the bi-colour LED tower with future upgrades.
In addition to the R10, the Quantum Studio will also be on hand for demos. Guests will have the opportunity to learn more about the newly updated Cineo StageLynx version 4.0 software which now features CIE XY Color Control, RAW Mode for Color Fixtures, as well as Sekonic SpeedMatch Integration.
GREAT GEAR GUIDE•IBC 2024 PREVIEW
CREAMSOURCE: (Hall 12.D22)
Experience the best of Creamsource at IBC, where the company is showcasing its acclaimed Vortex range including the all-new Soft series. Perfect for broadcast lighting, the Vortex8 Soft and Vortex4 Soft panels are designed as native soft light solutions, providing exceptional full-spectrum illumination with impressive output straight out-ofthe-box. Whether in the studio or on-location, these soft panels carry forward the same robust build quality and IP65 rating as their older siblings.
Explore the Creamsource Vortex24, a powerful new addition that takes the Vortex line-up to the
next level. This larger model is triple the output of the Vortex8, offering expanded coverage with 24 pixel zones and a sleek, weather-resistant design. The Vortex24 is the ultimate tool for those seeking superior versatility and performance.
You can also discover how to optimise your Vortex8 set-up with the new 2Up and 3Up yokes, perfect for studio environments utilising Image Based Lighting (IBL) techniques.
DEDOLIGHT: (Hall 12.C21)
Described as the ultimate pattern generator, Dedolight Eflect is perfect for creating still or moving patterns for large or small scale work. Patterns can be reflected onto backgrounds or subject and background. A new XL size of 31 x 31 inches (80 x 80cm) and new patterns, Tropical Blue and Tropical Orange, have been just introduced
The Dedolight Lightstream Flag System allows users to eliminate parasitic light on-set. The expanded Flag/Reflector System, with added areas in white, silver, gold and soft gold, create a bridge between hard and soft light.
Dedolight’s PB70 & PB70 2.5K parabolic light is known for creating realistic-looking sunlight or the illusion of light which appears to come from a far distance, is now available as a 2.5K version.
The V-Flector produces circular and elongated light shapes, and can be used horizontally or vertically. The new manually-adjustable variflector
DE SISTI LIGHTING:
(Cinematography
World Pavilion – Hall 12, Stand G45)
De Sisti has been a leading manufacturer for lighting and rigging systems in the professional industry since 1982. Its ranges of LED lights include Fresnels, softlights, spacelight and the famous The Muses Of Light, designed in collaboration with designed with Vittorio and Francesca Storaro.
At the show, De Sisti will introduce the Giotto Linear, an asymmetrical LED projector designed for backdrops, ideal for illuminating chromakey and cyclorama backgrounds, both as overhead and ground-row units, or in a combination of both set-ups.
The projector’s optical system modulates the emission of light intensity to achieve the necessary asymmetry for uniform backdrop illumination. The product is intended for lighting from both above (overhead) and below (ground-row), can be both VW and VW+Color, and has a very intense yet diffuse asymmetric emission, making the choice of mounting position non-critical.
Free from hot spots, the Giotto Linear allows for even lighting schemes for backdrops, even for tall setups, up to approximately nine meters in height when using overhead and ground-row combinations.
GODOX:
(Hall 12.H38)
At the Godox booth you’ll find the MG1200R and the BeamLite Max90 – powerful, precise and versatile lighting solutions, tailored to meet cinematic challenges.
The MG1200R is a powerful full-colour point light source boasting 1200W of high-power output. It delivers extraordinary brightness and light quality for vibrant colour lighting applications.
Paired with the BeamLight Max90, the first parallel beam light accessory tailored for high-power
for Dedolight
Neo allows highspeed video up to 400,000fps. The state-of-theart, multifunctional Neo Lighting System ballast offers perfect dimming, and control of 34 different focusing LED Dedolight fixtures with one single ballast. Dedolight Neo is available in monocolour, bi-colour and multi-colour
LEDs, they create a formidable LED parallel light source, offering astonishing throw and illuminance, thus offering a new LED solution for cinematic lighting in largescale settings.
LEITZ CINE:
(on-tour around the show!)
Leitz Cine is showing three new lenses in its Leitz Hugo II series: 66mm T2.1, 75mm T2.1, and 90mm T2.1. Joining the existing ten HUGO I focal lengths, the HUGO II lenses, so named for their slower aperture, introduce new options that offer some size advantages and slightly different looks with the 75mm and 90mm, while the 66mm fills the gap between 50mm and 75mm.
The HUGO 66mm T2.1 lens is based on the fabled ‘spy lens’ created by legendary Leica lens designer Walter Mandler for the US Navy during the Cold War. Built for ultra-highresolution imaging and never intended for the public, it’s estimated that less than 200 were ever produced. By only slightly modifying the elegant simplicity of Mandler’s original design, this lens sits alongside its modern siblings as a great pairing with an impressive pedigree.
MOTION IMPOSSIBLE: (Hall 12.A21)
Motion Impossible returns to Amsterdam with its entire line-up of Agito remote-controlled dollies, designed for sports, broadcast, studio, natural history, film and high-end television.
Combining the capabilities of jibs, dollies, cranes and stabiliser mounts into a single platform, the products support a wide range of dynamic camera movements and positioning in various terrains and shooting scenarios. This includes unique shots like 360-degree wraparounds and complex tracking sequences, all based on a modular framework for quick assembly.
The Agito Gen 2 is the company’s nextgeneration system featuring an advanced Core and Master Controller. It supports up to 100kg (220lbs) total payload, with speed ranges from 1.5mm/s (0.05in/s) to 27mph (43.4km/h), a turning circle of 2.4m (7.9ft), direct Ethernet connection for remote operation and centralised management, and IP54 weather resistance, plus silent steering and drive mechanisms.
MRMC: (Hall 12.C20 & Hall 11.C28)
Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC), a Nikon Group company, will unveil its Studiobot LT for broadcast workflows and Cinebot for cinematography across two booths the show
On MRMC’s broadcast stand, shared with Nikon Europe and Red, the company is launching the Studiobot LT, designed for permanent or semi-permanent studio productions. Easy to get up-and-running, offering flexibility and a wide envelope of motion, the StudioBot LT supports up to 10kg, making it suited for box-cameras with a typical studio lens. It features native support for broadcast serial lenses, as well as being able to drive external lens motors. It comes equipped with numerous safety features and a tally lamp for studio deployment. The system is controlled via an industry-leading software interface, provides FreeD positional data, and offers an API for integration with studio automation systems making it suitable for integration into VR environments and advanced broadcast workflows.
At its Motion Control Stand in Hall 12, the company will show the new Cinebot Max for the first time. User-friendly and portable, the 1.75m
Although considered extremely sharp for its time, the images match remarkably well with the modernday Hugo lenses.
The Hugo 75mm T2.1 and 90mm T2.1
lenses come from the Leica Summicron-M lenses. Being one stop slower than the T1.5 lenses allows them to be significantly shorter and lighter, matching the dimensions of the rest of the T1.5 set wider than 50mm. By designing housing for these lenses Leitz will now be able to convert full sets of M 0.8 lenses to Hugo without sacrificing the longer focal lengths.
builds on the features of Agito Gen 2 by adding a larger Core, extended wheelbase, and increased ground clearance, which enable it to support heavier cameras and remote heads with 150kg (330lb) total payload. Speed ranges are from 0.5cm/s (0.1in/s) to 18.6mph (28km/h) and the turning circle is 2.9m (9.5ft).
Agito Commander is a new centralised software platform designed to control multiple Agitos from a single command station. It works in both Trax (rail) and SkyTrax (truss-mounted rail) configurations and facilitates the synchronisation of timelines, presets and keyframes with GPIO triggers for studio animation.
Durable yet compact, the new V-Con Max vertically-controlled stabiliser is engineered to handle payloads up to 64kg (141lbs), whilst providing effective dampening in tight spaces. With innovative dual Mitchell mounts on both the top and bottom, it attaches easily to various platforms like motorbikes, cars, rickshaws or dollies to ensure stable vertical movement.
arm of the Max makes it suitable for on-location filming like its little brother, the Cinebot Mini, but with the additional reach and payload you can expect from larger rigs. Building upon the PushMoco technology developed for the Cinebot Mini, the Max’s arm can be manoeuvered into any position by hand. Camera movements can then be played back seamlessly, and with a 3.2m height and maximum 20kg payload it is adaptable to multiple use cases from tabletop work in the studio or live-action shooting with cinema cameras.
IBC attendees will have the opportunity to get hands-on and interact with the Cinebots, shooting objects on the stand. Red cameras, including the Komodo X and V-Raptor X, will be mounted on the Cinebots for demonstration.
Designed for rental, the Agito Cine is a versatile solution for blue-chip wildlife, cinema and HETV. It
GREAT GEAR GUIDE•IBC 2024 PREVIEW
NESTOR FACTORY: (Cinematography
World Pavilion – Hall 12, Stand G45)
Ian Motion has created a solution to battery energy storage and output, with the Nomad 110.30. It has been developed to exacting specifications in collaboration with Nestor Factory, a production and rental company for equipment for the film industry.
The LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery chemistry was selected because of its very long lifespan – about 3,500 charge cycles, or ten years at the rate of one cycle per day. It is also resistant to thermal shock, which makes it possible to achieve the best level of safety. Not least, it has the distinctive feature of not containing nickel, manganese or cobalt, thereby reducing its environmental footprint as well as its price.
The built-in inverter is available in singlephase or three-phase and offers a power of 30kVA continuous. If necessary, the power can be increased to 37.5kVA for 15 seconds. The front sockets are available in both Marechal or Legrand type.
The Nomad is charged via a CCS Combo 2 charging interface, (same as electric vehicles), which makes it possible to charge either from a public charging station or from a domestic socket.
PROTON CAMERA INNOVATIONS:
(Hall 11.A06)
Proton Camera Innovations, a German innovator in the field of miniaturised cameras, will showcase its Proton Cam, the world’s smallest broadcast camera.
Proton’s team will not only demonstrate the remarkable technical specifications of the camera, but also highlight the wide range of applications in which it has already been implemented by
The AC charging power can range from 3.3 to 20kW depending on the selected configuration. The DC charging, available only via a fast charging terminal allows a maximum charging power of
enthusiastic customers. These have included mountain biking events and live drone footage to capture in-the-moment action.
Measuring just 28mm x 28mm and weighing only 24 grams, the mini camera is not just tiny, but offers impressive technical specifications too – extremely-low 2.5W power consumption, 12-bit sensor technology with advanced chip technology for superior image quality and dynamic range, with a 97° wide-angle view, optional
ROSCO: (Cinematography World Pavilion – Hall 12, Stand G45)
Rosco will be displaying the DMG Lion, a powerful, 13-inch, all-weather Fresnel utilising cutting-edge technology to replicate the lookand-feel of a classic Tungsten Fresnel – but with the versatility that LED technology provides. DMG Lion features two easy-to-swap LED engines –one that utilises Rosco’s patented Mix Technology
for full spectrum output, and the other a bicolour LED engine that produces maximum intensity. This product has been much-talked about and it will be interesting to see its takeup in the marketplace!
100kW, allowing a 10 to 90% in 1 hour which makes it the solution with the fastest charging solution in its category.
The Nomad 110.30 is 1200mm long, 1000mm wide and 1200mm high. It is integrated into a Europallet format, its weight has also been limited to 990kg, making it the most compact and lightest solution, the only one transportable in small commercials vans.
The Nomad 110.30 is also connected and geolocated, allowing reporting of consumption data and geographical monitoring, leading to a fast and efficient customer support service It is also certified according to the latest standards in force.
lenses from 70° up to 124° and excellent low-light performance without distortion.
Protom Cam also includes a tally light and stereo audio, features rarely offered on miniaturised cameras, making it suitable for spontaneous action capture and directed productions. Additionally, its efficient power consumption provides longer battery life and reduces heat generation, ensuring reliable operation in challenging environments.
Live concerts, events, reality shows, TV and film will all benefit from the compact and discrete nature of the Proton, allowing cinematographers and DPs to capture dynamic, high-quality footage in any environment.
F•EDU GRAU AEC
TOP GUN MAVERICK
By Iain Blair
Spanish cinematographer Eduard “Edu” Grau AEC ASC says he’s “always liked to work on all different types of movies,” as shown by his eclectic list of credits. These include the uber-stylish period drama A Single Man (2009) , the ever-so claustrophobic Buried (2010) , the psychological thriller The Gift (2015) , the actioner Gringo (2018) , and the controversial gay conversion therapy drama Boy Erased (2018).
He also loves “a new challenge” and working with first-time directors “who have all this energy and want to take risks and try stuff.”
Grau – whose last film was the race drama Passing (2021), which he shot in B&W – certainly got his wish when he took on his latest project, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the fourth instalment of the franchise’s tales of the maverick Detroit cop on the loose in the land of the rich and famous.
It’s been 40 years since Beverly Hills Cop (1984, DP Bruce Surtees ASC) broke box office records, helped invent the action-comedy genre, and cemented Eddie Murphy’s status as a superstar. Now Murphy’s alter ego, Axel Foley, is back in a movie stuffed full of awesome chase sequences and the comedian’s non-stop comedy routines. It was helmed by Australian director Mark Molloy, making his feature film directorial debut following an award-winning career directing commercials and television.
We shot as much incamera as we possibly could – to a level that was bananas
And in an era when action scenes rely heavily on greenscreen and VFX, the filmmakers shot most of it for real, in-camera, on location in Beverly Hills and Detroit, including a huge helicopter chase through Beverly Hills and the big snowplow opening sequence in Detroit.
“This was by far the biggest film I’d ever done,
with all the action and stunts and huge set-pieces, and there were so many challenges,” Grau reports. “This was a $120 million blockbuster, while my last film was a $5 million art house film. But I love changing my style to adapt to each new project and their particular challenges, and that brings me joy in my life and work. And as this was Mark’s first film, and also such a huge production, it added to the overall challenge of pulling this all together.”
Prep was 12 weeks, “the longest I’ve ever had, but we needed every day of it to scout all the locations, find and hire the crew, fine-tune the script, and get our camera, lens and lighting packages organised,” he notes.
Grau and his team did some film tests, “as we initially thought we’d shoot on film to get that retro look of the original films. But we realised that it would just be too difficult given the schedule and everything we had to do,” he explains. “So, we ended-up shooting this production old-school with ARRI Alexa 35s and Panavision C-series Anamorphic lenses, and doing as much in-camera as we possibly could – to a level that was bananas.
“Our whole visual approach was basically an homage to Marty Brest and Tony Scott (who directed the first and second films respectively) and that great ‘80’s look, but also giving this production a contemporary touch for modern cinema.”
The team also did some tests for postproduction face-replacement for Murphy. “The idea was that we’d probably have to use it for all the stunts with Eddie, but we ended-up shooting most of them for real and all the action scenes in the real locations,” he says.
“Obviously we didn’t have Eddie flying around all the streets in the real helicopter for all the dangerous chase scenes, but we did shoot him in it on top of a trailer so he could perform in a real helicopter and real environment. We then used bluescreen and CGI for the scene where he jumps, and when the helicopter crashes. And that was all real until a second or two before the crash, and the helicopter pilot did some real crazy stuff.”
Grau worked with Malloy’s longtime colourist Tom Poole at Company 3 on a LUT. “The ARRI
Alexa 35 had just come out and we were one of the first to use it,” he recalls. “It was the perfect tool for us, as it gives you a very filmic look, it’s the best for highlights, and the format size was so helpful as it mimics 35mm and was closer to the ‘80s look we wanted than the Alexa LF.”
Prep also included some previz with Halon, “for action scenes like the car falling off the garage scene, and all the helicopter stuff,” he adds. “All that helped us find the best angles and really work out those very
tricky sequences.”
Grau reports that the shoot required a 13-person camera crew, including himself, three operators, a 1st, 2nd , DIT, loader and utility. On additional camera days the D- and E-cameras got three-person crews each, and the crash cameras and Go Pros got three additional crew members to support their work.
The DP says he relied heavily on his 1st AC Steve MacDougall and gaffer Andrew Korner ICLS.
“I’ve worked with Steve since my first American
film, A Single Man. He’s great at getting the whole crew together, dealing with all the gear and any special equipment we needed,” he reports. “As for Andrew, it was my first time working with him, but he’d done huge action films like Top Gun, so he was very experienced, very calm and very chilled, whilst being on top of every detail. Steve and Andrew are also both very adaptable and fast, which was important as this wasn’t an easy shoot and there was a lot of pressure.”
Grau’s longtime DIT, Jessie Tyler, was another key crew member. “He has an incredible eye, and was dealing with all the exposures. Sometimes we had seven cameras rolling, and I could always rely on him,” says Grau.
“Jessie also has a great collaboration and relationship with Andrew in terms of all the lighting, and we used a lot of ARRI SkyPanel S60s and LEDs that we could control the colour on remotely. We used that a lot because we had to light so quickly.”
To make sure everyone on the camera crew was on the same page in terms of
lenses, each person was given a small laminated lens reference sheet that could be used on-set, carried in crew members’ pockets and velcro’d onto anything. This notated set of lenses supported the three-camera main unit’s daily work shooting with the Alexa 35s.
For all the big set-pieces and heavy stunt days Grau used five operated Alexa 35s, two Red Raptors in crash housing that were specially built for the shoot, and three Go Pros cameras. The fourth and fifth Alexa 35s typically used additional 42425mm zooms for those large days. Ultimately the DP used the large zoom ratio of the 42-425mm so much that his 1st AC ended-up keeping the additional zooms on the daily work so that they had three of them always available for Grau and Malloy. The crew also kept their own stabilised ARRI remote head on the truck.
Radio communications were handled within the camera department with the Riedel Bolero belt pack
system, which connected Grau to all the technical crew with wireless multichannel headsets. It also took a feed from production sound during action so they could all hear dialogue through the same headset. They were able to expand the system via walkie-talkie and HMI integrations to have over 30 people on the system. Wireless Video was handled by Cineview transmitters and receivers, and they were able to support eight live wireless feeds to the DIT village.
“The shoot was full of so many difficult and complex scenes, but sometimes the ones that look like the easiest ones on the page turned-out to be the hardest to shoot on the day,” Grau notes.
“So, for me, the trickiest sequence to shoot wasn’t some big action and stunt scene, it was the last scene in the restaurant, which I didn’t expect. It was one of those days when it was cloudy, the sun was going down, and the cast showed-up late. It was a very important dramatic and emotional scene
that we had to shoot very quickly. In the end, we did it all in just two hours, and it wasn’t what we’d intended, but you have to be very adaptable and make it work, and we did.”
The grade took two weeks with colourist Tom Poole at Company 3 and Grau, with working remotely, as was by then in Spain shooting Pedro Almodovar’s next film, The Room Next Door.
“During the DI grade, I was on my iPad supervising and also relying a lot on Tom and Mark. Our whole approach was, how would this have looked if we’d shot it in the ‘80s? So, we really made the most of all the long lenses and zoom work we shot that was so in style back then, whilst also giving it a contemporary look and polish.
Grau concludes, “I proved to myself that I could do the big Hollywood blockbuster, although I’m not that interested in pursuing those kinds of films. But it was the right project at the right time, and I’m very happy with the way it turned out.”
This wasn’t an easy shoot… there was a lot of pressure
CHAMPAGNE MOMENTS
By Ron Prince
Née Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin in 1777, Madame Clicquot is considered one of the world’s first international businesswomen, and remains recognised internationally as the ‘Grand Dame Of Champagne’.
Aged just 27, she defied convention by taking over the management of the family wine-making business, after the death of her husband François Clicquot in 1805. Under her auspices, the house focused entirely on champagne production and began to thrive – from funds supplied by her father-in-law and through the special techniques she introduced which gave the drink special appeal to the palette of high society, especially amongst the aristocracy in Russia.
Guiding the business through perilous times, Barbe-Nicole brought the company back from the brink of destruction. Within two years, the widow Clicquot had become famous and helmed an internationally-renowned commercial business –with sales rocketing from 43,000 bottles in 1816, climbing to 280,000 in 1821, and increasing still further over the ensuing decades. By the time of her death, in 1866 at the ripe old age of 88, she helped to spread the popularity of champagne across the globe, and transformed the Veuve Clicquot brand into one of the most successful champagne houses, a position it still holds today.
A pivotal, ten-year slice of her story – during which she was widowed, took-up the company reins, and developed the house’s iconic rose champagne
This
was a beautiful and inspiring story, and I accepted the job without any hesitation
– is lustrously depicted in Widow Clicquot, based on Tilar J. Mazzeo’s New York Times bestselling book, The Widow Clicquot: The Story Of A Champagne Empire And The Woman Who Ruled It.
The internationally co-produced drama was directed by Thomas Napper, from a screenplay by Erin Dignam and Christopher Monger, and stars Haley Bennett as Barbe Nicole alongside Tom Sturridge, Sam Riley, Anson Boon, Leo Suter, Ben Miles and Natasha O’Keeffe. The film was shot by French DP Caroline Champetier, with Bennett, plus Joe wright and Christina Weiss Lurie, amongst the producers.
Principal photography took place at locations in wine-growing areas around Chablis and Reims, France, during October, November and December 2022, over 32 shooting days.
“I knew nothing of BarbeNicole’s story until I read the script for the first time,” Champetier reveals. “I was inspired by the challenges she faced and overcame, and accepted the job without any hesitation as I felt hers was a beautiful and inspiring story. I also think Haley is a wonderful actress, and I was eager to work with her.”
During her threemonth prep period on the film, Champetier worked with director Fabian Baron, who was initially attached to the project, and set designer, Stéphane Sartorius on the looks for the film.
“I didn’t read Tilar J. Mazzeo’s book on which the film is based, but was inspired by a compendium of beautiful images, which included paintings by French artists, that Fabian and Stéphane had carefully compiled,” Champetier recalls.
Images: BTS photos by Caroline Dubois, courtesy of WME Independent
WIDOW CLICQUOT•CAROLINE CHAMPETIER AFC
“Of course, when you shoot a period movie like this, especially where scenes have to appear as if they are lit with fire or candle light, one of the all-time great references is Barry Lyndon (1975, dir. Stanley Kubrick, DP John Alcott BSC). Iconic movies like that always give you direction and ideas.
“I was also struck by the natural beauty of our locations, the manor house with vineyards, that really suited the storytelling. We decided that the camera would be elegantly fluid and stay as much as possible with Barbe-Nicole so as to tell the story from her point-of-view.”
Despite the change of director just prior to production, Champetier says she was given terrific support. “Although Thomas replaced the original director late-on, and I had never worked with him before, he embraced the aesthetic intentions for the film. Thomas and I spent time together walking around our locations, looking for our preferred settings and finding good camera angles. I have to say that during production we had had great support from the 1st ADs – Julie-Anne Simon and Joseph Rapp – as well as our producers Christina and Joe, who were ever-present.”
Champetier framed Widow Clicquot in 2:1 (Univisium) aspect ratio, remarking, “I felt it would be the best for capturing the vistas of the vineyards and the countryside, as well as the portraiture of our characters on our exterior and interior shots. The 2:1 ratio lets the camera frame characters both very close and from further away, giving the audience a good idea about the setting and the surrounding environment.”
image. As she explains, “A lot of the movie was set during the evenings or at night, but I wanted it to have good light and illumination, and the LUT made sure the darker areas of the image did not go milky and retained details.”
Champetier operated A-camera, with Nicolas Eveilleau pulling focus as 1st AC and dolly grip François Xavier Walter supporting the camera moves. Stéphane Chollet variously operatied the B-camera or Steadicam. “I chose not to do any handheld on this film, as the aim was to keep the camera movement looking elegant and beautiful, with Barbe-Nicole in frame as much as possible. In the main we shot with two cameras, with me moving around on a Super PeeWee dolly, and Stéphane on the other camera on a platform at a suitable axis, framing using the zoom lens or shooting with Steadicam.”
The DP worked with gaffer Laurent Bourgeat on the production’s lighting. On exterior shots, Champetier explains that she tried to use the natural/available light as much as possible, utilising reflectors to subtly highlight a face if the need arose. She took a similar approach to sculpting faces on the interior day scenes, where the environments themselves were lit from large, bounced/indirect softlight sources on elevators outside – typically with ARRI Sky Panel and Creamsourve Vortex fixtures, or 9K and 12K HMIs through diffusion frames.
I was made to feel that I was part of the cast
A two-camera shoot in the main, Champetier captured Widow Clicquot at 6K resolution using Sony Venice 2 cameras, mounted with Panavision Primo 70 lenses and a variety of Angénieux zooms, including Optimo EZ 45-135mm. The camera and lens package was provided by Panavision France, with digital dailies provided by Le Labo in Paris.
“I could have shot with other digital cameras, but chose the Sony Venice 2 as I feel the colours it produces are very beautiful, especially when you have a good digital lab team behind you, like I did with Le Labo.
“The other attraction to the Venice 2 camera for me was that it has an extended dual base ISO. The image-quality at the lower 800 base ISO is clean and there is plenty of range in the highlights and the low lights in daytime scenes. A lot of this movie was set during the evenings or at night, and the 3200 ISO is incredibly useful as you can shoot high-quality images in dark environments without the penalty of having appreciable noise in the image.
“I went with the Panavision Primos as they are not overly-heavy on the camera and have good contrast in the image. They are excellent portrait lenses and are beautiful on skin when you are shooting portraiture. As for the zooms, I use them regularly and I introduced them here, mainly on the B-camera, to help us keep-up the pace of production and to support the fluidity of the camera moves. To soften the look slightly and help place the storytelling in time, I used Bronze Glimmer diffusion filters for scenes set in the past, and standard Glimmer filters for the present.”
Prior to production Champetier worked with colourist Gilles Granier at Le Labo, who also completed the final colour grade, to create a LUT that would protect the dark and black areas of the
With this style of illumination enveloping the performers, Champetier says she enjoyed the task shaping the light still further with the light from fires and double-wick candles.
“There’s was a duality between a contrast and colour of the white or grey of the light coming from outside, and softening warmth of the fire and candle light, and this made the frame look interesting. Also, the look of the candle light on skin was particularly lovely on Haley and our other actors.”
Champetier readily acknowledges that shooting late in the growing season meant not having perfect colour on the vines, but says, “We tried to work our way around that as much as possible, by selecting our camera angles carefully and embracing the yellow colour, which after all is the same as the Veuve Clicquot label that Barbe-Nicole selects for the bottles of champagne.”
The DP also remarks on a subject that proves somewhat of a revelation, to this writer at least.
“Although it was not ideal to have a change of directors just before we shot, working on this film was a really good experience for me. This was because I was made to feel that I was part of the cast.
“When you shoot a UK or an American production, that’s a natural and organic part of the way things work. Not so in France, where there is much less respect for the work of the DP and their knowledge of colour science and lighting in crafting the overall look of the film. His lack of understanding also pervade the media. When people write about films in France it’s never about the cinematography. It’s an historical thing, that affects us all, whether you are a male or a female DP, and it’s only by speaking-out that things are going to change.”
The inspiring, historic story of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin and her determination to succeed is perhaps a shining example of how one might bring that change in the modern age too!
Panavision
Primos
are excellent portrait lenses and are beautiful on skin
I was immediately drawn to the bizarre yet authentic story
EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER
Baby Reindeer tells the story of Donny, a struggling comedian and barman, who offers a crying woman a cup of tea in the pub where he’s working, unaware that this single act of kindness will set-off a dangerous obsession.
Written, produced and starring Richard Gadd, the hit Netflix series is based on Gadd’s one-man
stage production entitled ‘Baby Reindeer’, which relates his real-life experience of a woman who stalked him physically and virtually over the course of five years. The series also stars Jessica Gunning, who plays Donny’s stalker Martha.
On its release, Baby Reindeer debuted at number five in Netflix’s list of top ten TV English titles, and earned 87.4 million viewing hours in its
By Ron Prince
third week. Whilst the series is a black comedy, it is also an emotional rollercoaster, exploring themes of loneliness, stalking, assault, sexuality, trauma and sexual abuse – especially in its notorious fourth episode. Along with significant viewing figures, the show garnered critical praise for its funny, heartbreaking and harrowing central performances, together with its stylish cinematography.
Briefly please explain how you became a cinematographer? Where did you train?
I started my cinematographic education in Poland, at film school in Katowice, now known as the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School. Back then it was sort of the poorer relative to the famous film school in Łódź because, even though we even had some of the same teachers, we just didn’t have the facilities or the cameras. I later studied at the National Film & Television School (NFTS) in the UK, from where I graduated in 2016. Which episodes of Baby Reindeer did you shoot?
I shot episodes 1,2,3 and 4 with Weronika Tofilska as director. Annika Summerson BSC shot episodes 5,6 and 7 with Josephine Bornebusch. Block 2 started shooting after we wrapped block 1. The idea was that they would take on the style of the show and interpret their episodes accordingly.
Had you worked with Weronika Tofilska before?
I’ve known Weronika since our time at film school at the NFTS – she was two years above me there. We’ve collaborated on several shorter projects in the past, although never on a television show. I received a message from Weronika while she was already in the pre-production phase for this project.
What was your initial reaction to the script from your point-of-view as the DP?
When I first read the script, I was struck by its uniqueness. It was unlike anything I had read before and I was immediately drawn to the bizarre yet authentic story of the relationship between Donny and Martha and their dynamic. The pace and firstperson point-of-view storytelling was something I was interested to explore.
Baby Reindeer was an adaptation of a theatre play, and you could definitely feel that while
reading the script, but it had such an impactful story and emotional intensity it was very hard to resist! What were your initial conversations about the aesthetic look-and-feel?
From the beginning the conversation was about how to make the storytelling language as immersive and subjective as we could, but without making the visuals overwhelm the story and performance.
We talked a lot about the POV of the camera and always telling the story from Donny’s POV – not in a literal way, but in how we would use the perspective of the camera and the camera movements to always be with Donny. It was also about how we tackled the voiceover sequences that ran throughout the story. Did you look at any creative references?
We definitely looked at some films that had a central protagonist telling their story. For montage sequences we drew inspiration from the masterful montages and camera movement in Magnolia (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, DP Robert Elswit ASC). Weronika and I both share love for PTA movies and his way of storytelling. One can only get so close to the master!
How long was your prep time before you started shooting?
I had eight weeks of prep. How much testing did you do before production began?
I had a day to create a show-LUT and did some rig testing for episode four as we had few less-conventional camera set-ups for that part of the production. When did the cinematography start and end? And where did you shoot?
We shot for ten weeks during September and
October 2022, over the course of 50 shooting days, mostly on-location around the east and south London, apart from the pub and Darrien’s flat from episode four, which were both studio builds in a warehouse in New Cross. We needed those to be quite specific to reflect the requirements of our shotlist and they proved hard to find in reality. Our working regime was 11-hour days (10 + 1 for lunch), with five-day weeks. What aspect ratio did you choose and why?
feeling of intrusion – Martha is always in his face!
The majority of the show, I would estimate 90%, was shot on the 35mm focal length lens. It was one of the rules that we had to stick to this as a main perspective as much as possible, and go to only wider when we felt the story needed it. In episode four the choice to use wider lenses played a crucial role in creating a more uncomfortable atmosphere in Darrien’s flat.
We wanted to convey a feeling of intrusion
We shot in 16:9 as this was all about putting our character, Donny, in the middle of the frame, and feeling the oppression that’s upon him. We didn’t want to over-stylise the framing by having a square format, neither did we want it to be too epic or expansive by shooting with a wider frame size. Shooting anything other than 16:9 would have felt contrived. Which cameras and lenses did you use?
We used Alexa Mini LF and DNA LF lenses. I loved how the lenses rendered the image, concentrating the focus on our characters in the middle of the frame, to visualise the idea that Donny is the centre of the attention and we see the world from his point-of-view. ARRI Rental London supplied the cameras and lenses.
We paid attention to always setting the eyelines as close to the lens as possible, trying to enhance the subjective storytelling and contributing to the dynamic between him and Martha. We wanted to convey a
Did you work with a colourist to make LUTs (look-uptables)?
I worked with Simon Bourne from Company 3 to create the show-LUT and he later graded the show in the final DI. Was it a single camera shoot? And who were your crew?
Yes, it was a single camera show. I operated the camera and worked with Steadicam operator Mihalis Margaritas. My focus puller was Sam Riley, who didn’t miss a single shot focus-wise. The late Llewellyn Harrison was our key grip, who was impressively dedicated and invested in the project, and who brought great sensitivity to his work during production. I had my regular gaffer Alex Edyvean on the show, and the DIT was Ben Grady.
Did you do any colour grading during the shoot? And how did you review the rushes/dailies during the shoot?
Not really, we just relied on the one show-LUT throughout the shoot. I watched the rushes on Pix.
What was your thinking about moving, or not moving, the camera for storytelling purposes?
The idea was that the camera always moves with Donny and follows/conveys his point-of-view. We are never telling the story from any other character’s perspective and each scene’s blocking reflected that, particularly in episode four when the camera becomes Donny’s eyes. We used a helmet rig in the drug sequence in that scene, and even tricked the size of the set-build by doubling the size of the set to exaggerate the hallucination effect. What was your philosophy about lighting this production?
In episode four, in the ‘ultimate high’ sequence, we removed parts of the set to insert a special rig made of 8ft long LED tubes that would make the ambient light shift throughout the duration of the takes. Which lights did you use?
We mostly relied on an LED package that had fixtures in different shapes and sizes. The approach for this project was that there was no sunshine, or direct sunlight in the story at all. Panalux supplied the lights.
Shooting anything other than 16:9 would have felt contrived
Episode four has been highlighted as one of the most chilling episodes in any TV series. How did you go about shooting it?
For these scenes, I shot with a special portrait lens from ARRI. It’s not something they have in their catalogue, rather it’s one they keep in a cupboard of custom designs, where the edge of the frame blurs to give a subtle but suitable effect. We combined the takes with a colour shift in the set lighting, from neutral room lighting into this red pulsing light, which involved removing the ceiling of the studio and using our special LED lighting rig. To depict Donny’s escape from the situation, Richard wore a helmet cam – a Red Komodo fitted with a 12mm wideangle SLR photographic lens – to give a strong sense of disorientation.
In prep I discussed the lighting approach with Alex Edyvean, my gaffer, who I have worked with on multiple projects before.
Part of my lighting philosophy for this was that the light hitting the actors was a consequence of the lighting character of the space they’re in. The way the space was lit had to reflect the story at any given time, but we did not bring in lights to intentionally shape the light on their faces. I think it doesn’t feel right when the light feels unmotivated.
I wanted the light to tell the story as well which develops through episodes – it changes from objective at the start to subjective in episode four.
Episode four was the biggest challenge of the shoot, both creatively and emotionally, but it also represented a creative opportunity. Weronika wanted to present what Donny goes though as if it were part of a horror story, and to portray the transition of him getting drugged and going into a hallucinatory state, before he is abused, but without glamourising anything. It was also about how we stayed with Donny’s point-of-view as he endures these horrific events.
During the shoot, several of the production team were brought to tears, and I was very much aware of needing to capture the action in as few takes as possible for the actors. That pressure meant that although I was also highly-aware of how traumatic the scene was, I simply had to focus doing it right. How did this project challenge you/push your technical and creative skills?
It was both technically and creatively challenging in a good way. We used some less conventional camera set-ups and worked with art department to create SFX rigs (such as for the shower scene), but also extended the set for the final ‘high’ scene.
What’s next for you?
I’m hoping to shoot another series with Weronika in Canada, and I am working with her on the mood boards for that film.
The way the space was lit had to reflect the story at any given time
CHEEKY BOYS
By Ron Prince
Bubbling with energy, brimming with drugs, bristling with socio-political consciousness, and bursting with banging tunes, the boisterous comedy Kneecap depicts the rise of the pioneering Belfast-based, Irishlanguage hip-hop trio of the same name.
The movie proved a smash-hit-wonder at the 2024 Sundance film Festival, after the three-piece rode audaciously into town, brandishing smoke canisters aboard a mocked-up version of a Northern Ireland police vehicle. It won the NEXT Audience Award in Utah, the first film in the Irish Language to do so. Now, the buzz is such that Kneecap is Ireland’s official contender for Best International feature at the 2025 Academy Awards.
The idea for the film was conceived in 2019, when Rich Peppiat t, a former tabloid journalist turned commercials and music video director, happenedupon a performance by the band one rainy evening in Belfast. He suddenly became aware of the Irish language being spoken amongst young Belfast people and simultaneously recognised a synergy between the rappers and the growing public campaign to have the Irish language legallyrecognised and protected.
Set in the Gaeltacht Quarter of West Belfast, the semi-fictionalised origins story depicts how the band came to be formed and created their sound. It follows Liam Óg and Naoise, childhood pals and drug-dealers, who are encouraged to start rapping in Irish by local music teacher JJ Ó Dochartaigh, after he discovers Liam Óg’s lyrics during a police interrogation where he is acting as a translator. The trio soon join together in drug-fuelled, hallucinatory recording sessions and gigs, where audiences start
to grow exponentially – especially after JJ pulls down his trousers to reveal “BRITS OUT” inked across his bare buttocks, a photo of which hits the tabloid press.
The lighting always served the dramatic needs of the scene
Subplots add to the melting pot. Naoise’s father Arlo, a former IRA member, lives in the shadows, masquerading as a yoga teacher in the west of Ireland, after faking his own death to avoid prison, an act that has left his mother with agoraphobia and angst. Liam Óg strikes-up a steamy relationship with the Protestant Georgia, who finds political rallyingcries a distinct turn-on. JJ finds himself at odds with his partner Caitlin, whose campaign for the official recognition of Irish in Northern Ireland threatens to be overshadowed by Kneecap’s success.
If that weren’t enough, as the band grow in popularity, Liam Óg and Naoise find themselves physically threatened by a dissident splinter-group
calling themselves ‘Radical Republicans Against Drugs’ (RRAD), and the garage containing the bands recording studio and music is destroyed by a bomb.
Kneecap stars the three band members as themselves, with Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds, Adam Best, Simone Kirby, and Michael Fassbender in supporting roles.
Along with success on the festival circuit and its Oscar-contending potential, the film has drawn critical acclaim for the tongue-in-cheek way it blends political satire with crowd-pleasing entertainment, along with its inventive cinematographic verve under the auspices Irish DP, Ryan Kernaghan ISC.
“Before pre-production officially began, Rich asked me to storyboard the whole film with him, to drill-down into his ideas and get a perspective
ahead of time,” says Kernaghan whose recent credits include Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso (2021, 2 eps), ITV’s Karen Pirie (2022, 3 eps) and The Hunt For Raoul Moat (2023, 3 eps).
“I only knew of Kneecap as provocateurs, but not their music, and had no idea about what to expect. The script bounded between surrealism, poignant drama, musical sequences and sheer absurdity, I’d never read anything like it, it blew me away. Rich and I spent two weeks in his kitchen, brainstorming, acting things out and making rough sketches.
“The result was a 200-page notebook of ideas – later refined by our storyboard artist, Jack Wright –where the gauntlet was laid down in terms of blending all the different elements together cohesively, with the specific framing, camera movement, and lighting techniques which would work for each scene. This document was shared well in-advance of production with the rest of the crew so they could prepare and get their heads around it.”
Kernaghan says that amongst the visual references for the film, the drug-addled Trainspotting (1996, dir. Danny Boyle, DP Brian Tufano BSC) was an obvious touchstone for its relentlessly innovative camerawork and innate energy, along with the psychedelic stoner movie Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (1998, dir. Terry Gilliam, DP Nicola Pecorini AIC) for its otherworldly tone, plus the flights of fancy depicted in Eternal Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind (dir. Michel Gondry, DP Ellen Kuras ASC).
Along with portraits by Francis Bacon, a further inspiration was the photography of Justin Quinnell, a master of making weird and wondrous portraits using pinhole cameras, which Kernaghan reveals helped to inform some of the extreme close-up and more visceral shots of mouths, eyes and nostrils that appear in the final film.
Principal photography on Kneecap took place at locations around Belfast, and the county town of Dundalk, in County Louth, Ireland, across 33 shooting days during March and April 2023.
Sourcing the camera package from Acorn, a rental facility based in the heart of Belfast (now a division of Sunbelt Rentals), Kernaghan framed the production in widescreen 2.39:1 aspect ratio using Sony Venice 2 cameras and a variety of optics that included Cooke S6 Anamorphic prime lenses, Fujinon and ARRI Alura zooms, plus a Laowa 24mm T14 2x Periprobe designed for full frame sensors.
“The Venice 2 produces gorgeous pictures, and its low-light performance was invaluable, as we had a lot of scenes that challenged us in terms of light levels – night scenes, high-speed work and many shots with the probe lens,” he remarks.
“Although we could have used the Sony Rialto Extension System to separate the camera body from the sensor block, and bring-in other types of camera moves and framing, I knew we simply would not have had the time on-set to have the camera team monkeying around with the screwdrivers, with the 1st AD wondering how long it might be before the next take.”
As regards his lens choices, Kernaghan says, “I’m very fond of the Cooke Anamorphics. They’re sharp and very usable wide-open, which was tremendously beneficial as we’d be shooting extreme close-ups with shallow-depth of field, often in dark environments. Unlike other Anamorphic optics, the Cookes are not
so prone to flaring. We had a great many scenes with practical sources or moving lights in-frame and it would have proven very difficult to counter the flares from other lenses and stop them from becoming overbearing.
“I used an Alura 45-250mm zoom to introduce kung-fu-style zooms into the storytelling, and added a doubler for a Lawrence Of Arabia -style shot, when Liam Óg is being hotly pursued by a band of Orange Order men, which we filmed at 48fps. The Laowa Periprobe gave us bug-eye views on various close-ups, and as that lens is able rotate 360° along the axis, we also used it to shift the world around for various hallucinatory moments.”
During the shoot, Kernaghan harnessed a LUT he has developed himself, in which the shadows are subtly cooled, the highlights gently warmed, with the contrast slightly heightened, remarking, “ We took that base look into the final grade and used it as the basis for a much more ballsy, reversal filmstock kind of look, that gave the imagery greater vibrancy, along with added grit and punch.”
I wanted the cinematography to have an unrestrained and playful quality
The DI was done by colourist Ciara Gallogly at Outer Limits Post Production, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin.
Kernaghan operated the camera, and says he was supported by “an absolutely phenomenal crew, who were totally invested and well-coordinated in making the film a success. My 1st AC was Dáire Mac An tSaoir, and we’ve worked together on enough jobs before, that he was ready and prepared to respond for when I might go off-piste, especially during the handheld scene where the band descend into hedonistic abandon in their studio. Our key grip, Cormac Long, found the answers to the many technical challenges we were always throwing at him, as did our gaffer Kevin Heatherington when it came to the lighting.
eaking about his approach to the camerawork, Kernaghan explains, “I wanted the cinematography to have an unrestrained, playful quality to it and, over the course of the film, and we used every kind of technique and visual sleight of hand in the book – car rigs, electric tracking vehicles, dollies, jibs arms, cranes, drones and gimbals – to move the camera and frame the action in energetic and imaginative ways.
“For example, there’s a long shot towards the end of the film, where we wanted to capture the scale of the moment when Arlo enters a warehouse to watch the band play their climactic gig. We led him with the camera on a DJI Ronin gimbal, carried by the grips with me on the wheels, before clipping the gimbal invisibly onto a Moviebird telescopic crane, which then took the camera up and over the crowd towards the band on stage. We were very happy with the way that worked out.
Although he has a panoply of equipment at his disposal, he adds, “I love operating handheld, how it can connect the audience to the characters, and I really enjoyed the simplicity of moving around the band with the Venice 2 on my shoulder.
“ We shot a sequence where the band make their first
recording and I responded spontaneously to them as they found their voices and grew in confidence. Later that day we shot a scene of hedonistic inhibition as the band to bond together. Although we originally had that planned as a sequence of shots, we ended-up shooting it in one take with me throwing the camera around the room.”
When it came to the lighting, Kernaghan says, “The lighting always served the dramatic needs of the scene, and there were lots of different scenarios and moods that we needed to create. Our outdoor scenes were more naturalistic, whilst others were far more stylised, and this allowed me to push the boundaries in terms of the colour and the direction of the light.
“I almost always had a softbox near the camera for the eyelights – which was made from four Astera Helios tubes in a housing covered with full grid. As it was small and battery-powered, it became a flexible tool that could be hidden almost anywhere. We also used Astera NYX bulbs in many of our practicals.
“ When we needed punchy, harder and colourful lighting, our larger workhorse fixtures included Creamsource Vortex 8s and Nanlux Evoke 1200 spotlights. We sometimes fitted the Evokes with the Nanlux FL-35YK Fresnel Lens to create a more collimated beam, such as in the flashback day-interiors in Naoise’s parents’ house, when we wanted a strong sunlight source to create the feeling of an idealised past. We could have used HMIs for that, but those lamps were part of our core lighting package and they continually surprised me in terms of how powerful and adaptable they were.
“All of the different gig venues required their own individual treatments, because as the band grow in popularity, the complexity of their stage shows increased as well. When they perform their first gig in the in the GAA Club, we used grungy disco lights, which I selected with our designer, Nicola Moroney, whereas the climactic gig required an all-singing, alldancing lighting rig, programmed from a desk.”
Kernaghan says the shoot-out scene in the back alley was the most complex to light. “The idea was to give it a kind of neo-noir look. So we had two quarterWendy’s at either side of the alley, gelled with cyan 60. Over the top of the action we had an 8x8 softbox with Vortex 8s, also gelled to cyan 60. The rest of the set was ringed with little practical LED sources that we strategically placed in various places to give us a sense of depth along the alleyway. I also had the car headlights, which were originally xenon, swapped out for halogens, so they would contrast against the cool ambient sources from above.”
Reminiscing on the overall experience of having shot Kneecap, Kernaghan concludes, “It was a bit of a white-knuckle-ride. We felt like we were always working at the very edge of what was possible, which was an exhilarating feeling. We had limited time and resources and I have to credit Rich with being the driving force who made absolutely sure all the ideas made it to the screen.
“But, we’ve all been continually bowled-over by how warmly the film has been received, and I am immensely proud that the film is Ireland’s official entry in to the 2025 Oscars. It’s has been an amazing journey. Who knows what might happen next? Nothing would surprise me.”
Director Rich Peppiatt & DP Ryan Kernaghan ISC
NEW PROFESSIONAL CONTENDER
By John Keedwell GBCT UAV Pilot
The history of the Fresnel lamp reveals it to have been one of the most successful of designs, with the Fresnel lens invented just over 200 years ago in 1822 by French physicist Augustin Fresnel. Originally, they were mainly used in lighthouses and are often still in use today in many places, such as theatres, that require the wash light over a particular area.
The design was adopted by early filmmakers to create Fresnel lighting fixtures, with sizes between 2-inches for a 150W Tungsten lamp to 24.6-inches for 24,000W heads. The design consists of a stepped lens with concentric circles, and meaning the fixture can be focused with a soft edge on the beam of light. It also means the fixture can be kept at a lower weight due to the lens having thinner glass in the centre.
This works well when the source light is small, as the light is easier to focus. The iconic Brute utilised carbon arcs, where the spark crossed the air gap creating a tiny point source of high intensity daylight balanced light with a great deal of punch. The Brute was phased out a few decades ago now, of course, as it had limitations for today’s photographic needs. In many ways it was a ‘Space Shuttle’ or ‘Concorde’ of its time, when we had brilliant inventions, yet had nothing else to match the output when it was deemed unsuitable. In some ways the technology went backwards. More on that another day.
Fast forward to today, and we now have many soft LED lighting fixtures offering a much wider control of colour management, lighting intensity and overall control, long with lower heat output and much less power draw. This makes the LED the fixture-of-choice for many applications where a soft light is required.
There are many LED panel lights on the market now, and they have all become very sophisticated, yet they cannot create a focussed beam of light like a Fresnel fixture, of course. That was the ultimate ‘Holy Grail’ in film lighting for many years, as the technical challenges are immense. It is relatively easy to create a soft LED panel light, yet when it comes to making an LED Fresnel type fixture it starts to get quite difficult.
One of the many challenges is the size of the
chipset needed to create the colour mixing control with many colour variations. By their nature they need separate LEDs for each colour, all ideally in the exact sweet spot of the focus for the lens. This has been extremely challenging technically.
Enter the Aputure ElectroStorm XT26!
The Aputure ElectroStorm XT26, paired with the F14 Fresnel electronic modifier, represents a significant leap in professional lighting, particularly for filmmakers seeking high-performance and versatile lighting solutions. Aputure has positioned the ElectroStorm XT26 as a competitor to industry stalwarts such as ARRI, a very high bar to match.
Overview
The ElectroStorm XT26 is a high-output LED light designed to provide powerful and consistent illumination in a variety of settings. The head features a COB (chip-on-board) LED, with a chipset to produce accurate colour throughout its variable bi-colour range from 2,700K to 6,500K, and this allows for a bright, concentrated beam. The unit packs 2,600 Watts of intense output. Aputure states the Electro Storm XT26 approaches the brightness of industrystandard 12,000W Tungsten Fresnels and 4,000W HMIs, making it one of the most powerful point-source LEDs on the market to date.
Key features
A redesigned heatsink with advanced liquidcooling technology in one highlight. LEDs generate heat and cooling is needed, although nowhere near that of a comparable light-output fixture. There is a fan installed below the unit with three settings between silent (30dB) to high-speed mode at 60.5dB.
Then there is an interesting removable heavy-duty
Aputure has a reputation for solid build quality… and the XT26 is no exception
yoke with positive V-shaped connections. This can be removed for better ergonomics, or it can now be used with the new (optional) motorised yoke that allows smooth remote operation of pan and tilt adjustments when suspended or rigged in hard-to-reach areas. Many other heads would require a separate large remote head unit, so that’s an interesting feature.
Aputure has also been busy creating a new accessory mount. The A-Mount features both the universal Bowens mount and an all-new electronic A-Mount, making it very adaptable. The A-Mount is
A strong feature-set provides good value for the price
compatible with A-Mount Reflectors (20º / 35º / 50º) and the new 14-inch F14 Fresnel. A-Mount communicates data for both optimised colour accuracy and motorised focus control, along with higher stability, durability, and optimisation for heavy-duty modifiers.
F14 Fresnel
The chipset on the XT26 is 3-inches (75mm in diameter), still quite a large light source to focus compared to HMI or Tungsten lamps. Due to the laws of physics on focussing I mention at the start, a Fresnel type lens needs to be utilised for effective control. The Fresnel lens is unlike the traditional concentric circle lens Fresnel lenses, and has a overlapping concentric circles effect. This makes the lens much thinner and lighter.
Use cases
• Film & Television: the XT26’s powerful output and versatility make it suitable for use as a key light, fill light, or even a backlight in film and television production. The ability to focus the light using the F14 Fresnel makes it ideal for creating dramatic effects, such as strong highlights or controlled shadows.
• Photography: for photographers, the XT26 and F14 combination offers the flexibility to shape and control light with precision. It can be used for portrait photography, fashion shoots, and even product photography.
• Live Events: the robust output and durability of the XT26 make it suitable for use in live events, concerts, and theatrical productions. The Fresnel attachment allows for a range of lighting effects, from broad washes of light to tight spotlights.
• Studio Work: In a controlled studio environment, the XT26 and F14 Fresnel provide
reliable, consistent lighting that can be easily adjusted to fit the needs of the shoot. Whether used in a small photography studio or a large film set, the combination offers versatility and control.
Advantages of the Aputure ElectroStorm XT26 and F14 Fresnel
• High Output: the XT26 is a powerful light, capable of producing significant lumens, making it suitable for both small and large-scale productions. This high output is particularly beneficial when shooting in environments with high ambient light or when a strong key light is needed.
• Versatility: with the F14 Fresnel, the XT26 can produce a wide range of lighting effects. The beam can be easily focused or spread, providing flexibility that is essential in dynamic
shooting environments.
• Build Quality & Portability: Aputure has a reputation for solid build quality, and the XT26 is no exception. It’s durable enough for fieldwork but still lightweight and portable, making it easy to transport and set up.
• Advanced Features: the XT26 comes with features like wireless control, colour temperature adjustments, and nine effects modes, offering a level of control and customisation that’s essential for professional work.
Images: Photos by John Keedwell.
Disadvantages Compared to Other Manufacturers
• Colour Accuracy: While the XT26 offers good colour accuracy, some users may find that it does not match the precision of ARRI’s high-end lights, which are known for their impeccable colour rendering and consistency. This difference, while subtle, can be crucial in high-end productions where exact colour reproduction is necessary.
• Heat Management: although LED lights generally run cooler than traditional tungsten lights, the XT26 can still produce a significant amount of heat at high output levels. This might require additional cooling measures in prolonged shoots, whereas some higher-end models like ARRI lights have more advanced cooling systems.
• Beam Quality: the XT26 with the F14 Fresnel produces a strong, focused beam of light, but it may not be as smooth or refined as the light from an ARRI Fresnel. ARRI’s lenses and optics are industry-leading, offering a beam quality that is difficult to match. For productions where beam quality is paramount, the XT26 might fall slightly short.
• Limited Ecosystem: ARRI offers an extensive ecosystem of lighting accessories, controls, and modifiers that are well-integrated and widely supported in the industry. While Aputure has a growing range of accessories, it still lacks the extensive ecosystem that ARRI provides, which could be a limitation for some users.
Comparison to ARRI
When comparing the Aputure ElectroStorm XT26 to a similar ARRI product, such as the ARRI L7-C Fresnel, a few key differences stand out:
• Cost: the ARRI L7-C is significantly less expensive than the Aputure XT26, at around five times the price when kitted-out with the F14 Fresnel, making ARRI the more accessible and cost-effective option.
• Beam Quality: ARRI Fresnels are renowned for their beam quality, smoothness, and precise control, which may be slightly better than the XT26. However, the best way to check for yourself is by testing side-by-side in a studio, and see what you prefer.
• Colour Accuracy: the colour accuracy is very similar, crucial for high-end film and television work. The ARRI L7-C has a colour range between 2,800K -10,000K with a TLCI that is better than 96 between 3,200K to 6,500K. The XT26 has a lower colour range between 2,700K-6,500K, with an TLCI of 98.
• IP Rating: the Aputure XT26 has an impressive higher weather/dust IP rating of IP65 compared to the lower IP20 of the ARRI L7-C.
• Versatility & Features: the XT26 offers a strong feature set with wireless control and effects modes, providing good value for the price, though ARRI lights may offer more advanced features and better integration with professional lighting systems. Again, it would be best to test for yourself.
How good is the light beam?
The beam of light produced by the Aputure XT26 paired with the F14 Fresnel is highly-usable for a variety of professional applications. The Fresnel lens allows for smooth beam shaping, offering a good balance of focus and softness. The XT26’s beam is bright and can be finely adjusted, but in terms of sheer optical quality, ARRI remains the gold standard in the industry. Compared to high-end ARRI Fresnels, the beam quality might lack the same level of refinement.
Conclusion
While it potentially may not fully-match the beam quality and colour accuracy of top-tier ARRI lights, the XT26 is a highly-capable tool. For filmmakers, photographers and studios, the XT26 has a higher cost, yet represents an excellent choice in providing professional-level lighting.
They have done a great job with the F14 Fresnel modifier, and this combination offers a compelling package for professionals looking for a versatile, high-output lighting solution. Overall, the XT26 stands-out for its advanced features and robust build quality, making it a strong contender in the market.
It represents an excellent choice for professional-level lighting
SHINING A LIGHT ON...
VILLE PENTTILÄ ICLS
Born // Age // Lives // Qualifications //
Helsinki, Finland 53
Tallinn, Estonia
Hobbies //
By David Wood
• Tikkurila High School, Vantaa, Finland
• Helsinki University Of Applied Sciences – European Social Fund ESF education project for the film industry
• Mega Plus, Media Business School, Spain
• Executive MBA studies, Estonian Business School Photography, cooking, gym and sports
Film lighting captivated me unexpectedly. My father was a producer, and I initially aspired to follow in his footsteps. Despite twice failing to get into film school for producing, I worked as a runner and PA to break into the industry. Through assisting on-set, I discovered my passion for lighting. It amazed me how lighting could create atmosphere and transform a scene. The constant learning involved in mastering lighting keeps me fascinated, as it is a lifelong journey with endless discovery. Where and when did you realise you wanted to become a gaffer?
As a young spark, I had the privilege of working with Finnish cinematographer Kjell Lagerroos, who was then an emerging talent. He appreciated my eagerness to learn and my hard work, and I became his regular gaffer for many years. One of my first major credits as a gaffer was Going To Kansas City, shot in Montreal, Canada, in 1997,
with Pini Helsted FSC. I was only 26 then, and this experience, along with working on The Fire Eater with Kjell, solidified my path. Where did you train?
I climbed the industry ladder the old-fashioned way, starting as a PA and runner, then moving to camera team roles, and finally finding my passion in lighting. I’ve been fortunate to work with incredibly talented cinematographers from all over the world and learning from each one of them.
What was your big break?
My transition into gaffing was organic, thanks to early career opportunities and mentorship from experienced professionals like Kjell. The Fire Eater with Kjell and Going to Kansas City with Pini were pivotal projects that marked my entry into the industry. What’s the best piece of advice you have been given?
Years back an older cinematographer, Matti Ruuhonen FSC, once advised me to focus on lighting rather than cinematography, assuring me that I would become a great gaffer with plenty of work.
Another valuable piece of advice from a gaffer I
worked with was: “Always eat whenever possible. You never know when your next meal will be!”
Who are your lighting role models/heroes?
There are many, including Sven Nykvist, Vittorio Storaro, John Seale, Conrad L. Hall, Néstor Almendros and Gordon Willis. Among active cinematographers, I admire Emmanuel Lubezki, Robert Richardson, Hoyte Van Hoytema, Roger
Film lighting captivated me unexpectedly
Deakins, Eduardo Serra and Darius Khondji. Finnish cinematographers like Kjell Lagerroos, Esa Vuorinen and Robert Nordström have also greatly influenced me, along with my gaffer colleagues at the ICLS.
VILLE PENTTILÄ ICLS•GAFFERS
How do gaffers and DPs form the best creative partnerships?
Each cinematographer has a unique style, and working as a gaffer adaptability is key. Some cinematographers specify their lighting preferences, while others focus on the desired atmosphere, leaving the technical details to the gaffer. Building a strong collaborative relationship with a cinematographer is immensely rewarding and crucial for achieving the best results. Regular crew?
Nowadays I work primarily in Estonia, Finland and Sweden, with regular crews in each country. Recently, I’ve collaborated most with my Estonian crew on major projects like Tenet and The Mother.
All my crew members are fun, polite, respectful and possess good manners, making them fantastic colleagues. My core team includes: Volmer Kliimand my best boy, who is excellent with people and logistics, a great socialiser, and highly respected by all; Venno Kornak, best boy on floor, who is super-fast, hardworking, strong and sharp; and my desk operator Kasper Raidam, a quick learner, always calm and highly-innovative in finding solutions.
What are some of your favourite examples of lighting in feature films?
In 2004, I was called by Swedish National Television (SVT) for the film adaptation of the sitcom Pistvakt. Initially hesitant, I met with then unknown cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema NSC FSF ASC, who convinced me to transform the project into something cinematic. We shot the film in an indoor football arena in Luleå, Sweden, making everything look intentionally fake yet film-like. This project remains a great example of thinking different.
What’s the best job you’ve worked ever? And why?
Tricky question. Tenet was, in many ways, a significant challenge for us, but it ultimately turned out very well. I know that both Hoyte Van Hoytema and Christopher Nolan were very pleased with the work my team and I delivered.
One of my standout projects was the period film
The Eternal Road. We achieved a stunning visual style using minimal lighting equipment, drawing inspiration from the aesthetics of Westerns. One of
I climbed the industry ladder the old-fashioned way
our reference films was Days Of Heaven (1978, dir. Terrence Malick, DP Néstor Almendros).
Most of The Eternal Road was lit with just one lamp, a 100kW Softsun. The DP, Rauno Ronkainen FSC, showed great bravery in trusting my vision during prep, agreeing to the “one lamp” approach, despite never having seen one in action before.
My goal was to create the film without using any LEDs (we shot the film in 2016). Besides the 100kW SoftSun, we utilised a small HMI package, a few small Tungsten units, and some fluorescent KinoFlos.
I remember lighting our main character with a naked 75W incandescent bulb during a driving scene at magic hour/night. I believe we succeeded in capturing the light and mood that truly reflected
the director’s vision and the script. Our efforts were later recognised when Rauno and I received the Finnish Society Of Cinematographers award for the great collaboration between a gaffer and a DP!
Why did you join the ICLS?
ICLS began organically during the Covid pandemic, initiated by Mike Bauman as a way to connect gaffers globally every Saturday. Mike was curious about how the industry was coping with lockdowns and wanted to know if anyone was still shooting or if the global industry had come to a complete halt. I joined these Saturday meetings very early on. Sometimes, we had over 150 gaffers from around the world discussing work, Covid, life, and more. I’ve been part of ICLS from the very beginning.
How does the ICLS help you?
Being part of the ICLS community is a privilege, giving you access to a global community of top gaffers. It’s a knowledge sharing network, solving problems and staying updated on industry trends. The ICLS chat and virtual meetings offer invaluable support and learning opportunities.
How do you keep up with changes/ advances in lighting?
I stay updated through the ICLS, by attending trade shows like the BSC Expo in London and the Euro Cine Expo in Munich, and constantly learning from my team. Their knowledge and eagerness to explore new technologies keep me informed and inspired.
Favourite pieces of equipment? And why?
KinoFlo Freestyle: it’s deal for wrapping light around an actor’s face, allowing precise control of luminance and creating perfect eye light.
ARRIMAX: provides powerful, hard-hitting
As
of the
Whatever
Images: Portrait opposite by Freddie Andersson, BTS photos from The Eternal Road and Never Alone by Andres Teiss.
GAFFERS CAFÉ•VILLE PENTTILÄ
light, especially effective with a tight mirror.
MoleBeamProjector: as it delivers an extremely narrow, hard beam, offering unique lighting possibilities.
1000W/Par64 bulbs: they produce a unique hard light and beautiful ‘broken’ shadows, unmatched by LEDs.
ARRI T24: a big Fresnel that produces stunningly-beautiful light.
Thoughts about the rise of desk ops/ programmers?
The rapid development of lighting equipment over the past 20 years has been exciting, merging event/show lights with film lighting. This evolution has introduced new professions like desk operators, who bring valuable ideas and enhance the gaffer’s work. Skilled practical electricians are also crucial as we increasingly rely on practical lights. Collaboration with these team members is essential and enriching. Advice for anyone wanting to be a gaffer?
If you love teamwork, films and have a passion for light, becoming a gaffer is incredibly rewarding.
What does 2024 hold?
In October 2022, my wife and I were blessed with twin boys. I spent the first five months of this year at home with them, thanks to Estonia’s supportive parental leave policies. Currently, I’m back at work and lighting a film that started principal photography in August. How do you spend your time when you are not working?
Lately, I’ve been focused on spending time with my wife, our twins and my two older sons. When I have the time, I enjoy photography, fishing and watching films.
“ECE stands out as a place where a lot of technical industry experts gather and graciously share their knowledge and experiences during the symposium. This alone definitely makes it worth the visit!”
Miga Bär - NSC Associate Member
AMPAS: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – Oscars.org
“I found Euro Cine Expo wonderful, user friendly, well organised, with the opportunity to learn new techniques, crafts, art and meet other fellows in this process.”
Bojana Andric SAS DOP/Vice President of Serbian Society of Cinematographers and IMAGO International Federation of Cinematographers
“Euro Cine Expo is the only place on earth where you can connect with global manufacturers and attend high level sessions and presentations designed to enrich and preserve the art and craft of Filmmaking and encourage new practices for the next generation”
Aleksej Berkovic – Cinematographer/Co-Chair ITC
“Euro Cine Expo is unparalleled in providing a space where cinematographers can connect, see the latest tech & innovations, and gain valuable insights from the symposium. The event is a true joy, and it is was a pleasure being part of the experience”
