Danny Cohen, BSC: Slow Horses 'dirty London' cinematography

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 348: Danny Cohen, BSC

Danny Cohen, BSC, has been the visual architect for seasons 1, 3, 4, and 5 of the Apple TV+ hit Slow Horses. Unlike many series that block shoot with different cinematographers and directors, each season of Slow Horses uses a single DP and director. This structure allows Cohen to create a singular visual arc. For him, the look begins with the script. “The writing is so strong,” he says. “It’s a lot of fun because you’re preparing to shoot something that you’d actually watch as an audience.”

The camera movement in Slow Horses is intentionally subtle, characterized by slight drifts and slow reveals. Cohen focuses on the economy of the frame. “The only thing that matters is what’s in the frame,” he says. “There can be chaos and carnage happening outside the frame.” To move the narrative forward, he exploits every inch of the composition to see how much story can be squeezed into a single shot.

To make the show’s signature “dirty London” aesthetic, Cohen plays with technical variables like ASA (ISO) speeds to manipulate texture. Daytime scenes are shot at a higher ASA to introduce grain and a “rougher” feel, while night are shot at a lower ASA to preserve detail in the blacks and maintain information in the shadows.

Shooting on location in London presents a constant battle with shifting light, making night shoots a little easier for Cohen because he can control the light and atmosphere. Real locations are lit to match studio sets seamlessly. He often shoots through grimy windows and plays off of reflections for an interesting look. To maintain a fast pace, the crew typically uses 2–3 cameras. This often involves cross-shooting, where the reverse shot of a scene is filmed simultaneously. This allows actors the freedom to perform without constant resets, even if it forces the B-camera into unconventional positions that can result in more interesting shots.

The sets of Slow Horses are designed for immersion rather than just backdrops. For the interrogation of Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung) at MI5 HQ in season 5, the crew built a two-story set featuring a ceiling track for a technocrane. To avoid shadows, Cohen had to integrate the lighting directly into the set architecture, below the height of the crane’s arm. Ho was then able to move freely around the room, treating it like a jungle gym.

The exterior of Slough House is a real building, but the interior is designed as a three-story set that the actors can literally walk through and upstairs. “It’s amazing because you then have the flow and the movement without ever being compromised,” says Cohen. The set design contains countless details, to create a feeling of lived-in slow decay. “Everything’s got a patina and a messiness to it,” Cohen explains. “People could kind of smell the set. Everybody wanted that sense that it was a really dirty London that we were trying to get on screen.” Cohen was able to light the set using practicals and film lights in ceilings or corners to create shape and interest.

Every scene has motivated lighting that is coming from a source, which adds to the realistic feel of the show. He won’t use heavy backlight or soft fill to flatter the actors. “As soon as you put a backlight in, visually what it does is it separates the person from the environment they’re in. And inevitably, it is a kind of flattering way to light somebody,” he explains. “In this world, that’s not the world we’re existing in. You open up a can of worms and have fun with the worms.”

Find Danny Cohen:Instagram: @wheeliebins1

See Slow Horses on Apple TV.

CAMERAS: ARRI Alexa 35

LENSES: Panavision Primos

Close focus: An article in Variety that argues that the entertainment industry should behave more like the software industry.

Ben’s short end: Eddie AI, a new AI tool that can do assistant editing on most editing platforms. It can even create a rough cut with your raw footage. Ben thinks it sounds great, but it’s a little cost prohibitive.

Illya’s short end: Ryan Coogler will be relaunching The X Files on Hulu.

Danny Cohen, BSC: Slow Horses ‘dirty London’ cinematography

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