October 30, 2024

The creepy cinematography of Smile 2: DP Charlie Sarroff

In the horror film Smile 2, pop star Skye Riley, preparing for a world tour, encounters a troubled friend who passes on the sinister “Smile” curse. As Skye’s life spirals into chaos and her sanity deteriorates, she must confront the terrifying entity and its deadly grip before it consumes her and everyone around her.

Cinematographer Charlie Sarroff and director Parker Finn wanted to be sure that the sequel to Smile was more than just a rehash of the same basic idea. They wanted to push and elevate the basic storyline into something bigger, while keeping what worked in the first film intact. Smile 2 definitely has a much bigger scale, with stage lighting and live performance sequences for pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott). Early on, Charlie knew he would have to film and light stage performances. He worked closely with lighting designer Brian Spett to get the stage lighting just right. Together, Charlie, Finn, and production designer Lester Cohen created a color palette consisting of reds with silver and blue elements. “Being a cinematographer is about surrounding yourself with great people and then asking them for help,” says Charlie.

Charlie wanted some scenes to “bloom” more, almost so that they looked overexposed. Some parts of Smile 2 were shot on Kodak film to create this effect, and then the film went through a skip bleach process to add to the bloom effect. Then the film was outputted to digital for mastering and further color correction to really make the reds pop. Charlie feels that the process adds a lot to the look. “It smooths out the film, and adds twinkle to the lights. It just infuses into the image a little bit more. I think it can help effects and makeup, too, without being super grainy.”

Smile 2 used many of the same camera movements and lenses as Smile, including plenty of zooms to add to the discomfort. Charlie used a very specific lens for people with the smiling curse. “I shot each smile on a very wide lens, a 28mm- when you’re that close up on that lens, it makes people feel extremely uncomfortable. We never used long lenses,” he adds. “I used a lot of zooms, for specific moments when heavy things are going down to hone in on something. Zooms provoke a different emotion, especially at the end (of the film.) Zooming in shows that Skye is getting closer to the curse.”

Smile 2 is in theaters now.

Find Charlie Sarroff: https://charliesarroff.com/
Instagram: @charliesarroff

Hear our previous interview with Charlie Sarroff on Smile: https://www.camnoir.com/ep187/

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Sponsored by ARRI

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Twitter: @ShortEndz

October 23, 2024

Capturing the essence of The Substance: Benjamin Kracun, BSC

In The Substance, Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is an aging celebrity fitness instructor who’s fired once she turns 50. She injects herself with a black market drug that creates Sue (Margaret Qualley), a younger, more perfect version of herself. While initially tempted by the promise of renewed youth and fame, she soon realizes that the drug comes with a set of unexpected and dangerous side effects. The body horror film explores unrealistic beauty standards and the dangers of worshiping fame and youth.

Though he wasn’t a horror fanatic, cinematographer Benjamin Kračun grew up with David Cronenberg and John Carpenter movies. Ben admired visionary director Coralie Fargeat’s work on Revenge. Likewise, she was impressed with his work on Promising Young Woman. Ben read through the script of The Substance, then immediately read it again. “I felt emotional reading it,” says Ben. “I don’t usually feel that when reading these types of genre scripts. Even though it speaks more to women aging, I think everybody can relate to the fact that we’re all aging, everyone has issues. The minute I read it I was just so in tune with Elisabeth.”

Together, Ben and Fargeat have crafted a film that’s equal parts grotesque and darkly satirical, a twisted reflection of our obsession with youth and beauty. The Substance begins in a glamorized Hollywood world that feels romantic and timeless but quickly descends into a nightmare. Ben and Fargeat chose to go old school, using a Translight backdrop on the apartment soundstage for the view overlooking Los Angeles. To differentiate Elisabeth’s world from Sue’s, Ben used a special pink swirl lens to emphasize color and vibrance on Sue. In contrast, he chose to light Elisabeth with hard light and cooler, bluer colors. Ben found that spherical lenses worked best for the numerous closeups in the film and against the Translight backdrop. As Elisabeth’s world crumbles, so do the camera angles, and Ben tested them all during prep. Initially, the frames are meticulously centered, reflecting the order she desperately clings to. But as chaos ensues, the angles become more extreme, mirroring her unraveling sanity.

The set for Elisabeth’s bathroom was huge and completely white, and a good deal of the action takes place in that room. It was challenging to shoot in that space, but it became a white canvas for Ben’s masterful use of camera movement. Fargeat meticulously storyboarded every gruesome transformation, ensuring seamless transitions between practical effects and subtle digital tweaks. All the special effects in the movie were done practically, with special builds, makeup, prosthetics, and movie blood. Digital VFX was used only to help stitch together or smooth out some of the makeup and prosthetic effects.

Rather than use a second unit, Ben shot every single frame alongside Fargeat, who wanted to give the film her full attention. This included many top down perspective shots throughout the film, along with several inserts and close ups. Once the cast was wrapped, Ben and the crew moved on to the close-up shots and inserts of the lab on a soundstage where “the substance” is created. In the end, it was the longest shoot he’d ever done at over 100 days.

When The Substance premiered at Cannes, Ben was amazed at the audience’s reaction. “No one had seen it. We didn’t know what the reaction was going to be,” he says. “It was amazing to see it come together in the cinema. That film stands out, it changes with a large audience. When they understand it’s satirical, they laugh through the third act.”

The Substance is in theaters now.

Find Benjamin Kračun: www.benjaminkracun.com
Instagram: @benkracun

Hear our previous interview with Ben Kračun on Promising Young Woman: https://www.camnoir.com/ep116/

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras: https://hotrodcameras.com/

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Twitter: @ShortEndz

October 16, 2024

House of Spoils haunting beauty: DP Eric Lin

The spooky thriller House of Spoils on Amazon Prime is about an ambitious chef, Ana (Ariana DeBose) who follows her dream to open a restaurant on a remote estate in the woods. She quickly realizes it’s haunted by the vengeful spirit of the previous owner. As Ana battles stress, self-doubt, a skeptical investor, and kitchen chaos, the ghost’s sinister presence threatens to sabotage her every step.

When cinematographer Eric Lin met with directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy (Blow The Man Down), they presented him with several inspirational references by surrealist painter Leonor Fini and Dutch painter Adriaen van Utrecht. Both artists captured the unsettling feeling of eerie decay while being surrounded by the natural world. Nature, rot and its influence on bodies became the movie’s core aesthetic. Films like Black Swan (psychological horror), The Shining (single, oppressive location) and Phantom Thread (artistic obsession) also served as inspiration.

Eric embraced the use of zoom lenses in the film. “Zooms are super psychological and we tried to find ways that we would sneak them in, because it has this very unsettling feel,” he says. Because Ana is a chef, food also played a major role in the film. “I was interested in trying to find a way to represent the colors that had a feeling of decay- almost a mushroom, moldy look,” Eric explains. “Because what comes from that decay is life, right? It’s like creativity is born through all this death and decay. And so I wanted the colors of the film to represent that feeling.” He created a LUT where the vibrant colors stood out while the browns and greens stayed dull and earthy. The kitchen was really being used to cook the dishes, and a food stylist helped to plate all the ingredients. Second unit would then shoot the dishes as they were presented to the table.

House of Spoils was shot on location at an estate in Budapest. The crew built a fully functional kitchen set, allowing for meticulously planned lighting. The garden outside the kitchen was also created by the production design team and the greens department. The natural fog blanketing the estate’s garden provided the perfect eerie atmosphere, eliminating the need for fog machines.

Eric’s passion for cinematography wasn’t always his career path. After studying at UC Berkeley, he switched gears to study film in grad school at NYU. He managed to land a job as an assistant editor, but cinematography was his true passion. Eric shot music videos and independent films as much as he could on the side. While shooting music videos and independent films, his dedication paid off. The short film Missing went to the Cannes Film Festival. Eric’s cinematography is also in several Sundance Film Festival projects, such as The Sound of Silence, Hearts Beat Loud, and I’ll Be Your Mirror (originally titled Blood).

House of Spoils is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Find Eric Lin: www.eric-lin.com
Instagram: @holdtheframe

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The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
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October 9, 2024

Lensing Longlegs: DP Andrés Arochi

The new movie Longlegs is a psychological horror film that follows FBI Agent Lee Harker as she investigates a series of mysterious murder-suicides. The victims, all families, leave behind cryptic messages signed “Longlegs.” As Harker delves deeper into the case, she uncovers a dark connection to the occult and must confront a terrifying supernatural entity.

For cinematographer Andrés Arochi, technical mastery is key, but it’s always in service to the story. “It has to come from something inside you that says, ‘I want to create this’ and then you find a technical way to do it,” he says. “For me it’s always trying to be true to that instinct and to whatever feels right, and when you do it, then you’re talking about yourself so it’s easy to see yourself reflected.”

Longlegs is Andrés’ first international feature. For the past 12 years, Andrés has been working as a DP in Mexico. With no formal training, he began taking photos of friends in the music scene at age 17. Soon, he began creating projection video displays for concerts and shooting music videos and commercials. This led to work on huge music video and film sets as an on-set photographer, where he met Mexican cinematographers Guillermo Garza (the cinematographer of The Thicket), Alexis Zabé and Galo Olivares. Standing next to these skilled DPs with his camera in hand allowed Andrés to learn alongside them, and he would watch and ask questions, often copying their settings on his camera to experiment. In his spare time, Andrés would go out and practice the new techniques he learned, shooting low-budget films and music videos for friends.

Fellow Mexican cinematographer Galo Olivares shot director Osgood Perkins’ Gretel and Hansel, and he introduced Andrés to Perkins when the director was looking for a DP for Longlegs. Andrés was drawn to the humor in the Longlegs script, and loved that some comedy existed, even within a horror film. Unlike a lot of cinematographers and directors, Andrés and Perkins didn’t create a lookbook or speak in depth about filmic references, such as Silence of the Lambs and Se7en, which were influences for Longlegs. Instead, Andrés says, “When we did talk about movies, it was more movies that had nothing to do with the genre. We talked a lot about My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy—a lot of Gus Van Sant 1990s indie America filmmaking. Elephant was an influence on the way we used Steadicam.” One artistic reference Andrés used was The Son of Man by artist René Magritte, a painting showing a man with his face hidden by an apple. Andrés loved the idea of keeping the face of Longlegs the killer hidden at first.

Andrés chose to shoot on 35mm film and in a 4:3 aspect ratio for parts of Longlegs that take place in the 1970’s. “Using film changes the emotion. Everyone stays focused and shooting on film makes it necessary for everyone to rehearse. So, I decided to shoot 35mm for everything in the 1970s and go with a 4:3 aspect ratio, then we did 2.39 and shot on digital with the Alexa Mini LF for the 1990s.”

During the Longlegs shoot, director Osgood Perkins wanted the film crew to use their creativity. “Oz was always encouraging the whole team, like do what you feel, you understand the movie we’re doing, just do the best version of you,” says Andrés. “So I was very, very inspired, and that created the space for us to create from our hearts using the best tools we had.”

Find Andrés Arochi:http://www.andresarochi.com/selected
Instagram: @andresarochi

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The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
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August 28, 2024

Strange Darling cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi, pt. 2

In the second part of our interview with Strange Darling cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi, he delves into his meticulous approach to testing, collaboration with director JT Mollner, and the creative muscles he uses for both acting and cinematography.

Strange Darling is a puzzle box of a movie, with seven different chapters mixed up to tell the story. It became the actors’ playground, where they could explore the thriller’s themes and characters, translating their ideas into tangible visual elements. Giovanni’s approach to the cinematography was guided by a desire to create a simple yet elegant aesthetic, emphasizing shape, lighting, camera movement and composition.

Together, Giovanni and JT Mollner found the film’s visual style. They tested several different film stocks and explored various lighting setups and color palettes using a dummy head as a stand in. “(Testing on film) doesn’t need to be expensive-you could do tests on 16 millimeter and answer questions that you have as part of the creative process,” he says. Giovanni also used an older ARRI Alexa digital camera for trying out some lenses before testing them on film.

Giovanni finds that cinematography uses some of the same processes as acting: imagination, creativity, and a willingness to take risks. Cinematography, like acting, requires preparing and practice. “You develop instincts to answer and solve problems and challenges,” he says. “It becomes an instinctual thing to frame the shot, for it to fall in line with what you prepped for. As an actor, you see it in the outcome of your work, attention, and focus.” When comparing acting to cinematography, Giovanni finds acting much more difficult. “It never ends up being what you’re trying to do because it’s a hard thing.You watch it the next day and you’re like, oh my God, I really got into self-expression there… So much of acting is about humiliation, trying not to embarrass yourself. I always find that it takes a lack of self-consciousness. If you’re too self-conscious, you just get up in your head and you can’t do it.”

About eight years ago, Giovanni was invited by cinematographer-turned director Reed Murano to be part of a panel at CameraImage. It provided valuable opportunities to connect with other professionals such as Sal Totino, Matty Libatique and Ellen Kuras. He also admires Robbie Ryan’s work on Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness.

Strange Darling is currently in theaters.

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras www.hotrodcameras.com

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
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August 21, 2024

From Actor to Auteur: Strange Darling DP Giovanni Ribisi, pt. 1

In the new horror film Strange Darling, a one-night stand at a motel becomes a dangerous game of cat and mouse as the woman is chased down by a serial killer. But nothing is what it seems as the film is cleverly revealed in chapters out of sequence, allowing the audience to slowly piece together the thriller.

Giovanni Ribisi, the cinematographer of Strange Darling, has been a familiar face on screen for decades as an actor. Over the past 15 years, he’s been quietly honing his skills behind the camera on music videos and commercials. Strange Darling is his first feature as a cinematographer. After growing up on film sets and around cameras, Giovanni was always curious about the mystery, magic and technology of creating images on film. He says, “The difference between acting and cinematography is, with acting, you start from a subjective place where you want to work from the inside out on a character to establish or understand the experience of what the writer had intended for that character. (Cinematography) is the inversion of that. It’s an objective launching pad trying to get more subjective for stories.”

After working on the visually captivating film, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), Giovanni began exploring the world of visual effects. He enrolled at the Gnomon School in North Hollywood to learn the basics, while continuing to act in order to pay the bills. Giovanni and some partners formed the visual effects company, Stereo D, which they eventually sold. Though he continued acting, Giovanni turned his attention to photography and cinematography, experimenting with film stock and cameras for personal projects and music videos.

Once Strange Darling director JT Mollner sent Giovanni the script, they were on the phone within 15 minutes discussing how they could make the film on a tight budget with some of Giovanni’s gear and resources. Giovanni feels strongly that most filmmakers don’t have the time to really dig in and create a movie. Strange Darling was about $4 million dollars, and typically would have been granted 18 days to shoot. Instead, they budgeted for a 32 day schedule, which allowed Mollner to have time to make something in realistic terms, with a humane schedule for the crew.

Giovanni’s choice to shoot Strange Darling on 35mm film was a deliberate one. When a film is shot digitally, Giovanni feels the camera crew is often just checking off boxes, “hosing down” a scene with as many shots as possible without much thought to the process as they go. He appreciates the aesthetic qualities of film and the meticulous planning involved. In contrast to the often frantic pace of digital filmmaking, he and Mollner meticulously planned every shot, creating a detailed shotlist that guided the entire production.

The visual inspiration for Strange Darling came from classic films of the 60s and 70s, such as Mademoiselle, The Innocents, and The Devils. They worked closely with the production designer to develop a unique color palette for each scene, with vivid primary colors playing a huge part in each scene. As the cinematographer, Giovanni was extremely proud of a long dialogue scene in the film that was bathed in neon blue light from the motel. The carefully crafted lighting and composition create a visually striking and memorable moment.

Strange Darling showcases Giovanni’s ability to create visually stunning and thought-provoking work as a cinematographer. His passion for filmmaking and transition from actor to cinematographer is rare and inspiring.

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The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
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August 14, 2024

Lessons in Chemistry: DP Zachary Galler’s visual formula

The Apple TV+ show, Lessons in Chemistry, is a period piece set in the 1950s. Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson) is a brilliant chemist whose career is derailed by sexism. Denied her scientific aspirations, she finds an unexpected platform hosting a cooking show, using it to empower women and challenge societal norms.

Zachary Galler, one of the Emmy-nominated cinematographers behind the stunning visuals of Lessons in Chemistry, brought a unique perspective to the 1950s drama. Rather than indulging in nostalgia, Zack aimed to create a lived-in world that resonated with contemporary audiences. The team chose the ARRI Alexa Mini LF camera because it handles natural light very well. After many lens tests, they picked Canon K 35 lenses, which Zack felt were quite flattering.

One of the show’s most visually striking settings was the chemistry lab. While it might seem like a dream location for a cinematographer, Zack found unique challenges. “So much of what chemists do is pouring clear liquids into other clear liquids,” he explained. To overcome this, Zack focused on creating spaces that allowed for dynamic performances, emphasizing natural light and embracing imperfections to enhance the authenticity of the scenes.

Zack and his team meticulously planned their shots, opting for side lighting to draw viewers into the characters’ worlds. They also employed practical techniques like dollies and Steadicams for dynamic walk-and-talk scenes. To capture the era’s aesthetic, Galler developed a custom LUT inspired by vintage food photography. However, the power of the performances ultimately led to a decision to tone down the LUT, allowing the actors to shine without visual distractions.

Collaborating with fellow cinematographer Jason Oldek on the series was a highlight for Zack. “I feel like what’s really successful about the show is the comprehensive world-building that we did,” he said. Together, they crafted a visual language that captured the essence of the 1950s without resorting to clichés, creating a world that felt both familiar and fresh.

Find Zachary Galler: https://www.zacharygaller.com/
Instagram: @zachary_galler

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras www.hotrodcameras.com

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
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July 17, 2024

Capturing terror in THEM: The Scare with DP Brendan Uegama

The second season of the Amazon Prime horror anthology series THEM takes place in 1989 and 1991 Los Angeles. LAPD detective Dawn Reeve is investigating a horrifying murder. As she gets closer to the truth, a dark and menacing force threatens her and her family. THEM: The Scare explores themes of fear, dark family secrets and the supernatural.

Cinematographer Brendan Uegama was a fan of season 1 of THEM, and got a call from his agent to meet with writer, creator and showrunner Little Marvin about shooting season 2. As an anthology series, each season is its own standalone story. Brendan and Little Marvin’s guiding idea was not to make the show look exactly like it took place in the early 1990’s, and discussed how to create a feeling of warmth, contrasted with the feeling of terror in the shadows. Brendan decided to use just two lenses and two focal lengths on an ARRI Alexa Mini LF, with everything drastically changing look and tone for episode 7.

On Episode 7, “One of Us is Gonna Die Tonight” of THEM: The Scare, Brendan had the opportunity to fully unleash his creativity. Little Marvin decided to direct this episode, and he wanted it to feel utterly horrific, using all of the tools they had at their disposal: lighting, camera effects, and sound. They embraced using as much red lighting as they possibly could throughout the episode. “We had lights in different areas, and we had red from the toy store.” says Brendan. “We had red flares, red cop lights. And Little Marvin’s like, ‘Man, it would be cool if it was even MORE red.’ So I started adding red lights behind all the cop cars and uplighting things, really going heavy with the red. And once we started looking at that, we’re like, ‘Oh, yeah, now it feels like this is a hellscape.’” Brendan chose to use a 4:3 aspect ratio exclusively for episode 7 to make it feel like the walls are literally closing in. After strictly using the same lenses and focal lengths throughout the series, Brendan changed it up for almost half the episode with a Petzval lens, which creates a unique, swirly bokeh in the center of the frame. Along with the red lighting and aspect ratio shift, it helped create a distorted, nightmarish look. (Hear Robbie Ryan’s discussion of using a Petzval lens on Poor Things https://www.camnoir.com/ep248/)

Brendan enjoyed the creative opportunity to work on THEM: The Scare. “A huge part of it was the overall excitement to make something great,” he says. “It was exciting to push boundaries and not do formulaic television of any kind.”

Find Brendan Uegama: Instagram @brendanuegama_dp

Hear our interview with THEM season 1 cinematographer Checco Varese, ASC. https://www.camnoir.com/ep136/

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras www.hotrodcameras.com
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The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
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Twitter: @ShortEndz

May 8, 2024

Late Night with the Devil cinematographer Matthew Temple, ACS

The critically acclaimed horror movie Late Night With the Devil blends found-footage, mockumentary and 1970s late-night television into a movie with genuine scares. Cinematographer Matthew Temple, ACS used shaky camerawork, close-ups, and multiple video sources to add to the feeling of watching “behind the scenes” documentary found footage. Though they didn’t use vintage tube cameras for the 1970’s TV look, Matt and the camera operators used studio pedestal bases or a crane for the cameras. “Right from the get-go, (directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes) came at me with this word, ‘verisimilitude,’ which means to make something feel real.” says Matt. “And that was kind of the seed for the television show.”

During the preproduction period on Late Night with the Devil, the Cairnes brothers gave Matt a lookbook that they’d created referencing documentaries from the time. Matt had honed his craft on Australian TV shows like Comedy Inc., a sketch comedy show that spoofed movies and TV shows. He learned how to deconstruct a movie and replicate a specific look. Matt used the same approach for the film and watched several late night talk shows from the 1970’s to get the visual aesthetic right. As he learned and took notes, Matt made an extensive document setting out rules for the camera crew to follow to keep the look authentic. Using the studio pedestal bases and cranes were key, with Sony Venice cameras in 4K mode with Fujinon zooms. “We had three pedestal cameras. They were new Venices, but nonetheless they were on pedestals. Each operator had to do their own focus and zoom and trucking up the pedestals in shot. I was careful to hire two camera operators who really knew what they were doing with studio cameras because the last time I did that was 35 years ago.” Matt himself acted as the third camera operator. He would brief the other camera operators in preproduction, break down the scene, and map out how all the cameras would work together. It was critical that the cameras always have a logic and placement and appear to be moving together.

Growing up in Australia, Matt was impressed with the Australian movie Mad Max as a teenager. After studying some photography and stage production, he got a trainee job at ABC Television in Sydney. He slowly worked his way up as an assistant, operator, Steadicam operator and DP in Australian television. Late Night with the Devil is Matt’s first feature film as a cinematographer. He previously worked with directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes as a Steadicam operator on their first feature, 100 Bloody Acres. Matt thinks Australia is its own independent film and TV powerhouse because of their ability to innovate and work with very small budgets.

Find Matthew Temple: https://www.matthewtemple.com.au/
Instagram @dpwolfie

Late Night with the Devil is still playing in some theaters and is available on Shudder and VOD. https://www.latenightwiththedevil.movie/

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras www.hotrodcameras.com
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The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
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Twitter: @ShortEndz

February 7, 2024

El Conde cinematographer Ed Lachman, ASC

El Conde is a a dark comedy/horror film that portrays former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet as a 250 year old vampire. Director Pablo Larraín wanted to play with the idea that a dictatorship is a blood-sucking drain on society with lasting generational impacts. Cinematographer Ed Lachman immediately liked Larraín’s message. “El Conde is his allegory of how we are seduced into yielding to fascism. And it isn’t just in Chile. It’s like the last 50 years, we’re facing that all over the world. That’s why I think the film has something to say- if you can get past the gore.”

Ed had been a long time admirer of Larraín’s work. He found Larraín’s films to be conceptually brilliant with camera placement and movement to tell the story. “They say a cinematographer and a director is a marriage. But I always like to think of it as a dance partner- you hear the same music, but do your steps compliment each other? And I’ve certainly felt I have that relationship with Pablo.” Ed knew he wanted to shoot El Conde in black and white, referencing gothic vampire movies such as Nosferatu and Vampyr (1932). Working with Netflix Latin America, Larraín obtained approval to originate the film in black and white rather than shoot in color and then desaturate it later. For production design, special effects and costumes, all the color choices could be made for the best look in black and white. Ed decided to use the ARRI LF camera, and fortunately, ARRI had just developed a monochromatic sensor for them to use. He enjoys shooting with an actual black and white camera because the exposure latitude and grain structure is different, and he can use monochromatic filters meant for black and white cinematography.

El Conde features some amazingly realistic scenes of vampires flying. The night flying sequences had to be done with a blue screen, which did require a color camera. But all of the day flying sequences and stunts were shot with the black and white camera. The flying sequences were done practically, with no special effects. A 120ft crane suspended the camera operator, who moved through the air with the actors and stunt acrobats on wires.

Ed used the EL Zone System, a method he invented, to figure out the proper exposures for the cameras on El Conde. He’s developed the EL Zone system over the past 10 years, in an effort to measure light values and standardize exposures for digital cameras, and won a technical Emmy in 2023 for the technology. The system uses 18% gray as the standard, which is a universal photography standard. The camera’s sensor data is used as a reference point and filmmakers can view the entire exposure of a shot on a monitor to make lighting adjustments easier.

El Conde is streaming on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81590652
Find Ed Lachman, and learn more about the EL Zone System: https://www.elzonesystem.com/

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Facebook: @cinepod
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