Cold hard dash Ruairí O’Brien BSC ISC couldn’t resist the unexpected opportunity to shoot Will Gilbey’s debut feature Jericho Ridge in icy Kosovo. It’s a Thursday morning in early spring 2022, and cinematographer Ruairí O’Brien BSC ISC is prepping for a documentary that’s set to be shot in Norway. But with unexpected difficulties looming, O’Brien … Read more
Girl, uninterrupted A Welsh coming-of-age drama that crackles with wit and woe, BAFTA-winning In My Skin embeds itself in the turbulent world of sixth former Bethan. Joining to lens the production’s second season was cinematographer Christopher Sabogal, who brought a fresh angle to Bethan’s story. As the second season of the BBC mini-series In … Read more
THE TRUTH SHALL PREVAIL Mangrove – the first film in the monumental five-part Small Axe series unites cinematographer Shabier Kirchner with director Steve McQueen to tell personal stories of resilience and triumph that are both steeped in history and vibrant with culture. “If watching Small Axe can inspire one youth in the Caribbean to become … Read more
Director of photography, Michael Wood, reveals the process of lensing A Christmas Carol, a radical retelling of Dickens’ classic in contemporary dance… When director Jacqui Morris first approached me to shoot A Christmas Carol, I was incredibly excited. I had just come off shooting Carmilla, a great experience, but a very low budget independent film, … Read more
Splash Of Colour Maria von Hausswolff / A White, White Day Splash Of Colour Maria von Hausswolff / A White, White Day Director Hlynur Palmason’s second feature, A White, White Day (Hvítur, Hvítur Dagur), shot on Kodak in widescreen 2-perf Super35mm, is a story of heart-rending grief, revenge and unconditional love. While the film’s title … Read more
Soul Sisters Yorick Le Saux AFC / Little Women Soul Sisters Yorick Le Saux AFC / Little Women The chemistry between the performers, plus the alchemy of 35mm film for capturing nature and human portraits, have conspired to make Little Women, director Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic American novel, a contender across … Read more
Flesh and Blood Nadim Carlsen / Border Flesh and Blood Nadim Carlsen / Border BY: Ron Prince “Some scripts take a long time to read and digest, but this one was a real page-turner – intimate and strange, operating on many different levels – and I read it with great excitement in one sitting,” recalls … Read more
Trick of the Light Michael Coulter BSC / The Hustle Trick of the Light Michael Coulter BSC / The Hustle BY: Kevin Hilton Many films are not always shot where they are set. The main action of new comedy The Hustle takes place on the French Riviera, but cinematographer Michael Coulter BSC concedes that “not … Read more
Colour Contrast Maja Zamojda BSC / The Spanish Princess Colour Contrast Maja Zamojda BSC / The Spanish Princess BY: Valentina Valentini Unlike the matches that are made for political and monetary gain in The Spanish Princess, the partnerships behind the scenes of the Starz production, shot in England, were mutual and instant. When cinematographer Maja Zamojda BSC … Read more
Double Act Laurie Rose BSC / Stan & Ollie Double Act Laurie Rose BSC / Stan & Ollie BY: Ron Prince Stan & Ollie follows the world’s most famous comedy duo, Laurel & Hardy, as they attempt to reignite their dwindling film careers, during a gruelling music hall tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland … Read more
Never Surrender Bruno Delbonnel AFC ASC / Darkest Hour Never Surrender Bruno Delbonnel AFC ASC / Darkest Hour BY: Ron Prince French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel AFC ASC says he was encouraged by the creative vision of innovative director Joe Wright to shoot what initially seemed an unlikely choice of project: the story of the newly-appointed … Read more
Who’s Afraid Of Red, Green and Blue? Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC / Wonder Wheel Who’s Afraid Of Red, Green and Blue? Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC / Wonder Wheel By the master himself, triple Oscar-winning cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC, shares his experiences of shooting Woody Allen’s Wonder Wheel digitally, and offers more sage advice for … Read more
Digital imaging specialist Filmscape is supporting DP Piotr Śliskowski and his crew on the WWII feature Hurricane. Directed by David Blair, the production documents the epic story of the Kent-based, Royal Air Force 303 Hawker Hurricane squadron, flown by Polish pilots alongside the RAF at the height of the Battle Of Britain. Filmscape has dispatched … Read more
Cinematographer Jake Polonsky BSC has wrote in from New York with details about his work on Showtime’s Billions. “It seems like a very long time ago (April 2015) that I received an email from my US agent, asking if I’d be interested in talking to the showrunners of a new TV series about high finance … Read more
As You Like It John de Borman BSC / Will As You Like It John de Borman BSC / Will BY: Kevin Hilton Episodic TV drama usually follows a template for directorial style, camera technique and overall look that is laid down in the pilot. But there are always exceptions. The TNT production Will was … Read more
Hole In One Gary Shaw / Tommy’s Honour Hole In One Gary Shaw / Tommy’s Honour BY: Ron Prince Tommy’s Honour, lensed by cinematographer Gary Shaw for director Jason Connery, chronicles the true story of the troubled relationship between “Old” Tom and “Young” Tommy Morris, the enterprising father-and-son team who, during the 1860s at The … Read more
Birth of a nation Ben Smithard BSC / Viceroy’s House Birth of a nation Ben Smithard BSC / Viceroy’s House “Shooting on film is always a good experience. Although it’s perhaps a bit hackneyed to say that ‘film is magic’… it’s true! I knew from the outset that it would be easier to get the look I … Read more
Cooke Optics, the multi-award winning manufacturer of precision lenses for film and television, has announced that it now offers uncoated front elements for its S4/i series. The uncoated front elements offer more choices to cinematographers, with lower contrast, milkier shadows, flares, streaks and other aberrations that give a ‘vintage’ look. The Cooke S4/i series currently … Read more
Man hunt Salvatore Totino AIC ASC / Inferno Man hunt Salvatore Totino AIC ASC / Inferno BY: Trevor Hogg After a seven-year absence, Professor Robert Langdon has to solve another puzzle with deadly global consequences in the production of Inferno, which reunites the trio of actor Tom Hanks, veteran filmmaker Ron Howard and cinematographer Salvatore … Read more