DEFINITION July 2018

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SHOOT STORY A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL

are. We managed to shoot loads of scenes, including Westminster offices, out in the West Country just because it was a huge house with a big variety of rooms. You can hoover up a lot of work without having to do unit moves, and by achieving that, you are gaining time, effectively.” With a director like Stephen Frears, if he’s getting the images he wants he doesn’t limit the shooting to any particular camera movement so in effect anything goes. “We had a bit

which is an all-day interior and have lights coming in from outside so you can light whatever the real state of the light outside is. “Stephen liked the idea of lots of locations because you had a story that jumped around. We were moving from interior to exterior and from night to day and big rooms to small. That also helps to tell the story. One of the keys was to try and find a lot of different locations in one place so you’re making the most of where you

STEPHEN ISN’T WEDDED TO ONE STYLE; HIS IDEA IS TO FIND THE SIMPLEST, MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF TELLING THE STORY

of everything, handheld, Steadicam, dolly, head and legs,” says Danny. “Stephen isn’t wedded to one style; his idea is to find the simplest, most effective way of telling the story. If you say that you’re only going to do tracking shots for instance you are on a hiding to nothing as not every location is suitable so if you’re open minded then you might just do one scene handheld and in one take, he definitely mixes it up. It’s another thing that makes the story more interesting as it’s not predictable as the audience doesn’t know what’s coming and will hopefully stay glued to the screen waiting for the unexpected, which is fun. “What you hang onto if you’re not that familiar with the story is how completely bonkers it is.”

LEFT The RED Weapon on a dolly for a tracking shot of journalists.

DEFINITION JULY 2018

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