PRODUC T I ON . YOU DON’T KNOW ME
REAL THING To draw the audience into the story, McDonnell wanted an authentic look to the image
“We used the Leitz Summilux-C lenses, which are T 1.4, so we could take it down to next to no depth-of-field – which also helps hide things”
extension of the jury – are drawing our own conclusions about how to perceive the events. “It was a very conscious decision to take the audience on a journey. Where you place the focus is just as important as how you light it.” GETTING TO GRIPS Those lenses were used in conjunction with the Arri Alexa Mini, and the series was primarily shot on one camera – although this wasn’t always the plan. “We carried two cameras because, initially, it was a two-camera shoot, and one would have been a Steadicam. When Covid-19 hit, it became a single camera shoot with days of second camera. There wasn’t the space for it to be safe.” Changed plans and stripped- down crews are increasingly the norm,
beforehand that we were going to opt for that. We used the Leitz Summilux-C lenses, which are T 1.4, so we could take it down to next to no depth-of-field – which also helps hide things.” Aside from the practical implications of these lenses, they also aided in the telling of an expressly subjective account, without delving into a visual style that is overly contrived. This works in tandem with the purposeful application of light and shadow to guide the tale. We’re following Hero’s story, which he is trying to convince us is true. It feels believable enough that we can invest in it, but we are also aware that it is a personal recantation and we – as an
there’ – everybody was just lit quite naturally, as if they were on the street or in a house.” The team used a simple trick to achieve this: “When you see Hero in his flat, he’s often shot against a mottled glass partition, so you still get that contrast. That’s a way to do it more naturalistically, but you must choose your framing wisely.” All of this helps the show feel a lot more real, rather than being obviously shot on sets, which can hamper the audience’s suspension of disbelief. As well as masking the silks on the street lights, the shallow depth-of- field also made the sets less imposing on the story. “Sarmad and I discussed
20. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
Powered by FlippingBook