TECHNIQUE DAY FOR NIGHT
DARK & STORMY Jordan Peele’s Nope achieved stunning day- for-night shots using innovative techniques
S ince the early days of cinema, filmmakers have been faking night. Shooting in daylight and creating the illusion of nighttime (aka day for night) was originally a practical option for filmmakers: easier, cheaper and less complex than an actual night shoot. Today, with cameras able to operate at very high ISO levels and advancements in quality of lighting available, the technique isn’t as popular (or necessary) as it once was. But it still comes into play when logistics, budgets, practicalities and creative goals demand it. Its success depends on one thing: don’t break the illusion. BIRTH OF A FILM TECHNIQUE Tracing the origin of day for night is hard, since no single film can claim to be the first to have implemented it. Filmmakers first began experimenting with various ways of simulating night using tinting, underexposure and stylised lighting.
DAY FOR TECHNIQUE
A look behind the scenes at how to achieve one of cinema’s oldest tricks
WORDS OLIVER WEBB
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