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the headquarters in the new season looks much more cinematic. Think Bourne Ultimatum and Skyfall ,” says Etheridge. “I wanted to make the Hunters imposing, so we shot everything from the waistline. They’re Greek gods in there, toying with the fugitives through touchscreen computers.” To evoke the desired filmic quality, Etheridge shot the headquarters on two Sony Venice cameras, with Angénieux lenses and various probe lenses to capture the minute details of the tech – such as fingers on keyboards and eyeballs watching the computer screens. The equipment had been purchased from CVP, which to him is more than just a supplier: “I always go to them for repairs or advice about the gear,” he says.
TV’S GAME OF adult hide-and-seek, also known as Hunted , returns to Channel 4 with a bang after a year’s break. The show follows members of the public trying to evade capture by the Hunters – a team of retired police, members of intelligence services, counterterrorism officers, analysts, profilers and cybersecurity wizards – for 25 days. The prize: a share of £100,000. Since first airing in 2015, Hunted has evolved enormously – not only in terms of structure (there never used to be a cash prize, with participants entering either to make a point about civil rights and oppressive surveillance, or play Jack Bauer for a month), but in the cinematography. Series DOP Danny Etheridge, explains: “This year, we’ve given the Hunters’ headquarters a brand-new look. When I came on in Season 2, we gave it a cyber feel – and that lasted four seasons, before mixing it up in Season 6 for something more like a bunker.” Shine TV wasn’t too keen on this, though, stating that it looked grimy and not in line with the astuteness of its inhabitants. They were looking to revert to its former glory, but with more pizzazz. “With this direction, “With this direction, the headquarters in the new season looks much more cinematic. Think Bourne Ultimatum and Skyfall ”
FOLLOW THE LEAD Etheridge is used to capturing footage in extreme environments, and he has to be ready for anything when filming the contestants on Hunted
The Venice was crucial to Etheridge, since he adopted a complex approach to lighting the set, and was reliant on the camera’s ability to achieve a high ISO. “The idea was to create a nice mix between Tungsten light from the surroundings and blue light from the computer screens – but have the blue light more at play, so viewers could register the important information on the screen.” He adds: “The camera is also constantly on the move, zooming and doing whip pans, which is another reason why I chose the Venice. It’s got an incredibly
SPYCRAFT Much of Hunted’s action comes from the bunker-like headquarters, where the Hunters use all the technology at their disposal to pursue the fugitives. Etheridge needed a variety of lenses to film all the tiny details of their work
61. DECEMBER 2021
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