Definition January 2025 - Web

In our first issue of the year, DOP Lol Crawley takes us behind the scenes on The Brutalist, we learn about the sonic architecture of Emilia Pérez, and dive into the Dune-iverse for a look at the new TV spin-out, Dune: Prophecy. There’s also a look at Ben Saffer’s experience using the Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF on indie short Dog, plus Jomo Fray discusses unlearning everything he thought he knew about cinematography on the acclaimed Nickel Boys. Don’t miss our lighting special, featuring expert insights on topics including IBL and shooting day for night, as well as our first-ever Lighting Excellence Awards!

LIGHTING AWARDS CELEBRATING THE BEST & BRIGHTEST IN THE GAME

2025: WHAT’S IN STORE? TRENDS & CHALLENGES ON THE HORIZON

SONIC AMBITION CRAFTING THE SOUND WORLD OF EMILIA PÉREZ

JANUARY 2025 DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM

Lol Crawley, BSC on reviving VistaVision & embracing the accidental in Brady Corbet’s bold American saga The Brutalist

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WELCOME

EDITORIAL Editor in chief Nicola Foley nicolafoley@bright.uk.com

Senior staff writer Katie Kasperson Chief sub editor Matthew Winney Sub editors Zanna Buckland, Minhaj Zia Editorial director Roger Payne rogerpayne@bright.uk.com Contributors Adrian Pennington, Phil Rhodes, Oliver Webb ADVERTISING Sales manager Emma Stevens emmastevens@bright.uk.com 01223 499462 | +447376665779 DESIGN Design director Andy Jennings Magazine design manager Lucy Woolcomb Senior designer Carl Golsby Junior designer and ad production Hedzlynn Kamaruzzaman PUBLISHING Managing directors Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck Sales director Sam Scott-Smith samscott-smith@bright.uk.com 01223 499457 Bright Publishing LTD Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3HJ, UK Definition is published monthly by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge, CB22 3HJ. No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. Definition is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. The advertisements published in Definition that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Prices quoted in sterling, euros and US dollars are street prices, without tax, where available or converted using the exchange rate on the day the magazine went to press.

I t feels ludicrously early to be calling the film of the year already, but it’s going to be tough to beat The Brutalist : Brady Corbet’s sweeping, nearly four-hour-long historical drama. Shot in a matter of weeks and on a tight budget – but with a truly epic scope – this film takes a lot of big swings and smashes them all out of the park. On page 6, DOP Lol Crawley talks us through the challenges of capturing architecture, the use of VistaVision and his long-term partnership with Corbet. Also in this issue, we learn all about the sonic architecture of Emilia Pérez , hearing from the man responsible for arranging the voices, music and songs in the quadruple Golden Globe-winning musical. Turn to page 60 for an insight into music supervisor Pierre-Marie Dru’s process. We also dive into the Dune -iverse for a look at the new TV spin-out, Dune: Prophecy . Maintaining the visual flow of the recent films, but set 10,000 years before the first, DOP Pierre Gill used colour and light to plant audiences into the show’s various settings; find out more on page 54. There’s a look at Ben Saffer’s experience using the Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF on indie short Dog , plus Jomo Fray discusses unlearning everything he thought he knew about cinematography on the acclaimed Nickel Boys . Don’t miss our lighting special, featuring expert insights on topics including IBL and shooting day for night, as well as our first-ever Lighting Excellence Awards. Enjoy the issue – see you next month!

Editor in chief

@definitionmagazine

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CONTENTS

JANUARY 2025

LIGHTING SPECIAL

16 THE AWARDS Discover which individuals and innovations came out on top in our first-ever lighting awards! 24 THOUGHT LEADER Aputure’s Tim Kang discusses the trends and pain points shaping Gaffer Christos Georgas takes us through the lighting of standout scenes in Electric Dreams and Peaky Blinders 28 FINALLY PAINTING WITH LIGHT Adrian Pennington dives into the game-changing world of image- based lighting 30 SHOOTING DAY FOR NIGHT the lighting industry 26 DREAMING IN COLOUR It’s a technique as old as the hills – but can be a risky business. Top lighting pros offer their tips 36 BRIGHT IDEAS A look at the latest advancements for colour accuracy in lighting

06 THE BRUTALIST DOP Lol Crawley talks VistaVision, brutalist architecture and working alongside the

60 EMILIA PÉREZ Pierre-Marie Dru, music supervisor on Emilia Pérez , discusses his role in getting the movie-musical across the finish line 62 THE THRILL OF THE STUNT Jason White, a stunt innovator with more than 40 years in the game, shares his fascinating career story 66 VFX BREAKDOWN Discover how Moonraker VFX brought invisible forces to life in Our Oceans 68 INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS A new LUT studio from FutureWorks, details on Canon’s Stories in Motion contest and much more 72 TOOLKIT ARRI’s latest camera and a sustainable power solution from bebob are among the newest kit releases 74 DEF RECOMMENDS Need some inspiration for what to watch next? Read our editorial team’s round-up of their favourite recent discoveries

film’s director Brady Corbet 40 NICKEL BOYS

Jomo Fray discusses his work lensing the critically acclaimed novel adaptation 47 TAKE TWO We revisit American Psycho : a stone-cold

classic about to get a reboot 48 2025: WHAT’S IN STORE?

Industry experts highlight the hot topics set to dominate the conversation in the year ahead 54 DUNE: PROPHECY DOP Pierre Gill steps into the Dune -iverse for the new TV spin-out. We quiz him on all the tech and tools at play 56 DOG Ben Saffer gets his paws on the powerful URSA Cine 12K LF and Cooke S8i primes for indie short Dog

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PRODUCTION THE BRUTALIST

D irected by Brady Corbet and starring Adrien Brody, The Brutalist is an ambitious film in every respect. Stretching out over more than three and a half hours, it spans three decades in the life of László Tóth, a Holocaust survivor and visionary architect, as he toils away at the greatest project of his life. The fictional Tóth is an early proponent of what we now call brutalism: an architectural style characterised by its monumental concrete forms and striking geometry.

Capturing the essence of brutalism – its weight, scale and imposing beauty – was a key challenge for DOP Lol Crawley, BSC, whose previous credits include Ballast (2008), Four Lions (2010) and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013). “Architecture is inherently static, but film is a medium of movement,” he contemplates. “So the first question we needed to answer was: how can we express the experience of these spaces, how people move through them and how light interacts with them?”

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THE BRUTALIST PRODUCTION

A MAMMOTH UNDERTAKING With a huge scope but a

relatively modest budget, capturing The Brutalist was a labour of love

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PRODUCTION THE BRUTALIST

CONCRETE PARTNERSHIP Thanks to several shared projects, Crawley and Corbet enjoy an intuitive and efficient dynamic

One of the solutions was to shoot on VistaVision, a large format film system with a native aspect ratio of 1.5:1 that Crawley describes as ‘almost like a big slab of celluloid’. This choice allowed for a wider field of view, but without the distortion that you’d get with ultra-wide lenses. “It’s a beautiful tool for capturing the architecture and landscape in as true a form as possible, without aberration,” suggests Crawley. “The allegations might be that it’s sort of gimmicky – an affectation,” he acknowledges. “But I felt from the beginning that VistaVision had earned its place. Brady wanted to tell a story that takes place mostly in the fifties, so he wanted that correlation, and it’s also just the perfect camera system for capturing what we were hoping to.” FOUNDATIONS The Brutalist is Corbet and Crawley’s third collaboration, with the pair previously having teamed up on Childhood of a Leader (2015) and Vox Lux (2018). “The

FILMMAKING IS an alchemy, AND THAT’S ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN YOU’RE shooting on film ”

night we wrapped on Vox Lux , Brady presented me with a book on brutalist architecture and said: this will be the next project,” recalls Crawley. “So I knew that one of the main themes would be brutalist architecture, but there’s so much more going on in this movie. Brady’s a filmmaker who always takes big swings, in both the execution and themes of his films. “When you get into cinematography, you hope to work on films that are close to your heart. Films that are a big event at the cinema, which you can see and then have a discussion about afterwards,” he

adds. “I’m really lucky that Brady invited me to be part of these kinds of movies.” The key to their partnership, Crawley explains, is their shared sensibilities and tastes, which make for an efficient and intuitive dynamic on-set. That’s all the more vital on a film like The Brutalist , which, for all its sweeping ambition, was shot in just 33 days with a budget of less than $10m. “You have to find a way of working that allows you to achieve these things. One way we do that is by shooting less coverage than a lot of other directors and cinematographers do. That’s evident in the film, which

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PRODUCTION THE BRUTALIST

has lots of long Steadicam shots and handheld sequences. “My job as a cinematographer in creating those scenes is to really light the space, which is something that the great Harris Savides used to talk about a lot. Lighting the space and letting the actors have free rein.” For the most part, the director and DOP duo won’t exhaustively storyboard, unless there’s a lot of SFX or stunt work in a particular sequence. “We’re kind of old school in the sense that, while we’re very prepared, we don’t necessarily shot list every single scene – we want to respond to the space and the performances.” The danger with over shot listing and storyboarding, says Crawley, is that it can make you too rigid; too focused on the blueprint rather than what’s unfolding in front of you. “Christopher Doyle, who is a cinematographer that I greatly admire, says that in western cinema it’s ‘here’s the frame, how do you fill it’, whereas in Asian cinema, you say ‘here’s the world, how do I frame it?’ – I’ve always been of the latter persuasion. “I like the idea of the accidental; letting life in. Hopefully that life comes through in Brady’s films. Filmmaking is an alchemy, and that’s especially true when you’re shooting on film,” he continues. “When you process film, it goes away and then comes back, so there’s always a slight element of surprise. It’s incredibly alchemical, and we try to embrace it.” INTIMACY & TRANSCENDENCE The Brutalist ’s plot follows Tóth as he and his wife emigrate to the US in the aftermath of World War II. After a library he designs for Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce) earns him acclaim, the wealthy industrialist commissions him to build a grand community centre in honour of his late mother. As the great structure takes shape, Tóth faces professional and personal battles; the film mapping the traumas and triumphs of his life while his masterwork comes to fruition. Like brutalism itself, “the film’s photography strikes a balance between minimalism and maximalism,” Crawley sums up. “It’s that balance between the absolute intimacy of human connection

IS THIS THE REAL LIFE? Though László Tóth is fictional, Crawley (right) took into account the actual events that inspired him

and the grandeur of Tóth’s work. The examination of that.” The intense, intimate moments – often captured handheld for a sense of immediacy and rawness – are contrasted with moments of release. “There’s this motif of emerging from the bowels of the earth through to the transcendence of light,” elaborates Crawley. “We see it on the ship, in the brothel and in the party scene in the mine in Italy. “It’s like we’re descending into hell, down this long tunnel, followed by a

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THE BRUTALIST PRODUCTION

LIKE BRUTALISM ITSELF, THE PHOTOGRAPHY

strikes a balance BETWEEN

minimalism & maximalism ”

handheld, Fellini-esque dance sequence. We show these moments of liberation and an ascent; the characters in some way reaching for the light.” CEMENTING THE VISION The decision to shoot on VistaVision was a bold one, and it came with its fair share of headaches for the team. Popular in the fifties, the system isn’t exactly designed for modern workflows, which might explain why The Brutalist is the first feature film to use it in nearly 30 years. In its time, though, it was groundbreaking. Unlike traditional 35mm film, VistaVision runs the film through the camera horizontally, with a significantly larger negative that delivers vastly superior resolution and detail. During its heyday, it was used on classic films like Hitchcock’s Vertigo and North By Northwest before eventually falling out of favour, usurped by less pricey, more practical systems like CinemaScope and 70mm. While Crawley embraced VistaVision’s ability to capture expansive, visually striking scenes, it created several challenges. “Brady wanted to put the VistaVision camera on a Steadicam,” Crawley recalls with a laugh. “That was a whole ordeal. We had to send the camera assistants to London for a deep prep just to make it workable.” Balancing the camera was also tricky. “Because the film runs horizontally, the weight shifts dramatically as it spools from one side

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PRODUCTION THE BRUTALIST

to the other. It’s not as heavy as IMAX, but the principle is the same.” For certain scenes – like an early boat sequence – a smaller, lightweight 35mm ARRI camera was deployed to avoid any mishaps on the steep steps, while for more intimate and experimental moments, Crawley utilised an ARRIFLEX 435 camera from Lester Dunton with a mistimed shutter to create a distinctive ‘smeared’ effect in the highlights. This technique contributed to the dreamlike, almost hallucinatory quality of the heroin use sequences. Other cameras in the mix included an ARRICAM LT and ST with 16mm footage to achieve different textures and effects. With this motley line-up of tools, Crawley was mindful of not allowing the aesthetic to become too ‘scrappy and uncrafted’, wanting the patchwork quality to come across as intentional rather than chaotic. Keeping the final result cohesive was a top priority. To create the desired look, the team also leaned heavily on underexposing the negative and push processing the film. “It’s definitely not the safest option,” Crawley admits, “because you’re taking the film somewhere it doesn’t want to go, distressing it to create this impressionistic, almost painterly quality. Producers and labs get nervous about it, but when it works the results are incredible.”

LENS LANGUAGE Crawley’s lens choices were key, and the DOP found himself returning once again to Cooke S4s, which he and Corbet have used on previous collaborations. “There’s a warmth and texture in the Cooke Look that’s hard to beat,” he admits. “They’re not the most pristine lenses – but that’s exactly why we love them. They have this beautiful fall-off and slight aberration that makes images feel more human.” The philosophy behind this choice traces back to Crawley’s love of the

pictorialist movement. This concept is “all about making photography more impressionistic and more painterly,” he comments. “That’s the spirit we wanted for this film. If you use the most pristine, scientifically accurate lenses, you lose that sense of history, that impression of a particular time period.” For the VistaVision sequences, meanwhile, they used Leica R lenses. The camera dictated the lenses in this case, but the team were “extremely happy with them,” enthuses Crawley. “They’re rehoused Leica still lenses; you can’t get much better than that in terms of glass.” Reflecting on the completed film, which is currently generating an almighty awards buzz, Crawley ends the interview by ruminating on the importance of staying true to the types of projects and collaborators that resonate with him, instead of chasing trends. “I know where I do my best work. This experience has reaffirmed how important it is to trust my instincts,” he says. “There are certain types of films and aesthetics that I believe to be true to me, but I think that as soon as you start trying to pre-empt stuff and strategically navigate your way through it, you’re trying to shoot a moving target, and it’ll go wrong. As Chris Doyle said: it has to be all about the heart. “Whatever that thing is, whatever allows you to do what you do. If you stay true to that, whatever it might be – as esoteric as that might sound – I think that’s the most important thing.”

MIX AND MATCH A range of cameras were needed to create Corbet’s (above, front) desired looks

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L E A D I N G

L I G H T S

25 - PAGE L I G H T I N G S P E C I A L !

definitionmags TRICK OF THE LIGHT PRO TIPS: DAY-FOR-NIGHT SHOOT SUCCESS

DREAMI NG IN COLOUR GAFFER CHRISTOS GEORGAS ON HIS STANDOUT SCENES

15 THE WAY OF THE FUTURE HOW IBL IS CHANGING THE GAME FOR FILMMAKERS

LIGHTING SPECIAL

T hese unique accolades celebrate both technical innovation and individual talent, recognising best-in-class products and services, as well as the visionaries driving the lighting industry forward. From Star Gaffer – a reader-voted prize given to the brightest spark in the game – to companies blazing a trail in panel lights, weatherproof fixtures, colour technology and more, dive into our coverage to discover the extraordinary contributions and groundbreaking achievements of our amazing winners!

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LIGHTING SPECIAL

RENTAL Special recognition Universal Production Services With the latest in cutting-edge set lighting, combined with a large inventory of rigging equipment, transportation and experienced customer service, Universal Production Services provides a seamless filming and rental experience for features, TV dramas, commercials and other video productions. With a rich background spanning more than a century, Universal has locations across North America and Europe – including Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and London – supplying a global network of studios and projects both big and small. Today, Universal is the exclusive lighting and rigging equipment supplier for Sky Studios Elstree, the UK’s newest state-of-the-art film and TV studio that’s home to 2024 blockbusters Wicked and Paddington in Peru . The team knows each production is different and uses its expertise to find the right kit for the project at hand, whether that’s an array of LED lights or chain motors and trusses. Besides lighting, rigging, grip, costumes and props, Universal offers sound stage availability, exterior filming locations, support spaces, reliable transport and a full-service graphics shop. The Universal team considers itself solution-orientated, taking a holistic, individualised approach to rental. Taking each project all the way from point A to B, each specialist is knowledgeable in their area and accessible throughout the production process, available to help with installation and operation, answering any questions along the way. “We greatly appreciate this honour,” says Rob Garvie, director of Universal Production Services UK. “With a dedicated team of industry professionals supplying the best in state-of-the-art technology, we are proud to support the creative community on stages and on location.” Honourable mentions Sunbelt Rentals Sunbelt is a leader in all things equipment rental, offering hire of a huge array of kit. Its film and TV production team provides an expert crew from prep through post, and its new Wembley hub is a game changer, with 180,000 sq ft packed with

everything from camera and lens testing spaces to a viewing theatre and a variety of sustainable equipment options. ARRI Rental Part of the wider ARRI ecosystem, ARRI Rental has 100+ years of industry experience under its belt. With facilities in North America and Europe, the group offers gear from its own in-house brand – often developed in collaboration with leading filmmakers – as well as from external suppliers. Panalux A subset of Panavision, Panalux focuses solely on film lighting and power. From LED panels to tungsten lamps and everything in between, the company’s vast inventory can support productions of all scales, ensuring that DOPs, gaffers and other crew members have what they need to succeed. Since the mid-2000s, Astera has manufactured battery-powered, remote-controlled LED lights – and these days its products are also 100% wireless. A company that embodies an innovative spirit, Astera strives to produce sustainable tools that elevate cinematic lighting, and QuikSpot is its latest product to do so. A versatile uplight that can function as a zoomable fresnel, QuikSpot combines portability and precision in one neat package. With an optimised runtime of 4.5 hours at maximum output, and rapid SPOTLIGHTS Special recognition Astera

charging via Astera’s Charging Plate, the light can hold power throughout the entirety of a shoot. Whether controlled through the AsteraApp, a remote or a standard controller, gaffers can adjust QuikSpot’s beam angle – which ranges from anywhere between 13 and 60° – in whichever way is most intuitive. “Astera’s QuikSpot redefines what a compact spotlight can achieve, offering unmatched flexibility and performance for creative professionals in any setting,” writes Ben Díaz, head of product management. Informed by industry feedback, and representing a delicate balance of German design and utility, QuikSpot is tailored to filmmakers’ evolving needs. Special recognition Nanlite A company dedicated to the user experience, Nanlite offers a range of cine lighting solutions that inspire, including a range of LED spotlights and monolights. Each product is affordable and compact, without compromising colour accuracy, output, versatility or usability – making them an ideal choice for filmmakers with slightly smaller budgets. Ranging in size, power and price, Nanlite’s spotlights are built to last and impressively bright. Each fixture features control via Bluetooth and the Nanlink mobile app, an OLED screen and an intuitive on-board interface, though they differ in how they’re powered – by AC or battery. For instance, its best-selling monolight, the FS-300B, is a bicolour lamp with an average CRI of 96 and a temperature range of 2700-6500K. Plus, it’s meant for both beginners and industry vets, in line with Nanlite’s commitment to accessibility. The company is proactively minimising its environmental impact by using eco-friendly materials and reducing plastic packaging. Honourable mentions ARRI A chameleon of an LED spotlight, the ARRI Orbiter is a versatile device that can transform into various types of lamphead, from fresnel to open face. With easy installation, a powerful operating system and the ARRI Spectra light engine in tow, the Orbiter is a one-of-a-kind piece of kit with infinite possibilities.

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LIGHTING SPECIAL

VELVET A compact, colour-tunable fresnel, VELVET’s KOSMOS light promises simple operation with both local and wireless control, including a motorised zoom and remote beam angle adjustment, as well as the best lux-watt ratio currently on the market – in line with VELVET’s commitment to energy efficiency. PANELS Special recognition Litepanels Self-described as the ‘original pioneer in LED panel lighting’ for film and TV, Litepanels has certainly made a name for itself. Besides elevating the production industry, Litepanels has even travelled out of this world by illuminating the ISS. Back on Earth, Litepanels’ Gemini RGBWW LEDs were used on Wicked , lighting the wonderful (fictional) world of Oz, from the Forbidden Forest to the Throne Room. Using over 800 Gemini 2x1 Hard lights, which were rigged across several sound stages, the Wicked crew selected these Litepanels products for their overall quality, colour accuracy, smooth low-end dimming and precise control. Plus, they successfully produced various types of light, from soft, diffused spacelight to background illumination. Litepanels’ Gemini series – which includes the 2x1 Hard as well as 2x1 Soft, 1x1 Hard and 1x1 Soft – is known for its

lightweight design yet intense output. The Gemini 1x1 Hard is the most powerful RGBWW LED of its class, while the 2x1 Hard boasts unparalleled brightness, delivering up to 23,000 lux. Each panel also promises industrial-grade strength alongside an impressively long product life. Special recognition Nanlite Nanlite now offers six collections of LED panels: the Alien, PavoSlim, Compac Bicolour, Compac Daylight, MixPanel and LumiPad. Like its other product lines, the panels are high quality in construction, colour accuracy and versatility – and available at a reasonable cost. Plus, each has a high CRI and TLCI rating, so filmmakers can achieve their desired lighting effects in camera. The Alien 300C, for instance, is Nanlite’s RGBWW LED that’s brighter and lighter than you’d expect. It boasts quick set-up and tear-down thanks in part to its pop- up softbox, and comes with a rain cover to encourage use in inclement outdoor environments. With five ways to control it, via on-board controls, CRMX LumenRadio, DMX/RDM, Bluetooth or 2.5G, the Alien 300C suits any workflow scenario. Elsewhere, the Nanlite PavoSlims promise unprecedented speed and output from an ultra-thin panel; the Compacs provide flattering, soft light via a compact body; the MixPanels offer versatility in both light shape and colour; and the LumiPads create a flattering glow

for its subjects. In other words, whatever the desired effect, Nanlite can do it. Honourable mentions ARRI A modular system with soft and hard light technology, the ARRI SkyPanel X is an all- weather LED solution that’s both durable and innovative. With a high lumen output and flicker-free low-end dimming, plus a rounded beam that’s great for bouncing when used as a hard light, the SkyPanel X gives gaffers the best of both worlds. Creamsource The all-powerful Vortex24 builds on Creamsource’s lower-wattage LED fixtures, boasting 24 pixel zones, 1950W and the company’s own colour management system – all within a compact shell. With precise control and a 20° beam that packs a punch, this panel works well even in the most demanding circumstances. ACCESSORIES Special recognition Astera Don’t be fooled by its appearance; the Astera LunaBulb looks like a normal light but acts like a professional luminaire. A versatile little unit that blends nostalgic aesthetics with modern technology, the LunaBulb will prove a useful addition to any filmmaker’s arsenal.

Exceptional Lighting in a TV Series: Griselda (Netflix, 2024) PEOPLE & PROJECTS

W hen it comes to fantastic lighting on a TV series, the hit 2024 Netflix series Griselda came out on top with our readers. Inspired by the life of cocaine queen-pin Griselda Blanco, this drop- dead-gorgeous series blends seventies glamour with gruesome gang warfare. The lighting plays a key role in bringing the gritty Miami underworld to life and – under the skilled direction of gaffer Cooper Donaldson – captures the era’s aesthetics and enhances the emotional layers of the story. Donaldson, alongside DOP Armando

Salas and director Andrés Baiz, creates a visual atmosphere where light and shadow are narrative tools: as one Def reader put it, it truly ‘feels as though the light is part of the storytelling’. From the warm, nostalgic hues of Griselda’s past to the cool, intense tones of her violent present, the lighting shifts seamlessly to reflect the antiheroine’s evolution. A standout includes the sequin haze of the Mutiny nightclub, shot inside a ballroom in Long Beach. The team deployed a 20x20ft stained-glass Translite ceiling, Cineo

ladder lights and a blend of modern and legacy fixtures, resulting in an immersive atmosphere that nails the period look.

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LIGHTING SPECIAL

B lending naturalism with theatrical flair, the lighting in Poor Things plays a crucial role in bringing such a whimsical world to life. To capture the film’s surreal aesthetic, gaffers Andy Cole and Gromek Molnar Jr used a blend of practical lights and fixtures including ARRIMAX 18ks, SkyPanel S60s and BrikLoks. The 18ks, combined with CTO filters, were especially useful in creating the dreamlike Lisbon scenes. They also utilised SkyPanels to craft the film’s signature candy-coloured palette and achieve subtle colour temperature adjustments. The team faced unique dilemmas such as balancing set lighting with the powerful LED wall on the ship set, where 100 SkyPanels helped create the perfect lighting intensity. The meticulous Though successful as a stand-alone light, LunaBulb is bolstered by Astera’s LunaBulb Accessory Kit, which includes four reflectors, diffusers, lenses and snoots – as well as four LunaShades. Inspired by DOP James Friend, these shades only cover half the bulb, allowing filmmakers to further manipulate their source. “The LunaBulb Accessory Kit is a testament to Astera’s ability to merge timeless design with advanced functionality, empowering users to achieve beautiful and impactful lighting,” writes the company’s head of product management Ben Díaz. Besides the LunaBulb kit, Astera offers a variety of items for rigging, charging, shaping, controlling and transporting its lights, ensuring that there’s always an innovative solution to the creative challenge at hand. Honourable mentions DoPchoice Founded by cinematographer Stefan Karle, DoPchoice has contributed more than its fair share to the lighting accessory market. From snappable soft boxes and frames to grids and mounts, the company is known for its masterful

‘light-shaping’ gear, and its products are compatible with most major brands. Lightbridge All available with lifelong product support, Lightbridge accessories are made to last. From tabletop essentials like the T-Wheel, to Snapbridge Color Bounce reflectors (made in tandem with DoPchoice), each gadget goes the extra mile to guarantee only the best cine lighting. Dedolight An established name in cine lighting, Dedolight’s reputation precedes it. Difficult to fit in a single category, we have recognised the brand for its lighting accessories, which often come in kits but also include individual items like gels, filters, stands, batteries, barndoors and much more. WEATHERPROOF Special recognition Litepanels Besides its exceptional RGBWW offerings, Litepanels also manufactures bicolour

and miniature panels (as well as accessories) which excel in extreme weather. In this area, the Astra IP LEDs stand out above the pack. Litepanels’ Astra IP is a bicolour LED with an IP65 rating, built to withstand the most unrelenting environments all while meeting aesthetic demands. While the Astra IPs may be best for live video broadcasts, they can also benefit filmmakers working under less-than- ideal conditions. Promising to light any location, they can even go off the grid with the option to add V-Mount, Gold Mount or BP-U weatherproof battery brackets in single size or dual. Meanwhile, the Brick bicolour mini LED offers the same IP65 rating, good to go in rain, snow or sleet. Plus, all Litepanels products come with a warranty (length depending on the individual item), so you’re insured even if something goes wrong. With Litepanels, weather doesn’t have to pose a problem. Honourable mentions Aputure Aputure’s Electro Storm family features the company’s most robust products, spanning point source lamps to fresnels, motorised yokes, reflectors and more. Built to be tough, Electro Storm fixtures can handle the most adverse weather conditions, being the brightest lights in their class without compromising on colour quality.

Exceptional Lighting in a Film: Poor Things (2024) PEOPLE & PROJECTS

planning involved virtual set walks and close collaboration with the VFX team to ensure seamless integration of painted backgrounds. Using SkyPanel S60s with Chimera attachments, powered by batteries to avoid visible cables, was a key aspect of lighting the actors. Well done to all involved for bringing the wacky world of Poor Things to life.

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LIGHTING SPECIAL

Rosco With 109 years of industry expertise, Rosco has established itself as a lighting innovator. Throughout the continued rise of virtual production, Rosco has fit right in, offering both the SoftDrop customisable backdrop as well as the Chroma Key System, which creates a seamless VP space from floor to ceiling. Quasar Science Quasar’s Rainbow linear LEDs were purposefully designed for image-based lighting – a vital element of VP. Powerful sources which occupy little space, each light boasts vibrancy, intensity and realism above all else. COLOUR TECH Special recognition Aputure Aputure’s R&D team has been working tirelessly to develop innovative, industry- leading lighting and colour technology. Its latest achievement is the BLAIR-CG light engine (found in the Storm 80c and 1000c), which excels in matching existing colours from gels/other artificial sources. Rosco Rosco’s DMG lights boast exceptional colour mixing and control thanks to the company’s patented MIX technology, which blends red, green, blue, amber, lime and white. Whether simulating car headlights or candlelight, the DMG line can mimic almost any colour or fixture while preserving skin tones. Fiilex Fiilex’s COLOR LEDs are bright punch lights which use the company’s Dense Matrix LED technology to unlock a new standard in colour quality and optical versatility. Suited to almost any environment, these products promise smooth dimming, precise control and convenient user customisation thanks to their swappable lenses. SUSTAINABILITY Greenkit It’s all in the name; Greenkit specialises in energy-efficient fixtures and

Nanlite Encouraging outdoor use in inclement weather, Nanlite offers waterproof bags and casings for select pixel tubes and LED panels, as well as IP54-rated battery packs. Handy for when stuck in the rain, these housings also enable underwater use at up to 10m of depth. LED PROCESSING Special recognition Brompton Technology Founded in 2011, Brompton Technology has since established itself firmly as an industry leader in LED processing. Having won awards for its flagship processor, the Tessera SX40, and more recently picking up a Guinness World Record, the company has been at the forefront of innovation since its very beginning. Virtual production and in-camera VFX is one of many applications in which Brompton has excelled. Its LED processors stand out for their colour quality, made possible with the company’s TrueLight technology – a revolutionary innovation for skin tone preservation. This software is fundamental to the virtual filmmaking process, as it enables realistic lighting and reflections inside an LED volume. Perhaps most crucially, it offers creative flexibility when lighting a film set, thanks in large part to Brompton’s Dynamic Calibration, which maintains uniformity, colour

accuracy, saturation and brightness when calibrating LED panels. No matter what might come next for the production industry, Brompton Technology will likely be one step ahead. LIGHTING FOR VP CHAUVET Professional A Kino Flo brand, CHAUVET Professional provides LED displays – among a vast inventory of other lighting products. The REM MIRA, REM 3IP and REM 1 are the latest additions, while the MT-07 is a new tool for easy panel installation and removal. MARS Volume MARS Volume is more than lighting; it’s a full VP solution that blends game engines, tracking technology, graphics servers and – of course – LED displays. Its London facility features a curved LED wall and 176 sq m ceiling, designed to hold vehicles for simulated travel – and to light these scenes seamlessly. ROE Visual One of the best-known brands in LED displays, ROE Visual is well poised for the future of virtual production (and has been there since the start; its Black Pearl panels were used on The Mandalorian ). ROE’s comprehensive product range suits a variety of VP scenarios, including those requiring an LED floor.

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LIGHTING SPECIAL

PEOPLE & PROJECTS

Star Gaffer: David Smith

Its latest inventions – the BLAIR and BLAIR-CG light engines – “represent Aputure’s two first monumental steps in truly matching the spectrum of traditional light sources,” according to Mitch Gross, director of product marketing. It seems like we’re entering a new phase of cine lighting, and we’re eager to see what Aputure does next. playful ways, heavily referencing the original Oz books, and treating the audience to some truly stunning spectacles which have already earned a place in the cinematic canon. Our voters praised Smith’s meticulous attention to detail, forward planning and collaborative skills, as well as the incredible talent and vision it took to light Wicked ’s vast sets. As one reader put it: “To plan, action and light 15 stages and three outdoor sets bigger than any others in the UK needs acknowledgement!” C ongratulations to David Smith, whose stellar work lighting movies earned him a clutch of nominations for our Star Gaffer award. His CV ranges from Bond to Star Wars , but it was his recent stint on the blockbusting Wicked which piqued the attention of many, and led to he and DOP Alice Brooks earning the Creative Synergy award at last year’s prestigious Manaki Brothers Film Festival. The film uses light and colour in

concerns itself with the future of film lighting. Enabling more sustainable film practices, Greenkit’s lights are not only more environmentally friendly but also less expensive to run and often incredibly portable, making them an obvious choice for today’s eco-minded filmmakers. Panavision Panavision – and Panalux by extension – is completely committed to creating a greener production industry through innovative, eco-friendly solutions. This is true whether it’s with energy-efficient LEDs or emission-free generators. Even its hybrid generator, the 40kW Power h40, only engages its diesel engine when recharging its battery array. Universal Production Services Universal prioritises environmental practices, stocking the latest, most energy-efficient LEDs as well as a range of battery-powered products. Its entire fleet of generator carrier vehicles also runs on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel, which significantly reduces emissions when compared to traditional fossil diesel.

pleased to recognise the company for its outstanding contribution to the industry as a whole. As filmmaking has evolved exponentially, Aputure has kept pace, continuing to offer innovative solutions in the form of lighting software, fixtures and control technologies. “LED lighting is now approaching a 1:1 match between image-based concepts of lighting in artists’ minds to the physical reality on film sets,” explains Brandon Le, head of product development at Aputure. The future of film lighting is here and there is a real thirst for authenticity; for what we see on screen to mimic colour and light in real life. This is only possible with a true replication of traditional tangible sources, whether it’s sunlight, a flickering flame or a tungsten lamp, and this requires engineering expertise. “LEDs can now practically create the actual physical basis of colour,” says Tim Kang, principal engineer for imaging applications. “This is a huge leap in lighting technology.” Aputure excels in this area, blending science with art and knowing what the film industry needs before it has even been articulated. “Many other companies simply try to provide the lowest price at the bare minimum functionality; Aputure instead leads the industry by providing the highest possible technical quality and features with a keen focus on a filmmaker-based design philosophy for all of its products,” argues Ted Sim, the company’s co-founder and president.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION Aputure

Since 2005, Aputure has been leading the charge in LED film lighting, and we’re

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LIGHTING SPECIAL

We pick the brains of Tim Kang, principal engineer for imaging applications at Aputure, to get his hot takes on burgeoning innovations, common hurdles and what the future holds

Definition: What innovation or burgeoning trend in lighting excites you most right now, and how do you see it transforming workflows or creative possibilities? Tim Kang: The transition from RGB colour to truly full-spectrum matches for lighting has finally arrived with Aputure’s STORM series. This opens the door to straightforward What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) lighting colour workflows that are similar to the traditional methods of adding lighting gels to full-spectrum white light. It also continues to provide the flexibility and dynamic image-based colour controls that RGB-colour lighting promised but previously failed to fully deliver. These technological advances completely connect images and ideas to lighting environments. Def: What are the most significant challenges or pain points you encounter in your field, and how are you/the industry addressing them? TK: Apart from company-specific product challenges, industry-wide agreement still doesn’t exist on the definition of white light, coloured light or the means to effectively control both variations. I experienced a competitor rejecting my recommendation to use the white light colour conventions recognised and specified by the American Society of Cinematographers Motion Imaging Technology Council (ASC MITC), due

to their perceived – but misguided – conflation of these standards with Aputure’s product calibration standards. However, I’ve found that patient education of filmmakers about these standards has started to erode this suspicion and distrust from other manufacturers, since the adoption of these fundamental, brand-agnostic specifications has improved colour workflows and fidelity for the craft of cinematography. Def: With sustainability a growing priority in production, what advancements or practices in lighting tech are contributing to more environmentally friendly filmmaking? TK: Although energy requirements have removed energy-inefficient incandescent lighting from normal practice, they also removed the sustainable practice of only replacing incandescent bulbs within fixtures that last for decades. In contrast, LED fixtures inherently have shorter shelf lives due to more complex computing and electronic controls, so shorter component lifespans often drastically reduce fixture lifespans. To increase the sustainability of these fixtures, having manufacturers design them with easily replaceable and recyclable lighting engines, driver boards and electrical components will drastically reduce waste and increase the lifespan of LED lighting products.

LIGHTING TECH AND SOFTWARE have now evolved TO EMPLOY image- based lighting ”

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LIGHTING SPECIAL

Def: How do you see the relationship between lighting manufacturers, DOPs and production teams evolving? Are there areas where collaboration could improve? TK: Lighting manufacturers are gaining more access than ever to their target audiences – like cinematographers – through social media, professional societies like the International Cinema Lighting Society (ICLS) and other kinds of internet-based communities. This ongoing communication has created mutual awareness of customer needs and led to more responsive iterations of lighting products that previously took significantly longer to realise. This valuable collaboration has the potential to improve, with a clearer, shared lighting language commonly used by all parties.

Def: What is one feature or capability that your clients most frequently request – and how does it shape your R&D priorities? TK: Ease of service has recently dominated Aputure’s feature requests. This feature completely transforms and shapes physical and software product research, as well as development, to make easy service possible. Def: As the boundaries between physical and virtual production blur, how is lighting tech adapting to serve hybrid workflows? TK: Lighting tech and software have now evolved to employ image-based lighting (IBL), which offers more dynamic or realistic lighting controls at simple and complex levels alike. For the first time, these IBL fixtures have given lighting technicians the same post-production

tools as post-production departments. This new era of sophisticated lighting controls has only just begun. Def: Looking ahead 5-10 years, what do you think the future holds for lighting technology in film production? What advancements are you most eager to see, or what untapped potential are you hoping to explore? TK: IBL workflows will simplify in scale for the common user due to advancements in compatibility and standardisation of full-spectrum colour control. Lighting control will simultaneously grow more robust and simplify with the adoption of common colour and white light standards; and synchronised lighting timing standards will reduce control errors or unexpected colour problems in camera.

TRUE COLOURS Aputure's STORM 80c (left) offers a tunable colour range from 1800K to 20,000K with full green-magenta adjustment

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LIGHTING SPECIAL

DREAMING IN WORDS Katie Kasperson

Gaffer Christos Georgas details his career, zooming in on standout scenes from Peaky Blinders and sci-fi series Electric Dreams

A s gaffer on projects like Blue Jean , Top Boy , Peaky Blinders , Black Mirror and more, Christos Georgas has enjoyed a lengthy career in production thus far. He first studied cinematography in Greece – his home country – later moving to London, where he chose to instead pursue a career in lighting. “I progressed quickly,” he admits, working alongside cinematographers like Rob Hardy, ASC, BSC, Christopher Ross, BSC, Sam McCurdy, ASC, BSC and long- time collaborator Felix Wiedemann, BSC. While he’s got many celebrated titles to his name, Georgas’ favourite scene is in The Hood Maker , the first episode of Amazon’s anthology series Electric Dreams . Adapted from a 1955 short

story by Philip K Dick, the episode is set in a dystopian future with a telepathic subculture. The plot follows a telepath and a detective as they investigate the emergence of mysterious hoods that block telepathic abilities. During a demonstration, Georgas explains, “they end up at the hood factory, where a fire breaks out. They find themselves on either side of a door, where they share an emotional exchange through a letterbox. “The camera and cast were in very close proximity, but we needed to expose their faces, which were two inches from the door,” Georgas continues. For this, he used the ETC Source Four Zoom 25-50° – “my favourite light,” he adds, due to its versatility. With it, he bounced a sliver of

light on a piece of unbleached muslin that he’d stuck to the door. “The soft, reflected light illuminated their faces and provided an effective eye light that captured the emotional weight of the moment,” he concludes, adding: “It’s my favourite scene I’ve ever lit.” Besides the Source Four light, Georgas also touts the LiteGear LiteMat range and Astera HydraPanel, “which are fantastic,” he enthuses. Georgas’ training in cinematography and his years of lighting experience have taught him how to communicate with DOPs and establish a common visual language that can be translated across the crew. “DOPs create theirs through the camera; I create mine by working closely with DOPs while lighting. One of the main elements, for me, is to be versatile and adapt,” he says. On Peaky Blinders , for instance, Georgas collaborated with DOP Mathieu Plainfossé, with whom he “pushed the creative elements of lighting because it was the last season. We wanted to go out with a bang.” His second-favourite scene comes from the series finale –

GEORGAS URGES YOUNG PEOPLE not to take one ‘no’ too seriously ”

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THE HIGHLIGHT REEL Pictured scenes from Electric Dreams (below) and Peaky Blinders (left) were some of Georgas’ favourite to light

specifically the night exteriors outside The Garrison Tavern, where a gun fight takes place. “Mathieu and I deployed Dino 24 Lites and 12kW fresnels to penetrate the atmos SFX that had been pumped onto the set. With around 50 practicals, we set the tone for the finale – of the season and the series.” Now approaching his fifties, Georgas feels like he’s entering a new phase. “I’ve already had quite a long career and a steep learning curve. I recently archived all the films and TV series I’ve done so far, which made me realise how much I’ve learnt and am still learning,” he laughs. He recently wrapped an American independent film, and is in talks to become an ETC ambassador in 2025. While Georgas might not have regrets per se, he occasionally wonders what his life would have been like if he’d pursued cinematography instead. “I had a choice to make in my early twenties: am I going to carry on in the lighting department or become a cinematographer?” he recalls. “I applied for the National Film and Television School and wasn’t accepted, so I took that as gospel. I wouldn’t

say I gave up the dream of being a cinematographer – you never know what might happen further down the line. “I continued working in the lighting department, which – although it’s been amazing – is a very different dream,” he shares, urging young people not to take

one ‘no’ too seriously. Regardless, he’s proud of his portfolio and eager to see what comes next. “It’s the beginning of a new journey – for me to take initiative, present more of myself and my work and maybe find a way to transfer that knowledge. It’s a very exciting time!”

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LIGHTING SPECIAL

WORDS Adrian Pennington

The most recent advancements in lighting tech are not just new toys, but fundamental philosophies and perspectives on the craft

T he concept of image-based lighting (IBL) is simple: lighting using images. It’s a well- established virtual lighting technique that uses calibrated photographic or videographic RGB colour information to generate subject and environment lighting. Virtual production popularised IBL as a method for motivating light with LED displays, but it’s becoming a more mainstream part of the cinematographer’s arsenal. “There’s rarely a case in which you can’t use it any more,” explains Tim Kang, principal engineer in imaging applications for lighting vendor Aputure.

IBL uses images displayed on LED set lights to produce realistic reflections and ambient lighting in a scene. It gives the cinematographer subtle lighting effects that help make objects appear as though they naturally belong in a given environment. The three main benefits are accuracy, time saving and much more control. “The biggest one for me is control,” says Kang. “We’ve been chasing naturalism in lighting for around 100 years, but we’re only able to approximate an image of the real world. “With IBL, you can get the naturalism you want and then control the variables and fix them much more directly. The

problem is that people still associate this concept with an incredibly niche, expensive LED environment, when in fact IBL is a fundamental lighting philosophy. It involves using any kind of image – like a pattern painted live or a light card – as a lighting source. It also utilises a lighting control methodology that employs an entire environment of lighting fixtures – not merely displays – to generate IBL onto a scene.” There are now clear technical steps for transforming lighting fixtures into colour-accurate and video-driven lighting pixels. This is why Kang believes the entire craft of entertainment lighting

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