HEARTSTOPPER PRODUCTION
FINDING FREEDOM In general, Susnea prioritised flexibility and practicality when sourcing her equipment. Heartstopper ’s previous DOP Diana Olifirova shot Season 1 on the ALEXA Mini LF, and Susnea continued this into Seasons 2 and 3 with a two-camera set-up. “It’s such a stunning piece of equipment,” she enthuses. “It helped me achieve warmth and build that colour palette in the lighting.” As for glass, Susnea chose the Panavision H Series for its organic look and feel. The lenses did a lot of the heavy lifting, producing flares and other effects in-camera rather than forcing Susnea to rely on post. “I would plan certain scenes around particular times of day so I could use the sun to play with the lens. I don’t like to leave stuff for VFX because there’s a question of availability – will I be part of that process?” She continues: “I want to make sure that when there’s a visual idea I want to use, I can achieve it in-camera as much as possible.” To illuminate each scene, there were times when Susnea embraced a natural approach but generally, she went for full LED lighting. This allowed her to retain control over both on-set builds and on location, such as in Paris. The sets “came with their own restrictions in terms of scale,” she explains, but they ultimately gave her the freedom to ‘play with colour and create that nice, warm look’. In episode 208, for instance, the Heartstopper ensemble go to prom – a common teenage rite of passage. The cast and crew had two days to pull the sequence together, posing a creative challenge for all involved. They had to build the set essentially from scratch, accounting for blocking, health and safety and having an onstage concert. “We had a lot of actors on-set,” including “loads of extras,” explains Susnea, “so I knew I couldn’t put lights on the ground. Everything had to be linked from the top.” She ultimately created a bespoke lighting plan and shot the prom scenes in 360°. “There was much to achieve in two days and I’m proud of that; it was hard to do.” Earlier in Season 2, the group visits France on a joint Truham-Higgs school trip, hitting iconic attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. “There’s an aspect of practicality – I like keeping things simple,” shares Susnea. “LED lighting
IN THE FEELS These stills from the show are great examples of the warm, soft lighting the crew achieved both in the studio and on location
the mercy of Mother Nature, so you can fully craft the look of a scene.” This look was firmly cemented during the colour grade. Susnea worked with colourist Lee Clappison during pre-production, ensuring that ‘when we actually got to the colour grade, we had a look that worked, maximising our time’. She continues: “Usually, it takes a while to land on a look, whereas with Heartstopper , it was straightforward.” Of course, Heartstopper came with its fair share of hurdles. “The main challenge for TV at the moment is the time you have to accomplish the work at a level that’s not only good for your craft, but also for an audience to feel as though there’s consistency,” shares Susnea, with this being exacerbated when shooting on location. Budget proved to be another impediment, with the team working within predetermined confines, “even though Heartstopper is a phenomenon,” according to Susnea. With Season 3 out worldwide, fans now have eight new episodes to enjoy thanks to Susnea and the rest of the cast and crew. “It was a labour of love to get it done,” she reflects – and one that shines all the brighter for it. Heartstopper Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix
was the way to do it.” Depending on the location and scene, Susnea had to navigate scheduling restrictions such as how long they could film in one place. “As we know, the realities of filming a scene are that it can be done in an hour or two, but sometimes you need more time,” she describes. “The locations themselves were beautiful and allowed us to achieve plenty of visual richness,” she says of the City of Love, which offered a welcome change of scenery from the county of Kent. HEAD OVER HEELS Season 3 introduced a whole new crop of locations – including the beach, the zoo and a summer carnival, as well as the rehab facility that Charlie stays in for an extended period. Susnea enjoys working both in a studio and on location, adding that each comes with unique pros and cons. “With studios, the main challenge is being able to give it texture. That’s sometimes harder than you think,” she argues. “I do love a location for making it feel real and more organic, whereas studios give you a lot of control and much more consistency – which also allows you more time. Plus, you’re not at
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