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VERA SHOOT STORY
IT’S BECOME A KIND OF PROVING GROUND FOR NEW DIRECTORS AND DOPS AS YOU AREN’T HELD BACK
he production world is moving so fast that there are bound to be some casualties. Improvements in technology
like LED lighting and new sensors impact on technique and craft but also new blood has new ways of doing things. So it was with Vera , a UK police drama series with feature- length episodes. Each series has four episodes shot with different DOPs and directors; similar to many other episodic shows in that respect. Unfortunately, the new series of Vera and Shetland have attracted some internet trolling, especially from a group of retired BBC camera people. They actually wrote a letter to Ed Moore’s agent, the DOP of both, saying that he didn’t know how to frame anything and should go back to film school. We think that they should applaud this superb example of new style visual storytelling. You can tell that we at Definition are big fans of Vera and especially an episode from the latest block called Darkwater . DOP Ed Moore and Director Lee Haven Jones teamed up for this show and have gone on to shoot a few Shetland episodes, also for ITV in the UK. Vera isn’t as serialised as it used to be so episodes don’t need the same story thread entwined through each. This has encouraged this swapping out of talent with the safety net of the same colourist to match anything that needs it. As a result, you get four individual little films, each with an identity of its own, something that was encouraged by the series producer. DOP Ed Moore thinks this approach is very refreshing and has unveiled new talent. “It’s become a kind of proving ground for new directors and DOPs as you aren’t held back by fitting a house style,” he says. “That said, of course there are only a number of ways to shoot the same sets. You watch a few episodes and get a sense of the style so you’re not wildly out.”
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MAY 2018 DEFINITION
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