HORIZON PRODUCTION
H orizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is the first of four instalments in Kevin Costner’s epic western, chronicling a 15-year span in the American West. Opening in 1859 in the San Pedro Valley – two years before the outbreak of the American Civil War – we see a team of surveyors outlining the forthcoming frontier town of Horizon. Chapter 1 introduces us to numerous families and characters as they navigate the American frontier. Beautifully shot by DOP Jimmy Muro, Horizon sees Costner return to the big screen in fine form. Muro first met Costner on the set of Field of Dreams in 1989, where he served as a Panaglide operator on the film. After a good experience here, Costner asked producers to hire Muro as a camera operator on Dances with Wolves . “I also met my wife while working on the film,” begins Muro. “We only had three cameras to shoot the whole film, so I really cut my teeth on that movie. I had an incredible time.” Muro and Costner would go on to collaborate again on a number of films throughout the years, including JFK, before Costner hired Muro as DOP on Open Range in 2003. When it came to Horizon , Muro had reached out to Kevin and caught up with him before being approached to shoot the film. “I thought long and hard about it,” admits Muro. “I couldn’t see any path other than doing it for the individual who both made me a cinematographer and got me out of the junkyard from New York City to work on Dances with Wolves . I knew I could support him and be there to take some of the relief off his
RIDE TOGETHER Muro’s bond with Costner – forged over decades of collaboration – helped shape Horizon’s unique visuals
shoulders for his passion project. There’s a lot that goes on when making a movie like Horizon . We had to set it up right; I started physically working out as I knew the environment was going to be a tough one, but Kevin has got so much energy, it is incredible.” Although Costner and Muro had lots of initial conversations about the look of Open Range , as well as watching several movies in preparation, the approach was different for Horizon . “I brought certain things to the table, including a camera test as I wanted Kevin to feel comfortable with what I was doing,” explains Muro. “ Horizon has been around in Kevin’s mind for so long now. He already had various images and references, like a Rembrandt painting that inspired a certain scene in the film. As far as creating the universe, it was up to me. That’s why I thought about how we would technically capture this. Kevin and I have both been Panavision people for a long time.” Muro opted to shoot the film with the RED V-RAPTOR and Leica Summilux lenses. “It’s the same package that David Fincher used on The Killer ,” adds Muro. “It’s so unique, beautiful and light years ahead of what they’ve been doing. When we started finally seeing the images on the monitor, Kevin was over the moon. I created the visuals myself at FotoKem Laboratory with colourist Phil Beckner. The surveyor story at the beginning of the film, for example, had a whole saturated- colour look. As the saga goes on, it’s told in flashbacks of what really happened – and that has its own unique look too. When you go up to the mountains and
I STARTED physically working out AS I KNEW THE ENVIRONMENT WAS going to be a tough one ”
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