SOCIETY OF THE SNOW PRODUCTION
THIS WAS a big project , AND WE GOT a lot of cameras and lenses supplied . BUT THEY WERE ALL NEEDED”
The third set was a backlot down the mountain where the weather was milder, boasting a 300x300ft reproduction of the Valley of Tears made from scaffolding and foam. It also featured another fuselage, this time supported by a hydraulic crane to enable movement. Six types of artificial snow were utilised, but sometimes – especially for close-ups – only the real thing would do: “We’d bring in truckloads of snow from the mountain in a crazy fashion. The special effects guy – Pau Costa – was fantastic, and we also used a German company called Snow Business for the artificial stuff, who were really great,” enthuses Luque. Despite the large budget (reportedly $65 million) and the filmmakers’ wealth of experience, the shoot provided ongoing lessons all round. Altitude management was a crucial consideration, with the backlot at 1000m and the highest set at 3000m, while the constantly changing
landscape meant they had their work cut out ensuring continuity. The altitude, coupled with the remoteness of the locations, also posed a problem for data management, which Luque admits ended up being ‘a bit of a mess’. “We were doing super long takes. Cards are expensive, and they fill up! We had a professional skier skiing down the mountain with the cards and then she’d be towed back up. There was a base camp down the mountain where we had people working 24 hours a day with the data, which worked great… but it was definitely intense!” GEARING UP FOR GREATNESS The production’s deep pockets allowed for an extensive kit-testing phase in the Italian Alps. “We tested the Sony Venice, ARRI ALEXA, ALEXA Mini LF, 65 – we needed pixel count for Netflix and had
to go large format. We tested RED, Leica lenses, ARRI lenses, Hawks, Panavision – I had my favourites and put together an edit for Bayona, which he watched without knowing which one was which. Fortunately for us, we came to the same conclusion on what equipment we liked,” reports Luque. The main package selected was an ARRI ALEXA Mini LF with Panavision T Series anamorphics, lending a classic cinematic look which the DOP and director both loved, but they also utilised GoPros, a RED Dragon, 15mm ZEISS Supreme Prime, Panavision Primos, various anamorphic zooms and an ARRI ALEXA for helicopter shots. “It was luxurious – this was a big project, and we got a lot of cameras and lenses supplied. But they were all needed. We had a unit that would go to the top of the mountain when the weather was bad, and these two guys would ski up the mountain, set up camp and shoot.
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