PRODUCTION MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
WORDS NICOLA FOLEY IMAGES AMAZON MGM STUDIOS DOP Fabian Wagner, ASC, BSC & gaffer Jonny Franklin reflect on crafting the visual world of He-Man’s latest adventure R eleased in theatres this summer, Masters of the Universe brings Lighting Masters of the Universe
“We also established colour palettes for every world and major environment, giving each location its own identity while maintaining a consistent visual language across the entire film,” he continues. “As gaffer, my role was to translate Fabian’s creative vision into practical lighting solutions, making sure the visual principles stayed consistent throughout what was a very ambitious production.” Shooting big action sequences and long dialogue scenes on a backlot in London (principal photography took place at Sky Studios Elstree) caused a few difficulties in terms of controlling the light for long periods, as did maintaining consistency across the practical sets, green-screen stages and location work. But the main obstacle to overcome was the sheer scale of the operation, and how to balance that with the level of control they needed. “We were creating a world that should feel huge and fantastical, but the lighting needed to feel motivated and emotionally connected to the characters,” explains Wagner. “A lot of the work was about making complex environments feel natural, tactile and
create a difference between the world Adam grows up in – our world – and his home planet.” Wagner and gaffer Jonny Franklin took inspiration from the original source material when cooking up the film’s look, scouring cartoons and classic comics so they could capture the essence of the iconic visuals, with a view to reinterpreting them afresh for modern audiences. From there, they developed their own ‘ Masters of the Universe visual bible’, which all departments referred to during production. When it came to the lighting, “everything started with the story,” says Franklin. “Before we thought about fixtures or tech, we focused on what each scene needed to communicate emotionally.
He-Man back to the big screen in a live-action take on the classic eighties franchise. Directed by Travis Knight, the film follows Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) as he returns to Eternia after years on Earth, embracing his destiny as He-Man to take on Skeletor (Jared Leto) in an epic showdown. In a world that is bold, colourful and mythic, DOP Fabian Wagner, ASC, BSC wanted to make sure the visuals stayed grounded with real texture and weight. “The look of the film is built around strong silhouettes, dramatic light and a sense of scale, while always keeping the characters at the centre,” he begins. “For me, the most important thing was to
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