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GETTING THE LOOK RIGHT FOR AWARDS SEASON With awards season in full swing, we look at a number of this year’s big hits and find out exactly what they all have in common
me because the ideas open like a tap; they just flow, and as you’re reading the words you see the film take shape in front of you.” THE RIGHT GEAR Once Ramsay has his vision, he thinks about how he’ll translate it to the screen. For this, you need the right kit. Director Oliver Hermanus and Ramsay agreed on an element of homage to the old days of film. “We wanted to have quite a print-film sort of feel to it,” says Ramsay, describing their criteria for choosing lenses. “And it needed to have character.” To deliver his vision, Ramsay knew the glass had to be robust and distinctive, but most importantly, it needed to practically cover the sensor – as the team wanted to shoot open gate. The lens itself also needed to provide a contrast ratio and colour ratio that could get them footage that felt almost like print film. Shooting on ZEISS Supremes was the obvious choice. “They really gave the pixels
all they needed to get us that tone and texture that we could pull out in post. It’s also important to note the inherent contrast to these lenses, and how dense and rich they feel,” says Ramsay. “Now, obviously one sprinkles a bit of magic on in the form of filtration and things like that, just to get your independent language, right? But as a base acquisition they were the right lenses. They cover the entire sensor, everything feels uniform, but robust and responsible and strong.” The results? Well, they speak for themselves. So far, Living has received four Bafta nominations, including one for best British film. LENS WITH BENEFITS Long-time collaborators Rian Johnson and Steve Yedlin ASC were two of the creative minds behind Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery . Featuring the return of Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), the fun, fast-paced whodunnit follows the sleuth to a fictional Greek island, where Blanc peels back the layers of intrigue surrounding narcissistic tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). “You know, the look of the original Knives Out is this dark, Gothic, East Coast, steely, wintry light,” explains Yedlin, the
IF YOU’RE LOOKING for a drama to watch, you could do a lot worse than Living , the 2022 British film adapted from the 1952 Japanese picture Ikiru . For those unfamiliar with this classic story, the film depicts a veteran civil servant (played by Bill Nighy) who receives a medical diagnosis that inspires him to move to the south coast and enjoy his remaining days. Of course, having the right cast and budget in place is an integral part of making any production a success, but really they only buy you style. Most importantly, you need someone with the right vision to bring the production to life. That’s why Living ’s producers drafted in cinematographer Jamie D Ramsay, SASC, best known for his work on television drama and ratings smash Noughts + Crosses , as well as romantic drama Mothering Sunday . Aesthetic choices begin during the initial script read, Ramsay explains. “That’s the first step in finding the look to my chosen film. I know very quickly if it resonates with
CRITIC’S CHOICE Looking (above) and Under the Banner of Heaven (right) both made use of ZEISS – to great acclaim
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