www.SHOOTonline.com August/September 2020

Film Commissions: Production 21

The Road Chat Room: Lawrence Sher, ASC 25 To Emmy

Series Part 13, Page 4

Top Ten Music Tracks Chart 26 From top left, clockwise: Scenes from Hollywood, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Becoming, The Crown, Will & Grace, and Watchmen.

Cinematographers & Cameras 28 Agency Mid-year Report Card 14 | From Left Anh-Thu Le, Jim Elliott, Amy Wertheimer, Diego de la Maza

TO GET CONNECTED CINEMATOGRAPHERS & CAMERAS Photo by David Lee/courtesy of Netflix David by Photo Zuckerman Andrew by Photo courtesy Prime Photo of Amazon Da 5 Bloods Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC Ollie Downey A scene from Hanna Lensing ’s Da 5 Bloods For Netflix, Amazon’s Hanna Newton Thomas Siegel, ASC and Ollie Downey reflect on their collaborators, camera choices

By Robert Goldrich story takes us to largely unexplored terri- the ARRI Alexa LF. look which didn’t have “the sharpness or One DP reunited with consummate film- tory relative to the much chronicled Viet- When the story hit the jungle, Sigel ex- harshness” that had normally been associ- maker Spike Lee, expanding their col- nam War--namely the perspective of Black plained that the goal was to depict this all- ated with digital cameras. laborative relationship from short to long- servicemen while delving into PTSD, encompassing environment. “The jungle For Sigel a prime highlight of working form fare. greed, corruption, social and personal is- was enveloping our heroes like a Venus on Da 5 Bloods was deepening his collab- Another took on the second season of sues that impact these veterans and future flytrap,” he said. Towards that end, a 1.85:1 orative bond with Lee whom he describes a show--not always a coveted proposition- generations. Meshed with news footage of aspect ratio was selected, which opened as being one of the great American film- -but saw major creative opportunity which the Vietnam War to today’s Black Lives up the top and bottom of the picture, ef- making masters. “Spike likes to work re- as it turns out came to fruition. Matter movement, speeches from Martin fectively making the canvas larger--with ally fast. You have to be well prepared and Here are insights from Newton Thom- Luther King Jr. and activists like Angela saturated greens and yellows for the jungle ready to play,” related Sigel. “He’s very as Sigel, ASC on Da 5 Bloods (Netflix) and Davis as well as rhetoric from racist politi- landscape. For this part of the feature, Si- decisive yet very collaborative. He knows Ollie Downey on Hanna (Amazon Prime). cians, the film carries both historical and gel deployed the ARRI Alexa Mini. what he wants very much but he listens to contemporary relevance. And when moving to the flashback you. If he likes an idea, he will be decisive Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC It was a dream project for Sigel whose about squad leader Stormin’ Norman in favor of it. So if you have an idea, you Cinematographer Newton Thomas life was shaped in his youth by the civil (Boseman), the goal was to recreate the had better believe in it 100 percent.” Sigel, ASC has known Spike Lee going rights movement and protests over the soldiers’ wartime experience which At press time, Sigel was in post on Cher- back to early on in their careers when Vietnam War. Yet the DP feared he’d have meant a news crew approach from 1971. ry, a feature he shot for directors Joe and both were coming up the ranks in New to turn down Lee’s invite due to schedul- With journalists embedded in the war Anthony Russo. York. Sigel was making documentaries as ing. Sigel was deep into lensing the fea- at the time, 16mm film would have been Like Da 5 Bloods, the aforementioned Lee emerged out of NYU as a narrative ture Extraction (Netflix), a commitment the choice. Sigel shot reversal film, a style Extraction was a Netflix film. The Sam filmmaker. Their paths crossed over the which would cut into needed prep time used in that era, with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Hargrave action-drama, which stars Chris years, yielding a number of collaborations for Da 5 Bloods. But Lee was undaunted. bringing the edges of the image in, result- Hemsworth, broke in April and quickly in which Sigel shot Lee-directed commer- “I remember Spike saying, ‘we can do this, ing in a square nestled in the middle of the became Netflix’s most-watched feature cials. But they had never done a feature to- we’re (filmmaking) veterans,’” said Sigel. frame. Sigel shot with ARRI 416 16mm debut to date, drawing 90 million house- gether, something Sigel--whose credits in- “He believed in me. The war had a big cameras, going with Kodak Ektachrome hold streams in its first month. clude Drive, Three Kings, and the BAFTA impact on my growing up and to get to ex- Reversal Film stock, heightening the bat- Prior to designing the look for Ex- Best Cinematography Award-nominated amine it from Spike’s worldview and the tlefield environment through the textural traction, Sigel photographed Bohemian Bohemian Rhapsody--had been waiting perspective of African-American soldiers qualities of celluloid grain. Rhapsody, the exquisite portrait of Fred- and wished for lo these many years. was a tremendous opportunity. It was Sigel is no stranger to lensing 16mm die Mercury and rock band Queen. Sigel Then Sigel got a call out of the blue also amazing to actually shoot in Vietnam film, hearkening back to his alluded to earlier told SHOOT that his biggest take- from Lee with the opportunity the DP where it all happened when I was grow- early documentary days. He remains a away or lesson learned from his experi- had hoped for--to shoot Da 5 Bloods, a fea- ing up.” lover of shooting film. At the same time, ence on Bohemian Rhapsody was simply ture introducing us to four Black Ameri- Lee and Sigel went with three aspect he has diversified meaningfully into digi- “how much I love shooting music.” can war vets (portrayed by Delroy Lindo, ratios for Da 5 Bloods. The movie’s open- tal, notably with the Panavision Genesis Sigel’s seminal use of exotic film stocks Clarke Peters, Isiah Whitlock Jr, and Norm ing in contemporary Ho Chi Minh City camera years ago on . and innovative negative processing meth- Lewis) who return to Vietnam to find bur- deployed 2.40:1 widescreen, letterboxing He then first experienced Alexa on Drive, ods on Three Kings laid a foundation for ied treasure, a chest full of gold bars, that on the top and bottom, capturing a clean, which he regarded as “the perfect cam- new avenues of cinematography. In 2010, they and their late squad leader (Chadwick clear look at what Sigel described as “a era” for that movie. He was drawn to its he photographed ’s Boseman) hid during combat duty. The modern, bustling place.” Sigel opted for performance in available light and a filmic Hollywood debut, Drive, which won the 28 SHOOT August/September 2020 CINEMATOGRAPHERS & CAMERAS

Best Director Award at Cannes and is uni- world of The Meadows and meets others are going through in an extraordinarily is an action thriller, we wanted everyone versally praised for its imagery. like herself, including Sandy (Áine Rose strange scenario.” to look great while keeping that softness Sigel’s other credits include The Usual Daly) and Jules (Gianna Kiehl), she begins Barcelona posed some logistical chal- and sensitivity.” Suspects and the X-Men movies for direc- to question her role in the larger context lenges. Downey shared that it is Farr’s For Downey the success of Hanna tor ; ’s dark of Utrax’s assassin program and ultimately, favorite city and for the two episodes he comes from the top with such influenc- noir tale Blood & Wine starring Jack where she truly belongs. directed they were shooting at least two ers/architects as Farr, executive producer Nicholson; Gregory Hoblit’s Fallen star- Downey came into Hanna having to locations a day. “We had to be precise. It Tom Coan and series producer Laura ring Denzel Washington; Confessions of a navigate a delicate balancing act, main- was challenging moving about but at the Hastings-Smith. Downey said of Coan, Dangerous Mind and Leatherheads with taining the visual foundation of the series same time incredibly rewarding, explor- “He lives and breathes the show, listens to longtime collaborator ; created by DP Dana Gonzales, among oth- ing so much that Barcelona has to offer,” everyone to get ideas. He does as much ’s The Brothers Grimm; and ers, from the outset of the show (Gonza- related Downey. “It’s like we were the listening as talking.” And with creden- ’s directorial debut, Towelhead. les shot the very first two episodes) while luckiest tourists in the world.” tials that include producing director adding to that look and feel in season two. Downey deployed a pair of ARRI Alexa Steve McQueen’s first feature, Hunger, Ollie Downey Gonzales is a five-time Emmy nominee, Minis for Hanna, explaining that the cam- Hastings-Smith brings “a brilliant eye,” Drawing DP Ollie Downey to the sec- the most recent nod coming last year for era yields images with “the closest look said Downey, to Hanna. The cast is also ond season of Hanna were: the story that the Hanna pilot. He won an Emmy in to film of all the digital cameras. Some “brilliant,” affirmed the DP. unfolded during the first season and being 2016 for an episode of Fargo. might disagree with that but to each their Hanna adds to career lensing high- able to have a hand in where it would go Downey described Gonzales’ work on own.” He paired the Alexas with Panavi- lights for Downey which also span such next; his love of the feature film on which Hanna as “very textured, subtle and so- sion PVintage lenses, providing “a peace- television series as Temple, Electric the series is based; and the opportunity phisticated.” For Downey, a prime goal ful and flattering feel. Even though this Dreams and Brittania. to work with directors Eva Husson and was “trying to capture that lovely sensitiv- David Farr, the show’s creator, writer and ity and bring it into the expanded world Flash Back EP. Downey wound up lensing the first of season two.” He observed that while three episodes of season two, all directed season one is “a bit like a fairytale” with August 7, 2015 Cheryl Boone Isaacs was re-elected president of the by Husson, as well as the season’s last two Hanna pursued by “wicked witch” types, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization’s Board episodes, helmed by Farr. season two “felt a bit broader,” calling for of Governors. Jeffrey Kurland was elected first VP; John Bailey, Kathleen “Both of these directors were good a more “coming-of-age” style as we meet Kennedy and Bill Kroyer were elected to VP posts; Jim Gianopulos was elected reasons to get involved,” shared Downey other girls who experienced what Hanna treasurer; and Phil Robinson was elected secretary. Boone Isaacs is beginning who affirmed that your directing collabo- went through. “It’s an expanded story that her third term as president and her 23rd year as a governor representing the rators represent “a big factor” in deciding still needs that lovely sensitivity (from Public Relations Branch....PRETTYBIRD has signed filmmaker Jason Zada, whether to go for a job or not. season one). We hung onto the handheld who’s known for his immersive storytelling skills reflected in work for such Season two debuted on July 3 and a work, the softness of lighting, the look of agencies as W+K, CP+B, Leo Burnett, Saatchi, RPA, Y&R and Grey....Little Minx, little over a week later came the news that naturalism but brought it into this bigger the production house headed by founder/EP Rhea Scott, has brought the Amazon Studio had given the green light world.” directorial team Sea Chant--consisting of the L.A.-based Carissa and Andrew to a third season. This world was also set in distinctly dif- Gallo--aboard its roster. Previously the directors were unrepresented in the Hanna follows the journey of an ex- ferent locations, observed Downey who U.S., working independently for varied clients..... traordinary young woman, played by Esmé noted that the initial season two episodes Creed-Miles, as she evades the relentless took place primarily in a big old country August 8, 2010 Goodby, Silverstein & Partners has hired Rick Dennis pursuit of a sinister government agency house in the north of England while the as executive creative director on Chevrolet. Dennis will oversee all creative and tries to unearth the truth behind who final two episodes were in Barcelona. duties in the agency’s office, working closely with executive creative she is. Following her discovery at the end “Both locations leave their stamp visu- directors Rick Condos and Hunter Hindman, who are both based in the of season one, Hanna now knows she is ally,” said Downey. “Eva, the director of San Francisco office of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. Dennis began his career in the BBDO Detroit mailroom, segued into a copywriter at JWT and not the only woman with unparalleled the first block of (season two) episodes, CME Detroit, and returned to BBDO as executive creative director. Over the skill and elite training to emerge out of the comes from an independent French cin- course of his career, he has worked on a multitude of automotive brands Utrax program. In season two, she risks ema background. She has that softness including Jeep and Dodge.... Bill Oberlander has joined JWT New York as her freedom to rescue her friend Clara and light Dutch that Dana (Gonzales) cap- executive creative director, where he will oversee the Microsoft Commercial (Yasmin Monet Prince) from the clutches tured in the first season. That’s important business. He joins a Microsoft team that includes Jeremy Postaer on Bing of the Utrax program at their new facility, because as much as the show is part action and Jim Hord on Microsoft Office. Most recently, Oberlander served as chief The Meadows, run by John Carmichael thriller, it is also part coming-of-age story creative officer/executive VP of Cossette New York. There he worked on Estée (Dermot Mulroney) and his second in and about mother-daughter relationships Lauder, Carlsberg Beer, and Cannondale Bikes, among other brands. Prior command, Leo Garner (Anthony Welsh). that are intimate and sensitive subjects. to assuming the lead creative role at Cossette, Oberlander was executive Hanna finds help in the unlikely form of Ava felt the approach should be even creative director at McCann Erickson, where he pitched and won the $350 her previous nemesis, CIA agent Marissa more naturalistic than the first season. million Intel business. Before that, he also spent time at Ogilvy on Motorola, Wiegler (Mireille Enos) who must protect She didn’t want viewers to be aware of the AT&T Wireless, Sprite, Ameritrade and Nestlé Waters.... Production house both herself and Hanna from the ruth- lighting. We stripped it back further for a Mothership, a sister company to Digital Domain, has signed director Grzegorz less organization she once trusted. Yet simple, hopefully sensitive approach, tell- Jonkajtys for commercial and music video work in the U.S.... as Hanna delves deeper into the elusive ing the story of what these young women August/September 2020 SHOOT 29