American Cinematographer - March 2008 - (Page 42)

Some Kind of Monster Chinese lanterns emulate the lighting on the Brooklyn Bridge while a Xenon mimics a helicoptermounted Night Sun. This portion of the sequence was shot on Downey Studios’ Stage 1 prior to location shooting on the real bridge. moved to New York for location work. On the actual Brooklyn Bridge, local gaffer Clay Liversidge and key grip George Patsos were tasked with helping Bonvillain match what had been shot onstage, lighting that also included “a Xenon that mimicked the Night Sun on a helicopter,” notes the cinematographer. “It’s a standard light for police work. Because we did [the stage portion] first, we had to match where the actual helicopter was to a certain extent. “On the bridge,” continues Bonvillain, “we had this weird procession: the operator, Chris Hayes, and focus puller, Angelo Di Giacomo, with all the batteries and a loop of cable; my nephew and camera PA, Nicholas Roose, who was wearing a backpack modified to hold the [SRW-1] recording deck; and then, in the back, me, Matt and Nick, holding a battery-powered, 12-inch hi-def monitor. We were running in this single-file line as fast as we could 42 March 2008 with all these people around us, and I was giving instructions to the helicopter pilot about where to fly and where to aim the light!” The production was prohibited from bringing a generator onto the bridge, so Bonvillain and Liversidge used mercury-vapor lights powered by marine batteries. “We also had two 18K Pars on a Condor on FDR Drive,” adds Bonvillain. “Those were aimed at the two stanchions because they were so dark — the Brooklyn Bridge is really poorly lit.” Back off the bridge, Rob gets a phone call from Beth, who is trapped in her apartment. Determined to save her, Rob and his friends head into the monster’s path, opting at one point to walk through a subway tunnel in the hopes of avoiding the dangers above ground. Making it out of the subway rather the worse for wear, the group runs into a department store that’s been commandeered by the military. Inside, soldiers lead them through what Bonvillain calls “E.T.-style plastic tunnels” to a makeshift medical station, where Marlena, who is injured, is taken away; finally, they reach the heart of the command center, where Rob argues with one of the brass about his need to get back outside and save Beth. Shot with the HVX200, the sequence spans three locations — the exterior of Bloomingdale’s in New York and the interiors of two department stores in Santa Anita, California — and comprises a series of shots blended together to look like one take. “One thing we figured out with the trailer was that we could do a slow pan, cut on the move, and use the first and second parts from different takes,” says Bonvillain. “[Editor] Kevin Stitt had to do a little blending in post, but there was nothing gimmicky — we didn’t need to glitch out the video.” In the triage area, Bonvillain and production designer Martin Whist originally opted to go with a fluorescent look. “When Matt first looked at it, he thought it was kind of boring, so we decided to pan around a couple of Xenons to liven it up. We kept adding more, and everywhere you looked, [the action] was backlit. With all the dust floating around the characters’ heads, it’s a nice effect. “Matt and I collaborate really well,” he adds. “I can give him notes on acting, and he can give me notes on lighting.” When the friends finally reach Beth’s apartment — a 39th-story unit overlooking Columbus Circle — they discover her building has been badly damaged and is leaning at a precarious angle into an adjacent structure. “Martin Whist built the set for Beth’s apartment down into this big well onstage at Downey,” says Bonvillain. Marra adds, “Walking into it was like walking into a funhouse. There were floor-to-ceiling windows, and we had greenscreen all

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - March 2008

American Cinematographer - March 2008 Contents Editor’s Note Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore Production Slate: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids Magical Mystery Tour Some Kind of Monster Tantalizing Television Making Sitcoms “Sexy” Post Focus: Mega Playground Helps Set Look for Sibling Post Focus: Visual Effects Society Launches White Paper New Products & Services International Marketplace Classified Ads Ad Index In Memoriam: John McPherson, ASC ASC Membership Roster Clubhouse News ASC Close-Up: Wayne Kennan

American Cinematographer - March 2008

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