American Cinematographer - June 2008 - (Page 16)

Production Slate A Russian Epic and a Green Documentary Temudgin (Asano Tadanobu), on his way to becoming the legendary Genghis Khan, enjoys a rare moment of repose in a scene from Mongol. Warrior Nation by Jean Oppenheimer Russian cinematographer Sergey Trofimov, RGC gained an international following for his work on the supernatural thriller Night Watch (2004) and its sequel, Day Watch (AC Aug. ’07), and his success had one unintended consequence. “After those two movies, everybody considered me an action cinematographer, but I also like to shoot portraits,” he says, speaking by phone from Moscow. He got the chance to do both kinds of work on his latest film, Mongol, which tells the story of legendary 12th-century warrior Genghis Khan. Directed by Sergei Bodrov, the picture was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign 16 June 2008 Language Film. (The submitting country was Kazakhstan.) Trofimov was one of two cinematographers on the historical epic, which shot for 25 weeks over a two-year period beginning in 2005; the other was Rogier Stoffers, NSC (Disturbia, Quills), who was unavailable for an interview. Trofimov filmed the sequences that feature the adult Temudgin (Khan’s given name), while Stoffers handled the character’s childhood scenes. The story begins as 9-year-old Temudgin (Odnyam Odsuren) and his chieftain father, Esugei, ride to a camp where Temudgin chooses a bride. Promising to return for the girl in five years, they leave, and on their way home, Esugei is murdered. Temudgin is his father’s successor, but resentful underling Targutai (Amadu Mamadakov) seizes power and vows to kill Temudgin when he reaches manhood. The second half of the film is dominated by battles as the adult Temudgin (Asano Tadanobu) confronts an array of enemies, including Targutai and the Merkits, a rival clan. This part of the story also chronicles the love affair between Temudgin and his wife, Borte (Khulan Chuluun). The childhood portion of the story was completed in nine weeks, at which point the production had to shut down and seek more financing, according to Bodrov. In one respect, he adds, the hiatus proved lucky: “My assistant and I used the time to scout remote regions of Mongolia and Kazakhstan, and we found the most unbelievable Mongol photos by Alexander Zabrin and Igor Vereshagin, courtesy of Picturehouse and Sergey Trofimov.

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

American Cinematographer - June 2008 Contents Editor's Note Short Takes: "100 Days, " Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings Production Slate: Mongol Production Slate: Greensburg Vintage Indy A Prince in Peril Women's World 90 Years of Precision Post Focus: A 3-D Imax Work Flow for Wild Ocean Post Focus: 3cP Incorporates ASC CDL on State of Play Filmmakers' Forum: John Baily, ASC New Products & Services International Marketplace Classified Ads Ad Index ASC Membership Roster In Memoriam: Gayne Rescher, ASC Clubhouse News ASC Close-Up: Rob McLachlan

American Cinematographer - June 2008

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