American Cinematographer - June 2008 - (Page 64)

Women’s World keeps the light focused so you don’t have to put too many flags around it,” recalls the cinematographer. “We tried to keep the walls a bit dark and do a sunny thing through the windows. I lit the backdrop very bright so it felt real.” “For the sunlight, we had 20Ks on scissor lifts behind the backdrop to mimic the light coming through the window,” explains Marzovilla. “To carry that feel onto Carrie, inside we had perimeter lights, a series of 300-watt mushroom bulbs that create a warm edge around a person. We had 10 [batten] strips of eight bulbs in a semicircle and ringed the perimeter of the set with them, so anywhere she stood, she was in that light. “To help create texture, we used a lot of Par cans and Lekos to light the plants in one scene or the curtains in another,” continues the gaffer. “It’s not natural, obviously, but this was supposed to look a bit over the top. Everything is illuminated except for the walls. We wanted it to be a very rich environment.” King recalls, “Patrick, who’s a master photographer, was screaming, ‘Oh, John, this lighting is perfect, perfect!’ And there was John, looking down, all humble. John is so mild-mannered and quiet — no fuss, no muss — but I believe him to be a master at lighting. He’s all stealth; you don’t see the effort.” New York City also had to have its share of beauty shots, and the filmmakers were pleased to be able to shoot wide shots that were unattainable on the series. These include the grand marble interior of the New York Public Library and the cobblestone streets of the trendy Meatpacking District. Naturally, some locations required large-scaled coordination; in one instance, the production locked down 40th Street in midtown for several days to shoot a scene involving Carrie and her beau, Mr. Big (Chris Noth), outside the library. ¢ Above: A fashion shoot featuring Carrie as a model called for fullon glamour lighting. In this shot, the crew is filming stills photographer Patrick Demarchelier at work on the shoot, which actually yielded a photo spread for Vogue. Seated behind Demarchelier at right are three Vogue staffers who play themselves in the movie: writer Plum Sykes (wearing beige), fashion editor Lawren Howell and editor Andre Leon Talley. Right: Thomas (wearing red cap) prepares for a Steadicam shot with (from left) operator Mike O’Shea, electrician John Hockenberry and boom operator George Leong. So John’s lighting had to work for a photo shoot and a motion-picture shoot.” Thomas also had to help create the ambience of a professional photo shoot by bringing in appropriate gear that would appear in the frame. “John and I discussed what sorts of things they’d have on a photo shoot like this,” recalls Marzovilla. “For the most part, still photographers still stick to strobes; they don’t use as many big sources as we do in film.” The gaffer managed to find a specialty light that could serve as both prop and fixture, a Briese 330. “It’s a modern take on the photo umbrella, and we used the biggest one they make — it was about 12 feet wide,” says Marzovilla. “Patrick had never seen one that big before and asked where he could get one!” Each of the wedding gowns Carrie models involved a restyling of her setting and props, and each environment entailed slightly different lighting, but for the most part, Thomas again used a big source as the key. “We put Maxi-Brutes through 20-by-20s with a Light Control Device egg crate, which 64 June 2008

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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