American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 76

Unsafe Passage Right: In an effort to get a jump on Wade’s gang, which is hot on their heels, Evans and his colleagues consider taking a dangerous shortcut through Apache territory. Below: Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, ASC (left) and director James Mangold refine the shot. to narrow, medium or flood. We put three of those 12-light Bardwells in a Condor at each end of the canyon, along with a Mole Richardson 5K Par, and we were within the weight guidelines for Condor use. The 12lights gave us a big, soft backlight, and the Par was perfect for picking out a ridge or gully.” Papamichael needed a fine degree of control in order to balance the level in the foreground to that in the background. “When something looks ‘lit’ in this type of situation, it’s almost always because there’s a variance in level,” he notes. “The level of the background must be the same, because the moon is a very consis- tent source, like the sun. What I often see done wrong is that something in the deep, deep background will be hotter than the foreground. Of course, contrast comes from modeling and not using fill. But I find it’s key to have the same f-stop throughout the frame. The actor cannot have a hotter rim of moonlight than the ridge behind him, and vice versa.” The filmmakers set a key campfire scene close to a sheltering canyon wall so the light could play against the rock wall, adding visual interest and placing the scene in an environment. “I like to do campfire light with as much real flame as pos- sible, but if you have too many sources the light becomes even and you lose the individual flickers,” says Papamichael. “We used flame bars and other gags to boost the theatrical campfires, but I tried to use as few sources as possible. One character wears glasses, and on close-ups you can see the flame reflected in the lenses!” Some campfire shots were staged in a gymnasium in Santa Fe for greater control, and to escape the cold. At times the propane flame bars were augmented by a box that the crew referred to as the “Jell-O cube.” Geryak explains, “It’s a cube measuring 1 to 11⁄2 feet that has six 650-watt globes inside. It uses a Socopex connection that allows us to control it using a programmable board. We have a little frame that we cover in Full Straw and either Opal or 250 diffusion to help slow it down. It’s the orange gel that makes it look like a Jell-O cube. We can bury it near the fire and it throws 360 degrees of light.” Away from the firelight, the night exteriors fall off quickly to black. “I’ll only create visible moonlight if it’s the only source,” says Papamichael. “Moonlight does read to your eye, and it’s very hard light. 76 October 2007

American Cinematographer - October 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - October 2007

American Cinematographer - October 2007
Contents
Editor’s Note
Letters
DVD Playback
Production Slate
Western Destinies
Emotional Betrayal
Palace Intrigue
Unsafe Passage
Short Takes
Post Focus
New Products & Services
International Marketplace
Classified Ads
Ad Index
Clubhouse News
ASC Close-Up
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - American Cinematographer - October 2007
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 1
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 2
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Contents
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 4
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 5
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 6
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 7
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Editor’s Note
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 9
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - DVD Playback
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 11
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 12
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 13
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 14
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 15
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Production Slate
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 17
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 18
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 19
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 20
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 21
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 22
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 23
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 24
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 25
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 26
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 27
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 28
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 29
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Western Destinies
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 31
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 32
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 33
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 34
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 35
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 36
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 37
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 38
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 39
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 40
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 41
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 42
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 43
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 44
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 45
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 46
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 47
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Emotional Betrayal
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - BRC1
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - BRC2
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 49
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 50
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 51
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 52
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 53
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 54
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 55
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 56
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 57
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 58
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 59
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Palace Intrigue
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 61
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 62
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 63
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 64
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 65
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 66
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 67
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 68
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 69
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 70
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 71
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Unsafe Passage
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 73
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 74
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 75
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 76
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 77
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 78
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 79
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Short Takes
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 81
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 82
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 83
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 84
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 85
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Post Focus
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 87
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 88
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 89
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 90
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 91
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - New Products & Services
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 93
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 94
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 95
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 96
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 97
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 98
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 99
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 100
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 101
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - International Marketplace
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Classified Ads
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Ad Index
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 105
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Clubhouse News
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - 107
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - ASC Close-Up
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - October 2007 - Cover4
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