American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 24

Top:
Cinematographer
Sam Levy (right,
behind camera)
shoots a scene
with Ben Stiller
as Josh. Bottom:
Josh opts for inline skates as
transportation
through the
streets of
New York.

corner. As they move left to right, the
camera dollies with them for a good 30 feet
or so. Then they cross the street and the
camera pans with them, and we did an iris
rack because they were going from the
sunny side of the street into shadow. What
I really like about that particular shot is that
the camera is totally static until they round
the corner, and then, in response to their
movement, the camera moves and pans
with them in one continuous action."
24

April 2015

The production carried an Arri Alexa
Plus camera from Arri Rental New York,
which the filmmakers had also used on
Mistress America. Levy and Baumbach
opted for the Alexa after testing an array of
digital cameras. "We tested in different
lighting environments, at different times of
day and night, in available light and artificial
light," the cinematographer recalls. "We
watched the tests projected in a theater,
without any manipulation. The Alexa was
American Cinematographer

the most satisfying - the least electronic,
the most creamy and luminous." The crew
recorded 2K ProRes files to internal SxS
cards, and digital-imaging technician Loïc de
Lame backed up the media on set.
Framing for the 1.85:1 aspect ratio,
Levy employed Zeiss Super Speed lenses for
the bulk of the shoot. "Most of the movie
was shot with a 50mm Super Speed, which
is my favorite lens," Levy notes. "When we
weren't using a 50mm, we used either a
35mm or an 85mm, or sometimes a
65mm."
Occasionally, a Canon CN-E 30300mm (T2.95-3.7) was also used, "to
incorporate an actual zoom in the shot or
sometimes just to be telephoto," the cinematographer adds. In one example, toward
the end of the film, a wide shot takes in the
Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center,
where Cornelia's father is being feted, and
then zooms in on Josh, who has just
entered wearing in-line skates. (It makes
sense in the movie.)
While We're Young was shot primarily on location in New York, often in apartments that presented all the expected challenges. "The tightest of our primary locations was probably Josh and Cornelia's



American Cinematographer - April 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - April 2015

Contents
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - Intro
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - Cover1
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 1
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 2
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - Contents
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 4
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 5
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 6
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 7
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 8
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 9
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American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 64
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - I1
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - I2
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - I3
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - I4
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - I5
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - I6
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - I7
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - I8
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - 65
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American Cinematographer - April 2015 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - April 2015 - Cover4
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