American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 36

◗

Welcome to the Jungle
utilizes multiple, movable OptiTrack
motion-capture towers - comprising
OptiTrack cameras hung onto trusses
with wheels that can be maneuvered for
each setup - to track a live-action
camera's position. The system then uses
that data to drive a virtual camera in the
CG world. On the back end, the
SimulCam system receives a live camera
feed, tracks the camera position in 3D
space, and, in real time, keys out bluescreen and composites live actors with
CG characters and environments.
For The Jungle Book, this system
was directly linked to a larger, newer
virtual-cinematography system built
around a rendering engine called
Photon, used here for the first time on a
feature film. It was also, Balakrishnan
notes, "the first time a game engine was
deeply integrated into the production
pipeline and used to previsualize the
entire film from start to end." Photon, as
Balakrishnan explains, was developed as
a collaboration between Microsoft and
Digital Domain as a technology and
pipeline, built on the foundation of a
custom version of the Unity video-game
rendering engine, specifically geared for
virtual production.
This innovation allowed Pope and
Favreau to make detailed cinematographic choices - including camera
movement, lens choice, depth of field,
framing and lighting - in every step
from rough layout through final post.
Legato refers to this methodology as
"doubling down on the knowledge and
experience we [gained] on Avatar,"
adding, "this is why Jungle Book looks
and smells like a real film, shot on film.
"This movie is a game-changer in
that sense," Legato continues. "The
informed live framing, staging and
newly added lighting choices, coupled
with dramatically choosing the proper
lens and camera moves, are now all
squarely in the province of the experienced live-action cinematographer and
director. The tools were used primarily
to create the look and feel of a real liveaction movie instead of the heightened
look of an animated one. The goal was to
make the audience forget what was done

Top: Mowgli
journeys through
the jungle with
Bagheera. Middle
and bottom: The
crew captures
bluescreen action
sequences with
Sethi.

36

May 2016

American Cinematographer



American Cinematographer - May 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - May 2016

Contents
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - Cover1
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 1
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 2
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - Contents
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 4
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 5
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 6
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 7
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 8
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 9
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 10
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 11
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 12
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 13
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 14
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 15
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 16
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 17
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 18
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 19
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 20
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 21
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 22
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 23
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 24
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 25
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 26
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 27
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 28
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 29
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 30
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 31
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 32
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 33
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 34
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 35
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 36
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 37
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 38
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 39
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 40
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 41
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 42
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 43
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 44
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 45
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 46
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 47
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 48
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 49
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 50
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 51
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 52
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 53
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 54
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 55
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 56
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 57
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 58
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 59
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 60
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 61
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 62
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 63
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 64
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 65
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 66
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 67
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 68
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 69
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 70
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 71
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 72
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 73
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 74
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 75
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 76
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 77
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 78
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 79
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 80
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 81
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 82
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 83
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 84
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 85
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 86
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 87
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 88
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 89
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 90
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 91
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 92
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 93
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 94
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 95
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - 96
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - May 2016 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1218_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1118_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1018_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0918_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0818_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0718_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0618_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0518_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0418_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0318_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0218_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0118_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1217_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1117_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1017_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0917_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0817_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0717_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0617_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0517_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0417_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0317_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0217_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0117_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1216_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1116_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1016_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0916_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0816_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0716_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0616_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0516_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0416_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0316_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0216_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0116_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1215_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1115_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1015_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0915_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0815_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0715_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0615_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0515_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0415_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0315_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0215_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0115_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0914
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0814
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0714
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0614
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0514
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0414
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0314
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0913
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0813
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0713
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0613
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0513
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0413
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0313
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0110
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com