American Cinematographer - July 2010 - 44

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Elements of Power
behind Zhao’s table, were all real,” notes Fortune. Firelord Ozai’s imposing throne chamber was filmed on location at the Girard College Founder’s Hall. Messina designed an elevated throne area resplendent in deep-red regalia, heraldry and aggressively styled firefixtures. “When Zhao reports to Ozai, we followed him from the lobby into a wide shot revealing the size of the room and Ozai’s omnipresent pageantry, and then cut to the far end to see Zhao walk toward the throne,” says Lesnie. This approach presented some particular lighting challenges. There are no windows in the hall, and huge columns on either side support a vaulted ceiling. Fortune suggested laying five Ninelight Maxi-Brutes with spot bulbs on the floor down each side of the hall. “The light bounced off the high ceiling’s gold inlay, bathing the room in the golden glow I was after,” says Lesnie. Aang’s luck runs out when he is captured by Zhao and imprisoned in the former Northern Airbender Temple. Deliberately transformed by the Fire Nation into a dungeon, the room is situated at the end of a long corridor lined with hollow, patternedmetal columns. Suspended by chains in the middle of the room, the last Airbender awaits his fate. To underscore Aang’s precarious predicament, Lesnie imbued the set with an eerie, subterranean feel. A row of dimmed space lights running down the center of the corridor provided a faint level of warm ambience. Clusters of 500-watt mogul-base bulbs were placed inside the columns on a threecircuit chase for the fire effect. Par cans aimed into the set through the bottom of each column extended the effect into the corridor, and an 18K Par positioned above the set’s ceiling was aimed down the length of the corridor for a strong backlight. “Cracks built into the ceiling gave the corridor some distinct but random shafts from the 18K,” notes Fortune. “In the temple room, a 20K aimed into a mirror above Aang produced an aggressive toplight, and

Top: Banished from the Fire Nation by his father, Prince Zuko (Dev Patel, left) sulks under the watchful eye of his uncle (Shaun Toub). Middle and bottom: Sprung from captivity by the Blue Spirit, Aang and his new ally battle an army of Fire Nation warriors.

(Aasif Mandvi), Zuko’s main rival in the hunt for the Avatar. Before the space could be used, various safeguards were required. “The space had another level 30 feet above that, and the significantly deteriorated roof was up another 50 feet again,” recalls Lesnie. “To control the sunlight and safeguard against falling debris, George and [rigging key grip] Billy Patsos rigged a
44 July 2010

100-by-250-foot safety net 20 feet above the top level. That, in turn, was covered by a heavy Visqueen plastic that diffused the sun, if it poked out, and also prevented any moisture from getting in.” The weak daylight ambience was augmented with 18Ks placed on the top-level gantry. “The flames in that huge set, such as the fixtures on the tables and the huge furnace positioned
American Cinematographer

American Cinematographer - July 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - July 2010