American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 63

and their temperaments was the best part of the job,” he says. “Harrison Ford’s horse, in particular, was like a grumpy person. One day Harrison came off his horse and said, ‘Matty, what lens are you on?’ I told him it was a 50mm, and he said, ‘Will you put on the 75mm and back up? You’re spooking my horse!’” Before the filmmakers began shooting onstage at Universal, they spent 60 shooting days in multiple locations in New Mexico, including Bonanza Creek, which provided the setting for Absolution. “We wanted the town to feel as authentic as possible at night,” says Libatique. “Scott Chambliss and I spent a lot of time discussing the practicals, the motivation of the light, how dark we would go and the patina of the wood.” “That was a big job for the fixtures team,” notes Michael Bauman, Libatique’s longtime gaffer. “All the buildings had hurricane lamps with small bi-pin [25-, 50- or 100-watt] globes, and all those sources were tied into a dimmer, which allowed us to dim the globes to get the color temperature into the ballpark of flame and easily create flicker effects.” The other challenge for night exteriors was to add “an element of separation” without the look of “overdone backlight,” says Libatique. New Mexico’s notorious winds prevented the crew from using balloon lights to create ambience for separation, “so we ended up using Condors with T8 Technologies Luma Panels on them,” says Bauman. “The Lumas are a big, fluorescent source with a throw of a couple hundred feet. It was a nice, even backlight that didn’t create big, hard shadows.” Production on Cowboys began in the Bonanza Creek location, and the first sequence the filmmakers tackled was a nighttime attack by small alien craft called “speeders.” The speeders strafe the town with laser blasts and snatch up townspeople with long, whip-like tethers in a dynamic sequence that was largely accomplished
ww.theasc.com w

Top: Sheriff Taggart (Keith Carradine, in doorway) interrupts Lonergan’s drink in Absolution’s saloon. Middle: Two cameras capture the action. Bottom: Overhead soft boxes with 250and 500-watt globes wired to a dimmer board help bolster the ambience inside the saloon.

August 2011

63


http://ww.theasc.com

American Cinematographer - August 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - August 2011

American Cinematographer - August 2011
Contents
Editor’s Note
President’s Desk
Short Takes: The Arrival
Production Slate: Rise of the Planet of the Apes • Femme Fatales
Cosmic Questions
Darkest Arts
An All-American Hero
Once Upon a Time in the West
Post Focus
New Products & Services
International Marketplace
Classified Ads
Ad Index
Clubhouse News
ASC Close-Up: Tom Houghton
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - American Cinematographer - August 2011
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 1
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 2
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Contents
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 4
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 5
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 6
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 7
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Editor’s Note
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 9
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - President’s Desk
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 11
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Short Takes: The Arrival
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 13
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 14
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 15
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 16
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 17
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Production Slate: Rise of the Planet of the Apes • Femme Fatales
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 19
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 20
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 21
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 22
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 23
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 24
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 25
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 26
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 27
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Cosmic Questions
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 29
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 30
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 31
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 32
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 33
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 34
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 35
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 36
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 37
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 38
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 39
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Darkest Arts
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 41
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 42
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 43
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 44
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 45
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 46
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 47
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - An All-American Hero
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 49
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 50
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 51
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 52
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 53
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 54
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 55
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 56
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 57
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Once Upon a Time in the West
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 59
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 60
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 61
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 62
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 63
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 64
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 65
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 66
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 67
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 68
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 69
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 70
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 71
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Post Focus
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 73
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 74
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 75
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - New Products & Services
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 77
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 78
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 79
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 80
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 81
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - International Marketplace
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Classified Ads
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Ad Index
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 85
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Clubhouse News
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 87
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - ASC Close-Up: Tom Houghton
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - August 2011 - 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