American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 54
Beyond the Law
Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC details his
lighting approach to Prisoners, a
police procedural with compelling
plot twists.
By David E. Williams
•|•
S
et in an unassuming suburbia, Denis Villeneuve’s drama
Prisoners begins as two neighboring families convene to
celebrate Thanksgiving. After two of their young daughters vanish without a trace, a tenuous string of clues and
frantic desperation leads one father, Keller Dover (Hugh
Jackman), to step well outside the law as he tracks, captures
and imprisons the man he believes responsible, Alex Jones
(Paul Dano). Meanwhile, the police investigation, led by Det.
Loki ( Jake Gyllenhaal), is uncovering a conspiracy involving
54
October 2013
child abductions that have taken place over decades.
Prisoners cinematographer Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC
says a number of elements in the story struck him as timely,
“the issue of torture among them,” and that he was also
attracted to the project by its emphasis on character and
performance. “The dramatic success of Prisoners rests on the
acting,” he says.
He had also been impressed by Villeneuve’s last feature,
Incendies [2010], and was keen to collaborate with the director. “I heard Denis was doing this movie and got the script,
which was dense and had a lot of characters, and, to be honest,
Gothic elements that I thought went too far. I wasn’t interested in that genre, but it turned out that Denis wasn’t, either.
We did end up shooting the script, but it was always his intention that the final cut of the film wouldn’t feature those
elements.”
Prisoners unfolds mainly through the perspectives of
Dover and Loki as their respective investigations progress.
“Denis and I talked at length about how to ground the movie
in those two perspectives, but we didn’t want to do it in an
American Cinematographer
American Cinematographer - October 2013
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - October 2013
Contents
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - Cover1
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 1
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 2
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - Contents
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 4
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 5
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 6
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 7
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 8
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 9
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 10
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 11
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 12
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 13
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 14
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 15
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 16
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 17
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 18
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 19
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 20
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 21
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 22
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 23
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 24
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 25
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 26
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 27
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 28
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 29
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 30
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 31
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 32
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 33
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 34
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 35
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 36
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 37
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 38
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 39
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 40
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 41
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 42
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 43
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 44
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 45
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 46
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 47
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 48
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 49
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 50
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 51
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 52
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 53
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 54
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 55
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 56
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 57
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 58
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 59
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 60
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 61
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 62
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 63
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 64
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 65
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 66
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 67
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 68
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 69
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 70
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 71
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 72
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 73
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 74
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 75
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 76
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 77
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 78
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 79
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 80
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 81
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 82
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 83
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 84
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 85
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 86
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 87
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 88
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 89
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 90
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 91
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 92
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 93
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 94
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 95
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 96
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 97
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 98
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 99
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 100
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - October 2013 - 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