American Cinematographer - December 2013 - 56

◗

A Soul Suppressed
example: the first act has no scripted
dialogue, the second is entirely
composed of a scripted exchange
between hunger striker Bobby Sands
and a priest, and the third returns to the
unscripted method.
Though 12 Years a Slave has a
more familiar narrative structure, it was
not shot in a conventional manner. For
instance, "the word 'coverage' does not
exist in Steve's vocabulary," says Bobbitt.
"We shoot what is needed to tell the
story as opposed to shooting what we
might need to tell the story."
The film is based on the memoir
by Solomon Northup (played by
Chiwetel Ejiofor), a professional violinist living as a free man in New York
State who was kidnapped in 1841 and

Top: Northup enjoys a
day out in Saratoga
Springs with his wife
(Kelsey Scott) and
children (Cameron
Zeigler, left, and
Quvenzhané Wallis).
Middle: He bids his
family farewell
before setting off for
another engagement.
Bottom: China balls
and Dedolights
augment double-wick
candles for Northup's
dinner with Brown
(Scoot McNairy, left)
and Hamilton (Taran
Killam).

"We shoot what is
needed to tell the
story as opposed to
shooting what we
might need to tell
the story."

sold into slavery. He toiled on a succession of Louisiana plantations for 12
years until he was rescued. In the film,
two white plantation owners, William
Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) and
Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender),
offer a study in contrast: Ford is relatively benevolent, while Epps is cruel,
verging on psychotic.
The movie was shot over 35 days
on locations in Louisiana, including
four preserved antebellum plantations
where the art department, led
by production designer Adam
Stockhausen, built slave cabins to scale.
Prior to shooting, Bobbitt visited the
locations and took a number of stills. "I
56

December 2013

American Cinematographer



American Cinematographer - December 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - December 2013

Contents
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - Cover1
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - Contents
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - 2
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - 3
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - 4
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American Cinematographer - December 2013 - 64
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-1
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-2
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-3
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-4
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-5
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-6
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American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-8
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-9
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-10
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-11
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - S-12
American Cinematographer - December 2013 - 65
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