American Cinematographer - December 2020 - 23

The filmmakers used the iPhone's Filmic Pro feed as well as the
laptop camera to monitor production.

si ing at a table, and " lunch " means walking two feet to your fridge and
taking a break from the computer screen. Though not glamorous, the
challenges and creative opportunities presented by remote production are capable of bringing about exciting work.
Shooting a completely remote production requires intense planning and a reliance on actors to not only give the performance the story needs, but also act as camera operator, grip and myriad other crew
positions during a single day. As a cinematographer, my role encompassed lighting the production, retaining control of my vision without
touching the set, and pu ing my crew and the actors at ease as much
as possible. Some of our scenes involved difficult character work, as
our lead actor devolves into madness over the course of the story,
which culminates in a self-exorcism scene. Cognizant of the low-light
capabilities of the iPhone 11 and GoPro Hero7 Black, we worked to
create a space that was dark and moody but also had enough light to
minimize noise. I came up with a lighting design that could be almost
completely controlled by application once rigged in each room. Using
an RGB NanLite PavoTube, two Aputure MCs, two Quasar Science
tubes - one daylight balanced, the other a Crossfade - and dimmable LED bulbs, I was able to instruct the actors to use presets on the
applications to achieve the look and color I'd been able to work out by
testing the lights in my own bubble. As much as possible, we tried to
respect the actors' need to prepare for each scene, and streamline the
technical aspects so we could put story and character first.
The iPhone, which was paired with Moment lenses for certain
shots, was employed for the daughter's ostensive video message to
a friend, while the GoPro served to provide security-camera footage
from around the house.
To further facilitate the production process, I gave the actors a
15-page PDF file that explained how to use the lights, the GoPro Hero7
and the iPhone 11.
Forethought and clear communication were the make-or-break
factors on set every day. Every aspect of the in-person shooting
process that could be replicated remotely was, from location scouts
via Facetime to Zoom breakout-room rehearsals with the actors. Using
a dual system of Zoom to view the set and Google Duo for walkies for

the crew, we were able to stay in constant communication and change
things quickly and in real time.
The waiting period required for cleaning equipment, which
prevented us from borrowing lighting from USC as usual, led us to buy
most of our gear, apart from the cameras. This limited the amount of
lighting gear we could obtain, but it also forced us to be especially
creative in our shooting schedule and how we blocked each scene.
This gave the actor great flexibility, as we lit the rooms to allow for
improvisation and for the scene to unfold differently each time.
The budgetary and technical constraints of our project required
us to approach shooting in an organic way, where the space was lit as
naturally as possible. Since the whole room might be shown, and we
were restricted from asking the actors to go outside to light through
the windows, we needed to create lighting that either blended in with
the décor of the home or hid above the plane of view - while still
giving a key light to the actors in the important moments, so that we
never lost their eyes. By placing the NanLite and Quasars above window spaces to supplement and add color to natural lighting, we were
able to do just that, without worrying about lights potentially being in
eye-level moving shots operated by the actors.
Over the course of two weekends, we were able to finish primary
shooting without ever meeting each other in person, other than to
drop off equipment at the door while wearing full personal protective
equipment.
The exciting challenge of remote filmmaking does not come from
how much or what kind of equipment can be used, but rather how to
make the process work with both hands tied behind your back. The
truest test of your knowledge of your cra is whether you can articulate
what you need well enough that someone who knows li le about your
cra can execute your plan. Through the remote-production process,
the concept of filmmaking is stripped down to its core, and you have
to focus on the fundamentals of telling a visual story. Nothing else
ma ers - except Wi-Fi speed! u

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American Cinematographer - December 2020

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