A Director of Photography's job is to create a unique visual world, and sometimes that means making bold choices to overcome the challenges of a demanding shoot. On a big hospital shoot in Saigon with director Asua Han, we did just that.
The brutal shoot day
We had survived a massive 20-hour shoot day, managing 3 different locations, 2 company moves, and 9 full set-ups.
To give different scenes their own unique character, I made the deliberate creative choice to use two different sets of lenses: the distinct, beautiful character of the Zeiss High Speed Mk2s for the daylight exterior, and the classic Cooke S4s for the softer, more intimate interiors.
When the grade didn't capture it
The production house was on a very fast and efficient post-production schedule, and the initial color grade, while technically fine, didn't quite capture the nuanced, cinematic look the director had envisioned.
Seeing the project's vision was at risk, I knew we had to deliver. Asua and I sat with the colorist for four hours and, together, we unlocked the full potential of the footage, building the final look from scratch.
The final film is a testament to that dedication. It's a project that proves a DP's job isn't over when the camera stops rolling; it's over when the director's original vision is successfully realized on screen.
A DP's job isn't over when the camera stops rolling; it's over when the director's original vision is successfully realized on screen.