Cinematographer Sandra Valde-Hansen (The L Word: Generation Q, Now Apocalypse, White Bird in a Blizzard, Kaboom) found herself capturing scenes in diverse weather and lighting for Natalie Morales' film Plan B. This road movie, now streaming on Hulu, follows a pair of teenaged friends during a day-and-night search for emergency contraception.
In From the Cold is Netflix’s new suspense series that follows a single mother exposed as an ex-Russian spy, who must juggle family life and unique shape-shifting skills in a battle against an insidious enemy. Cinematographer Hermes Marco, AEC, worked with a team of directors to create a stunning contrast between different cities and time frames. Showrunner Adam Glass and Marco worked very closely to define the show’s look, compiling lots of references and defining the contrasting styles to enable the directors to retain a consistent look across the series
The American Society of Cinematographers will recognize the work of four exceptional artists at its 36th Annual Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography. Ellen Kuras, ASC will receive the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award; she is the first woman ever to win the award. Peter Levy, ASC, ACS will be presented with the Career Achievement in Television Award, and John Lindley, ASC will be honored with the President’s Award. Panavision’s Dan Sasaki will receive the ASC’s inaugural Curtis Clark Technical Achievement Award, which will be given to an individual who has made significant technological contributions to the art and craft of cinematography. The awards will be presented on March 20 at the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood.
Shooting a second season of an award-winning show could potentially have been creatively restrictive, but cinematographer Caroline Bridges and director Patrick Harkins chose to evolve the original look of Guilt by enhancing the cinematic nature of the show.
The CBC/IMDb TV original crime drama series Pretty Hard Cases – now in its second season – was shot in Toronto; not as the typical stand-in for New York, but for Toronto itself, as the series embraces the Canadian city and makes it a character as part of the storylines. Cinematographer Kristin Fieldhouse worked with the production design and costume teams to create a single signature look. “Color plays a big role in the look of Pretty Hard Cases,” says Fieldhouse.
The American Society of Cinematographers has named its annual Outstanding Achievement Award nominees in the categories of feature film, documentary, and television cinematography. Winners will be announced during the 36th ASC Awards on March 20. The ceremony will be a hybrid event, both in person and live streamed, at the historic ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood.
The Tragedy of Macbeth—written four centuries ago for the stage—has been translated to the screen throughout cinema history. Replete with medieval atmosphere, witches, and murder, the iconic tale has now been retold by director Joel Coen. Working with director of photography Bruno Delbonnel ASC, AFC, Coen developed a visual approach to the bloody proceedings that emphasizes Shakespeare’s matchless language and the faces of the actors delivering it.
In the two decades since we first entered The Matrix, there’s been a quantum leap in computing and filmmaking technology. Visionary filmmaker Lana Wachowski made sure she considered both those changes before going back down the rabbit hole. “There have been huge advances in computing that called for an updated visual representation of the virtual world of The Matrix,” explains Daniele Massaccesi, co-cinematographer with John Toll, ASC on The Matrix Resurrections. “Lana wanted to create a synthetic world that would be believable to humans in 2021. It is therefore photoreal and full of color.”
The American Society of Cinematographers has completed its Standard Evaluation Material II project. The short film is an initiative by the organization to provide standardized viewing material designed to aid in the development and calibration of technology impacting the modern imaging chain. StEM2 test packages will be available in early 2022 to download for free in all common theatrical and home TV formats.
The Disney Channel’s original musical comedy movie Spin is full of the type of color palettes expected of a story that follows Rhea, an Indian American 15-year-old – played by Avantika – who discovers her artistic side through the unique world of DJ culture, and learns she has a passion for creating mixes that blend the textures of her Indian heritage and the world around her. Cinematographer Jeremy Benning CSC and director Manjari Makijany knew from the start that they wanted the film to be shot in large format.
