Kodak Look

[Marketta Carucci]

ireadin the new asc an interview with the dop of closer and his use of a previsualization programm called Kodak Look Manager, has anyone used that programm before ? is it possible to get a demo version from somewhere ? i couldnt find anything on the kodak homepage :/

For example, at the time, I was in prep to shoot a commercial for a Swedish bread company, and the wheat field we were using as a location looked really grey and forlorn to the eye. The field was 'bought' by the production company and was a couple of weeks past it's harvest time. Obviously we were all a little concerned.

Took a couple of pics of the location on a scout, put them in to my laptop, mixed up a 'recipe' and viola- I was able to show them, with the help of a couple of filters, (I think a Coral 2 or 3, and 1 stop push on 100 ASA), 'golden' wheatfields. (unfortunately, on day we shot it was grey and overcast, Sods Law).

The downside to the KLMS is that the post house you use, also has to have the system in place, you have to sync your computer monitor to theirs, or vice a versa (so they know what you are aiming at) and the files you send are quite large (a drag with a regular land line).

But other than those minor downsides, it is a really good previsualisation tool, and alleviates a lot of stress for yourself, the director and the producers, because they can see exactly what they are going to get.

For it to work, you must have the correct digital still camera, correctly calibrated, and also a properly calibrated monitor. You also need to establish a relationship with the facility that you will send the images and recipes to (lab or telecine house), so that they are seeing the same as you.

Kodak Portra 400 was the very first film I shot when I get back into film, and it remains my go-to for color negative film. Sure, there are others. None of them come close, however, to the popularity of Portra 400.

Upon reflection, I find it quite amusing that film photography is deemed to be a relatively archaic medium, yet a film stock that is younger than many of the people shooting film today (originally debuted in 1998 and its current emulsion debuted in 2010) has become the most common film stock out there. Perhaps the most legendary films in existence are Kodak Tri-X and Kodachrome (neither of which are color negative films) and have little to nothing in common with Portra 400 other than the manufacturer. This helps put things into perspective for me. Taken in conjunction with the Google Trends results, it is clear to see that the popularity of the film is on the rise for a new generation of photographers.

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Madison is a mathematician turned statistician based out of Columbus, OH. He fell back in love with film years ago while living in Charleston, SC and hasn't looked back since. In early 2019 he started a website about film photography.

A lovely write up on a wonderful film. I have remained with Ilford as I develop at home and am weary of developing color negatives, but these images may give me an impetus to challenge myself! Thank you.

Thank you! You say you've remained with Ilford - which stocks are you using? Delta 3200 has been a long time favorite of mine for 120 and I've recently been shooting a fair amount of Delta 100 with some success. I'm not sure I like it as much as TMax 100 but I've recently shot through one roll that and has been my favorite roll of the year I think.

You're most welcomed! I use mostly HP5: a very versatile stock I have pulled/pushed from 100 - 1600 with good results. Delta is lovely, very sharp and contrasty and a much more modern look. If you want a more traditional grain style I would very much recommend HP5. But if you enjoy Delta 100 and TMax100 I would also recommend Fuji Acros (recently resurrected!) Gorgeous deep blacks.

Nice! I have some HP5 sheets (4x5) and haven't shot through too much of it in 120 (never shot it in 35mm). I do love Acros though I only managed to pick up 1 pro pack of 120 and a few rolls of 35mm before they quit making it. I've shot through some of Acros II in 35mm and 120 and as much as I like, I can't justify the price tag.

Ah you are well versed in many stocks! And large format at that. Very glad to hear it. For the limited rolls I shot these days the price is not a factor for me, but for a professional as yourself I understand the desire for greater return on investment. Happy exposures to you, Mr. Madison!

I shoot film almost exclusively and still have a roll of Portra 400 in my Fuji GX680. Very nice film. I shoot lots of slide film for landscapes, but am starting to shoot more print film to see what I get. Very nice article and lovely photos. Thank you sir and keep it up.

And while Don't Look Up raises questions about humans having their heads stuck in the sand, its cinematographer, Linus Sandgren FSF ASC, likewise queries why other filmmakers remain unenlightened about, or opposed to, the benefits of shooting on film.

Written, produced and directed by McKay, the film stars an ensemble cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as astrophysicists, along with Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothe Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep.

"I thought the script for Don't Look Up was absolutely hilarious but was equally horrified by realizing it was not far from reality. Sometimes it is hard to visualize a script, but it was plain to see that this would come good just from the words on the page. Along with the script, I like to shoot on film and I know Adam does too. So that was another level of connection between the two of us."

Sandgren explains that the cinematographic approach to Don't Look Up was fundamentally different to making films such as La La Land, directed by Damien Chazelle, and 007 No Time to Die, helmed by Cary Joji Fukunaga.

"Damien and Cary had things planned and controlled, and we shot very much for how they wanted to edit," Sandgren explains. "However, being a comedy, filming Don't Look Up was more about covering scenes with multiple cameras so that we caught inflections, expressions and other things that the actors might improvise, and the comic timing was found later in the edit by Adam's editor Hank Corwin.

"That said, significant parts of the story are about the modern, contemporary and superficial world, where people record themselves on smartphones and TV shows look super-sharp and vivid. So we decided to mix the movie's 35mm foundation with all of these other formats, to make clear distinctions between the softer, darker, human side of life and the artificiality of the media and the internet.

To emphasize moments when the characters experience excruciating stress, Sandgren chose to have the camera extremely up-close-and-personal with the actors. He shot these moments handheld in 3-perf Super35 using an Aaton Penelope 35mm camera paired with a Kowa T2.3 40mm Cine Prominar Macro lens, that was always ready on the camera cart.

"I love shooting with the Aaton Penelope," he enthuses. "It's so great to handle and with Kowa macro lens I could film intimate moments in extreme close-up, just a few inches from an eye or a sweaty face, all with a complementary look to the Orion Anamorphics." CamTech in Los Angeles supplied the camera package for the film.

Smartphone footage was captured using Red Hydrogen One, the Android smartphone originally released in 2018 by Red Digital Cinema, but since retired from the market. The TV studio sequences were shot using Sony 4K TV studio cameras, with the set deliberately over-lit to create a bright, color-saturated and artificial contrast to the filmed material.

"Add to that the texture of film grain, the exquisite rendition of color, contrast and highlights, plus the little surprises when you see your rushes. The cameras themselves can also produce effects not possible with digital cameras, such as flashing, speed changes with and without shutter speed changes, double exposures, reverse photography, etc.

"All that amounts to an enormous range of creative options and flexibility when you want to tell a story and portray emotions. Because of the workflow, you get to your look sooner, which means fewer things to fix and less time spent in the DI.

"Film is also economical. Because you are well-organized in production, it is cost-effective to shoot on film. OK, you have to purchase and process the film stock, but the management and storage of original digital/RAW files down the line, as well as the increased cost for digital processing equipment and crew on-set can be comparatively expensive.

"Apart from scenes like the TV studio, which was deliberately high-key and artificial-looking, our lighting style was naturalistic, with lots of soft sources. If we had sunshine in the image, we went Tungsten with an appropriate gel. I really like Tungsten as it picks-up more colors in skin tones.

"One of my favorite scenes is the dinner scene in the end of the film, where we photographed portraits of the cast at 120fps, as if time were about to stand still. Those shots give the audience time to reflect on what has happened in the film, and, at the same time, to study our characters, almost as if watching someone asleep. The moment of stillness becomes emotionally-powerful."

"You have to be open to what the script asks for, rather than having a pre-ordained preference, or formula, for glass, aspect ratio and camera, that you keep repeating. Each project starts from scratch and you will be surprised how it will look. All great filmmakers do this. A good test to see if the cinematography is working, is if you turn off the sound then you should still be able to understand the feelings being expressed in a scene.

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