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Children of Men - The Cinematography of Emmanuel Lubezki


Jamie Lewis

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IMO, Lubezki has been robbed of his rightfully due Oscars two years in a row now.

 

I was really bothered by him not getting it for Children of Men. After I left the theater my jaw was on the floor at how absolutely beautiful the cinematography was. It was simply amazing.

 

I'm guessing you're referring to The New World? I haven't see that yet. How does it compare to CoM?

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I was really bothered by him not getting it for Children of Men. After I left the theater my jaw was on the floor at how absolutely beautiful the cinematography was. It was simply amazing.

 

I'm guessing you're referring to The New World? I haven't see that yet. How does it compare to CoM?

 

For my money, cinematography doesn't get any better The New World. Definitely better than CoM, for me. In fact, The New World has the best cinematography since at least 2000's In the Mood for Love, in my opinion. You should check it out when you get a chance. I'd like to hear your thoughts on it.

 

I think it's fair to say with TNW and CoM, Lubezki has vaulted himself into the very upper echelons of working DPs.

Edited by Tom Lowe
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  • 2 weeks later...

@ Chayse Irvin - Thank you.

 

 

What's the image quality like from viewfinders like the one above? Good enough to use it as a 35 adapter together with a Handycam?

 

I wonder that too.

 

It depends also if the GG has

only markers of the frame

and nothing in the center.

 

 

Regards

 

Igor

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  • 1 month later...
What's the image quality like from viewfinders like the one above? Good enough to use it as a 35 adapter together with a Handycam?

I guess if you have a spare cine lens? Something in "Arri PL, Panavision, Bayonet or BNC-R". It's probably still overkill though, unless you're using it for the unique image, at which point image quality must not really factor into it...

 

Anyway, Children of Men is definitely a great film, I love the visual style. In fact, I've got to rent that again, wish I'd seen it in theaters.

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  • 4 months later...

Back to the YOUTUBE video real quick. They talk about using only natural light, but what about scenes at night like the one at the farm house where theo is sneaking around outside the cars trying to get them out of there? Did they just use a very high speed film? It doesn't seem to grainy, nor does it seem like there is much like to supply a 500T stock. Maybe i'm just too much of an amateur and don't get it.

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Back to the YOUTUBE video real quick. They talk about using only natural light, but what about scenes at night like the one at the farm house where theo is sneaking around outside the cars trying to get them out of there? Did they just use a very high speed film? It doesn't seem to grainy, nor does it seem like there is much like to supply a 500T stock. Maybe i'm just too much of an amateur and don't get it.

 

Ive seen that interview as well.

They used light, they just kept it as natural as possible, and tried not to clutter the set with cables or grip equipment.

I remeber I seen a picture somewhere of a giant light soarce hanging from a crane in the farm scenes at night. it may have been the asc article.

And they tired to build the lighting into the sets, and alot of the time scenes are just lit with photofloods or worklights which you see on film.

And he used a single film stock 500t 5229 which is a low contrast film stock which allowed him to shoot under extreame conditions.

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Usually the "no artificial light" rule is not rock-solid. On The New World, Malick wanted only natural light, but they talked him into using lights on the interior scene in the castle in England, for example.

 

To me, it's silly to get so swept up in the natural light thing that you cannot compromise at all.

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Wow, that's certainly more artificial light than I expected. It's great to see what it actually takes to light something, which helps the less-experienced losers (me). haha

 

Lol, keep in mind those are in-studio and sound stage shots! Do you expect "natural light" inside a closed building?? :)

Edited by Tom Lowe
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