Advice for "noir realism"

[Nicholas Lorini]

So long story short, a director I work with now has been hired to produce another film in the area. He is pulling for me to DP the picture but the director is concerned about my experience. This producer has arranged a sort of trial by fire for me in which I will DP a few pages from two different scenes in the feature script as if we were in production (cast, crew) but not exactly on location.

 

Though I don't have the full script, the producer has informed me that the story is essentially a robbery gone wrong sort of who-dun-it, told in the vein of Rashomon but contemporary and involving more interrogations than courtroom scenes.

 

This director has listed Basic Instinct and Prisoners as references for the "look" he'd like to achieve. In that he is looking for something that is both stylized and realistic, simultaneously. My own personal instinct is guiding me toward noir realism (if such a term even exists). The Bad Lieutenant: Port Call New Orleans seemed to have something close to what I mean by that. Possibly No Country For Old Men but its been some time since I've seen it.

 

I guess I'm wondering what any of you would do in this situation or if you have any advice for me to build on what I've got so far.

 

Available equipment: some sort of 1k (haven't found out what kind yet), dolly, jib and steadicam and think some other lighting but nothing too substantial

 

Thanks,

 

Nick

[Michael LaVoie]

In this trial shoot, as well as in the final film, I'd stick as closely to what the director looking for. Personal instincts are great but I would put those on hold till you have the gig and even then it's a balancing act. Director has authority and you can only suggest things you think might work well and hope he's open to them.