28 Days of Cinematography Insights Redux – Day 13 – Moving away from the look established in prepro once you get into production

Art Adams

8 years ago

28 Days of Cinematography Insights Redux - Day 13 - Moving away from the look established in prepro once you get into production 1

In what was essentially a combination of Scott Simmons’ #28daysofquicktips and my own AMA, I answered questions throughout the month of September last year on a daily basis. The PVC team wanted to rerun this series for our readers along with some new questions and answers, so stay tuned for a few entries at the end of the series which will take us past 28 days. Use the hashtag #28daysofinsights or email us at ask@www.provideocoalition.com if you want to help us build up some questions for a brand new series.

Have you ever completely moved away from the look and colors that were established in prepro once you got into production?

Not often, but it happens. Sometimes you end up on location and discover that the lighting setup you thought was going to work actually looks awful. Or you scout a location at one time of day and come back to shoot at another time and it looks awful in the different light. Sometimes the director sees something happen on set and decides to go a different direction that doesn’t work with your lighting plan. Sometimes you envision a beautiful warm look only to discover that the location you weren’t allowed to scout has dark blue walls.

The TLCI Color Rendering Index: Does It Really Work?

That’s what makes this job exciting. I love planning and executing a look, but I’ve gotten very good at going with the flow as well—because that happens an awful lot. Perspectives change between the scout and the shoot. Ideas happen spontaneously once the actors are present and working together.

On one occasion we scouted a location and loved it, but came back to find it had been painted a different color. Awkward… (Not as awkward as the time I was a camera assistant and the art department dirtied up an alley for a week of night shooting. The next night we came back and it was clean: a TV show had shot there during the day and cleaned it up.)

Early in my career I’d walk into a location and try to light it a certain way only to discover it really didn’t work, and I’d have to change things up. That rarely happens anymore, probably because I’ve now learned how to avoid those circumstances from being put in them so often.

I’d say the thing that changes most often is the coverage, which usually isn’t that big a deal.

TLCI and Camera Color: What a Difference a Prism Block Makes

Art Adams | Director of Photography

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Have your own insight about what I’ve mentioned here? Feel free to comment below or send in a question by using the hashtag #28daysofinsights or emailing ask@www.provideocoalition.com