Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Christopher Charles Kempinski and Geoff Wallace on Kung Fu Season 3

01/08/2024

The CW original series Kung Fu follows the life-changing decision of Chinese American college student Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang) to trade her life as a student for one of martial-arts mastery, which she applies to cleaning up crime in her hometown of San Francisco. The series was given its signature look by Season 1 cinematographers Lindsay George and Neil Cervin, CSC, NZCS, who worked with Panavision Vancouver to build an equipment package around Panavision G Series anamorphic optics and Panavised Alexa Mini cameras. That approach has continued through Kung Fu's third season, which saw cinematographers Christopher Charles Kempinski and Geoff Wallace alternating episodes and expanding their palette to incorporate Primo Close Focus primes. Here, Kempinski and Wallace discuss the optical qualities that allowed the series to move in exciting new directions.

Panavision: How would you describe the look of the series?

Christopher Charles Kempinski: I consider it natural yet also somewhat forced. We like to bring the camera to the action or bring the action to the camera, and because of the need to be efficient during the fight sequences, I learned to light the room to give directors, the cast and the stunt team the freedom to move in the space. The production designer, Bridget McGuire, made that process simple and was always on board when designing sets and locations.

Geoff Wallace: I looked at it as maintaining a style that had been established by some great cinematographers ahead of me on this series. One of the greatest aspects of this show is the creative concept of developing different realms the characters visit, each with its own unique look and style. That's where I found I was really able to be creative and give each realm its own feel visually.

Were there any particular visual references that provided inspiration?

Kempinski: The show itself is a grounded family drama with fighting. Season 2 really started exploring the spiritual and mystical aspects. That said, I set out to try to ground everything spiritual and fantastical in camera, with minimal VFX. Most of the references were from ancient Chinese folklore. The reds and blues from tablet art and ancient scrolls, along with the tones and framing, helped in shooting each scene and accenting our locations.

Wallace: For me it was about keeping the look and feel that has done this series well, established in Season 1 by Neil Cervin and Lindsay George, and continued in Season 2 by Lindsay and Chris. When it came to the realms, I let the script guide me and used references from movies past that I felt had a look that would work well with our story. For example, for the Abandoned Wasteland,' I used references like Jarhead, Three Kings and The Book of Eli.

What brought you to Panavision for this project?

Kempinski: I was brought into Season 2 by the very talented Lindsay George, who did the first season, and Joe Menendez, the producing director. The lenses and aspect ratio were established in the first season, but I couldnt have been more thrilled. Panavision has supported me since my early transition to DP, and I know the quality of glass and service is capable of overachieving at the highest level. Also, the ability to modify or machine specific pieces to help make specific shots possible is invaluable. The compact periscope was one tool we kept for the run of the show. Knowing we could put a 17.5mm lens right on the ground allowed for some dynamic shot designs. Most low-angle prisms won't let you use anything wider than a 40mm.

Wallace: Panavision is a world leader in our industry and always looking to advance our creative ambitions as cinematographers. One of the driving forces for using Panavision is the great selection of optics that are just not available anywhere else.

What optical characteristics did you see in the G Series that made them the right match for Kung Fu?

Kempinski: I love the look of these lenses. The trademark blue streak made our Season 2 finale what it was. The minimal breathing when focusing is perfectly imperfect,' to borrow a phrase Phil Lanyon [CSC] used when we were comparing Star Trek and Kung Fu. The lens distortion and pinpoint focus is just perfect, and how the background falls out and falls off is amazing. The look of the show is baked in with the G Series lenses as soon as the lens is up on the camera, the look is there.

Wallace: The G Series lenses were a great option for us that worked well with all the creative realms while still maintaining a clean overarching look for the main storyline. They provide clean skin tones and a slight softness that takes the edge off the look of modern digital cameras.

Kempinski: For Season 2, we ordered a 35mm Primo Close Focus for a specialty shot, and Joe Menendez absolutely fell in love it. That's when we began talking about a hybrid approach for Season 3. Adam Osten at Panavision Vancouver did a great job of sourcing a set of Close Focus Primos. We quickly established a style of blocking with the camera chasing the action or the action coming to the lens; the Primos became an essential part of this, allowing us to start wide, move the camera into an over-medium that would push to a close-up, and still leave room for the dramatic scene to push into an ECU at the end. They also helped with fight sequences, giving us an extra stop and change for slow motion and off-shutter. I need to give A-cam 1st AC Terry Garnett a shout out, as he was constantly using the entire focus wheel, starting at 50 feet and ending each shot at nine inch mins, nailing it every time. If you're shooting in Vancouver, definitely check if he's available!

How does this project differ from others in your career?

Wallace: As a cinematographer, a show like this is unique because it has everything, from fight scenes to love scenes, creative dimensions i
LINK: https://www.panavision.com/highlights/highlights-detail/room-to-move...
See more stories from panavision

Most recent headlines

09/11/2025

Dalet Unveils Agentic AI Media Workflows at IBC2025

Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...

06/10/2025

France Tlvisions Wins Prestigious 2025 EBU Technology & Innovation Award in Groundbreaking Collaboration with Dalet

France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...

17/09/2025

Tech Focus: Audio Training, Part 2 - Manufacturers Offer Extensive Online Learning

Tech Focus: Audio Training, Part 2 - Manufacturers Offer Extensive Online Learni...

17/09/2025

Tech Focus: Audio Training, Part 1 - A1 Shortage Remains a Major-League Challenge for Sports Broadcasting

Tech Focus: Audio Training, Part 1 - A1 Shortage Remains a Major-League Challeng...

17/09/2025

Dua Lipa's Service95 Book Club' Goes Live at the New York Public Library

It was the ultimate convergence of pop culture and literary prestige: Last night, Dua Lipa brought her Service95 Book Club podcast to the stage for a special li...

17/09/2025

The Gauge: Mexico August 2025

During August, streaming's share of TV viewing in Mexico showed an increase of 0.4% compared to the previous month, accounting for 25% of TV viewing. Discl...

17/09/2025

Jo Aun Joins FOR-A America as Senior Manager, Product Engineering

CYPRESS, Calif. FOR-A America has named Jo Aun as senior manager of product engineering, a new role responsible for guiding the planning, development and rollou...

17/09/2025

PlayBox Neo and CIS Group Power CazeTV with a seamless Pl...

PlayBox Neo, in partnership with CIS Group, a leading provider of media and broadcast technology solutions, has successfully deployed PlayBox Neo's Dual Cha...

17/09/2025

Energy Regulatory Agency Underscores Commitment with Ene...

In a relationship that mirrors societal advances in sustainability, Brightline Lighting and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Headquarters have en...

17/09/2025

Clear-Com Powers Star-Studded Communications at Houston A...

Clear-Com is proud to support the world-class productions of Alley Theatre, one of the oldest and largest nonprofit resident theatres in the United States. With...

17/09/2025

Arch Platform Technologies Announces Strategic Collaborat...

Arch Platform Technologies (www.archpt.io), a pioneer in automated, scalable cloud infrastructure for high-performance workflows, today announced a Strategic Co...

17/09/2025

With over 39bn EUR in assets under management and record-...

Over 300 selected decision-makers from start-ups, corporates, and VC funds worldwide will gather for the third edition of the event, united by a single goal: to...

17/09/2025

Telestream Celebrates Award Win at IBC2025

Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, is excited to announce that its flagship Vantage platform and its next-generation AI capabilities re...

17/09/2025

Mediagenix Celebrates Triple Best of Show Wins at IBC2025...

Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions that profitably connect the right content to the right audience, proudly announces its three Best of Show...

17/09/2025

PlayBox Neo Appoints Transtel Universal as Top Reseller P...

In a move to further establish a firm foothold across South East Asia, PlayBox Neo, the well-respected name in broadcast playout and channel branding, has appoi...

17/09/2025

Wisycom Unveils Two New Solutions at IBC 2025

Wisycom, a global leader in advanced wireless audio solutions, announced two major wireless solutions at IBC 2025 (Stand 8.D30). This includes the Portable RF-o...

17/09/2025

Six Berklee Alumni Win Emmy Awards

Six Berklee Alumni Win Emmy Awards The recipients were recognized for their contributions to acclaimed programs Severance, The Studio, The Penguin, SNL50: The...

17/09/2025

Applications Open for Berklee in Santo Domingo

Applications Open for Berklee in Santo Domingo The weeklong contemporary music program will run January 5-10, 2026. By Colette Greenstein September 17, 2025 ...

17/09/2025

Ukrainian Students Find Creative Consonance' at Berklee Valencia

Ukrainian Students Find Creative Consonance' at Berklee Valencia Through ELIA's UAx Platform, six students from Kyiv joined Berklee Valencia for a week...

17/09/2025

Meet Kenna Hilburn, Avids New Incoming Chief Product Officer

Earlier this year Avid announced Kenna Hilburn as its new senior vice president of product. Recently Hilburn was promoted to Avids new Chief Product Officer, su...

17/09/2025

SES and K2 Space to Accelerate Development of Next-Generation MEO Network

Transatlantic collaboration combines experience and agility to drive innovation in network design and delivery Luxembourg, September 16, 2025 - SES, a leading ...

17/09/2025

Fox TV Stations Join Madhive's Local Live Sports Marketplace

NEW YORK Madhive has announced that the Fox Television Stations have joined its Live Sports Marketplace....

17/09/2025

Sony Electronics Partners with Newhouse School at Syracuse University

SYRACUSE, N.Y. Sony Electronics has announced that it is partnering with the Newhouse School at Syracuse University to provide state-of-the-art equipment, hands...

17/09/2025

Roku's First TV Smart Projector Now Available in the U.S.

SAN JOSE, Calif. Roku has announced that the first smart projector using its Roku TV operating system, the Aurzen Roku TV Smart Projector D1R Cube, is now avail...

17/09/2025

Portrait Artist of the Year returns to Sky Arts with a dazzling line-up of celebrity sitters on 1 October

Wednesday 17 September 2025 UK artists capture icons of stage and screen, inclu...

17/09/2025

FOR-A America Appoints Jo Aun to Lead U.S. Product Development

Jo Returns to FOR-A as Senior Manager of Product Management and Engineering...

17/09/2025

AIR's Big Comeback with DPA Microphones

For the Moon Safari anniversary tour, AIR opened the doors to their backstage. Just a few hours before the Paris concert, DPA met with two key figures of the te...

17/09/2025

The Late Late Toy Show hits the road in search of Ireland's brightest young stars

Auditions will be held in Dublin, Cork and Galway The County Parade returns f...

16/09/2025

SVG All-Stars: Leigh Michaud, Manager, Remote Operations, ESPN

SVG All-Stars: Leigh Michaud, Manager, Remote Operations, ESPNThe UConn grad rose from ESPN's mailroom to become one of its most valuable ops leadersBy Bran...

16/09/2025

Live From IBC 2025: Friday's Latest From Halls 1-4, Outdoor Exhibits in Amsterdam

Live From IBC 2025: Friday's Latest From Halls 1-4, Outdoor Exhibits in Amst...

16/09/2025

Live From IBC 2025: Saturday's Latest From Halls 5-7 in Amsterdam

Live From IBC 2025: Saturday's Latest From Halls 5-7 in Amsterdam By SVG Staff Friday, September 12, 2025 - 17:00 Print This Story The SVG Europe and ...

16/09/2025

Live From IBC 2025: Sunday's Latest From Halls 8-10 in Amsterdam

Live From IBC 2025: Sunday's Latest From Halls 8-10 in Amsterdam By SVG Staff Saturday, September 13, 2025 - 17:00 Print This Story The SVG Europe and...

16/09/2025

Live From IBC 2025: Monday's Latest From Halls 11-14 in Amsterdam

Live From IBC 2025: Monday's Latest From Halls 11-14 in Amsterdam By SVG Staff Sunday, September 14, 2025 - 17:00 Print This Story The SVG Europe and ...

16/09/2025

Amazon Prime Video Picks Up Four Hours of Early-Round Masters Coverage in 2026

Amazon Prime Video Picks Up Four Hours of Early-Round Masters Coverage in 2026 By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 10:15...

16/09/2025

VERSANT Inks Deal for League One Volleyball as Women's Sports Rights Slate Grows

VERSANT Inks Deal for League One Volleyball as Women's Sports Rights Slate G...

16/09/2025

ESPN VP, Corporate Communications, Katina Arnold Named SVP, Disney Advertising Communications

ESPN VP, Corporate Communications, Katina Arnold Named SVP, Disney Advertising C...

16/09/2025

IBC 2025 in Review: SVG Europe's Full Collection of Video Interviews From the Show Floor

IBC 2025 in Review: SVG Europe's Full Collection of Video Interviews From th...

16/09/2025

Celebramos 10 aos de Viva Latino en Spotify y el xito global de la msica latina

Hace una d cada, la m sica latina representaba apenas el 8% de las reproducciones globales en Spotify. Hoy, constituye m s de una cuarta parte (27%) de toda la ...

16/09/2025

Celebrating 10 Years of Spotify's Viva Latino Playlist and the Global Rise of Latin Music

A decade ago, Latin music made up just 8% of global Spotify streams. Today, it a...

16/09/2025

Spotify Welcomes Graham Norton and Select VICE Studios Content

Spotify is expanding our video lineup with a new partnership with Zoo 55, part of ITV Studios. For the first time, acclaimed content from ITV Studios is landing...

16/09/2025

One Enterprise, One Mission: Aligning the Supply Chain to the Warfighter

At DSEI 2025, James Dunne of L3Harris Maritime UK chaired a panel on aligning the supply chain to the warfighter, where leaders discussed modernising support fo...

16/09/2025

RTW chooses Calrec as technology partner

Calrec has strengthened its collaboration with audio metering expert RTW by integrating RTW's new TMxCore metering platform across its full range of Argo IP...

16/09/2025

Football and Back-to-School Dynamics Spark First Gains Since April for Traditional TV

College Football Scores Top Telecast in August with 16M+ Viewers on FOX, Followe...

16/09/2025

Index Exchange and Gracenote Team to Enhance Contextual Intelligence in Programmatic Streaming TV

Collaboration marks the first SSP integration of Gracenote IDs, enabling show-le...

16/09/2025

IBC2025 Attracts 43,858 Visitors

AMSTERDAM The organizers of IBC2025 are reporting that 43,858 visitors from more than 170 countries attended the event, which had more than 1,300 exhibitors and...

16/09/2025

Wooden Camera Releases Accessory Collection for FUJIFILMs...

Wooden Camera announces the release of its new Accessory Collection for the FUJIFILM GFX ETERNA 55. The highlights of this collection include vital power soluti...

16/09/2025

AntonBauer Launches Free Cloud Platform for Smarter Batte...

Anton/Bauer, a leading manufacturer of mobile power solutions for broadcast and cinematic equipment, has announced the launch of Anton/Bauer Fleet Management, a...

16/09/2025

Teradek Launches Prism Jetpack - A New Era of 5G Video Co...

Teradek, a leading provider of video transmission and live production solutions, today announced the launch of Prism Jetpack, a groundbreaking 5G video contribu...

16/09/2025

Astera Reinvents Practical Lighting with SolaBulb

Astera, the leader in wireless LED lighting solutions, announces the ultra-versatile SolaBulb. Building on the success of the Astera bulb family, SolaBulb intro...

16/09/2025

TED2025 Relies on Clear-Com and NETGEAR to Power Producti...

As the world gathered at TED2025 to explore the provocative theme "Humanity Reimagined", Clear-Com , supported by NETGEAR networking infrastructure, delivered f...