--
Star is a new Fox TV music drama from Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Lee Daniels (Empire, Precious). Exposing the cut-throat music industry, Star follows three talented singers as they navigate the road to stardom. The series features Jude Demorest as the title character, Queen Latifah, Benjamin Bratt, and Lenny Kravitz. The series' pilot was shot by cinematographer Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC (Quantum of Solace, Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball) on VariCam 35 cinema cameras.
Executive producer Daniels, who also directed the pilot, has consistently worked with Schaefer since their collaboration on 2012's The Paperboy. Star alternates between fantasy and reality so one of Schaefer's biggest challenges was to keep his three young leads looking glamourous, yet grounded in reality. Lee didn't want the show to look like anything on TV, explains Schaefer. He wanted it to have a raw look. He loved the way we did The Paperboy, although there was no way [Fox] were going to let us shoot on Super 16, which is how we shot The Paperboy. We looked for ways to give it an unusual and distinct look.
Schaefer had tested the VariCam 35 on a Pepsi commercial with Daniels a month before they went into prep for Star. The commercial was going to be shot in New York City in a dark limousine with an African American actor, says Schaefer. There were also scenes with a bunch of people on a subway car where we couldn't change any of the lighting. I knew that I wanted to have the option of using the native 5,000 ISO so I did a few tests and I liked what I saw. I shot the commercial with it and everyone was very happy so we decided that was the way to go with Star.
Starhad similar production and lighting challenges. For scenes that took place in a low ceiling warehouse, Schaefer and crew did not have enough room to hang lights so they had to work primarily with practicals. Most of the practical locations ranged from a disco/strip club to houses and apartments that had limited rigging capabilities. We had to shoot all over Atlanta and some of the moves were massive and there's always horrible traffic there, reveals Schaefer. We were always up against the gun to get the shots. For the night exteriors, there were times I was able to use smaller lights, or no lights, because I was using the [native] 5,000 ISO.
Unlike Netflix and Amazon, Fox TV does not have 4K delivery requirements so Schaefer shot the pilot in full HD because he wanted the show to have a rougher look and didn't want editorial to reframe or zoom in on his carefully designed shots. He captured 12-bit AVC Intra 444 files, as well as separate proxies to take home for viewing.
Knowing his director would not want to view V-LOG footage on a monitor, Schaefer created approximately 10 different LUTs, pushing contrast and allowing highlights to clip. It has a definite gritty look to it, admits Schaefer. It's not ugly by any means, but it just has a very strong look. It's not one of these totally manufactured looking shows where everything looks so smooth.
Schaefer was initially going to use Panavision Primos for the entire pilot but because of the fast pace, there was little time for lens changes. Daniels also wanted to have quick zoom ins and frame adjustments, so Schaefer selected three Angenieux Optimo zooms, including the 15-40, 28-76, and 45-120. He also used filtration on his lenses, including Schneider Hollywood Black Magic filters on shots he wanted to tone down the digital contrast. For beauty shots, Schaefer used Tiffin Black Satin filters, and for fantasy sequences in the strip club, he went with Bronze Glimmerglass.
Lighting for VariCam
For the disco/strip club scenes, Schaefer wanted to capture 360-degrees so he had to use the club's built-in moving LED lights because he couldn't add additional movie lights. We had some sequences in smaller rooms where I would be on the 800 and then I would move in on a profile and realize it looked good but not quite right, so I would just click over to 5,000, he reveals.
Schaefer also used the native 5,000 ISO for low-light bedroom scenes, as well as a club sequence that was shot at 120-fps of an air canon shooting out money and gold glitter. Out on the street at night in Atlanta, I shot at 5,000 just to give my focus pullers a better chance without having to be wide open, but at an f/4. Sometimes I would go to 5,000 and instead of taking the ISO down to 1,600, I would throw NDs in. To me it was like a security blanket. I could always know that if I was in trouble from what I planned if I was missing a stop I didn't want to underexpose it, I could use the 5,000.
In terms of lighting tools, Schaefer still lights with the VariCam as if he's shooting film. I do use LEDs a lot these days - especially from LiteGear - because I trust them and I know they're color correct. They have some great tools like the LiteRibbon LEDs that you can hide in places. I also use their flat LiteMats that you can just stick on a wall. I still consider film to be reasonably sensitive. I've shot Super 16 at a 1000 ASA with good results. I find the VariCam's native 800 ISO is in that range and has a bit more than what your meter says you have. I don't really think I change my lighting; I just look at what looks best to my eye.
The pilot was graded at Mango Post. Schaefer worked closely with dailies colorist James Bills to make sure the final color grade looked consistent to their dailies. Because they had the LUTs to drop back in, it wasn't a big shift, explains Schaefer. It was basically a one-day grade. We lifted some faces, reduced some of the highlights, or did a little bit of tweaking here and there. Lee and I were on the same page from the beginning so it was really important that when he was looking at the monitor
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
-- 
