--
Cinematographer Simon Rowling tested a number of anamorphic lenses for Writer/Director Adrian Bol's Legacy of Lies to get the perfect anamorphic look without distracting the audience from the on-screen story. The Cooke Optics Anamorphic/i range of prime lenses and a 4:1 Anamorphic/i zoom gave Rowling and Bol the exact look they were hoping to get.
Legacy of Lies, starring Scott Adkins, is a spy action/thriller/drama about an ex-MI6 agent who is thrown back into the world of espionage and high stakes uncovering the shocking truth about operations conducted by unknown secret services. With a budget of US$4.5 million, the goal was for Legacy of Lies to have a big blockbuster look and feel.
Anamorphic was a must to give Legacy of Lies that blockbuster look, said Rowling, who was British Cinematographer magazine's New Wave Rising Star for its January 2020 issue. The Cooke Anamorphic/i lenses were perfect. They didn't create the anamorphic distortions on the edges of the image that can distract an audience from the story, and there were no crazy flares that you can get with older lenses.
Rowling tested a number of anamorphic lenses based on what would be available from Patriot Rental in the Ukraine for shooting in both the Ukraine and the UK.
I knew what the Cooke lenses were capable of and that they would give us a nice anamorphic feel, as I used them on my first anamorphic shoot, Cognition, five years ago, said Rowling. After testing, I knew we would get the same oval bokeh from the Anamorphic/i zoom lens throughout zoom and focus that we would get from the prime lenses, plus all the other coveted characteristics you want when shooting anamorphic.
Plus, the zoom perfectly matched the colour and depth of field characteristics of the Anamorphic/i primes.
Shot with two ARRI Alexa Minis, Rowling's Cooke Anamorphic/i kit consisted of the 25mm, 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm, 75mm, 100mm and 135mm primes, plus the 35-140mm Anamorphic/i zoom.
Adrian takes his vision from the script, giving strong references and talking about how the lighting should look, so I created what he wrote, complete with neon London lights streaming through window shutters, explained Rowling. During our initial conversations, I sent Adrian my mood boards and three of the five boards were the same as his. That helps a lot when director and cinematographer have similar visions - an artsy feel at points, but keeping that dirtier eastern European Mission: Impossible sort of vibe.
For half of the 26-day shoot, two ARRI Alexa Mini cameras were used to cover the big action/gunfight scenes. They also had a Steadicam on standby throughout the production, which would be utilised for 8-10 days by A camera focus puller Rupert Peddle, with a local replacement hired to cover for Peddle when necessary.
There's lots of running with a time element in the film, so we used Steadicam to aid this. In terms of other grip equipment, we used a 2-meter slider, dollies and small jibs for the up/down movements that could place the camera in a position quickly. However, we did use a Technocrane on the first day. On some locations we used a Panther foxy crane, to gain some great establishers. I just sat on the end of the 20-foot crane to get those high establishing shots, added Rowling. The anamorphics really shine when playing with the space around the actors and utilising that negative space. It's a great visual feeling.
As with all cinematographers, Rowling had his go to' lenses for this project: the 25mm and 32mm - the two widest lenses, which were perfect for showing off the architecture of Kiev during the first day of production and featured in the first minute of the film. I had this tingling sensation with the 25mm, a wow, this is wide' realisation and it was great. There's a lot of cat and mouse in the beginning with people hunting each other. For that, I used the 100mm and 135mm for over-the-shoulder shots and certain perspectives I wanted to give. The 35-140mm 4:1 Anamorphic/i zoom was a great lens for shots of snipers in towers.
The opening scene of Legacy of Lies takes place 20 years in the past, and Rowling took full advantage of the Cooke lenses for the look. The Anamorphic's characteristics on the edge of frame on the Super 35mm sensor were really nice. Capturing this effect in camera was nicer than adding it in digitally - The 25mm produces a 12.5mm spherical super-wide horizontal field of view - without seemingly adding any exaggerated curvature to the image for an Anamorphic lens.
Rowling also found Cooke's /i Technology to be very helpful. If we had to go back and do pickups, we didn't have to write anything down. We had it. And in post, it's very useful for having to match certain shots based on the lens used and its settings.
One of the things that Rowling appreciated about the Cooke Anamorphic/i primes and zoom was that it made filmmaking easier. The lenses all matched very well. The Cookes were absolutely perfect for the drama of this father saving daughter' action story. And since the lenses didn't bloom with backlights, I didn't have to flag any, which I always prefer.
Sequences from the film and production and technical information can be viewed on the Shot On Cooke web site - Cooke's Motion Gallery designed to inform and enlighten cinematographers, directors, students and all camera professional.
Legacy of Lies was released on 28 July 2020 on DVD and streaming in the US, and is being released in the UK on 12 October 2020. A behind-the-scenes video can be viewed at youtu.be/e0kpTIjz5eA.
###
About Cook Optics, LTD
Cooke is a storied name in both cinematographic and ultra-high-end professional photography markets. Known worldwide for their precision, exacting tolerances and superior quality, Cooke lenses are specified by
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
-- 
