In a cinematic universe expanding with superheroes, the creative challenge for filmmakers is to set newcomers apart from the crowd. The task is doubly important for Bloodshot, the first installment of a new franchise that Sony Pictures plans for characters of comic-book publisher Valiant Entertainment.
The studio assigned responsibility to Dave Wilson, an established video game cinematic and trailer director for Blur Studio but first-time feature director, who in turn worked alongside cinematographer Jacques Jouffret, whose credits as a camera operator include Deepwater Horizon and Transformers: The Last Knight, and as a DP include The Purge and Mile 22.
I was blown away by Dave's imagining for the world of Bloodshot, says Jouffret. This is a science-fiction set, but he wanted to ground the story in reality so that the near future feels just a step away. Most superhero movies rely on CGI or cartoon-like visuals, but Dave wanted to portray a real environment. This really excited me.
Wilson has described Bloodshot as a film about the illusion of choice in a technologically advanced society. Based on the bestselling comic book, Vin Diesel stars as Ray Garrison, a Marine recently killed in action and brought back to life by a sinister corporation. With an army of nanotechnology in his veins, he becomes a superhuman, but in struggling to recall memories of his past life, he uncovers an apparent conspiracy and embarks on revenge.
Jouffret and Wilson's principal stylistic reference was the work of director Tony Scott (Enemy of the State). The chief elements we took from Tony were the use of multicamera and long-lens shots with foreground action, Jouffret explains. We didn't want to give the audience a clear view of the action, but to keep them off guard, like a live-action documentary. So, if there's a car accident, we see the start of it or its aftermath but we don't have a good vantage point to see all of it. This sensibility directly informed our choice of camera and lens package.
Bloodshot is Jouffret's fourth film as DP with Panavision's Millennium DXL2. It's a camera, he says, that closely approximates the experience of shooting on film thanks to its Primo electronic viewfinder. As a camera operator, I grew up with my eyes on the eyepiece, seeing instantly what a shot looks like, he reflects. My frustration with digital is that this instinctual creative experience with an image is lost because you are referring instead to a DIT and a monitor. The DXL2 is amazing for me because I can finally put my eye on the OLED eyepiece just as if I were shooting film. It means I can make decisions on set. It's not that DITs don't have a place I certainly will check the monitor but I prefer to be on set, where everything is happening, rather than in the DIT tent. Panavision have succeeded in giving DPs a tool that they can put on a dolly or shoulder and retain creative decision making.
Jouffret also stresses the importance of lens choice. In the digital world, lenses are basically the only organic element left. The optical aberrations lend a unique element to the project, and that makes them truly valuable. Lens choice is the one aspect of a show that will stay entirely consistent through to post. You know that the lens characteristics that you chose are not going to change.
For Bloodshot, Jouffret paired the DXL2 with a set of T Series anamorphic lenses, which are tuned to be compatible with digital sensors without losing any of the imaging characteristics that have become part of Panavision's anamorphic grammar. This speaks to our creative decision to inject reality to the story, he says. Anamorphic can get you close to the actor without losing their environment. The problem, though, is that anamorphic has a minimum focus that limits most lenses to 3-4 feet. With the T Series 60mm, however, minimum focus is 18 inches. The entire range is beautiful, but my go-to lens on Bloodshot was the 60mm for most all medium close-ups, and a 100mm macro that we used for inserts.
Production was photographed largely on soundstages in Cape Town and Budapest. With up to 70 setups a day, Jouffret typically rolled with two handheld DXL2s, one DXL2 with a long lens, and a RED camera recording wides from a Technocrane. I wanted the cameras constantly on the move, never static, always finding the shots and angles so that we continually sense that nothing is perfect or clear, Jouffret explains. This is an element that has been missing in most superhero films, which tend to be shot on bluescreen. We didn't want CGI to overpower our story.
The filmmakers shot 7K (compressed 5:1) in order to use as much of the sensor as possible. I believe in large format, and the more pixels I can get the better, he says. I love the color science that Light Iron have designed into the camera. The Light Iron Color 2 Film LUT emphasized the DP intent as opposed to a perfect rendition of color.
Jouffret also employed smoke and other atmospheric elements on set to achieve a degraded naturalistic look in-camera. With the look we created on the set, we have ended up with a picture that is very, very close to our original intent, the cinematographer observes. We are introducing a character with extraordinary power, but telling his story in a way that is only just beyond imagination.
Photo Credit: Graham Bartholomew
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
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...
12/09/2026
Latest Obsolete Devices pedal announced
Great Eastern FX Co. have just launched the latest pedal in their Obsolete Devices series, a range of effects pedals...
12/09/2026
September 11, 2026
BUDAPEST & SEATTLE, 10 September 2026 - Qumulo and Colorfron...
12/09/2026
Calrec expands its IP ecosystem with new Type RT console and Apex M6 Modular I/O Platform at IBC 2026 Type RT is the centrepiece of Calrec's news at IBC 202...
11/09/2026
Spark series gains compact modelling stompbox
Positive Grid's Spark amps have become a popular part of the company's line-up, offering a convenient ...
11/09/2026
New flagship sequencing plug-in revealed
Rapid Flow have just launched a new 16-track sequencer plug-in which they say has been designed for total rhythmic...
11/09/2026
Rohde & Schwarz unveils the air-cooled R&S TM1 medium-power UHF transmitter at I...
11/09/2026
Friday 11 September 2026
Sky Sports extends US Open deal to 2030
Sky has agreed a three-year extension to its US Open deal, ensuring Sky Sports & NOW remains ...
11/09/2026
Wuppertal September 11, 2026
A Decade of Innovation: AMP VISUAL TV Builds on Ten Years of MediorNet EvolutionAMP VISUAL TV is continuing the evolution of its ...
11/09/2026
Wuppertal September 11, 2026
Mediacom Deploys Riedel Easy5G for Wireless Camer...
11/09/2026
Wuppertal September 11, 2026
Touring Video Expands Flexible Production Workflows With Riedel MediorNet and hiRiedel Communications today announced that Tourin...
11/09/2026
Wuppertal September 11, 2026
Riedel Technology Powers Record-Breaking Esports World Cup Production in ParisFrom July 6 to Aug. 23, 2026, Paris hosted the Espo...
11/09/2026
Article courtesy of Digital Production
Read the article
With Baselight 8 coming in 2027, the interesting part is not the number of new buttons. Some features...
11/09/2026
It's almost iPhone Pro time. Starting Saturday, September 12, at 1 p.m, cust...
11/09/2026
RT has today announced Benetti Menswear as the sponsor of its 2026 Amgen Irish Open coverage for a sixth consecutive year, further strengthening the heritage c...
10/09/2026
Editing, restoration & mastering suite upgraded Acon Digital Acoustica 8 audio editing restoration mastering software.
Acon Digital have just launched the la...
10/09/2026
Classic synths & drum machines available to play
Based in Reading, UK, Readipop are a music and arts charity with a long track record of innovative, partici...
10/09/2026
Popular model updated & new addition introduced
With many of the models in Neumann's KH family now boasting onboard DSP and support for the company'...
10/09/2026
Improved desktop interface announced
The latest iteration of Arturia's flagship desktop audio interface has just arrived, introducing improved preamps, ...
10/09/2026
Progress needs proof: Rohde & Schwarz showcases its trailblazing test solutions ...
10/09/2026
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max,...
10/09/2026
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Watch Ultra 4 - the ultimate ...
10/09/2026
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Watch Series 12, engineered w...
10/09/2026
The beloved duo are back with big challenges and even bigger laughs as they discover if you're ever truly too old to try something new.
Previous praise for...
10/09/2026
Thursday 10 September 2026
Sky News Defence Insider app launches as new researc...
10/09/2026
Thursday 10 September 2026
Award-winning network Sky Mobile to offer Apple iPho...
10/09/2026
Thursday 10 September 2026
Sky unveils gripping teaser for The Good Daughter, coming this NovemberTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy options a...
10/09/2026
Harmonic Leads the New Era of Broadband Connectivity at SCTE TechExpo 2026 Showcase Spotlights Include:
New cOS SensAI intelligence fabric unleashing data-pow...
10/09/2026
RT to Broadcast Amgen Irish Open free-to-air
New multi-year agreement will see RT continue to bring the Amgen Irish Open to Irish audiences
Ryder Cup hig...
10/09/2026
More than 30 women report allegations of sexual harassment, misogyny and bullying within National Ambulance Service
Tonight on RT Prime Time, 9:35pm, RT One ...
10/09/2026
Series 3 of Nero's Class begins Friday 11 September on RT Listen
The third...
09/09/2026
New parts aimed at hip-hop and pop productions
The latest update to Celemony's innovative virtual session musician expands the collection of built-in in...
09/09/2026
Save up to 40% until 21 September 2026
Sonarworks are currently running their Autumn Sale, with discounts of up to 40% currently available across their rang...
09/09/2026
Upcoming title officially launches in September 2026
Bjooks' celebrations for this year's 909 Day will be welcome news amongst drum machine lovers, ...
09/09/2026
** MEDIA ALERT **
NARUTO Takes the Stage at New York Comic Con 2026 Special Panel to Feature Franchise News, First-look Footage and Appearances by Japanese ...
09/09/2026
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced iPhone Duo, the first foldable iPhone. Opened, it is the thinnest iPhone ever, with a 7.6-inch inner display that p...
09/09/2026
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced AirPods 5, delivering the industry&#...
09/09/2026
Chennai/Luxembourg, 9 September 2026 - SES, a leading space solutions company, today announced the inauguration of its new office in Chennai, India, marking a s...
09/09/2026
September 9 2026, 22:35 (PDT) Cinema Sunshine Becomes Japan's First Exhibit...
09/09/2026
Wednesday 9 September 2026
Tom Daley adds final stitch to giant Baa-Ewe' t...
09/09/2026
Red Seat Ventures Integrates Barometer into Speakeasy to Maximize Podcast Revenu...
09/09/2026
Baselight-powered color comes natively to Media Composer, connecting creative de...
09/09/2026
RT brings three packed days of live radio, entertainment, news, weather and fun
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, Oliver Callan, Today with David McCullagh,...
08/09/2026
Built for rap producers, by rap producers
Sauceware Audio, the independent plug-in company founded by Grammy-nominated producer Jacob (Travis Scott, 21 Sava...
08/09/2026
Classic Sound Techniques design revived
Warm Audio's latest release delivers a meticulous recreation of the preamp circuitry employed by the Sound Techn...
08/09/2026
Latest soft synth inspired by the Memorymoog
XILS Lab have just launched a software instrument that draws its inspiration from Moog's iconic Memorymoog,...
08/09/2026
September 08, 2026 NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Soundcraft today announced the launch of its Signature Plus Series Analog Connected Mixing Consoles. As the next genera...
In a cinematic universe expanding with superheroes, the creative challenge for filmmakers is to set newcomers apart from the crowd. The task is doubly important for Bloodshot, the first installment of a new franchise that Sony Pictures plans for characters of comic-book publisher Valiant Entertainment.
