Cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski and writer-director Ari Aster began their long-running collaboration when they were both students at the American Film Institute. After making a string of shorts together, they teamed on the lauded horror features Hereditary and Midsommar, which in turn paved the way for their latest collaboration, the feature Beau Is Afraid. The movie, Pogorzelski says, is a beautiful, epic story. It's Homer's Odyssey in the 21st century.
Beau Is Afraid follows the eponymous Beau Wassermann (Joaquin Phoenix) as he sets off to visit his mother a journey that immediately veers off course, sending him down a twisted, darkly comedic detour through the horrors of the modern world. Pogorzelski and Aster began discussing the project well in advance of principal photography, and they enlisted the camera team some six months before production commenced. Additionally, as they had done on their previous feature collaborations, they again worked with Brian Mills, a member of the Special Optics team at Panavision Woodland Hills, to assemble an optics package that would match Aster's singular vision for the story.
In the lead-up to the movie's release, Pogorzelski, Mills, and 1st AC Dany Racine reflected on the creative partnerships that helped guide Beau Is Afraid from its director's imagination to the big screen.
Cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski.
Panavision: Pawel, when you and Ari first talk about a project, does the look start to take form right away?
Pawel Pogorzelski: Ari is very prepared and has a very clear vision. We'll watch a couple movies and send references. He very much knows what he wants, and I have to deliver. What makes me happy is when I show him a test during prep and he says, This is what I wanted but even more.' Then, Im able to push that in the direction.
Dany, how did you become involved in this project?
Dany Racine: This was my first collaboration with Pawel. I heard that Ari was coming to Montreal for his next movie, and I had seen his work with Pawel, so I got in touch with Pawel right away and I made sure I stayed available. I really wanted to do this project.
When you and Pawel first spoke, how did he describe the project?
Racine: Well, he has this very close relationship with Ari, so he spoke about the last projects they made together, and he said that Ari likes to work very closely with the camera department. Really soon after that, he brought Ari into a meeting so we could all chat together about the project myself, the camera operator, Ari and Pawel. We talked about everything: the needs, the challenges, the budget, the actors. That was about six months before we started shooting, so everybody was included very early in the process.
It was very important to Pawel that Ari knew the core of the camera department and would be well surrounded. He needed to make sure that Ari felt comfortable about how we were going to work and be involved in the project. And that was very exciting. There was the camera operator, Geoffroy St-Hilaires, and the second AC, Soupharak Keoborakoth. The three of us were pretty much always in the room with Ari and Joaquin, just living that moment, tight around the camera.
Joaquin Phoenix and director Ari Aster.
Pawel, when it's time to start choosing your lenses, how do you kick things off with Brian?
Pogorzelski: I send the references from Ari over to Brian, and he'll tell me, It's probably going to be these lenses,' but I'll still go and test everything. We'll watch the tests on the big screen here at Panavision, with the director, and then choose which we like best. From there, I say to Brian, Okay, now we have a foundation. How do we push that?'
Brian Mills: From the initial conversation when Pawels sending me references, I'll dig into the vast inventory of our lenses to find that starting point of what might fit the bill. What camera is he planning to shoot on, what era were the lenses built in, what's the close focus, what intrinsic qualities are contained in the lenses? The obvious question to start with is spherical or anamorphic, and from there, we'll narrow it down to a couple series, and Pawel will test to see what jumps out at him.
During that process, we'll also talk about the story. In the case of Beau Is Afraid, there was a lot of talk about how Beau is an insulated character, and that pointed us in the direction we wanted to go. After the initial test, thats when well discuss the possibilities within the lenses that hes chosen to see how we might be able to tailor them to the picture.
For Beau Is Afraid, what drew you toward the Panaspeeds?
Mills: Part of it was format. Pawel was planning to shoot Alexa LF, so we were looking at lenses that would cover large format. Also the speed of the lenses, close focus, usability, and our ability to customize within that series. We've done this process a few times now, and I think it tends to scream at Pawel when he sees the right one. He's never tentative about it. When he sees it, he says, Thats it, right there.' Then we'll start tailoring the lenses to Pawel's liking, and over the course of a few days we'll narrow down exactly the feeling hes trying to evoke from the lenses.
Pogorzelski: Aris very involved with this. His first experience with this was on Hereditary, and now, this is just how we make movies. Hes so visual, and he has a really great sense of taste and knows how his movie will look in the end. I can ask him, What do you think of this direction?' And hell be like, I think it could be a bit softer,' or Can we get the colors to pop more?' It's a collaboration, and Brian's taste also goes into the lenses. He knows he has to push it.
Mills: For Pawel, more is always better than less. Well go extreme and then pull it back
Europe Stories
09/12/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced that it has been named an IDC Innovator in the IDC Innovators: ...
09/11/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced three new members of its executive team. Tara Bryant joins as Chi...
17/09/2024
UKTV today releases a selection of first look images captured in Jersey for the upcoming re-imagined series of Bergerac (6x60') for U and U&DRAMA. The six-p...
17/09/2024
Set in a call center in Bristol, England, the television sitcom Ruby Speaking focuses on the eponymous Ruby (played by Jayde Adams) and her colleagues. It'...
17/09/2024
The advert was worked on by Rodeo FXs teams in Montreal and Paris
By Jenny Priestley
Published: September 17, 2024
The advert was worked on by Rodeo FX...
17/09/2024
Organisers have also confirmed the dates for IBC2025
By TVBEurope Staff
Published: September 17, 2024
Organisers have also confirmed the dates for IBC2025...
17/09/2024
By TVBEurope Staff
Published: September 17, 2024
During the TVBEurope team's meetings at IBC2024, we asked everyone to give us one word to sum up their...
17/09/2024
X-Rite ColorDesigner PLUS Helps Paint Manufacturers and Retailers Improve Paint ...
17/09/2024
Rohde & Schwarz joins forces with fiveD, an innovation leader in hyper-realistic...
17/09/2024
With the release of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and watchOS 11 today, Apple Maps is introducing new features to help users explore and find places they lo...
17/09/2024
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
On 17 September 2024, Thales Australia and Denma...
17/09/2024
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
The inclusion of Thales in this index reflects the Groups accelerating progress in terms of social and environmental responsibil...
16/09/2024
UKTV and Everyone TV - the organisation leading the evolution of free TV in the ...
16/09/2024
visionOS 2 is available today, bringing new spatial computing experiences to Apple Vision Pro users around the world. Existing photos can now be turned into spa...
16/09/2024
The awards recognise women and companies who are stand-out performers, innovators and leaders in the industry
By TVBEurope Staff
Published: September 16, 202...
16/09/2024
By Jenny Priestley
Published: September 15, 2024
Future's Best of Show at IBC2024 awards have been announced, with exhibitors from across the show floo...
16/09/2024
RT RETURNS NET DEFICIT OF 9.1 MILLION IN 2023 A CHALLENGING YEAR FOR THE ORGANISATION
A DECLINE IN TV LICENCE REVENUES, ALONG WITH AN INCREASE IN OPERATING...
16/09/2024
RT Investigates to air revealing documentary on immigration protests in Ireland
Never before seen footage
- In a change to scheduled programming
Prote...
16/09/2024
16 Sep 2024
VEON Delegation Attends 2024 YES Annual Meeting, Discusses Investme...
16/09/2024
cetecom advanced re-certifies Rohde & Schwarzs eCall PSAP for testing and collab...
16/09/2024
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 16, 2024 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that the company will demonstrate its intelligent ecosystem for fiber and DOCSIS net...
16/09/2024
Arvato Systems and advanco Launch Comprehensive Partnership
Arvato Systems and advanco Combine Serialization Solutions Arvato CSDB and ARC
G tersloh - Arvato...
16/09/2024
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
On the International Identity Day ID Day', ...
14/09/2024
At Spotify, our live experiences are curated cultural moments that get people ta...
14/09/2024
Photo credit: GETTY IMAGES
Press release - 14 September 2024 12:59
Eutelsat ...
13/09/2024
Spotify is committed to bringing the best listening experience to all our users, and that includes parents and families. That's why we've introduced a p...
13/09/2024
As fans patiently await their favorite artists' new album releases, the anti...
13/09/2024
What I've always loved about his films is that incredible warmth and that incredible imagination, cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos, BSC, GSC says of dire...
13/09/2024
Revolution in Storage: EditShare Reveals Game-Changing New Line Up at IBC 2024
More power, more speed, more flexibility, more capacity, more security, more co...
13/09/2024
Both appointees join the company following extensive careers in the industry
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: September 13, 2024 Updated: September 16, 2024 ...
13/09/2024
The 2061 also offers simplicity, durability and reliability combined with DPA's natural sound. We launched the 2061 to appeal to audio professionals who ar...
13/09/2024
13 Sep 2024
VEON General Counsel Omiyinka Doris Named Among Top 15 Legal Leader...
13/09/2024
Sky Studios Elstree opens Sky Up Academy to inspire 10,000 students a year to pu...
13/09/2024
Countering the autonomous aerial threat In an interview, Martin Woywod, Product Manager Counter-UAS (CUAS) Systems, Rohde & Schwarz , talks about the need for...
13/09/2024
Amsterdam September 13, 2024
WDR Relies on Riedel Backbone for Remote Production of UEFA Euro 2024The German regional public broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfu...
13/09/2024
Amsterdam September 13, 2024
Riedel Expands Its Range of NSA Network Stream AdaptersRiedel Communications today announced the launch of two new additions to i...
13/09/2024
Amsterdam September 13, 2024
Riedel Communications Launches Virtual SmartPanel at IBC2024At IBC2024, Riedel Communications announced the launch of its ground...
13/09/2024
Amsterdam September 13, 2024
Riedel Unveils Revolutionary SAME Smart Audio & Mixing Engine at IBC2024Riedel SAME Delivers Ultra-Low-Latency Audio Processing ...
13/09/2024
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 13, 2024 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) is pleased to announ...
13/09/2024
Photo credit: GETTY IMAGES
Press release - 13 September 2024 09:50
Eutelsat ...
13/09/2024
Photo credit: AdobeStock_305149408- nuchao
Press release - 13 September 2024...
13/09/2024
Today, Apple Maps on the web is available in public beta, allowing users around the world to access Maps directly from their browser.1...
13/09/2024
Apple and Major League Baseball (MLB) today announced the September game schedule for Friday Night Baseball, a weekly doubleheader available to Apple TV+ subs...
13/09/2024
Starting with iOS 18.1, developers will be able to offer NFC contactless transactions using the Secure Element from within their own apps on iPhone, separate fr...
13/09/2024
Starting tomorrow, September 13, at 5 a.m. PDT, customers can pre-order Apple's powerful new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models on apple.com/uk and in the r...
13/09/2024
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Alaska residents will be the first in the U.S. t...
13/09/2024
13 September 2024, 01:30 (PDT) Dolby Unveils New, Live Streaming Offering for t...
12/09/2024
We know that when fans fall in love with an artist, they can't get enough. So when you want to connect with your favorites on a deeper level, Spotify is you...
Cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski and writer-director Ari Aster began their long-running collaboration when they were both students at the American Film Institute. After making a string of shorts together, they teamed on the lauded horror features Hereditary and Midsommar, which in turn paved the way for their latest collaboration, the feature Beau Is Afraid. The movie, Pogorzelski says, is a beautiful, epic story. It's Homer's Odyssey in the 21st century. 
