
The highly anticipated opus from director Quentin Tarantino doesn't disappoint. It's a typically outrageous conglomeration of comedy and shock laced with pop culture references to cult B movie film and TV shows, replete with a soundtrack of 1970s hits.
The all-star cast for Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is headed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt playing a TV actor and stuntman, respectively, who cross paths with the Charles Manson cult.
Robert Richardson ASC, Cinematographer, on the set of Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood.
The director's longtime cinematographer Robert Richardson, ASC returns behind the camera, having lensed every Tarantino picture since Kill Bill (Vols 1 and 2), to shoot 1969 Los Angeles in primary colors of sky blue and sunset gold. Richardson returned to Panavision in Woodland Hills, the same facility where the filmmakers collaborated on the groundbreaking large-format release of The Hateful Eight (2015) as well as Django Unchained (2012).
When I first met with Quentin to read (Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood), he told me he was uncertain if he would shoot in 70 or 35 or perhaps a mixture of both. Over time, he decided to shoot 35mm. One of the prime reasons was that Quentin had designed a series of shots that were to utilize a zoom and that's not currently an option in 70mm.
Quentin Tarantino checks the frame for a scene with Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.
Thinking that a certain amount of handheld shots might form part of Tarantino's design, Richardson chose the Panaflex Millennium XL2 as ergonomically the most balanced 35mm camera around. It can be converted from handheld to Steadicam to studio mode within seconds.
The XL2 has the sharpest video viewfinder that Panavision has yet to offer, and the video is also improved in brightness levels which aids the camera assistant.
Like The Hateful Eight, the film retains an epic cinemascope presentation paired with anamorphic lenses. Shooting in scope using anamorphics provided greater texture when moving between the various formats used in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood such as 1.33:1 for early western TV sequences (based on CBS show Lancer) and 1:85 which was used for a series of commercials (that were shot but didn't make the final cut).
Quentin loves the wide screen and didn't want to consider a spherical Super 35 option, the Oscar-winning cinematographer notes. The aesthetic of Panavision's anamorphics is wide ranging and the most impressive in the industry. From Ts to Gs to Cs to Es to Primos each offers a unique look.
Richardson says Tarantino envisioned a vintage feel to match the story's era but with a modern twist and in pre-production embarked on a series of tests to find the precise lens selection. We wanted a 1970's retro, something familiar from the past but sitting in the present so when audiences watch the film it should feel slightly off balance.
With camera assistant Gregor Tavenner, Richardson tested a range of Panavision glass both on site at Panavision and on location of the western set that was eventually used for black-and-white sequences of DiCaprio's actor character playing a bounty hunter.
Each of these lens series has a specific feel and different personality so Gregor and I had to base our decision on what Quentin was requesting for a particular shot. At times we would utilize a lens with heavier flare capabilities or flaring that we thought more interesting in design, and other times we chose a lens that could handle high contrast without getting washed out. There is no magic formula it's test, trial and error.
That said, Dan Sasaki greatly aided us in getting closer focus for the T Series and losing the capability, to some degree, in distance.
The film stock was Kodak Vision3 5219, 5213 and Eastman Double-X black-and-white film 5222, with one small sequence on Super 8 Ektachrome and part of another short scene on 16mm Ektachrome.
Colorist Yvan Lucas collaborated with Richardson on setting the look and supervised the 4K digital intermediate. FotoKem developed and printed the dailies.
We took our initial tests to Yvan and to FotoKem and searched for a richer, saturated look particularly in the skin tones. With the aid of production design, costume and make-up, we got closer and closer to what Quentin was asking. Certain lenses capture color in a more natural manner while others give a richness. It takes time to understand how each is performing and the skill of a talented grader to make the adjustments.
Richardson adds, I am very pleased with how the film looks but more importantly how it supports the brilliance of what Quentin directed by meeting his initial requests for a rich tapestry of color. I hope audiences agree.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
29/04/2026
It was a delicate job in a 150-year-old venue laden with traditions. Begun at th...
29/04/2026
In annual event, the league gives startup companies the opportunity to prove the...
29/04/2026
Panel discussions, networking, and a facility tour will take place in the renova...
29/04/2026
(L-R) Derek Drescher, Coss Marte, and Syretta Wright have each other's backs. (Micheal Hurcomb/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)
By Veronika Lee Cla...
29/04/2026
Combines EQ and harmonic distortion
Techivation's latest release is a simple EQ designed to offer quick control over a source's overall tonal balanc...
29/04/2026
Two new MPE controllers announced
Expressive E caused quite a stir when they released the Osmose, making the sort of expression that was once reserved for p...
29/04/2026
New modules & enhanced machine-learning
The latest version of iZotope's flagship restoration suite is now available, and now offers over 50 tools design...
29/04/2026
Surgeon Dr Jasmina Kevric wins 2026 Les Murray Award
29 April, 2026
Media releases
Australia for UNHCR and SBS are proud to announce that Dr Jasmina Kevric...
29/04/2026
Some people stumble into their passion. Julissa Padilla walked straight into a film vault. For her, entertainment was never just about the movies themselves. It...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
Clear-Com has appointed Brian Grahn as Market Outreach Manager of the Americas and Ben Turnwell as Business Development Manager for EMEA live, expanding their ...
29/04/2026
nxtedition is bringing its range of consolidated production tools to MPTS 2026, with new developments spanning transcription, editing, graphics and AI-assisted ...
29/04/2026
Quortex Switch to boost the streaming experience for Telxius customers, reaching millions of viewers worldwide
Synamedia and Telxius, the leading global connec...
29/04/2026
freispace, the leading ERP-as-a-Service platform for media and entertainment production, and Projective, a leading provider of post-production collaboration tec...
29/04/2026
DHD reports strong interest in its broadcast audio product range, exhibited at the April 19th-22nd NAB Show in Las Vegas. The event attracted a claimed 58,000 a...
29/04/2026
Student Spotlight: Alan Catz The Argentine film and game composer talks about working on League of Legends, receiving Berklee's BMI Award, and the lifelon...
29/04/2026
Jay Jennings Builds the Worlds You Hear on Screen The supervising sound designer behind A Minecraft Movie, The Meg, Letters from Iwo Jima, and dozens of other...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/04/2026
29 Apr 2026
VEON and Kyivstar Fulfill Commitment to Invest USD 1 Billion in Ukr...
29/04/2026
Rhod Gilbert, Harriet Kemsley, Kae Kurd, Sara Pascoe and Vicki Pattison to take part in brand new series on free streaming service U
London, 29th April 2026: F...
29/04/2026
Wednesday 29 April 2026
Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, a Sky Original documentar...
29/04/2026
Re-examining the case of Ellie Williams and the wider story of grooming in the town of BarrowWednesday 29 April 2026
Sky announces upcoming documentary series ...
29/04/2026
Wednesday 29 April 2026
Jennifer Garner to lead an all-star cast in new Sky Exc...
29/04/2026
Back to All News
SUPERNOVA: GENESIS Reached a Peak Audience of More Than 6.5 Mi...
29/04/2026
Students and staff from Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge ran a 4.5km course around the roads of Cambridge as part of their annual programme of sustain...
29/04/2026
The Dawn Chorus airs Sunday 3 May from midnight to 7am on RT Radio 1 and RT ly...
29/04/2026
Jin-Quan Yu elected to the National Academy of Sciences Yu is recognized for his pioneering work in synthetic organic chemistry.
April 28, 2026
LA JOLLA, CA S...
28/04/2026
The audio team for the entertainment event must blend speech intelligibility with full-range music reproduction while considering the broadcast
Last week's...
28/04/2026
The Pac-12 Conference has released an updated primary mark and logo as the starting point of the new league's brand identity. The mark was soft-launched acr...
28/04/2026
The DP World Tour and Amazon Leo have signed an agreement making Amazon's lo...
28/04/2026
Pixellot and HELIOS have announced an integration that automatically converts full-game hockey video into individualized shift videos for each athlete, without ...
28/04/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the Asheville Tourists to manufacture and install a new LED video display. The installation was completed in late 2025 and is now ...
28/04/2026
Eutelsat has announced the renewal of its partnership with PCTV, a content aggregation and distribution company in Mexico and part of Megacable Holdings, for co...
28/04/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the Gary SouthShore RailCats to install a new LED video display at U.S. Steel Yard, replacing the previous Daktronics display inst...
28/04/2026
Telos Alliance and the College Radio Foundation have announced that WWSU-FM of W...
28/04/2026
Golf viewership is growing. The 2025 Ryder Cup drew five million viewers in the UK, a 45% increase over the 2023 event. The US Open was the most streamed golf e...
28/04/2026
The CW Network and WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), have announced t...
28/04/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced that the Internet Protocol Media Experience (IPMX) suite of standards and specifications has been named...
28/04/2026
The 2026 NAB Show is in the books and the show once again served up a cavalcade ...
28/04/2026
Gray Media and RAJ Sports have announced Rose City SportsNet (RCSN), a new netwo...
28/04/2026
Today, we announced our First Quarter 2026 earnings, starting the Year of Raising Ambition with strong momentum across the business and continued innovation acr...