
Kevin H Martin speaks to cinematographer Ben Davis about the Golden Globe-winning Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Author:
ContributorPublish date:
Jan 11, 2018Social count:
0
Kevin H Martin speaks to cinematographer Ben Davis about the Golden Globe-winning Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
0
SHARES
Grief and rage can find strange outlets. Nearly a year after her daughter's murder, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) expresses her outrage by buying up advertising space on three adjacent roadside billboards in Ebbing, Missouri. She arranges for a series of simple yet bold declarations to be displayed on each, which take Ebbing's police force to task for not having apprehended the killer.
Three Billboards is the newest feature from writer/director Martin McDonagh. Long known for his acclaimed work as a playwright, McDonagh's twisted yet captivating characters and scenarios have also made for compelling film viewing, starting with his directorial debut Six Shooter, which earned an Academy Award in 2006 for Best Live-Action Short Film, and followed by In Bruges (shot by Eigil Bryld) and Seven Psychopaths.
For the latter, the director selected director of photography Ben Davis, BSC, who reteamed with McDonagh for Three Billboards. Davis has amassed a wide variety of credits, ranging from Mathew Vaughn films (beginning with Layer Cake) to a trio of Marvel features (the first instalment of Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Doctor Strange).
Martin writes quickly, remarks the cinematographer, and for all I know he may have done this in just a matter of weeks, but he had been planning it for quite some time. I did know he wanted to write something for Frances [McDormand], but when the script arrived, it was a bit of a revelation. I mean, it's always like a gift when Martin writes something new, but this really impressed me. There are things I don't understand about his thought processes, but I actually like that as it can force me to discard preconceptions and look at things fresh.
One preconception the cinematographer put aside came with the selection of a shooting location. It was always planned to be done entirely on location, but the specifics of that location were very much in Martin's head, Davis continues. He scoured the United States, going everywhere trying to find something matching his vision - with the proximity of billboards to the house and how the police station and town are positioned. These were all very specifically laid out [in his mind]. I didn't think he'd find it all in one location, but in Sylva, North Carolina, he succeeded. I was actually surprised by the location ultimately selected, having imagined a drier kind of Paris, Texas landscape rather than this green smoky feel.
Both director and DP have a history of preferring 35mm film origination, but in this regard, this feature was a departure for them. We love that medium, but I took Martin down the digital route, and he agreed with that approach because ultimately he is most concerned with the performances. Having a good, pure image on the monitor made a huge impact on him; it was far superior to what you'd get with a video tap on a film camera, and it let him evaluate all the visual nuances to make sure they came through. The choice of camera was a more straightforward call.
Personally, I like the look [ARRI] Alexa gives me, as well as how the camera is built and functions, says Davis. My philosophy with shooting digital is to break down the image in some fashion or other, and older generation anamorphics like our Panavision C- and E-series lenses [courtesy of Panavision Woodland Hills] really help with that. We agreed about shooting in 2.35, since that let us frame for our many scenes with multiple characters; scope [aspect ratio] also lets you keep one character in close-up while retaining another mid-ground element.
During prep, the art department developed the graphic look for the billboards. I saw renditions of the billboards in various colours and typefaces, and again I was really surprised by Martin's final selections, Davis admits. Black writing against red had me going, Wow! That's a real statement.' It was quite a departure from the expectation of a typical white background, but after they were built and set in the landscape on the side of that road, they really popped against the greenery.
The police station was modified from an existing thrift shop. In most cases, art direction and design were dictated more by location than the other way around; we liked what we found, then just tried to add nuance to that found look.
Davis finds that shooting on location on a low-budget film requires a lot of coordination with the 1st AD. The other necessity is forethought. I would make a point of taking time to sit at those locations during prep, spending a day or so to work up a good plan about time of day for the various scenes. There was one very emotional scene for Frances that made me pull Martin aside and tell him I thought it needed to happen at dusk rather than any other time of day. Martin might justifiably be wary of that because capturing the performance in a limited period of time can be scary for any director, but we finally decided that if we didn't get it done in time, then we'd come back. The scene was just that important. I honestly think it benefitted from the intense focus everyone brought. If we'd had a full day to get that, it might not have worked as well.
Production's lighting requirements were carried in a single truck. I liked the flexibility to be mobile and respond quickly, so we relied a lot on small HMI and tungsten packages, says Davis. I don't think we used 18Ks at all, and even for big night scenes I only used the 4x4 LED panels. For most in
Most recent headlines
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
04/07/2025
By Lucy Spicer
Editor's note: We are deeply saddened by the passing of Robe...
04/07/2025
The Summer Reading Challenge has inspired children across the U.K. to embrace a ...
04/07/2025
Introducing CVP Auctions: Trusted Tech, At Auction-Only Prices
Brie Clayton July 4, 2025
0 Comments
A New Destination for Film and Broadcast Gear at U...
04/07/2025
Unveiling China's Ecological Wonders with URSA Mini Pro 12K
Brie Clayton July 4, 2025
0 Comments
Nature Documentaries Freeze Epic Momentsin Extrem...
04/07/2025
Create Any Planet in After Effects
Graham Quince July 4, 2025
0 Comments
The Advanced 3D renderer in After Effects makes it really easy to import 3D o...
04/07/2025
Custom Gradient Colorize for Resolve Fusion
Simon Ubsdell July 4, 2025
0 Comments
Digging into the theory of the gradient colorize process to build ou...
04/07/2025
Watching live sports on TV these days is a delicate balance for broadcasters how much information is too much?...
04/07/2025
WASHINGTON As Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr works to achieve his goal of a very busy, productive summer at the FCC, the agency has rele...
04/07/2025
Other World Computing Launches OWC Guardian USB-C Hardware-Encrypted Portable SS...
04/07/2025
CANAL Brings MotoGP to Vision Pro with Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive
Brie Clayton July 3, 2025
0 Comments
Experience MotoGP like never before as CA...
04/07/2025
Friday 4 July 2025
Watch the trailer here https://youtu.be/Od5WpvWmDr8
Further...
04/07/2025
The Pitch comes to RT Radio 1 airwaves this Sunday at 7pm. The Pitch is a brand...
03/07/2025
For our Vario-Jib, as well as for a repertoire of weights, we now have carts that make transport easier...
03/07/2025
One of our latest innovations: Slider Drive Unit!
Our Vario Slider not only comes with improvements and new features, but also with its own drive unit!
Our i...
03/07/2025
The 360 EVO lives up to its name: 360-degree rotation not only on the pan axis, but also on the roll axis, enables filmmakers to take their creative visions eve...
03/07/2025
What a buzzing few days at BSCExpo in London!
We were thrilled to connect with so many talented professionals from the world of cinematography.
A huge thank ...
03/07/2025
ADOLESCENCE - Shot with Panther Tower"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode
Netflix limited drama series Adolescence has been gaining attentio...
03/07/2025
To achieve a true level of decisive overmatch, communication systems must be as ...
03/07/2025
The Broadcasters Foundation of America has named Ray Hopkins, president of U.S. distribution at Paramount Global, to its board of directors....
03/07/2025
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. In his first major policy speech, Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr outlined his Build America Agenda for the agency'...
03/07/2025
As the industry is making a major push to transition to NextGen TV and develop new businesses that will fund the next generation of broadcasting, TV Tech's ...
03/07/2025
Despite enabling its subscribers to watch films and TV shows in the highest possible resolution, Netflix has revealed it is taking things old school with the in...
03/07/2025
WASHINGTON In response to news that Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump, Democrats and other administra...
03/07/2025
WUPPERTAL, Germany Riedel Communications today launched RefSuite for professional sports workflows....
03/07/2025
WEITERSTADT, Germany LYNX Technik, a provider of modular signal processing solutions, has announced that founder and longtime CEO Winfried Deckelmann is steppin...
03/07/2025
WASHINGTON Representatives from six trade groups representing tech, pay TV, broadband, LPTV and other sectors recently met with Federal Communications Commissio...
03/07/2025
PLYMOUTH, Wis. Dan Whealy has acquired Heartland Video Systems and will be its new owner and president, the systems integrator said....
03/07/2025
Acclaimed filmmaker, educator, and industry veteran Jay Holben has released his most ambitious work to date: The Director's Guide to Everything a sweeping...
03/07/2025
For Los Angeles-based photographer Scout Pruski, documenting the annual Dyke Day LA is a way to honor and give back to the city's legacy queer community and...
03/07/2025
Modular, Travel-Ready Solution Matthews Studio Equipment launches the new Chimera V-Flat Panel Frame Kit, the lightweight and modular, ultra-durable alternativ...
03/07/2025
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the release of Dalet Flex 2025.6 LTS (long-term support), introdu...
03/07/2025
Lightware's LARA Wizard makes it quicker and easier than ever to set up audio-visual (AV) room automation and control configurations, ensuring anyone, from ...
03/07/2025
Alfalite, the only European manufacturer of LED screens, has obtained both the NCAGE Code (NATO Commercial and Government Entity) and TAA (Trade Agreements Act)...
03/07/2025
nxtedition is implementing a new solution for WIN Network, based in its headquarters in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The nxtedition integrated platfo...
03/07/2025
ORS Group and Insys Video Technologies today announce the launch of a new joint brand identity: Big Blue Marble. The move reflects the evolution of a long-stand...
03/07/2025
Evergent, a global leader in customer lifecycle management and monetization solutions for subscription-based businesses, today announced the successful results ...
03/07/2025
LYNX Technik, provider of modular signal processing solutions today announces an executive leadership transition, effective July 1, 2025. Markus Motzko has been...
03/07/2025
Chaos Releases V-Ray for Blender
Brie Clayton July 2, 2025
0 Comments
Production-Proven Renderer V-Ray Arrives Natively in Blender for the First Time;...
03/07/2025
Calvin University Adds Blackmagic Replay to Broadcasts and Streams
Brie Clayton July 2, 2025
0 Comments
Replay workflow joins 14 Blackmagic Design cam...
03/07/2025
Berklee's Gospel Performance Program Welcomes Jonathan Nelson as the Herb Al...
03/07/2025
Back to All News
Get Ready for Even More Action! Netflix Has Confirmed the Thir...
03/07/2025
Back to All News
Get ready for even more action! Netflix has confirmed the thir...
03/07/2025
In today's fragmented media landscape, advertisers expect more than just reach - they want seamless cross-platform campaigns that deliver measurable results...
03/07/2025
** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Exp...
03/07/2025
Thursday 3 July 2025
David Harewood and Matthew Broome in Mozart: Genius for Hi...
03/07/2025
The Sky WNT Fund supports Womens National Team players with a 30,000 bursaryThursday 3 July 2025
Sky Ireland has announced the four recipients of the 2025 Sky...
03/07/2025
The forecast this month is showing a 100% chance of epic gaming. Catch the scorching lineup of 20 titles coming to the cloud, which gamers can play whether indo...
02/07/2025
Hege Wik and Odin appear in FOLKTALES by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institut...