Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Lighting and filming food fast with ARRI

12/12/2018

Filming food preparation requires quick and precise control of cameras, lenses, and lighting. Berlin-based cinematographer Winnie Heun took on the task with a commercial for Knorr, shot in Istanbul. He spoke with ARRI about his experience on the shoot.

What were some of the main challenges associated with this project?

It was quite a job. We had to accommodate a large studio set, two well-known Turkish celebrities, a child, cooking pots and stoves, high-speed photography, motion control, and time-lapse sets. And we only had three days to film it all.

What kind of set was needed for this shoot?

Designer Zeki Sarayoglu and his team built a beautiful large scale set at the Orion studios in Istanbul. The team had to create an entire apartment, with a fully equipped open kitchen, a moveable kitchen island, beautiful columns, and wall break-throughs to create various angles and depth for my shots. We decided to use a rather muted, darker wall color.

The food stylists had to supply gorgeous food for all setups, mostly at the same time.

Tell us about the general lighting requirements?

We had to light the set in a late evening/night-time style. My gaffer Giray Gergin is a true artist. We rigged a large amount of tungsten units on an above hanging truss grid system. Various softboxes were applied as well. They were equipped with SkyPanels and they were managed with a control board. We were able to change the height and angle and the length of the curtains of each softbox independently. The outside of our set was pre-rigged with large, open face tungsten units to light the backdrop evenly. For the night scene, we used cooler soft sky bounce through the windows, and Giray even applied small LED punctual fixtures to replicate urban street lights.

This commercial used a number of different setups. Could you explain a bit about them?

We used the same studio for our motion-control, time-lapse, and high-speed setups because we wanted to shoot constantly all 4 main areas of action. The grips pulled up large curtains to divide the studio space. One setup was a glass oven which we could light from outside. There we shot moving time-lapse of the process of baking various dishes. Due to the single frame exposure, the units were very small, a bunch of 300W Fresnels and a SkyPanel S60-C for a soft backlight did the job.

Lighting the high-speed setup was a completely different number. We used various M90's and M40's with the ARRI high speed ballasts and their AutoScan Mode. Because of the heat sources, we, of course, had to use metal flags, otherwise they would have been burned. Director Ali Taner Baltaci and I were constantly switching from one setup to another, shooting, tweaking shots, or lighting new setups. Ali Taner was missing some reaction shots, so we called in a second camera unit to continuously concentrate on the celebrities' reactions.

The glass oven-lit with SkyPanel and Fresnels

What was the major challenge with shooting food?

I've worked with the food stylist Mesud Erdogun on many projects. He had to supply gorgeous food for all setups mostly at the same time. That kept him and his assistants constantly busy.

Shooting food is a real challenge. You have to be very, very fast with lighting or adjusting the cues. Being on a dimmer board helps a lot. The high-speed cameras are more and more light sensitive, but you end up using large-scale HMI's just the get the desired t-Stop. Lighting a set the size of a match box with these massive units is great fun. There was a lot of improvisation: we used all kinds of reflectors, mirrors, little grip stands, heat shields, clamps, and cobbled together rigs, slides with Fisher Technic motors and gear, and other stuff we grabbed from the hardware store. But we also used the SkyPanels. They were not only inserted in the softboxes but were also used here and in different sizes during the whole shoot. They are so wonderfully universal.

What features of the ARRI lights have proven to be important?

I love using the full range of SkyPanels. Ever since they first came out, they've been a big part of my lighting package. Matching the color to existing lights on location, the power of the output and the high-speed capability of the SkyPanels are game changers. The actors we lit mostly with soft bounce from unbleached muslin. I collected a variation of all kinds of fabrics which we could bounce from. The sunlight came from a bunch of 20K ARRI Tungsten Fresnels through the windows. These are great lights, I love their softness because of the large lens.

The family comes together at the end of the TVC to enjoy the meal in the living room.

Finally, tell us about the cameras you used and why.

We filmed on two ALEXA Minis - the Mini has become the go-to camera for television commercials and I like their small size, look library and high frame rate. In the end, it all worked really well. I love collaborating with Ali Taner Baltaci. We've shot many, many commercials together and he knows how to tell a story, is very open to suggestions and works very closely with all departments. And with ARRI's lights and cameras, we had the right tools for the job.
LINK: https://www.arri.com/en/company/arri-news/news-stories/2018/filming-an...
See more stories from arri

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

10/07/2026

N.Y. State Broadcasters Association Selects Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/07/2026

Chyron's PRIME 5.4 Brings Template Experience to More Newsrooms

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/07/2026

Registration Opens for 2026 NAB Show New York

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/07/2026

IAB Releases Redefining Media Types' Standard for Public Comment

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/07/2026

Wedotv FAST Channels Launch on TiVo Platforms in Europe

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/07/2026

Sage Offers Guidance on EAS Password Changes

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/07/2026

Omaha Productions Goes All-In as World Series of Poker Main Event Returns to ESPN

With 50+ cameras, three trucks, 60+ EVS channels, RFID hole-card workflows, and ...

09/07/2026

SVG Students To Watch: Dana Shearer, Syracuse University

A recent graduate from Westchester, NY, this experienced technician has already started her first gig in the industry, as a REMI A2 Comms Specialist at ESPN In...

09/07/2026

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Lightcasts Andreas Kisslinger on the Role of Automation, Cloud-Based Workflows in Streaming

Live sports production is a fast-paced industry with no signs of slowing down. W...

09/07/2026

TV Skyline, thinXpool, DMC Production Collaborate on Deutsche Telekom's World Cup From NYC

From a rooftop studio in Manhattan, multiple Germany-based companies share respo...

09/07/2026

FOX One and Overtime Announce Creator Series Race to Glory for FIFA World Cup 2026

Overtime has announced a content partnership with FOX One to produce Race to Glo...

09/07/2026

Ross Production Services Standardizes on Clear-Com Intercom Across Mobile Production Fleet

Clear-Com has announced that Ross Production Services (RPS) has standardized on ...

09/07/2026

NetApp Returns as Presenting Partner of 2026 NFL Madrid Game

The NFL has announced that NetApp will return as Presenting Partner of the NFL Madrid Game, featuring the Atlanta Falcons against the Cincinnati Bengals at the ...

09/07/2026

The R&A and Cisco Announce Multi-Year Network Infrastructure Partnership

The R&A and Cisco have announced a multi-year partnership making Cisco the Official Network Supplier of The R&A and its Championships. Cisco will deploy AI-read...

09/07/2026

Fox Television Stations, Extreme Reach, and LTN Complete Live Syndication of 25 Words or Less LIVE

Fox Television Stations, Extreme Reach (XR), and LTN have announced the completi...

09/07/2026

Wynn Records Launches Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Platform Powered by Kiswe

Kiswe has announced a partnership with Wynn Records to launch the Wynn Records Network streaming platform, debuting Saturday, July 11 with a Salita Promotions b...

09/07/2026

NEP Europe Announces Multi-Year Agreement as Wimbledon Broadcast Services Provider

NEP Europe has announced a new multi-year agreement with Wimbledon Broadcast Ser...

09/07/2026

Thropic Games Raises Pre-Seed Round Led by The Famous Group

Thropic Games, a company offering casual mobile games tied to fan fundraising for sports programs, has announced a pre-seed funding round led by The Famous Grou...

09/07/2026

Game Creek Video Purchases 10 Grass Valley K-Frame Switchers for Fleet Expansion

Game Creek Video has reached an agreement with Grass Valley to purchase 10 K-Frame production switchers as part of a two-year fleet expansion. Two systems have ...

09/07/2026

Gravity Media Powers ITVs FIFA World Cup Coverage with Three-Hub Remote Production

Gravity Media is delivering a three-hub remote production workflow for ITV's...

09/07/2026

Report: North American Broadcast Journalists Spend Up to 75% of Time on Technical Workflows

A new report from Quickplay and Caretta Research, The Broadcaster Revolution Wi...

09/07/2026

DAZN to Broadcast Esports World Cup Free to Global Audiences

DAZN, the world's leading sports entertainment platform, has announced a long-term strategic partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation to serve as t...

09/07/2026

YES Networks Mike Webb on Finding Opportunity for Innovation in Live Regional Sports Production

The regional sports network is staying busy this summer with broadcasts of the N...

09/07/2026

Universal Audio Black Box HG-2 & elysia karacter

Latest analogue-emulation plug-ins revealed Universal Audio have just added two new analogue-emulation plug-ins to their DSP-powered UAD line-up. Developed ...

09/07/2026

Neumann launch U 47 FET Bon Scott Edition

Limited-edition mic celebrates rock icon Neumann have partnered with the Bon Scott Estate to create a limited-edition version of the U 47 FET that honours b...

09/07/2026

Plugin Station: Plug-in management software

Handles organisation, updates, troubleshooting & more Created by pro-audio software developer Julian Worden, Plugin Station from Julian Michael Technologies...

09/07/2026

LANDR expand Fair Trade AI programme

Introduces new $1 million advance programme LANDR have just announced the next phase of their Fair Trade AI programme, a pioneering opt-in music-licensing p...

09/07/2026

Spitfire Audio expand low-cost Originals range

Four new titles now available Spitfire Audio have just introduced four new titles in their Originals range, bringing the total count of libraries in the low...

09/07/2026

SBS statement Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion

SBS statement Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion 9 July, 2026 Media releases SBS acknowledges the gravity of the matters before the Roy...

09/07/2026

Press Release: NFVF Sixth Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP6) Status Update

08 July 2026, Johannesburg - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...

09/07/2026

Blackmagic Design Announces New UltraStudio Express 3G

Blackmagic Design Announces New UltraStudio Express 3G Brie Clayton July 9, 2026 0 Comments New extremely portable capture and playback models with 3G...

09/07/2026

Miri Introduces Self-Service Cellular Data and SIM Card Management Platform for NetConnect+ Plans

Miri Introduces Self-Service Cellular Data and SIM Card Management Platform for ...

09/07/2026

Hong Kong Jockey Club Expands Intercom Infrastructure Wit...

Riedel Communications today announced that the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), one of Asia's most prestigious horse racing organizations, has significantly up...

09/07/2026

Game Creek Video Switches On Next-Gen Production with K-F...

Leading North American mobile production facility provider standardizes on Grass Valley's fully IP-native K-Frame production switchers for its fleet of next...

09/07/2026

Miri Introduces Self-Service Cellular Data and SIM Card M...

Miri Technologies Inc. is rolling out a new online portal that provides customers and resellers with self-serve management tools and usage analytics for the com...

09/07/2026

Beeble Introduces AI-Driven SwitchHDR Converter

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/07/2026

DP Aakash Subramaniam Chooses ZEISS Supreme and Nano Prim...

Cinematographer Aakash Subramaniam, WICA faced a conceptual challenge: how could he make a film about dying that doesn't feel like one? The film, Our Weird...

09/07/2026

The Search for Leah Croucher: A Parent's Nightmare for U and U&W

Years in the making, this intimate documentary draws on rare access to Leah Crouchers family to tell the story behind one of Britains most high-profile missing ...

09/07/2026

Enjoy Gigafast speeds and Ultimate TV pack for less

Thursday 9 July 2026 Enjoy Gigafast speeds and Ultimate TV pack for less The latest deals have dropped from Sky TV and Sky Broadband, the award-winning provid...

09/07/2026

Local campaigns with impact

Hands up who would like to dress up as a giant crisp packet? The call that went out across the agency as our anti-litter campaign, Wish you weren't here fo...

09/07/2026

GeForce NOW Turns Up the Heat With New GeForce RTX 5080-Powered Toronto Server

This GFN Thursday brings more games, more power and more ways to play on GeForce NOW. The cloud gaming service is expanding with a new GeForce RTX 5080-powere...

08/07/2026

Aqueduct Racetrack Goes Silent

The end of the Big A' marks the demise of one more iconic sports venue and its signature sound After 132 years as one of the preeminent horse-racing track...

08/07/2026

Memphis Athletics, Learfield Continue Long-Term Partnership

Memphis Athletics and Learfield have signed a long-term renewal to their 25-year relationship, which sees Learfield's Tiger Sports Properties continue repre...

08/07/2026

T-Mobile Brings ABS Challenge System, 5G Batting Practice Cams to 2026 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia

MLB All-Star Week returns to Philadelphia for the first time in 30 years as Amer...

08/07/2026

SVG Enterprise Launches Inaugural Enterprise Video Summit, Oct. 19 in New York

Former Wall Street Video event expanded to include all Enterprise sectors SVG Enterprise has announced the inaugural Enterprise Video Summit, taking place Oct....

08/07/2026

Wrigley Field Revamp: Chicago Cubs Upgrade LED Videoboards To Match New 1080p Control Room

An offseason project enhanced eight video displays around the venue in time for ...

08/07/2026

A Beacon on Biscayne Bay: Miami Heat Reflect on Ambitious Renovation at SVG Venues & Teams Summit

Kaseya Center has a ton of new features that weren't available to the indust...