Reflecting its long-running association with the Berlin International Film Festival, yesterday ARRI hosted a well-attended Berlinale event at the city's famous Hotel Adlon with cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, ASC, who recently used ARRI ALEXA cameras and the ARRIRAW format to shoot the anamorphic feature films Nebraska and The Monuments Men.
From left to right: Henning R dlein, Phedon Papamichael, Stephan Schenk
Stephan Schenk, ARRI's General Manager - Business Unit Camera Systems, and Henning R dlein, Head of Digital Workflow Solutions, led the discussion with Papamichael, who first used the ALEXA camera on 2012's This is 40. The cinematographer noted, After that experience I actually bought an ALEXA myself, because it seemed to me that whatever might happen with technology, this camera would always be good enough for theatrical release feature films.
Nebraska, directed by Alexander Payne, has been nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Achievement in Cinematography. Despite a relatively low budget of $12 million, ARRIRAW was chosen by the filmmakers because it brought significant production value, while the ALEXA's unique 4:3 sensor assisted the anamorphic capture. Papamichael added film grain to his black-and-white images in post, emulating the look of 1970s films such as Paper Moon and The Last Picture Show, and commented on stage, Black-and-white is actually easier to shoot than color, and a lot of fun, because you can do things that just wouldn't work in color.
Papamichael has also stated how the compact ALEXA M model helped him on the movie: Nebraska required extensive car scenes, but we didnt want to use a process trailer and an insert car. The ALEXA M permitted easier shooting inside vehicles and rigging through windows. Often the M head was on a slider in the back seat of the hero vehicle or mounted on a leveling head on the passenger side. Having this smaller setup allowed us to move quickly and gave us an intimacy with the characters in the car.
During the discussion about The Monuments Men, director George Clooney's highly anticipated WWII drama, Papamichael screened some of his camera tests to help explain how and why he combined ALEXA digital cameras with ARRICAM film cameras, and also mixed anamorphic lenses with spherical ARRI/ZEISS Master Primes, all provided by ARRI Rental in Germany, where most of the shoot took place. He noted, Clooney agreed to use ALEXA after we shot these tests - he'd also used it a bit on Argo, which he produced, so the ice had been broken. I guess with ALEXA we could move a little faster and sometimes use a bit less light. Also, when you have the lighting visible on a monitor, you can make decisions and adjust it as you go along.
Talking of the specific cameras he used on the film, Papamichael has stated, The ARRICAM Lite is a very practical camera; we did a lot of Steadicam and handheld work on the film, and it's very good for that. And of course having the ALEXA with a full-size 4:3 sensor was necessary because we were using the anamorphic format. We recorded ARRIRAW and it gave us very good results - very high quality - so cutting between the two formats was seamless.
When asked at ARRI's event how he felt about the advance of digital technology and the comparisons between film and digital, Papamichael commented, I come from a time when film stocks didn't actually have huge dynamic range, so for me the ALEXA is an improvement in this area. And in terms of resolution I personally just don't need or want any more - that's why I bought an ALEXA. I know a lot of other cinematographers feel the same way and are pulling back from this continual advance in resolution and sharpness; we have to shoot movie stars and too much sharpness simply doesn't help.
Speaking of the choice of format on these two feature films, Papamichael noted, Anamorphic is just a beautiful format and I love composing in that wide aspect ratio. When quizzed about the new ARRI/ZEISS Master Anamorphic lenses, which he has had the opportunity to test, he commented, They're T1.9 and they look incredible even wide open, which is where a lot of other anamorphic lenses fall apart. With the Master Anamorphics there isn't that fall-off - you can put a face right in the corner of the frame and it will be sharp.
About ARRI:
With headquarters located in Munich, Germany, Arnold and Richter Cine Technik (A&R) was founded in 1917 and is the worlds largest manufacturer and distributor of motion picture camera, digital intermediate (DI) and lighting equipment. The ARRI Group comprises a global network of subsidiaries and partners that covers every facet of the film industry, including worldwide camera, grip and lighting equipment rental through ARRI Rental; turnkey lighting solutions through the ARRI System Group; lab services, postproduction and visual effects through ARRI Film & TV; and film distribution through ARRI Worldsales. Manufactured products include the ALEXA camera system and AMIRA documentary-style camera; Master Anamorphic lenses; L-Series LED and M-Series HMI lights; Pro Camera Accessories; and ARRISCAN archive technologies. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recognized ARRI's engineers and their technical contributions with 18 Scientific and Engineering Awards.
For locations and more information please visit http://www.arri.com
###
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...
07/08/2025
July 8 2025, 22:30 (PDT) Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, R...
17/07/2025
Early Thursday morning, the U.S. Senate voted to cut federal funding for PBS and NPR in a bill that also included cuts for foreign aid. In a 51-48 vote, the act...
17/07/2025
GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilions across IBC2025 (12 15 September, RAI Amsterdam) feature a remarkable 34 companies, each providing unique, innovativ...
17/07/2025
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers today introduced its Content Provenance and Authenticity (CPA) in Media Study Group (S...
17/07/2025
NEW YORK Despite widespread concerns about a soft advertising market, NBCUniversal said it closed its 2025-26 upfront negotiation cycle with a record ad sales v...
17/07/2025
NEW YORK Television advertising remains an effective means to market and influence younger baby boomer and Generation X consumers approaching retirement age, ac...
17/07/2025
ALLENTOWN, Pa. & JERSEY CITY, N.J. Service Electric Cable TV and OpenVault have announced that the operator is deploying the OpenVault Proactive Network Manage...
17/07/2025
WASHINGTON Following up on his first major policy speech just two ago, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is promising to buck the usual summ...
17/07/2025
Luxembourg, 14 July 2025 - SES received the final regulatory approvals for the SES-Intelsat transaction, including the US Federal Communications Commission.
O...
17/07/2025
Berklee Alumni Nominated for 2025 Emmy Awards Twenty-three Berklee alumni received nominations across categories in sound mixing, sound editing, and compositi...
16/07/2025
It's Emmy nominations day, and Sundance Institute storytellers are basking i...
16/07/2025
Spotify's podcast editorial team is always on the hunt for shows and episodes that spark conversation, push boundaries, and keep us coming back for more. As...
16/07/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
16/07/2025
Join us at IBC this September and take control of your content. Discover how we're bringing a new level of purpose and precision to the application of AI in...
16/07/2025
Warsaw - Poland, June 24, 2025 - Nielsen, the global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics, has released its latest May All Screens Video Landscape...
16/07/2025
Bluey Tops Nielsen's Overall Streaming List with More Than 25 Billion Minutes Streamed from January through June 2025
Big June Vaults Squid Game into Top O...
16/07/2025
TV SIM, the SBT affiliate serving Esp rito Santo state in Brazil, has launched a transmitter upgrade initiative with the installation of a Rohde & Schwarz R&S T...
16/07/2025
Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, is turning its vision to the future of automation with its demonstrations ...
16/07/2025
Ikegami announces a new addition to its UNICAM-XE product range with the introduction of the UHK-X700RF wireless portable camera: The new version has the same f...
16/07/2025
Today, Amazon Web Services added TwelveLabs as a new model provider to Amazon Bedrock, delivering what could be the most significant breakthrough in enterprise ...
16/07/2025
NEW YORK Streaming platforms continued to dominate TV viewing patterns in June, with data from Nielsen's 50th monthly report of The Gauge showing that strea...
16/07/2025
MAHWAH, NJ Ikegami has introduced the the UHK-X700RF wireless portable camera, a new addition to its UNICAM-XE product range with the same feature set, operatio...
16/07/2025
LONDON IBC2025 organizers said global attendees will have access to a new feature that will integrate Amsterdam's GVB public transport pass into the officia...
16/07/2025
July 16th, 2025
Tribeca Films to Release the Acclaimed LARPing Doc WE CAN BE HEROES by Carina Mia Wong and Alex Simmons, Alongside a Slate of Festival-Favori...
16/07/2025
Deltatre Acquires Endeavor Streaming in Major Streaming Industry Move The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025 By Brandon Costa, Direc...
16/07/2025
SVG Regional Sports Production Summit 2025: All Sessions Now Available to Watch ...
16/07/2025
Wednesday 16 July 2025
Sky and ITV today announced an extension of their long-standing partnership, which will see ITV's content and services remain seamle...
16/07/2025
Sky Sports lifts the lid on Lions life with hilarious behind-the-scenes mockumentaryWednesday 16 July 2025
To view this content, please enable our use of cooki...
16/07/2025
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA Apple TV+ today earned a record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations across 14 hit Apple Original titles for this year's 77th Emmy Awa...
15/07/2025
Independent media outlets in Brazil and Colombia are invited to apply for a new programme aimed at strengthening the long-term resilience of journalism in the f...
15/07/2025
By Lucy Spicer
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
15/07/2025
Spotify une fuerzas con DiDi, la app l der en servicios de movilidad, delivery y...
15/07/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
15/07/2025
L3Harris put its CORVUS-RAVEN counter-small UAS capability into the hands of soldiers at VANAHEIM, showcasing its ability to provide passive signal detect, enha...
15/07/2025
Netflix Viewing Up 13.5% vs. May, Represents 42% of Monthly Gain for Streaming
...
15/07/2025
SAN FRANCISCO and BENGALARU, India Sangeeta Chakraborty has been named chief revenue officer at Amagi, a cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology pro...
15/07/2025
As part of its mandate, the Advanced Television Systems Committee the U.S. organization tasked with developing advanced broadcast TV standards promotes ATSC 3.0...
15/07/2025
QuickLink, the leading global provider of multi-camera video productions and remote contributions, announces the launch of two innovative control panels Studi...
15/07/2025
Chris Kontopanos has joined leading high-quality microphone solutions manufacturer, DPA Microphones, as the company's new Regional Sales Manager for the Mid...
15/07/2025
Magnifi by VideoVerse, a global leader in AI-powered video automation, has launched a major platform upgrade built to simplify live and archival video editing f...
15/07/2025
Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, will preview its latest innovations at IBC2025, Stand 7.B21. This year's showcase highlights how...
15/07/2025
IBC2025 is set to transform the onsite experience for its global attendees with the launch of a pioneering new feature: full integration of Amsterdam's GVB ...
15/07/2025
Music, sport and technology collided in spectacular fashion as ASB GlassFloor powered the debut of Beats N Buckets, Germany's first Basketball meets Hip-Ho...
15/07/2025
The Collectv, the Emmy award-winning broadcast solutions and workflows consultancy - and winner of Broadcast Tech's Team of the Year is delighted to announc...
15/07/2025
SipRadius, the expert in secure, low latency media transport, will showcase how broadcasters and media companies can take control of fragmented IP workflows at ...
15/07/2025
Appear, the global leader in live production technology, today announced its strategic partnership with beIN ASIA PACIFIC, a leading multi-platform sports media...
15/07/2025
Company marks 15 years of innovation at the show
Broadpeak, a leader in streaming and monetization at scale, will return to IBC (Hall 1, Stand F83. RAI, Amster...
Reflecting its long-running association with the Berlin International Film Festival, yesterday ARRI hosted a well-attended Berlinale event at the city's famous Hotel Adlon with cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, ASC, who recently used ARRI ALEXA cameras and the ARRIRAW format to shoot the anamorphic feature films Nebraska and The Monuments Men.
