CAN YOU ACHIEVE THE LOOK OF FILM WHEN SHOOTING DIGITALLY?

Does the character of a cinematic image come from the recording medium itself, or from the cinematographer’s creative decisions? These workshops are a practical attempt to answer that question. Rather than focusing on imitating an analogue aesthetic in post-production, we will concentrate on consciously shaping the character of the digital image at every stage of its creation.

SOURCE MATERIAL: “A DOLL’S HOUSE”

We will work on a single scene from the screenplay of A Doll’s House, a feature film I am currently preparing. The workshops are structured like an actual stage of pre-production and shooting, with a complete creative and technical decision-making process.

The work will include:

• analysis of the screenplay and the scene’s dramaturgy
• choosing the camera point of view and perspective
• developing the lighting, contrast and exposure concept
• selecting lenses and working with depth of field
• camera movement
• controlled use of image imperfections

Every decision will be judged according to one criterion: does the image serve the scene?

PRODUCTION: THE DIGITAL CAMERA AS A NEGATIVE

We treat the camera footage as a negative — a starting point for further processing rather than a finished image.

On set, we will test how exposure, lighting, lenses and filtration affect the character of the recorded material. We will examine how much visual texture and character can already be created at the moment of capture, and how far we can move away from the neutral image characteristics of contemporary digital cameras.

The scene will be shot in several variations. By changing individual parameters, we will analyse their impact on atmosphere, tension and the way the scene is perceived.

POST-PRODUCTION: COLOR GRADING

The color grading will be led by Glen Castinho, an internationally experienced colorist specialising in imagery inspired by the look and texture of film stock.

We will discuss the complete image-processing workflow, from the original camera files to the final image:

• preparing footage for grading
• defining the respective roles and responsibilities of the cinematographer and the colorist
• communication and developing a shared visual concept from the shooting stage through to post-production

ANALYSIS

The workshops conclude with an analysis of the finished scene and a comparison of the different versions created on set.

The central question is: what makes an image feel cinematic? Is it the camera, the lenses, the lighting, exposure, color, image texture — or only the conscious combination of all these elements?

OUTCOME

Participants will experience the complete image-making process — from screenplay analysis, through shooting on set, to final grading with a colorist — working with material from an actual feature film project.