a D.O.P's P.O.V

It's been a while since I last posted.  We still have not had the cast and crew screening! Sorry Everyone.

However I'm very pleased to bring you a guest post from our Director of Photography, Peter Ellmore, who gives an indepth account of the work methods and choices that went into making TREE. 

------------------------------

PRE -PRODUCTION

During prep for ‘Tree’ director Phil Dale and I looked at a variety of shooting options including several High Def cameras and Digital formats. We kept coming back to film, as it seemed the best choice and the most workable option for us. Ultimately, the film had a very modest budget but we were determined to get a very cinematic look. The great thing about a film camera is that you can pick it up and shoot. No need to worry about cables, computers and wires. As the film takes place entirely in a wood these were major considerations.

FILM STOCK

I tested four film stocks – opting for faster stocks as we were shooting under relatively dense vegetation during short October days. The stocks were Kodak Vision2 500T (5218), Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T (5229), Fuji Reala 500D(8592) and Fuji Eterna 500T (8573). I was looking to see how the stocks handled underexposure, rendered foliage and skin tones. As we will be finishing the film digitally we viewed the tests at telecine (Da Vinci 2K). This enabled us to push the parameters around and directly compare stocks. I was extremely pleased with the Fuji stock, something about the look felt right for us. The Kodak stocks were also good but generally had more contrast and as a result appeared to have a harsh quality not appropriate for this particular film. The Fuji stocks have a softness and pastel feel that add an organic quality to the image that worked for us. The rendition of the multitude of greens within the forest was very impressive. I also tested the Fuji stock for underexposure and was amazed with the latitude. Shots four stops under could be graded up with no noticeable increase in grain or loss of colour reproduction. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to resort to this on the shoot but it was a useful exercise. I wanted to ensure that the blacks were in no way crushed and that I could still see detail in the shadows, I knew that there would inherently be a great deal of contrast in the woods so I didn’t want a stock that would add to that contrast. I ultimately decided to underexpose the stock 1 stop so that the image could be lifted later, hopefully avoiding any further crushing of darker areas.

Although I liked the idea of using a fast daylight stock, I ultimately decided to use Eterna 500T. The Reala was impressive but I found it to be slightly more contrasty and cooler than the Eterna. As we wanted the finished film to look warm and saturated towards the orange end of the spectrum, we decided the Eterna would be better for us.

LIGHTING

We were not able to light the entire wood but we were able to utilise and make the most of the location we chose as it had a natural opening caused by a few fallen branches. Through planning we were able to use this to our advantage and where possible, locate action to make the most of the suns position and available light. Using this as a basis for my lighting approach, I supplemented or recreated the quality and direction of this light using two Briese lights (a 220 and 140). Both 2.5kw Daylight balanced. These lights produce a nice soft light and are relatively easy to manoeuvre in difficult, uneven terrain. I further softened the light using frames and silks. Bounce was provided with unbleached muslin - again enhancing the warm look we were after and replicating the natural bounce provided by the autumnal leaf litter scattering the floor.

LENS CHOICE

We decided to shoot the film in the 1:2.35 aspect ratio as we wanted to play with the cinematic language of film and how the characters would interact within that frame. The format also worked well with the composition of the tree itself and the long low branch that was an essential element to the story. We tried to emphasise the distance and isolation of the Woman (Beth Winslet) by using a shallow depth of field and wide lenses in close, trying to create a soft dreamy environment surrounding her. By contrast we shot the Man (Clive Brunt) with long lenses. Again, this would isolate him from his background but in a different way – these characters are in the same environment but have very different personalities. As they come together and meet at the tree, the way we shot them becomes similar, using the same lenses as they eventually share the frame. The effect is subtle but serves as a useful starting point when deciding how to shoot the film and the logic of lens choice and the effect you are trying to create.

POST PRODUCTION

The film was graded in a Digital Intermediate suite at Soho Images with grader Rob Pizzey. The negative was scanned on an Arri Scanner at Super 2K resolution, conformed in Quantel IQ and graded on a Da Vinci 2K Plus. We graded in a theatre environment on a large screen with the digital projection provided by a Barco DP 90.

We devised a colour scale that would progress throughout the film. Utilising Photoshop, Phil and I crudely graded frames from the film that served as a useful reference point to take to the grade. Certain moments within the script were used as punctuation points for grade changes and the progression of the colour shifts. Subtly we warmed up the film as it progressed and the conclusion of the film is very warm, reflecting the hope and future of the characters.  The Woman’s (Beth Winslet) palette starts very cold - highlighting her condition, emphasising blues and cooler colours. The Man (Clive Brunt) was warmer, emphasising the difference in character. In the same way that we gradually came to use the same lenses for each character as they came to their meeting point, so too did their individual grading become similar.

The digital grading enabled us to selectively manipulate the image and isolate parts of the frame if required using tools such as Power Windows. As an example, we desaturated the Woman’s face using a dynamic grade during one moment in the film to great effect. For this we isolated her face within a shape and graded it separately from the rest of the image.
The darker areas of the frame were treated by keying into the blacks and lifting them to reduce contrast. We were also able to really push the warmth of the woodland and enhance the realism of the film towards its conclusion. The grading progression is again subtle and it was important that the initial differences were not too obvious but would work with the viewer subconsciously.

The finished film works in the way that I had hoped cinematically. It has a quality and feel that adds to the story and the plight of the characters. I feel the texture of film stock is an important factor, adds a great deal to the perception of the viewer’s cinema experience. 

- Peter Ellmore