Cinematography Treatment

Owen Cant

My approach to shooting Gangsters Daughter involves maintaining a late 1990’s aesthetic,implementing dramatic lighting and action sequences and remaining adaptable on the day of shooting. The following treatment details my approach to the concept of the music video in terms of camera and lighting on a location by location basis.

Overview

The overall look of the video will have a softness to it that helps create a base from which to build a late 1990’s filmic look. The cinematography will not be subtle, but rather be‘assertive naturalism’. I will work with what is at each location but exaggerate certain aspects which help to relate the narrative, using rough and smooth textures, bold colours and framing to reflect thepersonalities of the characters.

The first scene in the script, where Sean is sat in the living room watching TV, shouting to Alex who is upstairs in the bathroom, is set at night. As we will be shooting in the bathroom during daytime, I will black out the window and use venetian blinds to cover. To light Alex, I will put a tungsten dedolight overhead, to mimic an overhead bathroom light. A softbox on the dedolight will help produce a flattering soft key for Alex and prevent hotspots or harsh shadows. This is key to identifying Alex as a ‘good girl’ in the first scene. We will shoot handheld to gradually introduce a sense of tension.

To light Sean, as he is sat watching the football, I will key him using a 2.5k HMI from outside the window, through net curtains for slight diffusion. To mimic a streetlight, I will use a combination of ¼ Deep Yellow and Full Straw gels, to match the colourtemperature of sodium vapour streetlights. I may push the colour stronger on the day to create a dynamic, low-key light on Sean that establishes that something powerful is looming over him (which will be Will-Gangster)..

A screenshot taken from ‘Blind Faith’ music video for Chase N Status. Martinreferenced this ‘home video’, low-fi look heavily for instilling a 90’s feel in his

treatment, and will be a consideration when going into the grade.

We will use a similar shot to this on Sean, but will implement a more dramatic lighting strategy to create tension and drama.

The first scene in the script, where Sean is sat in the living room watching TV, shouting to Alex who is upstairs in the bathroom, is set at night. As we will be shooting in the bathroom during daytime, I will black out the window and use venetian blinds to cover. To light Alex, I will put a tungsten dedolight overhead, to mimic an overhead bathroom light. A softbox on the dedolight will help produce a flattering soft key for Alex and prevent hotspots or harsh shadows. This is key to identifying Alex as a ‘good girl’ in the first scene. We will shoot handheld to gradually introduce a sense of tension.

To light Sean, as he is sat watching the football, I will key him using a 2.5k HMI from outside the window, through net curtains for slight diffusion. To mimic a streetlight, I will use a combination of ¼ Deep Yellow and Full Straw gels, to match the colourtemperature of sodium vapour streetlights. I may push the colour stronger on the day to create a dynamic, low-key light on Sean that establishes that something powerful is looming over him (which will be Will-Gangster)..

On the scenes to be shot in the front/entrance area of the pub, it will be a night setting. I will make use of the Tungsten practical globe lights, and supplement with various warm colour temperat-ues of around 2700-3600 Kelvin. To provide ambi-ent fill light I will use a 2.5 HMI bounced into poly-board. To pick out the glass and chrome taps by the bar I will use a variety of 300’s and 1K tungsten units. To provide a contrast with the warm tungsten feel, I will use a 575 HMI gelled green, to blast through stained glass behind the bar. This will give a high contrast backlight when Sean is buying drinks.

Using smoke will soften the contrast, add depth to the light and help emulate the cigarette smoke of a late 90’s pub interior. All camerawork will be handheld, to lend energy and vibrancy to the shots, making it straightfor-ward to find cutting points.

Most scenes set towards the back of the pub, will share a similar lighting

design, with a warmish feel complementing the tones and textures of the pub. In contrast, the area where Gangster and his henchman reside will have a low-key, dark and ominous feel. Gangster Will, will be toplit using a dedo-light overhead. Another small unit will provide a deep red glow on the wall behind him, so that when leaning forward, he moves out of silhouette and into a high contrast spot, to add to his dangerous demeanor.

To contrast with the handheld work, a long and gradual track in on Gangster will further identify his gravitas and persona.

For the fight scenes I will aim to create a broad ambient light, that will allow us to move the camera 360 degrees if need be and enable us to have freedom in movement. Using a GoPro will enable us to capture perspectives from unusual positions, such as from the wrist of someone involved in the brawl and the drinks tray that Sean is hold-ing. To maximize coverage I will shoot two camera, using the Fs700 alongside the F3. The Fs700 will shoot super-slow motion 150fps shots to capture the brutality of the fight and smashing of beer bottles and furniture.

A very similar frame to this will be used for the coverage of Sean & Alex as they walk towards the back of the Pub to meet Will.

Discussing a lighting setup with Gaffer Turbold Erdenetsogt

On the scenes to be shot in the front/entrance area of the pub, it will be a night setting. I will make use of the Tungsten practical globe lights, and supplement with various warm colour temperat-ues of around 2700-3600 Kelvin. To provide ambi-ent fill light I will use a 2.5 HMI bounced into poly-board. To pick out the glass and chrome taps by the bar I will use a variety of 300’s and 1K tungsten units. To provide a contrast with the warm tungsten feel, I will use a 575 HMI gelled green, to blast through stained glass behind the bar. This will give a high contrast backlight when Sean is buying drinks.

Using smoke will soften the contrast, add depth to the light and help emulate the cigarette smoke of a late 90’s pub interior. All camerawork will be handheld, to lend energy and vibrancy to the shots, making it straightfor-ward to find cutting points.

Most scenes set towards the back of the pub, will share a similar lighting

design, with a warmish feel complementing the tones and textures of the pub. In contrast, the area where Gangster and his henchman reside will have a low-key, dark and ominous feel. Gangster Will, will be toplit using a dedo-light overhead. Another small unit will provide a deep red glow on the wall behind him, so that when leaning forward, he moves out of silhouette and into a high contrast spot, to add to his dangerous demeanor.

To contrast with the handheld work, a long and gradual track in on Gangster will further identify his gravitas and persona.

For the fight scenes I will aim to create a broad ambient light, that will allow us to move the camera 360 degrees if need be and enable us to have freedom in movement. Using a GoPro will enable us to capture perspectives from unusual positions, such as from the wrist of someone involved in the brawl and the drinks tray that Sean is hold-ing. To maximize coverage I will shoot two camera, using the Fs700 alongside the F3. The Fs700 will shoot super-slow motion 150fps shots to capture the brutality of the fight and smashing of beer bottles and furniture.

This is a reference still used to compare different qualities of key light for when Alex and Sean are entering the pub. I’ve decided to go with a punchy, high contrast look

to add drama and create a sense of unease.

On the scenes to be shot in the front/entrance area of the pub, it will be a night setting. I will make use of the Tungsten practical globe lights, and supplement with various warm colour temperat-ues of around 2700-3600 Kelvin. To provide ambi-ent fill light I will use a 2.5 HMI bounced into poly-board. To pick out the glass and chrome taps by the bar I will use a variety of 300’s and 1K tungsten units. To provide a contrast with the warm tungsten feel, I will use a 575 HMI gelled green, to blast through stained glass behind the bar. This will give a high contrast backlight when Sean is buying drinks.

Using smoke will soften the contrast, add depth to the light and help emulate the cigarette smoke of a late 90’s pub interior. All camerawork will be handheld, to lend energy and vibrancy to the shots, making it straightfor-ward to find cutting points.

Most scenes set towards the back of the pub, will share a similar lighting

design, with a warmish feel complementing the tones and textures of the pub. In contrast, the area where Gangster and his henchman reside will have a low-key, dark and ominous feel. Gangster Will, will be toplit using a dedo-light overhead. Another small unit will provide a deep red glow on the wall behind him, so that when leaning forward, he moves out of silhouette and into a high contrast spot, to add to his dangerous demeanor.

To contrast with the handheld work, a long and gradual track in on Gangster will further identify his gravitas and persona.

For the fight scenes I will aim to create a broad ambient light, that will allow us to move the camera 360 degrees if need be and enable us to have freedom in movement. Using a GoPro will enable us to capture perspectives from unusual positions, such as from the wrist of someone involved in the brawl and the drinks tray that Sean is hold-ing. To maximize coverage I will shoot two camera, using the Fs700 alongside the F3. The Fs700 will shoot super-slow motion 150fps shots to capture the brutality of the fight and smashing of beer bottles and furniture.

On another interior at the market, the meat fridge area, we will create shafts of light with 44 Kino’s, that Sean and henchman will pass in and out of as he’s brought to his death. We will reduce the overall amount of bounced light from one wall of white fridges with 6x4 negative fill, giving us more con-trol. Dedolights will be used to create flares that Sean can pass through, the interior of a fridge and other details.

What was great about the market is that it has textures and bold col-ours that lend them-selves well to the narra-tive. On an interior corri-dor shot where Will and Gaz walk through on their way to meet Sean, I will increase tension by keying with flickering industrial fluorescent tubes, putting Will half in darkness, reflecting his dark character.

In a shot where Will and Daz exit a lift, the bold yellow and jet black colour palette will add to their foreboding and dangerous nature. Using diffusion on the existing practical light, we can create a soft overhead key. As they leave the lift, a 2.5 HMI through diffu-sion will give them a wrapping light matching in colour to the existing practicals.

A reference still for one of the wide shots of Sean brought to Will by his henchmen.

Using machines in shot such as this, will help create an eerie, foreboding atmosphere.

On another interior at the market, the meat fridge area, we will create shafts of light with 44 Kino’s, that Sean and henchman will pass in and out of as he’s brought to his death. We will reduce the overall amount of bounced light from one wall of white fridges with 6x4 negative fill, giving us more con-trol. Dedolights will be used to create flares that Sean can pass through, the interior of a fridge and other details.

What was great about the market is that it has textures and bold col-ours that lend them-selves well to the narra-tive. On an interior corri-dor shot where Will and Gaz walk through on their way to meet Sean, I will increase tension by keying with flickering industrial fluorescent tubes, putting Will half in darkness, reflecting his dark character.

In a shot where Will and Daz exit a lift, the bold yellow and jet black colour palette will add to their foreboding and dangerous nature. Using diffusion on the existing practical light, we can create a soft overhead key. As they leave the lift, a 2.5 HMI through diffu-sion will give them a wrapping light matching in colour to the existing practicals.

The sharp, square lines and bold, high contrast colours help describe Will’s nature through the texture of the location

On another interior at the market, the meat fridge area, we will create shafts of light with 44 Kino’s, that Sean and henchman will pass in and out of as he’s brought to his death. We will reduce the overall amount of bounced light from one wall of white fridges with 6x4 negative fill, giving us more con-trol. Dedolights will be used to create flares that Sean can pass through, the interior of a fridge and other details.

What was great about the market is that it has textures and bold col-ours that lend them-selves well to the narra-tive. On an interior corri-dor shot where Will and Gaz walk through on their way to meet Sean, I will increase tension by keying with flickering industrial fluorescent tubes, putting Will half in darkness, reflecting his dark character.

In a shot where Will and Daz exit a lift, the bold yellow and jet black colour palette will add to their foreboding and dangerous nature. Using diffusion on the existing practical light, we can create a soft overhead key. As they leave the lift, a 2.5 HMI through diffu-sion will give them a wrapping light matching in colour to the existing practicals.

In the studio we will shoot the plates needed to be shot for us to composite what will appear to be, Sean looking up from a grave as he is buried alive by Will and Daz. We will create the walls of the grave using flattage, with a platform above and to the side for Will and Daz to stand on. From beneath and be-tween the flattage, we will shoot vertically up-wards on a wide lens to see Will and Daz above as peer in before burying him. Above Will and Daz we will float a green-screen hung to our 12x12 silk frame, enabling the ‘night sky’ background to be composited in during post production. Care will be made to ensure the greenscreen is evenly lit and high enough away from our subjects to avoid any green light spill.

A still taken from Trainspotting, a shot we will emulate to create a perspective from within a grave. We will use a greenscreen for the ceiling, so we

can replace it with a night sky, and dress the sides of the grave with earth to sell the look.

This will be the site used for a scene where Sean is tied to and then set alight in his car by Will, after which it explodes as the gang walk away. Using four cameras, we will get different shot sizes, angles and speeds to provide options in the edit. To make it appear as if Sean is still stuck in the car as it is set alight, we will shoot a plate of Sean in the car from a locked off camera, reacting as if to flames around him. The same locked off shot will be used to capture the actual explosion, creating two layers for Sean to be composited into position in post pro-duction. We will use 12x12 silk to diffuse any harsh sunlight and shadows, to help maintain lighting continuity.

A 2.5 HMI with ½ straw will be on standby to supplement when losing light. Other than the explosion, the camera will be handheld to give the scene urgency and pace. Using the Fs700 camera we will capture the explosion at 200fps, giving us rich detailed slow motion that will silhouette Will as he walks, depicting his devilish aggression.

We will also use this location to shoot the exterior of the grave where Sean is buried alive. A 2.5 HMI will be used with Full CTB to emulate moonlight, as Sean is dragged by the two men to his grave and thrown in. Setting the camera at 3200k will balance to our key. A wide angle from the ground will provide a master, whilst tight handheld close ups will give dramatic, bold frames to cut into the action.

A screenshot from Man on Fire. A similar shot will be sought for the scene in which Will walks away from Sean as he is set on fire.

This will be the site used for a scene where Sean is tied to and then set alight in his car by Will, after which it explodes as the gang walk away. Using four cameras, we will get different shot sizes, angles and speeds to provide options in the edit. To make it appear as if Sean is still stuck in the car as it is set alight, we will shoot a plate of Sean in the car from a locked off camera, reacting as if to flames around him. The same locked off shot will be used to capture the actual explosion, creating two layers for Sean to be composited into position in post pro-duction. We will use 12x12 silk to diffuse any harsh sunlight and shadows, to help maintain lighting continuity.

A 2.5 HMI with ½ straw will be on standby to supplement when losing light. Other than the explosion, the camera will be handheld to give the scene urgency and pace. Using the Fs700 camera we will capture the explosion at 200fps, giving us rich detailed slow motion that will silhouette Will as he walks, depicting his devilish aggression.

We will also use this location to shoot the exterior of the grave where Sean is buried alive. A 2.5 HMI will be used with Full CTB to emulate moonlight, as Sean is dragged by the two men to his grave and thrown in. Setting the camera at 3200k will balance to our key. A wide angle from the ground will provide a master, whilst tight handheld close ups will give dramatic, bold frames to cut into the action.