These are for fans of of Monarch Legacy of Monsters and of Behind the Scenes Photogrphy.
When I direct I bring a camera to set to capture moments between takes or while we set up. These are a mix of the Hasselblad 907x cfv with a 100x digital back, and whatever camera is in my hand, often an iPhone.
I love these first two of Kiersey, and of Kiersey, Ren and Qyoko lined up and ready to run from Godzilla outside of Yodobashi Camera, one or Shinjuku’s most visible and high profile landmarks. Through the hard work of our locations team we were able to secure a window to close down the streets and shoot. But only for four hours from 1 to 5am. So what these photos remind me of is how gracious and committed the cast was to fight through the late hour, and our crew was to work overnight so we could get the shots we needed.
We also needed the lights of the store amd surrounding to remain on, because there was not enough time or standing room to bring in our own. Fortunately as my brilliant DP Ben points out in the next couple of images, with the lights on we were at a 2.8, more than enough for the LF without additional units except for the closer coverage at the end when Kentaro discovers Cate near the Shelters.
As a director you spend more time prepping and scouting than you do shooting. My 1ADs Steve E Andrews and Tanno Masato ran my unit as well as for my fellow director Hiromi Kamata who had scenes in Tokyo as well. Our Tokyo based Production Designer supervised on behalf of series designer Caroline Hanania, and it didn’t take long before I discovered our shared love for Godzilla, the King the Kaiju. Once you start noting, you see him everywhere.
#monarchlegacyofmonsters #appletv #bts
It all started from a phone call from the tactful director @jeffkingtv who put me in touch with the magical Alex @movingbetweenworlds who trained me for the movement, and the legend @mcoulier an Oscar-winning prosthetics master.
Then the coolest trio Jason @jmbfxstudio Sean @seangenders and Stan @stanislart applied them and somehow took the whole look to another level, supporting me mentally and physically like we’d been friends forever, from Day 1 right through to the end, while the ever-caring Lynne and her makeup and costume teams made everything believable and kept me alive through the long filming days. Thank you guys for trusting me with this transformation!
And on the day (and off the day), collaborating with such great cast members (special thanks to Kurt — sir, your dedication and patience were truly something else), directors and producers…what more could one ask for?!
To be honest, I didn’t need to do anything differently. When you’re surrounded by the kind of talent you hear about but never expect to actually work with, your job is basically to keep up and not get in their way.
They’re the ones who brought older Dr. Suzuki to life. ❤️ What a journey. Thank you all.
(I needed to post this for myself really - my external memory device here lol)
#monarch #monarchlegacyofmonsters #appletv
These are for fans of Monarch Legacy of Monsters , and fans of Behind the Scenes Photography.
When I direct, I bring a camera with me to to capture moods and moments. Sometimes between takes, or while the actors and I wait for the sun to go in, or for a fit check, or a lock up.
On Monarch, my camera of choice was the Hasselblad 907x with a CFV 100c digital back. I alternate between the new lightweight 28mm and my trusty 45mm/f4 pancake. They are beautiful instruments with a lovely nuanced fall off. I had the new 75mm on a few times, but it didn’t perform as well in the spontaneous moments I tend to capture.
The photo of Wyatt and Bill Sage was after a very full and challenging day of intense scene work. We shot at Parliament House in Brisbane. My 1stAD Steve Andrews and the locations team scheduled my scene order so we got the heavy lifting out of the way, then wrapped with Lee arriving to start his first (ill fated as it turns out) morning of work with General Pucket. By then we were back lit so as the sun grew soft, while Ben and Luke Stone his key grip and I blocked the pull up and set the end point for the pickle in, Bill walked by us on the way to his trailer to wrap, giving me an opportunity to shoot father and son together in an unguarded moment. Two brilliant actors very at ease together sharing a laugh at the day we just had. That Black & White is one of my all time favorites. An alt universe look at Leland Lafyette and his son.
Three slides from a forest action sequence I shot with Ren that we didn’t ultimately use include one of Ren surrounded by men in blue vfx suits standing in for a Creature effect. A variation on the Kong - Kentaro sequence that opens Epiaode 6. I’m very happy we ultimately went ane that shows Kentaro’s confidence outside the wire after 2 years on Skull Island. But when he steps out of hiding and gets a little cocky, Kong puts him in his place. 📸Leo Ashizawa for the elevator selfie. I think we took that of the three of us after a dim sum brunch on my last day.
#Monarch #AppleTV #bts
These are for fans of Monarch Legacy of Monsters and for fans of Behind the Scenes Photography.
During the shooting of my scenes in Tokyo we filmed in Ueno around Ameyoko Market. I had the camera out shooting the crew with Ren and Kiersey on their marks while I waited for the JR Train to enter the station and be in shot when the scene begins. Because it’s true about trains in Japan being relentlessly on schedule, it was a predictable wait. Kiersey was curious about my Hasselblad 907c with the 100 CFX digital back. I handed her off the camera to play with and take some images and what came back are some of my favorite shots from our time in Japan. She got one of my favorites of Ren during a lens change, at the moment Kentaro was about to take a turn down a dark road. There’s a great one of 1stAd SteveAndrews in there too.
#monarchlegacyofmonsters #appletv #hasselblad907x #tokyo #bts
These are for fans of Monarch Legacy of Monsters and Behind the Scenes Photogrphy.
Shooting in Tokyo was a directors dream and one from my bucket list. This day from Ep206 was filmed at a very old Cemetery from the Heian period in Nakano Ward. Filming in a cemetery is challenging at any time, this particular day required a detailed plan between our excellent locations team in Tokyo, 1st AD SteveAndrews and TannoMasato with DOP BenNott ACamOp JitsuToyoda and I to manage 10 pages with a December short day and a very low sun. I did my best to shoot in order to give the actors and I the best shot at managing the speed and pace at which we needed to work but not compromise on the work in some especially key scenes, and they were incredibly gracious with the pace.
Producers JenRoskind and GeorginaPope worked with the team to make us lean and nimble. I love what we managed to capture, to honor Hiroshi and introduce Dr Suzuki. The monk worked with us to record the sutras. The black clothes, grey stones, white urn, and mostly overcast day added drama to each moment as the Randa family grieved. In a crazy serendipity, as Kurt and I started to shoot the scene where Shaw says his goodbye to Hiroshi leaving his pen knife at his grave and promises to set things right, a rainbow formed over the graveyard that brought the sun for just a moment in the scene. That was a good omen. Kurt is a living legend and the skies showed proper respect. On a long hard day racing the sun, it doesn’t get much better than that.
#monarchlegacyofmonsters #appletv #behindthescenes #tokyo #hasselblad907x
These are for fans of Monarch Legacy of Monsters, and of Behind the Scenes Photography.
Whenever I direct I bring a Medium Format camera with me to capture moments or moods in between takes or while the actors and I are waiting for a final adjustment or a sun change or a lock up. My camera of choice on Monarch is the Hasselblad 907X with a CFV 100C digital back. Occasionally, I hand the camera off. Photocred to my trusty 1st AD Steve Andrews for the last one of Kurt and I.
You will find moments of intense focus, silliness, celebration and love in here. I was blessed with an extraordinary crew and a cast both madly talented and incredibly brave and willing. You can’t ask much more than that when you have producers like Chris, Tory, Joby, Larry, Jen and Andy backing you up.
#monarchlegacyofmonsters #bts #digitalphotography #appletv
These are for fans of Monarch, and behind the scenes photography.
Every episode I direct I try to bring a camera to capture the small moments that happen while the actors, or sometimes the crew and I are waiting for the next thing to happen. Sometimes the actors and I have rehearsed, final adjustments are going on, other times we’re reviewing footage or discussing the scene. I try to take only one image of any moment. Sometimes I hand the camera off. For Monarch: Legacy of Monsters my camera of choice was the Hasselblad 907 cfx 100C. Shooting on the fly with it under variable lighting and environmental conditions can be challenging but the color, and softness when you get it are marvelous and warm. I loved working with this cast, they are incredible and were very welcoming and supportive and it shows. Chris, Tory, Joby, Larry and Jen and Andy and the team at Safehouse and Legendary and AppleTV are insanely supportive and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to work with this bunch.
#monarchlegacyofmonsters #appletv #bts #digitalphotography
NEW EPISODE 🚨 MONARCH LEGACY OF MONSTERS
This weeks episode combined the talents of crews on three continents, four official languages and all the time zones. Shooting in Tokyo is any directors dream. This fulfilled mine and made me hungry to go back. I’m insanely grateful to Legendary, Apple, Toho, Chris, Tory and Joby and Larry for the opportunity. From the script by Maria Melnik , to the insane creativity of VFX supervisor @skeezeykeez and @rodeofx_film.episodic Pier Lefebvre woven into the photography of @bennottdp and his team to designs by Caroline Hanania, costumes by Emmie Holmes and MUFX by Team @mcoulier and @jmbfxstudio with production by Jen Roskind Andy Colville @georgina.tokyo and my trusty AD team of Steve Andrews and Angella McPherson with Tanno Masato and Sean Reyes getting it done in Tokyo and most importantly my generous and beautifully talented cast. So many of us come together to make these things but the ones who start the journey with you and finish it strong make the hard work easy and the long days light. To them all a deep deep expression of gratitude and thanks! 🙏🏻 Arigatou Gozaimasu. #monarchlegacyofmonsters #tokyo #bts
A few behind the scenes from this weeks Monarch Legacy of Monsters.
Sometimes as a director you get lucky joining a show, and colleagues become friends and friends become family and the long hours and hard work away from home and family become joyful and easier. This was one of those jobs for me because of the folks here. I’m insanely grateful to this incredible cast for welcoming me and going above and beyond to deliver moments that will be a career highlight for me, the producers and our insanely talented crew for their determined and skillful work to pull it off. We had a little fun along the way too.
#monarchlegacyofmonsters #kaiju #bts
Friendships get tested, sides are taken, and one family is changed forever. There’s a new episode of Monarch Legacy of Monsters on AppleTV. It’s one I directed, I am insanely proud of this cast and crew, and deeply grateful for the hard, dedicated work they put in to make it. Be pleased if you check it out.
#monarchlegacyofmonsters #legendary #toho #kaiju #cocai
Attention all Monarch:Legacy of Monsters fans! I am very fortunate and honored to have gotten to edit two terrific episodes of the second season. Tomorrow’s episode 205 “Furusato” will drop on Apple TV! It’s the mid-season finale edited by yours truly with amazing additional editing by the illustrious @kupertim who also assisted on the episode. Deftly directed by the great @jeffkingtv ! It’s a great watch.
