Set in the 1980s with black-and-white flashbacks to the 1500s, "The Caged" was lensed with ARRI Ensō Primes and Vintage Elements. DP Simon Rowling (
@simonrowlingdp ) explains how he used these lenses to create a modern look with subtle edge softness and sharp center focus.
"I didn’t want the film to feel as it was shot in the 1980’s and to be dated—I wanted it to feel modern but with a subtle central focused look, with softness on the edges of frame but with sharpness in the middle. I knew I also needed a set of lenses that gave me full control, in terms of matching colour, contrast and had good close focus, so I started to look at the ARRI Ensō Primes. The 32mm, became our go-to lens as it was a wide frame but still looked great in closeups. For this, the weakest filter (100N) was perfect as it distorted, pulled and softened the edge of frame in a beautifully subtle way to really focus your attention to look at the centre of the image and give the sense that something was wrong and about to unfold." - DP Simon Rowling
For the flashbacks, a 4:3 aspect ratio and slow-motion frame rates helped create a painterly, timeless feel. A strong back filter (300N) on the 18mm lens added blur and distortion, enhancing the period style.
#ARRI #EnsōPrimes #ARRIEnsōPrimes #ARRIVintageElements #EnsoPrimes #cinematography #TheCaged #behindthescenes #filmmaking #cinematography
