Director Amy Wang’s “Slanted” follows Joan Huang, a Chinese American senior in high school, who undergoes an experimental racial transformation to appear white, hoping to win prom queen and peer acceptance. Cinematographer Ed Wu explains how he used ARRI’s ALEXA 35 to capture this teen comedy turned satirical thriller:
“The biggest creative challenge of ‘Slanted’ was its bold fusion of comedy, drama, and body horror—a balancing act that often felt like walking a tightrope. From the start, Amy and I worked along a sliding scale of realism and surrealism, constantly asking: Is this scene closer to Michael Haneke or Michel Gondry? Or does it exist somewhere in between?
Visually, we kept one constant: the camerawork had to stay grounded in realism, creating an immersive, lived-in feeling while allowing the production and costume design to push toward a heightened, satirical world. That approach led us to an all-handheld aesthetic, capturing Joan’s experience in a way that felt immediate and intimate, as if we were witnessing her world unfold in real time. The camera remained reactionary rather than anticipatory, embracing spontaneity over precision.
The ALEXA 35 was an ideal tool for this kind of filmmaking, offering a lightweight form factor, internal NDs, and high ISO capabilities that gave us the speed and flexibility we needed. Its high dynamic range also allowed my colorist and me to craft a film-emulated, high-contrast look in the grade—enhancing the rich textures of Joan’s reality while seamlessly integrating the heightened, stylized Ethnos Inc locations.”
“Slanted” (slantedmovie) took home the Grand Jury Prize in the Narrative Feature Competition at this year’s
@SXSW !
The film's talented DP is celebrating another trip around the sun today—happy birthday, Mr. Wu!
Director: Amy Wang (
@amywangster )
Director of Photography: Ed Wu (
@wuhawk )
Cam Op: Trent Walker (
@olanskiii )
1st AC: Chris Larsen (
@atlfocuspuller )
2nd AC: Easton (Harper) Carver (
@butthole_diva )
Colorist: Matt Osborne (
@matt_osborne_color )
Key Grip: Justin Dunn (
@justindunn_214 )
Gaffer: Jaim O'Neil
#sxsw #sxsw2025 #capturedwithARRI #ARRI #ALEXA35 #slantedmovie
![#DOP Ed Wu (@wuhawk) takes us #behindthescenes of Director Amy Wang’s 'Slanted', shot on #PVintage lensed and serviced by #Panavision Atlanta."The biggest creative challenge of 'Slanted' was balancing its bold fusion of comedy, drama, and body horror—like walking a tightrope between tones. One thing remained constant—our camerawork had to stay grounded in realism. That approach led us to an all-handheld aesthetic, capturing Joan’s experience in a way that felt immediate and intimate, as if we were witnessing her world unfold in real time. The camera wasn’t there to dictate or anticipate, but to react, embracing spontaneity over precision.Panavision has been a pillar of support throughout my career—from my AFI days to short films to full-scale features. No matter the size or budget of a project, their commitment is always unwavering. [Panavision Marketing Executives] Mike Carter, Mintie Pardoe, and Aaron Saffa have each played a huge role in my journey, devoting time and energy to help me grow as a cinematographer. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them and the incredible support of Panavision. They provided us with their coveted PVintage lens series, which struck the perfect balance between softness and clarity—helping us bridge the gap between realism and heightened satire. We primarily lived on the 35mm and 50mm lenses to reinforce the film’s naturalistic feel, but having the flexibility of focal lengths from 14mm to 100mm allowed us to adapt on the fly. That adaptability was key to keeping our handheld approach fluid and responsive to the story.Slanted is unlike anything I’ve shot before, with its fully handheld aesthetic and grounded approach. I’d always wanted to shoot a film in this style but had never gotten the chance. Thankfully, from our first conversation—which lasted over three hours—we really connected on a personal level. I’m incredibly grateful that Amy trusted me to help tell her story. It turned out to be one of the most rewarding and collaborative experiences I’ve ever had on a film."](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6721342619154138284561_0_198377f0ecb31c2eb88e1e01ba192b61.jpg?o=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&h=640b30e764c0df0110af1f83a2c4e93d)
