Spider-Man, Hulk, and the X-Men are the best-known heroes of the legendary Marvel Comics, but there are many other Marvel Knights. John Figueroa created them, and one of his short stories, ICE, was recently filmed in Munich under the direction of his friend George Dascalakis.
To capture the dark warehouse atmosphere, cinematographer Frank Thoms used not only a Sony F23 HD camera but also technical expertise from Band Pro Munich.
Visitors entering the warehouse set from the evening street initially see very little. Their eyes must adjust to the difficult lighting: a woman’s face is brightly illuminated while the rest of the set falls away from gray into black.
The hard, comic-like contrasts had to remain effective while retaining enough detail in the gray and black gradations. This is well suited to the HD technology in the Sony camera.
Getting the Look Right
Short films often have an experimental character because, unlike major commercial productions, they are not designed for mass appeal. This applies not only to narrative techniques, camera work, and editing, but also to the look.
“HD technology allowed us to control the lighting mood and vary it according to our requirements; you can work toward the optimum,” says Thoms. “This is particularly useful when a team does not yet have extensive experience and is working under time pressure.”
Experimenting with HD cameras consumes shooting time but not costly film stock and processing. It also removes the risk that incorrect capture parameters will only become apparent later, reducing pressure on the crew and improving the working atmosphere.
“We ultimately pushed the camera to its limits. Although we used little light, the scenes are exceptionally sharp,” Thoms continues. The viewer experiences the dark, oppressive atmosphere of the abandoned warehouse while still seeing the pliers and knives placed in front of the bound woman in precise detail. The mix of uncertainty and anticipation creates the tension.
Valuable Rather Than Costly
Short films are rarely box-office hits. Even award-winning productions seldom recover their production costs, placing every budget item under scrutiny. HD technology can reduce film-stock costs, while further savings are possible throughout postproduction and distribution. The released funds can be used in other important areas of production.
