Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Anyone know what lenses were used in Netflix series 'When They See Us'?

M

Matthew J Wilson

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2019
Messages
145
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Anyone know what lenses were used in Ava DuVernay's Netflix series 'When They See Us'?

Bradford Young is the cinematographer. Looks like anamorphic from the crazy flares and distortion, possibly vintage? Whatever it is I like it.
 
Could be the posterchild for Mr. Young's new 'BLACKWING7' lenses. The lenses have vintage characteristics with adjustable qualities. The flares are particularly nice.

https://7isatribe.com/
 
Shaeden Gallegos said:
Could be the posterchild for Mr. Young's new 'BLACKWING7' lenses. The lenses have vintage characteristics with adjustable qualities. The flares are particularly nice.

https://7isatribe.com/
Click to expand...

Anyone renting these out online somewhere? Would really love to do a project with them.
 
RJ_Ortiz said:
Anyone renting these out online somewhere? Would really love to do a project with them.
Click to expand...

I believe they are still dealing with some prototypes and have sent out some sets to particular filmmakers. You can look at their Instagram or try and contact them.
 
Shaeden Gallegos said:
Could be the posterchild for Mr. Young's new 'BLACKWING7' lenses. The lenses have vintage characteristics with adjustable qualities. The flares are particularly nice.

https://7isatribe.com/
Click to expand...

They did not shoot it on the Blackwings - the prototypes werent available back when they shot 'When They See us'. At least thats what Fraser Rigg from Tribe7 told me.

Cheers,
Tim
 
One of the camera operators told me it was shot on Alexa LF using Todd AO & Meru Anamorphics - Lensworks was the rental house
 
Jamie A said:
One of the camera operators told me it was shot on Alexa LF using Todd AO & Meru Anamorphics - Lensworks was the rental house
Click to expand...

That sounds right! Definitely explains the crazy look - some of those Todd-AO shots are so shallow, its hard to find anything in frame thats in focus!

9100ph.jpg


2yuybrq.jpg


wqx62x.jpg
 
Jamie A said:
One of the camera operators told me it was shot on Alexa LF using Todd AO & Meru Anamorphics - Lensworks was the rental house
Click to expand...

Thanks! Interesting choice.. The Meru's seem hard to come by, haven't seen these in the UK
 
Anamorphic is very expensive to use because post production is a nightmare in Anamorphic. Visual effects is particularly difficult because of the heavy distortion and lens breathing, so when you change focus you get asymmetrical pixel aspect ratio shifts and focal changes. This makes camera tracking very difficult. Also simple roto/paint tasks are more time consuming because of the top and bottom/corners of frame being darker and more out of focus.

I do have to say, I am suprised the CW approved 4K anamorphic on some of their newer productions (nancy drew, batwoman, etc.) but I feel it does really give a more "cinematic" look, regardless of how poor you may find the writing on those shows.
 
Matthew J Wilson said:
Yeh thats why I was curious about what lenses were used, interesting creative choice, I kind of dig it
Click to expand...

I dig the decision as well! Young is known for interesting lens choices.

Here's a link to the rental house that has them: http://www.lensworksrentals.com/meruanamorphicstls

I'd be interested in how these lenses work internally because they website says it has a number of improvements on the vintage glass that has been rehoused. Would anyone know more about them.

Savannah Miller said:
Anamorphic is very expensive to use because post production is a nightmare in Anamorphic. Visual effects is particularly difficult because of the heavy distortion and lens breathing, so when you change focus you get asymmetrical pixel aspect ratio shifts and focal changes. This makes camera tracking very difficult. Also simple roto/paint tasks are more time consuming because of the top and bottom/corners of frame being darker and more out of focus.
Click to expand...

Totally agree on vfx issues, but I'll have to admit anamorphic is getting more affordable today thanks to DIY systems like Rapido or HCDNA Rectilux.

I'd 100% recommend shooting anamorphic if the style of the project needs a dirty optic or old school cinematic look.
 
The show was a mix of spherical and anamorphic. It's actually mostly spherical. Anamorphic was used sparingly. They shot LF, and the anamorphic lenses used were not actually made to cover such a large sensor. For many of the beautiful anamorphic "portraits" Bradford Young shot in the series, he was using well beyond the area the lenses were designed to cover, so you are seeing even more fall-off and edge distortion than you would see in S35 (the format the lenses were designed to cover). The primary rental house for the series was ARRI Rental, New Jersey. ARRI sub-rented anamorphic lenses from Lensworks and Old Fast Glass. Bradford Young basically scooped up every Todd AO, Cineovision, and Meru he could find.
 
Savannah Miller said:
Anamorphic is very expensive to use because post production is a nightmare in Anamorphic. Visual effects is particularly difficult because of the heavy distortion and lens breathing, so when you change focus you get asymmetrical pixel aspect ratio shifts and focal changes. This makes camera tracking very difficult. Also simple roto/paint tasks are more time consuming because of the top and bottom/corners of frame being darker and more out of focus.

I do have to say, I am suprised the CW approved 4K anamorphic on some of their newer productions (nancy drew, batwoman, etc.) but I feel it does really give a more "cinematic" look, regardless of how poor you may find the writing on those shows.
Click to expand...

Seems like you are NOT using modern ARRI and other anamorphic distortion free lenses.
 
They used following lenses: Camtec Falcon Full Frame, Cineovision, TLS Meru and Todd-AO Lenses
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top