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Filming Isolation

S

Sebastian Cepeda

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Hi people,

Im preparing myself for a feature film I might be filming soon. Of Course with the RED MX.
Now my question, everything would play in a small town that should be very isolated and I would like to representate the isolation throughout the whole movie. I came up with some ideas and would like to know what you think should be the best one. The thing is I have a meeting on this on sunday and no time to test it.

1. Film the actors with wide lenses even in the close ups, lets say around 24-35mm but get near to the actor, so that the actor is always in the middle of the shot with some free space near him.

2. Film the actors with long lenses like 85-100 and dont give him free place around at all. so that we only see his face. (Im afraid this would look more like in a prision than isolated.)

3. Shoot Anamorph but dont think this is on the budget.

What would you recommend me? an important aspect is that the actors, dont look wierd because of the wide angle lenses or anything.
And in the scenes that wouldnt play in this town, I would shot everything more normal, so that the other scenes look more like isolation.

Any feedback as always welcome.
 
Craig W. Bickerstaff said:
Wide shots, Wide lenses, Long takes and fog, lots of fog.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick tip, but fog cant be used, the town needs to look as clean as possible. But give one the feeling of isolation.

Wide is what I though should give me the best solution.
 
back in 2005, I wrote a movie called "Isolation":)
it has nothing to do with yours, but the idea of being isolated is hunting me and the best way of achieving it between the character and the lens was developing a sense of intimacy on the set, thus giving a space to the actor.
Some actors are turn on by having the lens next to their nose and some not.
I guess it really should be established during the casting and rehearsals.
"it's not about the prison cell, but the person inside"
all the best!
 
i would go with somewhat wide lenses for those shots you want, 35 sounds like a good number, mayyybe further. of course, you could also pull that back a bit, and use the shot/set design and some good old colour symbolism to support those ideas.
 
Composition and shot scale have more to do with isolation than does a wide angle lens. A wide angle lens is putting the viewer near the character so there's a sense of sympathy and vicarious identification. A longer lens isolates the character more, as though you are watching him or her from a distance, so it can be a more "lonely" choice in many respects in that the viewer becomes more of an observer than a friend along for the ride.

Shoot 2.35:1 (sounds like you will based on lenses) and keep the background prominent in frame. Frame a little wider than you might. Aperture framing (like having someone through a doorway) can make someone seem isolated, and especially make them seemed trapped. But an open, symmetrical frame, can do the same. It's all situational. In the case of a highly patterned background (ghost town, tundra, desert, etc.), repeating compositional elements at the edge of frame can imply the scene goes on forever. Long takes and a moderately static camera will be your friend.

You might also want to check out Bruce Block's book The Visual Story. Like most books of its kind, it's mostly impractical and there's a bit of bullshit, but it's got some really solid ideas nonetheless.
 
24mm is very safe, but not very wide
16 or 18mm is better, Alfonso Cuaron use it a lot of 18mm in "prisoner of azkaban" and "children of men" check those 2 movies, you'll get a clear idea
 
Watch "The Road", "Moon", "

I don't think lens size really is the most significant factor. It's more about shot composition, acting, music, sound effects and other things. Yes a wide shot on a wide lens can make the character look small and insignificant in a barren landscape or a room, but you can't shoot that wide for the entire film.
 
ericyoung said:
but you can't shoot that wide for the entire film.
Click to expand...

Thats what I'm afraid of. We will do some test, and we will help everything with music, actors, backgrounds as well, but its just more of a visuals look to separate the differents settings, isolation and then the more normal look of the normal city.
 
Here's one more free opinion, Sebastian...

There are probably lots of different visual things that would work to make the town seem isolated. Whichever technique you pick, try to confine that technique to the town--don't use that focal length, or that lighting look, anyplace else.

Here's my suggestion: what if everybody in the town is shot from just a little above eye level? Then they seem smaller, kind of helpless. It could also have the effect of showing more of the ground behind them, and not showing what's in the distance, which could help create that feeling of isolation you're after.
 
ericyoung said:
Watch "The Road", "Moon", "

I don't think lens size really is the most significant factor. It's more about shot composition, acting, music, sound effects and other things. Yes a wide shot on a wide lens can make the character look small and insignificant in a barren landscape or a room, but you can't shoot that wide for the entire film.
Click to expand...

"Moon" is phenomenal. Isolation in close quarters! "The Shining" also comes to mind.
 
I would say not to place the subject dead center. For instance, see Requiem for a Dream. many scenes are shot with 8mm lenses, or wide in general. The 95% of the film is dead center. the last thing you feel is "isolation"
Except for a few shots that scream it. I wish i could find stills of them all.
http://aronofksy.tripod.com/rfad12.jpg
http://aronofksy.tripod.com/rfad3.jpg
http://aronofksy.tripod.com/rfad21.jpg
http://filmgrab.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/044.png
http://filmgrab.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/054.png

http://aronofksy.tripod.com/rfad2.jpg
^ if you happen to watch the film, there is a shot from this agnle with Harry waiting alone on the coutch. He is laying down, he almost is small in the frame.

I would shoot low if the script allows. Nothing is more desolate than open sky.
 
Thanks a lot for your comments people.

I need to talk to the director, cose I really would love to shoot anamorphic so that I still have some free space but dont have to loose the DoF.

The thing is we are shooting in switzerland and I dont know where to get anamorphic lenses here. Any idea?
 
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