SXSW 2025: How 45 Cinematographers Shot Their Festival Features

“$POSITIONS”

Dir: Brandon Daley, DP: Drew Angle
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: ARRI ProRes 4444
Camera: AMIRA
Lenses: Angenieux 30 – 80mm Optimo DP Rouge, Cooke S4i

The Look: “$POSITIONS” is an unhinged comedy wrapped inside an anxious drama. We wanted to find a way to adapt the editorial language of broad ’90s comedies to a more personal style — using a kinetic handheld camera and a visual language more in line with contemporary dramas. As we moved away from the traditional comedy aesthetic, we had to ensure that our approach still gave Brandon the flexibility to shape the comedic timing in the edit. Ultimately, I felt the darker, more grounded aesthetic only heightened the humor, raising the stakes and making jokes feel even more unexpected.

The film deals with themes of addiction and anxiety, which escalate into a dangerous spiral. To bring the audience into this tension, I focused on busy, overwhelming frames, layering characters, and setpieces together with tight lenses. I like to use a handheld camera with the same intention you would give to a tripod or using a dolly– being deliberate with camera placement and relying on blocking to evolve the frame without solely relying on camera movement. I try to light the space with as few stands in the room, giving us the freedom to shoot in any direction, find creativity in the blocking, and move quickly.

I shot this on my ARRI AMIRA. That familiarity gave me the confidence to take more risks and push the image further. We shot most of the movie on a 30-90mm. I liked the challenge of composing wider frames with the 30mm rather than just reaching for a wider lens. Lately, I’ve been loving zoom lenses, particularly the look of the Angenieuxs. I enjoy the inherent softness paired with a digital sensor. You can be just as intentional with focal length choices as you would with primes, but they let you work much faster. This was a huge help on this shoot as we needed to move quickly and I often found myself crammed into cars or small rooms away from the equipment. Oftentimes we would make adjustments and re-frames in shot with the intention to use these in the final edit.

“40 Acres”

Dir: RT Thorne, DP: Jeremy Benning, ASC, CSC
Category: Fest Favorites
Format: 4K 2:1
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: ARRI Master Built Primes 

The Look: We did a thorough test between the Sony Venice 2 and the ALEXA 35 in early prep. Knowing we had a lot of night exteriors and dark interiors on this film and with a cast who had varying degrees of darker skin tones; I really wanted to compare both cameras in those scenarios. What I found in viewing the tests was that the ALEXA 35 had slightly better lower shadow detail, which allowed us to pull detail back into a face where needed. The high ISO capabilities of both cameras were nearly equal. We also tested a range of lenses at the same time and landed on the Master Built Soft Flare lenses. RT and I liked the gentle softness at the edges of the frame, and the slightly lower contrast feel in general. They had a bit more of an older lens look; which we felt tied in nicely with the tone of the film’s world. 

“The Accountant 2”

Dir: Gavin O’Connor, DP: Seamus McGarvey, ASC, BSC 
Category: Headliners
Format: MXF/ARRIRAW 4.6k Super 35
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Cooke Speed Panchro Primes 18, 25, 35, 75, 100, 150mm, Nikkor 200mm, 300mm, Cooke 18-100mm Zoom, Cooke 25-250mm Zoom. Canon 50mm T .95 Dream Lens

The Look: Gavin and I loved the more rounded look of the vintage Cooke Speed Panchros. They are fast lenses too which suited the nocturnal Los Angeles scenes in the film. For Christian Woolf’s (Ben Affleck) more internal moments we used a Canon Dream Lens T .95 which has a unique signature shallow depth of field and a beautiful mottled bokeh when shot wide open. This lens choice was intended to express his distance from the clamor of the outside world and had a distinct feel compared to the veracity of the Speed Panchros. The high sensitivity of the Alexa 35 sensor was key to allowing the real-world street light ambiance of urban LA nights to filter into our story. We had a relatively small camera package which Artists Equity and KESLOW provided. This allowed us to be light on our feet and be more elastic photographically. Gavin and Ben are very open to the beautiful happy accidents that occur live on set so we liked to be simple and nimble when it came to our camera equipment.

When it came to the Digital Intermediate, genius Colorist at Company 3, Yvan Lucas played with subtle tones in the lithographic shadows. He employed a Live Grain film emulation to add some celluloid grit to the pristine digital image.

“American Sweatshop”

Dir: Uta Briesewitz, DP: Joerg Widmer
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: RED RAW 7K
Camera: RED RAPTOR with X sensor
Lenses: Zeiss Supremes and Angenieux EAZY Zooms

The Look: Content moderation is a demanding and often harrowing job. Not only do you have to shift through images and videos that can be violent or sexually explicit, but you also never know what the next ticket will bring. The unpredictability keeps moderators on edge, as they have no control over what they will encounter next. The workforce behind this operation is kept under strict surveillance, ensuring both secrecy and efficiency. There is little to no time to process the impact of the last beheading you had to remove—an image you erased to prevent it from being seen by a larger audience.

The challenge in our project was to make these deleted images and videos felt without actually showing them. Sound played a crucial role in conveying this, but above all, we focused on the visible emotional states of our characters. We deliberately chose not to create a polished, cinematic look but instead opted for an unfiltered, raw approach using two cameras. Our setup included RED Raptor cameras with X sensors, paired with Zeiss Supreme lenses and Angénieux EZ Zooms.

I was both excited and slightly nervous about working with Uta. As a former high-end DoP, she possesses an extraordinary depth of knowledge about cinematography. Yet, thanks to meticulous preparation, she managed to balance the intense 22-day shoot while still allowing enough time for rehearsals and the actors’ performances.

One of the biggest challenges was shooting shot/reverse shot setups in matching sizes simultaneously. As a DoP, this isn’t an ideal scenario at first glance, but with the right preparation and a flexible lighting setup, it became not only feasible but highly effective. By filming this way, the actors could engage with each other naturally, reacting in real-time—making their performances feel far more authentic.

“Ash”

Dir: Flying Lotus, DP: Richard Bluck, NZCS
Category: Headliners
Format: 4.6K 3:2 Open Gate Anamorphic 2.39:1
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Atlas Orion Silver Anamorphic Primes

The Look: The film is set on a planet and Steve, the director, was very keen to create a world that was moody but full of color, to take the audience into another realm. Mainly shot in the space station we mirrored the colors of the exterior world in the interior but constantly changing to follow the characters’ mental journeys. The ARRI 35 was the perfect camera for this as it gave us excellent color rendition and flexibility in post with the LogC4 format.

We used the Atlas Orion Silver Anamorphic series of lenses as they gave us a slightly different look with the more neutral flares that mirror the color of the environment. Although we were confined with the scope of the space station we worked at creating changing environments that emphasized the characters’ journeys through the film.

“The Astronaut”

Dir: Jess Varley , DP: Dave Garbett
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: 4.6K ARRIRAW
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Panavision G-series Anamorphic

The Look: I like the overall look and usability of the camera. We used mostly natural light in our main location and the camera’s high dynamic range allowed me to use the windows as the main light source whilst keeping all the detail of the exterior landscape in all weather conditions. The lenses lent an organic feel to a very high-resolution camera and display a number of cinematic qualities — high contrast and sharp but with an overall softness that renders skin beautiful. The small form factor also allowed us to move the camera dynamically without a large grip package. 

“The Baltimorons”

Dir: Jay Duplass, DP: Jon Bregel 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: XAVC-I 4096 x 2160
Camera: Sony FX6
Lenses: Sony 28-135mm F4 G OSS

The Look: Having a small, lightweight, and flexible camera system that could see in the dark was essential, allowing us to stay in the moment, prioritize performance, and seamlessly adjust lens sizes and coverage if new ideas popped up on the spot. Operating long takes handheld with a servo-zoom was a big part of our desired visual language, and having access to Optical Image Stabilization on the Sony 28-135 added a subtlety to our long-lens handheld work that felt natural and immersive without distracting from the performances. The combination of handheld movement and stabilization allowed us to maintain a dynamic yet controlled feel, reinforcing the intimacy of each moment while still giving us the flexibility to react instinctively to the actors’ energy and blocking. This approach not only helped create a fluid visual rhythm but also perfectly complemented director Jay Duplass’s masterful instincts, allowing him to explore spontaneity with the actors while ensuring the camera could adapt intuitively to each moment. His ability to find emotional truth in a scene was amplified by this responsive style we designed, creating an organic and immersive experience.

“Bunny”

Dir: Ben Jacobson, DP: Jackson Hunt
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: 4K
Camera: Sony FX3 
Lenses: Canon K35 

The Look: “Bunny” was shot in a single five-story tenement building in the East Village. The Canon K35s added texture to the image that felt totally in line with the texture of the building. The movie is constantly bouncing between characters that live on different floors of the building. The script feels so kinetic, Ben (the director) and I really focused on translating that feeling onto the screen. We opted for a lot of unbroken takes and always tried to keep the camera in motion, so the compact nature of the FX3 combined with K35s were the perfect tools for the job. 

“Caper”

Dir: Dean Imperial, DP: Andrew Pulaski
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 4.6K Prores 4444
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Cooke Panchro S2

The Look: Some of the biggest challenges on this film were the night exteriors. We had a small crew and a small budget. I chose the ALEXA 35 because of its low-light capability. A lot of scenes we shot at EI 3200 or 6400 with enhanced sensitivity which retained color accuracy and a low noise floor. I chose the Cooke Panchro’s for a soft painterly look. I love the fall off on these lenses and the dimensionality they bring to the characters.

“Cotton Candy Bubble Gum”

Dir & DP: J Pinder
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 6K REDCODE RAW (17:9)
Camera: RED Komodo (Principal Photography); RED V-Raptor (Pickup Shots); Sony A7iv (Underwater & additional pickup shots); iPhone & Galaxy phones (in-phone shots)
Lenses: RED Komodo: Zeiss Superspeeds (18mm, 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm); RED V-Raptor: Tokina Cinema Vista Primes (25mm & 40mm) & Zeiss Superspeeds

The Look: When it came to the look of “Cotton Candy Bubble Gum,” I wanted the characters to inform how I shot the movie. Carter, our main character, suffers greatly from anxiety, so a very steady camera on a tripod was out of the question. His life and mind are unbalanced, so I needed to ensure the camera felt that energy. As I was directing, DP’ing, and self-financing the film on credit cards, this also made sense in a practical matter as we were working with severe constraints: A 13-day shooting schedule with a minimal budget, and no permits, catering, or grip trucks — so being mobile was key to making our days.

Even before I selected a camera, I wanted to shoot with lenses that offered a lot of character. I thought about Kowas as well as a few other vintage-style lenses. But Zeiss Superspeeds ended up being the best for both pulling focus and achieving the look I wanted. SAG gave us permission to film during the strike under their Micro-Budget Agreement, which in turn allowed us to take advantage of a great camera package that was just sitting on the shelf. We shot with two RED Komodos during principal photography, which, along with the Zeiss lenses, were basically a gift from Birns and Sawyer (an L.A. rental house). For pickup shots with 2nd Unit, we used a RED V-Raptor that our 2nd Unit DP, Austin Parks, owned. I love RED and have shot several projects using their various cameras over the years, so I’m happy we were able to use them on our shoestring budget. Our colorist, Daniel Orentlicher of Color Nest, did a fantastic job matching the look of the multiple cameras in post.

“Death of a Unicorn”

Dir: Alex Scharfman, DP: Larry Fong, ASC
Category: Headliners
Format: 3.3K ARRIRAW, 2X anamorphic, 2:39:1
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Zeiss Master Anamorphics

The Look: My director (Alex Scharfman) and I referenced many classic films and felt the form factor of a 35mm film negative that the ALEXA 35 brings would be perfect for our visual intent. The anamorphic format was a no-brainer as well. Because of the film’s ensemble cast, we knew we’d often be filling the frame edge-to-edge with actors, so the minimal edge distortion of the Zeiss anamorphics was a plus. To take the edge off/bring a more filmic look, we did the usual: filtration combined with trickery in the DI (Nat Jencks at Postworks NY).

We wanted to let the writing and acting be the priority; though the visuals were obviously important, we didn’t want to overshadow the story. To that end, we designed our coverage without any crane shots, and only a few drone shots. Our camera and lighting package was pretty minimal. I also kept the color palette fairly restrained, other than color temperature variations to imply different times of day for stage interiors–especially in the main chalet sequences, designed by Amy Williams. My excellent Budapest crew deserves a mention as well, without whom this unique project would not have been possible.

“Descendent”

Dir: Peter Cilella, DP: Alexander Chinnici
Category: Midnighters
Format: 4.6K Open Gate ARRIRAW
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: TLS Canon Rangefinder (OFG) & Lensbaby Tilt Shift lens

The Look: I am grateful that the movie was made when it was, our choice to use the ALEXA 35 benefited us greatly, primarily making use of its unbelievable dynamic range. The big advantage is that I am never fighting the camera, I am never stressed about the highlights, I simply “have it.” That alone brought a joy and freedom I had yet to experience with a digital camera. After much discussion, Super35 and 2.39 felt right. Simple and classic.

Often, this genre can have a sharp, sterile, and cold aesthetic, but for our film, what mattered most was the warmth of Sean and Andrea’s relationship. Bringing humanity and a connection to them is the heart of the film and a big reason why we chose the Canon Rangefinder lenses. They are actually soft (most lenses aren’t), they are warm and flare easily (they are single coated), but avoid frustrating veiling glare that can slow a day down or could prevent us from achieving the desired lighting.

The earlier portion of the film is a healthier 2.8-4 stop. After the event, we open to a 2 and utilize the 0.95 50MM exclusively for Sean as he disappears from reality. Their unique flares were another narrative device throughout. The Lensbaby tilt-shift was saved for the operating table and whenever Sean’s sleep paralysis kicks in. Finding these looks took several tests at our vendor, OldFastGlass who took great care of us through prep and run of show.

For me, the camera is simply a tool, one that has certain advantages, specs, and unique features. For “Descendent,” while on location and often utilizing what was available to us, the ALEXA 35’s ability to capture more than any other, made it the clear choice.

“Drop”

Dir: Christopher Landon, DP: Marc Spicer
Category: Headliners
Format: ARRIRAW 4.6K
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Atlas Orion Anamorphic 

The Look: From our pre-production testing to the last day of shooting Christopher Landon and I were very happy with our camera, lens, and filter choice. I’ve never used the same lenses on my films. A different script, and different production design, means I’ll need a different gear package for a different dramatic feel. “Drop” was a fun framing and lighting challenge: two cast, sitting at a table in an exclusive Chicago restaurant (courtesy of our amazing Production Designer Susie Cullen) sometimes with 10-12 pages of dialogue and no one moving.

Chris and I very carefully planned our coverage. When to be wide or tight, when to short side the cast, when to match frames, and when to not to. Subtle and not-so-subtle camera moves along with numerous lighting changes; some were very subtle and some were quite aggressive. As Violet’s world began to be upended we followed suit with camera and lighting variations. We combined offset camera angles, handheld, and ‘in camera’ lighting changes to bring the audience into the confusing and vulnerable emotional space Violet had been thrown into. At this point, we began to break the fourth wall. It’s always a fine line, not wanting the audience to notice the cinematography but wanting them to be affected by it.

“Fantasy Life”

Dir: Matthew Shear, DP: Conor Murphy
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: 3:2 4.5K ProRes
Camera: ALEXA Mini LF
Lenses: Panavision H Series

The Look: Matt and I favored a simple, elegant approach to “Fantasy Life’s” cinematography. We wanted to stay away from overwrought set-ups and the kinds of ostentatious camera moves that can sometimes be fun but have a way of erasing the space for ambiguity and individual interpretation. Instead, we let the quiet drama and subtle comedy play out in frames that were rarely called upon to move (I got away with a little pan now and then). We hardly ever took the dolly or slider off the truck, and when we did it was only to let an otherwise static wide keep up with an action that wanted to make its way down the road a bit or around a corner. The slightly taller 1.66:1 inclined us towards wider frames that invited the characters’ body language into the film and gently deterred us from overusing close-ups.

Spherical lenses were an obvious choice, and the Panavision H series had a lovely inconspicuous softness to them. The ALEXA LF, admittedly, is a bit shallow for my taste, especially as someone who’s willing to lose a stop and a half to the rota-pola all day in order to be able to control spectral highlights on the actors’ faces. Sometimes I found I needed more light than I prefer to bother with in order to achieve the depth of field that felt right to Matt and I. We wanted naturalistic, motivated lighting, but at the same time to bring forth the light in the actors’ eyes and create a space in which they felt cared for – that familiar razor’s edge to walk. At the beginning of prep, Matt and I discussed doing a good bit of handheld. We storyboarded the film, and when we finished, we realized we hadn’t found a single scene we wanted to shoot handheld. We had a chuckle about it and never discussed it again. “Fantasy Life” lived on a good sturdy set of sticks!

“Forge”

Dir: Jing Ai Ng, DP: Leo Purman
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 6K X-OCN-ST
Camera: Sony Venice
Lenses: Canon K35’s, Canon FD 50-300mm Zoom

The Look: “Forge” is a story centered around art forgery and the pursuit of the forgers themselves. Our intention was to merge the visual ideologies of romanticism painting and heist cinema. We blended realism with exaggerated style, molded subjects with silhouettes, and wide compositions with finite details to create a hybrid visual grammar. The precise image of the Sony Venice helped us show the immaculate detail that art forgers take, while the expressive quality of Canon’s K35s let us balance this perfection with a light personal touch. The addition of the Canon FD Zoom allowed us to underscore espionage and voyeuristic moments throughout the FBI’s pursuit of the forgers. On set we viewed on TV Logic monitors utilizing a custom show LUT. This allowed all collaborators on set to see an image akin to the one SXSW viewers are watching on screen today. The equipment we were able to use framed “Forge;” but the individual efforts of our crew members, and the creative collaboration between them painted each image of the final film. 

“Friendship”

Dir: Andrew DeYoung, DP: Andy Rydzewski
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: ARRIRAW 3.4k
Camera: ALEXA Mini
Lenses: Angenieux Optimo 24-290 & 28-76, some Zeiss Master Primes

The Look: Texture, along with color palette, has become one of the first foundational elements of a project’s look for me. Our movie is about the exposed, raw messiness of being a human, and Andy, our director, encouraged me to create images that reflected this — flawed and dirty rather than digital & clean. With this in mind, I thought the ALEXA Mini would be the ideal camera and, thankfully, our producers approved, despite the industry’s 4K push (which drives me insane).

I feel strongly that the original Alexa Mini produces the best-looking digital picture out there. Part of that is how it renders motion and part of it is how the sensor “breaks.” The noise from that ALEV III sensor is absolutely delicious. We shot the entire film at 2000 ISO, which gave us a base level of texture that we loved. To further soften the image, we wore an SFX1 filter throughout, adding touches of Glimmer Glass and Black ProMist for scenes where Craig falls under Austin’s spell.

Lens-wise, Andy and I both fell in love with the long end of the Optimo 24-290 and, a bit to my surprise, it became our hero lens. Nearly every scene — almost every shot — involved some form of zooming. It was exhilarating to shoot a comedy with visual grit, constant zooms, and living in the 100-300mm range.

There can be real magic behind a zooming shot. In the right context, a zoom can quietly shift from perspective objective to subjective, which I find intoxicating and addictive. It also speaks to Andy DeYoung’s filmmaking. He has a true knack for initially observing his characters without judgment or even emotion, before suddenly forging a deep, meaningful connection to them. It is a magic trick that I love being a part of.

“Fucktoys”

Dir: Annapurna Sriram, DP: Cory Fraiman Lott
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: 16mm
Camera: ARRI SR3
Lenses: Hawk V-Lite 16 Anamorphics, Canon 8 – 64mm S16 Zoom

The Look: Annapurna first sent me this script back in 2019, and I was immediately pulled into her dystopian grindhouse vision, this pre-millennium alternate universe known as Trashtown. In line with the cult films of John Waters and Gregg Araki, we wanted a rich, pulpy texture but within the limitations of a small budget and tight schedule. 16mm was the perfect format to shoot efficiently with minimal crew while rendering luscious, immersive visuals. It was also important to make sure AP’s journey felt epic and cinematic, and in the spirit of some of our New Hollywood references, we wanted to shoot a wider aspect ratio, 2:40:1 scope. Once we found the Hawk V-Lite 16 anamorphics, it not only offered that vast field of view, it also elevated our format to something really sharp and beautiful.

Made possible only by my extremely diligent 1st AC Connor Lawson, a gracious leader of our camera department. As well as Mike Brown and the generous folks at Kodak Atlanta.

“Good Boy”

Dir & DP: Ben Leonberg
Category: Midnighters
Format: 6K R3D RAW
Camera: RED Dragon-X
Lenses: Nikon AIS

The Look: Simplicity is key when your lead actor is a dog. Every additional crew member and piece of equipment is another potential distraction, requiring a “sniff inspection” before Indy allowed work to begin. So I embraced tools and techniques that were both practical and unconventional.

Shooting in 6K resolution was essential for reframing since our lead couldn’t hit exact marks. And working in small, cluttered spaces meant constant invention. A secret weapon was the Nikon 15mm AIS. Typically this lens distorts human faces in an unflattering way. But with Indy, its extreme wide angle perfectly framed his face while simultaneously allowing audiences to sense the gloomy, looming world behind him. The visuals of Good Boy operate on tension, and this lens helped create it.

Lighting relied on another simple philosophy: “if something is important to the story, consider pointing a light at it!” With Indy, that meant top/backlighting that played off his fur, making him stand out in the darkness. I also used small LED “ping” lights to enliven his eyes, helping to sell his “performance” and connecting the audience to his eyeline during shot-reverse-shot sequences. To build Good Boy’s dreary, haunted atmosphere I leaned into practical, in-camera effects. Rain machines and lightning gags add texture and tension to the climax. And a benefit to filming for over three years meant I could wait for the foggiest days to wrap the film’s exterior shots in a “natural” haunted limbo.”

“Hallow Road”

Dir: Babak Anvari, DP: Kit Fraser
Category: Midnighters
Format: 16mm and XOCN-ST
Camera: ARRI 416 and Sony Venice 2 
Lenses: Zeiss Supreme Primes and Zeiss Ultra 16 Primes

The Look: Babak & I wanted there to be a clear distinction between the scenes outside the car (the beginning and end of the film) and those inside the car to subtly guide the viewer in questioning the different realities. The characteristics of celluloid and the portability of a handheld 16mm camera made those scenes feel more naturalistic. The sharpness of the Venice 2 paired with the Zeiss Supreme Primes meant that the interior/ exteriors of the car were obviously contrasting to the 16mm.

We looked at filmmakers from the French New Wave in the ’60s and felt their use of handheld 16mm cameras still carries an association with realism and authenticity in modern cinema. We wanted the audience to feel like they were watching something that was real.

When the car sequences began, we switched formats from 16mm to digital, in a seamless single shot. We did this by using both formats simultaneously in a mirror rig (borrowed from stereoscopic shooting) and effectively cross-fading between them. The effect is subtle but a keen eye will spot the transition. The hope is that most audience members will feel like something has changed at that moment but won’t know exactly what.

The film then continues in digital and the camera work is more structured, far from the handheld of the beginning. We shot the majority of the car sequences on a virtual production/ volume stage which allowed us to control every background and very specifically craft the lighting. We wanted the image to gradually shift from warm to much cooler tones. We were able to achieve this in-camera by fractional changes to the color temperatures, timed out with specific portions of the script. Having a live, color-corrected image from the digital camera made this part of the shoot more interactive and accessible.

“Holland”

Dir: Mimi Cave, DP: Pawel Pogorzelski
Category: Headliner 
Format: Digital
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Ben Hur Prism from Panavision

The Look: When testing for the look of the film, which emulated ’70s etkachrome high contrast and saturation we stumbled (thanks to Mike Carter at Panavision) on the ’50s 1.3 squeeze prism lenses. Mimi and I fell in love with the rich look of those very unique lenses for the film. They are huge, no great minimum focus, and have only 3 focal lengths 54-75-104. Brian Mills (our lens Guru) added a set of lenses to complement our three lenses. We also used the H-series on the frazier lens for the miniature shots. 

“The Home”

Dir: Mattias J Skoglund, DP: Malin LQ
Category: Midnighters
Format: 4.6K Prores
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Angenieux Optimo 24-290mm, Fujinon 18-85mm and Zeiss High Speeds. 

The Look:  Honestly, a part of me chose the ALEXA 35 because it felt like a practically smart choice. It might sound unromantic, but we were, after all, going to shoot on a Swedish island called Gotland, where the weather could — and most likely would — change every other minute. I knew we wouldn’t have the resources to duel the weather gods, so the camera’s incredible dynamic range could provide us with a sense of safety if needed. And it really did help me feel confident in my choices on set when things got rough or when we needed to be very efficient, especially with all the information in the highlights.

I’m used to almost always working with the ALEXA Mini, and the 35 reacted very differently from what I’m used to. For example, I ended up sometimes having to shoot day scenes with ISO 3200 (or higher) and basically “destroy” the material to get the level of grain and grit that we wanted. The constantly contradicting pros and cons of the camera created friction in my workflow and process, which, with some emotional distance, I’m actually happy about. For example, it made the nuanced skin textures we wanted possible, but we also had to work against a digital smoothness — both in-camera and in post — in an unexpected way to achieve the look we aimed for. I think there’s something poetic about this friction.

I also want to add that I really believe that no matter what equipment you use — when things get really challenging on set — it’s all about who you have backing you up. I want to give a big S/O to my gaffer, Kasper Raidam, among others, for your support. Also, S/O to Pelle Mellqvist for supporting us and letting me do this with his beautiful lenses, etc, even though we were doing a low-budget film. I think people like him are becoming a rare species these days, and we need to give back to all the smaller forces out there doing the right thing because we need you more than ever.

“I Really Love My Husband”

Dir: GG Hawkins, DP: Ryan Thomas 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 4K Pro Res 16:9
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Optimo DP Zooms and Optimo Primes

The Look: “I Really Love My Husband” was all about embracing the natural beauty and vibrant energy of our remote island location. At the same time, we had to accept the tough challenges that are synonymous with this type of location.

The ALEXA 35’s dynamic range and Enhanced Sensitivity modes allowed us to work with minimal lighting, crucial on an island where company moves were done by small boats and not trucks. I found that even in low light situations or difficult lighting conditions, the Alexa 35 still gave us the vibrant colors and warmth that were part of our film’s visual language.

The Optimo DP Zooms were also a huge part of the film, but more so in how they allowed us to move quickly and give the actors more time to work through our scenes. They’re light enough for handheld and still have an elegant look you’d expect from primes. I primarily stayed on the 15-40 as both me and the director, GG Hawkins, loved the immersive feeling of the 40mm for close-ups.

“Idiotka”

Dir: Nastasya Popov, DP: Kristen “KII” Correll 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 3.8K/4.6K ARRIRAW
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: 16mm Format Super Speeds & Panavision VA Primes

The Look: There are two distinct looks in this film, the first which we deemed as “IRL” (in real life). Story-wise, this look is how we see our lead, Margarita, in the real world of the movie. The second “world” takes place within a reality TV show called “Slay Serve Survive.” We referred to the reality show’s aesthetic as “DIGI” (digital). For “IRL” the 16mm format Super Speeds with three blade iris plus red flare enhancing lenses were used with a 187% zoom in on the image. This gave the image texture and realism that grounds the viewer into Margarita’s life and provides a stark contrast to the imagery of “DIGI.”

“DIGI” portrays a take on high fashion reality shows that is coded with gloss, flare, vibrance, and playfulness. We opted to use the Panavision VA Primes with rainbow flare enhancements to tick those boxes — the lenses are on the elegant side of sharp and clean while still maintaining a personality. The VAs paired with the Super Speeds created two looks which were very different yet blended the story in a graceful and stylish way.

“The Infinite Husk”

Dir: Aaron Silverstein, DP: Mitchel McKenzie
Category: Visions
Format: Digital
Camera: Sony A7rV 
Lenses: G-Master primes

The Look: The film is meditative and intentionally paced but it’s got this punk rock, DIY spirit, both narratively and in the way it was made. That ethos meant embracing imperfection and making adjustments on the fly. We were a small, scrappy team — two to five total crew members depending on the night — and had an aggressive shooting schedule so we knew we’d need to keep our setups to a minimum and not spend too much time fussing with equipment. The Sony A7rV was perfect because I already owned one and it worked well for our style of shooting — run-and-gun, mostly improvised camerawork and lighting. It does well in low light and we used the hell out of autofocus. The advanced image stabilization ended up being clutch, allowing me to pull off longer roaming shots without needing a cumbersome gimbal or Steadicam setup.

The best example of this is one of the climactic moments of the film — we were running out of time with our location and writer/director Aaron Silverstein trusted me to capture the rest of the scene in a quickly concocted “oner” where I got to run circles around our lead and follow her from the LA night into a brightly lit convenience store. For the look of the film, we went pretty heavy on the lens diffusion. I have astigmatism and things like driving at night are pretty uncomfortable but the light beams and fuzz you see are also beautiful in their own way. I wanted to capture this look for the film as it aligned with the way our protagonist is experiencing Earth for the first time: Disorienting and painful with shades of beauty and wonder.

“LifeHack”

Dir: Ronan Corrigan, DP: Ciaron Craig 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: Mixed Media
Camera: iPhone 12Pro, Sony RX0 MK II, JVC CCTV Camera, Canon XF405, Canon XA10, Canon HFG25, Sony PDW700, GoPro 10, Samsung Galaxy S III, INQ Chat 3G Phone, Logitech C270 HD Webcam, Insta360
Lenses: Stock + C-Mount Kowa s16

The Look: “LifeHack” is a Screen Life/Found Footage-style film with scope so was always set to be a pretty unique cinematography challenge. Both I and the director, Ronan Corrigan, wanted the film to feel as raw and authentic as possible (we both hate when webcam or phone footage in movies is clearly shot on an ARRI ALEXA) so on our mission of imperfection we shot with 18 cameras across 12 different formats.

A central element of the film revolves around a video call between four friends, and for this, we used four iPhone 12s, shooting simultaneously. These were rigged to computer screens, serving as the primary webcams for our main characters. This setup provided a reliable codec, full camera control, and the ability to create a video village for crew.

Any good thriller needs a heist scene, and for ours we employed a simultaneous 9-camera setup, allowing the actors to perform the scene in real time. The funkiest set-up here was a hidden bag camera: a custom rig we built using a Sony RXOII with vintage Super 16 Kowa lenses, concealed in our prop bag.

As much as I enjoyed the challenge of some of the larger multi-cam setups, the thing I got the most excited about was when we had a scene that was meant to be using older technology. On the days where we were rigging up CCTV from the ’90s, or trying to shoot glorious 480p from old smartphones that barely turned, there was always such a great vibe on set as we all just committed to in-camera, authentically bad-looking, low res results.

This was my second Found Footage experience, my first being the horror hit “Host,” and as much as I missed big cameras and beautiful lenses there is something really rewarding about the unapologetic and immediate nature of the genre.

“Magic Hour”

Dir: Katie Aselton, DP: Sarah Whelden 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 4.6K Open Gate // ProRes 4444
Camera: ALEXA 35 & iPhone (various models)
Lenses: Atlas Orion Anamorphics & Sirius Lenses

The Look: This was my first collaboration with Director Katie Aselton and yet we shared a natural creative energy and an instinctive understanding of how to tell this story. Our chemistry, along with her trust in me, were paramount in creating a bold and intentional look, within the framework of a naturally evolving dance between the actors, the cameras, and the script itself. This was especially true considering that Katie was almost always in front of the lens.

Shooting anamorphic felt like the obvious choice from the start. The wide format amplified both the characters’ isolation in the world around them and allowed space in the frame to explore the fragile connection they share. The Atlas Orions delivered a warm, organic quality that felt rooted in the desert’s stark beauty, while the flares became a visual cue for the film’s ethereal undertones.

True to our approach of letting the film come to us, I discovered the Sirius lenses while visiting the Atlas team at a trade show. These lenses were created as an April Fool’s joke — “The world’s first 1x anamorphic” — by stripping out the anamorphic elements from the Orions. The result is extreme edge distortion and an overall creamy texture that was the perfect vessel for capturing Erin’s POV during some of the psychologically and emotionally raw moments in the film.

The ALEXA 35’s color space gave us full control over our palate, allowing for rich, saturated hues that contrasted with the earthy abyss of Erin, Charlie’s emotional state, and the desert alike. Further, the dynamic range helped us persevere the subtle gradation of light and ultimately extend the fleeting desert sunsets in which many of the film’s most pivotal moments are set. After all, the film is called “Magic Hour.”

“Mermaid”

Dir: Tyler Cornack, DP: Joel Lavold 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 3.4K ARRIRAW
Camera: ALEXA Mini, Sony FX3, FX6
Lenses: ARRI Master Anamorphics 

The Look: We shot on an ALEXA Mini and ARRI Master Anamorphics. Florida is such a big part of our story and we wanted to see as much of that world as possible. We then went with a set of Black Satin filters to soften that image as our main character navigates his drug addiction.

We debated shooting on an ALEXA 35 but have always been happy with the image from the ALEXA Mini and thought that the budget could be better used elsewhere. A Sony FX3 was used on the underwater shots for its size and low light capabilities, and an FX6 was used for some of the tighter car rigs with Zeiss spherical lenses when size was an issue.

“My Uncle Jens”

Dir: Brwa Vahabpour, DP: Jørgen Klüver 
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: 3.2K ProRes 4444
Camera: ALEXA Mini
Lenses: ARRI Master Primes

The Look: At its core, “My Uncle Jens” explores the nuances of language and communication. Director Brwa Vahabpour and I wanted to give the characters’ body language ample space, using two shots and medium-wide shots in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. For the film’s look and feel, we aimed to create a texture defined by faces and production design, avoiding optical artifacts.

One of the challenges was maintaining a sense of separation between the actors and their surroundings without moving in closer. To achieve this, I needed fast lenses for a shallower depth of field. So I chose Master Primes for their clean and modern qualities — they offered a clean, precise image while providing a soft focus falloff when wide open. Master Primes often have a reputation for being too sharp and clinical, but by shooting primarily at T2 and occasionally at T1.3, I found a texture and spatial sense that I loved.

During camera tests, I saw the need to soften the digital edge. Instead of using soft filters as I had before, I opted for a combination of film grain and subtle blur in post-production. This approach helped create final images that felt both timeless and honest — qualities that reinforced our visual storytelling approach, highlighting the subtlety and nuances of language.

“New Jack Fury”

Dir: Lanfia Wal, DP: Jonathan Rigattieri  
Category: Midnighters
Format: 4K XAVC-S 3840×2160 (S-Gamut3.cine / Slog3)
Camera: Sony FX3
Lenses: Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GMaster

The Look: The Sony FX3, paired with Sonys GM 24-70, just worked perfectly for this project. We were tackling a 10-day shooting schedule, with a small team and tiny budget. Much of the project also needed to be shot on green screen stages, and the post and VFX work was to be tackled by our talented director. We needed a camera that was capable of handling these factors without breaking the budget or taking away from the vision of what “New Jack Fury” was to become. Using the many nostalgic references and concept art created for this project, we leaned into vibrant colors, creative lighting, and slightly unorthodox framing to create its ’80s grindhouse look. Pairing the camera with the versatile Sony GM Zoom created an all-in-one ecosystem that made it easy to tackle our many setups, and would ultimately, be the most efficient way for us to keep track of all the necessary metadata and facilitate a smooth VFX workflow for our director in post.

“Nirvana The Band The Show The Movie”

Dir: Matt Johnson, DP: Jared Raab
Category: Midnighters
Format: 4K, MiniDV, 16mm
Camera: Sony PXW-Z280, Panasonic HVX, Bolex Rex5
Lenses: Mostly the fixed Sony Zoom on the Z-280!

The Look: This movie could (and only would) be shot on a camcorder. When we first started testing camera packages to shoot the movie on, I tried all sorts of more “professional” cinema camera/lens combinations. We really wanted to try to get into a more cinematic color space. No matter how wide we cast the net, however, we kept circling back to the Sony PXW line, which is a fixed-lens camcorder that shoots 4K log on a tiny sensor.

Considering how much of the film was shot while sneaking around in public places, we needed a camera that wasn’t going to raise too many eyebrows. As a tiny crew of about 4-6 people, at worst people thought we were Youtubers. We also needed to be able to support a ridiculous zoom range from around 30mm to over 400mm, all within a single take. Only small sensor cameras can do this, without weighing 70lbs. There are sections of the film set in 2008 that needed to be shot on miniDV for reasons that will become obvious when you watch the movie, too. We watched a lot of verite films from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s in prep, which might have been the excuse to pull out my Super-16mm Bolex for the opening. Those movies do an incredible job of setting up time and place, especially in an opening credits sequence. We wanted to do the same for Toronto in the summer, the playground in which our main characters were about to be unleashed.

“O’dessa”

Dir: Geremy Jasper, DP: Rina Yang, BSC
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: ARRIRAW
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Panavision E & B series, USZ, and Tribe7 BlackWing

The Look: The opening of the film before “O’dessa” embarks on the journey was shot on special Tribe 7 BlackWing lenses. Once she enters Stranger Land, we wanted a distinct visual departure, so we switched to anamorphic E & B series. Lighting style also evolves from predominantly candle and moonlight when she’s on the farmland, to electric blues and neon-drenched look. 

“Odyssey”

Dir: Gerard Johnson, DP: Korsshan Schlauer
Category: Visions
Format: 4.6K Open Gate 2X Anamorphic 2.39:1. Pro Res
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Todd-AO Anamorphic 35mm, 55mm, 75mm 100mm & Cineovision 25mm Anamorphic

The Look: From the beginning, it was clear that Gerard envisioned “Odyssey” shot in a nimble, semi-guerrilla style, paired with widescreen anamorphic lenses in epic CinemaScope. The camera would move at a fast pace, following our stressed, coke-fueled lead character through her everyday business affairs. Though the story is set in the modern day, Gerard was determined to avoid a contemporary look. Instead, he aimed for something more timeless, reminiscent of the seventies, with a subtle touch of nostalgia. We wanted to create striking and expressive imagery that would reflect the chaotic and violent nature of the script, bringing the locations to life and enhancing the colors. This journey needed to feel both vast and expansive while remaining deeply personal and relatable.

This vision began to materialize when we discovered the glorious Todd AOs at One Stop Films. We immediately fell in love with them, as they perfectly cemented the optical feel we desired, bringing just the right softness and all the anamorphic glory to the project. We also found an incredibly fast and ultra-wide 25mm Cineovision lens with similar characteristics. It provided a unique sense of immersion that helped capture the story in a visceral and dynamic way. Ultimately, this 25mm lens became our “main” lens. In addition to our prime lenses and handheld work, we incorporated a series of extreme long shots, filmed from a great distance and often through multiple layers of urban chaos. These shots offered a more objective, voyeuristic perspective on Natasha, emphasizing her downward spiral through the city’s layers.

As for the camera choice, it was a no-brainer: the ALEXA 35. Its compact size and exceptional dynamic range allowed us to push its capabilities in various lighting conditions across many different locations — sometimes with no control over the lighting, in extremely dark environments, and even using no artificial lighting at all.

“One More Shot”

Dir: Nicholas Clifford, DP: Simon Ozolins  
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: ARRIRAW
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Cooke Anamorphic

The Look: “One More Shot” is a time-traveling romance comedy film set on New Year’s Eve in 1999. It’s a fairly absurd premise, where our lead actress, Emily Browning, travels back to the start of the evening every time she drinks from a magic bottle of tequila. Director Nicholas Clifford was very interested in referencing movies that were shot on film from the ’90s era, but with no large-scale film processing labs in Australia, shooting on celluloid was not a viable option. We settled on the ALEXA 35, utilizing its in-built texture settings to help break up the digital image and give us a beautiful grain effect. To help make this feel like it could have been shot 25 years ago, we ended up combining the ALEXA with Cooke anamorphic lenses, introducing anamorphic distortion and a slightly creamier contrast. Colorist Fergas Hally then helped create some ’90s reference LUTs we used on set, and finally, we pushed the ARRIRAW images in the direction we wanted for the final grade.

“Outerlands”

Dir: Elena Oxman, DP: Lucia Zavarcikova 
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: 5.8K X-OCN ST
Camera: Sony Venice
Lenses: GL Optics Canon FDs

The Look: “Outerlands” follows Cass as they navigate life in San Francisco, forced to confront a past they’ve spent years trying to escape. From the beginning, Elena and I knew the cinematography had to feel immersive and personal — placing the audience inside Cass’s experience.

With over 35 locations, San Francisco became a character in the film. I needed a camera that performed well in low-light scenarios and could adapt to the unpredictable nature of real locations. The Venice gave us the versatility to capture characters authentically in the city’s streets. For lenses, I was looking for something fast, with a large image circle to cover the Venice sensor, and a “nostalgic” feel — something that was an essential visual component of our film. Canon FDs ended up being the perfect tool to create a soft and intimate feeling. By keeping the cinematography tightly aligned with Cass’s experience, we aimed to make “Outerlands” feel like an extension of their inner world. Progressions in framing, movement, and lighting mirrored their emotional arc.

“Reeling”

Dir: Yana Alliata, DP: Rafael Levya
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: 35mm film & 4.6k Open Gate ProRes 4444 XQ LogC4
Camera: ARRIFLEX 235 & ALEXA 35
Lenses: Cooke S4’s

The Look: My goal was to ensure that the cinematography evoked empathy for our protagonist and conveyed the sensation of forgetting. As someone who gravitates toward the soft highlight roll-off and naturalistic contrast of film, I quickly realized that the fast-paced, changing exterior lighting, combined with the creamy aesthetic of certain lenses and a strong LUT, made the ALEXA 35 the perfect choice. Its incredible dynamic range and superior low-light performance made it the ideal tool for our production schedule.

Our shooting schedule was structured around the best lighting conditions: we shot east-facing scenes from sunrise until midday, moved indoors for daylight interiors, and then shot west-facing scenes in the afternoon. This approach gave us greater control over lighting continuity. For the flashbacks, we decided to shoot those sequences on Kodak Vision3 5219 using an Arriflex 235 4-perf film camera. The decision to combine high-end digital with vintage glass was intentional—I’m a firm believer in the unique character this pairing brings. For Reeling, I used Cooke Panchros and Cooke S4 lenses. The S4’s creamy bokeh and softness complemented the film’s aesthetic, while the Panchros’ coating helped visually depict memory, where moments of clarity (like a hug) would brighten or darken the screen. I had the Panchros detuned, allowing more light to pass through the lenses, contributing to a softer, dreamlike quality.

Finally, the look of the film came together in post-production with the help of Company 3 and my final DI colorist, Tyler Roth. Their expertise allowed me to refine the color grading and achieve the exact look I wanted—an intentionally desaturated, bleach bypassed version of Hawaii, giving it a more authentic, human eye-like quality. I’m incredibly proud of how it turned out, and after this experience, I’m confident that if I shoot digitally again, it will be with the ALEXA 35.

“Satisfaction”

Dir: Alex Burunova, DP: Mate Herbai 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 4.6K, 4444 XQ
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Cooke Panchro S2/S3, Cooke Anamorphic S35, ARRI Master Prime.

The Look: Since the film takes place in different timelines, we wanted to reflect this visually by using two fundamentally different sets of lenses. We used the Panchro lens set in the present when Lola is trying to break away from Philip, but their shared past clouds and blurs her perception of her connection to the surrounding world. We aimed to emphasize this feeling of life through the imperfections of the Panchro lenses, also the vignetting of the lenses could be effectively utilized, which is strongest at a fully open aperture and decreases as the aperture is closed, this provided a playful opportunity to control the strength of the effect depending on the mood of the scene. For the other timeline, when they first get to know each other and are surrounded by complete happiness, we primarily used the Cooke anamorphic lenses, chosen for their beautiful, rounded softness and feather-soft bokeh. Here, we briefly used the Master Prime as well to take advantage of its millimeter depth of field in some intimate scenes and close-ups.

“She’s The He”

Dir: Siobhan McCarthy, DP: Bethany Michalski
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 2.8K ARRIRAW
Camera: ALEXA Mini
Lenses: ARRI Ultra Primes

The Look: “She’s the He” was a visual ode to our favorite raunchy comedies of the early ’90s and ’00s, but this time, with LGBTQ+ representation at the heart of the story. We looked to films like “Superbad,” “Easy-A,” and “Mean Girls” for their commercially beautiful and clean looks, ways of elevating the most mundane of settings to glamorous, and making unassuming characters into stars.

Shot in the Los Angeles Valley, STH captures the moody allure of perpetual late afternoon light, mixed with precise camerawork that elevates raunchy, irreverent comedy into something grand and cinematic.

Director Siobhan McCarthy and I bonded over our love of spherical lenses, shooting on film (and ways to emulate it!), and ultimately knew ARRI Ultra Primes were the perfect harmony of a clean yet glamorous commercial look we were interested in exploring. We opted for multi-cam setups and shooting dialogue cross-coverage so as to not miss a comedic beat or improvised moment.

“Slanted”

Dir: Amy Wang, DP: Ed Wu
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: Prores4444 4.6K
Camera: ALEXA 35, RED Komodo
Lenses: Panavision PVintage Series

The Look: 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. From the beginning, Panavision supported us with their coveted PVintage lens series, striking the perfect balance of softness and clarity to bridge our worlds. While we primarily lived on the 35mm and 50mm lenses to reinforce the film’s naturalistic feel, having access to focal lengths ranging from 14mm to 100mm gave us the versatility to adapt on the fly.

“Summer of ’69”

Dir: Jillian Bell, DP: Maria Rusche 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 4.6K ProRes
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: G Series 

The Look: Our movie masquerades as a raunchy high school comedy but is ultimately a heartfelt coming-of-age movie. By using anamorphic lenses, we used the visual language of recent teen comedies as a bit of a trojan horse so that the tenderness of the characters sneaks up on you. The softness and focus fall off around the edges of the G series lenses leant a timeless feel, which supported the softer moments of the movie. 

“Surviving Earth”

Dir: Thea Gajic, DP: Olan Collardy 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 4.5K ARRIRAW Open Gate (framing for 1.85:1)
Camera: ALEXA Mini LF
Lenses: Tribe7 BlackWings X-Tuned

The Look: Maintaining a consistent and immersive visual style was key to keeping the audience deeply connected to Vlad’s journey while also allowing them to feel like active observers within the film’s world. The film explores human connection in a constantly shifting emotional landscape, and we needed an approach that placed the viewer inside the scene while keeping the camera’s presence unobtrusive. I’ve always shot on the ALEXA sensor because it delivers the most organic-looking image. I know how to push and pull it, how it responds to different lighting conditions, and how far I can take it in post without losing integrity. The ALEXA Mini LF, with its compact form factor, was crucial for our observational style, allowing us to work efficiently while maintaining a natural, filmic quality we could refine in the grade.

Our choice of Tribe7 Blackwing Primes was equally intentional. These lenses balance modern precision with vintage character, offering an expressive quality that complemented the film’s themes. I love their delicate fall-off at the edges of the frame, and the X-tuned set in particular provided different looks depending on the T-stop. Wide open, they produce a low-contrast, almost milky image. Between T2.8 and T4, the look becomes more controlled while still retaining character, and past T5.6, they behave more like a modern lens, shedding much of their distinctive softness. This versatility allowed us to shape the image subtly based on the emotional tone of each scene.

We opted for a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, which is wide enough to establish the characters’ world while preserving verticality for intimate moments. Depth played a key role in our storytelling, with layered compositions in the foreground, mid-ground, and background creating a sense of space and perspective, much like a triptych painting. Ultimately, every decision was made to ensure the audience wasn’t just watching the film but experiencing it, fully immersed in the world alongside the characters

“Sweetness”

Dir: Emma Higgins, DP: Mat Barkley
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 4.6K Open Gate
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Cooke Panchro’s 

The Look: Director Emma Higgins and I tested different lens options and settled on the Panchro’s for a few reasons. They’re a great-looking lens but their short minimum focus allowed us to grab close-up moments at a whim without diopters which was really freeing. Our wonderful 1st AC Nick Petrie and I set up an EasyRig / FookusPookus system to make running around handheld as streamlined as possible. We also did some extended zooming shots on the Angenieux 24-290mm. A number of those made it into the movie in their entirety which is really pleasing. The team at Keslow Toronto took really amazing care of us, many thanks to everyone there.

There are a few locations in the film that we spend a lot of time in and shooting them in different ways to help tell the passing of time/change in the characters’ relationship was a tricky but fun task. Some of those decisions stray from reality but I think they fit into the rest of the film well and keep the repeated locations visually stimulating. Sunbelt (WFW) provided us with a great lighting package and Gaffer Shane Kirkpatrick and Key Grip Tyler Emms put it all to work.

Emma had some great references as inspiration and we set ourselves some rules in pre-pro that we tried to stick to as much as possible; my favorite was “Don’t be Afraid.” There’s at least one scene where I may have gotten a bit scared and pulled back but there’s a lot where we didn’t. In the end, we left with a look that was really close to what we wanted. Then we handed it over to our colourist Ana Escorse who helped us take those extra steps further towards the final product that we’re really proud of.

“The Threesome”

Dir: Chad Hartigan, DP: Sing Howe Yam 
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: 4.6K ARRIRAW
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Modified Primo Primes and Primo Zooms 

The Look: When Chad and I started talking about the look he brought up “When Harry Met Sally.” That film has a beautiful softness and warmth to it. The scenes with Central Park in the fall are so vibrant. With that said, we came up with a look like if “Silver Linings Playbook” made a baby with “When Harry Met Sally.” We were trying to avoid the look of most current rom-coms and have our film feel a little more grounded.

With Guy McVicker at Panavision, we took the Primos and warmed them up, adjusted contrast, dampened the sharpness, and the way they flared. We also made some custom filters for certain scenes to give a swirl in the bokeh without having to switch to another lens. Chad wanted to originally shoot film but the budget couldn’t support it. So we landed on ALEXA 35, one because we were shooting with an ensemble, the 35’s sensor felt better for having more depth of field with so many characters. Large format, I feel, can become very distracting with its thin D.O.F.

Also based off our references we built a show LUT with our colorist Mike Howell over at Color Collective. With my DIT Nihal Dantluri, we were using just one show LUT and making CDL adjustments. Nihal and I would color own dailies at the end of each shoot day. We were applying filmbox to our dailies mainly for the film halation, but literally everyone was getting dailies with film emulation and halation, it really showed the look we were doing. This is the first time I approached a film this way and will probably continue.

“Touch Me”

Dir: Addison Heimann, DP: Dustin Supencheck 
Category: Fest Favorites
Format: 4K Prores
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Zeiss Standard & Super Speed, Angenieux 24-290

The Look: It’s a dream come true, as a cinematographer, when you team up with a director who wants to push visual boundaries and who encourages experimentation. Addison challenged me to honor Japanese cinema of the ’40s–’60s, vibrant Giallo of the ’70s–’80s, and black & white monster films of the ’30s–’40s, exploring the periphery of these genres.

Panavision opened its doors for us to test countless lenses and camera settings. Working with my colorist Drew Tekulve, we custom built a custom LUT in combination with the Soft Nostalgia texture and an ISO of 2560. We landed on a look that felt as close to film as we could get in camera. We decided to shoot with an amalgamation of Zeiss Standard Speed, Super Speed primes, and an Angenieux 24-290 zoom with the occasional probe lens. This gave us the vintage look we were after, and I was constantly putting prisms, filters, diopters, scraps of suncatchers, and, really, anything that would make Addison say, “Oooooh prettttty.” In front of the lens, I worked with so many close friends on this project who not only cared about the success of the film, but also cared about my own personal accomplishments, and I can attest to our entire success to this one point. We wanted to make an incredibly colorful, fun, dramatic, and unforgettable experience for the audience. If anything, you can’t say we pulled our punches.

“The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick”

Dir & DP: Pete Ohs
Category: Narrative Spotlight
Format: Magic Lantern RAW
Camera: Hacked Canon 5D Mark III
Lenses: Canon EF L-Series

The Look: This is my camera! I own it. I use it on all the features I shoot and have yet to find a reason to switch.

The main (only?) reference for the movie was the first 15 minutes of Bergman’s “Cries & Whispers.” I only watched the first 15 minutes so that’s all I can reference. That film also takes place in a big house and has a character who is suffering. Bergman uses close-up portraiture of faces a lot. It’s obvious he enjoys his actors and trusts them to deliver. I felt the same. I was frequently grabbing the 85mm to focus in on my actors. Zoë, Callie, James, and Jeremy are so fun to watch and that takes a lot of pressure off the camera.

The 5D only shoots 1080p but that hasn’t been an issue. The DCP looks great to me. I’m not sure yet when 4k resolution or higher is actually necessary. I think what’s important is the Magic Lantern hack unlocks 16-bit color depth which allows my colorist Hanna Rudkiewicz to do her thing.

“We Bury the Dead”

Dir: Zak Hilditch, DP: Steven Annis 
Category: Narrative Feature Competition
Format: ARRIRAW
Camera: ALEXA 35
Lenses: Orion anamorphic 

The Look: On this show it was simple. We had a tough schedule and very heavy dialogue scenes in all manner of locations from cars to bars and buses and planes and tables. Two cameras were needed and a wonderful company in Perth called Raz Rentals came to our rescue with the small budget we had. They supplied two ALEXA 35 cameras which perform so well in ES mode at 64000ASA and 2 sets of Orion Anamorphic Primes. These lenses were fast, small, lightweight, and looked damn good Thank you to all the camera crew involved, and thank you Raz!