NFS: Hello, Shawn! Bau: Artist at Battle has obtained constant acclaim throughout its competition run. Are you able to inform us about your artistic strategy in visually telling this story?
Sean McNamara: Hello Jason! One of many early issues that leapt out to me when studying the script, and inspecting Joseph Bau’s life and paintings, was his means to remain optimistic whereas enduring a few of the worst horrors one might think about. Joseph used paintings and humour to maintain his sanity and to carry aid to these round him within the camp. In fact, the subject material is in direct distinction to levity. I wished to characterize each of those worlds present and visually inform the story via his eyes.
NFS: Are you able to discuss concerning the collaboration between you and director Sean McNamara? How did you align your creative visions for this venture?
SS: I cherished working with Sean. He has a larger-than-life character, with a great deal of expertise to attract upon. On each venture, I all the time really feel it’s my duty to adapt to the director’s imaginative and prescient and magnificence. Fortunately, with Sean, it didn’t take a lot adapting. He is an effective communicator, very collaborative, and was open to artistic concepts and enter. To get ourselves aligned, we spent as a lot time in prep as potential simply speaking about concepts and inspirations. We’d discuss photographs and take a look at different films for concepts. For instance, Sean actually appreciated the look of the movie Mr. Jones, and it turned an enormous inspiration for our type. We didn’t have time for storyboards, however we did stroll via the extra sophisticated scenes shot by shot on location. That was a good way to get ourselves aligned.
NFS: What was probably the most difficult side of engaged on Bau? How did you navigate or remedy these artistic issues?
SS: The primary massive problem was time! Regardless of how a lot time you’ve, it by no means appears like sufficient, however in our case, we had 19 days, so we had been having to shoot in a short time. This was resolved by thorough prep and powerful time administration on shoot days. My very skillful staff all the time works 110%, and we introduced in a 2nd unit for a few of the days the place they may choose off smaller scenes that we couldn’t get to. We had been additionally met with conventional Canadian winter climate, as a big snowstorm rolled within the evening earlier than our greatest exterior day within the Jewish ghetto and continued all through the taking pictures day. In fact, this was a logistical battle on prime of time restraints, however in the long run, I cherished the addition the inclement climate had on the footage.
‘Bau: Artist at Battle’ BTS Credit score: Impression 24
NFS: The tone of Bau is emotionally layered. How did you employ gentle, framing, or motion to boost that complexity?
SS: Given the feelings at play in Bau, it typically felt like we needed to stroll a tightrope to get the tone proper. We couldn’t be too heavy – that wouldn’t be true to Joseph’s story – nor might or not it’s too gentle, which might solely diminish the horrors of the focus camps.
I had to have a look at every scene and see the place I might add some emotional layers. For instance, there’s a scene the place Rebecca and Joseph sneak a dance within the snow in between the bunk homes of the focus camp. It’s this second of reprieve for them, and I wished to imitate this with the digicam motion. I acquired the digicam mounted on a jib so it might dance together with them. Concurrently, I didn’t change the lighting as I by no means wished the sense of concern and dread to completely disappear. For this specific scene, the digicam motion, identical to their dance, was regardless of their settings.
In scenes that known as for darker emotional layers, I’d push for extra uncomfortable framing selections like heart punching or quick siding. I’d darken the world and elongate the shadows. In the direction of the tip of the film, because the conflict is winding down, I began pushing stronger beams of sunshine via the home windows as if the solar was lastly beginning to shine on these caught within the camps.
NFS: How would you describe your visible type, and the way do you adapt it throughout movies like Bau, Buddy Recreations, and The Unhealthy Seed Returns?
SS: Visually talking, we couldn’t be speaking about three extra totally different films! The throughline between the three talked about is that I’ve all the time approached tasks wanting to permit the director’s imaginative and prescient to be my information. I feel it’s key to recollect it’s their film and I’m there to assist execute it. That isn’t to say that I’m not bringing my very own imaginative and prescient and creative concepts – I’m simply ensuring my imaginative and prescient for the movie not solely aligns with the director’s however ideally helps elevate it.
As for a constant type, I’d say I lean extra in the direction of realism than surrealism with my lighting selections. I prefer to construct upon or modify what’s already there on the set, moderately than block out all of the pure gentle and begin from scratch. In relation to framing, I feel it adjustments with each venture and with each scene. I’m all the time asking myself questions reminiscent of, “How a lot of the world do I wish to present in every shot?” “Is that this character speculated to be remoted at this second?” “Who has the facility proper now?” And naturally, the standard pondering of comedy normally performs higher within the wider photographs, whereas drama is usually within the close-up.
As they are saying, know the principles so you already know when to interrupt them.
‘Bau: Artist at Battle’ BTS Credit score: Impact24
NFS: Did you depend on any specific tools or know-how whereas taking pictures Bau?
SS: Early on in prep, we determined we wished to go anamorphic for our glass, so we prepped a set of Atlas Orions, and I then matched them with three Angeniux zooms (Optimo 15-40mm, Optimo 28-76mm, and the 24-290mm) that labored with an anamorphic adaptor. Including a rear-element anamorphic adaptor to a spherical lens isn’t an ideal match to an actual anamorphic zoom, however they acquired shut sufficient that I used to be completely satisfied to take them. We shot on Crimson Cameras and had a complete of 4 our bodies. We constructed A and B cam for studio and handheld, C cam was constructed completely on the Ronin 2, and D cam went to 2nd unit. I additionally introduced out my drone (Mavic 2 Professional) for a number of photographs.
For digicam motion, we ran with two dollies (Peewee 3 and Fischer 10), a Ronin 2, and a jimmy jib that was left partially constructed so it might be pulled onto set shortly. Having a Ronin 2 gave us a distant head to be used on the jib, after which might be shortly reconfigured to be used on Steadicam-style photographs.
NFS: What sorts of tales or genres are you most excited to discover subsequent?
SS: I’d like to do a sci-fi or interval movie. I wish to sink my tooth into a movie the place I’m creating a visible world that may really feel utterly new and fascinating. I simply really feel like there may be a lot extra room to discover in these genres. That being stated, I’m not going to show down a venture if the script is nice and I just like the director. Each venture is a chance to be taught and enhance.
‘Bau, Artist at Battle’ BTS Credit score: Kama Sood
NFS: Is there anything you prefer to readers to learn about your work?
SS: I recognize anybody who takes the time to have a look at something that I do, and please be at liberty to succeed in out to me via my web site or Instagram, the place I’m at @shawnseifert. I’m completely satisfied to reply any questions, and I’m all the time looking out for my subsequent venture, irrespective of how massive or small.
And I’d like to offer an enormous shout-out to my digicam, grip, and electrics staff. With out them, I wouldn’t have the ability to do what I do. Thanks, everybody!
