What you can learn from the cinematography of La La Land (2023)

It's been four years and we still can't get over it too.the the earthaspect.

undoubtedly, the the earthVonCinematography create a dreamscape inspired by old hollywoodTechnicolorFantasy in which I want to live. This is how we would all like to see Los Angeles and not the very real version that so many filmmakers capture.

This Los Angeles fantasy can only work in the over-the-top musical world ofthe the earth🇧🇷 The film is mainly filmedmagic hour(or golden hour), the time of day when the sun is above the horizon, casting a warm, soft glow that's perfect for any outdoor shoot. So what was used to capture some of the best shots in the film?

Cinematography DB's Biggest Fanshare some of the scenesthe the earthand how they were created through camerawork and the use of old and new Hollywood lighting. Watch the following video:

If you don't have 47 minutes, this is what we got from the video!

practice makes excellence

Like I said before, many of the scenes in this movie take place at magic hour. The crew only has thirty minutes to an hour to film what needs to be filmed. That is, there wasa lot ofto rehearse for the cast and crew.

Asthe the earththey shot him with onepanavisionPanaflex Millenium XL2com2X Anamorphic LensesWith 35mm film, everything had to be done in as few takes as possible. The default value was one and that's it.

To ensure this was possible, many of the scenes were thoroughly rehearsed and shot on an iPhone to find all the marks the camera needed to hit during filming. This was done for almost every scene and was practiced for weeks before the actual shooting. For dialogue-heavy scenes, two cameras were used to capture both actors at the same time. It's a more expensive way to shoot, but you manage to capture a real reaction from the actors.

For the film's opening number, the entire scene consists of three takes strung together over two days. Because the scene relied heavily on natural light, the sun had to be at the perfect angle to avoid harsh lighting in front of the camera. The result was magical and made LA traffic more fun than frustrating.

The magic is in the lens flare

Linus SandgrenI knew himlens flarecould transform the scene from simple and mundane to a dreamy Los Angeles headspace. Any lens flare in the film was intentional and controlled so that the scenes look great and show off the headspace of the characters.

When we first see Sebastian's (Ryan Gosling) ramshackle apartment, we're met with soft, muted neutrals that don't really make the room stand out. It's only when Sebastian starts playing the piano that lens flare appears in the image and the room seems magical. Sandgren marked where the camera would be at a specific part of Sebastian's song and placed LED lights outside the window that created the lens flare we see in the scene.

There's also the scene where Mia (Emma Stone) meets Sebastian. Lens flare is subtle, but it comes from the projector when viewed from across the room. Sandgren uses this light source again to get us into the minds of these characters and translate the typical experience into something more theatrical.

Whippans abound, and for good reason.

there are many pansLa La Land.I really like it. But they serve their purpose. It has been used to hide cuts like in the opening number, or in the party scene when the dancer jumps into the pool, or just for a sharp transition, and some of these lashes have been made very simple.

By now you've probably been watchingbackstagevideo ofthe the earthdirector, Damian Chazelle,Touching a cameraman's shoulderfilming the jazz/tap scene. The cameraman stands in a very awkward turn until Chazelle touches his shoulder, then ducks under the camera as he moves to frame either Mia or Sebastian perfectly. To be honest, it's a great way to switch between two actors instead of framing them both at the same time or interrupting their characters' performances.

When the cinematographer wasn't doing the camera whipping, Sandgren decided to go from a steadicam shot to a crane shot. From there, the camera attached to the crane arm begins to lose control. The effect was simple and resulted in a scene that still makes my head spin.

Lighting from old Hollywood movies is still an indispensable method

The beauty of filming is that it captures colors beautifully without requiring a ton of color grading. Most night shots of Los Angeles are too bright, and that's because digital cameras capture the city light. The film captures the shadows and reflections of the night, creating richness in a single shot.

Most of the night shots were based on an old trick. The team simply hid the light source behind trees or buildings to provide the necessary accents on the street or on specific buildings. When the light source was not hidden, the typical old street lamps were the main light source. While out of town, Chazelle and Sandgren came up with this idea of ​​what LA would be like based on classic Hollywood cinema. The city replaced some of the streetlights with an older style that created a timeless look when Mia and Sebastian walked around during magic hour.

Unless you have a mega budget for your movie to replace your street lights, regular lights should work as well.

A little distortion never hurt anyone.

Remember how I told youthe the earthIt seems like a dream? Well, there is a valid reason for this statement. The lens used for dream photography, such as the Panavision E50 50mm T2.O lens, easily distorts the edges of the frame. In almost every close-up of Mia or Sebastian, notice how the corners of the photo bend and curve unnaturally. However, when we see the photo, the distortion is neither intrusive nor obvious at first glance. A slight distortion adds subtle depth when worn.

Panavision makes everything look soft and slightly blurry. The public is not obliged to look at a specific thing, but what attracts attention. The camera and lens used intentionally do not produce clear images, for fear that an image that is too sharp will appear false.

Even with a much smaller budget, something amazing can be created using old techniques and playing with different methods of transitions, footage, and lenses. All you need is a vision (and, of course, some tools) to make your dream come true.

Let us know your thoughts on the cinematography ofthe the earthin the comments below!