'Oppenheimer' Oscar Winning Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema Breaks Down Filming in IMAX B&W

Summary

Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema discusses the unique challenges of shooting 'Oppenheimer' in black and white 65mm film. He explains the creative decision to use black and white for certain scenes to convey different perspectives and the technical hurdles overcome, including re-engineering cameras and working with Kodak to produce suitable film stock. Van Hoytema also shares insights on framing for IMAX, using depth to direct viewer focus, and the advantages of analog coloring for preserving resolution and achieving an intuitive color grading process.

Takeaways

• 🎬 Hoyte van Hoytema is the cinematographer for 'Oppenheimer', a film that required significant creative and technical effort.
• 🖋 The script's black and white parts represent different narratives, distinguishing Strauss's and Oppenheimer's points of view.
• 📽 Hoytema emphasizes the importance of understanding the characters' thought processes and the evolving world around them.
• 🎥 The team faced challenges shooting in black and white on 65 millimeter film, as it doesn't commonly exist in that format.
• 🏭 Kodak had to manufacture a new film stock similar to the 5222 35-millimeter stock to meet the film's requirements.
• 🛠️ Cameras had to be re-engineered to accommodate the thinner backing of the Kodak black and white film stock.
• 🌉 Hoytema prefers a 'center puncher' approach to framing, influenced by the immersive nature of IMAX screens.
• 🔭 The use of wider lenses and closer focus ranges was crucial for creating depth and intimacy in the film's shots.
• 🎨 Black and white filming allowed for more graphical thinking and tolerance towards hard lighting, deviating from traditional color film techniques.
• 🌆 The cinematography aimed for a less sensationalist approach, focusing on the mundane to convey the characters' thoughts and doubts.
• 📜 Hoytema values the analog coloring process for its intuitive and direct method of color grading in real-time.

Q & A

Who is Hoyte van Hoytema and what is his role in the film 'Oppenheimer'?

Hoyte van Hoytema is the cinematographer of the film 'Oppenheimer'. He is responsible for capturing the visual aspects of the film.

What was the unique challenge van Hoytema faced when starting the film 'Oppenheimer'?

One unique challenge van Hoytema faced was the requirement to shoot in both black and white and color, which was written into the script to separate different narratives.

Why was shooting in black and white concerning for van Hoytema?

Shooting in black and white was concerning because black and white film stock did not exist for 65 millimeter, which is the format they preferred to use.

How did van Hoytema and his team solve the problem of black and white film stock for 65 millimeter?

They started a conversation with Kodak to provide them with the necessary film stock, and Kodak began manufacturing stock similar to the 5222 35-millimeter stock.

What technical adjustments were needed for the cameras to accommodate the new Kodak stock?

The cameras had to be re-engineered because the Kodak stock's backing was thinner than color stock, causing light to bleed back into the film and create artifacts.

What was the challenge with the lab's workflow for processing the black and white film?

The lab had a workflow only for color film and had never processed black and white film before, so they had to change their entire workflow.

How did van Hoytema approach the more mundane scenes in 'Oppenheimer'?

Van Hoytema approached the mundane scenes by focusing on depth and framing to create a more visceral experience rather than a sensationalist one.

What is a 'center puncher' in the context of cinematography as described by van Hoytema?

A 'center puncher' is a cinematographic technique where the focus of the audience's eye is directed to the center of the frame, which is influenced by the IMAX screen's immersive experience.

Why did van Hoytema prefer not to use a steady cam or stabilized hat?

Van Hoytema preferred not to use a steady cam or stabilized hat because it would prevent him from looking through the viewfinder, which is crucial for judging focus and other details when shooting IMAX format.

How did van Hoytema use different lenses to create different feelings or proximities in the film?

Van Hoytema used different lenses to represent different feelings or proximities. For instance, wider lenses were used for creating a stronger depth perspective in close-ups, while longer lenses were used for more removed feelings during secret meetings.

What was the role of Dan Sasaki at Panavision in the making of 'Oppenheimer'?

Dan Sasaki at Panavision retweaked and made lenses that allowed for closer focus ranges, which were used for certain close-up shots described as 'paranoia closeups'.

How does shooting in black and white change the way van Hoytema thinks about lighting?

Shooting in black and white allowed van Hoytema to be more tolerant towards hard light and less careful with color, leading to a more graphical approach and the use of traditional, harder lights.

Why is the process of making a print essential when shooting in IMAX format, according to van Hoytema?

Making a print is essential when shooting in IMAX format to sustain every available resolution information acquired on set, as it's too much information to scan digitally.

How does van Hoytema describe the analog coloring process for film?

Van Hoytema describes the analog coloring process as intuitive and direct, where color changes are made in real-time while watching the film in a cinema, similar to how an audience would experience it.