Brief Summary
In this episode of the Go Creative Show, production designer Darren Gilford and cinematographer Maro Fiore discuss their collaboration on "Spider-Man: No Way Home." They highlight the importance of early and continuous communication between their departments, especially regarding lighting and visual effects. They also share insights into adapting to production changes caused by COVID-19, the challenges of creating realistic studio sets, and specific details about the design and lighting of key scenes, such as the Sanctum Sanctorum and the rooftop scene with all three Spider-Men.
- Early collaboration between production design and cinematography is crucial.
- Adapting to changes, especially due to COVID-19, required flexibility and teamwork.
- LED technology has significantly impacted the film industry, offering rapid lighting changes.
- Realism in lighting and set design is often driven by the director's vision.
Introduction
Ben Consoli introduces the episode, highlighting the rare opportunity to have both the production designer, Darren Gilford, and the cinematographer, Maro Fiore, from "Spider-Man: No Way Home" on the show. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the collaboration between these two roles in filmmaking.
Collaboration Between Production Designer and Cinematographer
Darren Gilford describes the critical relationship between the production designer and cinematographer. He emphasizes the importance of Mara's input during the conception of sets, particularly regarding light and composition. The goal is to support the cinematographer by providing everything needed to capture scenes effectively, balancing artistic vision with the practical demands of a complex production schedule. Maro Fiore adds that early collaboration is crucial, especially on large-scale films with many visual effects, ensuring everyone is aligned to achieve a successful final product.
Initial Reactions to Working on Spider-Man
Maro Fiore admits that while the scale of projects like "Spider-Man" or "Avatar" isn't scary, it requires significant dedication and adaptability due to constant changes. Darren Gilford expresses that a bit of nervousness is healthy, driving him to do justice to the project and its passionate fan base. He found the concept of including three Spider-Men exciting and assembled a dedicated team to tackle the daunting task.
Adapting to Production Changes Due to COVID-19
Maro Fiore discusses joining the film after the original director of photography had to step down. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining the existing crew's morale and incorporating their work. Darren Gilford praises Maro's character for accepting the existing crew, which provided stability during a disruptive time. He notes that COVID-19 forced significant changes, including shifting from location shooting to studio sets, requiring creative solutions to maximize the studio space.
Location vs. Studio Filming Preferences
Maro Fiore expresses a preference for location work due to the spontaneous and natural elements it brings, despite the challenges. When studio work is necessary, the focus shifts to making the environment look as real as possible, paying close attention to detail. The director's vision plays a crucial role in determining the approach, whether aiming for realism or a more stylized look.
Designing the Sanctum Sanctorum Set
Darren Gilford discusses the importance of the Sanctum Sanctorum in the "Spider-Man" story and its history in the Marvel universe. The set was rebuilt to accommodate a significant weather event (snow) and had to be waterproof. The design included a new underground undercroft, creating an ancient chamber beneath the familiar foyer. Maro Fiore explains the challenge of lighting a dark environment while still allowing the audience to see the characters and details. This required carving out spaces for light and pre-lighting the set with director John Watts to ensure the desired atmosphere.
Lighting Challenges in the Sanctum Sanctorum
Maro Fiore details the difficulties of creating darkness while maintaining visibility in the underground set. The team carved into the foam set to create hidden light sources, using ribbon LEDs to rake the edges and add depth. Darren Gilford mentions the use of indirect lighting inside the jail cells, with LEDs providing a soft rim light around the force fields. Maro highlights the importance of pre-rigging and programming the lights for rapid changes and color adjustments.
Use of LED Walls and Lighting Techniques
Maro Fiore explains that LED walls were tested but not used in the film because they didn't provide the strong light sources needed to recreate the sun effectively. Darren Gilford shares his experience with front projection in "Oblivion" and using LED walls for car insert photography. Maro discusses the importance of motivating light sources to achieve realism, ensuring that the lighting appears natural and integrated into the scene.
Rooftop Scene with the Three Spider-Men
Darren Gilford discusses the conceptualization of the rooftop scene, emphasizing the effort to keep the three Spider-Men a secret. The set was built on Stage 14, with smaller set pieces wheeled in and out under a complex lighting package. Maro Fiore mentions that the set was moved outside for a day exterior shot to enhance realism. He approached the scene with stylized lighting, treating the characters like classical sculptures.
Incorporating Green Screen and Visual Effects
Darren Gilford, with his background in visual effects, emphasizes the importance of seamless integration between physical sets and visual effects. He works to ensure continuity in design and provides the director, DP, and actors with as much physical scenery as possible. Maro Fiore explains that lighting for blue screen involves finding interactive moments and using tricks to correlate the foreground and background environments.
Camera and Lens Package
Maro Fiore discusses the camera and lens package used for the film, including the Alexa LF with large format sensor and Panavision lenses. He conducted tests to explore the lenses' sharpness, depth of field, and speed. The production primarily used prime lenses and detuned them to soften the edges. They utilized three to four cameras, including the Alexa LF and Mini LF, to capture high-speed footage. Maro generally avoids using filters, preferring to sculpt the face with lighting.
Set Design and Cinematography Choices
Darren Gilford focuses on ensuring the aspect ratio and framing accommodate master shots, avoiding boxing in the DP. Maro Fiore explains that decisions about focus and depth of field are driven by the story, using shallow focus for emotional scenes and considering the set design to influence staging. Darren emphasizes that while he plans for everything to be seen, the suggestive elements are often the most effective, giving the DP and director choices to tell the strongest story.
Opening Tracking Shot of the Apartment
Darren Gilford explains that the opening tracking shot was conceived after the apartment set was designed, combining elements from previous "Spider-Man" movies and "Endgame." Maro Fiore adds that director John Watts wanted the sequence to be one long, handheld take, creating energy as the characters move through the apartment. This required adapting the lighting to accommodate the dynamic camera movement and unexpected elements like sunlight and a helicopter outside the window.
The High Bridge Sequence
Maro Fiore discusses the challenges of creating the High Bridge sequence, which was filmed in an Atlanta parking lot with changing weather conditions and a massive blue screen. The key was planning the day around the sunlight, mapping out shots to match the sun's direction and using pre-visualization to guide the filming. Darren Gilford mentions the construction of a large steel structure to support the blue screen and the calculations needed to avoid shadows on the set.
Happy's Apartment Exterior Lighting
Darren Gilford praises the impressive lighting rig for Happy's apartment exterior, which used construction cranes to dangle gigantic lighting rigs, creating a realistic Long Island City feel. Maro Fiore explains that the lighting rig had to incorporate interactive lighting for explosions and other effects, requiring significant resources and a skilled crew. He also mentions a last-minute decision to surround a lobby set with blue screens to allow daytime filming, highlighting the crew's adaptability.
Conclusion
Ben Consoli thanks Darren Gilford and Maro Fiore for sharing their insights on "Spider-Man: No Way Home," acknowledging the film's success and their amazing work. He also thanks the sponsors, production team, and audience for their support and questions.
