According to an interview between the Kubrick and Michel Ciment, Kubrick attempted to create this photograph initially using extras. But was unhappy with the result. The photo we now know, was ultimately shopped together. Kubrick literally photographed Jack Nicholson from an approximate high angle shot peering down. Then airbrushed Nicholson into the “picture library” photo Kubrick found. Incredible.
Did you have all those extras pose for the last shot?
“No, they were in a photograph taken in 1921 which we found in a picture library. I originally planned to use extras, but it proved impossible to make them look as good as the people in the photograph. So I very carefully photographed Jack, matching the angle and the lighting of the 1921 photograph, and shooting him from different distances too, so that his face would be larger and smaller on the negative. This allowed the choice of an image size which when enlarged would match the grain structure in the original photograph. The photograph of Jack’s face was then airbrushed into the main photograph, and I think the result looked perfect. Every face around Jack is an archetype of the period.”
That’s right. Namgoong Hyeonja, the architect mentioned in the film Parasite, is a fictional architect. He’s not real. However, the genius behind the house in the film was real. Bong Joon-Ho tapped his production designer Lee Ha-Jun, and their art department wizards to build a remarkable architectural vision. The Park house was constructed entirely on a film lot. Here’s some of the initial renderings and concept models:
Compare some of those concept renderings with some actual stills from the film:
Incredible attention to detail and commitment to getting the right shot. There are more photos and insights from Bong and Lee in the interview piece at IndieWire. Bong Joon Ho’s stories and films are heavily steeped in symbolism. They’re dense and delicious like a strong sun tea that’s been sitting outside for hours in the hot sun. They’re chock full of complex metaphors and reference cultural deep-cut films such as Akira Kurosawa’s, High and Low.
Bong’s intelligent cuts, tedious blocking, and deliberate recycling of shots are a delicious recipe for a fun film. Here’s some of his own words (from the IndieWire piece) on why they chose the structure of the house and the film:
Cinephiles may be reminded of Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low.” In that case, the structure is simpler and stronger. The Japanese title is “Heaven and Hell.” On the top of the hill is a rich guy and in the bottom, there is the criminal kind of structure. It’s basically the same in “Parasite,” but with more layers.
Because the story is about the rich and poor, that’s obviously the approach we had to take in terms of designing the sound and lighting. The poorer you are, the less sunlight you have access to, and that’s just how it is in real life as well: You have a limited access to windows. For example, in “Snowpiercer,” the tail cars didn’t have any windows and with semi-basement homes, you have a very limited of sunlight you get during the day — maybe 15 or 30 minutes — and that’s where the film opens.
We actually used natural lighting for those scenes in “Parasite.” All of our sets, the rich house and the poor house, were built on outdoor lots.
Lee Ha-Jun, a seasoned production designer says the the living room should act as a stand-in for TV. I believe he means that literally for Mr. and Mrs. Park, initially. But, offering an appreciative and wide view of the garden, the large window becomes a living portal to the backyard green space. A gateway of vast symbolic significance within Bong’s plot. The window occupies an intentional 2.35:1 aspect ratio, which is culturally symbolic to film, but more importantly feels spacious on screen. It has its production merits too, inviting light and warmth during the day on set. Lee has a terse explanation, but it is pretty clear that almost everything on set was thoughtfully produced for the sake of blocking:
The front yard was a key reason why he had to build Mr. Park’s house. Director Bong already had the actors’ blocking in mind.
Even all of the furniture was custom-made for Bong’s film:
The semi-basement neighborhood was built to flood:
Photo: ⓒ 2019 CJ ENM Corporation, Barunson E&A All Rights Reserved.A still from the film, using the same fabricated production set.
I wasn’t joking when I said it was full of metaphors. Here’s a few examples I fell in love with that caught my eyes. Ample repetition reinforces significance. As a resolution begins to unravel, the same shot cedes itself to darkness as something sinister emerges only moments later.
Reflections and oppositions are important. Light and warmth. Opaque and transparent. Cloudy and clear. Clean and dirty. Level and angled. Rich and poor. Survival and oppression. High and low.
What I find to be the most striking, is these temples of film production are all temporary. They’re built on film lots, hundreds of works laboring to build these realistic places, used for shots, deconstructed, and the cycle repeats for the next big movie. It’s like they’re emulating the Himalayan practice of creating Tibetan Sand Mandalas. For more photos and concept images from the film, check out Architectural Digest.
According to an exclusive 6-minute sneak-peek hat premiered before Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in IMAX, there’s quite a lot to take in. Birth.Movies.Death reports there’s counterterrorism, Nolan’s trademark quick-cuts, and featured the infamous time-rewind car scene:
Tenet has a pretty well-put together cast. Many are Nolan alums from Dunkirk, The Prestige,Inception and The Dark Knight. It has all the hallmarks of a classic Nolan success, but interesting enough, Tenet is missing his favorite composer, Hans Zimmer.
For this film, Christopher Nolan opted for Ludwig Göransson, a Swedish composer who’s résumé includes some action-packed heavy hitters such as Venom,Creed,Death Wish and the knockout Marvel hit, Black Panther. Ludwig is a righteous choice, but not an obvious one. The trailer reveals an industrial tone and has a memorable cacophonous percussion. In fact, the escalating beats, and echoey hits has me jonesing for a classic progressive house bass drop.
If we can expect anything, it is that Nolan will present us with something delicious. Resolution or not, the mysterious plot of this movie awaits us.
I came across these wonderful, wonderful little production details for the 2019 Rian Johnson film, Knives Out. Thanks to the incredible tweets from Steve Yedlin (@steveyedlin), a seasoned cinematographer — he shared some sweet behind-the-scenes production details about the movie:
In this one, a forced perspective representation of the scene behind the camera disguises lighting equipment reflected in Blanc's eyeglasses.
That’s some very serious attention to details. These little details really add a phenomenal level of depth and substance to the interview scenes.
The contribution of the Key Grip is absolutely paramount to achieving successful photography in films. For those who are unaware, the Key Grip often reports directly to the Director of Photography. Often they determine, plan and produce the necessary tools or equipment that production assistants and the rest of the crew may need for shoots.
In case you are interested, I would suggest perusing Steve’s excellent collection/list of #NerdyFilmTechStuff on his website. The hashtag is equally valuable to poke around on Twitter, but his website has some of the best all in one place.
Here’s the images of the custom lighting diffuser rigs from Steve’s tweets for posterity:
