Following the highly successful debut of the new series GAME OF THRONES with a viewership of 4.2 million viewers, HBO immediately ordered the second season into production. The show is based on the bestselling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, which chronicles the violent power struggle among warring families for control of the kingdom. New York Post’s Linda Stasi wrote, “The art direction, acting and incredible sets are as breathtaking as the massive scope of the series.” To enhance the epic scale of the production, ARRI ALEXA digital cameras were chosen to bring cinematic visuals for the television drama.nnAlik Sakharov, ASC and Marco Pontecorvo, AIC, shared cinematographic duties on the show, though Matt Jensen took over for Pontecorvo when he left the series to direct a feature. Production took place in Northern Ireland and Malta with camera equipment supplied by ARRI Media in London and lighting from ARRI Lighting Rental. Production recorded to HDCAM SR and the SxS cards concurrently.nnAs this was the first experience shooting on ALEXA by both cinematographers, the two cameramen did extensive tests to select the camera format. Notes Sahkarov, who won an Emmy for his work on another HBO Series, ROME: “It’s remarkable, the latitude of the camera, its look, and also its ability to so closely represent the curve of film; I was just flabbergasted. We tested a film camera and two digital cameras very extensively for a full week and took the tests all the way through postproduction, working with Gary Curran, our colorist at Screen Scene. There was so much information in the ALEXA images that it just won us over.”nnHBO’s GAME OF THRONESnSays Pontecorvo, who also shot episodes of ROME: “Both Alik and I are more used to shooting on 35 mm and it remains our first love, but ALEXA is very, very close and after we’d seen the test results we didn’t have any doubts that it would deliver both in terms of budget and quality.”nnALEXA’s superior dynamic range and wide latitude were extremely useful considering the high contrast look the filmmakers were going for and the extreme lighting conditions they shot in. Sakharov shot scenes at 1600 ASA and witnessed very little noise. “One of these scenes was set in a crypt and I barely lit it at all – it was basically all done with candles. The colorist sent me a message and said that I obviously knew what I was doing because the image was perfect, but I had no idea what I was doing, I just relied on the camera! In general I lit it very much like I would a film set,” he explains. “I wasn’t a slave to the technology; the technology was there to help me and the results were the same if not better than film.”nnnn
nnGAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m.nTo view the behind-the-scenes featurette: http://bit.ly/lKJBsznTo learn more about the ARRI ALEXA on the production: http://bit.ly/ejJs6jnnAbout the companynLocated in Munich, Germany, Arnold and Richter Cine Technik (A&R) was founded in 1917 and is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of motion picture camera, digital intermediate and lighting equipment. In 2001, ARRI was converted into a public limited company; it is involved in all aspects of the film industry: engineering; design; manufacturing; production; visual effects; postproduction; equipment rental; complete turnkey lighting solutions and both film and sound laboratory services. Manufactured products and technologies include professional digital acquisition with the ALEXA and ARRIFLEX D-21 cameras; film camera systems for 16 mm, 35mm and 65 mm; location and studio lighting fixtures; digital imaging solutions such as the ARRISCAN, ARRILASER and various archive tools. These products and services are offered through a global network of subsidiary companies, agents and representatives. For locations and more information please visit www.arri.com.Franz Wieser ARRI 845 353-1400 (office) Contact Fran via email
Contact:An Tran ARRI 818 841-7070 (office) Contact An via email
The Light and BIEN Form Creative & Strategic Alliance
Production company The Light and motion design studio BIEN have forged a strategic alliance that nurtures inclusivity and sustainability throughout the life cycle of every project.
The Light Founder/CEO Becky Morrison and BIEN Co-Founder Ricardo Roberts were first introduced by a mutual client who recognized their parallel ethos. Both Morrison and Roberts are advocates for industry change, and have built successful companies that demonstrate the benefits of human-centered and sustainable production in live action and motion design, respectively.
“I admire the thoughtfulness, specificity, and artistry with which BIEN produces animation and design and their attention to representing the full spectrum of humanity,” notes Morrison. “Their work behind the scenes to foster a diverse creative community is equally impressive. It feels like the perfect moment to partner with another mission-driven company who cares so deeply about creative excellence and social change.”
“I immediately hit it off with Becky and love that she has so many ideas that are tactical, scalable and make a powerful difference,” adds Roberts. “She challenges the status quo while producing beautiful, world-class content. With this partnership, we can better serve our clients and carry our mission forward together.”
The Light is a production company guided by the principle that an emotionally healthy environment is paramount for creativity and high performance. From its inception in 2014, The Light has centered under-represented talent, with equity and sustainability as key pillars to delivering creative projects for... Read More