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| (from left to right) Camera Assistant Matthias Wrage, Dolly Grip Florian Klein, Cinematographer Christoph Chassée and Director Thomas Kronthaler |
Tango, Tango is a romantic comedy shot by Roxy Film for the German broadcaster ZDF. Locations were in Munich and the scenic area around the Alps. Marc Shipman-Mueller caught up with Cinematographer Christoph Chassée for a brief interview during a short break on one of the last days of shooting.
What equipment did you use on Tango, Tango?
We shot on Fuji Eterna 250D and 500T with the ARRIFLEX 416. For lenses we had the pleasure of using a complete set of Ultra Primes and the new Ultra 16 lenses. It is great that on the 416 the viewfinder does not collide with the bigger lenses anymore.
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| Cinematographer Christoph Chassée hand holding the 416. |
How has the 416 worked out for this shoot?
For me, as a DP, there are two main points about the 416. First, the handling on the shoulder is sensational. And we made use of that a lot in Tango, Tango; there are a lot of handheld shots. The camera is very easy to use, so we could work very fast and comfortably.
And the second item?
The second item is the viewfinder system, which is much better than anything else I have seen in 16 mm. The viewfinder is super sharp! The image in the viewfinder is very bright and has a lot of contrast, it is really a class above other 16 mm cameras. Especially during our night shoots I had for the first time on a 16 mm camera the feeling that I could see as well as the film does. Previously I would wonder how much more the film negative would see into the shadows, but now I simply know because I can see it in the viewfinder during the shoot! Since 35% of our production happened at night, this was a great relief.
Regarding the eyepiece extensions - normally I am not a fan of eyepiece extensions on 16 mm cameras, because they degrade the image too much, it gets substantially darker and has a lower contrast, so it's just not worth it. But the 416 sets a new standard: the image looks great even with the extensions, and I was happy on more than one occasion to have both lengths of extensions with me, the medium and the long one.
The fact that the viewfinder telescopes sideways also helps a lot: when I have the camera on my shoulder, I like to have it close to me, but when the camera is on a tripod or dolly, I extend it out.
Did you have a lot of different setups?
Yes, we used the camera in a lot of different ways, and the 416 proved to be a real time saver regarding all the changeovers. Aside from "normal" use on a tripod, we shot some big dance numbers from a GF8 crane with a Scorpio head. Then we needed the camera often very quickly for some handheld shots, then onto a P&S Skater and back onto the tripod. What worked great was the fact that the electronics for the wireless remote is integrated into the camera.
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The 416 on the P&S Skater during a night shoot.
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The 416 on a Scorpio head attached to a GF8 crane
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| A wide angle shot from Tango, Tango that was illuminated with few lamps thanks to the fast speed (T1.3) of the Ultra 16 lenses. |
What was your impression of the Ultra 16 lenses?
We used them a lot and we are completely and exceedingly enthusiastic about them! Above everything else, the T-stop of T1.3 was very helpful. Especially for the wide shots at night this was a great advantage. On this picture here we were able to get away with using very little light. This scene was illuminated with two 4 Kw lamps from the outside and 2 PAR cans above the DJ's desk. I think I will have to bring the desk lamp against the back wall down in postproduction.
For all night shoots we were able to use substantially fewer lights. This allowed us, for instance, to get an impressive wide shot of the Hofgarten and the Diana Tempel in Munich. We were able to light this with a simpler set up, which of course cost less. Usually such a wide shot would simply be too expensive for a TV film.
It is good that the Ultra 16 lenses are based on the Ultra Primes
sincenow the same look is also available for wide angle shots!
Thank you, Christoph!
Marc Shipman-Mueller
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