With an industry-standard production like this, what advantages of the ALEXA cameras or the ARRI SkyPanels do you think are essential? 

I began using ARRI products in 2004. I was an assistant cameraman at that time and we were using ARRI 535B and ARRIFLEX III film cameras. Ever since fiming “My Old Classmate,” I’ve used ARRI cameras. ARRI cameras are very stable which gives me a feeling of security. I can rely on them because they always work great. And of course, they have the best image quality and the most accurate color reproduction. As for the ARRI lighting equipment, I really like the SkyPanels and the lighting control console. With SkyPanels and their software, you can easily create lighting effects which were always considered very complicated in the past. For my next project, I have already arranged to use the latest SkyPanel S360-C LED light from ARRI. I tested the ALEXA 65 camera four years ago at CINEC in Munich, and I’ve always wanted to use it with DNA lenses ever since.

Another impressive point about ARRI products is their German craftsmanship. The products that ARRI makes are all reliable in form and function. I’ve visited the ARRI lighting production line where some jobs are being carried out by the same family across three generations. This kind of spirit make the products reliable; this is also something we should learn. 

Lastly, I want to thank ARRI and Beijing YouYuanYingShi Co.,LTD for providing equipment for this shoot. They gave us a lot of technical support during shooting. I also want to thank director Frant Guo for trusting me and the production team for supporting us. Thank you to all my colleagues; Zhang Linke in production; Zhang Quanming, Zhao Fei, Zhang Wuhua, Xiaoli for being in the camera crew; and everyone in the electric and grip department. I wouldn’t have been able to shoot “The Wandering Earth” without all their hard work.

Photos: China Film Group Corporation, Beijing Jingxi Culture & Tourism Co., Ltd, Beijing Dengfeng Co., Ltd, and Frant Guo (Beijing) Co., Ltd