As for the camera, the DP naturally chose the ARRI ALEXA Mini. It’s a camera that I particularly like,” says Quentin de Lamazelle. “I like the way it renders skin and its remarkable color accuracy. This was important in a naturalistic series like “En Thérapie,” where we had to be as truthful with the characters as possible. The compactness of the ALEXA Mini was an asset due to the cramped set. Its ability to record 45 minutes of footage also allowed the directors to work on the shots over time with the actors. Eric and Olivier had also made “Hors Normes” (English translation: “The Specials”) with the ALEXA Mini and were impressed by the result. All this contributed to our choosing this camera.”

To maintain visual consistency throughout the series, the two cinematographers worked closely together. In terms of organization, each DP was in charge of all the episodes featuring a particular character, and the same director directed them. “It’s a very interesting operation that allows us to work overtime with each director and to adapt to each production within a common set and specifications,” recalls Mélodie Preel, director of photography on 23 episodes of the series. “Most of the time, we shot with two ALEXA Minis in the same axis: one a tight shot, the other a medium shot with zooms, to vary the shot values within these long takes. This was important because we were working on intimate scenes of patients facing their therapist. It was a very interesting exercise. The ALEXA Mini brought a lot of softness to the image in these scenes, and its compactness was a real asset in this narrow set.”