Both shot in Sète and Saint-Laurent d’Aigouze, near Aigues-Mortes in Southern France, the two series utilize a total of 13 ARRI cameras, including 6 AMIRAs and 7 ALEXA Minis. This homogeneity allowed the production team to set up a centralized maintenance system, led by Franck Misserey, technical director of the Studios de Sète, and, with ARRI, to put a system of extended guarantees in place, which is essential for very busy cameras. While “Demain nous appartient” uses the Sète studios for certain interiors, “Ici Tout Commence” is filmed entirely on natural sets, essentially at the Château de Calvière, near the Camargue region. A superb location refurbished to house the sets of the haute cuisine school that is at the center of the plot. “This site is so magical that we decided to make the most of it, even though it’s much more complicated to work in a natural environment on a daily series,” explains Stephan Sanson, director of photography, who created the visual identity of the series with Rodoph Séraphine. “The production’s wish was to have a cinematic image, and, with Rodolph, we did not hesitate to recommend ARRI cameras in continuity with ‘Demain nous appartient.’ They offer the best quality. They give the softness we needed in the image. They are also very solid, which is important given that we use them a lot and regularly work in a humid environment near salt marshes. The compactness of the ALEXA Mini also proved to be a benefit in response to the constraints of the building with its narrow corridors, doors, etc. In terms of lenses, after several tests, we opted for the Cooke Panchro/i Classic series, which provides a great vintage look and matches the ALEXA and AMIRA sensors very well. This allowed us to create a look that is specific to the series: a slightly textured image, with a fairly warm contrast and a mineral, organic softness.”