“1917” director, Sam Mendes, was committed to telling his immersive story in real-time. He felt that there was no better way to tell this difficult and emotional journey than with one continuous shot. For this challenging task, cinematographer Deakins chose to work with ALEXA Mini LF and ARRI Signature Prime lenses. In an interview with ARRI, Deakins mentioned: “It’s a real-time story and you’re following two characters who are always moving.” Indeed, from handheld to Steadicam, from cranes, drones, and vehicles, the equipment was put through the test during production. The camera crew was also able to rely on the ARRI TRINITY which proved to be an essential camera rig during filming. The hybrid camera stabilizer system allows for precise yet fluid camera movements. 

Also nominated for Achievement in Cinematography, DP Lawrence Sher weighed some options before deciding on the ALEXA 65 camera for  “Joker.” The large sensor combined with his self-proclaimed “Frankenstein set of lenses” (Prime DNA, Nikkor, Canon, Leica, and more) allowed him to shoot in high resolution but still have the flexibility to work with lenses that felt right for the 1981 setting. In an interview with ARRI, Sher mentioned: “The character of Joker is living in this big world, Gotham, people all around, but he’s living this isolated lonely life almost like he’s invisible. Allowing us to see the space he’s in is really important but I also wanted a lack of depth of field to really isolate him.”