COLOR

We’re looking to skew towards the warmer, 70’s film look. We’d utilize a bit of grain to make sure the image never looks too sharp/digital mixed with a slight bit of fading. Fincher’s Zodiac, Hulu’s series Ramy, and It Follows are all good examples of the look we’re hoping to achieve at the end of post.

FRAMING

Handheld. Avoid sticks as much as possible. Very interested in exploring “quadrant
framing” (prominently used in Mr. Robot) to isolate Janice in the frame and give a feeling of otherness lurking under the ordinary. In general, the framing starts off with the wides feeling voyeuristic/dirtied by door frames, etc. — We want to give the actor room to be in the space and do their own thing. As paranoia mounts in Janice, we mirror her state by moving in closer and having our focus get more shallow/selective (Handmaid’s Tale is a great example of shallow/selective focus close ups). This also gives a bit of a distortion to the frame.

EFFECTS

We'll be using practical effects as much as possible and compositing to enhance those practical elements, not replace them. One major benefit of going practical is that it adds a tangible, reality to the otherworldly. There’s already so much suspension of disbelief the audience needs to have, by using practical effects, you give them a brief misdirect where their eye and brain agree — “Oh, this is all happening."

LOCATION

A roadside hotel on the podunk route between major cities. It hasn’t been updated in some time & wears the words “no frills” like a badge of honor. The eeriness of the place comes from its dank generic, uniformity

LIGHTING

Heavily practical & with few accents. Warmer tones with pockets of shadow. Trying to achieve a stylized naturalism. Trying to avoid overly/evenly lit. The photos of Gregory Crewdson are further examples of this look

THE CULT

The dark priests are in deep red robes and face coverings. Their ceremonial garb is a melange of Catholic inquisitors, Gothic parlors, and plague doctors

TEAM

RELEASE