www.rosco.com: UK-based Gaffer and Rosco Ambassador Wayne Shields recently worked with Cinematographers Jean-Philippe Gossart, Romain Lacourbas, and Terry Stacey on Season 2 of the popular Netflix fantasy epic The Witcher. The filmmakers worked to create a distinct visual aesthetic that combined fantasy with a medieval period setting. The set lighting team used a number of Rosco’s DMG MIX® LED fixtures to light the interior of the Witcher’s fortress – Kaer Morhen.
4 comments:
I have never watched The Witcher, but after reading this article I will probably end up watching it for the incredible lighting. I really must applaud the designer, Wayne Shields, for the thoughtfulness put forward on this design; specifically, taking in the time period and the setting as well as the desired “fantasy” effect and nailing it perfectly. The placement and color choices all blend so well and looks very natural when paired with the set. At the same time, Rosco has created products that allow for a range of versatility for designers. For example, the ability to color match Rosco gels without extensive checking in very impressive. Personally, I never knew that Rosco created so many different products for such a wide range of uses, as I had only needed to use gels and gobos made by Rosco. Overall, after reading the article I think that Shields perfectly created a fantasy sunset effect, while not making it too busy.
Though I do not watch the Witcher (nonetheless heard of this before this article), I was intrigued by this since we did a draw the sunset assignment last semester in Design for the Stage: Lighting. I feel like creating a natural sunset look would be a hard feat, seeing as the sunset is such an organic and natural thing (and I grew up watching sunsets frequently on the West Coast). The article did a great job of explaining the process, and I enjoyed seeing how the lighting design works in a controlled studio space for film rather than live theater. The pictures were super helpful in understanding what the article was referencing to, especially since I am no expert at lighting design. Though I did not understand the individual specific instruments they used, I was able to understand thanks to the description of what they were trying to achieve followed by a photo of behind the scenes.
I absolutely LOVE this lighting. I have been a witcher fan for a while (admittedly I haven't watched the new season all the way through yet) but I’m so excited to see this lighting. I really like the use of oranges and purples to create a very visceral feeling of sunset upon the scene. It emphasizes the sunset in a way that I think no one really sees but everyone understands. I’m also fascinated and interested in the fact that those were essentially used as scenic decoration as the actors were illuminated in a very clear warm light to make sure their acting was clear. Not only did this help the actors, but it also really complimented the background lighting and made it feel more vivid in the final shot. The use of Rosco’s DMXs is also cool because I kind of know what those are now! I can also look at the color book and kind of know what is going on, which is really fun. :)
This scene is so stunning. The saturation and brightness of the colors, as well as the intentional way they streak through the texture of the set, creates an enchanting sunset aesthetic. The way that the colors are counteracted to keep the actors illuminated in neutral whites keeps the sunset a stunning visual element and not an annoying obstruction of understanding or vision. The finished shot truly looks as though the actors are lit completely by their candleabra, and their dwelling just happens to be in the midst of a fantastic sunset. I’ve never seen the witcher, but this attention to color, vibrancy, and vibe is an artistic feat that makes me want to. I also appreciated this article because tv lighting uses a lot of panel based fixtures that wouldn’t work as well in theatrical lighting, and I enjoyed seeing designers create looks with a very different type of equipment.
Post a Comment