#biblefilms

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About Cameras, Lenses, Lights & Grip

Epic Film - Epic Camera

The initial format decision was taken when the project started in early 2010. A lot has happened with cameras since and opting for the then relatively new Red 4k proved to be a

wise future-proofing decision at a time when other realistic camera options comprised Arri’s D21, the Silicon Imaging Si 2K, Super 35mm, Super 16mm and HD/pro-35 tape formats.

Trans Atlas

Having a complete shooting package that could deliver cameras and lenses as well as pulling together transcoding and offer production immediate 2k playback review was also a key requirement. A fully kitted out, air conditioned Love Film camera/wrangling vehicle travelled overland from the UK, over the Atlas mountains to Quazazarte Film Studios, Morocco.

Camera: Red Epic 4/5k

Lenses: Zeiss Ultra Primes 16, 24, 32, 50, 85, 135mm Arri Alura 45-250mm

Lights: 12k HMI 4k HMI 4ft Kinos Mirrors/Bounce/Silks/Negative fill etc.

Grip: Tulip Crane Modular Jib PeeWee Dolly & track Steadycam

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About The 13th Disciple

On The Shoulder Of The Disciples

Above: ‘The 13th Disciple’ approach to scenes allows the viewer to witness events as one of The Twelve.

Director David Batty’s vision for the films wasone that I could run with heart and soul – that the audience should not feellike they are watching a film but actually participating in the events depicted.

We soon developed an over-arching motivation for the camera that we came to refer to as ‘The 13th Disciple’ designed to allow the audience to travel in, amongst and on the shoulder of the Disciples and so share in the experience of the twelve. My intention was that this technique would give the viewer greater freedom to form their own interpretation of events rather than having to defer to the views of others.

Importantly this would free us to bring our documentary filmmaking experience into the mix and enable scenes to develop in the fresh, visceral and unpredictable way I’d hoped for.

Above: Ben Hodgson DOP getting into ‘13th Disciple’ mode with Red Camera, Easyrig & Zeiss Ultra Prime Lens

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John 21:1-19

Jesus Appears To His Disciples At Lake Galilee

Running time: 04:36 mins View: John 21:1-19

Scene by Scene With Gospel Cinematographer Ben Hodgson

With a 24mm lens and the lake becalmed, the little fishing boat made for a beautiful scene setter. Once we’d established the fishing party of disciples going out in the boat I used the 85mm for a POV shot of Jesus standing on the shore in his white costume.

Initially Jesus is kept slightly distant in this scene as the Disciples are seeing him from afar - then as the fish are hauled in I’d laid a track on the shoreline with the camera rigged low for a shot which slides along the edge of the water till it settles by the fire along with the other Disciples. This shot gets the camera and audience into ‘13th Disciple’ mode – witnessing events from a Disciple’s perspective.

We then have a flash forward to Peter’s betrayal of Jesus. This is a nightscene in a little courtyard on a set at Atlas Studios Quazazarte which I backlit with a 12k Hmi and then had a brazier lit to light Peter with a contrasting warm light.

The tranquility of the lake closes the scene on a gentle jib shot with the 24mm Ultra Prime lens.

Ben Hodgson DOP

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John 20:19-31

Doubting Thomas

Running time: 03:54 mins View: John 20:19-31

Scene by Scene With Gospel Cinematographer Ben Hodgson

I punched mybiggest light, the 12k hmi through the window (with diffusion) in this scene because I wanted to give the impression that Jesus was appearing to them dramatically but in a natural way - out of the natural light source. This allowed me to over-expose the background and give it a slightly other-wordly feel and then gradually normalize the lighting as the Disciples become accustomed to his presence.

Wanting the viewer to feel like they are there, witnessing the event and making up their minds for themselves. Thomas is a Bible hero of mine because he doesn’t believe what he’s told to believe but will only believe what appears to him as truth proven. By shooting much of the scene as the ’13th Disciple’ and in amongst the disciples it allows the audience to decide for themselves about the validity of the account.

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John 20:1-18

He's Alive!

Running time: 03:27 mins View: John 20:1-18

Scene by Scene With Gospel Cinematographer Ben Hodgson

The opening shot is filmed ‘day for night’ whereby the convention is to balance the camera for tungsten light (3200k) but film in daylight (5600k) to attain a blue night feel although on the Red camera we created ‘Looks’ which gives the editor a grading reference for the edit.

The interior of the tomb was lit from outside with a mirror when the sun was in a favourable position and with a 12k direct when it wasn’t. We then had smoke inside the cave to turn that light into solid light through which the disciples move. I had a Kinoflo light inside the cave with half daylight and half tungsten tubes to give some fill light.

I lit the room where Mary wakes the Disciples with two warm Kinoflos and a softened 4k Hmi through the back window and shot with 32mm & 85mm lenses.

When filming Jesus appearing to Mary in the garden outside the tomb, I shot it so that although the viewer can see that It’s the figure of Jesus, it is still Mary who gets to see him resurrected first face to face as she looks up to him. It’s only then that the viewer sees him. I ensured Jesus was heavily backlight with the sun for this shot and filled with a big white bounce board which also gives him his eye-light.

Our Second Unit Director Deane Thrussell had the habit of setting up a shot and then grabbing Selva Rasalingham for a few minutes at short notice. A little later he’d have a stunning shot in the can and this (above) is just one example.

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John 14:23-29

Jesus Promises The Holy Spirit

Running time: 01:52 mins View: John 14:23-29

Scene by Scene With Gospel Cinematographer Ben Hodgson

The opening wide establishing shot of the town is constructed from a daylight GV I shot of a little Moroccan town on a hill which the CGI team worked with to create Jerusalem at night. For The Last Supper scene I pay homage to the iconic Leonardo masterpiece.

Instead of one long table we had three long tables arranged in a horseshoe formation around a centre table and laid tracks on the open end and along both sides, along which we ran two cameras with 85mm and 135mm lenses. The wide shots were taken on 24mm & 32mm. 

Lighting the Last Supper

Upon the table In the middle of the horseshoe formation I spread a white cloth onto which a few last supper items were placed. I suspended a 4k Hmi above the table, punching down onto it through trace frame with drapes around it to kill as much spill as possible. This would bounce soft light back off the white cloth into the faces of the cast. I also turned three sides of the central table into a lightbox by cutting a trapdoor into the floor of the set and putting a 6k Hmi underneath it (there was underfloor space fortunately). This then pushed more soft light onto the subjects whilst not lighting the back walls, something I was trying hard to avoid. All the Hmi’s had full CTO to warm their colour temperature to 3200k which would allow a contrast to the 5600k blue light seen through the window.

Above: Ben Hodgson DOP getting in on the Last Supper

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John 14:8-17, 25-27

Jesus The Way To The Father

Running time: 03:00 mins View: John 14:8-17, 25-27

Scene by Scene With Gospel Cinematographer Ben Hodgson

For The Last Supper scene I pay homage to the iconic Leonardo masterpiece. Instead of one long table we had three long tables arranged in a horseshoe formation around a centre table and laid tracks on the open end and along both sides, along which we ran two cameras with 85mm and 135mm lenses. The wide shots were taken on 24mm & 32mm.

Lighting the Last Supper

Upon the table In the middle of the horseshoe formation I spread a white cloth onto which a few last supper items were placed. I suspended a 4k Hmi above the table, punching down onto it through trace frame with drapes around it to kill as much spill as possible. This would bounce soft light back off the white cloth into the faces of the cast. I also turned three sides of the central table into a lightbox by cutting a trapdoor into the floor of the set and putting a 6k Hmi underneath it (there was underfloor space fortunately). This then pushed more soft light onto the subjects whilst not lighting the back walls, something I was trying hard to avoid. All the Hmi’s had full CTO to warm their colour temperature to 3200k which would allow a contrast to the 5600k blue light seen through the window.

Above: The Tulip crane and track and Red Epic camera 

For the scene where Jesus is teaching on the mountain side I had a Tulip Crane which I used to give a hint of grandeur with an establishing wide shot which brings the camera down into the crowd – inviting the audience to get closer and listen. We also shot a reverse wide shot of the crowd. In fact we only had twenty or thirty extras for the crowd usually and this was no exception so we had to spend an hour or so shooting and empty landscape plate-shot in which we moved our little crowd around until they had populated the whole landscape. Trying to make a ‘crowd’ of twenty or thirty extras look like a crowd of hundreds or thousands was a constant challenge. Once the camera brings the viewer down into the crowd I always tried to get a few ‘13th Disciple’ shots as if you the viewer are sitting in the gathering looking over someone’s shoulder.

Above: Ben Hodgson DOP preparing to shoot crowd scenes with the Red Epic, Eas-rig and 50mm Ultra Prime lens

This feeling of the viewer being a participant in the scene is heightened in the section where Jesus takes his teaching and healing in amongst the crowds on the mountainside and in the streets. Shooting it all hand-held with an Easy-rig.

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John 13:31-35

Jesus Gives A New Commandment

Running time: 01:24 mins View: John 13:31-35

Scene by Scene With Gospel Cinematographer Ben Hodgson

For The Last Supper scene I pay homage to the iconic Leonardo masterpiece. Instead of one long table we had three long tables arranged in a horseshoe formation around a centre table and laid tracks on the open end and along both sides, along which we ran two cameras with 85mm and 135mm lenses. The wide shots were taken on 24mm & 32mm.

Lighting the Last Supper

Upon the table In the middle of the horseshoe formation I spread a white cloth onto which a few last supper items were placed. I suspended a 4k Hmi above the table, punching down onto it through trace frame with drapes around it to kill as much spill as possible. This would bounce soft light back off the white cloth into the faces of the cast. I also turned three sides of the central table into a lightbox by cutting a trapdoor into the floor of the set and putting a 6k Hmi underneath it (there was underfloor space fortunately). This then pushed more soft light onto the subjects whilst not lighting the back walls, something I was trying hard to avoid. All the Hmi’s had full CTO to warm their colour temperature to 3200k which would allow a contrast to the 5600k blue light seen through the window.