Black and White production Still of the Talent Preforming by Chicago Unit Still Photographer Rashad Anabtawi — WRITERS NIGHTMARE

2017

Director, cinematographer, and photographer Gabriel Jung had written a project with the concept of shooting this on 16 mm film. The production was to be shot on location in Aurora Illinois, in order to make use of its vast landscape and sweeping farmland vistas.

With an extremely tight budget and no time to spare, the location scouting took place the day of the shoot. The locations were near the house in which we were filming, only a ten minute drive away; this allowed for a small team of crew to stay at the house and set up for the interior shots while a splinter team was out in the field shooting exterior shots.

The weather was cold and unaccommodating but this never stopped the crew from accomplishing their goals.

LOCATION SCOUTING

Unit Still Photograph of the landscape of the location by Chicago set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Behind The Scenes Photograph of the landscape of the location by Chicago set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Set Photograph of the landscape of the location by Chicago Unit Still Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the landscape by Chicago set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Behind The Scenes Photograph of the landscape by Chicago set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Set Photograph of the landscape by Chicago Unit Still Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the location by Chicago set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Production Still Photograph of the location and the Talent by Chicago set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the 2nd Assistant Camera and the Camera by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the Cinematographer and the Camera by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the Talent by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Production Still of the Talent on location by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Behind the Scenes Photograph of 16 mm film Camera by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Set Photograph of the Director and Talent Rehearsing by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Behind the Scenes Photograph of the 2nd Assistant Camera and the Camera by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Set Photograph of the Cinematographer and the Camera by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the 2nd Assistant Camera and the Film Slate by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Production Still of the Talent by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Behind the Scenes Photograph of the Talent by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the Talent Rehearsing by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the Silhouette of the Talent Rehearsing by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the grip and Talent Rehearsing by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Unit Still Photograph of the Grip and Actor Rehearsing by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

The shot and subsequent camera movement was a complicated one, especially on 16 mm film and no viewfinder or playback to check the accuracy of the focus. The camera movement is called a dolly-zoom, or ‘Zolly’. The effect is accomplished when the cinematographer or camera operator zooms in or out with a zoom lens (which adjusts the field of view) while simultaneously pushing the camera in or back out. This effect creates a strange warping effect and changes the perception of the image entirely, lending itself to create a sense of heightened anxiety or uneasiness. After Gabriel Jung had practiced the movement with the camera crew about five times, the cast and the crew were ready for the live take; there was only one chance as this was being shot on film stock and the film was running out.

Unit Still Photograph of the camera crew Rehearsing by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

As the shot started and the camera began moving forward, the film reel within the film case bursts and disconnected from the spool scratching and damaging itself. Immediately, the camera was stopped and removed from the tripod. No one knew what to do next, except Gabriel Jung. Time was running out and there were still more shots to accomplish.

Set Photograph of the Talent and Camera Crew Rehearsing by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Behind the Scenes Photograph of the Camera Crew and Talent Rehearsing by Chicago Set Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Gabriel Jung had to remove the film from the case without exposing it to light and then re-spool it to the appropriate pieces within the camera without looking at it, or in other words without exposing it in any way to light; or else the entire film would have one to waste.

Behind The Scenes Photogrpah of Cinematographer Gabriel Jung Fixing the film reel by Chicago Unit Still Photographer Rashad Anabtawi

Sweat dripped down his face as he closed his eyes shut while working on the 16mm film stock. This situation required almost every bit of his life experience as a filmmaker, as a cinematographer literally working blind with his eyes closed, relying on his mental capacity to work around and fix the damaged film stock and place everything back to where it is supposed to be. Finally after 15 minutes of exuberant expertise Gabriel Jung was able to not only save the film but put everything back together and the production was able to continue.