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    Polanski's Lenses 2

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    Michael James
    Roman Polanski has a background in painting which influenced his meticulous attention to composition in his films. He frequently uses wide-angle lenses between 21mm and 40mm to give shots the field of view of the human eye. This makes the audience feel more like they are part of the scene. Actor Ewan McGregor discussed Polanski's preference for using only wide lenses, which puts the camera close to the actor's face and maintains details in the background. In the 1940s, many directors also adopted using wider lenses as studios had smaller budgets forcing smaller sets. Films from that era like The Magnificent Ambersons and Act of Violence used lenses between 28mm and 30mm.

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    Polanski's Lenses 2

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    Michael James
    779 views6 pages
    Roman Polanski has a background in painting which influenced his meticulous attention to composition in his films. He frequently uses wide-angle lenses between 21mm and 40mm to give shots the field of view of the human eye. This makes the audience feel more like they are part of the scene. Actor Ewan McGregor discussed Polanski's preference for using only wide lenses, which puts the camera close to the actor's face and maintains details in the background. In the 1940s, many directors also adopted using wider lenses as studios had smaller budgets forcing smaller sets. Films from that era like The Magnificent Ambersons and Act of Violence used lenses between 28mm and 30mm.

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    Polanski's lenses, what it says.

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    Polanski’s Lenses 2

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    Roman Polanski has a background in painting which influenced his meticulous attention to composition in his films. He frequently uses wide-angle lenses between 21mm and 40mm to give shots the field of view of the human eye. This makes the audience feel more like they are part of the scene. Actor Ewan McGregor discussed Polanski's preference for using only wide lenses, which puts the camera close to the actor's face and maintains details in the background. In the 1940s, many directors also adopted using wider lenses as studios had smaller budgets forcing smaller sets. Films from that era like The Magnificent Ambersons and Act of Violence used lenses between 28mm and 30mm.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    779 views6 pages

    Polanski's Lenses 2

    Uploaded by

    Michael James
    Roman Polanski has a background in painting which influenced his meticulous attention to composition in his films. He frequently uses wide-angle lenses between 21mm and 40mm to give shots the field of view of the human eye. This makes the audience feel more like they are part of the scene. Actor Ewan McGregor discussed Polanski's preference for using only wide lenses, which puts the camera close to the actor's face and maintains details in the background. In the 1940s, many directors also adopted using wider lenses as studios had smaller budgets forcing smaller sets. Films from that era like The Magnificent Ambersons and Act of Violence used lenses between 28mm and 30mm.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 6

    RO

    Polanskis Lenses
    Roman Polanski is one of the directors I always go to whenever Im looking for
    inspiration, cinematography wise. His Knife in the Water is also my all time
    favourite film which makes studying his visual language an even more enjoyable
    experience.
    Polanski came from a background in painting which probably had an impact on
    his meticulous attention for composition. One of his trademarks is the use of wide
    angle lenses. In Masters of Light, John Alonzo A.S.C, who worked with the
    French director in Chinatown, said the only lens used in the entire film was a
    40mm anamorphic which produces an angle of vision similar to that of a 20mm
    spherical lens.
    These are the lenses used in some of his films:
    Rosemarys Baby: 18mm and 25mm
    Chinatown: 40mm (anamorphic)

    The Ghost Writer: 27mm, and 35mm


    The Pianist: 27mm, and 32mm
    Oliver Twist: 21mm, and 27mm
    Carnage: 21mm and 27mm
    The Ninth Gate: 25mm and 32mm (he used a 75mm for just a few close-ups)
    The reason behind the use of these lenses is to make the audience feel like
    being part of the movie since they mimic the field of view of the human eye and
    also reproduce the relation of sizes between objects in the frame as they are
    seen by us (according to Alonzo, the image focal length of the human eye is
    approximately 22 mm).

    Polanski in Rosemarys Baby


    Ewan McGregor has recently commented on working with Polanski in The
    Ghost Writer and his preference for wide angle lenses:

    He doesnt use long lenses. He only uses really wide lenses. It has a strange
    effect on us because its quite similar to the human eye. Usually on a movie set,
    for a close-up, the camera would be very far away on a long lens and it would
    make the background be out of focus with your face in focus. Its very beautiful.
    But he doesnt do that.
    He has a 35mm or 27mm lens on thats quite wide, and he has the camera right
    up in your face. It means that the world isnt all beautiful and fuzzy and out of
    focus behind us. It makes you feel more reflective of our human vision. So, it
    makes us feel more tense because we feel like were in it and not watching a
    film. And the details.

    DP Jerzy Lipman with Polanski in Knife in the Water


    These wide angle lenses have become more popular in the 40s. Until then, the
    most common lens was a 50mm (Astro-Berlin Pan Tachar). But during the
    Second World War, the studios went through a difficult period, financially
    speaking, which forced them to reduce expenses and use smaller sets, which in
    turn, forced them into using wider lenses.
    Heres some of the films of the 40s and the focal length.

    Criss Cross (1949) Robert Siodmak: 30mm.

    Criss Cross (1949)


    Act of Violence (1948) Fred Zinnemann (one of my favourite film noir movies):
    only one lens in the entire film: 28mm.

    Act of Violence (1948)

    Little Foxes (1941) William Wyler: shot with a 28mm.

    Little Foxes (1941)


    The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)- Orson Welles (photographed by Stanley
    Cortez, a DP who worked with Orson Welles in several movies and photographed one
    of the most beautifully looking films Ive ever seen,The Night of the Hunter,
    unfortunately, the only movie directed by Charles Laughton). In The Magnificent
    Ambersons, he only used the 30mm, Baltar (which is still used nowadays when people
    go for a more retro look).

    The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

    Arch of Triumph (1948)- Lewis Milestone The DP Russell Metty only used a 30mm
    at F2.3 the entire film.

    Arch of Triumph (1948)

    Johnny Belinda (1948) Jean Negulesco Only lens: 28mm.

    Johnny Belinda (1948)

    Until the 50s, I think the only 28mm lens available was a Cooke Speed Panchros. This
    lens is still around and as the Baltars, is commonly used when you want a vintage look.
    Golden Door from 2007, for example, was shot with a set of Panchros. Noah
    Baumbachs Margot at the Wedding (2007) was also shot with the Baltars.

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