Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Cinematographer Hillary Spera on Run and The Craft: Legacy

06/09/2024

The recent features and bear a number of similarities. Chief among them: Both were shot by cinematographer Hillary Spera. Each story also exists in the realm of horror-thrillers, and each involves a mother-daughter relationship that turns out to be something other than what's originally believed. In both cases, I would say it's a very strong bond between the mother and daughter, Spera notes. In both movies, they really love each other and are working to define their relationship.

Directed by Aneesh Chaganty, Run focuses on Chloe (Kiera Allen), a bright, tenacious teenager, on the cusp of going to college, who for as long as she can remember has suffered from a number of serious ailments and has been paralyzed from the waist down. As she eagerly awaits a response to her college application, Chloe becomes increasingly convinced that her doting single mother, Diane (Sarah Paulson), is harboring a dark and terrible secret.

The Craft: Legacy, meanwhile, follows the spirit of Andrew Fleming's 1996 feature The Craft, presenting a new generation of four young women bonding with one another as they develop their magical abilities. Written and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones, Legacy begins with Lily (Cailee Spaeny) and her mother, Helen (Michelle Monaghan), moving in with the latter's boyfriend, Adam (David Duchovny), and his three sons. After befriending Lourdes (Zoey Luna), Frankie (Gideon Adlon) and Tabby (Lovie Simone) at her new school, Lily awakens to her powers and potential.

Of the two features, Run was shot first, during the fall of 2018 in Winnipeg, and The Craft: Legacy was shot the following year, in fall 2019, primarily in Toronto. For both projects, Spera turned to her longtime partners at Panavision. They're always my go-to, she says. I love that relationship of working with Panavision. One of the most important things for me is their support. It's always a yes'; they're always gung-ho to help find solutions, and they're always there to have my back. And their network is so vast. The fact that I could call [marketing executive] Rik DeLisle at Panavision Hollywood and he connected me with [rentals and services manager] Jerry Papernick at Panavision Toronto is really fantastic. It makes things so much easier and more streamlined as I work in so many different locations.

Hillary Spera and director Aneesh Chaganty.

Spera collaborated with Papernick for both Run and The Craft: Legacy. And then, she adds, when we moved to L.A. at the end of Craft, Jerry and Rik shared information and worked together. I'm so grateful to both of them. They truly moved mountains for us to make it work.

Spera's path toward cinematography began with an interest in still photography, which she decided to pursue in college. There, her focus began to shift from stills to motion pictures. I started shooting everything I could, she reflects. I moved to New York the minute I graduated, and I took every opportunity that came my way. I made a rule for myself that I was never going to say no.' I learned by being on set, making a lot of mistakes, and following a deep passion for visual storytelling.

In the years since, she's built a r sum that includes such feature credits as Black Rock, Submission, Dude, Alex Strangelove and Duck Butter, the latter of which partnered her for the first time with producer Natalie Qasabian. When Qasabian began working on Run, she reached out to Spera and introduced her to Chaganty, who had written the script with writer-producer Sev Ohanian. Spera recalls that when she met with Chaganty, We hit it off right off the bat. We had a lot of shared references and were thinking about the movie in a similar way. He really impressed me with his preparedness and the way he was conceiving the movie, but also his openness to collaborate. Sev and Aneesh wrote the script with a lot of room to build visually, so I was excited about the potential of where it could go from a visual standpoint.

During preproduction, Qasabian, Chaganty and Spera formed a tight-knit group that came to their creative decisions together. Everything was up for discussion, the cinematographer recalls. For example, I pitched the idea of shooting anamorphic, and we collectively discussed why I thought it would work. It was a fun exercise to make sure the group all believed in the decisions we were making. I think the film is stronger because of that trust and support.

Regarding the choice of anamorphic, she explains, The rooms in the house had frames within themselves that I thought anamorphic could complement, adding a more textured, almost 3D quality to some of the images. It was a good challenge, because we shot in such small spaces. I'm grateful to 1st AC Doug Lavender for being up for the challenge, even though we lived on diopters, often close to wide open. He mounted a retractable pointer onto the matte box for some of our macro close-ups where there was such a shallow depth of field, and he would use that to show Kiera how far she could lean in, so she would have a physical reference of what she could and couldn't do. I thought that was brilliant.

After testing a number of options, Spera opted for Panavision's E Series anamorphic lenses, which she supplemented with a few wider-angle T Series focal lengths, including 35mm, to preserve the architectural lines inside the house. I fell in love with the E Series right away because they're older and have a beautiful vintage-glass quality, she explains. Aneesh and I talked about making the film feel a little timeless and not necessarily modern and sharp, and the Es have a softer quality that really helped to elevate the images and complement our style.

Spera and Chaganty storyboarded the entire movie during preproduction, and the cinematographer notes that the final shots matc
LINK: https://www.panavision.com/highlights/highlights-detail/the-witching-h...
See more stories from panavision

Most recent headlines

11/03/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Amel Guellaty, the Writer-Director of Where the Wind Comes From

By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...

11/03/2025

Salsa's Rhythmic Revival: A New Generation Discovers the Genre's Timeless Appeal

Salsa is making a comeback, captivating new listeners with its infectious energy...

11/03/2025

Canada's Own Rupi Kaur Curates the Latest Edition of Local Spot, Revealing the Songs and Artists That Shaped Her

For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. ...

11/03/2025

ST Engineering iDirect's Public Safety Solution Wins MSUA Satellite Mobile Innovation Award 2025

The solution delivers reliable, scalable and secure connectivity for critical pu...

11/03/2025

Weigel Broadcasting Taps Harmonic for Cloud-Based Playout-to-Delivery

SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced that Weigel Broadcasting has deployed Harmonics VOS Media Software, which offers playout-to-delivery capabilities, inclu...

11/03/2025

Wheatstone To Unveil Linux Audio Driver At 2025 NAB Show

NEW BERN, N.C. Wheatstone will introduce a Linux audio driver for its WheatNet IP audio network during the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, at the Las Vegas Convention...

11/03/2025

Study: Women's Sports Are a Big Win for Advertisers

NEW YORK A new study finds that as TV viewership for women's sports surged by 131% in 2024, the programming also saw a 56% year-over-year increase in ad im...

11/03/2025

Al Sharqiya prepares for Ultra HD with FOR-A

Powerful switcher for news studio FOR-A, a cutting-edge video broadcast technology company backed by more than 50 years experience, has installed its HVS-1200 ...

11/03/2025

Intinor Unveils Advancements in Video Quality and Workflo...

Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of high-quality video over the internet, is unveiling significant advancements to its Direkt series at NAB 2025. With a ...

11/03/2025

Glensound extends yet further its market-leading communic...

Glensound, a leader in high-quality audio systems, is bringing yet more innovation to NAB Show 2025 (Booth N2270, Las Vegas Convention Center, 6-9 April). Well-...

11/03/2025

Anaconda Street Productions Uses Laser Projectors for Cos...

Whittier, Calif.-based Anaconda Street Productions (ASP) is a leading film and television production company known for creating captivating content that resonat...

11/03/2025

DNAV and Sierra Automated Systems Introduce Intelligent R...

DNAV, a full-service systems integrator, consultant, and manufacturer's representative of leading broadcast, AV, lighting, and display equipment, announces ...

11/03/2025

MNC Software appoints Darren Frearson as CEO

MNC Software Inc., a global leader in network solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Darren Frearson as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective...

11/03/2025

Polar Graphics announces a new product line powered by Xe...

Polar Graphics, a UK leading distributor for the broadcast, post and pro-AV industries, has signed a licensing agreement with XenData to include its XenData Arc...

11/03/2025

Chyron PAINT 9.9 Delivers Sharper Visuals and Smoother Workflows for Sports Telestration

Chyron PAINT 9.9 Delivers Sharper Visuals and Smoother Workflows for Sports Tele...

11/03/2025

Alice in Wonderlight Filmed with URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF

Alice in Wonderlight Filmed with URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF Brie Clayton March 11, 2025 0 Comments Play captured in 8K60p as part of national initiative t...

11/03/2025

Twisting in the Wind - An Apple Motion Tutorial

Twisting in the Wind - An Apple Motion Tutorial Simon Ubsdell March 11, 2025 0 Comments Another very simple text-based project that uses an unusual co...

11/03/2025

The secret to looking inside a Project in Premiere Pro

The secret to looking inside a Project in Premiere Pro Colin Smith March 11, 2025 0 Comments This tutorial demonstrates the incredible capabilities of...

11/03/2025

New Book Explores How the Quiet Storm Shaped Modern R&B

New Book Explores How the Quiet Storm Shaped Modern R&B In The Quiet Storm, Berklee Online alumnus Amani Roberts explores how the radio format defined America...

11/03/2025

Slapshot app makes AI-powered VFX accessible to all

Slapshot aims to make VFX available for a range of users including independent editors, colourists, content creators and established visual effects companies B...

11/03/2025

Estonian campus to be first modern film complex in the Baltics'

Aiming to attract international film production, the 16 million complex is scheduled to open next year By Matthew Corrigan Published: March 11, 2025 Aimi...

11/03/2025

Meet the support and projects manager

Kamil Pietrzyk, support and projects manager at CueScript, tells TVBEurope how an interest in electronics and IT prompted a career in the broadcast industry By...

11/03/2025

Underwater DoP Ian Seabrook Lights Last Breath with Aster...

Underwater DoP Ian Seabrook on Last Breath Credit: Jon Borg / 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC Canadian/British Director of Photography, Ian Seabrook is one of the ...

11/03/2025

Los Angeles iconic Sound Factory installs custom mains wi...

Originally opened in the early 1960s as Moonglow Records, The Sound Factory name was coined by Producer David Hassinger, who purchased the studio in 1969. A lit...

11/03/2025

BCNEXXT Celebrates 10 Years of Innovation as Customers Co...

BCNEXXT, a trailblazer in virtualized, cloud-native systems for Linear, VoD, and OTT publishing, proudly marks a decade of redefining broadcast playout. This mi...

11/03/2025

Experience Commerce of Cheil India Wins Social and Media...

Experience Commerce, an integrated marketing agency within the Cheil Network, has been appointed as the official digital partner for Parle Candy Culture, reinfo...

11/03/2025

Survey: More Viewers Turn to Streaming for Sports

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. A new survey highlights how far major streaming platforms have come in terms of offering sports, with findings that show the number of people ...

11/03/2025

Tegna Names John Trevio President and GM at WKYC in Cleveland

TYSONS, Va. Tegna Inc. has announced today that John Trevi o has been named president and general manager at WKYC, the NBC affiliate serving Cleveland, Ohio, ef...

11/03/2025

Canela Media Selects Brightcove to Power Streaming Service

BOSTON Brightcove has announced that Canela Media is using Brightcove's technologies to power its streaming operations....

11/03/2025

Chunghwa Telecom Taps Broadpeak for Dynamic Ad Insertion

CESSON-SEVIGNE, France Chunghwa Telecom, the leading telecommunications operator in Taiwan, has selected Broadpeak to provide solutions for its streaming servic...

11/03/2025

Leader sets US debut of LPX500 Waveform Monitor for NAB 2025

Leader sets US debut of LPX500 Waveform Monitor for NAB 2025 Brie Clayton March 10, 2025 0 Comments Test & measurement innovator, Leader Instruments C...

11/03/2025

The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Presents the Grand Gathering

The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Presents the Grand Gathering The Signature Series concert will feature performances by all nine of the instit...

11/03/2025

Space42 and Viasat Announce Partnership to Explore Shared Global 5G Non-Terrestrial Network Initiative

Abu Dhabi, UAE and Carlsbad, California 12 March 2025 Space42, (ADX: SPACE42...

11/03/2025

Tribeca Enterprises, SIC, and the Lisbon City Council Announce Second Annual Tribeca Festival Lisboa October 30-November 1

March 11th, 2025 Tribeca Enterprises, SIC, and the Lisbon City Council Announce...

11/03/2025

Drones, Flycam To Highlight 60+-Camera Coverage of THE PLAYERS This Weekend

Drones, Flycam To Highlight 60+-Camera Coverage of THE PLAYERS This Weekend 60+ cameras, NEP's PGA TOUR fleet, 25 talent will be deployed at TPC Sawgrass B...

11/03/2025

The Art of 9:16: How Corporate Content Producers Have Embraced Vertical Video

The Art of 9:16: How Corporate Content Producers Have Embraced Vertical Video Leaders from the corporate space share their advice and success stories By SVG St...

11/03/2025

SVG Rewind: NFL's Tim Tubito on Elevating Gameday Activations of Super Bowl LIX With New Multi-Use Stage

SVG Rewind: NFL's Tim Tubito on Elevating Gameday Activations of Super Bowl ...

11/03/2025

New Sponsor Spotlight: Ventuz's David Paniego on the Increasing Synergy Between Broadcast Graphics and In-Venue Displays

New Sponsor Spotlight: Ventuz's David Paniego on the Increasing Synergy Betw...

11/03/2025

Best Snow Day Ever: NESN, Bruins Roll Out NHL's Latest Animated Data-Visualization Altcast With a STEM Twist

Best Snow Day Ever: NESN, Bruins Roll Out NHL's Latest Animated Data-Visuali...

11/03/2025

Trailer revealed for Sky Exclusive comedy series Hacks season 4, coming to screens 11 April

To view this content, please enable our use of cookies. To do so, click Privacy ...

11/03/2025

Netflix Reveals Official Trailer for 'The Lady's Companion'

Back to All News Netflix Reveals Official Trailer for The Ladys CompanionPlay Video Play Video Entertainment 11 March 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clip...

11/03/2025

Geeta Gandbhir's 'The Perfect Neighbor' to Release on Netflix in 2025

Back to All News Geeta Gandbhir's The Perfect Neighbor to Release on Netfli...

11/03/2025

The ROI of AI: New research on how AI is transforming B2B...

The ROI of AI: New research on how AI is transforming B2B sales Published on Mar 11, 2025 Categories: Research, Data and insights LinkedIn Corporate Commun...

11/03/2025

Weigel Broadcasting Embraces Cloud-Based Playout-to-Delivery Solution from Harmonic

SAN JOSE, Calif. - March 11, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that...

11/03/2025

Al Sharqiya prepares for Ultra HD with FOR-A

Powerful new switcher for news studio...

11/03/2025

NAB 2025: FOR-A Announces Dante Audio Support for Product Range

Video Switchers, Signal Processors, Media Gateway, Software-Based Production Platforms, Servers and Graphics Solutions Now Fully Dante Compatible...

11/03/2025

FilmLight introduces Baselight for macOS

Powerful Baselight grading solution now available on macOS subscription, including FilmLight's unparalleled 24/7 user support FilmLight has introduced Base...

11/03/2025

Ellie Williams Answers the Call of the Wild

With two decades of experience in filmmaking, Sound Recordist and Natural History Sound Specialist Ellie Williams brings a host of location experience and train...

11/03/2025

2025-03-11

Six fun games and exciting updates for Apple Arcade are launching over the next month, joining an award-winning catalogue of over 200 games....

11/03/2025

RT Prime Time interview Kerry mother whose 5 year old daughter and husband died in arson attack and her fight for justice

RT Prime Time interview Kerry mother whose 5 year old daughter and husband died...