Awarded at the European Film Awards 2021 for the photography of Great Freedom by Sebastian Meise, director of photography Crystel Fournier, AFC, talks to ARRI about her camera and lighting work on this Austrian feature film.
How did you react to your Best Cinematographer award for Great Freedom at the European Film Awards (EFA)?
It was a very nice surprise. Unfortunately, I couldn't go to the ceremony. I was shooting in Italy on Chiara by Susanna Nicchiarelli. Im glad Great Freedom was recognized; it's a film Im very attached to. I feel like I was able to push my visual ideas, to take them to the end. And it was a very good collaboration with Sebastian Meise. There are very few directors who agree to push the limits on darkness. I also enjoyed lighting this film.
Copyright Karsten Frank
The director of photography, Crystel Fournier AFC and the film crew of Great Freedom in Vienna
Great Freedom takes place almost entirely in a prison between 1945 and 1969, where Hans is serving successive sentences under Section 175, which punished homosexuality in Germany at that time. How did you approach this project?
The rare outdoor scenes are shot in Vienna, Austria, and the rest in a deserted early 20th century prison in Magdeburg, Germany. Except for the solitary confinement cell which is located in Berlin. It's sad to say, but from a cinematic point of view, the prison is a very beautiful place to film. At the beginning, Sebastian had as a reference: A Prophet by Jacques Audiard which is almost entirely shot handheld. After some discussion, we abandoned this idea as it did not really correspond to the spirit of the film, which is more composed. As we follow the main character over three periods of imprisonment, we had to define or encapsulate each of the eras. The immediate post-war period is filmed on foot and on tracking shots. The end of the fifties, when Hans is imprisoned with his love Oskar, is more dynamic, with scenes in the courtyard and a lot of movement. There, we often shot with a Steadicam. In the cells, I used a slider so that I could reorient myself a little.
Copyright Freibeuterfilm / Rohfilm
Franz Rogowski (Hans) and Thomas Prenn (Oskar)
You also defined the eras in terms of light?
Yes, it was important, so that the viewer could recognize the different eras that are intertwined in the film. The first time I visited the prison, especially the large central hall with its glass roof and side windows, it became obvious to me that the light had to be visible in the field. The place is so vast that I had to find solutions to make the set exist beyond the light reinforcements that I could have through the windows. So I worked closely with the set design and played with the different colorimetry of the lamps in the field. In the first part, after the Second World War, we used a mixture of tungsten and daylight, thanks to large, suspended lights in the frame. In the late fifties, I relied on fluorescent tubes with a yellow-green cast. In the 60's, they were replaced by cooler neon.
Copyright Freibeuterfilm / Rohfilm
Whatever the period, I assumed that the light was coming from above, with something quite harsh marking the faces, says Crystel Fournier AFC
What camera system did you use?
Originally, I wanted to work with the ALEXA XT. I really like this camera and I use it a lot. But since there were a lot of Steadicam shots, I finally opted for the ALEXA Mini. I've been shooting exclusively with ALEXA for years. Depending on the film, I alternate between the Mini, the LF, and the XT. They are very reliable cameras. I also like their ergonomics and their rendering in underexposure. I can go very far into the extremes and I know that they will remain very regular in terms of colorimetry. There will be no flatness or noise build-up in the blacks. It was very important on this film where I had to play with a lot with shadows and where I used quite hard lights. As for the lenses, Sebastian initially wanted to shoot with vintage lenses. But after extensive comparative tests, I finally opted for Leica Summilux because the series is very complete. As we were shooting a lot in small spaces, I wanted to have all the intermediate lenses available.
Copyright Freibeuterfilm / Rohfilm
When Hans is sent naked to the dungeon, the director wanted the character to be entirely in the dark and the only light to be that of the trapdoor opened by the guards. - Crystel Fournier AFC
You have worked with ARRI Rental for this film. How was the collaboration?
It went very well. Great Freedom is an Austrian and German co-production. ARRI Rental Munich provided us with the light while ARRI Rental Vienna rented us the cameras: the ALEXA Mini and the ARRI SR3 for the two Super16 sequences. Concerning the lenses, I could make a comparison between the Lomo, the ZEISS wide aperture, and the Leica Summilux with the Mini. ARRI Rental Vienna was the only rental company that had all three series. We were very grateful to have the comparison and we were also able to test the make-up with the Summilux.
The treatment of the lights in the cells must not have been easy. How did you work?
Whatever the period, I assumed that the light was coming from above, with something quite harsh marking the faces. This is the kind of light you usually try to avoid in cinema. During the day, I had SkyPanel light coming in through the window of the cell that Hans and Viktor shared. Inside, I installed a long Kinoflo frame on the ceiling and folded the edges to avoid lighting the walls and to concentrate the light on the bodies. Inside, I had put an Astera on battery to get rid of the cables as much as possible. This allowed the characters to be free to move around in this 7 square meter cell. When Hans is sent naked to the dungeon, the director wanted the character to be entirely in
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
Awarded at the European Film Awards 2021 for the photography of Great Freedom by Sebastian Meise, director of photography Crystel Fournier, AFC, talks to ARRI about her camera and lighting work on this Austrian feature film.
