Hitman 47 Captured with the ARRI Alexa
ARRI has always set itself apart when it comes to the widest range of linked products and specialized services it has to offer. One particular major movie production that made full use of these was “Hitman: Agent 47”, an action thriller that follows the story of a mysterious assassin.
Aleksander Bach directs, while Ottar Gudnason is in charge of cinematography. Gudnason used a combination of Alexa XT’s, Master Anamorphic lenses, along with Electronic Control System (ECS) accessories. Taking full advantage of what ARRI has to offer, the crew also put to use M-Series lighting systems and dallies. In addition, ARRI Media visual effects and other post-production services were also on-boarded.
In a one-on-one interview with the folks from ARRI, Gudnason tells us about his work as the film’s cinematographer and what brought the production to harness ARRI’s full suite of products and services.
When asked about how they came up with the camerawork and the look and feel for the film, Gudnason revealed that director Aleksander Bach wanted the film to show a nice, rich saturation. The first few weeks were spent developing that desired look, including the camera language to be used.
Along with Sebastian Krawinkel (production designer), they were able to work with the right color palettes they need to capture their vision for the film.
When it came to camerawork, Gudnason wanted camera movements that can emphasize the lead character’s extremely agile, physical skills. Various camera movements were also employed for different scenes and characters that needed a different energy and flow.
The Alexa XT as the Main camera
The Alexa XT has always been Gudnason’s camera of choice ever since its release. He knows how to harness the XT’s capabilities to its fullest, and most importantly, knows it is totally dependable. He particularly likes how the XT is unmatched in low light and interior shoots. He also loves the way how the weight of the XT is evenly distributed when shoulder mounted.
They shot with the XT in Open Gate mode and recorded in ARRIRAW knowing how important the format is, particularly for complex VFX scenes.
The Master Anamorphic Lens
Gudnason even praised the lenses’ beautiful, solid design. He also pointed out how the lenses performed flawlessly wide open, and how every focal length complements resolution, contrast, and color. Design-wise, Gudnason applauded the anamorphic lenses’ physical size as being perfectly balanced.
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