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Nicolas MASSART - DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Latif first talked to me two years ago about this film, which he both produced and directed. That can create problems, but we found a way around any difficulties. I talk to Latif almost exclusively as director of the film – we only discuss the artistic side and not money or production values.
It’s always the same when you’re making a film, you have to give and take, but there were some aspects I didn’t want to give up on: for instance the quality of the lenses, also I wanted to work with an established set designer, that was really important. To give you an example, Latif, the set constructor and I worked very hard on the colours of the walls, and the costumes. We developed some real correspondence between the characters and colours in the film. We start with a range based on earthy colours for the farm, because the people there work the land, then we shift to sand and beiges, then turn to green, there are tonal patterns throughout the film. That was a very interesting aspect of our work.
I don’t think Latif wanted me for any special touch, he had a very clear idea of the picture he wanted. We really wanted to play on a hazy atmosphere for the start of the film and then something very sunny, the behind closed doors scenes contrast very starkly with the bright sunshine outside, allowing us to enhance the dramatic effect on that level, then the light is hazy again at the end when… but I’d better not say any more about that, since maybe people haven’t seen the film yet. |
