Page 21 - Fujifilm Exposure_45 Ondine_ok

TOFWATER
ELEGIAC ONDINE, A TALE OF A FISHERMAN WHO THINKS HE E HKSC BACK IN TOUCH WITH THE SEA AND HIS IRISH ROOTS
idea. The cloudy, moist climate and a reasonably flexible shooting schedule, with a small cast, and con- centration of locations, helped. I also feel it best articulates the superficially laid-back mood of village life.
“Another issue was getting two helicopters to the ends of Ireland over a rough sea. That took some nifty footwork. Setting cranes over crags and steep inclines took some
rigging, while crashing a car through the window of a beauty salon required some sweet talking. But all in all, it was a straightforward, unfussy process. The camaraderie of the Irish crew and the Guinness at the end of the day (for night) helped too.
“Traditionally on a film like this, one would look for some kind of give and take of colour and
luminescence, of mood and intent. I think in this film these changes are manifest in the story and the characters’ growth. The climate and the sea did their bit, so it was more a case of being consistent rather than eclectic. Again, this reflects the nature of a fishing village where all things come and go and not much really changes.
“As I said, looking for the simplest, most elegant way to move around the boat meant hand-holding the camera. Trying to celebrate the sea, man’s place in it and the coast (and an island and lighthouse or two) meant much boat-to-boat work with the occasional POV shot that required climbing a couple of craggy outcrops for half a day to get a feel of the film’s geography.
“I feel the stock helped a great deal, together with the pull processing. We could roll with minor variations of light, in fact I incorporated that into the style, where we would allow the light to change often enough in various shots so that it seemed more like our intention, not our mistake.
“There is a great deal of hand held-work, not hand-held to look hand-held but hand-held to look organic, because it was the only practical way to get a certain shot. There’s also a lot of dolly and crane work but I hope they
are seamless. Overall, I hope
the camerawork in Ondine
feels less intended, and more
found. ”
As told to ANWAR BRETT
Ondine, to be released later this year, was originated on 35mm Fujicolor ETERNA 400T 8583
FIRST PERSON
FUJIFILM MOTION PICTURE • THE MAGAZINE • EXPOSURE • 19