CLASSROOM: Shooting a Movie With One Lens1 min read
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One of the most discreet, yet most aesthetically influential codes of cinema is the cinematographer’s lens choice. The lens is the unseen hero of the big screen, a way to see what the director has imagined, and a way to explore the emotional response we have to characters, events, and, most importantly, to story.
Unlike the heroes of cinema history (Buster Keaton, Ozu, Hitchcock, Welles) who almost exclusively shot on one lens, most filmmakers in the contemporary era use a variety of lens sizes to shoot. Some directors stand out through their choice to use just one specific lens all the way through a challenge that seems foolhardy to some, and irresistible to others.
In this article, I’m taking a look at some of the most striking lens choices made by directors in recent years. More specifically, we’re looking at the effect of lens length on storytelling in three very different films: Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis, Nemes’ Son of Saul, and Call me by your name by Guadagnino.
Image credit: Sony Pictures Classics
