As a cinephile with an eye for intricate cinematography and a soft spot for groundbreaking films that push boundaries, I found myself utterly captivated by Paul Guilhaume’s first-hand account of the climactic shootout sequence in “Emilia Pérez.” The film, a transgender crime musical masterpiece directed by Jacques Audiard, is a testament to the power of storytelling and the exploration of identity, transformation, and redemption.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, cinematographer Paul Guilhaume offers insights into the dramatic gunfight scene from director Jacques Audiard’s groundbreaking film, “Emilia Pérez”, a crime musical with transgender themes. (Caution: Spoilers ahead)
In the story, Karla Sofía Gascón, known as Pérez, is captured by her ex-spouse Jessi (Selena Gomez) and her new companion Gustavo (Edgar Ramírez), who are unaware of Pérez’s true persona. When Rita (Zoe Saldana) shows up with armed support for the ransom swap, a gunfight breaks out. It is during this confrontation that Emilia discloses her real identity to Jessi via a song. This scene embodies the movie’s main ideas of identity, metamorphosis, and the cost of atonement. Guilhaume describes it as one of the most difficult sequences to film, detailing his personal account of the production process below.
Setting up the climactic scene, where Rita and soldiers conducted a covert night operation to rescue Emilia, proved quite difficult. Unlike most of the movie, which was filmed on a soundstage in France, this desert exterior with live actors was shot in a quarry. Background extensions were added during post-production. The car convoy shots were digitally generated in 3D, and the interior scenes of the abandoned restaurant were filmed in a studio. Balancing all these elements to create a cohesive scene with consistent visual energy presented a significant challenge.
In our conversation about that particular scene, we envisioned a night vastly dissimilar to the vibrant and stark appearance of the initial act. Here, there are no functional lights; instead, it seems as if the night is consuming everything, leaving a matte finish. As Jacques [Audiard] put it, the light should originate from nowhere in these scenes, which is undoubtedly the most challenging aspect to accomplish. To achieve this, we constructed an exterior lighting setup on a 200ft crane, with adjustable lights at each corner to manage the fade-out effect on the backdrops. Indoors, when they turn off the lights, we utilized a semi-transparent ceiling to create the sensation of light without a source.
Among all scenes in the sequence, I particularly admire the one depicting Rita and the soldiers as they ready for their assault. Filming the entire choreography occurred from outside the room, peering through windows while employing a slow zoom-in and camera movement. The scene initially offers a wide view of the soldiers readying their weapons, with the sound emanating from their world being the only audible element. The shot concludes by focusing on Rita’s face, allowing us to closely observe her emotions and apprehension. I appreciate how the continuous zoom gives an impression that the events transpiring cannot be halted. It’s as though the drama is unfolding and its conclusion has already been scripted.
We aimed to create a film that blended the lively atmosphere of a musical with the gritty realism of everyday life. Essentially, we wanted to preserve the classic aesthetic of an opera stage, where characters are set against dark backdrops, yet infuse it with modern elements by incorporating LED lights, projections, lasers, and cutting-edge lighting equipment. This was because the protagonist, Emilia Pérez, originally hails from the world of opera.
The movie’s vibrant color scheme drew inspiration from its costumes and set design, serving as a striking contrast against scenes shot in the dark or bright daylight. For the nighttime scenes, I was given creative freedom by Jacques to delve into the darkness, ensuring the actors’ faces remained visible. In these dim settings, we emphasized deep red hues, along with some deep greens. Throughout the film, we steered clear of pastel shades. By the climax, the color palette had merged and taken on a more muted grey tone.
For the Sony Venice’s exceptional light responsiveness, we often utilized just one camera, though there were instances where two were employed. The Blackwing7 lenses from Tribe provided us with an ideal blend of aesthetic quality without being excessively crisp or digitally enhanced. During post-production, our colorist, Arthur Paux, meticulously incorporated textures that I believed were lacking in the studio-shot digital footage.
The scenes were meticulously prepared – I had a notebook filled with over a hundred pages of intricate concepts – yet we managed to maintain the ability to act spontaneously as needed. I would characterize Jacques’ style as one emphasizing movement. If the camera remains stationary, he’s not satisfied; there needs to be something in the frame that moves. If the camera doesn’t move, perhaps it’s the lighting. If it’s not the lighting, maybe it’s the actors’ performances.
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2024-11-19 18:24