What attracted everyone to work on Stephanie Daley–
including leads Tilda Swinton and Amber Tamblyn – is what
cinematographer David Rush Morrison calls "an amazing script."
Director/writer Hilary Brougher, who made Sticky Fingers of
Time in 1997, developed her script at the Sundance Writers
Lab and, later on, at the Sundance Directors Lab. The story of a
pregnant forensic psychologist who explores the truth behind the case
of a 16-year-old accused of concealing her pregnancy and murdering her
infant came out of Brougher’s desire to write a very character-driven
script. "I was interested in the idea of how you get a very, very
internal conflict onto the screen without just being expositional," she
says. "How you create the tension of people who don’t believe what’s
real- and what they have to do to protect that belief or mis-belief."
including leads Tilda Swinton and Amber Tamblyn – is what
cinematographer David Rush Morrison calls "an amazing script."
Director/writer Hilary Brougher, who made Sticky Fingers of
Time in 1997, developed her script at the Sundance Writers
Lab and, later on, at the Sundance Directors Lab. The story of a
pregnant forensic psychologist who explores the truth behind the case
of a 16-year-old accused of concealing her pregnancy and murdering her
infant came out of Brougher’s desire to write a very character-driven
script. "I was interested in the idea of how you get a very, very
internal conflict onto the screen without just being expositional," she
says. "How you create the tension of people who don’t believe what’s
real- and what they have to do to protect that belief or mis-belief."
After the Lab, Brougher says she continued to develop and tweak the
difficult script with the help of the Sundance Lab directors Michelle
Satter and the late Lynn Auerbach. Since Sticky
Fingers was produced eight years earlier, technology had gone
through a sea change, and Brougher eagerly adopted new ways of working.
Whereas Sticky Fingers was shot in Super 16, it
became clear very early on that high definition was the perfect format
for Stephanie Daley. "This is such a
performance-driven film that HD allowed us to shoot a lot of rehearsal,
which we wouldn’t have been able to do with film," she says. "It was
also nice not to have to change mags as often- one hour versus every 10
minutes. We could work through things, see them evolve, and if the
scene really changed at the end, we could shoot a new master without
feeling like we blew the film budget."
difficult script with the help of the Sundance Lab directors Michelle
Satter and the late Lynn Auerbach. Since Sticky
Fingers was produced eight years earlier, technology had gone
through a sea change, and Brougher eagerly adopted new ways of working.
Whereas Sticky Fingers was shot in Super 16, it
became clear very early on that high definition was the perfect format
for Stephanie Daley. "This is such a
performance-driven film that HD allowed us to shoot a lot of rehearsal,
which we wouldn’t have been able to do with film," she says. "It was
also nice not to have to change mags as often- one hour versus every 10
minutes. We could work through things, see them evolve, and if the
scene really changed at the end, we could shoot a new master without
feeling like we blew the film budget."
Cinematographer David Rush Morrison, who brought extensive experience
shooting high definition, including indie feature Chasing
Cowboys, went with the tried-and-true Sony HDW-F900. "It’s a
nice camera," he says. "It’s light and there’s a nice choice of lenses
for it now. With this third software version, it also offers a few more
stops of latitude." He used a small lens package made up of Canon
DigiPrimes and a Fujinon 10:1 lens, and shot with a very small crew,
which worked because of his emphasis on available light. "If the walls
are too bright, you can take 20 minutes and flag the lights off or
force lights onto the ceiling," he says. "Or you know you can go into
the DI suite and power-window the walls and darken them. You’re not
doing as much grip work."
shooting high definition, including indie feature Chasing
Cowboys, went with the tried-and-true Sony HDW-F900. "It’s a
nice camera," he says. "It’s light and there’s a nice choice of lenses
for it now. With this third software version, it also offers a few more
stops of latitude." He used a small lens package made up of Canon
DigiPrimes and a Fujinon 10:1 lens, and shot with a very small crew,
which worked because of his emphasis on available light. "If the walls
are too bright, you can take 20 minutes and flag the lights off or
force lights onto the ceiling," he says. "Or you know you can go into
the DI suite and power-window the walls and darken them. You’re not
doing as much grip work."
The script features a significant number of night interiors, and
Morrison shot day-for-night, another way that shooting HD became a
bonus. "Day-for-night sounds scary because I’ve never seen it look
good," he says. "But I was amazed with HD. I had the Panasonic
BT-LH900P on-board waveform monitor and the Sony RM-B150 paintbox. The
paintbox allowed me to control the amount of blue and red in the
shadows, to control the gamma curve, and also to have control over the
blacks. It really gave me a sense of what I was getting as I was
shooting."
Morrison shot day-for-night, another way that shooting HD became a
bonus. "Day-for-night sounds scary because I’ve never seen it look
good," he says. "But I was amazed with HD. I had the Panasonic
BT-LH900P on-board waveform monitor and the Sony RM-B150 paintbox. The
paintbox allowed me to control the amount of blue and red in the
shadows, to control the gamma curve, and also to have control over the
blacks. It really gave me a sense of what I was getting as I was
shooting."
"If I was shooting film, I’d have to wait until it’s processed to see
if the day-for-night worked," he continues. "With HD, I could see it
right away, and the waveform monitor helped me to see exactly what I
was getting and give me the confidence to move on."
if the day-for-night worked," he continues. "With HD, I could see it
right away, and the waveform monitor helped me to see exactly what I
was getting and give me the confidence to move on."
Morrison also prefers to shoot in the toe of the negative, working just
at the edge of underexposure, where there’s great depth in the shadows.
"HD works really well in the toe," he enthuses. "Using the waveform
monitor I was able to ride the level of underexposure without going too
far, and I was able to be consistent from day to day."
at the edge of underexposure, where there’s great depth in the shadows.
"HD works really well in the toe," he enthuses. "Using the waveform
monitor I was able to ride the level of underexposure without going too
far, and I was able to be consistent from day to day."
From the location shoot in upstate New York, tapes were shipped to
DuArt in New York City, where they were downconverted for editor Keith
Reamer. Working at Tea Town in Manhattan, Reamer ( The Ballad
of Little Jo, Soundcatcher, I
Shot Andy Warhol, Three Seasons) and his
assistant Ali Muney ended up offlining on an Avid Adrenaline. "It
wasn’t a specific choice, but it was great that we had it," says
Reamer. "I tend to cut a fair amount of audio tracks, which can slow
down a lesser system. On the Adrenaline that wasn’t an issue. It was
very, very fast, a very capable machine."
DuArt in New York City, where they were downconverted for editor Keith
Reamer. Working at Tea Town in Manhattan, Reamer ( The Ballad
of Little Jo, Soundcatcher, I
Shot Andy Warhol, Three Seasons) and his
assistant Ali Muney ended up offlining on an Avid Adrenaline. "It
wasn’t a specific choice, but it was great that we had it," says
Reamer. "I tend to cut a fair amount of audio tracks, which can slow
down a lesser system. On the Adrenaline that wasn’t an issue. It was
very, very fast, a very capable machine."
When the 23-day shoot wrapped, Reamer produced a first cut within a
week and then began the process of revision with Brougher. "Having
worked in HD for a couple of years now almost exclusively and seeing
what different directors and cinematographers can do, I’m seeing a lot
of latitude," says Reamer, who has now worked on four HD features in a
row. "In capable hands, it’s almost impossible to tell that it’s not
film. HD has depth and texture. It’s a different, but good, medium."
week and then began the process of revision with Brougher. "Having
worked in HD for a couple of years now almost exclusively and seeing
what different directors and cinematographers can do, I’m seeing a lot
of latitude," says Reamer, who has now worked on four HD features in a
row. "In capable hands, it’s almost impossible to tell that it’s not
film. HD has depth and texture. It’s a different, but good, medium."
Reamer also points out that HD eliminates time-consuming film opticals
as well as the need to hand over the project to a negative cutter.
"You’re not physically destroying your camera original but rather using
it as a source to create a master," he says. "The format has been very
kind to us," agrees director Brougher. "I don’t know if it looks like
film, but it has a texture and feel of time and place that works with
the script. You can’t ask for more."
as well as the need to hand over the project to a negative cutter.
"You’re not physically destroying your camera original but rather using
it as a source to create a master," he says. "The format has been very
kind to us," agrees director Brougher. "I don’t know if it looks like
film, but it has a texture and feel of time and place that works with
the script. You can’t ask for more."
Stephanie Daley is headed for a digital intermediate
with colorist Siggy Ferstl at Riot. Morrison didn’t test the DI process
before production because, having supervised DIs, he felt confident
that he knew the rules. "I knew not to over-expose, and I tried not to
shoot with the gain function on, which increases the light sensitivity
of the camera," he says. From director Brougher’s point of view, mature
digital technology allowed a focus on creativity. "The challenge we
undertook was to not look at it as an obstacle to overcome but an
opportunity to contribute," she says. "We didn’t feel that we were
looking at the unknown. It was a real adventure and a lot of fun."
with colorist Siggy Ferstl at Riot. Morrison didn’t test the DI process
before production because, having supervised DIs, he felt confident
that he knew the rules. "I knew not to over-expose, and I tried not to
shoot with the gain function on, which increases the light sensitivity
of the camera," he says. From director Brougher’s point of view, mature
digital technology allowed a focus on creativity. "The challenge we
undertook was to not look at it as an obstacle to overcome but an
opportunity to contribute," she says. "We didn’t feel that we were
looking at the unknown. It was a real adventure and a lot of fun."
Director: Hilary Brougher
Producers: Samara Koeffler, Jen Roskind, Sean Coftello, Lynette Howell
Executive Producer: Tilda Swinton
Cinematography: David Rush Morrison
Editor: Keith Reamer
DI: Siggy Ferstl, Riot, Santa Monica
Producers: Samara Koeffler, Jen Roskind, Sean Coftello, Lynette Howell
Executive Producer: Tilda Swinton
Cinematography: David Rush Morrison
Editor: Keith Reamer
DI: Siggy Ferstl, Riot, Santa Monica
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