Deconstructing Cinematography: Barry Lyndon

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[ofotopedro]

This scene was not the most difficult.
The dollie shot in the dinner table with all the aristocrats is the most hard one, with no mistake line for the focus puller.
That was the one that gave Alcott the Oscar.

[globalmonkey]

The NASA lens used in that scene wasn't used for the moon landing -- it had been used for satellite photography. These guys don't know what they're talking about.

[BoxcarBomber]

Alcott was the one who found a way to get the massive NASA lens onto the Mitchell BNC. The DP is there to help the director realize his vision; from choosing the 5254, push processing it, using low con filters. There's a lot more to cinematography than composition and lens choice.

[swunt]

it was not a lens from nasa. Zeiss produced 10 lenses. 6 for nasa's apollo mission (to map the dark side of the moon), 3 for Kubrick and one they kept for themselves.

[Defender]

lol these guys say "Bear-y Lyndon". Anyway, Barry Lyndon is an awesome film in every technically regard. Most directors would have filmed this scene indoors in daytime with the characters giving the same dialogue. But Stan K. was always up for pushing the envelope..

[ChannelProductions]

Love this series! And, the candle lengths remained correct between shots. Awesome.

"Please, don't blink, because your eyelid won't be in focus."

[IWTBFOY]

wow this was amazing, I'm excited for the next one

[SirMildredPierce]

I've heard time and time again that the lenses were used in the Apollo Moon landings, and when you look at the photos (or just look up the info on the cameras used) one should see that this is not likely the case.  Even though the eye tricks you in to thinking the photos taken on the moon were taken at night (with that ink black sky) they were of course taken in very bright sunlight and a huge lens like this would be inappropriate.

They might have been developed for the Apollo program but never used (a very important distinction!)  Ed di Giulio, the inventor who mounted the Zeiss lenses to the BNC Mitchell Cameras Kubrick used on the film says in the documentary "Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures" specifically that NASA was "planning to use it in satellite photography and for that reason its an extremely 'fast' lens"  That does sound more likely.  Of course part of the Apollo program did involve sending satellites into Lunar orbit to photograph the moon in preparation for landing so that might be where the myth meets reality.  It is easy to read "used in the Apollo program" and assume "used on the moon".  

[waltwilliams]

i heard a story that one studio or another, paramount or mgm had hold or these lenses. kubrick asked to borrow them for, say a month. he held onto them for more than a year. when the studio asked for them back, kubrick said "huh, what lenses are we talkin about now?" when they specified, kubrick goes "oh those!"" yeah sure, gettem right back to you."

[nchnuk]

It was a Carl Zeiss Planar f 0.7/50mm as also described on wikipedia

[josemuro]

I can't take these "Deconstructing" videos. They are just stating the obvious and playing with trivia. Analyzing means to ask why the filmmaker chose to light this and not that, why light from below and not above, why why why. What does it mean? Does it mean anything at all or is it just a style choice? I can find a lot better videos and books on cinematography elsewhere. And I will.

[RedSpectrumPictures]

Amazing lighting! I am going to try and light a scene with candles now

[WeddingDJBusiness]

Interesting low light videography seems to be the benchmark, but it comes at a price. Good point about the dancing if they move too much in the shot people can go in and out of focus
nice video

[Rezaroth]

guys, I just want to say I love your channel. cheers from Saudi Arabia

[cutcc]

Wow, so much work and planning behind the scenes. ^^

[BoxcarBomber]

They pushed the entire film one stop to keep a consistent look through out the film.

[johnholland]

Yes the stock was Eastman 5254 100asa, candle lit scenes pushed one stop .

[Onneff]

I wouldn't blame Alcott for their ignorance. ;) In fact John Alcott was a superb cinematographer - although you are right in that Kubrick was, for all intents and purposes, essentially his own DP on all of his films. Similarly, he was also his own film editor, although never taking formal screen credit for either job (after his first couple of features anyway). And all completely self-taught besides.

[DedicatedCinema]

Can't wait for the new episode! When does it come out?