Oscar and BAFTA award-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, had a favourite saying when filming Gravity. We were lucky enough to be at a BAFTA Q&A when director Alfonso Cuarón shared some of the challenges they faced in shooting the film. Not least a run through when a camera shot down a ramp at speed and cut off the head of a dummy sitting in Sandra Bullock’s chair! Working to blend CGI and real images into this immersive cinema experience was a labour of love that took the team 5 years. The extensive list of credits features almost every craft department in cinema. Not to detract from the power of Bullock’s performance, but this is a film where the creative talents of the craft departments shine through.
The ASC argue that Gravity might herald a new role for the cinematographer as virtual components become a more important part of big budget projects like this. It’s obvious from interviews with Alfonso Cuarón that the influences for his story came from way back, but it’s interesting to see what impact his success will have on the future of film.