copy written for VMI
TV drama set in high schools targeting young teen audiences are often a risk-free zone but the producers of Phoenix Rise weren’t going to dumb down their approach.
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Commissioned for iPlayer by BBC Studios, Phoenix Rise is
set in a high school in Coventry and revolves around a diverse group of
teenagers. Debuting in March on iPlayer then BBC Three the series is already a
hit with a second series of 8 x 30’ airing later in 2023 and a third and fourth
series also in the works.
“There’s a stigma that some kids’ shows can have which is about tending
to have the same quite high key look and not affording that many creative
opportunities,” says Claudio Cadman, the show’s director of photography (Cunk
On Earth). “Right from the start, executive producer Ali Bryer Carron and
director Claire Tailyour were taking a very interesting approach where they
wanted Phoenix Rise to feel different to any other kids’
show.”
Cadman explains that the brief was to make it feel like an indie British
film feature, more Mike Leigh-style kitchen sink drama than M.I. High.
Their references included Sarah Gavron’s 2020 crowd pleasing and
gritty Rocks about teenagers in London and American indie
features Juno and Me and Earl and
the Dying Girl.
Given those aesthetic references Tailyour and Cadman felt strongly that
the show be shot anamorphic but they had to convince BBC executives of the
case.
“Everyone was supportive of everything we did down to having long
conversations about anamorphic lenses,” Cadman reports. “I wrote papers
discussing what anamorphics were and why they were good for this show and why
they wouldn’t slow us down. We were making something that looked completely
different to what CBBC was used to.”
There was also the practicality of working with inexperienced young
actors to consider. “You don’t want to tell them that this particular lens only
works if you’re not exactly positioned 6ft away. We wanted the flexibility of
setting up shots quickly.”
Cadman turned to VMI to set up a series of lens tests, which in turn
dictated the choice of camera.
“Principally the lens test were to show the execs the difference between
spherical and anamorphic. It’s not something you can write down in a paper. We
cropped clips shot on spherical and anamorphic to 16×9 and 2.35 aspect ratios
to show them what the actual feel of it was.”
Cadman selected a series of Orion Anamorphic Primes from Atlas
and paired them with a Sony Venice, a camera he was familiar with
from operating on family drama Dodger.
“The Orions are affordable, you can shoot at any exposure on them.
Stop-wise they don’t fall apart, as happens with some vintage anamorphic if you
shoot wide open, and they afford good close focus. All in all they are just
pretty bomb-proof regardless of situation.”
He shot both series one and two back to back over eight months in 2022.
“We wanted a handheld feel of constant movement to follow the kids moving from
class to class along corridors and into and out of buildings. In those long
school hallways I had to do broad stroke lighting and put fixtures in where we
could but it was really important not to over light. It had to feel
naturalistic and real.”
The show was post produced in a 4K finish at Dock10 with Jamie Parry in
charge of the grade. Cadman says, “Jamie helped design the LUT for the Venice
and we had complete freedom in the grade to go where wanted to go with
it.”
Cadman has been a regular client at VMI, from prepping equipment as a
focus puller and then returning when he progressed to shooting shorts.
“They have always supported me and given me discounts on kit. It’s a lot
more reassuring going to a place like VMI so you’re not searching for things.
They will always have spares of what you need in stock or be able to suggest a
great solution. With some other rental houses you have to find alternatives
because they don’t have such a good selection. When you’re working on long jobs
like this it is inevitable that at some point you’ll have kit needing repair so
knowing you can rely on getting a quick replacement just takes all that weight
off your mind.”
Phoenix Rise was third and fourth season is planned to be shot over six months
starting this summer with Cadman back as DoP.
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