How the Safdie Brothers Shoot a Scene

[@eddyzamarripa]

Amazing video

[@alexj7998]

What an insightful video, you earned my sub. Keep it up!

[@AngusDaviesDP]

Thanks! More coming next week!

[@sonbrotherfriend]

great video essay

[@AngusDaviesDP]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@themarchcreates2490]

Using telephoto lense doesn't feel intimate it feels more distance/spying.

[@AngusDaviesDP]

It really depends on the context of the scene, when the opal has just been sold in Uncut Gems, it feels more like spying, but when we are in the back of the car with Connie in Good Time, it's more intimate.

[@themarchcreates2490]

@@AngusDaviesDP I don't buy it. It doesn't make sense. When you are shooting with a telephoto you are literal far away from the subject. Instead if you shoot with a wide lens you have to to be close to the subject to get a close up. It has nothing to do with context, is the fact that a telephoto flatness the image and a wide lens distorts the image from a close up. You feel the presence with a wide because you literal have to be close to the subject.

[@AngusDaviesDP]

It is fully to do with the context of the scene though? And also, the way a telephoto compresses the image, if anything, makes it more intimate than a wide angle shot. Sure you would be physically closer to the character with a wide angle lens, but that means nothing on screen. But really, it's down to personal preference, since the only thing that matters in an intimate scene, is the acting.

[@themarchcreates2490]

@@AngusDaviesDPBeing close to the subject(actor) or far away means everything on the screen, in fact you will get a different performance. Since the actor knows he is closer to the camera. And the audience knows that as well intuitive, because of the lens distortion that occurs with a wide angle lens. All I know is that my eyes don't have telephoto perspective and I'm assuming other humans as well. Please don't say things like is all about personal preference, because that looses the point of an educational video. Not everything in aesthetics is relative. That sounds like a copout.

[@AngusDaviesDP]

The average audience member doesn’t even know the difference between a wide and a telephoto lens, so why would they know anything about lens distortion? Also, It is about personal preference, why do the Safdie’s use a telephoto in 99% of shots? Is it because of the meaning, or because they prefer that look and it’s now what they are known for cinematography wise? It’s really not a copout to call something preference. Sure, everything in film has meaning, that’s what they teach you in film school, but in the real world, you go by your own rules. It also doesn’t seem as though I can change your mind, and I know you can’t change mine. So I’m going to stop replying here.