DUNE | DP Greig Fraser ACS, ASC | ShotDeck: Shot Talk

Lawrence Sher sits down with acclaimed DP Greig Fraser ACS, ASC for an in-depth discussion of Dune, which is currently nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Picture. From his collaboration process with director Denis Villeneuve, to how he and his team were able to craft such a large scale world, this discussion dives into the technical and logistical challenges behind the makings of a new sci-fi classic!
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[@christianhodgson5201]

Even Greig's webcam is a beautiful shot, that man just makes pure art

[@supermario5]

I thought I was the only one thinking this lol

[@kidcoma1340]

I had to laugh when I imagined him trying to make it look all imperfect and unintentional, yet he ended up with a beautiful composition. "God dammit"

[@UnknownDino]

Yeah that's ridiculous, in a good way!

[@hundredfireify]

Would have loved to see his webcam setup lol

[@UnknownDino]

Watched The Batman a few days ago and Fraser won an oscar for dune. The chances are high that he will get a second one next year.

[@killedpatrick]

The Batman for me eclipsed all other Batman films, now it makes complete sense why it looked so damn good

[@LordJagd]

Dark Knight and even Batman Begins really surmount The Batman. I thought the grunge look fit, but Pfister really made naturalistic magic with his Batman films.

[@insanified2938]

This didnt age well..and its soo sad.

[@EntertainingRunner-vd3bn]

Bro, he probably will win for DUNE part 2, it was insane

[@RaoulEnoiu]

Greig is just such a master at his craft. His work just looks so amazing and it doesn’t have to be flashy or glamorous but everything feels pretty grounded and in turn that makes it look like a masterpiece. I loved this!

[@AnthonyJGianotti]

It’s so cool to see DP’s excited about 1.43:1. I saw Dune in IMAX 1.43 and it was the first time since the Dark Knight IMAX that I was floored by visuals coming out of a movie. Those full height scenes were just so immersive in a way 3D was never able to accomplish.

[@JeanMarcAbela]

I've listened to so many interviews about Dune and many with Greg Fraser, this is my first time listening to a Shot Talk. Man, I really appreciate that its done between two great DPs. Lawrence is just great to hangout with someone and create conversation! Such a joy to listen and lots of great insight! Well done and thank you!

[@shotdeckofficial]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@AyoOdimayo]

TIMESTAMPS 03:24 🌞 Greig Fraser discusses the challenge of replicating sunlight in a scene and the creative process of realizing intricate artwork in cinematography. 07:52 🌅 Fraser and Lawrence Sher explore the difficulties of achieving realistic sunlight with artificial sources like HMIs and discuss the potential of using Unreal Engine to create environments with convincing lighting. 14:13 🎥 Greig Fraser talks about collaborating with fellow DP Kate Arizmendi on a scene in "Dune" and the importance of a strong crew in achieving cinematic excellence. 16:04 🌄 The discussion delves into the significance of concept art shots in defining a film's look and the desire for previsualization tools to accurately represent achievable lighting in early stages of film development. 20:27 📽 Fraser and Lawrence Sher express their belief in creating immersive three-dimensional images on a two-dimensional screen without the need for 3D glasses and discuss the projection formats used for "Dune." 21:37 🎥 Greig Fraser discusses the aspect ratio of the film Dune, which uses both 1.43:1 IMAX and 2.39:1 anamorphic ratios for different scenes. 23:44 🎬 The 1.43:1 aspect ratio offers a fundamentally different cinematic experience, emphasizing the vertical orientation and influencing framing decisions. 29:48 💡 Greig Fraser explains how they filmed the ornithopter interiors on top of a hill to capture the natural ambience and avoid green spill from the backlot. 35:51 🔄 The ornithopter rotation scene involved using a special gimbal that could rotate fully, enhancing the visual experience. 37:14 🌌 For the night scene inside the ornithopter, they used a low-res painted backing lit with LEDs to mimic the night sky, maintaining control over lighting. 40:17 🎨 The choice of the dusty, dirty red color for the ornithopter scene's lighting was made during the pre-light, emphasizing the collaborative process between Greig Fraser and the director, Denis Villeneuve. 42:21 🎥 Directors have ultimate authority and veto power in filmmaking decisions. 43:16 🎬 Collaborative filmmaking involves balancing conscious and subconscious creative processes. 44:57 🌆 Distinguishing between what's possible and feasible in filmmaking is crucial for problem-solving. 45:38 💡 Quickly reviewing frames can help identify what works and what doesn't in cinematography. 46:49 🔍 Taking breaks and returning with fresh eyes can enhance objectivity and decision-making in color timing. 48:02 🌫 Atmospheric effects like mist and fog can add depth and mood to scenes in filmmaking. 49:39 💡 Atmospherics can enhance the storytelling by engaging the audience's subconscious. 51:05 📽 Simple shots can hold great power when placed in the context of a film's narrative. 52:15 🌄 Transitional moments between day and night scenes require careful execution, considering human perception. 54:39 💡 Atmospherics and lighting interact to enhance creativity and the overall look of scenes. 59:29 💡 With advancements in film technology, capturing natural night scenes with atmospherics has become more feasible. 01:03:40 🌅 Shooting day and night sequences in a natural environment may require creative scheduling and adaptation to changing lighting conditions. 01:03:52 🏜 Jordan was a primary location for Dune, featuring traditional dunes and 100-foot-high rocks. 01:04:42 🎥 A significant moment in the film is when Paul kills James, marking his acceptance into a new community. 01:07:00 🌅 The iconic image of their home burning represents a pivotal choice for the characters to venture into the unknown. 01:09:06 📷 Imperfections in framing can add depth and authenticity to a shot, enhancing storytelling. 01:12:03 💡 The moving light in the film was achieved using various techniques, including dollies, technocranes, and wire rigs.

[@Dialcaru]

PERFECT!

[@appuswami6611]

Thanks a lot for your effort.

[@xbrooksx]

Lawrence Sher is one of my favorite film interviewers. Right up there with the Elvis Mitchells.

[@cstokes887]

I've been searching for content like this for a while now. Thank you Shotdeck for these shot talks! Incredible information.

[@charlesm835]

This was such a great conversiation! First time watching ShotDeck, will definitely be watching more

[@Based_Shogun]

I'm such a nerd for film, and this randomly appearing in my feed was an instant watch!

[@Timothy_K_photography]

Thank you for doing these Lawrence!! I am absolutely hooked on your website and this video had me glued to the screen from start to finish. I work as a Lighting Artist in 3d Animation and I'm constantly recommending Shotdeck to my colleagues. And a big Congratulations to Greig for the Oscar!!

[@CarlosAlonzoCorrea]

Thank you Lawrence for all these great interviews!!! Loved your shotdeck project and website since day one. Keep on with your awesome craft. Saludos desde México.🙌

[@shotdeckofficial]

Thank you for the support!

[@ThePxj]

My favourite new channel! I can’t wait for more of these conversations. Would love to hear Greig talk about The Batman

[@jonfraserdop]

I could listen to these two great DPs talk for hours 🙂 hope to see Greig back soon!

[@darthvini]

For days I was banging my head against the wall trying to figure it out how the Sadukar wide shot was done. I reach to lots of DP friends and they all said it was pure CGI. Good to finally see that I wasn´t crazy!

[@rayt_visual]

This was a great talk. Thank you both for your time for this and sharing the bts insights to some incredible imagery.

[@SabaDOP]

Loved this, also clearly one can notice how useful shotDeck is while watching these interviews! thank you Lawrence for this incredible tool! Also Killing them softly is still my fav film shot by Greig, true master of our time.

[@carolebeaudry2965]

Abundance in simplicity. Thank you very much Lawrence Sher :)

[@jeffreyschulder9514]

I’m so happy to find this channel! Great interview

[@disp1ay]

This is such a great series man. Love the conversations!!

[@xennali9651]

Thank you for this. Need more of these!

[@Pierorocks]

I NEED this for the batman, Greig is easily my biggest inspiration right now. Thanks for this Lawrence!

[@fugitivephilo]

Just jumping for joy over this one

[@_solange]

This is gold. Thank you so much.

[@WildShadowsZA]

Awesome insights! Thank you, guys!

[@mattceccotti]

What an EXCELLENT interview!

[@kwa42]

This is gold, thank you so much.

[@jazznezzz]

I loooooved this chat. Can we please have more of this type of content?

[@khairyjenkins]

Iove watching stuff like this and listening to cinematographers talk about the process was the reasons that made me want to pursue this field. So I'm not going to stop chasing this dream

[@shotdeckofficial]

Love to hear it!

[@TheFilmeffects]

Amazing, in 1910s studios had retractible roof to shoot in sunlight :) because they didn`t have archlights yet

[@kate-bn8wj]

So many beautiful shots in this movie...Such a masterpiece.Thanks so much

[@shotdeckofficial]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tubevandaan]

Thank you both so much for sharing your talented insights. Very inspiring and learnful (is that a good word? I am Dutch…;-) greetings from Amsterdam!

[@RobinsonAndrew]

Awesome Mr Sher, from GivingBack Films, the UK's only carbon neutral production company,, loved watching your interview and using the Shotdeck when planning our shoots.

[@Editbuddy]

Yasss more of this please!

[@lionel.mukendi]

This was really insightful - what an inspiration!

[@manuelaparedes1642]

I’m in love with ShotDeck 💛✨

[@mihaimuscan2345]

Straight up awesome podcast ! Thank you !

[@shotdeckofficial]

your welcome!

[@mjgfromdallas]

So much insight and knowledge. Thank you both!

[@shotdeckofficial]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mjgfromdallas]

@@shotdeckofficial Yes sir definitely!

[@EddieChuCaiHan]

Loving it So much Shot Deck, please please maybe if is possible that we could do one with Larkin Seiple for Everything Everywhere all at once. that will be amazing so much to talk about. That will be so much to learn from you for that film it self.

[@Zbigniew87]

Loved it. Thank you for doing this. By the way, since Arizmendi was mentioned here, it would be awesome to have her as your next guest. Swallow looked amazing too!

[@ahmadsauludin8056]

Hhhh

[@lawrencesher3841]

agreed and great idea

[@cooperw839]

Even Greig's webcam stream is beautifully lit and framed.

[@christianhurley2564]

Loved learning about how they accomplished the moving light scenes, thank you!

[@impatrickt]

ShotDeck making videos? Yes!

[@shotdeckofficial]

More to come!

[@SethDunlap]

Both of their rooms are amazing

[@danieljohnpeters]

Love this, thanks for sharing

[@everydayisfriday4885]

Love this concept

[@user-lu9mh3xt4p]

I want to see bigger version of the Dune! Last scene is my favorite not only from the Dune but from all movies.

[@elviskleber10]

Amazing insights. I'm really curious for a blu ray extra behind the scenes on the process of scanning the digital image on film that he did for Dune and also for The Batman.

[@shotdeckofficial]

same here!

[@battleofbullriver]

Thank you!

[@gurugee2112]

Absolutely brilliant discussion. Would love the 2 of you talking about the Batman! The only bummer is your hatred of 3D. I admit to having drunk the 3D coolaid. From my first Imax experience of dust rolling out from the screen, I noticed I was holding my breath. That cinema immersion has never happened again, sadly.

[@CharlesTaitZA]

This is the best!

[@bobbfredd]

LOve this show !!

[@sethart22]

Pretty sure I saw a vfx breakdown saying the first shot in the silo was full cg, even if they had a live action plate, they ended up redoing in cg in post to stabilise the character decent from the top.

[@asdfghjuyteqwe]

So freaking awesome

[@AfoteyAnnum]

I feel like this movie and The Batman are the two most technically impressive films to come out in a looooong time from a purely cinematic perspective. #CinematographyGoals

[@robertpaterson5477]

Have you seen West Side Story? I'm very surprised it wasn't nominated for the ASC award.

[@AfoteyAnnum]

@@robertpaterson5477 that was awesome also!

[@betageek66]

"we can create three dimensional images on a two dimensional screen without funny glasses". I'm all over that. And I think the real reason for that is the our brains do it for us. In fact, 3d movies in my opinion INTERFERE with the seamless, unconscious perception of depth in experiencing a movie. The brain goes "oh wow, that was a 3D effect..." and we have a momentary blip of appreciation. I don't want that. I don't want my immersion interrupted by some technological trick that my brain immediately flags, breaking the flow of my immersion in what I'm watching.

[@therealarien]

Oscar well deserved

[@pseudonymousbeing987]

I adore the adoration

[@animalunae]

Thank you for pronouncing the director's name correctly!

[@saxmanphd]

Can’t wait for the Batman!

[@KhaldyFathy]

❤️❤️

[@bobholden6321]

Good Onya Greig, wonderful achievement, go well. Bob Holden

[@MariusMilinski]

any chance for a spotify release of this podcast?

[@shotdeckofficial]

unsure yet, definitely youtube for now since they're talking about specific frames in each video but we'll see!

[@NiallWoods347]

Mentioning unreal engine got me really hyped 👀😂

[@Trazynn]

I loved the content but it's a shame it was uploaded in a low bitrate, especially because the topic is about colour and lighting. Use the WEBM codec for these things, will get you much better results.

[@scottywright1]

What’s a gobo? He says we made a big gobo between the stages on the 1st shot.

[@of1300]

Do West Side Story. Best cinematography this year.

[@prapyesrisa-an9913]

Please Please Please make another interview like for The Batman

[@Johnny.H.Rickensien]

WB, Please release the IMAX version of Dune, the film feels incomplete in 21:9 and it's like watching a different movie.

[@ekojar3047]

When real sunlight isn't possible. Idk how many people know this, but Sun photons come in parallel. (Or basically parallel) I think that is the trick. It may take a huge wall of leds to get that parallel look. If you really think about it. The sun has a massive volume that is like a million times bigger than Earth. We only received an Earth sized wall of photons from the sun as it travels from the surface of the sun to the surface of earth. The rest just travels on into space. That's also how we detect exo planets. It blocks that light. During golden hour, photons are traveling sideways, amd the blue atmosphere isn't completely lit up like it is at high noon. Think of a wall of nukes constantly going off in the far distance. I'm just a graphic artist, but I've thought about this sunlight problem for a while. I believe it is possible to emulate better. Minus a real wall of nukes from space 😆

[@gameisly7134]

Cool chat

[@jordidalmau8471]

nothing about those lens flares? Some kind of filter?

[@Jorge_Ambruster]

They are in the lens. We are so used to modern glass completely clean because we are working with computer designed and machine cut glass that we forget that handmade glass has some character because of human error.

[@rayadakota1332]

"I'm a believer in the fact that we can create 3D images on 2D screen without the need for funny glasses." "... Other thing that I do with fun lighting, I found really useful, is to flick through my frames really quickly and not to study them because we're sitting here studying an image but ultimately the audience sees it for 5 seconds."

[@montehalthon7831]

He shot Joker, He shot Batman

[@scottbeale1825]

I'm out of my depth. They set up a 'gobo' between stages? Wat

[@jstrification]

I was curious about this too, a "gobo", or "go between optics" is basically a round stencilled disk usually used to create a mask for lighting purposes, i.e. to project a shape or series of shapes on a wall or something in films or at events. So in this case I guess they created a giant fabric stensil they draped to block the sunlight to create the shape.

[@wasimmalik2975]

Jnodmmjoo

[@Causewaykid617]

Greig's audio is literally unlistenable sadly. way too high pitch and crunchy. Shitty zoom recording.

[@brendancherry362]

What are you talking about? I just listened to the whole thing 100% fine

[@Causewaykid617]

@@brendancherry362 As an audiophile, it sounds really bad. I'm glad you enjoyed it though.

[@vibingeorgemanjaly5399]

I think it's the airpods ,But Greig's Frame looks perfect lol