Why he shot a movie in ISO 12,800 | Phedon Papamichael - A Complete Unknown

[@83442handle]

4:15 Correct. This is the #1 mistake you see people make which is if they shoot with a full frame camera they don't need to worry much about lighting. There was an interview with a cinematographer from Narcos who said it best "I think that nowadays producers need to get educated. I often hear from them that we should do everything with 2000 ISO and that way we won’t need any lights. First I take a deep breath [laughs] and then start by saying that lights are not there to get an exposure. That’s the least important. Light is how you shape things, how you portray a character or a place, how you hide mistakes, how you guide an eye, how you create emotion. That misconception about sensors just to get exposure is a mistake that people need to get over."

[@RyanPiwarski]

more people should understand this tbh

[@pmgaffer6520]

Well said! Says a Gaffer with 48 years in The Film Industry...

[@Volksgeist]

What a great vid, 18 minutes felt like a whole documentary, thanks for making this

[@PlaneJaneCars]

how do we know PJ is really good at this interview thing? He lets the subject talk. Excellent job PJ!!

[@artmeansartificial]

trash, tasteless movie and the actor sucks too. The Doors 1991 THIS IS A MASTERPIECE! 'A Complete Unknown' is another proof of the degradation of hollywood

[@PlaneJaneCars]

@ how was the interview tho?

[@scotland_from_up_high7440]

Is an infomercial like all his videos ​@@PlaneJaneCars

[@torokun]

@@artmeansartificialhaven’t seen it yet but why was it tasteless?

[@jw112mail]

@@PlaneJaneCars Terrible. Like Chris Farley on SNL

[@aransamson]

Sounds like a license to shoot all my vlogs in 12800 😆

[@bemboing4338]

...don't forget to transfer to film then rescan to digital. They used stock Kodak 5203 50 ASA and hire their million dollar color correction/grading company.

[@mduoba]

Vlogging at f11 with no Toneh? Blasphemy.

[@foxyvisionsvideographer]

@@bemboing4338 I definetly saw the amazing correction/grading, My A7S3 is not that good with my skills, talking specifically colours.

[@ChrisParayno]

Of course you can

[@yoboogieman]

It feels like you were asking the right questions and when he realized this he started opening more towards the end of the interview. I loved it. Thanks.

[@DLivingston]

12,800 is where I used to live when I started sports photography 6-7 years ago. High school football fields are basically lit by the moon. HA! I have never veered away from it and thankfully gear has gotten much better! Also, this was a good reminder of all of his amazing work. Didn't realize he did half of them. SO good!

[@AutoFOCUSED.]

Phenomenal interview. Kept it fun and playful but still asked great questions. Love how he's willing to try new methodologies and technologies for his creative process.

[@artmeansartificial]

trash, tasteless movie and the actor sucks too. The Doors 1991 THIS IS A MASTERPIECE! 'A Complete Unknown' is another proof of the degradation of hollywood

[@Lansdownmedia]

You mean Phedomenal

[@johnnybermudez]

Dope that he sot at F8 12,800. Love that he used the FX3 for rehearsal shots!!! Thanks for this Gene. You're dope brother. Happy 2025!

[@nick_salazar]

Gene, thank so much for doing this kind of work. There’s not enough of it, and it’s SO valuable. You’re a talented guy and a fantastic interviewer.

[@edwindungdung1998]

Gene outright, I wanna say thank you for doing these interviews as they are incredibly inspirational. I just got into film school in Prague where I intend to study, practice work and breathe cinematography between this and the Claudio Miranda videos have been insanely insightful. Love your work! And looking forward to an amazing 2025!

[@artmeansartificial]

trash, tasteless movie and the actor sucks too. The Doors 1991 THIS IS A MASTERPIECE! 'A Complete Unknown' is another proof of the degradation of hollywood

[@sonycine]

Amazing conversation, Gene! You bring out the best in people! 🤩⭐🤩

[@StYfReX]

Now release a 28-135 GII, since we are talking cinema or something to compete with the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 :V

[@bafeink2]

Exactly 😂

[@jalexanderevans]

Stop losing to panasonic in value

[@peterujfalusi2764]

This is such a great one, thank you Gene! I am turning 57 this year and still love to see people making their jobs so well.

[@dronephotogeek]

I been following you for years and this is such an honor for you. Your hard work and being a good human is creating incedible opportunities. This interview will likely be hard to top. You you really shined. Congratulations….

[@marklar55]

Was lucky enough to shoot a short film in Phedon’s lovely home, right when I was getting my start in LA. Had no idea he was such a profoundly successful DP at that time, just thought his place was super cool. My friend grew up around the corner who is also a DP named PJ haha. Anyway, the short won an award. I think we had the movie magic on our side with that production.

[@IslandFilmMaker]

Mr. Papamichael is a creative Genius that's a Master of Light and vison. With a unprecedented Film portfolio that evolved from film to digital and the amazing tech we have in camera sensors today it must feel like still being a kid in a candy shop for Him. He still has the passion and you can tell has fun on set. This was a great to get Mr. Papamichael to do this interview. Bravo

[@JasonClarkRides]

When he said 12800, I thought it would be a grainy mess. The footage looks phenomenal. Can't wait to see the new film.

[@sonycine]

♥♥

[@YoungBlaze]

But we as Sony shooters always knew that the A7siii has been doing this for a while

[@JojoJoget]

@@YoungBlaze but he said venice

[@bluenick4577]

It's more about the lighting though

[@chris]

Loved this, Gene. Thank you. Great interview, editing, story -- you the man. Nice to see this BTS perspective. Happy New Year!

[@Bluboy30]

Greig Fraser started the trend of shooting on digital then scan to film and back to digital. He did that for Dune Part 1 and 2 and The Batman. As someone who is a fan of film look, I love this process, it's not too digital or filmic and I hope more cinematographer starts doing this for their films.

[@chris_jorge]

I really wish they would have done that for Alien Romulus. Also gladiator II is so clean that it kept bringing me out of the immersion

[@ChrisParayno]

Another banger of an episode! New cameras are much more sensitive and hardware/software really make it easier to push boundaries. Never stop experimenting is what I got from this.

[@DylanSaliba]

Mr. Papamichael is one of my favorite DoPs. Him, Mr. Deakins and Mr. Storaro are my top 3. Nice interview, thanks for sharing sir.

[@robertdouble559]

Great group right there.

[@artmeansartificial]

trash, tasteless movie and the actor sucks too. The Doors 1991 THIS IS A MASTERPIECE! 'A Complete Unknown' is another proof of the degradation of hollywood

[@jgurban7397]

@@artmeansartificial Timothee isn't one of my favorites but this film looks really interesting,why so much hate?Can you elaborate why you didn't like it?

[@TimeScribe]

Great interview. He was really comfortable and willing to share. Master class. Well done.

[@serwinzzalot9989]

as evidence in his collaborations on set with the actors. incredible

[@graysonarias]

(Long time listener, first time caller). This is of my favorite interviews I’ve seen in a while. Lots of great technical info all while keeping it fun. Thanks for sharing!

[@andrew_maccoll]

This was amazing man, I really hope you can get more access to world class cinematographers like Phedon, what a cinema lord. So much gold in that conversation. Those night street scenes looked gorgeous.

[@30killabeatz]

Wow this was amazing! Love using the Fx3 on my channel! Thanks for this video!

[@serwinzzalot9989]

wow what an interview. and wow what a cinematographer! collab and taking ego out is unheard of with great artists. a true professional and wisdom exudes from him.

[@duaneoldham4760]

Great interview Potato Jet! That was really insightful! I've been shooting for a really long time, and hearing the way he approaches everything from lighting to blocking is fascinating. So much great information. Well done :)

[@andrewallenpainter1616]

Excellent stuff. The DP clearly realized you were worth talking to, and as a result he gave us tons of great ideas for video/film/creative work.nThanks!

[@kokesjohn]

Your 2025 gives all of us viewers new inspiration with going behind the scenes with Papamichael. Thank you 🙏

[@robertdouble559]

Great to hear such a legend reminding beginners that not every shot needs to be shot wide open. Looking forward to checking out a movie with a bit of deeper focus rather than the dull, smeary mess that so much modern cinematography tends to land in.

[@zullyholly]

many are perplexed about papamichaels ASC nomination, so this is a great timely interview

[@Clickumentary]

I've never heard the expression "deeper stop" so insightful. Amazing dude!

[@faba6753]

Man this is INCREDIBLE! thanks for the interview and all the insight.

[@buddyfx7026]

You all did a great job gathering all that source material and references, this was so fun to listen to and watch fr :)

[@sts_intl]

C'est une interview absolument remarquable, regardée depuis la France :), d'un directeur de la photographie que j'admire énormément ! Merci et bravo pour ce superbe travail.

[@michaelbennettphoto]

Such an insightful video Gene! You’re the goat for this!

[@laolsaouce]

Great job on the interview, Phedon Papamichael's answers were phenomenally informative and thought provoking.

[@nicolasanst]

Amazing interview. As a greek i didn't know about the huge career of Phedon and i'm glad that i learned this today. Excellent content.

[@TuckerPearce]

Love videos like this Gene, so cool to get an inside view of all of this. Thanks for also keeping it short enough that we can consume it during our day, vs an hour video.

[@daverizz]

Holy crap that was so good! And Phedon seems like such a relaxed dude! but I suspect that also comes a bit from his many years of experience, but I imagine his chillness creates a really awesome vibe on set. And it is REALLY amazing to hear about how he's been able to adapt to the new generation of digital sensors and wireless light controls.... shooting in such a small, and less intensive way! Makes me wonder about how shooting films might change in the coming years... with sets shooting way less controlled and locked-down shots. Feels pretty exciting. Oh, and I'm going to go see this movie this weekend, and will be watching with a whole different perspective. 😁🎥

[@davideastham]

Another great conversation. Gene's a pro !!

[@michaelthegreat639]

LOVE your channel man! Keep going!

[@michelcompagna7750]

So informative! Thank you, that was a blast to watch!

[@BigKat62]

Great video Gene, I love watching interviews about the technical side of capturing movies 🎬 More of the above please!

[@harrisongould9460]

What is amazing is that when you were reflecting on his amazing career, he’s a young man in comparison to some people at that level. Most of them are going to be retired if they’ve gotten that far. This guy’s got another 15 to 20 years to go.

[@KaanSenel]

LOVED THIS DISCUSSION! More interviews like these with directors en dp’s please!

[@nomadben]

That was a great interview! Really interesting stuff.

[@AnandaGarden]

So refreshing and fun. Bravo to Gene for the assisted learning that doesn't feel at all like a classroom.

[@jsimes1]

Wow that was a great interview ... I think Papamichael was super comfortable because he could be all technical geeky with you and you understood him and guided him towards the technology conversations. I know very little about this kind of digital to film stuff but I do know a little about audio production to make albums. My favorite producer in Nashville does exactly the opposite he records all of his audio to 2 inch tape to get that analog warmth and inconsistencies of tape and then he digitizes so he can mix in Pro Tools. The filming process is similar in that you are getting the quality of tape/film it is just at a different point in the process. It makes total sense.

[@torreyhogan6250]

What an amazing interview, great job on this! Hope you can do more interviews in this same style! How cool is it to see this fusion of everything digital tools can bring to the table combined with the look and feel of film stock, very interesting process

[@3dwag]

My 1st time to see you on such an interview...fantastic interview and post-production, editorial decisions! Although I'm not a pro, films (includding the technical aspects) are one of my passions, and I'll be looking out for more of your such work! Thank you!

[@wildesleatherwork]

That switch to 12800 f8 in your setup looks great man!

[@ronmorey3475]

This was so interesting and well done. Great interview. Thank you for your fine work!

[@badayrayhand6465]

I do a lot of commercial shoots and music video shoots in 12.800 if necessary and it's not a big deal as long you have a Sony Fx6, etc that supports the low light situation. He is just being practical and easy to adapt to new technology

[@thedrive8484]

Excellent vid! Informative, helpful, entertaining, beautifully edited and shot. Very inspiring on all fronts! Thank you!

[@QuadyMcQuadFace]

I never knew digital cameras can have that high of ISO, amazing. Phedon is a genius for utlizing digital ISO with very little lighting, makes so much sense. Great interview and explanation, thanx Phedon and thanx Potato. 👍

[@EdoDijkgraaf]

Thank you Gene! This was inspiring!

[@Staracer]

This was a GREAT interview!!! I can't say enough, how interesting this was to watch (and learn) Thank you!

[@scottclark1455]

This was great, thanks to both of you!

[@camerasutra247]

Yeah, and it’s amazing that he actually uses a light meter go figure most KZbinrs pushed the narrative that me or inside the camera is good enough and no, it’s not. This clearly proves the basics of photography will never change, especially when you want to master light. Great video keep up the good work.

[@KaiPawlowski]

Very touching and amazingly well done, Gene!!! Thanks for sharing/doing!

[@tedrzz]

What an excellent interview, thank you!

[@frameshiftx]

Phenomenal interview, thank you! Only skeptical about the street shots being just practical and ambiance because here in NY and NJ all street lights have been swapped to LED and they no longer have that warm halogen look that we see in those shots.

[@MrWiseinheart]

I don't know why I've never seen him before, he seems like such a down-to-earth cool guy. Also great interview skills Gene 👍

[@alex0589]

This is super well put together, Nice work, phedon potato

[@tompurvis1261]

Great interview. I love the look and can’t wait to see the film. I have been using a handful of vintage lenses the last 6 months, after going from DSLR to mirrorless. I can’t watch a movie now without focusing on the bokeh balls. What a joy to see the light time shots like your eye would.

[@nathaniellee3996]

This was cool to watch, Jet. Thanks.

[@jonathandegard]

Your video is AMAZING ! Thanks for sharing this interview

[@aufderwolke]

Thx 4 the vid Jet! :)

[@whoabrian]

This was an excellent interview! Loved the detail and knowledge.

[@truce11]

This was great! More of these!

[@BurgerPlanetLive]

I really like these videos with artists. And I learned some stuff about cinematography. This should be a PJ Series!

[@BCE-111]

Thanks Gene. Great interview. Reflecting on how much you've grown too over the years. You remind me of the guy who did the Canon 80D DSLR vs iPhone 7 Plus video. Oh wait! That WAS you! 😲😄 Happy New Year!!! 🍾🥂🎆🎥

[@GatesRick]

Great interview! Thanks!

[@marcussmithereens-smithert5409]

Love these dp interviews so much!

[@heynow2880]

Such a cool episode. Thanks for taking us behind the scenes.

[@Project_Mayhem2025]

love these insider interviews!

[@JamesTenniswood]

Love listening to experts talk. Nice work

[@TheSynthnut]

Great insightful interview!

[@rdhphoto1]

Fantastic pice Gene great job he seamed to very comfortable with you I think it was because you where taking to him in his technical language so he trusted you. So inspirational.

[@HatePhotography]

thank you for giving us access to these kind of stuff. Mabuhay!

[@jimtowns]

Great interview, man- dig that high ISO sample shot you got down in San Pedro near me!

[@KeithCaceres]

This was a really cool video. Just hearing the way he works, his whole process. Nice job here.

[@Cre8tive1]

This Video is Amazing ! Really well done!

[@Sibelius101]

Great interview! Awesome video! Time for you to make your own movie!❤

[@JakubFinch]

It seems that ISO 12800 is becoming the new standard. Not long ago, it was a unique feature in a single Sony camera, and now we have an entire line of Sony cameras offering this new standard. Even Canon has joined the race, introducing ISO 12800 across its new product lineup, including the C80, C400, R1, and likely soon the R6 Mark III. Just when it seemed like nothing could surprise you anymore, and newer generations of equipment would only bring improved autofocus, the industry is experiencing a mini-revolution. It completely changes the approach to working with light - its shaping and creative use in conditions that seemed impossible just a short while ago.

[@robinprobyn1971]

Venice 2 high "base " ISO is only 3200 I believe , so he's pushed it quite bit , must have been a fair amount of post work done too.

[@janno1983]

Love your interviews. So much positive energy. Very inspiring to watch. 😊

[@hobbes1231]

such an awesome interview sony chose the right person for sho!!!

[@noahyv]

Actually what's cooler than shooting at iso12800 on an fx3 is what it sounds like he actually did, shooting at 6400ei on venice2 to push it an extra stop from the iso3200 base since it probably helped to give him that extra film highlight roll off which isn't something the film intermediate can do on its own.

[@charles.vernier]

Yeah, if he did shoot at 12,800EI on the Venice, that would mean he went 2 stops above 3200 base. so the equivalent on the FX3 would be 51200EI. I have shot on those higher iso using flexible ISO when the video called for it. but have tried to stick to base or below to keep clean shadows. After seeing this, makes we want to push above and embrace the grain. :)

[@noahyv]

@charles.vernier the venice2 sensor is much cleaner than the fx3 though and 12800 is still much less prone to photon shot noise than 51200 so it's not quite the same but yeah sounds like he didn't really use 12800ei much but did consider it useable. Considering the grain that was added through the film intermediate I'm not that surprised he might not have been that worried about a bit of noise anyway.

[@charles.vernier]

@@noahyv Yep makes sense. Good points.

[@Goldmangun]

Great video: fascinating interview!

[@Janelfuroy]

Thank you so much for that. Very inspiring!

[@exert2020]

This was great. Really interesting. Thanks to you both

[@NikolaiHagen-d4j]

amazing insight, thank you for making this video

[@italoamerighi3974]

Great video man ❤

[@wolfdeathseal5624]

amazing. this is one of best cinema interview ive watched

[@csilt]

Such a wealth of knowledge yet so down to earth. The new movie shots look great.

[@MindYourbusiness103]

This technology has evolved very well 👏👏

[@eliafranke]

Superb interview! So interesting with all these details about lighting etc. 👍🏻

[@FarazP]

Excellent interview.

[@ArturMaiaCarvalho]

Great job! More of this! Thanks

[@yoboogieman]

Great work Gene! Do you think younger viewers would appreciate the 'Film look' Papamichael intended for this film? I mean, these days you find so many know-it-alls that can't really appreciate film noise for what it is (for example), that it really intrigues me how younger people experience these kinds of details in movie production. I'm just an amateur videographer but I love deconstructing movie production (from a viewers perspective of course), and to me... THIS TRULY IS ART.