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Birdman


Charles Papert

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"Birdman" is designed to play as a single take, and while it employs a variety of methods to hide the cuts from the classic (whip pans, foreground objects) to the modern (CGI), the shots are still plenty long and involved and virtuosic. Some may like the movie itself more than others, but everyone who is in the business of moving cameras should see it.

 

Congrats and hats off to Chivo, Chris Haarhoff and 1st AC Gregor Tavenner (the focus pulling alone is simply insane).

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That's pretty interesting, didn't know it was supposed to be a 'single take' and play out in real-time, that's moved it up a few spots on my to-see list! Saw a great short recently which cut three very different camera angles together (steadicam, snorricam and crane) and loved the switching of perspectives in a seemly single take.

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Charles;

 

Why so subdued?

When I saw this picture there are several things that went through my head.

First of all, what an amazing movie, the energy of which is rarely seen. Whatever flaws exist in the narrative fade away as you get sucked into the story.

Secondly the acting was phenomenal. Keaton was wonderful. It always pleases me to see middle aged men acting as middle aged men, warts and all.

Finally, I was AWE STRUCK by the operating and by extension the focus pulling. If I had seen Haarhoff after the movie, I would have bowed before him in praise of his work.

Best movie I've seen this year

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Haven't seen it yet but I'm psyched to. I got a call from Chris last year about coming into this crazy "oner" movie as his backup as he was getting completely fried. He asked me to come by to meet Chivo in case he needed a day off but said it was merely a possibility as he was starting to get into the zone of the long takes etc.

 

I went in and watched and was thoroughly amazed at what Chris was doing. Phenomenal operating in tight spaces with amazing talent all around. Really a great experience. And the hats off to Gregor doesn't even begin to cover it. He was going old school and on top of that (as near as I can recall on the shots I saw), when Chivo was doing the same shot handheld (Chris would do it and then Chivo would so they had the option of styles) I believe he was wearing the backpack for the Arri M with the batts and all and had to move through doorways with zero clearance etc. Not only amazing focus pulling but so much more.

 

It was a real circus to watch and I don't think there are many teams out there who could have pulled off that kind of ballet. An honor to watch them pull it off. I'm actually glad I didn't need to come in because quite frankly it looked way too hard.

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