ALEXA anamorphic and A TOUCH OF SIN
Writer and director Jia Zhangke, the leading figure of the “Six Generation” movement of Chinese cinema, has recently completed work on his latest film, A TOUCH OF SIN, which has been selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. His long-time collaborator, cinematographer Yu Lik-wai, shot the movie in the anamorphic format with ARRI ALEXA Studio and M cameras, recording ARRIRAW to Codex recorders. Recently, Jia and Yu spoke to ARRI and shared their experiences of shooting with ALEXA.
Now in the digital age we have 4:3 sensors and new anamorphic lenses that are competing with Super 35 again.
DP Yu Lik-wai
ARRI: How did the idea of making this movie come about?
Jia Zhangke: I’ve always wanted to make a martial arts film. In martial arts films you tend to see lots of famous mountains and rivers, and historical locations. These places have remained the same as they were thousands of years ago, so in this respect the films connect with ancient China. I was also reading many news stories involving violence and crime, and I got the sense that what people want above all is dignity, much like the characters in martial arts novels. I think people’s clothing has changed, and the pressures they’re under, but people themselves haven’t really changed since ancient times. So I wondered, why not make a film about modern people in the way we make martial arts films? That was the idea for A TOUCH OF SIN, although I still intend to make the martial arts film at some point.
via ARRI Group: News.
LOS ANGELES FILM REVIEW 