Technology’s unstoppable march isn’t sparing anyone. Filmmakers know this better than most. They need to stay updated or risk becoming dinosaurs, forgotten in time. All the latest advances in light capturing technology are impressive and astounding, but they don’t necessarily lead to making better films. They can in fact be blinding to the art of filmmaking. Good tools are definitely needed to make good films but if they aren’t powered by the subtle craft of the person using them, they are left soulless.
Whenever I am not shooting for clients, I use my free time to watch as many films as I possibly can. They help me build my visual references and spark my imagination. I love discovering new filming techniques. This practice involves a variety of tools needed to make time lapses with the aim of finding ways to use them better. It's a never ending quest to form my personal, unique style of expression. It’s a voyage with many dead ends, locked doors and loop holes. That’s the nature of filmmaking; finding a balance between creativity, storytelling and the science of light. It's a strange and very often counterintuitive process. Every lesson is a hard fought and often lost battle. No lesson however, no matter how failed, is ever wasted.
'THE VOYAGE' started out as a collage of disjointed time lapse sequences, shot over several months in early 2015. I was teaching myself new ways to move the camera, using existing and newly developed motion control systems. Once I had enough material on my drives, I decided to create a short film. I’m always aiming to create a more immersive, intimate way of experiencing the scene as it unfolds in front of the camera’s lens. Instead of entertaining the viewer with high-impact, dynamic and highly stylized scene transitions, I prefer a calmer, linear approach to visual storytelling. I’m a great fan of David Lean’s and Stanley Kubrick’s films. The works of these two filmmakers have had a profound influence on my appreciation of film. I was particularly fascinated with the precision of composition and framing of each scene in all the movies they ever made. I admired the way they crafted and shaped the light, like classic painters on canvas. Both filmmakers were known for their patience and waited for the moment to happen spontaneously, and then they would let it linger and play out on the screen. Their philosophy, where nothing is rushed, translates so well into time lapse filmmaking.
‘THE VOYAGE’ is infused with a re-discovered appreciation for my filmmaking idols, my love for architecture and time lapse cinematography. ‘THE VOYAGE’ represents my coming of age as a filmmaker with a profound passion for the craft.
‘THE VOYAGE’ is a first place winner in the Time Lapse Category at the 5th Season of the ‘Spaces of Light’ Photography Award in Abu Dhabi.
Filmed entirely at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Cameras:
Canon 5Ds
Canon 5DMk2
Canon 5DMk3
Canon 60D
Lenses:
Canon 24-105mm f/4
Canon 50mm f/1.2L
Canon 100mm f2.8L
Canon 70-300 f/3.5-4.5L
Canon TS-E 17mm f/4
Canon TS-E 24mm II f/3.5L
Canon CN-E 14mm T3.1 L F Cinema
Canon CN-E 24mm T1.5 L F Cinema
Canon CN-E 35mm T.15 L F Cinema
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
Motion Control:
CamBlock Modular System
Syrp Genie / Magic Carpet
Lil' Mule
Cinematography and Editing: Beno Saradzic
Camera assistants: Sandeep Nair and Yousaf Shamsuddin
Music score: A. Taylor - 'A Late Night's Wandering'
2015, Copyright Beno Saradzic, All Rights Reserved. Re-upload, download, full or partial edit of this film is not permitted without my written and specific approval. You know the drill. Play nice.
