Netflix has been killing it in the home entertainment business by outdoing Hollywood what they are best at – making high-quality, Hollywood-caliber movies and HBO-level binge-worthy serial drama.
And do you know who else has been killing it – Cooke Optics! For decades, the legendary British cine lens maker have been one of the premier lens choices for Hollywood DP’s when it comes to creating high-end cinematic moving pictures.
More recently, cinematographer Vanja Cernjul, ASC (The Deuce, Crazy Rich Asians), used the full-frame Cooke S7/i lenses and the Cooke Anamorphic/i to weave the multiple looks in the same universe of the latest Netflix shocker “The Perfection”, which follows the story of a troubled musical prodigy who seeks out the new star pupil of her former school with shocking consequences.
You can check out the trailer at the bottom of the post, and from the looks of it and the film’s reviews, if looks like a solid, heart-pounding thrill ride that just happens to also look absolutely stunning.
“The Perfection” shot on Cooke S7/i and Anamorphic/i lenses
Shot in 4K on the Panasonic VARICAM PURE and a delicious combination of Cooke Optics’ S7/i Full Frame Plus and Anamorphic/i lenses, “The Perfection” was one of the first high-end feature films to be shot on the S7/i full frame range.
Images by Cooke
Cooke Optics S7/i Prime Lens Range
- Native PL Mount
- Full-Frame/Large Format Coverage
- Perfect for RED Monstro 8K, ALEXA Mini LF, Sony VENICE
- Focal lengths: 18mm, 25, 32, 40, 50, 75, 100 and 135mm
- T2.0 – T22 linear aperture
-
Maximum Format Cover – 46.31mm diameter
- 140 teeth 0.8 metric module x 6.0mm wide 103mm from the image plane focus rings
- Award-winning cam style mechanism for smooth focus adjustments
- Supplied with the next generation of /i Technology for lens metadata capture
- Linear iris
- 6.8 to 8.1lb weight range
Panasonic VariCam Pure
“The Perfection” demanded different looks for different parts of the story. We wanted each part to have a unique organic look, something built into the images on the set, during the filming,” said Černjul.
“A lot of it came from lighting and our diverse locations, but we wanted to add another visual layer optically. After initial testing of many different optical systems we decided to combine the Cooke Anamorphic/i’s with the S7/i’s. We chose both lens systems for the look they were giving us, rather than for sensor coverage or the aspect ratio.”
Černjul shot most of the film in 4K uncompressed raw on a Varicam PURE with a Super 35 sensor and achieved the desired aspect ratio of 2.39:1 by cropping top and bottom while using spherical S7/i lenses and by cropping the sides when using Cooke Anamorphic/i’s.
“As a part of the film’s visual structure we shot selected scenes in VistaVision format with the S7/i’s,” Černjul added. “With this approach we created multiple looks that still felt like parts of the same universe, tied together by the round and cinematic rendering by Cooke lenses.”
Černjul has previously used Cooke lenses on productions including Orange is the New Black and Marco Polo.
“My favourite lenses used to be the Cooke 5/i’s. I love their dimensionality and the gentle quality of the flare, even when created by intense specular lights. The S7/i’s give me all those beloved qualities while allowing me to use one lens set across multiple formats,” he said.
Check out the trailer for “The Perfection”:
For more info and specifications on the Cooke S7/i and the rest of their lens lineup head over to Cooke Optics.
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