Beyond the Screen

You’ve just finished shooting PUPPEN & KRIEGER by Lisa Blatter. Starring in one of the two main roles is Carla Juri from Ticino. What was it like working with the actress on set?

Working with director Lisa Blatter and Carla Juri was most enjoyable. We had an intensive period of preparation for the film and shared a strong vision.  On set, we communicated practically without words. Carla Juri said to me after filming that I was invisible to her with my camera. And that’s the best compliment for me. Sometimes it’s simply glances exchanged with actors shortly before or after a take. I try to communicate only the most important things with them and otherwise remain unobtrusive in order to leave room for the acting and the staging. I observe a lot and try to establish a deep trust. During the time of filming, a relationship develops with the actors, and that also has a creative impact on my work.

How would you describe your camera style?

My camera style is versatile. It’s a style that can adapt to the story and the vision. And yet my visual language is characterised by an unmistakable signature that is constantly evolving. What I strive for in my visual language are organic camera movements, a natural lighting scheme for an intimate and authentic atmosphere, as well as precise, graphic and well-thought-out compositions and images that lend emotional depth to a narrative.

How difficult is it to capture scenes without being distracted from what is not being acted?

Regardless of whether I’m shooting fiction or documentary, I always fully immerse myself in the scene that’s in front of my camera. But because there is invariably a lens and an image sensor between me and the action in front of the camera, I can maintain a certain distance. It often happens that a scene in front of the camera affects me emotionally, but I don’t let it distract me, I always try to keep an overview. When the clapperboard closes, it requires that I’m completely focused and present for everything that happens in front of the camera. I love that moment when the clapperboard falls shut, every crew member has their place and calm returns to the set before the action begins.

How did you get to know Đức Ngõ Ngọc, with whom you shot TRADING HAPPINESS, among other films?

I got to know the director and writer Đức Ngô Ngọc during my master’s degree studies at the Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf. After working together on TRADING HAPPINESS, which we shot in Vietnam, I was lucky enough to take on the cinematography for three more of Đức Ngô Ngọc’s projects. We are currently working together on the next feature film. We complement each other and strive for the same vision. It is very enriching for me to find a common language, to inspire each other and to develop artistically together.

You travel abroad a lot, for example, for the multi-award-winning film EXILE NEVER ENDS by Bahar Bektaş.

That’s right. My most recent work for director Bahar Bektas was shot in Turkey: an intimate portrait of a Kurdish-Alevist family. As a cinematographer, I would like to use my images to forge thematic and cultural bridges and create connections. I have a real fascination for stories, themes and people from a culture that’s not my own. Working abroad and collaborating with filmmakers from different countries is enriching and sometimes surprising. When I was filming in in Vietnam, I worked with an almost exclusively local lighting and camera crew who had never worked with a woman on camera before. It takes courage and a lot of time to build up trust.

Is cinematography an individual or team sport?

Cinematography is definitely a team sport. In both fictional and documentary film. It involves close collaboration with the crew and cast, who become my family for the duration of the production. And because a new team constellation comes together for each film, it’s always exciting.

Do you have rituals, fixed points?

During the shoot, I always have a notepad in my pocket on which I have jotted down the most important visual thoughts. These notes serve as a guide and give me a certain sense of security. In addition to precise preparation, a harmonious and productive atmosphere on set is essential for me. So not a day of filming goes by without me saying “Good morning” to every crew member to start the day.

You shot THERE IS NO END TO THIS STORY together with director Cosima Frei. What makes the film special?

It’s a very unique film in hybrid form. It lives from documentary and fictional scenes, which are skilfully interwoven in the montage. I like documentary elements in fictional feature films. By that I mean the authenticity of the lighting design, the proximity to reality or an observational camera that is nevertheless close to the action. It means a lot to me when an actress or actor barely notices the camera or when protagonists in a documentary film are able to open up as if there is no camera in the room with them.

What project are you currently working on?

At the moment, I’m working on a feature-length documentary film directed by Sabine Lidl, and that I’m realizing together with cameraman Filip Zumbrunn. The film SIRI HUSTVEDT – THE BLAZING WORLD is a portrait of the American writer and essayist Siri Hustvedt. Filming for this production is taking me to faraway countries once again: the next shooting location is at the northernmost point of Norway. And I’m looking forward to realising a wonderful new film project this autumn. I’m not allowed to say anything more about it yet, though.

Are there any cinematographers whose style is unmistakable?

Rachel Morrison, Natasha Braier, Ari Wegner and Judith Kaufmann cinematographers whose styles were formative for me.

Who would you like to sit and have a coffee with?

As inspiration for my own artistic practice, I would love to exchange ideas with a set designer or a gaffer. In order to create a unique image, I not only need my eye looking at the action through the lens, but also a close connection and good communication with the set and lighting crew. The exchange with this quadrangle of trades – including the director – is a great source of inspiration when it comes to developing creativity and composition.