Under The Influencer
Official Selection
Dances With Films | CineQuest | Julien Dubuque | Sedona FF
Kansas City Film Festival | USA Film Festival
Under the Influencer is a feature film I lensed in May of 2022. Based on the French New Wave film Cléo de 5 à 7, my intention was to create a modern take on the style. Using five different camera formats to tell the story, we created a modern fairytale of one woman’s journey to find herself.
I paired the Alexa with Arri Ultra Primes to create our base look for the project. These provided exceptional sharpness and clarity while giving us great depth and separation in interior spaces.
My gaffer and I wanted to incorporate a classic lighting style found in many indie dramas of the 90’s. Strong natural light pushed in from exterior sources provided our base. The Before Series by Richard Linklater was a strong influence, as well as more modern movies such as The Kids Are Alright and Call Me By Your Name.
In the final act, the director wanted to create a distinct change in the visuals due to the lead character’s decisions. We finally landed on the Angenieux Eclair 12-120 16mm lens. Wide open it provides a mystical and dreamlike feel that immediately brought me back to 70’s independent cinema. In fact, many French New Wave films were shot on this very lens. The Eclair, combined with various webcam and youtube Vlogging segments, creates a tapestry of visual styles that are connected through classic lighting and framing.
WRITER/DIRECTOR
Alex Haughey
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Matthew Lynn
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Masha Ko