The action crime thriller, Infamous, can be used as a case study for cinematographers, filmmakers, and storytellers, among other films that utilized beautiful extreme close-ups combined with dynamic shots in order to tell the story. Infamous was shot by DP Eve Cohen on the ARRI ALEXA Mini paired with Leitz SUMMILUX-C lenses. Here’re our cinematographic thoughts.
Infamous: A modern ‘Bonnie and Clyde
Although the movie is not new, I’ve just watched it and decided to write about the cinematography behind it. This is a ‘technical’ review, which I’m NOT going to focus on the story/script. Infamous is a 2020 American crime thriller film written and directed by Joshua Caldwell. It stars Bella Thorne, Jake Manley, Amber Riley, Michael Sirow, and Marisa Coughlan. It follows the story of two young lovers robbing their way across the southland, posting their exploits to social media, and gaining fame and followers as a result.
The film is a modern version of ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ and it’s based on the obsession regarding the parallel world, which is our social media space, the pursuit of more followers, and the unexplained/unlogical eagerness of being notable. The film was released in June 2020 by Vertical Entertainment. Although the critics were so-so, reviewers praised the cinematography which was crafted by Director of Photography Eve Cohen.
Action cinematography based on narrow shots
Almost all the film was shot ‘narrow’. There was minimal utilization of wide-angle lenses. In my opinion, the dominant focal length was 40-50mm, and maybe 35mm. The used glass was Leitz SUMMILUX-C paired with the ARRI ALEXA Mini. Using narrow lenses on a Super 35mm sensor results in extreme closeups. Moreover, it appears that most of the time, Cohen shot wide-open, with the desire to emphasize the characters and their dilemmas.
Furthermore, the ‘native’ focal lengths allowed the object to look more natural, and thus helped the audience to sympathize with the main two characters. In other words, shooting 50mm, wide open, while focusing on the face, amplifies the connection between the audience and the characters. However, regarding cinematography, this is not an easy task, mainly when shooting action which involves a lot of dynamic shots, that cause the focus puller to sweat.
Handheld cinematography
Cohen shot Infamous mostly handheld. The convenient form factor of the ARRI ALEXA Mini allows that shooting style made pretty straightforward and natural. Also, by utilizing the SUMMILUX-C primes, the overall camera package remains even more ideal for handheld shooting, especially on action sequences. There’re some scenes that demanded heavy rigs and sliders, but the dominant shots are those with the natural organic movement of the handheld setup.
Closing thoughts
Infamous constitutes a valid case study for independent filmmakers. The narrow shooting style, using Super 35mm sensor, paired with 35mm-50mm lenses, helps to emphasize storytelling. Furthermore, these narrow shots which are heavily focused on faces, eliminate the need for an expensive set and decoration, since the focus is on the faces rather than on location itself. Hence, this cinematography strategy works best for indie productions, and with a solid camera, glass, and expertise, the result can be appealing.
Check out Infamous trailer below:
Have you watched Infamous? What do you think about the cinematography? Have you noticed those intimate shots?
