Have you watched Netflix’s “Inventing Anna” yet? This well-crafted (from an imagery perspective) was shot on the Sony VENICE by four cinematographers. That (essential) filming strategy, has contributed to the flexibility of the look as it evolved during each episode.
Inventing Anna
Inventing Anna is a nine-part American drama streaming television miniseries created and produced by Shonda Rhimes, inspired by the story of Anna Sorokin and the article in New York titled “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People” by Jessica Pressler. The series was released on Netflix in February 2022. Julia Garner stars as Anna Sorokin, the title character. Check out the trailer below:
The series received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances (particularly Garner) but criticized the inconsistent tone. The question raised: Was this inconsistency caused due to multiple directors and cinematographers? It might.
9 chapters, 5 directors, 4 cinematographers
Inventing Anna was directed by David Frankel, Ellen Kuras, Nzingha Stewart, Tom Verica, and Daisy von Scherler Mayer. The series was shot by cinematographers Manuel Billeter, Pierrot Colonna, Tim Norman, and Maryse Alberti. The production was halted amid the pandemic and then resumed with the heavy COVID restrictions which elevated this “ inconsistent tone”. However, it’s not the first time a high-end’ series is being shot by multiple directors and/or cinematographers. The diversity of DPs can, and should, donate to the ‘look & feel’, making it more unique and intriguing.
Multiple cinematographers = challenge
It can be a challenge to work with multiple cinematographers on one show, but for ‘Inventing Anna’ it was an obligatory thing. Nevertheless, we do think that it served as an added value to the visual aesthetics as a whole. According to ShondaLand, DP Maryse Alberti set up the look, but as each DP shot their episodes, we can see an evolution in the look and style depending on the director, who would have been evaluating the visuals depending on whose perspective they were shooting from and which locations. So, the look became much more flexible as the series went on and adapted to the mood and the locations. Every director brought their style to it, and there wasn’t a rigid set of rules from a cinematographic point of view.
Sony VENICE for the glamorously
The team wanted to show the glossy aspects of the story. Cinematographic-wise, they utilized mainly soft lights, combined with the artistic and precise imagery of the X-OCN (VENICE’s codec). The series involved self-designed indoor locations and impressive scenery shots as well (Morocco episodes). Hence, every cinematographer was able to adapt the correct look to be merged accurately into the story. Nevertheless, it’s interesting that the camera was not changed. The Sony VENICE was one of the constant tools in the series.
Closing thoughts
‘Inventing Anna’ suffers from inconsistency. However, this is its main strength. As filmmakers, it’s very educating and challenging to try and reveal the small changes and secret sauce each DP has placed into the final dish. Try to find those nuances. Inventing Anna is now streaming on Netflix. Have you watched it? Let’s know your thoughts.
Product List
Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers.
- Sony VENICE 2 Digital Motion Picture Camera (8K)
- Sony VENICE 2 Digital Motion Picture Camera (6K)
