In a podcast called “The Making Of” on the making of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” DP Lawrence Sher, ASC, shared some intriguing facts regarding the cameras chosen to shoot the movie. It appears that Sher wanted to shoot in 15-perf (an IMAX film camera), but he chose the ARRI 65 instead for two reasons: camera sound and continuity to the first Joker.

The Cinematography of “Joker: Folie à Deux”

In a podcast titled “Lawrence Sher, ASC on The Making Of ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’”, the DP Lawrence Sher, ASC explains the cinematography of Joker 2, elaborates on the cameras and lenses (it appears that the VENICE 2 Rialto was used as well), lenses, and the decision to choose digital over 15-perf IMAX film cameras. We’ve gathered the main technical insights. You can listen to the entire episode here. Subscribe to “The Making Of“. 

Cameras: ARRI 65 and VENICE 2 Rialto

It’s well known that the main camera was the ARRI ALEXA 65, the same camera that shot the first Joker. The ARRI 65 was chosen because of the medium format look & feel and to maintain the same imagery as Joker 1. Here’s what Sher has to say about it: “We shot, again, like the first one, and in large part to maintain the continuity. This movie takes place a couple of years after the first one. ARRI 65, many of the same lenses. We had LF as, like, a C camera and additional cameras, and then we had a section of the movie that we shot on the VENICE 2 in the Rialto mode. And then our lenses were a lot of the same ones”. Interestingly, Sher admits that the Sony VENICE 2 Rialto 2 was also utilized. However, he doesn’t elaborate on which scenes.

Lenses: Diversity is the key

We wrote about the ‘Joker lens’ developed by MasterBuilt, especially for the movie. However, it seems that in Joker 2 Sher has been utilizing a decent amount of glass, as stated: “This sort of Frankenstein hodgepodge of lenses that we have that are like in large part based on which are close focus and speed and almost more reverse engineering criteria that were important to the sort of fluidity of the way we made the movie. But our hero lenses As I was saying, the J were like this 35 Compact Prime, this 58 Nikkor, this 80 DNA, this 90 Leica, 135 Leica, and 280 Leica, and then the 350, like 765, like signature, or whatever the vintage 65 that area has. So it was truly like a mix of those lenses. And then we had some autoblods, like these lenses, these Hasselblads that Otto built that were like in there in the mix. And yeah, so we used a lot of, but a lot of that glass is also in the first Joker too”.

Supposed to be Filmed in IMAX film cameras

At first, Sher wanted Joker 2 to be filmed with IMAX film cameras. Unfortunately, they chose the ALEXA 65 (which is a great camera but it’s not a 65mm film…) for two main reasons: The loud sound of the 15-perf engine which caused solid challenges to shoot dialogues, and the sub-goal to preserve continuity to the first Joker. “I tested 15 perf and 65mm film side by each with ARRI 65 considered it but in truth also because of the fluidity but really the sound of the 15 perf even if we said oh for that because we shot it for IMAX we shot it really with the intent of expanding the movie will expand in IMAX theaters from 2.20 to 1.90 and then in certain theaters to 1.43 so we were very conscious of like that IMAX aspect of it hence wanting to sort of test their film cameras But I think, in large part, it was also to maintain the continuity that we went back to the ARRI 65. And, I mean, when the 15 perf gets a little more quiet, maybe. It’s cool, though. It’s cool. But it was like, okay. Even Todd, who loves film, was like, yeah, let’s go to the ARRI 65” said Sher.

If so, will Sher be using the much quieter Next-Gen IMAX film camera in the shooting of Joker 3?