As a lifelong cinephile with a penchant for the dramatic and a soft spot for sports stories, I must say that HBO’s “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” has been an absolute treat to watch. The second season, in particular, has taken my breath away with its innovative cinematography, especially the use of the rollerblade camera.
The second season of HBO’s “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” carries on by portraying the intense competition between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics for NBA titles. For Emmy-nominated cameraman Todd Banhazl, ASC, filming the playoffs was significant, but what truly mattered was conveying the heartfelt feelings during the games.
John Lake unveiled his hidden tool: the rollerblade camera. He was equipped with a backpack setup and a 16mm camera, allowing him to move freely and swiftly within the game. Banhazl opted for this method to make certain parts of the game appear more intense and give the feeling that they were actual archival footage.
During the game, the rollerblade-mounted camera moved at an agile pace, and when it came to blocking scenes and rehearsing, Lake was seamlessly incorporated. The plays were arranged around him, with Banhazl describing the collaboration as a dance. He explained, “We began executing these intricate maneuvers where we could skate alongside our actors, then spin around. We could substitute one of our basketball doubles for a slam dunk, and then circle back to land on our actor’s face once more.”
After determining their initial dilemma, Banhazl encountered another hurdle: The sequence was a substantial one. “How can we make them appear as though they’re moving through various teams over the course of a season while also maintaining the illusion that they’re facing each other directly?” Banhazl and director Salli Richardson discussed how the scenes should be visualized. “She suggested, ‘I’m not entirely sure what it will look like yet, but it feels like we’re spinning with them, and they’re almost interacting with one another.’ That’s how we initially conceived the idea of, ‘What if it seems as though they’re passing and shooting at each other across games?'”
In a similar vein, Banhazl portrayed Larry Bird in a manner reminiscent of a western character. The legend and origin of Larry Bird were shrouded in mystery, so the intention was to depict him as our quintessential Western villain, yet simultaneously evoke empathy for him. To achieve this, he employed low-angle, expansive Western-style push-ins when filming him.
However, during the playoffs, the focus shifted towards both Bird and Magic Johnson, viewing them as equals and esteemed figures. As he put it, “Both men had a chance to win, and they were the only ones who could match each other’s skills. Therefore, it was about creating an even playing field, keeping them in close proximity, and capturing their interaction as if they were engaged in a joint photographic battle.”
In the art of capturing Magic, Banhazl embraced his role as a charismatic leading figure. He relished in the camera’s response to his swagger, viewing it as an opportunity to showcase both the flamboyant and the authentic aspects of his persona. As he put it, “We aimed for the most extravagant shots for the camera, but also sought to balance that with the rawest, most exposed moments.” To achieve this, they utilized large crane shots from above and long, oblique lenses using 16mm film. The goal was to portray him as self-assured and overconfident on one hand, and strikingly human and vulnerable on the other.
Banhazl and Richardson used their iPhones throughout rehearsals to identify any issues, and subsequently adjusted the scene according to the footage captured. He shared, “This specific sequence required precision because it covers multiple transition points where it appears they’re passing or shooting to each other. We were meticulous with the iPhone recording and later edited the footage on an iPhone itself, ensuring that every concealed transition point would function seamlessly like glue.”
Lighting was important in the scene. The basketball was shot on a single 360 green screen stage. He used LED lighting from above to replicate the old, brutal stadium lighting. As the play moved between The Garden and the Forum, the lighting would switch. “The forum was like a showtime white light, almost like it’s like a stage production or a rock and roll show. And then the Celtics’ Garden was this pissy amber orange. It’s much older and it’s in Boston, and we were playing with making fun of how old and gross the Garden is.”
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I was thrilled to learn that “Winning Time” was captured on good ol’ fashioned 35mm film using Panavision Primo lenses. This classic setup formed the heart of our production, but we didn’t stop there! We dabbled with various formats too, such as 16mm in both color and black & white, and even the nostalgic 8mm. It was all part of an effort to give it that authentic, time-capsule feel – like unearthing a dusty bin labeled ‘Lakers 1985’ after four decades!
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2024-08-22 21:49