‘Nosferatu’ Cinematographer Breaks Down the Count Orlok Encounter Sequence and Shooting on Film

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If “Nosferatu” leaves you feeling on edge and unsettled, then you’re experiencing just the right atmosphere that filmmaker Robert Eggers intended to create.

In this modern re-imagining of the silent film classic by F. W. Murnau’s ‘Nosferatu’, directors Eggers and Blaschke experimented with creating an atmosphere of bewilderment.

In this instance, Bill Skarsgård portrays the menacing Count Orlok, who haunts Lily-Rose Depp’s character Ellen, a young woman unwittingly drawn into his affections. Discussing the filmmaking process with EbMaster’s Inside the Frame, Blaschke states, “We create an ordinary scene, but we’ll leave you guessing and on edge, as everything is meticulously planned.

An illustration involves the character, Thomas Hutter (portrayed by Nicholas Hoult), journeying to Transylvania for the purpose of encountering Count Orlok and securing his signature on a German castle’s ownership document.

Blaschke points out that one significant feature of this movie is the disorienting feeling of being guided by the camera, and not always knowing what you’ll see next.”

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“According to Blaschke, a key element of this film is the confusing sensation of having the camera direct your gaze, as you never quite know what you’re going to encounter next.

For the very first time, we get a glimpse of the mysterious Count, yet this revelation leaves us feeling bewildered. In one scene, Orlok is seen standing on the stairs, but when the camera moves forward, he’s inexplicably vanished.

Initially, Blaschke employed various techniques to manifest and vanish Orlok at will. He explained, “We utilize vast distances and darkness beyond the staircase, then he disappears again. Afterward, he appears as a genuine shadow against the flames.

For the very first time, audiences truly behold Orlok in a prolonged view. Additionally, cinematographer F.W. Murnau and set designer Craig Lathrop worked together to make sure that Orlok’s figure was appropriately shadowy when he emerged by the fireplace.

As Thomas comes into clear view on screen, Orlok remains blurred. It’s crucial that Orlok stays out of focus since this area is well-lit. We’re still employing these techniques to question reality: What’s true? Where is Orlok? The camera circles around Thomas, while Orlok handles documents nearby. All at once, he appears next to Thomas, pouring his chalice.

To prevent the lighting from appearing dull, Blaschke decided not to use lights positioned around the fireplace. Instead, they enhanced the illumination by using mirrors. When we shoot towards Thomas, it creates a beautiful, deep cross-lighting effect when he’s seated at the table.

In the making of “Nosferatu”, Blaschke wasn’t new to working with film, but this time he aimed to use real flames instead of electric tricks. His goal was to create a scene where fire could be captured on camera. He arranged for high-speed lenses from Panavision to achieve this unique effect.

For “Nosferatu”, Blaschke wasn’t unfamiliar with using film, but he wanted to use real fire in this production instead of relying on electrical effects. His intention was to see if they could successfully capture fire on camera, so he had high-speed lenses custom-made by Panavision for the purpose.

Dan Sasaki, Panavision’s senior vice president for optical engineering, supplied the lenses essential for achieving the cinematic effects. Blaschke acknowledges his focus puller, Ashley Bond, for her expertise. “It takes a skilled focus puller to manage this task because our film isn’t limited to stationary shots; we have characters moving within space, and at such low light levels, the depth of field becomes incredibly narrow.” He adds, “Sometimes, the margin for error is only a centimeter on a shot this large. So it’s not something to be taken lightly. Fortunately, I have one of the best focus pullers globally who’s eager to collaborate with me. I first worked with him on ‘The Northman’ and he excelled in handling scenes like these.

Blaschke achieved the moonlit shot in such a way that as Thomas neared the castle, it seemed as if the scene was bathed in moonlight. This was done by having no red tones on the negative film at all. Instead, the film had an unusual three-layered color system: there was a hint of green, but primarily, the blue layers were responsible for most of the brightness and illumination.

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2025-01-06 20:17