December 15, 2023
Shot Talk – Barbie with Dir. Greta Gerwig & DP Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC
Summary
Lawrence Sher, ASC sits down with Greta Gerwig & Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC for an in-depth discussion on the critically-acclaimed (and record breaking) box office smash hit Barbie. From the logistics of recreating realistic sunlight on soundstages to how an Old Spice commercial helped inspire a pivotal montage in the film, the duo break down important moments behind the scenes of production that helped bring the film (and Barbie) to life!
Key moments
- 00:01:38 Choosing Rodrigo Prieto to Shoot the Movie
- 00:04:18 Embracing New Opportunities and Clicking With the Director
- 00:06:31 The Jump From Writing the Script to Prepping the Film
- 00:08:30 The World of Barbieland and Creating a Technicolor Musical World
- 00:10:43 How to Make a World Feel “Authentically Artificial”
- 00:13:00 The Always Sunny Look of Barbieland and the “Technobarbie” LUT
- 00:14:47 Challenges of Having “Absolute Control” on Stage
- 00:17:45 Creating Seamless Digital Set Extensions on The Beach
- 00:20:15 Using the Alexa 65 Big Sensor to Create the Miniature Feel
- 00:22:27 Creating the Stylized Diorama Transitions From Barbieland
- 00:27:00 Previs Solutions and Helping Plan Difficult Sequences
- 00:32:11 Embracing Imperfections and Blending Them With Real VFX
- 00:33:45 Scene Breakdown: The 2001 Homage
- 00:36:50 Rules of the World: Driving Across and Leaving Barbieland
- 00:38:47 Creating Car Movement on a Small Volume
- 00:40:05 Choosing the Right New Tools for the Director’s Toolbox
- 00:41:09 Limitations of Shooting on a Volume and How to Work Around Them
- 00:42:33 Scene Breakdown: The Final Dance Number
- 00:46:32 Watching Movies and Using References as Inspiration
- 00:48:09 Real Home Video Footage at the End of the Movie
- 00:50:47 Making Big Movies and Balancing Studio Pressure
- 00:54:13 Why Every Director Needs to Have a Strong Vision
- 00:55:03 Shooting From the Heart: The Story as the Most Important Part of the Movie
