January 6, 2025

Shot Talk – Emilia Pérez with DP Paul Guilhaume, AFC

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Summary

In this episode of Shot Talk, Lawrence Sher, ASC sits down with cinematographer Paul Guilhaume, AFC for an in-depth conversation about his work on the Netflix crime musical (and Golden Globe winning film) Emilia Pérez.

From discussing how he and director Jacques Audiard approached filming the choreography of key scenes, to how they used pre-vis when matching studio and location shoots, Paul offers an insider’s look at the creative journey he went on to bring this award-winning musical to life.

This episode of Shot Talk is sponsored by SONY, a leading manufacturer of digital cinema cameras, including the brand’s flagship VENICE 2.

Key moments

  • 00:02:58 How Paul Met Director Jacques Audiard
  • 00:03:26 From Two Films to One: The Genesis of Emilia Pérez as a Musical
  • 00:04:56 Shooting a Musical for the First Time
  • 00:06:20 Visual References & Building a Workshop Mentality on Set
  • 00:10:28 Scene Breakdown: “El Mal” Musical Number
  • 00:14:30 Lighting the Scene: The Moving Single Key
  • 00:16:00 Jacques Directing Technique: Highlighting the Actor in Light
  • 00:18:45 The Courthouse Scene: Julian’s Hyper Flash Effect
  • 00:21:05 Interrupting Creative Direction: Creating a Film That Shines
  • 00:23:51 Scene Breakdown: Using Practical-only Lighting for the Opening
  • 00:26:36 Camera and Lens: Sony VENICE 1 & 2 and Tribe 7
  • 00:30:39 Paul's Living Production Document: Workflow & Shot Organization
  • 00:34:40 Scene Breakdown: The Final Act Shootout
  • 00:38:45 Scene Breakdown: Selena's Dark Ideas
  • 00:43:40 Scene Breakdown: Using Muzzle Flashes to Light the Final Sequence
  • 00:46:00 Shooting for VFX & The Magic Light
  • 00:49:47 Finding "One Image Per Sequence": Audiard's Visual Philosophy
  • 00:51:38 The Prep Book: One Sheet Per Sequence
  • 00:52:48 The Opening Shot: How the First Image Was Chosen in the Edit
  • 00:55:10 Closing Reflections: Telling Powerful Stories
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