It’s always fun seeing how huge-budget Hollywood films were shot, and what equipment they use. SetLife magazine created a list of just what cameras and lenses were used on each film nominated for 2014 Best Picture and Best Cinematography nominees. It’s not without some surprises.
The most glaring revelation is that every single film listed was shot using Arri cameras. Arriflex makes unbelievable cameras, like the lauded Arri Alexa, and has a storied reputation in Hollywood. Still, many expected RED to appear more prominently on the list. Instead, RED got shut out.
I don’t think it’s worth reading too far into the absence of RED, and here’s why. First off, six of the films listed were shot partially or entirely on film using Arri film cameras. RED doesn’t make film cameras, and it’s only natural if you are using Arri film cameras for parts of a movie, that you would select Arri digital cameras for the rest.
Secondly, Arri has huge pull in Hollywood production, and as a company that has been around nearly a century, it has a much more robust presence than RED. Directors and cinematographers trust Arri. If anything, it’s remarkable and surprising that RED has wiggled its way into the industry as much as it has over the past half-decade or so.
And finally, let’s simply not forget that these are 13 out of dozens and dozens of Hollywood films each year, and probably not a good statistical representation of the broader landscape of big-budget film production. In any case, it’s not the camera that creates good cinematography, it’s the vision of the person using it. [SetLife via EOSHD]