American Cinematographer - July 2008 - 20

Not surprisingly, the concept of contrast extended to the lighting — “warm light and cold light meeting each other” is how Sivan describes it. He tried to shoot exteriors when the light was fleeting, in early morning or at magic hour, and consistently used an 85 or 81EF filter on the lens. The cold light of early dawn, dusk and the night sky is juxtaposed with the warm light of interiors and fire-lit exteriors. T.K.’s living quarters, essentially a shack on Moores’ property, is hazy with thick, honey-colored light. “We dimmed the [practical] bulb down to 30 percent and augmented that light with a bank of tungsten lights wired through dimmers. The look of most interiors was modeled on the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, who is an icon in India. He painted gods and goddesses in beautiful light and costumes, and his feel for light has been a big influence on many Above: Moores and his maid, Sajani (Nandita Das), steal away to the forest for an intimate encounter. Right: In T.K.’s quarters, T.K. and Moores debate what to do with Sajani, who asks for help after being beaten by her husband. of my films, especially this one.” Sivan tried to minimize the use of artificial light outdoors. When he needed it, usually for a night scene, he set up big sources pushed through large frames of white diffusion. He points to one such “magic sky shot,” which shows villagers carrying torches crossing a bridge on their way to seize T.K., whom they suspect of killing Sajani. Sivan waited until just after dusk to film the scene and relied on HMIs pushed through diffusion. The flames from the torches contrast markedly with the cold sky. Both kinds of light can also be seen during a sequence in which Moores and his wife (Jennifer Ehle) are entertaining a British official. The inside of the Moores’ home is lit with Jem Lights dimmed down to a golden glow. (Ostensibly, the light comes from the chandeliers and lamps scattered throughout the house.) During the scene, the Moores’ dog starts barking, and Moores grabs his rifle and goes out to investigate. A short distance from the house, he finds Sajani in the bushes, battered and bruised. HMIs pushed through white diffusion keep the foreground a chilly blue, while the warm light of the house stands out in the background. In one of the film’s most arresting sequences, T.K. is tried by the village council for Sajani’s murder. A panicstricken T.K. cowers on the dirt floor in the middle of the circle, surrounded by village elders who sit in rows of chairs. One of the villagers crouches next to T.K., holding a large metal spoon that he thrusts into a ceremonial dish of flames. He hands the red-hot spoon to T.K., who must slowly drag it across his tongue. This is repeated three times, and T.K.’s guilt or innocence will be determined by whether his tongue is burnt. T.K is seen in tight close-up, with the villagers seated perhaps 10' behind him. The flames dance between his face and the camera. Everything is in focus: the flames, T.K.’s face and the villagers. “I used a wide-angle lens, I think an 18mm,” recalls Sivan. “And I maximized the depth-of-field by shooting at f11.” The trial takes place in a court- 20 July 2008

American Cinematographer - July 2008

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