American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 21

AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER THEASC.COM
precisely map where over- or underexposure is within the frame, or even
where 18% gray is " ) and false color ( " for which there is no standard between
camera manufacturers " ).
" SmallHD incorporated the system into their monitor as a profile for
me to use as a prototype on El Conde, " Lachman notes. " I could finally
demonstrate why IRE, which represents linear voltage values between
stops, is actually false exposure in interpreting our stops - and why the
EL Zone System works so well. The stops on our lenses, meters and the
way we communicate to each other are logarithmic, meaning you have
to double the exposure to formulate the next stop. When I researched
IRE and what it stood for, I was astonished to find that it was designated
for the International Radio Engineers - from 1895! - to track lightning
from radio signals. So, I then understood why tracking exposure with a
sound-based technology wasn't such a good idea. "
A key advantage of the EL Zone System, according to Lachman, is that
" its signal can be trusted for evaluating your exposure, no matter what
ISO you're using, and even if you're using a range of different monitors
or their calibration is off. " A cinematographer can " know what you're really
getting out of your camera when you're setting exposure on set or
on location, and establish and maintain consistency with your DIT and
crewmembers while lighting. " Finally, by providing exposure-mapped
frames for reference, the system " creates the exact exposure record and
look from any previous scenes, in case you need to reshoot them later,
even if you don't use a meter. Your camera is your meter. "
The ultimate strength of the EL Zone System, Lachman attests, is the
standardization of exposure and its usefulness as a language for communicating
on set or during post. He adds, " On El Conde, as a cinematographer
working in black-and-white, I felt like Ansel Adams, placing my
exposure for the range of detail in the highlights and shadow areas and
defining the image's latitude. "
Lighting Strategies
One of the strongest visual elements in El Conde is Lachman's lighting,
which imbues the movie with a range of moods and tones. His approach
to the remote ranch where Pinochet's family has gathered produces
moments that are, by turns, elegant, sensual, horrifying and darkly humorous
- despite a relatively minimal lighting package mandated by
the expense of transporting equipment. Although the cinematographer
drew inspiration for the film from a number of artistic sources (see sidebar,
page 19), " I tried to create our own language, influenced by the locations
we found and the sets we created. "
El Conde was shot entirely in Chile, across six different locations: Valparaiso,
Santiago, La Boca, Panquehue, Patagonia and the Chilean Antarctic.
Working in the latter region in the wintertime, at the abandoned
ranch, forced the filmmakers to confront the cold wind temperatures, as
well as the changing light and clouds - which Lachman was able to turn
to his advantage by creating dramatic landscapes.
The film's key setting was actually a sheep farm in Patagonia, " but we
shot the interior scenes of the farmhouse on a set in Santiago, " Lachman
says. " I had to imagine what the light could be like two months later
in the wide, open landscapes of Patagonia. I knew it would be winter,
but that only meant it could be cloudy, or sunny, and that the weather
could change very quickly. I had to come up with a solution on the set,
knowing the weather could change at any time because of the season.
Shooting interiors first, not knowing if the exteriors will match later, is
a problem for any cinematographer. I talked to Pablo constantly about
what time of day it would be for interior scenes, and my solution for
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American Cinematographer - November 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - November 2023
