Creating the Futurescape for the Fifth Element

Summary

The 3-D space in the pre-visualization didn't always relate to the physical stage, but effects cinematographer Bill Neil and his associate, Paul Gentry, found it to be useful, if only as a timing guide. Neil explains, “It was a wonderful communications tool between the visual effects team and the director to help clarify what his vision contained, and to reach a common understanding." Neil insisted on shooting the city background plates before filming the cars in order to create interactive light on the vehicles that would relate to their environment. Although Besson's center-focused perspective ran contrary to Neil's experience in composition, the cameraman found that it offered some interesting problems to solve — such as creating depth when shooting a limited number of buildings being elongated to infinity via digital matte paintings. Adding to this challenge was Besson's directive that the sequence occur in broad daylight. "I was shocked," admits Neil. "Miniatures are often saved by the fact that you don't see much of them, but this whole sequence took place late in the day, and it had to hold up to scrutiny. The stage ceiling was only a few feet above the top of the buildings, so we did tests to see how we could light that expanse of vista. Fortunately, my gaffer, George Ball, and my key grip, Joe Celeste, were able to realize my ideas on the stage. We had a general skylight that came from the top, and then a golden key light that was supposed to be the late day sun raking through any gaps between the buildings. But instead of having key light all coming from roughly the same direction, I took what I came to call a 'fractured light approach,' where I added broken light coming off buildings that were not in frame, often at steep angles, reflecting back in the opposite direction from the sunlight key. That gave the city an energy, a modulation of the light that was quite wonderful. "I also built aerial perspective into the scene so that as the distance from camer...