ART OF THE SHOT WITH CINEMATOGRAPHER
MARTIN AHLGREN
by Brian Hallett
C
inematographer Martin Ahlgren is known for his work on independent features and television shows, such as House of Cards and Daredevil, and an upcoming new show for Netflix based on the cyberpunk novel Altered Carbon.
that that’s the best starting off point. And then they may have references or specific things in mind that they refer to, which is when you bring in ideas and possibilities for how to approach it.
BRIAN HALLETT (BH): How do you prep for your projects?
(BH): On House of Cards and Daredevil, in which you shot the second season, how do you add your personal cinematographer style to a show that’s already started?
MARTIN AHLGREN (MA): Well, you know it depends. I think the main thing is to take your cues from the director. One of the main things that I feel is my job when I get on a new project is to get in the head of the director and figure out what he or she wants to accomplish, what the project means to them, and what they see as what the story is about. I think to a large extent
(MA): In both those cases I was a fan of what had been done before. When you’re doing television, in a way, you’re doing a very long movie that is several seasons. There needs to be a consistency, I feel, to what that world looks and feels like. That said, I think each cinematographer is going to approach how they go about things in their own way. On House of Cards for
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SIGHT, SOUND & STORY
