Interview with John Toll, ASC
Q: Walk me through the camera tests and choices. With Netflix, 4K is mandated, so that immediately eliminates a lot of the contenders. How did you ultimately arrive at the F55? Toll: I knew we would need to be as mobile and flexible as possible, and the Netflix 4K requirement limited the choice of cameras somewhat. This, combined with the handheld and Steadicam issue really narrowed it quite a bit. Also, if we ever had a need for technical support for the cameras, out of geographic necessity we would likely be doing it ourselves. I did quite a bit of research, spoke to other cinematographers, and did tests with the F55 and other cameras. Based on all of this, I believed the F55 made the most sense for us in terms of reliability, flexibility, technical recording capabilities, and options for establishing a look that was appropriate for the project. Q: How would you characterize the look of the camera? Were you happy with the results in terms of skin tone reproduction and dynamic range? Toll: Yes. It has good skin reproduction and an impressive dynamic range. Also, the characteristics of the overall look of the project evolved somewhat in the process of shooting, as opposed to being firmly established prior to production. The F55 was flexible enough that we had the ability to develop this as we were shooting.
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