Hoyte van Hoytema cinematography style explained — a breakdown of Hoytema’s cinematography techniques in movies like Nope, Tenet, Dunkirk, Interstellar, and more.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro to Hoyte van Hoytema
01:22 - Chapter 1: Innovative Lighting
04:56 - Chapter 2: Master of IMAX
07:59 - Chapter 3: Intimate Lenses
12:06 - Final Thoughts
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HOYTE VAN HOYTEMA CINEMATOGRAPHY STYLE EXPLAINED
When it comes to cinematography techniques, few DPs are given the budgets and the creative freedom to push the boundaries like Hoyte van Hoytema. It also helps that he works with top-shelf auteurs like Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele, Sam Mendes, and many others. But how does Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography style adapt to each director and each project? In this video, we’re going to illuminate some of the specific cinematography techniques Hoytema has employed in movies like Nope, Tenet, Spectre, Dunkirk, and Interstellar.
INNOVATIVE LIGHTING
One element of Hoyte van Hoytema cinematography is his innovative use of lighting. When he shot Spectre, for example, he wanted to avoid the traditional three-point lighting. To do this, he skipped the fill light or even employed a negative fill to give these close-ups a darker edge than we’ve previously seen in a Bond film. For Interstellar, the tesseract sequence could have easily been shot in front of a giant green screen. But for a layer of verisimilitude (especially in such an abstract setting), Hoytema used rear projection that also gave the VFX team a realistic reference to the lighting.
MASTER OF IMAX
Another aspect of Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography style is his use of IMAX cameras. On Interstellar, he wanted the typically bulky and unwieldy cameras to be mobile. So, they developed handheld rigs and stripped away anything they didn’t absolutely need. This mobility allowed for a grounded realism and close-ups that were previously unheard of with IMAX cameras. On Dunkirk, Nolan set him another challenge to put IMAX cameras where they had never been before, like on the wing of a plane or inside a cockpit. Thanks to filmmakers like Nolan, Hoytema, and Peele, IMAX cinematography has now become not just an option but the standard for blockbuster films.
INTIMATE LENSES
Our last aspect of the Hoyte van Hoytema cinematography style is how he uses lenses for maximum intimacy. A fantastic example of these cinematography techniques can be found in Let the Right One In. With shallow focus, Hoytema creates an insular world around Oskar and keeps his focus on the budding relationship between him and Eli.
Few would argue that Hoyte van Hoytema cinematography is some of the best we’ve seen in the last few years. Even at the top end of budgets and studio filmmaking, Hoytema brings supreme skill to push boundaries while serving the story and creating a spectacle in the process.
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VIDEO EDITOR: BRANDON SCULLION
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♬ SONGS USED:
“The Run (Urban Legends)”- Michael Abels
“Detach” - Hans Zimmer
“A Trip to the Moon” - Max Richter
“This is the Lost Generation” - The Lost Generation
“A Place Without Mercy” - Thomas Newman
“Mission Briefing” - Grame Norgate & Rob
“Day One” - Hans Zimmer
“The Oprah Shot” - Michael Abels
“Jupiter’s Claim” - Michael Abels
“Cornfield Chase” - Hans Zimmer
“The Mole” - Hans Zimmer
“End Titles” - Benjamin Wallfisch, Edgar Elgar, Lorne Balfe, Hans Zimmer
“Regimental Brothers” - Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balfe
“Let The Right One In” - Johan Söderqvist
“Oscar in Love” - Johan Söderqvist
“Sleepwalker” - Arcade Fire and Owen Pallett
“Windmills” - Ludwig Göransson
“Dust” - Hans Zimmer
“Supermarine” - Hans Zimmer
“Preparing the Trap” - Michael Abels
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