Recording in very small spaces and preparing the Mise-en-Scène 2 (implementation)

Recording in very small spaces:

That scene was very difficult to film despite only having three shots. Since the machinery needed to be moved manually with two hands, we knew it was going to be very complicated. We also needed to move the characters; since Legos can't make facial expressions, we needed to move them around a lot. Not only that, our director had to use hand gestures to signal the scene, shot, and take to the editor, and he also had to tell me when to start filming. The icing on the cake was that I needed to film from very close up because the scene required close-ups, and I also needed the tripod for stability because I was filming crouching down.

At that moment I was a little stressed because I thought we weren't going to be able to film the scene. We tried three times and realized it wasn't working because there were too many hands inside the oven (six in total). That not only jeopardized the visuals of the scene, but also the quality and stability of the shots.

​​​Behind the scenes

The solution? We arrived at it through communication and teamwork. Our director spoke with the editor, and they agreed to use hand movements for the scene from a distance; in other words, the editor would be guided by the sound. We already had two hands out of the oven, only four more to go. For my part, I spoke with the director and decided not to use the tripod . I knew it risked the stability of the shots, but with too many hands in the way, I couldn't film properly. In the end, only two hands remained (those of the editor's brother), and he operated the equipment perfectly.

I learned that sometimes using a tripod (even though it provides stability) becomes impossible in challenging locations. As the cinematographer , I had to assess the space and make the decision to shoot handheld, prioritizing framing and movement over stabilization. I also learned how crucial communication is on set; this scene only worked because the director, editor, and I were in constant communication. We had to solve problems quickly, adapt roles, and find a workflow that minimized the number of people involved.

Behind the scenes after problem solving