WithLionnow playing in limited release, I recently sat down with cinematographerGreig Fraser(who previously shotZero Dark ThirtyandFoxcatcher) for an extended video interview. During our wide-ranging conversation he talked about how his technique has changed moving from film to digital, using the Alexa 65, why he believes lenses are the most important part of shooting, discusses the approach to shooting India and Melbourne and the decision to give them a cohesive look, filming in the real-life locations from the true story, and so much more. In addition, with Fraser having also shotRogue One, he talked about being influenced byStar Wars, but also trying to make something new withRogue One, if the pressure ever got to him, and shared some behind the scenes stories.
If you aren’t familiar withLion, it’s based on the true story of a young man namedSaroowho became separated from his family in India at the age of five and was subsequently adopted by an Australian family. As a five-year-old, Saroo could not correctly explain where, exactly, he was from, and thus all hopes of finding his family were lost. As an adult, however, the advent of Google Earth provides Saroo with a unique opportunity, as he sets about finding his long lost family once and for all. The film starsDev Patel,Rooney Mara,Nicole Kidman,David Wenham, andSunny Pawar.
Finally, while I knew the story ofLionbefore sitting down to watch it, the way Garth Davis told the story floored me and it’s a hell of a debut. I’m extremely confident Davis will be making a lot more movies in the coming years and I can’t wait to see them.
Here’s what we talked about during the interview. Look for some moreLioninterviews soon.
Greig Fraser:
