Filmmaking is full of techniques that make us see the world differently, and we often discuss them in our educational pieces. Fisheye lenses, Dutch angles, unusual shutter speed. But there’s one tool that feels almost supernatural: the infrared camera. It shows us something we cannot see with our own eyes. Heat. Hidden wavelengths. Skin glowing ghostly white, plants turning silver. Is it only beneficial for a surreal aesthetic, or can it also be used for impactful storytelling? Both. Below, we explore film examples that illustrate this bold cinematic decision and its rationale. When you think about infrared, what images pop into your head? We’re accustomed to the classic “cliché” image of an IR night vision security camera, aren’t we? Or to footage captured by the same technology in the wild for documentary shows like Planet Earth. However, Infrared can create a totally different effect on the viewer, and here is how. How does the infrared camera work? Before diving too far into the creative side, let’s pause for a moment and look at how it actually works. In the MZed course “The Art & Science of Lenses,” filmmaker and educator Tal Lazar explains the basics. The light we see is a range of wavelengths, each visible as a different color. Human eyes can detect only those between about 400 and 700 nanometers. Anything below and above that is not visible to us at all: Image source: Tal Lazar/MZed Infrared (or IR) is above 700nm. Such cameras use special sensors or...
Published By: CineD - 4 days ago