My dad used to say, “What’s remembered – lives.” This quote from the American drama “Nomadland” could be equally applied to the film itself. A couple of years have passed, but we still return in thought to the vast astonishing landscapes and the heartbreaking yet somehow optimistic story of Fern. This movie hits so close to home that it seems more like a documentary rather than a fiction feature film, partly because of its absolutely beautiful naturalistic cinematography. How and why this visual approach was the only one possible for “Nomadland”? Let’s take a closer look. In this ASC Clubhouse Conversation held by Amelia Vincent, cinematographer Joshua James Richards leads us through all the challenges and delightful moments of naturalistic filming in “Nomadland”. Together with the director Chloé Zhao, they set some rules which allowed them to capture spontaneous moments and still create an engaging drama. For example, although the main character of Fern is played by gorgeous Frances McDormand, in a lot of scenes we see actual nomads and hear real stories from their lives. In another instance, Richards shot most of the film using only natural light. Below he explains his visual decisions and shares some of the set stories. Joshua James Richards on the set of “Nomadland”. Image source: ASC Watch the whole conversation on MZed.com. Inspirations and general approach for Nomadland If you had watched “Nomadland”, then you would have already thought: “Hmm, that seems a bit like the works of Terrence Malick and Emmanuel Lubezki.”...
Published By: CineD - Thursday, 2 March, 2023