The importance of a cinematographer to a film crew cannot be overstated. Unable to reach Philippe LaSalle by phone, Murphy contacted his agent, who also couldn't locate him. Frustrated, Murphy sent someone to Philippe's house to check on him.
Although his cinematographer had a penchant for womanizing and drugs, Murphy had rarely seen him late, especially not to the extent that the entire crew was waiting on him.
Henry Cavill and Margot Robbie, already prepared on set, frequently glanced at Murphy. Seeing this, Murphy sent word for them to rest while waiting.
After another twenty minutes, with Murphy growing increasingly anxious, Gal Gadot hurried over from the office area of the set.
"Philippe had an accident," she said softly as she approached Murphy. "His car was hit on the way here this morning."
"What?" Murphy immediately asked, "Is he alright?"
Gal Gadot shook her head. "Philippe is fine, but the police found marijuana and another illegal substance in his car. He's been taken to the station."
Murphy removed his baseball cap and tossed it onto his director's monitor. "Damn it!"
With a sigh, he said, "Call Robert and see if he can help get Philippe out as soon as possible."
Gal Gadot nodded and went to make the call.
Sitting in his director's chair, Murphy felt a wave of frustration. This was an unexpected situation no one could foresee.
Without Philippe, the assistant could temporarily handle the cinematography, but Philippe's assistant had been poached by another crew before the filming of "The Wolf of Wall Street." The remaining assistants lacked the experience and capability to lead the cinematography team. With the film's high investment and Murphy's strict requirements, these assistants couldn't take charge.
With the scene, lighting, and actors all ready, the entire crew was waiting for Murphy to give the order to start filming.
Murphy beckoned an assistant director over. "Tell the crew to take a break for half an hour."
He then walked over to the cinematography team and gathered all the assistants, preparing to take control of the cinematography himself.
Many directors have a deep understanding of cinematography, a necessary skill. Murphy was no exception. While it was unrealistic for him to serve as the cinematographer for the entire film, he could manage the team temporarily.
Murphy said casually, "Philippe had an unexpected situation. I'll be handling cinematography for today."
The assistants nodded, understanding they had no other choice but to cooperate.
Although Murphy had been less involved in actual filming in recent years, leaving more to Philippe, he now needed to quickly adapt to this new role.
Fortunately, Philippe had already tested and adjusted all the digital cameras. Murphy only needed to review the test footage and make adjustments based on his requirements.
In Murphy's crew, camera testing was a standard procedure, not requiring a special request from the cinematographer. Philippe had been instructed to prepare for this during pre-production, ensuring time and funds were allocated for testing.
Even with the cinematographer familiar with the equipment and image quality, the crew still needed to test the cameras. Each project required fresh testing from scratch to evaluate the tools, subjects, and tonal choices, all of which contributed to the final film's image.
Previously, in the era of film, various lenses, filters, and processing techniques were tested to see how they performed on actors, hairstyles, costumes, and sometimes even sets. The cinematographer and colorist would then study these tests to find the best combination for the project.
With digital, testing remained crucial, perhaps even more so due to the variety of available options. Murphy conducted a site test according to these procedures before starting the actual shoot.
After reviewing the test results, Murphy adjusted the cameras accordingly and notified the crew to prepare for filming.
Once the extras were in place and Margot Robbie and Henry Cavill rehearsed their positions, the clapperboard was placed in front of Murphy's main camera. "Chaos City, Scene One, Take One, Action!"
The lighting on set was somewhat dim, with an incandescent lamp illuminating Margot Robbie's face, making her appear both beautiful and resolute, as if she had an unshakeable belief.
Several burly men in black lay motionless on the ground.
In the shadows created by the set, a man in black, his face obscured, leaned against a corner.
"Upholding justice is a good thing," the man's voice was hoarse. "But in this chaotic and sinful city, if you want to uphold justice, you must first protect yourself."
Margot Robbie looked towards the shadowy figure of Henry Cavill, her voice as resolute as her expression. "I know what to do! Crime must be punished by the law, not by violence like you!"
Henry Cavill, dressed in black, stood up abruptly. "Only by instilling fear in these people can the city be saved, and the law enforced! As it is now…"
"Cut!" Murphy called out, stepping out from behind the camera. "Take five!"
He told Henry Cavill and Margot Robbie, "It's not your fault, it's mine."
He then called over a camera assistant, instructing him to adjust the main camera to the left by twenty degrees to capture more shadows on Henry's face.
Returning to his director's chair, Murphy carefully reviewed the footage from the other cameras, making further adjustments as needed.
Directing and handling cinematography was no easy task, especially as this was Murphy's first time taking on the cinematographer role directly.
An excellent cinematographer is both a technician and an artist, turning ordinary scenes into something with atmosphere and emotional weight using shadows, lighting, and other visual tools.
Achieving this requires a vast amount of knowledge about lenses, filters, and post-production processes. Each idea must be tested repeatedly. Great cinematographers foster a deep enthusiasm for creating moods and emotional power within their work.
For instance, making a lead actress look more glamorous or highlighting subtle psychological changes through color variations requires close cooperation between the director and cinematographer, ensuring the best shooting angles and setups.
After adjusting the cameras, the next take was paused again due to an issue with Henry Cavill and Margot Robbie. The scene wasn't completed until the fifth take, with Murphy satisfied after reviewing the footage.
The day's shoot mainly involved scenes between Henry Cavill and Margot Robbie. Their characters, Chris Dane and Jay Rachel, had a unique personal relationship that Murphy needed them to convey on screen.
The shooting wasn't smooth. By the end of the day, only a third of the planned shots were completed. Without a key position filled, Murphy had no choice but to manage as best he could. After wrapping up for the day, he called both Philippe LaSalle and Robert to get an update, feeling relieved afterward.
Philippe's car contained marijuana and prescription drugs, not more severe substances like cocaine. He wouldn't face major trouble but had to stay at the police station for 48 hours, the lightest penalty.
This meant Murphy would need to continue handling cinematography for a while longer.
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