make it feel like the audience was right there in the midst of the action, almost like a fly on the wall. It was important for us to give a sense of immediacy and starkness, to show that there was no escape from the reality of what was happening.
The visual style we landed on was created to capture the mundanity of the characters’ actions and interactions. We used wide shots and neutral, unattractive lighting to show these characters as normal, everyday people involved in horrific acts. There were no close-ups or emotional lighting choices; everything was stripped down to the most basic, unremarkable portrayal possible.
One particular challenge came with the outdoor scenes. We wanted to capture the stark contrast between the horrors occurring within the camp and the idyllic, picturesque nature of the house and garden. We used wide lenses to show the vastness of the space and avoided any kind of soft, flattering lighting. We wanted to communicate that evil could exist within such beautiful surroundings and simultaneously show how ordinary life continued without concern for the atrocities occurring next door.
The decision to shoot with 10 cameras, while initially challenging in terms of setup and coordination, ultimately allowed us to capture the action in a way that felt like a documentary. The multiple angles provided a sense of immediacy and rawness that wouldn’t have been possible with more traditional shooting methods. The use of the Sony Venice cameras allowed us to capture in 6K resolution, giving us the detail and clarity we needed to bring the story to life.
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In addition to the equipment and shooting methods, the choice of post-production was equally important. We wanted to maintain the stark, unvarnished appearance of the footage. Minimal editing and grading were employed to ensure that the final product stayed true to our original vision.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the tremendous performances from the actors. Christian Friedl and Sandra Hüller put in magnificent performances that perfectly captured the banality and starkness we sought to achieve through the cinematography. Their portrayal of ordinary, everyday interactions while being complicit in unimaginable horrors was incredibly powerful and disturbing.
As we delved deeper into the project, I found myself challenging my own beliefs and perceptions. The process of capturing evil in such an unadorned manner made me question my own understanding of beauty and ugliness, of good and evil. It was a profound and sometimes unsettling experience, and one that I believe has forever changed the way I approach my craft.
In the end, The Zone of Interest was an intense, deeply meaningful project for me. It pushed the boundaries of what I thought was possible in terms of cinematography and storytelling. I am immensely proud of the work we were able to accomplish and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such an important and thought-provoking film.
