The Fall Guy is 2024's latest blockbuster – a fast action-packed movie paying homage to the world of cinema stunts, starring Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling. With stunts come explosions, car chases and wirework, and some expert Panavision equipment was required to film it.
The feature film marks the latest collaboration between director David Leitch and cinematographer Jonathan Sela, ASC, previously working together on movies including Atomic Blonde and Bullet Train. In a collaboration with Panavision, Sela takes us behind the scenes and onto the set, while providing an insight into the best cinema camera equipment used.
Check out the video:
Filmed in Australia, Sela employed the help of Panavision Sydney and its state-of-the-art filmmaking equipment to create an action-packed cinematic masterpiece, despite the degree of work required.
Panavision is a provider of end-to-end services and solutions that power the creative vision of filmmakers – and is the go-to for loaning equipment to Hollywood's top movies. In addition to being a loaning service, Panavision makes some of the best cine lenses in the industry, with several ranges specializing in capturing different aesthetics.
Panavision Sydney put together an equipment package for Sela and his team that included Alexa 35 cameras and C Series anamorphic lenses, which the cinematographer supplemented with E Series, T Series, and G Series anamorphic optics and Primo spherical lenses, among others.
In the behind-the-scenes video, Sela discusses the need to balance great action with great storytelling. The visuals for The Fall Guy took inspiration from the work of Tony Scott (Top Gun, Days of Thunder), which led to the use of Panavision equipment, anamorphic lenses, and long lenses.
"We usually use wide lenses, really close with a single camera or at max two cameras, but this movie was like five or six cameras, really long lenses trying to shoot at the best time of the day just to give us a different approach and style," says Sela.
"It's all about the stunt world, and they really wanted to do everything for real. Anytime you see a stunt, if it's a car, fall or explosion, everything is happening for real. So that led to multiple cameras and long lenses trying to compress the scene".
Looking at the behind-the-scenes video and trailer for the movie, it is evident that The Fall Guy is an action blockbuster reminiscent of the Eighties and Nineties, of which we don't see much any more due to the advancement of CGI technology. I am excited to watch the full feature, which is in cinemas now!
For those interested in cinema and the behind-the-scenes work of filmmakers, Panavision's YouTube channel is filled with fantastic resources and I highly recommend checking it out.
You may also be interested in our guides to the best cameras for filmmaking, the best Netflix-approved cameras, and the best cine lenses.
