Artist Profile

Lighting / Camera Operator

Red Scarlet-W
Atlas Orion Anamorphic Lenses

The Tate Liverpool
Lucy McKenzie
Anattic

Lucy is renowned for her use of the trompe l'oeil technique—paintings so convincingly real they literally "deceive the eye." For our profile piece, we aimed to pay homage to her trompe l'oeil style by distorting reality and blurring the line between art and perception. To achieve this, we chose anamorphic lenses, utilizing their wide-open distortion to break apart the image and lend a vintage quality to the visuals.

The anamorphic lenses provided a broader canvas, allowing us to capture more width in a CinemaScope aspect ratio and depict the exhibition within single, expansive frames. These wide shots featured a subtle push-in, gently moving the camera through space to immerse the audience and guide them through the exhibition.

We had access to the gallery during its preparation phase, which worked wonderfully for Lucy's interview. She was seated amidst her work and the creative clutter of the gallery floor, offering an authentic backdrop. The interview setup was simple yet beautifully lit with two light sources, creating a naturally soft and flattering shape. Matt (the director) conducted the interview twice, enabling us to start with a medium focal length before moving to a telephoto 85mm for tighter shots. The gallery itself was filmed under its natural lighting conditions—slightly dark, but we managed by opening skylights and strategically positioning practical lights.

Lucy's exploration of the gallery floor was filmed handheld to convey a documentary feel, capturing her presence in the moment before the opening. To visually distinguish the behind-the-scenes content from the final exhibition, we shot all completed exhibition scenes using a tripod and slider, ensuring a polished and composed look.