Creative Cape Town

We chat to the cinematographer of the short film Sweetheart

CCT : The composite scenery, whilst recognisable to a Capetonian (and perhaps even a South African familiar with CT) is both eerie and attractive. How did you choose the particular vantage points of the establishing shots like the farm house, the closing scene in silhouette against the night sky?

Shaun Lee : It comes down to fairly extensive location scouting, driving round with a stills camera taking pictures trying to figure out what will work in the context of the script/story. It helps that as a film maker you’re often looking at your environment as a potential location so you tend to build up a mental bank of places which, if you’re lucky, slot in to upcoming projects.  From the get go we decided not to shy away from cape town or south african specific scenery, I think the fact that the film is black and white helps the locations sit off reality a little, it lends an eerie and aesthetically pleasing quality to familiar landmarks.

CCT : Did you struggle to/particularly enjoy  interpreting any of the scenes/locations?

Shaun Lee : The opening scenes on the farm where fairly challenging on account of location and weather. The dining room and kitchen, the bedroom and the farm exteriors where a jigsaw puzzle of locations that we’re shot over 3 days, so trying to maintain visual continuity through them was a little tricky, hopefully it sells but I think not having to maintain colour continuity was a huge help. As far as enjoyment goes I got lucky with the church interior, in particular the shot of the preacher. Sure you plan it but when you only have enough lighting to light foreground and the perfect amount of sunlight streams through the back windows making it look like you’ve put a lot more time and money in than you have you’ve got to be grateful that for once the weather is working with you and not against you.

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We also chatted to the rest of the Sweetheart team. The main story will show you the way.