Empire Of Light
Universal Pixels has provided projection solutions to the Oscar-nominated, Sam Mendes directed feature film, Empire of Light.
Starring Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward and Colin Firth, the drama is set against the backdrop of 1980s Britain. Colman portrays local Cinema Manager, Hilary Small, a woman in the midst of a mental health struggle, who embarks on an affair with fellow cinema worker Stephen Murray, played by Micheal Ward.
Filmed at Dreamland Margate over several weeks, Universal Pixels was brought in by in-camera visual effects specialist Anthony Drew to provide a suitable technical solution.
UP ICVFX Manager, Dan Edmonds, comments: “With much of the story based in a traditional cinema setting, in an era that is now considered vintage, there was no other option other than to use projection to facilitate the aesthetic. LED is a phenomenal tool, but would have been totally out of place on this production.
“The softness and detail achieved with projection is not comparable to LED builds. From the film trailer alone, you can see how important using projection is to Empire of Light; there are many shots where the lens/light beam was crucial to the overall look of the scene.”
As UP only deploys equipment that has been rigorously road tested on its Arts, Film and Music projects, Edmonds chose high-end projector models that would suit the very specific needs of the projectionist’s criteria.
He continues: “Our client required two options to fully cover the needs of the shoot. First, we chose the Epson 20k projector PU2220B, something we often use on ICVFX jobs due to its reliability and ability to work well in camera. The 20k output gives us plenty of brightness for background shots while remaining portable and compact enough to be hidden within the structure of the set.
“The second package was a pair of Panasonic RZ31k's, which was the perfect unit to help replicate the old cinema projectors. Both of these models were able to seamlessly execute the film’s strict criteria.”
In its official synopsis, the viewer is told that Hilary and Stephen “find a sense of belonging through their unlikely and tender relationship, and come to experience the healing power of music, cinema, and community” - albeit at a time of political upheaval and racial prejudice in a small corner of England.
The gravity of this romantic seaside story has been brilliantly brought to the big screen and therefore rightfully recognised within the film industry.
“Working on a film of this calibre, and one that has been nominated for so many awards, is always a great feeling for the ICVFX team at UP,” continues Edmonds.
“There are lots of people involved in getting our equipment prepared for any project, but for film especially, our warehouse and Projects/Technical teams are constantly adapting to the changing requirements specified by the production, and therefore finding the right solution for a particular shoot.
“When films get nominated for awards in the way Empire of Light has, it gives recognition back to each department, and the people behind the scenes working at every level.”
He concludes: “Having this title in our credits is a great reminder that our independent team of experts can deliver the right solution under the pressures associated with high profile productions, and we’re very proud of the final outcome.”
Empire of Light premiered in Autumn 22 at Colorado’s Telluride Film Festival before its official cinematic release on 9 January 23.
The film is available to stream now via Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play and Disney Plus.
Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.