Creating the underworld of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: DP Haris Zambarloukos

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos loved
the original 1988 Beetlejuice as a young adult. With Beetlejuice
cinematographer Thomas Ackerman as his inspiration, Haris wanted to
pay homage to the first movie while pushing the boundaries of
cinematic storytelling. “It was fun to make,” says Haris. “We
really did enjoy ourselves, and it was a huge collaborative effort.
It was a real delight and a pleasure to bring this to screen.”
Haris chose to shoot Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on the Sony Venice 2.
He likes the camera's ability to deliver a high-fidelity image with
low-light sensitivity, which was perfectly suited for the film's
atmospheric and often dimly lit settings. He worked closely with
director Tim Burton to develop a meticulous lighting plan that
would create an immersive and atmospheric environment for the
actors. The spaces were designed to be functional in-camera,
allowing for a more organic and spontaneous approach to lighting.
The film's unique blend of live-action and animatronics was a
high-stakes balancing act requiring exceptional coordination
between the camera crew, lighting team, actors, and puppeteers. “On
top of that, you've got Michael's incredible performance as
Beetlejuice, which is full of energy,” says Haris. “And at that
pace and that energy level, you only have so many takes. Then
there's a camera move and 20 or 30 lighting cues just in a single
15 second take and that all has to work. So, in essence, we're all
performing, and we don't want to let anyone down because the person
that makes a mistake is the one that ruins it for everyone. I've
never been on a film where we all worked in unison that way. But
that's probably because I've only made one Tim Burton film, and
there's no one else that works quite like him.” To create a
distinctive visual language for the underworld, Haris used a
palette of green and blue tones. Working with Burton, they
pre-programmed RGB spectrum LED lighting for precise color control
and creation of unique lighting patterns. The team was able to test
and pre-light for a "repertoire" of looks that could be easily
accessed and modified during filming. Haris used ARRI SkyPanel
lights to control the time of day, creating a very theatrical,
impressionistic effect of a lit sky outside the windows of the
sets. Find Haris Zambarloukos: https://zambarloukos.com/ Instagram:
@zambigram Hear our previous interview with Harris Zambarloukos:
https://www.camnoir.com/ep162/ Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras:
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