Cinematographer Michael Mayers’ assignment for the new ABC half-hour single-camera comedy Mixology is to create a rich dramatic look with an immediacy and
upbeat approach to his photography.
“Because this is comedy, and there is a lot of improvisation, I try to cross-shoot with
our two ARRI Alexa cameras which carry either Angenieux Optimo or Fujinon Cabrio
lenses, whenever I can,’ says Mayers.
“That way, all the actors in the scene are “on’ at the same time and we don’t have
to go back to shoot the other side of the coverage and lose the spontaneity of the
moment. Of course, that approach really ups the ante on my lighting. And, that’s
where Litepanels LEDs are key to my getting the shots.’
Mayers lights from just below and / or above the frame lines of both cameras. “With
traditional tungsten fixtures, this was a difficult and time-consuming approach,’ he
says. “Tweenies with Chimera bags are beautiful, but too heavy and awkward to
suspend out on the end of an arm. And they are too hot to be placed just beside an
actor’s leg all the time.’
Mayers continues: “I’ve been relying on Litepanels’ MiniPlus for years in situations
where I need a small light for an accent or a close fill. When the 1×1 Series came
out, suddenly I was able to do many of the things with them that I used to rely on
hot lights for.
“Now, I use them for both key and fill, and because they are so lightweight, I often
have my electricians just hold them instead of placing them on a stand. That way, I
can make subtle adjustments while we’re rolling just by whispering into my radio. This
has been an especially helpful approach on Mixology, since we often have 100 or so
background performers as bar patrons on the set with us.
“My electricians have become quite adept at manoeuvring our Litepanels around the
ebb and flow of the extras and keeping the lumens on the actors. We use our
Litepanels on battery power, getting rid of the cord speeds us up and reduces trip
hazards.’
Mayers has been a fan of Litepanels for a while. “The 1x1s are the right balance for
a beautiful, soft light in a lightweight package,’ he says. “I love the ability to dial the
colour and intensity right on the back of the fixture. And, I love that they can be
battery powered.
“The Litepanels Fresnels break new ground in efficiency and control,’ he adds. “I’ve
been using them anywhere I would have used a hot light. I’m impressed by the
smooth field and wide spot / flood range.
“Also, having a dimmable and DMX-able Fresnel gives me many new ways of
controlling the light. They’re cool to the touch and very frugal in terms of power
consumption. We’ve been using house power on location much more often how that
we have them in our package.’
Lately, Mayers has been experimenting with lighting night exteriors with much smaller
fixtures than he’d traditionally use. “The Alexa’s great low light performance makes
this really appealing,’ he says.
“On city streets where there are existing streetlights, I put a Litepanels Hilio T12 or
an Inca 12 Fresnel on the end of a Max Menace arm and tuck it behind a building. I
get the edge I need with minimal rigging. This approach is much easier and faster
than using a Condor and a big light in the same situation.’
Mixology, which airs from January 2014, is ABC’s newest entree into the single-
camera comedy world, and is set in a chic Manhattan bar. The story follows the lives
of 10 characters over the course of a single night as they go through the highs and
lows of the dating scene.
