March / 2008Shooting Jesse Stone: Thin Ice Ohashi on TV Movies, 16MM and HD
by David HeuringRene Ohashi asc, csc began his fruitful association with Robert Harmon in 1999 on The Crossing. That telefilm, a dramatization of George Washington's bold decision to lead his tattered army across the Delaware River and attack the British in 1776, earned Ohashi an American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement Award.
Rene Ohashi, CSC (far let) with his crew and director Robert Harmon (far right) on the set of Jesse Stone: Thin Ice in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Rene Ohashi, CSC (far let) with his crew and director Robert Harmon (far right) on the set of Jesse Stone: Thin Ice in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
It proved to be the first of a series of cinematography awards won by the cinematographer for his work with Harmon, including CSC Awards for Best Feature (They) and Best TV Drama (Jesse Stone: Stone Cold), an ASC nomination for Jesse Stone: Sea Change and a CSC Award nomination for the feature film Highwaymen. His awards on projects directed by Harmon are among 11 CSC Awards and 11Gemini Awards for the cinematographer.
"Every once in awhile a cinematographer finds a kindred spirit in a director," says Ohashi. "Our aesthetics and way of seeing are in sync. In the beginning, we talked and referred to films for a look, but by the time we shot the Jesse Stone telefilms, we knew each other so well. Our discussions weren't about the look so much as they were about the kind of shot angles and the style of blocking."
The set of Jesse Stone: Thin Ice on location in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Ohashi was raised in Toronto. As a boy he became interested in still photography, and he learned about film cameras and editing by assisting a neighbor who shot television documentaries, including hockey games for the CBC. He enrolled at York University and shot dozens of student films while there. After graduation, he bought an Aaton 16 mm camera, and shot educational films, documentaries and features for new magazine shows. Eventually, he was able to make the transition to narrative filmmaking.
The Jesse Stone television movies star Tom Selleck as a former Los Angeles cop who leaves that job because of a drinking problem. He becomes the police chief in a small New England town. The Hollywood Reporter praised Selleck's performance in Jesse Stone: Sea Change and called the movie "soulful." Jesse Stone: Thin Ice, the most recent iteration, is scheduled to air on CBC in Canada and on CBS in the United States. The Jesse Stone films are also available on DVD.
Rene Ohashi, CSC checks the light on the set of Jesse Stone: Thin Ice in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Ohashi and Harmon worked with the goal of making a film with a theatrical look. "We wanted the scope and feel of a feature film, only with a television budget and roughly 22 days," says Ohashi. "On Stone Cold, the first Jesse Stone film, we used a longer than normal prep period of three weeks to fine tune an efficient schedule, refine our shot lists, and plan to get the most out of the Nova Scotia locations. Our preparations allowed us to shoot only the strongest, well-planned images and to make the best film possible with the time and money we had."
Ohashi and Harmon chose to shoot using the Super 16 mm film format, framing for a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. "We didn't ever think about shooting HD because it does not have a filmic, theatrical look," says Ohashi. "We employed a certain amount of two-camera coverage to make our tight shooting schedule, and that style made 35 mm, even 3-perf 35 mm, beyond budgetary means. By shooting in the Super 16mm format and transferring to HD for post, we could have that theatrical look."
The decision to shoot film was partly an aesthetic one, and partly a practical one. "With the use of film, we are not encumbered with cables tethered from camera to a recorder and video playback systems," says Ohashi. "We could not make these films on these tight budgets and schedules with HD cameras. The technology isn't as flexible. We need the range of exposure that film provides because we are frequently shooting in places where we have extreme differences between the brightest and darkest elements of shots.
"A director friend recently shot on a high end HD system and estimated that he lost an hour-and-a-half a day because of the technical requirements of the HD camera system. Not to mention, that with most of the HD cameras one does not have all the tools of the language and art of cinematography at one's disposal, like variable frame rates, shutter angles, 35mm depth of field, et cetera."
Director Robert Harmon looks at the monitor with actor Tom Selleck on the set of Jesse Stone: Thin Ice in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Director Robert Harmon looks at the monitor with actor Tom Selleck on the set of Jesse Stone: Thin Ice in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Thin Ice was photographed using two ARRI SR3 cameras with PL-mount Zeiss variable prime and Zeiss Ultra prime lenses designed for use with 35 mm formats. "Especially on wide shots, I could see the difference in resolution and contrast, and therefore sharpness, compared to regular Super 16 lenses," says Ohashi. "The advantage is that we are using the sweetest part of the lens."
Focal lengths tended to be longer so that Ohashi could use focus depth and separation to direct the attention of the viewer as he would in 35 mm format. When wide lenses were unavoidable, he used more negative lighting in backgrounds to focus the audience's eye. These decisions also affected choices in locations and production design.
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