"As a cinematographer working at a time when AI and digital tools are becoming increasingly capable, I found myself wanting to move in the opposite direction. It became important to us that the imagery felt earned. Shooting with Intention. The textures of the brutal landscape, imperfections, shooting on black and white film, and optical effects were created in front of the lens rather than added later. I wanted to use my automotive cinematography background and apply this to the running space.
We challenged ourselves to achieve as much as possible in camera. Nearly every visual effect you see was created on set, with the only significant post-production work being a simple wire removal. That constraint became part of the creative process and some of my favorite moments came from that mentality.
There's something deeply satisfying about discovering an effect rather than manufacturing one in post. When everyone is gathered around the monitor watching light refract through a piece of scratched plexiglass or heat shimmer from a camping stove underneath the lens, you're sharing a real moment of experimentation. Those happy accidents become part of the film's identity in a way that's difficult to replicate later in post." Mason Prendergast, cinematographer