Moviemaker – Winter 2019

MOVIEMAKER.COM WINTER 2019 27

EYE PIECE

“

BIRDS OF PASSAGE

WAS MOSTLY SHOT

USING NATURAL

LIGHT, TO REMAIN

FAITHFUL TO THE

RICH, UNFILTERED

SOURCES PROVIDED

BY OUR LOCATIONS.

”

“The Limbo,” winds down the

film’s chain of events with the

use of colors that are cooler

within the chromatic spectrum,

signaling a kind of fading of the

characters’ souls.

CAMERA MOVEMENT

To ensure that our on-screen

action establishes a strong

rhythm of its own, we decided

to be extremely sparing in our

use of camera movement.

Birds of Passage was mostly shot

using natural light, to remain

faithful to the rich, unfiltered

sources provided by our loca-

tions. Artificial light sources

were used only during night se-

quences, if and when we needed

to add density to an image.

Initially, Ciro and Cristina

wanted to shoot the movie in

digital high-definition. During

development, however, they

realized that 35mm would be a

better match, bringing the story

closer to a 1960s, ’70s, and early

’80s feel. This approach brought

us closer to the visual referents

we found in gangster movies,

and further grounded the film’s

historical context.

All of our cinematographic

elements helped us understand

that Birds of Passage is more

than a gangster movie—it’s

a story in which humanity is

compromised when people

betray their own traditions.

That underlying message

presents a dark ending to an

otherwise colorful culture. MM

Birds of Passage opens in theaters

February 13, 2019, courtesy of

The Orchard.

COLUMBIAN GOLD: GALLEGO’S USE

OF SHIMMERING GOLDS UNDERSCORE

A FAMILY’S PURSUIT OF WEALTH IN

THE COLUMBIAN DRUG TRADE