CALF ROPE

Cinematography-wise, the main objective in Calf Rope was to tell the story from the point of view of 8-year-old Brandon as he bonds more and more with his grandfather. This is a period piece, which is why it was important to use soft camera filters and pops of color to evoke the unique essence of the 60’s as it is when the story takes place.

Soft tones, warm colors, naturalistic lighting and a variety of dynamic camera shots portray the inner being of Brandon during his summer ventures with his beloved grandfather. The very first shot of the film and the cattle auction scene were probably the most complex shots to execute as they were long continuous establishing shots with many-many components in frame; an adventure that the crew managed to happily execute regardless of time or equipment limitations of the day. Working with Bradley (the director) was a blast, our honest communication and creative visions were in sync during the entire process, an essential factor that every DP longs for and that I’m grateful I had.

Calf Rope was one of those productions where everybody involved simply felt like family, an irreplaceable experience. The ambience, the people, the locations, energy, support and all the smiles involved in this project easily became one of the fondest pre-pandemic memories I have as a Director of Photography. From the very beginning at the DP interview process until the very end at the official screening of the film, Bradley and I were always on the same page when it came to the visual style of Calf Rope, I could almost see his inner child peeking behind his pupils as he tells his own personal story through Brandon and Mac (the main characters), and as a DP it was an honor to visually transport his story to the screen. The main look’s objective was for it to be dreamy, soft like a memory, seeing the world through the eyes of a child that believes in his grandad.