Filmmakers Count On Fujinon Wide Angle Lens In Tight Spaces During The Interrogation Of Harry Wind Shoot

WAYNE, NJ – Acclaimed filmmaker Marek Poray-Heywowski recently traveled to Switzerland to shoot The Interrogation of Harry Wind for Sunvision Filmatelier, with Fujinon’s XS8x4AS-XB8 wide angle lens mounted on a Sony PMW-EX3 camcorder. The spy thriller recently wrapped principal photography and is scheduled for release in early 2010.

The film, from Swiss director Pascal Verdosci, stars Sebastian Koch (The Lives of Others) and Klaus Maria Brandauer (Mephisto, Out Of Africa). Set in Zurich in the 1950s and based on a true story, Wind follows special agent Rappold (Brandauer), who, shortly before retirement, has to bring down influential Swiss businessman Harry Wind (Koch), accused of spying.

Principal photography was shot with a pair of Panavision cameras. The film’s second unit was outfitted with the more lightweight Sony PMW-EX3 camcorder to shoot a sequence from a vintage 1950’s helicopter. According to Poray-Heywowski, the wide angle adapter for the original lens caused distortions. The XS8x4AS-XB8 wide angle Fujinon lens was selected based on a recommendation found within the camera’s instruction manual.

“The distortions we were getting from the other lens due to the wide angle adapter were unacceptable, so we were pleased to see the incredible difference upon using the XS8x4AS-XB8 wide angle Fujinon lens,” Poray-Heywowski explained. “It is really one of Fujinon’s best kept secrets, and I consider it a wonderful treasure. We were able to intercut images shot with this lens with our original Panavision footage in spite of the equipment variation.”

Poray-Heywowski said it is unusual to find such a pristine image in a lens designed with zoom construction. “The biggest surprise for everyone on set was how compact the lens was,” he added. “The Fujinon lens is much shorter than the camera’s original lens, plus wide angle adapter.”

With the Fujinon lens, Poray-Heywowski was also able to shoot in an elevator shaft on location in Switzerland, thus avoiding the time and expense of employing a set designer to create one. “The Fujinon lens literally came to the rescue and made these shots possible,” Poray said. “We were able to create a beautiful shot in a very small space without any fisheye effect. The lens created a perfect recta-linear image without bow lines that wide angle lenses tend to create.”

Editor’s Note: Color photographs from the shoot are available upon request.