Lake on the Cabin

Lens series: Anamorphic/i SF 2x
Focal Lengths: 35/65Macro/135
Camera: Arri Alexa Mini
Format: Digital
Rental company: Praxima

DOP Information
Director of Photography: Jem Karto
Instagram: @jemkartodop

When conceptualising ‚Lake on the Cabin‘, I had a clear vision for its aesthetic. It needed to be anamorphic with a 2x squeeze, and it had to be shot using Cooke lenses. For me, the Cooke x2 SF set stands unrivalled in delivering a distinct, defined look. My aim was to evoke the essence of classic horror films, which meant harnessing the visual style that has embedded itself in our collective subconscious—the iconic ‚Cooke Look‘.

The Cooke lenses bring a unique depth and texture to the screen, which is crucial for creating an organic, immersive experience. This depth and texture are particularly effective in the horror genre, where the visual atmosphere plays a significant role in building tension and unease. The subtle warmth and gentle fall-off of Cooke lenses create an almost dreamlike quality, enhancing the eerie and unsettling mood that is essential for horror.

The ‚Cooke look‘ is not just about sharpness and clarity, which is has in spades; it’s about character and emotion. These lenses help to ground the fantastical elements of horror in a visual reality that feels familiar yet otherworldly, making the genre feel more ingrained and authentic.

To achieve this, I paired the Cooke lenses with the Alexa Mini, believing that the combination of Arri’s color science and Cooke’s glass would infuse each frame with its own unique texture and emotion. Arri’s renowned color rendering and dynamic range perfectly complement the Cooke lenses, capturing the nuances of light and shadow that are essential for the horror aesthetic. In essence, the „feeling“ conveyed by the Cooke SF set is unmatched. Their ability to bring a visceral, textural quality to the image helps anchor the genre’s thematic elements into the visual narrative, making „Lake on the Cabin“ not just a film to watch but an experience to feel.