*Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu wanted the film to convey a sense of unbroken reality, so cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki used a specially-rigged camera that allowed him to move freely throughout the long takes.*
1. Creating the Illusion of a Single Shot
* The film was shot on the Arri Alexa XT camera, which is capable of shooting high-quality video at up to 60 frames per second.
* To achieve the illusion of a single unbroken take, the camera was mounted on a custom-built rig that allowed Lubezki to move it around freely.
* The rig was also equipped with a gyro-stabilizer, which helped to keep the camera steady as Lubezki moved.
2. Lighting and Set Design
* To ensure that the lighting and set design remained consistent throughout the film, Iñárritu and Lubezki worked closely with production designer Eugenio Caballero.
* The sets were designed to be as open and interconnected as possible, so that the camera could move through them without any restrictions.
* The lighting was also carefully controlled, so that the transitions between different parts of the film were seamless.
3. Rehearsing and Blocking
* Before filming began, the cast and crew rehearsed the long takes extensively.
* This was essential to ensure that everyone knew exactly what they were doing, and that the timing was perfect.
* The blocking of the scenes was also carefully planned out, so that the camera could move through the space in the most efficient way.
4. Shooting the Long Takes
* The long takes in Birdman were all shot in a single take, without any editing or interruption.
* This required a lot of coordination and precision from the cast and crew.
* In some cases, the takes were so long that the camera's battery would run out before the take was finished. When this happened, Lubezki would simply swap out the battery and keep filming.
5. Post-Production
* Once the long takes were filmed, they were edited together using digital editing software.
* This process was challenging, as it required the editors to match the lighting, color, and sound of the different takes.
* The final cut of Birdman is a testament to the skill and dedication of everyone involved in the production.