Curious about the cameras used to shoot current hit HBO series? Here are the various camera packages and the series using them.
For decades, HBO has set countless standards for the rest of the television world, one being the final look of their Original Series. The cable giant has long relied on film standards to elevate their television productions. Their major blockbuster series, Game of Thrones, is no exception.
Take a look at what goes into shooting an HBO show.
Game of Thrones
The Game of Thrones series has primarily relied on the ARRI ALEXA but will, occasionally, use other cameras for VFX-heavy sequences or specialty setups. Fun fact: the ALEXA used in the first season was actually a prototype, as the camera had not yet been officially released.
Game of Thrones Camera Package:
- ARRI ALEXA
- ARRI ALEXA Mini
- RED EPIC DRAGON (of course it was a dragon!)
- Lenses
- Cooke S4
- Angenieux Optimo
In regards to the look of the series, one of the shows first DPs Alik Sakharov revealed the following:
As for the scenes using RED cameras, certain Iceland locations in Season 4 were unsafe for Steadicam operators. Cinematographer Robert McLachlan and crew turned to the carbon fiber 6K RED EPIC DRAGON, since the camera was light enough to be used with Freefly MoVI M10 rigs.
More great reads on Game of Thrones production:
- Game of Thrones’ cinematographer breaks down the ‘dragon-induced Armageddon’ in The Spoils of War — The Verge
- ALEXA wins the “Game of Thrones” — ARRI
- DRAGONs on the set of Game of Thrones — RED
- Director Alex Graves Talks Shooting the “Purple Wedding” — Collider
For additional camera work, check out this behind-the-scenes look at Season 6.
Barry
Barry Camera Package:
- ARRI ALEXA Mini
- Optimo zooms, 15-49, 28-76, and 45-120
- Leica Summilux
In an interview with IndieWire, DP Paula Huidobro stated the following:
Westworld
“Doesn’t look like anything to me.”
Westworld Camera Package:
- ARRICAM ST and LT
- ARRIFLEX 235 (drone)
- Lenses
- ARRI Master Primes
- Angenieux Optimo zooms
- 35 mm film (Kodak 5203 50D, 5207 250D, and 5219 500T)
Westworld cinematographer John Grillo revealed the following in his interview with IndieWire:
Westworld is also believed to be the first production to shoot on 35 mm film with a drone. In an interview with Filmmaker Magazine, DP Darran Tiernan had the following to say:
More reading on Westworld’s production:
- “There Is a Reverence On Set When the Camera is Spitting Film Through its Gate”: DP Darran Tiernan on Westworld, Season Two —Filmmaker Magazine
- ‘Westworld’ DP Paul Cameron: A Camera Is Just Another Film Stock — Variety
- HBO’s ‘Westworld’: Cinematographer Paul Cameron on Getting ‘Fearless Coverage’ on 35mm Film — No Film School
- Video – Westworld: “First ever use of a [35mm] film camera on a drone” — Reddit
True Detective
It should be no surprise that, with the wildly different seasons, True Detective has relied on different cameras for each season. Seasons 1 and 3 were captured on Panavision cameras, while Season 2 went with an ARRI.
True Detective Camera Package:
- Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2 (Season 1)
- Panavision Primo
- PVintage Lenses
- Film used: 35 mm (Kodak Vision3 50D 5203, Vision3 500T 5219)
- ARRI ALEXA XT Plus (Season 2)
- Panavision B-, C-, E-, G-Series and ATZ Lenses
- Panavision Millennium DXL (Season 3)
- Panavision Primo, Primo Zoom and Ultra Speed Z-Series MKII Lenses
More reading on True Detective filming:
- The Lenses Make the Look on True Detective — Panavison
- How we got the shot: Cary Fukunaga on True Detective’s tracking shot — The Guardian
- How True Detective’s Cinematographer Got These 9 Shots — Vulture
Get a glimpse of the Season 3 set from HBO.
Insecure
Insecure Camera Package:
- ARRI ALEXA Mini
- Cooke S5i lenses
In their interview with IndieWire, DP Patrick Cady said the following:
More reading on the production of Insecure:
- Keeping ‘Insecure’ lit: HBO cinematographer Ava Berkofsky on properly lighting black faces — Mic
- Insecure DP Ava Berkofsky on Avoiding “Seinfeld Shots,” Faking Coachella and Lighting Mega-Churches — Filmmaker Magazine
Veep
As Veep cinematographer David Miller says, “Even though it’s documentary [style], it doesn’t have to look bad.”
Veep Camera Package:
- Arri Alexa Plus
- Lenses
- Cooke S4
- Angenieux Optimo
In his interview with Mandy, Veep cinematographer David Miller shared this wonderful tidbit:
Miller went on to say more:
Take a peek at the set, in this behind-the-scenes video.
All images via HBO.