Cinematographer Arda Üzmez uses ZEISS Nano Primes for Instanbul Chamber of Commerce promotional film shoot

Last year, cinematographer Arda Üzmez embarked the ZEISS Nano Primes on a tour in gorgeous Istanbul. Here, he tells us about his experience with ZEISS' small but powerful cine lenses.

ARDA ÜZMEZ: Our project aimed to showcase the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce's history and strength blended with Istanbul's beauty. In pre-production, we collaborated with director Mustafa Kökçe for three weeks, preparing storyboards and mood boards for each location. One week was dedicated to scouting and meticulous scheduling to ensure optimal natural lighting. We chose locations from client-provided options, with restaurant Limanhanı being my favorite due to its perfect early morning light at 6:30 a.m.
 

We had a demanding 12-day shoot, averaging two to three locations daily. The small, agile lighting and grip team enhanced efficiency, and SteadiCam operator Deniz Aslan greatly boosted our productivity.

For a lightweight and fast setup, we chose the Sony Burano and ZEISS Nano Prime lenses. When the Nano Prime set first arrived in Türkiye for a demo, the camera rental company we work with, Film Makinesi Rental, gave us the opportunity to test them. I’d like to thank them for their support. The light weight, aperture, and sharpness of the Nanos impressed me greatly, and I had no doubts going into the shoot. Paired with Tiffen Pearlescent and Glimmerglass filters, and with soft lighting rigs which preserved the natural ambient light of each location, they allowed for the soft, cinematic look we wanted, as opposed to a dynamic commercial style. Shooting in high frame rates throughout the film was also a way of creating the emotion we were aiming for. On selected days, we also integrated a drone team, whose DJI Inspire 2 delivered excellent results.

Despite the exhausting schedule, careful planning ensured a smooth shoot. I sincerely thank all crew members and supporters. 

Production: Halil Kardaş - Filmcode Production
Director: Mustafa Kökçe
Lighting Crew: Adil Gökçe & Oğuzhan Civak
Grip: Utku Değer
Steadicam: Deniz Arslan
Camera Crew: Samet Yalçın, Kadir Kaya, Ercan Kılıç, Ömer Miraç
Rental House: Film Makinesi Prodüksiyon
Lighting: Rota Işık
Grip: Çakır Set
Color: Okan Heptaş & Flod Post Company