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Jeden Monat nähern sich unsere Kolumnisten, die Berliner Filmemacher Dominik und Benjamin Reding, dem jeweiligen Heftthema
auf ihre ganz eigene Art und Weise. Geboren wurden die Zwillinge am 3. Ja nuar 1969 in Dortmund. Während Dominik Architektur
in Aachen und Film in Hamburg studierte, absolvierte Benjamin ein Schauspielstudium in Stuttgart. 1997 begann die Arbeit an ihrem
ersten gemeinsamen Kinofilm „Oi! Warning“. Seitdem arbeiten sie für Fernseh- und Kinofilmprojekte zusammen.

Each month our columnists, Berlin-based filmmakers Dominik and Benjamin Reding, approach the respective issue-specific theme
in their very personal way. The twins were born on January 3, 1969 in Dortmund. Whilst Dominik studied architecture in Aachen
and film in Hamburg, Benjamin graduated in acting studies in Stuttgart. They started working on their first joint motion picture “Oi!
Warning“ in 1997. Since then they have tightly collaborated for TV and cinema film projects.

I had been looking forward to these office premises. As I always do when I happen to and cinema, and, of course, her current big-budget project, very expertly and in great
attend a meeting there. The very special, important and unforgettable conversations
detail. That she shot on real 70 mm film, in super widescreen format 1:2.76, that she
always take place in the conference room located on the office floor. It is stately and used Panavision lenses and also used the IMAX format for some scenes, in an aspect
elegant, but not too large. Here, every conversation is private, every impression perso- ratio of 1:1.9 to enable the film to be shown in all IMAX cinemas ... My thoughts begin
nal, whether with director Hark Bohm, Netflix feature-film boss Sasha Bühler or actress to wander to the gently ironic academy office, to the school chairs in the conference
Jella Haase. The intimacy of the room always contributes to the openness and direct- room, where you can discreetly rock back and forth when the lecture gets a little too
ness of the conversations that take place there. The Berlin-based architectural duo detailed. “Yeah, we changed the visual impact when it comes to the vampire story.”
Alexandra Erhard and Thomas Karsten from studio karhard designed it – almost 20 Vampire story? “I discussed that at length with my director Ryan Coogler.” Director
years ago. With a sure sense of timeless understatement. And in deliberate and crea- Ryan Coogler? Suddenly I’m wide awake. The Ryan Coogler whose current film Sinners
tively astonishing contrast to their other projects, above all the rough concrete monu- recounts the strange events of a day and a night (including a breakdance battle and
mentality of Berlin’s Berghain dance palace. In the intimate, sheltered office space of vampire attacks) in the Mississippi Delta in 1932 and was “… nominated for 16 Oscars
the film academy, under the circles of light cast by the ironically oversized ceiling a few weeks ago, a historic record”. Our Academy presenter says this with a smile of
lamps and sitting on the 1970s bentwood school chairs, I once saw a seasoned director approval. Oh, so this camerawoman, who is talking so kindly and modestly about her
first reminiscing during his lecture and then suddenly, overcome by those very memo- work, might be one of the future Oscar winners and the first “woman of colour” ever
ries, silently weeping; I heard well-known film actors as well as actresses generously to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Cinematography. To date, only three other
reveal the most private details of their lives, observed them shaken by fits of laughter female cinematographers have been nominated for the Academy Award, and none of
and then fall silent, shocked after their own confessions; saw celebrities whose “fame” them have won it yet. “Yes, it makes me proud, as a person of colour, as a woman and
lasted only one film, one TV production, and others whose star was just rising, only to as a mother, it breaks boundaries.” Then she becomes more personal, more private,
successfully manage to remain stars. Today, an American cinematographer was coming for the first time today. She had always looked for role models in her profession, for
to introduce herself and her current film work, a big-budget Hol- other women behind the camera, but found hardly anyone. Her
lywood production. I was not familiar with her name, Autumn opportunity as a cinematographer was made possible by a fema-
Durald Arkapaw. Without high expectations, without “celebrity le director, Gia Coppola, and a male director who – as a rare
hunger,” I went there, but with the hope of getting up-to-date exception – often works with women in the important film
impressions of camera work in current major US productions and departments (cinematography, production, set construction): Ray
– yes – to be back in the conference room of the film academy, Coogler. And who supported her not only as a cinematographer,
which sometimes manages to draw out the mysterious, even pro- Foto: © Warner Bros. Ent., vrnl. Ryan Coogler, Autumn D. Arkapaw. but also as a mother, always giving her the freedom to take care
foundly personal, from its guests. Shortly before the scheduled of her child during filming. Because that, too, is an exception:
appointment, I reread the invitation email and only then discove- consideration for mothers on the film crew. Now, finally, in the
red the words “Zoom conversation”. Oh no, so there was obvious- conference room it takes less than five minutes, in the Zoom
ly not going to be physical encounter, no real sense of the invited Photo Credit: Eli Adé meeting almost an hour, for the first question to come from us
person. Nor any direct experience of the audience’s reactions, the viewers. “Are all the scenes in the film virtual, or were there also
breathlessness when it’s really exciting, the restlessness when it’s built sets?” A fellow director asks. “You won’t believe it, but most
controversial, and the coughing, rustling and murmuring when it gets a little long- of it is real, built for the film.” We listeners are amazed, we breathe out in surprise, you
winded and hard to concentrate. And no more of that typical mixture of smells – coffee, can even see it on our mini screen rectangles. Then Autumn Arkapaw suddenly hesi-
aftershave and perfume – that gives the spoken word its physical foundation. So, this tates, asking if she hasn’t already said that; explaining she’s had to give so many
time, a reduced encounter, presented in the camera’s own medium: the digital image. interviews today that she’s slowly getting confused. And she smiles as if she can’t
Or, to quote a famous film title: Imitation of Life, with the iMac desktop serving as a believe the sudden hype surrounding her. The presenter reassures her: “I can assure
mini screen. Everything is carefully arranged, decorated and staged: we, the listeners, you, you really didn’t.” She nods with relief and explains that all the important film
as small, rectangular images, in (optionally) the living room or study, in front of care- sets, from the roof to the floor, from the southern pub to the street lamps, were actual-
fully considered backgrounds: books (often), pictures (less often) or filing cabinets, as ly built. “It makes it easier for the actors. They definitely know where they are. They
in my case. As a small rectangle on the left of the desktop: the presenter from the film feel it’s 1932. And shooting gets easier for me as well. Especially for the planning of an
academy in her familiar office, large in the centre of the desktop: camerawoman elaborate scene, like the dance scene.” She is referring to the already now legendary
Autumn Arkapaw in her London office, and all around, like a frame, the rectangular dance scene in the film Sinners. Five minutes without a single cut, the camera in con-
pictures of us, the audience. It’s obvious: here sits an expert in her field in front of her stant motion, capturing every detail, the acting and the dance moves in equal measu-
iMac camera, who knows how a room for screen conversations should be lit and fur- re. She deserves an Oscar for that alone. “Good luck!” wishes the Academy presenter
nished: lit as bright as day so that all statements appear open and honest, or “illumi- at the end of the Zoom meeting. And we, the audience, wish her the same: Two thumbs
nated” and “crystal clear”, to put it more figuratively. Furnished rather sparsely, and if up! Thumbs up on the small rectangular screens. After the Academy Award ceremony,
so, then simply. No light switches, no plug sockets, no garish wallpaper patterns, no she promises to come to Berlin in person and tell us how it was. “Now it’s time to play
oil paintings or family photos to distract from the speaker’s face. Camera operator with my child,” she says with a laugh, then her screen rectangle goes dark, and gradu-
Autumn Arkapaw introduces herself politely in her professional environment, explai- ally so do our little screen images. Now I’m looking forward to the next Academy talk,
ning her background, her African-American and Filipino roots, her path to the camera close and tangible, in the real office.

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