“Search” Director of Photography Naoya Ikeda Only people who face the work. What is the strength of a small staff? [Director's Interview Vol.182]

Shocking, overwhelming, a masterpiece, mind-blowing, amazing... the movie "Search" is full of rave reviews. Many people are already calling it the best movie of the year, and above all, the audience and the movie are very enthusiastic. The number of people who have seen it is approaching 40,000, and it has been expanded to 19 theaters, so it is on the road to becoming a big hit.

There are many things that make "Sagasu" interesting, such as the well-crafted script, director Katayama's bold direction, and the actors' passionate performances, but one of the biggest attractions is the "high-intensity image production" that brings them to the screen. When I spoke to Naoya Ikeda, who was in charge of photography, I realized the "essence of craftsmanship" that goes beyond the look and technique. What on earth happened on the set of "Sagasu"?

Index

• I have never had a thorough conversation with Director Katayama.
• Don't trust the script as a blueprint
• The significance of a small staff
• Why potential is unlocked
• Realize “what you want to do now”
• The digital single-lens camera and 300 yen lens used to photograph “Sagashi”
• I want to value what comes out from within me.

I have never had a thorough conversation with Director Katayama.

Q: You have teamed up with Director Katayama on many occasions, including " The Cape's Brothers and Sisters ," but when did you first come up with the idea for "Searching"? 

Ikeda: I read the plot right after "The Brothers and Sisters of the Cape" was completed. It was only about two pages, but I found it very interesting. It was about a father who saw a murderer on a train during a very hot season. I remember saying that I wanted to film just that part.

After that, I was officially approached about a year before the shoot. There's a reason why that's a bit vague. Actually, Katayama and I don't really have much to talk about. I was rarely told, "I want to shoot it like this," and it was more like, "Ikeda, I'll do it. Thank you." (laughs). Katayama doesn't drink alcohol, so we don't drink and talk.

"Search" Director of Photography: Naoya Ikeda

Q: Once it was decided that you were going to do this, what were your thoughts when you read the script?

Ikeda: The first script I read was still a first draft. The timeline and characters were all mixed up, and I thought it was a bit complicated. I had a plot I had read before that was still very much in my head, and it seemed like a different story, so I didn't find the script that interesting.

However, when we were shooting "The Brothers and Sisters on the Cape," the script wasn't even completed until the end, so I thought that this time too, the first draft wouldn't be everything.

Q: I imagine a lot of things will change from the first draft.

Ikeda: That's right. The script changes, and as I go on location scouting and meet the cast, my image of the script changes rapidly. That's why I don't get too absorbed in reading the script in the beginning.

Don't trust the script as a blueprint