"A Complete Unknown" Cinematographer: Phedon Papamichael Creating a film look by fusing digital and analog [Director's Interview Vol. 476]

"A Complete Unknown" was nominated for eight awards at the 97th Academy Awards. The passionate performance of Timothée Chalamet, who spent five years transforming into Bob Dylan, is a highlight, but the visuals that recreate New York in the 1960s are also amazing. The cinematographer was Phedon Papamichael, who has worked with director James Mangold for many years. Using the latest digital cinema cameras and vintage lenses, he created a stunning film-toned look. How did Papamichael shoot "A Complete Unknown"? We spoke to him.

Summary of "A Complete Unknown"

Set in the influential New York music scene of the early 1960s, the film follows the journey of Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet), an unknown 19-year-old musician from Minnesota, as he becomes a darling of concert halls and the charts as a folk singer, his songs and mystique creating a global sensation, culminating in a groundbreaking electric rock 'n' roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.

Index

• Get as close to Timothy as possible
• You need a motive to move the camera.
• Fusion of digital and analog

Get as close to Timothy as possible

Q: I was surprised at the 1960s New York that spread across the screen from the beginning. I could feel the atmosphere of that time, but how did you create the visuals for this film?

Papamichael: I was born in 1962 and Director Mangold was born in 1963, so we are almost of the same generation. Director Mangold was born and raised in Tribeca, New York, and I moved to New York in the early 1980s. We both have many memories of Greenwich Village, where Bob Dylan lived at the time. For the shoot, we compiled a lookbook based on the works of photographers who took pictures of the cityscape at the time, such as Saul Leiter and William Klein. We shared this with art director François Audouy and costume designer Arianne Phillips, who used it as a reference.

For the shoot, we used Sony's Venice2, a very sensitive camera that can shoot even in low light. Thanks to that, I think we were able to shoot the night scenes and indoor scenes with as realistic lighting as possible, and express them as if they were real. Also, I wanted to avoid an atmosphere like a Hollywood blockbuster, so I made the digital images film-toned. I consulted with Kodak and the colorist in advance, and added grain to adjust the texture and color. I hope that the audience will be able to feel the atmosphere of the time, such as the streets and storefronts of NY.

"A COMPLETE UNKNOWN" ©2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Q: The live performance scenes are one of the highlights of this film, and the realism was amazing.

Papamichael: When I shot " Walk the Line " (2005) with director Mangold, the camera tried to be on stage with the performers as much as possible to create a sense of realism in the live scenes. This time, too, I wanted to get as close to Timothy as possible and capture his expressions. I wanted the audience to feel like they were on stage with me. In the Carnegie Hall scene, I used a wide lens to go around Timothy and then get a close-up of him. I aimed for a shot that would make Timothy feel very close to me. In fact, I also used this style in " Ford v Ferrari " (2019). It's a big car racing movie, but it's about taking care of the characters in the same way. I wanted to make it possible to feel Christian Bale's feelings and emotional changes.

You need a motive to move the camera.