Cinematographer Antonio Riestra
Haunting Pictures with OConnor
January 25, 2012 – Mexican cinematographer Antonio Riestra worked on Agustí Villaronga’s successful drama “Pa negre” with the 2575 fluid head from OConnor, a Vitec Group brand. The film, which has garnered nine awards, is characterized by an eerie atmosphere and mysterious events and is just one of many demanding shoots for which the cinematographer has relied on fluid heads from OConnor.
“Pa negre” (English title: “Black Bread”) is a suspenseful cinematic event. The drama shows the disastrous results of the Spanish Civil War for the poor Catalan rural population as a village’s inhabitants are entangled in dark deeds and deadly secrets. The film, which takes the audience back to the early 1940s, is mostly set in the dark Catalan forests.
Director Villaronga begins his film with a horse and cart that are rapidly falling down from high cliffs into the forest. Capturing such a scene is a technical challenge and can be accomplished only with professional equipment. Riestra skillfully delivers impressive pictures: “Without the absolutely smooth and even panning of the OConnor fluid head, this wouldn’t have been possible. Whether I’m shooting from the top-shot or low-angle camera perspective, the other outstanding feature of OConnor equipment is the 180-degree tilt angle.”
Riestra has used OConnor for all of his film shoots: “I have already filmed under every imaginable condition. Whether outdoors or in the studio – OConnor equipment has always been completely dependable. I have been in the film industry for 19 years and have been able to follow the development of the OConnor fluid head. OConnor is always adapting its fluid heads to new cameras on the market so that users always have state-of-the-art technology,” says Riestra.
Riestra’s high demands on the equipment are reflected in his film. So it is not surprising his work has already been honored with numerous awards. In 2010, “Pa negre” was celebrated as the big winner of the evening at the Spanish film awards, “Premios Goya”. The film, which was made in the Catalan language, won in nine categories, among them Best Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. Riestra concludes: “Out of all the films I have made, I enjoyed shooting “Pa negre” the most. The director, the story of the film, the actors and the crew were fantastic. It was a unique experience. Last but not least are the great people whom we met during filming and the special shooting locations.”
Antonio Riestra is a member of the following organizations: AMC (Mexican Association of Cinematography), EFA (European Film Academy), CFA (Catalan Film Academy), and Imago (Federation of European Cinematographers).
He has received the following honors and awards: Czech Lion 2009, Gaudi (Catalan Film Academy) 2011 Best Cinematography for “Pa Negre”, Goya (Spanish Film Academy) 2011 Best Cinematography for “Pa Negre”
For more information on OConnor, a Vitec Group brand, visit www.ocon.com, email [email protected], become a fan on Facebook, follow the company on Twitter; or contact OConnor, 2701 N. Ontario St, Burbank, CA 91504, Phone: 818-847-8666, Fax: 818-847-1205.
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About OConnor
Pioneering fluid head and tripod innovator OConnor, a Vitec Group brand has been the choice of top cinematographers since its invention nearly 60 years ago by Chad O’Connor of OConnor Engineering. Known for their hallmark smooth feel, consistent reliability, and cinematographer-friendly features, OConnor’s award-winning fluid heads offer maximum control and stability for film-style cinematography. Today’s support line includes the Ultimate range of fluid heads and Cine HD carbon-fiber tripods. With the 120EX OConnor introduced the flagship of its new series of EXTENDED CAPACITY fluid heads—the EX range. OConnor’s new 2575D fluid head continues the legacy of the industry standard – the Ultimate range of fluid heads for cine and digital cameras. The new camera accessory line will offer a range of camera tools for high-end cinematography applications.
A Snapshot of The Vitec Group
Vitec is an international Group principally serving customers in the broadcast, photographic and military, aerospace and government (MAG) markets. Listed on the London Stock Exchange with 2009 revenue of £315 million, Vitec is based on strong, well known, premium brands on which its customers worldwide rely. Vitec is organised in three divisions: Imaging & Staging, Videocom and Services.
Imaging & Staging designs, manufactures and distributes equipment and accessories for photography, video and events.
Videocom designs and distributes systems and products used in broadcasting and live entertainment, film and video production and MAG.