Something that makes Out of the Wolves so brutal are the ravenous animal sequences, which MacDonald continuously tried to push the boundaries on, with the help of DP Christian Bielz.
When discussing this topic Bielz says, “Although we'd worked with a bear on his first feature Backcountry, capturing wolves was a different challenge. The script called for numerous shots of the wolves lurking, eating, snarling, and attacking. Figuring out how to capture all that effectively took careful planning with wolf trainer Andrew Simpson and his team”.
Storyboarding became key for a lot of the closer up shots of the wolves. Bielz explains, “Adam and I discussed framing and camera movement for each scene, but storyboards really came in handy for the wolf attack and stunt sequences. We had a lot of beats to hit, so Adam sketched them out and even created a previz of the sequences on his iPhone, with his family members, dog, and a teddy bear playing the parts”.
Check out some more insight on shooting with wolves in our interview below.
Editor's note: the following interview is edited for length and clarity.
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No Film School: What made you want to become a cinematographer?
Christian Bielz: When I was a kid, one of my good friends found his parents' old video camera collecting dust. He got it working and we started shooting, telling little stories. We experimented with practical effects, stunts, and in-camera editing. We had so much fun.
In 9th grade I bought my own camera and unknowingly set myself on a path to cinematography. I took that thing everywhere and shot everything. I just loved observing the world through a lens. After high school, I went to college for tv broadcasting. That program taught me storytelling fundamentals, gave me hands-on experience, and made me want to get out onto a real set.
After graduating, I volunteered on a couple short films, and soon met a young filmmaker (Max McGuire) looking for a camera crew to shoot his 16mm feature film. He hired me and I got my first real taste of being a cinematographer. That cemented it for me. Max and I remain good friends and collaborators to this day.
NFS: You have worked with director Adam MacDonald on a few films. How was Out Come the Wolves different than your previous collaborations?
Bielz:Wolves was pretty intense. A major difference was that the schedule was tighter than our previous films—16 days. We also had to deal with more animal action, more gore, lots of vehicle rigs, and shooting in two provinces. Having a shorthand with Adam from our collaboration on Backcountry and Pyewacket was invaluable. That and our amazing crew, many of whom had worked with Adam before.
Although we'd worked with a bear on his first feature Backcountry, capturing wolves was a different challenge. The script called for numerous shots of the wolves lurking, eating, snarling, and attacking. Figuring out how to capture all that effectively took careful planning with wolf trainer Andrew Simpson and his team.
Having had the experience of working with a bear, Adam and I had the privilege of more time with the wolves. On our scout, Adam and I visited the wolves on their turf. It was amazing to let our guard down and interact with them. Establishing a good rapport with trainers Andrew Simpson and Sally Jo Sousa and the wolves was vital, and ultimately contributed to some gnarly sequences in the film.
NFS: Did you storyboard your shots for the film?
Bielz: Adam and I discussed framing and camera movement for each scene, but storyboards really came in handy for the wolf attack and stunt sequences. We had a lot of beats to hit, so Adam sketched them out and even created a previz of the sequences on his iPhone, with his family members, dog, and a teddy bear playing the parts. This gave me a sense of the shots and pacing he was going for.
Once we arrived in Alberta, we rehearsed with trainers Andrew Simpson and Sally Jo Sousa, and the stunt performers. This got everyone on the same page, and helped determine how close we could put the camera to the action. Just like on Backcountry, Adam and I wanted to get the camera as close as possible to the animals, so you could really feel the terror. We wanted these wolf attacks to be visceral and gruesome.
When we got back to Ontario to shoot with our actors, we referenced those wolf shots in order to get matching reverses and interactive shots using wolf puppets, which Andrew operated.
'Out Come the Wolves'Shawn Goldberg/High Park Entertainment
NFS: Can you talk about what sort of equipment and lenses you used on the film?
Bielz: Our main camera was the Alexa Mini LF which we paired with a set of rehoused Canon FD primes.
Adam and I discussed using vintage lenses on Wolves from the beginning. So, after testing numerous sets, we landed on the Canon FDs. We found the image pleasing right away, and loved the flares. The lenses were decently sharp while still feeling smooth, with nice color. I also liked that they were compact and lightweight, considering the amount of handheld work in the film.
We also made use of the Canon 30-300mm zoom for compressed shots of the wolves, tracking shots of the vehicles, as well as a couple slow zoom-ins. One slow zoom I enjoyed starts wide in the forest, where you're not sure where to look, and eventually see small movements of Kyle and Nolan in their blind.
For our gimbal work, we mounted an Alexa Mini to the Ronin2.
We used the Red Komodo 6k for our vehicle rig shots. The Komodo's compact size and global shutter made it ideal for these shots. Our Key Grip John Perrin and his team did fantastic work designing and building our many rigs.
A huge thanks to Krista Dzialoszynski and Grande Camera in Toronto for providing the perfect camera package.
Lighting
For the cabin scenes, our production designer Brian Garvey and his art team created a great looking space. We wanted the cabin to feel cozy, but also moody. In pre-production we talked about incorporating a number of lamps in each room to set the vibe. Those practicals provided much of the scene's lighting. My gaffer Edwin Lau complimented the room lighting by rigging Astera Titan and Helios tubes to the ceiling, and outfitted some of the cabin's lamps with Astera Nyx bulbs for greater control, all run to his iPad. Lightbridge CRLS came in handy, providing some fill and eyelight in some scenes.
The cabin day interiors were lit from outside, using bounced sunlight through the windows. In the bedroom scenes, Litemats were placed outside the windows, pushing through a layer of diffusion, to provide soft afternoon light.
For the exterior cabin and forest scenes, we scheduled our shots around the sun's path. We also used a 12x12 camo net to break up direct sun when needed. Large solids were used from the camera side to control contrast.
NFS: One of the reviews said you shot Sophie (Missy Peregrym) as the men in her life see her. Would you agree with that? Can you elaborate on this at all?
Bielz: We did capture Sophie in some closer or more intimate frames. For instance, in the scene where she's showing the guys how to shoot an arrow, we're close on her eyes and mouth as she takes in a moment of focus. This draws the audience closer, while also acting as Kyle's perspective.
In another scene, Sophie's dancing to an 80s track and tries to get Nolan off the couch to join her. We captured this in slomo to give the moment more weight and catch a side glance from Kyle.
When Sophie is resting in the bedroom, the camera slowly travels along her body toward her sleeping face. While this shot is intimate, it's intended as a tension builder to contrast the chaos happening in the woods, as Kyle is frantically trying to make his way back.
NFS: During some of the violent scenes, you decided to use a shaky camera and insert quick cuts. Can you talk about your thought process for this?
Bielz: The wolf attacks in this film are quite violent, and messy. We wanted to convey that chaos by injecting energy into our frames. This was partly a creative choice but also part practical to sell the marriage of real wolf action (which we shot separately), and actor action. It's also worth noting that the wolves weren't nearly as aggressive as they're portrayed in the film, so we cranked things up a notch.
The Alberta forest, where we shot the wolves, was also quite different from our Ontario forest. We felt the frenetic frames helped to bridge the visual gap.
As for the quick cuts, I'd say most action sequences are paced in the edit, and quick cuts help intensify the action. The goal was to exaggerate these moments, and make them more gruesome and visceral.
I have to give my focus puller Ryan McIntyre a serious shout out for his amazing work at keeping our subjects sharp throughout even the most erratic shots.
NFS: A big part of the film revolves around wolves. Can you talk about what it was like working with live animals so closely?
Bielz: Working with wolves on this film was humbling and amazing. They are truly majestic, and you can sense their power.
Out Come the Wolves required many moments of action, reaction and interaction from the wolves. This was possible thanks to trainer Andrew Simpson and his team's months-long training. It was amazing to see the relationship and respect between the animal and trainer.
At the beginning of each shoot day, the wolves entered the set and sniffed out the perimeter. Once trainer Andrew felt they were ready to perform, he invited me from my caged zone to join him with the wolves. I got into position and started filming, while Adam directed from a distance, standing next to my focus puller. In order to get close to the wolves, I had to be solo with the camera.
We worked our way through our shot list, with each wolf performing to its strengths. The stunt performers had been rehearsing with the wolves and were excellent. Shots with the performers included being jumped from a standing position, as well as having the wolves ripping their clothes, simulating an attack. It turns out the wolves also have a taste for fake blood!
The snarls and carcass eating scenes were placed at the end of the schedule, as those offered the wolves the greatest reward.
Having the opportunity to work so closely with the wolves was a humbling experience, and a total highlight. At the end of the shoot, we were told that no cinematographer had ever captured the wolves from so close.
NFS: Do you have any advice or tips for other cinematographers shooting live animals?
Bielz: When it comes to working with animals, the vision needs to be clearly communicated to the trainers as soon as possible, giving them the time to prepare with the animals. Storyboards are key—everyone should see the desired frames, and discuss camera positions, movement and crew size. Meet the trainers and animals ahead of time and run through the actions with your stunt performers.
When shooting, stay calm and quiet, keeping any movements slow so as to not distract the animals. It's also wise to avoid direct eye contact. Standby to roll as soon as the trainer and animals are ready, and be prepared to move on if the animals get fatigued.
Lastly, make sure there are no snacks in your pockets.
'Out Come the Wolves'Shawn Goldberg/High Park Entertainment
NFS: You work on a lot of documentaries. How is your approach different on features than documentaries?
Bielz: My approach on documentaries is firstly, to maintain a small footprint in order to put our subjects at ease. As an observer, I'm often alone, capturing moments as they unfold, rather than trying to control them. Knowing this, I have to be nimble with the camera and make the most visually with limited resources. This means embracing available and natural light.
When working on a feature, I build on those sensibilities, while taking a more subjective approach to the visual language. It's an opportunity to create tone. In scripted narrative, having the support of a crew allows me to lean on their experience and skill. This ultimately enhances the storytelling. At the end of the day, I just want to feel the story we're telling.
Bielz talks more in detail about the Out Come the Wolves shoot below.
'Out Come the Wolves'Shawn Goldberg/High Park Entertainment
'Out Come the Wolves'Shawn Goldberg/High Park Entertainment
