Pedro Gómez Millán, AMC: The Cinematography of Daredevil: Born Again
Pedro Gómez Millán, AMC broke down the cinematography of Daredevil: Born Again, from centering the story around New York City and its citizens to elevating Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk’s human emotions.
After a long hiatus, Daredevil is back with Born Again. The new Disney+ series has all the anchors defined in the three Netflix seasons, but what really makes it stand out is its fresh cinematography. Through camera angles, lighting, and location scouting the creators crafted a new look for the show that really grounds the story–bringing a socio-political level that feels authentic and goes beyond the classic superhero theme. Cinematographer Pedro Gómez Millán, AMC reflected upon the development process for humanizing the protagonists through the harsh lens of New York City.
Gómez Millán revealed that although Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk were two opposites of a coin in Daredevil: Born Again, New York City was the true protagonist: “The beauty of New York City is that in one location it can give you so many interesting layers. Together with production designer Michael Shaw, we were always trying to find the most cinematic locations to push the story forward. Red Hook was one of them … I think that became really present in the show.” The city truly elevated each pivotal moment, showcasing Fisk’s growing power and influence as the new mayor through big crane shots of Manhattan’s skyscrapers contrasted by the documentary-style BB Report interviews that featured the true voice of its citizens.
“The lighting in Fisk’s world is a little bit monochromatic and harsh. This hard light is always going to find Fisk no matter where he goes, even in the most underground darkest spaces. [With Matt Murdock], the red pulsing light became his trademark, representing his struggle. He doesn’t want to be violent. He wants to do justice the right way as a lawyer, but [this red light is calling to him in his darkest moments].”
Conveying Murdock and Fisk’s emotional states on camera, that parallelism of their journeys in Daredevil: Born Again was meticulously executed by the cinematographers, Gómez Millán and Hillary Fyfe Spera. “These characters are striving for change while fighting their inner emotions. They have different visions of life, but at the same time they have a lot in common. We chose a lot of symmetry with Fisk, the cameras mostly on studio mode, almost rigid, shooting him from the back … ominous and intimidating. The lighting in Fisk’s world is a little bit monochromatic and harsh. He’s now the mayor of New York but he’s come from the shadows. Now he’s in the spotlight. This hard light is always going to find Fisk no matter where he goes, even in the most underground darkest spaces. It’s not the most aesthetically pleasant for anyone, but it’s amazing how this show embraced it. It’s not about making things pretty, it’s about pushing the storyline of the character.” On the other hand, with Matt Murdock, Gómez Millán explained that “the red pulsing light became his trademark, representing his struggle. He doesn’t want to be violent. He wants to do justice the right way as a lawyer, but [this red light is calling to him in his darkest moments].”
In Daredevil: Born Again episode four, titled Sic Semper Systema, the tension starts to build up. Wilson Fisk is constantly called to attend a variety of formal events that are keeping him away from his secret agenda, and Matt Murdock is starting to feel that getting things done by the books is not as effective as putting on the Daredevil mask. “The camera is moving with Fisk. Even when he’s just listening to the Latvian Cultural Center’s [rendition of We Built This City], the camera is pushing on him, trying to get that feeling of frustration,” whereas “Matt’s exchange through the cell with Leroy was very intimate, shooting in close-up. Then at the very end of the scene, the camera crosses the line and we see a different side of Matt, a little bit more thoughtful, and maybe almost defeated by the justice system because he didn’t get parole for Leroy. The camera in a way is trying to visualize those emotions,” Gómez Millán said.
Both characters are struggling with their own inner demons, and in the end of the episode the audience realizes that Fisk and Murdock can no longer control their true nature. This is where their past identities begin to emerge, and both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course, which is cleverly waived through combining shots: “Seeing those low angles of Fisk at the dining table [revealing Adam, Vanessa’s love interest, locked up in a cell] transitioning to Matt starting to rehearse with his weapon after the final edit was fantastic because you could see how both characters are reaching to that limit–how far they can go until hell breaks loose again and they become who they really are,” Pedro Gómez Millán confessed.
The show is reaching a crescendo, with Kingpin and Daredevil readying their weapons for an explosive second half of the season. Make sure to watch Daredevil: Born Again, streaming only on Disney+.
