In the August 2024 print issue of American Cinematographer, Cinematographer Eliot Rockett, Director/Writer Ti West, and key crew discuss their approach to MaXXXine, the third installment in Ti West’s horror saga, bringing a bold and retro aesthetic to the screen while including a spotlight on camera techniques and rigging.

The film follows Maxine Minx, played by Mia Goth, as she pursues an acting career in 1980s Los Angeles. West and Rockett drew inspiration from classic films like Taxi Driver and Dressed to Kill to create the movie’s distinctive look of saturated colors and hard light, which evokes the feel of 1980s cinema. Color grading played a crucial role in achieving the film’s desired aesthetic.

To make MaXXXine look like it was shot on 1980s film negative, Wes and Rockett relied heavily on Company 3 Senior Colorist and ASC associate Tom Poole, who conferred with them several times to view and discuss reference stills in prep. Poole describes the approach: “I had to create different LUTs for different situations: there was a slightly cleaner print [film look], a nighttime one, and one for warmer light. We also created an effects layer with some vignetting and softness. Then, in the finishing, we added grain and halation to make it feel even more authentic.”

Rockett used Sony’s Venice 2 camera, cropping to 2.40 and then matting the image to 2.39:1. This approach, combined with the use of vintage lenses and the color grading process, allowed them to create a look that feels authentic to the 1980s while still leveraging modern digital technology. The result is a visually striking film that transports viewers back to the 80s.

For the full spotlight on MaXXXine, check out the August 2024 issue of American Cinematographer.