By Randi Altman
The Fox series 9-1-1: Lone Star follows the fire, police and ambulance departments of the fictional company 126, located in Austin, Texas. This 9-1-1 series spinoff stars Rob Lowe and is executive-produced by Ryan Murphy, Brad Fulchuk and Tim Minear.
Cinematographer Andy Strahorn got involved on planning Season 1 in August 2019. He began shooting the following month, and he’s been a part of the show ever since. His resume includes TV series such as Lethal Weapon, Good Girls Revolt and Justified, while his feature work includes American Satan and You Might Be the Killer.
Here Strahorn talks about his workflow on 9-1-1: Lone Star and how he likes to work.
How did you work with the showrunners on this?
We discussed the origin of the show and how it would fit into the 9-1-1 universe while still giving Lone Star its own voice, look and style.
Are there other DPs working on the show? If so, how do you work together to achieve a similar look?
I shot Season 1 by myself, and it was very challenging; you’re prepping and shooting during the same compressed period of time. Coming into Season 2, we brought in Joe Broderick, who did a lot of photography for Season 1. Joe knew the show, so it was only natural to bring him on to shoot the odd episodes while I shot the even ones. Having Joe come onto the team gave us more time to prep the show.
Can you describe the show’s look?
Lone Star’s look evolved drastically from Season 1 to Season 2. We have a copper-metallic bleached coloring during the day, and at night we have a silver tone. As the show evolves, elements have gotten better with the curve of the shadows as we get to know the characters and get attached to them.
The camera moves with the characters and is never more than 10 feet away from the actor. We want it to feel like the camera is part of the team and the Lone Star universe. We use dollies and not a lot of hand-held shots.
What are some of the most challenging parts of shooting this type of show with so many fire scenes?
The most challenging part is shooting and protecting the integrity of the fire. We need a lot of light to avoid overexposure. Fire power is expensive, so we need to adhere to money and time.
There must be a lot of practical as well as VFX. How does that affect the way you shoot?
We try to make all explosions real and practical, but we add debris or projectiles via visual effects to keep the actors safe. VFX is a great tool, and when used correctly, it celebrates the image as a whole.
Does your process changes going from location shoots to stage shoots?
The process does not really change. We want the stage to look like the location and we want the location to look like a stage. It is all in the power of manipulation and continuity.
How did you go about choosing the right camera and lenses for this project?
We looked at a number of different camera systems. ARRI Alexa worked best, and the ARRI AlexaMinis worked great. We use 95cm lenses and Master Primes. It is the best combination with Alexa because of exposures.
Can you describe the lighting? Any “happy accidents” you captured?
With every episode, we are always learning characters’ faces. The look of the show was designed and based on the complexion of the hero. What works for Rob Lowe does not always work for every character. There are always happy accidents that we uncover while shooting. We take everything in, and we are always learning.
How did you become interested in cinematography? Who were your inspirations?
I grew up in a small town in the Australian Outback, and when I was 8 years old, I saw The Empire Strikes Back in our local movie theater. That’s when I knew I wanted to work in film. My first job was cleaning up the movie theater, and I worked my way up to becoming a projectionist. Then I started making my own films. I was able to teach myself about lighting by watching movies.
What inspires you artistically?
The light inspires me because you never see the same thing twice. It is amazing as light responds and bounces off of colors and textures. It is an exciting time to be a cinematographer because there are so many tools in our arsenals. We are now able to shoot digitally and we can tell stories through many different camera systems, lenses and equipment.
What new technology has changed the way you work?
When I started in the industry, we were shooting on film and now we are shooting digitally.
What are some of your best practices or rules you try to follow on each job?
I go into every job with a new perspective and ready to learn new things. I am always exploring new ideas, and my job is constantly evolving.
Explain your ideal collaboration with the director or showrunner when starting a new project.
My ideal collaboration is working with the showrunners to get their visions for the project and having them open the floor to what I can contribute. I love having the opportunity to take risks and explore new ideas
What is your go-to equipment?
My go-tos constantly change, but I love the colorspaces and ergonomics of LED lamps.
Randi Altman is the founder and editor-in-chief of postPerspective. She has been covering production and post production for more than 20 years.
