What filter was used in the Netflix series "Lord of the Flies"?
If you recently watched Netflix’s Lord of the Flies, you might be wondering how they achieved the surreal red foliage featured in countless scenes or why the night scenes feel different than usual. While it may seem like a digital effect, these shots were captured in camera using invisible light and shot in the middle of the day.Â
For the production, cinematographer Mark Wolf pioneered a new technique to film day for night scenes in a unique way using infrared light. On a remote location with limited filming hours due to schedule limitations of the child actors, the crew was able to shoot day for night by removing the internal UV/IR Cut filter on a Blackmagic camera, making it sensitive to all wavelengths of light, and using our Kolari IRChrome filter.Â
IRChrome and How It Was Used
Designed to replicate Kodak’s Infrared film Aerochrome and released in 2019, IRChrome uses a precise mix of visible and infrared light to create vibrant red foliage and cool tones while keeping skin natural. All of this straight out of camera as opposed to the traditional channel swap work flow used for false color infrared. Here at Kolari we specialize in infrared filtration, modification, and developing custom solutions for industry leading filmmakers, photographers, and the scientific community.
The Lord of the Flies shoot took place on a remote island with strict working hour restrictions in place to protect the cast meaning the crew could not shoot past 6pm. With â…• of the scenes taking place at night, IRChrome allowed the crew the flexibility to capture stunning night scenes in daylight. By leaning into the shifted colors and blue tones of IRChrome, the crew created a beautifully abstract and unsettling version of night.Â
In day scenes, IRChrome was used in pivotal character moments to reflect the boy’s inner turmoil. As the boys descend further from society and deeper into their new primal world, we see IRChrome used more frequently. With a stark contrast between beauty and violence and images reminiscent of The Enclave by Richard Mosse.
What’s so great about this usage of IRChrome is not only was it used as a tool to solve logistical problems on set, but it was an important storytelling device that brought the audience closer into the minds of the characters.Â
Infrared's Trajectory in Cinema
Infrared has a long history in cinema but is more often than not used for technical applications. We supplied infrared filters to Lucasfilms to be used for capture of infrared paint dots for the Irishman and Hoyte Van Hoytemma used infrared in a dual camera setup for a realistic day for night effect in Nope (2022). However only recently have we seen an increase in demand from productions looking to lean into the Infrared aesthetic.
We have collaborated with a lot more filmmakers in the past few years and strive to make IR more accessible to all artists. Here is our recent collaboration for American Football’s Single “Bad Moons”.
To show you how to achieve the Lord of the Flies effect in your projects, we are going to go over everything you will need to have and know.
Shooting with IRChrome
In order to use IRChrome you will need a full spectrum camera. We offer full spectrum and infrared conversion services plus pre-converted cameras. IRChrome is available as a lens filter, 4×5.65, drop-in, and clip-in filter. We also offer IRChrome Lite which is an interference based filter, making it thinner and capable of fitting into more form factors.
When shooting with IRChrome or infrared in general there are a couple of things to keep in mind. The look is extremely dependent on proper WB so we recommend setting a CWB with a grey card and shooting in RAW when possible. We typically film in BRAW for maximum flexibility.Â
The red foliage comes from infrared light reflected off of chlorophyll in plant matter. Meaning the amount of infrared light and chlorophyll present will affect the foliage colors. Which is why the lush green jungle featured in Lord of the Flies glows a beautiful red.
Any other materials that reflect IR will also shift in color which can often cause issues with Wardrobe and makeup and should be tested for.
If you are familiar with the IR aesthetic you might know that it is known to turn skies black. That is the case with a 720nm or 850nm filter but not with IRChrome. That means you will need to do sky replacement if you are looking to use it as a day for night effect.Â
Lastly, different sensors process color information in different ways, resulting in IRChrome having slight color variations on different cameras. Sony cameras in particular tend to create foliage that is more orange than red which can be corrected with a modest shift in post-production.
Color Grading
The great thing about IRChrome is that the look pretty much comes SOOC. Here you can see the RAW footage compared to the Rec709, and final grade.
We offer an IR LUT pack with luts designed for IRChrome that will bring out the reds in the foliage which you can use or grade manually. For these clips, I did a simple Rec709 conversion, Contrast + WB adjustments, and some film emulation.
To get the day for night effect I simply lowered the white balance and exposure, using the show as reference. I selectively darkened the skies and parts of the frame to enhance the feeling of night. Add some night time sound effects under it and our day time shot becomes night.
Final Thoughts
We love to see more filmmakers utilizing the incredible tool that is infrared cinematography. If you are interested in exploring or learning more for yourself check out our website. We offer a wide range of IR filters with various aesthetics that can never be truly replicated in post. Plus educational resources and rental packages if you are interested in experimenting. If you have any questions, reach out to our team and we would be happy to help!
