Based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Austrian writer, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, originally published in the mid-1800's. The word "masochism" was derived from his name.

EAST MEETS WEST

Comments by the Director of Photography, Peter Gray

The producers took the somewhat unusual step of importing Russian black & white film stock for this production. VENUS IN FURS is possibly the first feature film fully produced and shot in the West using Russian black & white emulsions. (If anyone knows of any other examples, I'd love to hear about it.)

The brand name of main emulsion used was SVEMA. This was mixed with small amounts of another B&W film stock from another Russian manufacturer called TASMA. Every roll was a different length. The Russians estimate the length of film in each can by the weight. And the quality varied a lot across the whole shipment, so every single roll had to be pre-tested to determine its actual condition.

I did not have any technical data about the Russian emulsions whatsoever, not even its speed rating. I arbitrarily decided I wanted an Exposure Index of 200 (ASA) to suit my lighting style. So I found a suitable developer and development time to achieve this rating (I suspect the true rating is probably half this?). I found the film had an incredibly narrow exposure latitude compared to most current emulsions. It was around four and a half stops. And surprisingly the overexposure and underexposure latitude was about equal in relation to the lens stop (all western stock have more underexposure latitude compared to the overexposure latitude).

But the final result on the big screen is very nice indeed. A wonderful fine-grained and pleasingly contrasty image with very rich "blacks". The main trick is to control the brightness range of the lighting to within the limits that the film can handle (i.e. 4½ stops). There are moments in the movie where the images have the distinct feeling of the classic black & white films from 1940's Hollywood.

I have no idea if this film stock is still being manufactured in Russia, but if the opportunity ever arose again, I'd gladly shoot with this emulsion again.

Award: ACS SILVER AWARD for Lighting Design, 1995

Award: "CREATIVE QUEST AWARD"
International Film Festival, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1994

Peter Gray
(near Los Angeles)
P.O. Box 5132
Pine Mountain Club, CA 93222
United States of America
telephone: +1(661) 242-1234

dp@petergray.org