▶ Find Inspiration and develop your ideas with Frame Set:
https://go.frameset.app/478c22O
▶ About This Episode:
Cinematographer Patrick Pickler joins Dylan Hahn to break down his North Face commercial, shot high up in the mountains on glaciers near France. They go shot-by-shot through the film, explaining what was actually filmed on location versus what was built later in a studio. Patrick shares how they carried full camera setups up the mountain, shot on 35mm in extreme weather, and used tools like thermal cameras, miniatures, and motion control to pull off specific shots, all in pursuit of images that could only exist somewhere between the real world and something imagined.
▶ Sources:
• Watch "Defy Easy" The North Face
• https://vimeo.com/1145632960
• Connect with Patrick Pichler
• https://www.patpichler.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/patrick___pichler
• View on Frame Set:
• https://frameset.app/search/brand/the-north-face/defy-easy
▶ About The Reframed Podcast:
“Reframed” is a filmmaker podcast that poses fresh and insightful questions to filmmakers. It offers a compelling look behind the scenes, providing listeners with a deeper understanding of the film industry and the creative minds that drive it.
▶ Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:42 The North Face Spot
02:28 How This Project Came Together
03:37 Shooting at 3,500 Meters
05:57 The Peak Shot on Location
07:07 Hiking with Full Camera Rigs
09:02 The “Mountain Ghost” Explained
11:51 Thermal Camera Experiments
15:41 The Frozen Jacket Shot
17:28 Building the Ice Tunnel Miniature
20:26 The Robot Arm Shot
23:10 Planning vs Execution
25:32 Why Miniatures Over Real Locations
28:18 Creating Weather in Studio
30:00 The Shoot as an Expedition
31:22 Surviving the Mountain Conditions
33:16 Shooting 35mm in Extreme Weather
35:08 Shots Found on the Day
36:21 Decision Making Under Pressure
38:03 Prep vs Reality
39:07 Previous North Face Work
40:37 Macro Face Shot Breakdown
42:12 Why These Shots Get Referenced
43:10 What He Wants to Shoot Next
43:31 Thank you Patrick