Cameras Behind Mad Men: Unveiling The Show's Visual Secrets

The critically acclaimed TV series Mad Men, which aired from 2007 to 2015, was shot using a combination of film and digital formats. For the first four seasons, the show was filmed using the Panavision Panaflex Platinum Camera, and from season five onwards, the ARRI ALEXA Camera was used.

The show's cinematographer, Christopher Manley, has spoken about the switch from film to digital, noting that the ARRI ALEXA Camera allowed for a more naturalistic look and the use of found lighting. He also mentioned that the digital format eliminated issues with colour contamination that were present when using film.

The show's distinctive look was also achieved through specific lighting techniques, lens choices, and camera movement (or lack thereof) that reflected the style of the 1960s, the period in which the show is set.

Mad Men was shot on film for the first four seasons and digitally for the last three

The critically acclaimed television series Mad Men, which ran from 2007 to 2015, was shot on film for the first four seasons and digitally for the last three. The show is known for its striking visuals, with its cinematography, set design, and costume work all contributing to a vivid recreation of the 1960s that played an integral part in telling the show's story.

The first four seasons of Mad Men were filmed using the Panavision Panaflex Platinum camera with Panavision Primo lenses. This camera is known for its ability to capture high-quality images and was a popular choice for filmmaking during that time. The show's cinematographer, Christopher Manley, has said that one of the unique aspects of filming Mad Men was the decision to avoid using a Steadicam or camera dolly, instead opting for locked-down shots to keep the camera still. This technique allowed the show to achieve a more period-appropriate look and feel, as well as drawing inspiration from classic Hollywood studio lighting.

Starting with season five, Mad Men made the switch to digital filming, using the ARRI ALEXA camera. This transition was done in part because the show's producers wanted to emulate the naturalistic look that was becoming more popular in cinematography at the time. The ARRI ALEXA camera is known for its sensitivity and ability to capture high-quality images with minimal grain, even in low-light conditions. This made it possible for the show to use more practical lighting setups and create a more naturalistic look for the show's visuals.

The decision to switch from film to digital was not taken lightly, with show creator Matthew Weiner initially reluctant to make the change as he was a self-described "die-hard film guy". However, after seeing the results of a side-by-side test, Weiner ultimately felt that the benefits of digital outweighed his initial reluctance.

Throughout its seven-season run, Mad Men maintained a consistent visual style with immaculately composed shots, lighting, framing, and performance that combined to tell a story within a single image. The show's attention to visual detail, from the set design to the colour palette, contributed to its success and has left a lasting impact on the world of television cinematography.

The ARRI ALEXA Camera was used in season 5 and onwards

The ARRI ALEXA camera was used to shoot Mad Men from season 5 onwards. The show's director of photography, Christopher Manley, described the switch from film to the ALEXA camera as creatively energising.

The ALEXA camera was ARRI's first major transition into digital cinematography and was introduced in April 2010. Manley, who was nominated for four Emmys and two ASC awards for his cinematography on Mad Men, said the switch to digital allowed the show to go for a more naturalistic look and use more bounce lights and found lighting.

> "Switching to the ALEXA in season five helped me to do that because we could go more naturalistic and use more found lighting. We started using smaller units and more bounce lights because the chip was so sensitive, but not so much in the offices because the light level there was dictated by overhead fluorescents."

Manley added that the ALEXA camera was the only digital camera he would have considered using for Mad Men, and that the switch from film allowed the show to more accurately capture the colours of the 1960s, as well as the wardrobe colours.

> "The ALEXA reproduced the wardrobe colours exactly how we saw them on set. The wardrobe didn't shift at all; none of the blues or greens shifted. We hadn't known how much film could shift the colours of fabric. It wasn't until we saw them side-by-side that we noticed a suit could be teal, but with film it looked a little more blue."

The Panavision Panaflex Platinum Camera was used in seasons 1-4

The Panavision Panaflex Platinum Camera was used to film Mad Men's first four seasons. The show's aesthetic was heavily influenced by the camera, which contributed to its vintage look.

The camera's film format helped to create a grainy texture, enhancing the show's period setting. This filmic texture was harder to achieve in the show's later seasons, which were shot digitally.

Cinematographer Christopher Manley described the camera vocabulary of the first season as "very old-fashioned", with shots kept "pretty loose". This style was maintained in the following seasons, with Manley stating:

> "We agreed that we shouldn't move the camera in a way that it could not move in the 1960s, so we never used Steadicam until season six."

The Panavision Panaflex Platinum Camera was also used to film the show's exterior locations.

Mad Men's cinematography was influenced by the period setting

Mad Men's cinematography was heavily influenced by the period setting of the show. The camera language and lighting were set up in season one to reflect the 1960s era. This included the use of low angles, which made the characters look heroic, and fluorescent lighting in the ceiling of the office as a compositional element. The show also adhered to a moderate range of lenses: 25 mm for wide shots, 50 mm for medium, and 75 mm for close-ups.

To maintain the period feel, the show avoided using Steadicam until season six and replicated the camera movement of the time. The show's lighting evolved over the years to reflect the changes in cinematography during the 1960s, with harder Fresnels being replaced by faster film stocks and more bounce lights. The switch to digital in season five allowed for a more naturalistic look and the use of smaller units and more bounce lights.

The show's cinematography also drew inspiration from painters like Edward Hopper and photographers like William Eggleston. The signature pull-in and pull-out camera shots, as well as the smooth transitions between scenes, contributed to the vintage aesthetic and made Mad Men's cinematography stand out as one of the best in a TV show.

Mad Men's distinctive look was achieved through lighting and colour

Mad Men's distinctive look was achieved through a combination of lighting and colour, as well as careful attention to detail in set and costume design.

The show's director of photography, Christopher Manley, described the show's aesthetic as having a "very old-fashioned style". He noted that the camera language was set up in season one, with low angles that made the characters look heroic, and a lot of fluorescents in the ceiling of the office as a compositional element. The show also used lenses of a moderate range: 25mm for wide shots, 50mm for medium, and 75mm for close-ups.

In terms of lighting, Manley described how the lighting style evolved over the years, moving away from the classic Hollywood studio look towards a more naturalistic style with softer sources, such as window light and bounce lights. This shift also coincided with the switch from film to the ARRI ALEXA camera in season five, which allowed for more naturalistic lighting and the use of smaller units and more bounce lights.

The show's production design and costume design were also meticulous in their attention to detail, ensuring that all furnishings, clothing, and accessories were era-appropriate. The show's palette drew from popular paint colours of the 1960s, with colours like purple and green taking on symbolic meanings related to character arcs and plot points.

Overall, Mad Men's distinctive look was achieved through a combination of careful lighting choices, symbolic colour palettes, and meticulous attention to detail in set and costume design, all of which contributed to the show's immersive 1960s aesthetic.

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