Fans of filmmaker Woody Allen (Annie Hall, Midnight in Paris) have come to expect a lot from him over the past few decades – jazz music in the opening credits, a neurotic protagonist, and one film each year like clockwork, to name a few. For his 2016 project (temporarily titled WASP 2015), however, Allen will be switching up his standard operating procedure as Sony has announced that his movie will be shot digitally on their F65 4K camera and will also be mastered in 4K. This will be a first for the director. The 4K resolution standard, which is characterized by a projected horizontal image containing 4,000 pixels, is becoming highly respected in the film industry.
Allen is working with Oscar-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now) to create the picture. Storaro was immediately on board with the plans. He said in a statement:
I had seen that the Sony F65 was capable of recording beautiful images in 4K and 16 bit-color depth in 1:2, which is my favorite composition. So when Woody called me this year asking me to be the cinematographer of his new film,… my decision was already made. I convinced him to record the film in digital, so we can begin our journey together in the digital world.
Besides the camera currently in use, all other details surrounding the film have been kept under wraps in typical Allen fashion. Based on the pictures from set (including the one seen above), we can deduce from the wardrobe that the film will likely be a period piece.
WASP 2015 will feature frequent co-stars Kristen Stewart and Jessie Eisenberg (American Ultra) as well as Blake Lively (Age of Adaline), Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Corey Stoll (Ant-Man), Parker Posey (Best in Show), Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect 2), Paul Schneider (TV’s Parks and Recreation), Jeannie Berlin (The Heartbreak Kid), and Ken Stott (The Hobbit series).
The film has already begun filming in Los Angeles and New York. A 2016 release date has not yet been set.