Hitesh Mestry

Happy Birthday to Me

A story about a detective cop trying to catch a serial killer!

Role: Cinematographer

Gear: Canon C70, Vintage Film Lenses

Genre: Detective Horror

Total Cast and Crew 4

Creative Approach

The look we wanted was very moody and dramatic. We decided to get the look on camera to save time on colour grading/ editing later since this being a project for 48 Hour Short. We also decided to keep the lighting very simple with the just backlight Amaran 200D

Visual Strategy & Gear

• Camera: Canon C70

• Lenses: Vintage m42 35mm

• Lighting: One key backlight, Aputure Amaran 200D

• Mood: Confusing, Eerie, Mysterious

• Framing: Tight 50mm close-ups with slow push-ins to heighten tension

Challenges, Solutions & Reflection

This was our project for 48 Hour short Film. The goal was to set the mood and tone correctly, we opted for lighting the space as opposed to lighting the space as it enhanced the mood even more, aligning with the story