Text and photography by
Johan Renck

ON LOCATION WITH JOHAN RENCK FOR 'THE LAST PANTHERS'

Director Johan Renck shares his thoughts and shots from searching for locations through the south of France and the Balkans for his new crime series The Last Panthers, premiering on SundanceTV tonight.

Scouting, to me, is a cruise of discovery. I allow for some drifting, in Guy Debord’s words. I have no predetermination, really, but want places that stir up a feeling. The setting is there to inform the content of the scene, but also to evoke emotions and add to the psychology.

As I come from a photographic soil, I search for a look and feel that I know will work for me when viewing through a lens. Textures, colors, dilapidation, soul. I am always drawn to the dark, brooding, and melancholic, which informs many of my choices. I spent a lot of time in a scouting vehicle, as I wanted to see absolutely everything the area has to offer. But it is also about soaking up the place, letting it color the way I look upon the characters and the script. Many times, we change the script to fit the location, as I will fall in love with something even though the geography doesn’t fit the script. In some cases, we even write a new scene because of a great find.

A premise or a set for a scene is extremely important to me. I think Kubrick once said—after being annoyed by a stupid question pertaining to the look of his creations—‘Don’t ask me who my director of photography is; ask me about my production designer.’ He had a point. If you are in a bad space, there is nothing you can do with lights or camera to make it work, but when in a great space, you need no tricks and one lamp (pretty much).

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Text and photography by
Johan Renck

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