Interview with Cinematographer Isaac Bauman: Exploring the Kang Variants and TVA Aesthetics in Loki Season 2

Article Overview

Working as the cinematographer for season 2 of Loki, Isaac Bauman initially faced the intimidating task of handling a show of significant financial resources and immense popularity. However, he soon discovered that the production offered a nurturing and innovative atmosphere.

Bauman stresses the significance of establishing a unified appearance for the show, detailing his thorough preparation and meticulous documentation of the visual style in a comprehensive 700-page manual. Derived from diverse influences, such as the vintage appeal of production design from the late '60s and early '70s, as well as acclaimed films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Live and Let Die, and Munich, Bauman found inspiration for the project.

In Loki season 2, the eponymous character faces the consequences of He Who Remains' demise and the resulting chaos in the TVA. Alongside TVA allies Mobius, HunterB-15, and O.B., Loki searches for a means to safeguard the timelines amidst opposition from those within the TVA who wish to maintain the current practice of eliminating diverging timelines. However, complications arise with the introduction of Victor Timely, an apparent variant of He Who Remains, while Renslayer and Miss Minutes devise their own plans for the future of the TVA.

Taking the helm as the lead directors for Loki season 2 are Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, succeeding Kate Herron's work on the first season. Eric Martin assumes the role of head writer, taking over from series creator Michael Waldron. The impressive cast of Loki season 2 includes Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Jonathan Majors, Wunmi Mosaku, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tara Strong, and Eugene Cordero, with the addition of Ke Huy Quan.

Isaac Bauman Talks Loki Season 2

Isaac Bauman, the cinematographer for Loki season 2, was recently interviewed by our website. During the interview, he provided insights into his approach for distinguishing the different time periods and settings, ranging from the 1800s to the TVA. Additionally, Bauman shared the movies that served as inspiration for his work and also mentioned his favorite Kang variant.

Our website: Marvel's Loki season 2 has exceeded all expectations, each episode surpassing the previous one. We would love to hear your thoughts on the exhilarating journey of embracing the MCU opportunity with Loki.

Isaac Bauman: Initially, it may seem overwhelming. The show's magnitude, budget, talent, and extensive scripts can be intimidating. However, as the process unfolds, you soon realize that it is not daunting at all. The environment is incredibly supportive, nurturing, and welcoming to creativity. There is ample support, infrastructure, and time to execute ideas. We have enough time for preparation, planning, and open discussions. The transition from feeling overwhelmed to feeling confident happens quite swiftly.

Could you elaborate on the creative process? Throughout the season, you collaborate with multiple directors, yet the show maintains a cohesive look, even across different eras and time periods.

Isaac Bauman takes great pride in defining the visual appearance of what appears on screen. He invests significant time in planning and outlining every component, ensuring that even the smallest details are meticulously recorded. As part of this process, he created a comprehensive style guide, resembling a massive bible, which serves as a reference for the show's aesthetic. While initially developed for his own clarity, the style guide also proves valuable for collaboration and feedback from others. It engenders a shared understanding among the team, with members even reminding Bauman of previously established guidelines. In this way, the style guide becomes a larger, metanarrative that influences and guides the entire crew's commitment to upholding the desired visual identity.

What were some of the standout elements in season 1 that you knew could be carried forward into season 2, and what needed to be changed?

Isaac Bauman: Season 1 had a distinct visual style. In many ways, we decided to change everything for season 2. While there may have been a few technical aspects that carried over, overall, the majority was different. However, I maintained the same approach as season 1. For me, the approach wasn't defined by specific techniques, aesthetics, or visuals. It was more about allowing the DP, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, to bring her unique perspective and artistic voice to the project. If you compare season 1 to her previous work, you can easily see the consistency and personal touch throughout.

This is a continuation of her artistic journey, and I have evolved into a distinct cinematographer. My style is completely distinct from hers in both her previous and subsequent work on Loki. What I came to realize is that her approach simply involved doing whatever she pleased, without any restrictions. Therefore, when I took on season 2, I made a conscious decision to adopt the same mindset. In order to truly match her level of excellence, I needed to approach everything entirely differently, in a way that aligns with my own vision.

I love the idea of putting your own unique touch on the show. Can you talk about how you plan to make the show stand out, especially considering the number of other Marvel shows and movies being released?

Isaac Bauman: Absolutely, it all starts with having a clear vision. For Loki season 2, our goal is to explore various elements, but our main focus is to anchor it in the existing production design aesthetic, which draws inspiration from the late '60s and early '70s. We're incorporating elements of Soviet brutalism, mid-century modern, and other aesthetic influences from that time period to create a unique blend.

I thought, "What if the show had a more modern look, resembling the style of that time? It would have a larger format, softer lighting, and be a modernized version of the old celluloid film." Not like contemporary films, but rather reminiscent of late '60s and early '70s film stock. We used this as a basis for our Look-Up Table (LUT) to make it as authentic as possible to that specific time period. As ideas began to come together, we faced the challenge of obtaining approval for each one.

We were consistently advised that we had the freedom to explore any ideas, but only if we presented them early and gained approval from higher-ups. In the past, some ideas had been proposed later in the process or even during post-production, but at that stage, it was crucial for everyone to fully support and commit to the show's style guide long before shooting began. This was essential for successfully achieving the desired aesthetic.

How do you effectively adapt cinematography to convey the challenges of exploring various time periods and locations, such as going back to the World's Fair in Chicago, in Loki season 2?

Isaac Bauman: To effectively convey these challenges, the first step is to thoroughly research the time period. This involves studying still photography, paintings (if it predates photography), and movies from that era. By drawing inspiration from these sources, we can integrate their visual cues into our approach to cinematography.

In the 1800s, it was common to come across portraits that had a blurry and smudgy appearance, with reduced color intensity. This effect was achieved by using longer focal lengths. In contrast, the TVA primarily utilizes super wide lenses, offering a different visual perspective. However, during the 1800s, one would observe a shift towards longer, more telephoto lenses, resulting in swirly and distorted backgrounds and less defined edges. This phenomenon occurred consistently throughout different time periods. Did you face any particular difficulties when it came to lighting or capturing scenes in the TVA?

Isaac Bauman explains that the TVA's handheld photography style and use of wide lenses make it challenging to hide lights or equipment. Therefore, all key lighting must come from the set itself. Bauman and production designer Kasra Farahani worked closely together to ensure that the sets were properly lit, typically with lighting from above. For example, the iconic chronomonitor set had a large light positioned above it.

This philosophy of lighting is applied to every set, with a big soft light source placed on the ceiling to create beautiful and dramatic lighting effects on the actors. However, a drawback is that this lighting technique often creates raccoon eyes, where the shadows from the light hitting the head and nose make the eyes appear black. This presented a major challenge when shooting in the TVA, as traditional lights were not allowed on the set.

What we did was create a battery-powered light attached to a painter's pole. This light was connected to a battery unit and a backpack. One of the lighting sparks, as they are known in England, would follow the camera throughout the shoot. Our goal was to position the lights in a way that would create a small highlight in the actor's eyes, while also brightening the area below their eyes to enhance visibility.

However, it was a challenging task. The camera was constantly in motion, and we wanted to avoid sudden changes in lighting, as it would be distracting. Therefore, we had to constantly adjust the eye light unit's level, delicately balancing it as it moved closer or further away from the talent.

In the final episode, there appeared to be a tribute to Back to the Future through the use of miniatures. O.B. explained how the miniatures were not accurately scaled, which reminded me of the iconic film. Can you share if you took inspiration from other movies or TV shows while working on season 2 of Loki?

Isaac Bauman: My favorite reference is actually an abstract vision that I came up with, although I must have seen elements of it elsewhere. It's a combination of various references that I work hard to organize in a way that others can see what I envision. Finding concise references that capture this unique vision is challenging.

One major reference was 2001: A Space Odyssey, along with the overall aesthetic of big-budget studio films from that era, such as Live and Let Die, the Bond movie we drew inspiration from. Additionally, we looked to more recent films set in that time period, which incorporated retro techniques similar to what we intended, with Munich being a significant reference for us.

Did you incorporate any visual cues in the cinematography to cater to the show's fans who obsess over Easter eggs and hidden details?

You've worked on all, but I think one episode of this show, have we seen your favorite Kang variant yet on the show?

Isaac Bauman: Um, wow, yeah, I think Victor Timely is pretty hard to top.

Can you discuss your experience collaborating with other department heads? You mentioned working with Kasra briefly, and I understand that Kasra is highly knowledgeable about his blueprints. Can you elaborate on your collaboration with department heads to achieve the desired aesthetic and lighting for Season 2 of Loki?

Isaac Bauman: Collaboration is absolutely crucial in order to execute something at a high caliber. It's like a symphony, where every instrument must play the same melody. My relationship with Kasra was particularly special. As someone who had worked on the first season, I greatly admired his role as the guiding force behind the show's overall look. That's why I can truthfully say that the cinematography this season was inspired by him and his previous work.

The cinematography of

About Loki Season 2

was influenced by the aesthetics of the TVA sets. While observing those sets, I realized that in the first season, the cinematography adopted a highly modern approach spearheaded by Autumn. She was at the forefront of the evolving trends in cinematography and brought that vision to Loki season 1. On the other hand, I contemplated aligning the cinematography with the production design, creating a cohesive aesthetic package. I pondered upon the idea of having the cinematography and production design share the same visual language. This led me to the question of how we could create the impression that the film was shot during the time when these sets served as inspiration.

Loki ventures through a vast and perilous multiverse, accompanied by Mobius, Hunter B-15, and a team of familiar and fresh faces. Their mission? To uncover Sylvie's whereabouts, confront Judge Renslayer, encounter Miss Minutes, and unravel the enigmatic nature of free will and the pursuit of a glorious purpose.

Check out our other Loki season 2 interviews here:

Kevin Wright

Christine Wada

Dan DeLeeuw

Kasra Farahani

Loki season 2 debuts new episodes on Disney+ every Thursday.

Source: Our website Plus

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I am incredibly excited about the upcoming season of Loki. The first season was a huge hit, and I can't wait to see what the writers have in store for us next. I'm especially interested in seeing how the show will explore the different Kang variants and the TVA aesthetics.

I think it's really cool that the show is going to be exploring the different Kang variants. Kang is a really complex and interesting character, and I'm excited to see how the show will portray his different versions. I'm also interested in seeing how the TVA will be portrayed in the show. The TVA is a really mysterious organization, and I'm excited to learn more about its history and purpose.