Justin Kane on all things John Candy

We caught up with cinematographer Justin Kane, fresh off the release of John Candy: I Like Me — the new Amazon documentary celebrating one of comedy's greats. He shared a bit about crafting the film's look, his go-to gear, and what keeps him inspired behind the camera.

MB: You recently wrapped work as DoP on the new John Candy documentary. What drew you to that project, and what was the creative approach behind capturing his story?

JK: I grew up with John Candy. His films were etched into my childhood, so when the team approached me with this project a few years back, it was an opportunity to be a part of a wonderful celebration — one of those "pinch me-full circle-bucket list" moments. Our aim was to push beyond the milestones of an icon and share layers of John's humanity that we can all connect with navigating through life.

MB: Every documentary has its own visual language. How did you and the director decide on the look and tone for this one?

JK: From the first meeting our director, Colin Hanks, stressed the importance of maintaining a sense that our audience feels present in a chat about John. We wanted our lens to casually place us on the couch amongst the conversation, but then also be able to move in closer on eye-line when memories and feelings become connective. For lighting, we aimed to create a progression as John's life moves forward — from his humble beginnings in Canada that emulate naturalistic pools of mixed quality light and aged texture, to the beloved era of an eternally glowing comedic Hollywood.

MB: What cameras or lenses did you lean on for this project, and why?

JK: We shot on Arri Alexa 35's with custom XT-tuned Blackwings from Tribe7. All serviced by Media Box. The Alexa 35 was a clear choice for this project and many others for me. Its ability to very easily render close to the look and workflow of 35mm film is something that brings me joy, and a great deal of creative control. We chose to capture with Arri Textures and develop our lighting in tandem with a look built in prep with our colorist at Apache. While the Blackwings are generally more expressive on LF systems, I find that this specific XT set evokes a classic and tasteful skin resolution with just the right amount of character inside the Super 35 format.

MB: As a cinematographer, what do you look for in a camera rental partner?

JK: I think it comes down to collaborative support and flexibility. I love it when we can test ideas and options early on in the process and then have a plan in place for when it all happens. I do a lot of documentary work that requires random shoot dates, spread out over months or years, sometimes with little warning in advance. It's a great privilege to have the team at media[box] eager to field any last minute changes with a smile.

MB: Any advice you'd give to up-and-coming DPs trying to develop their own visual voice?

JK: Everyone is still figuring something out. Collaborate with as many filmmakers as possible, get inside the story, work hard, be nice, be humble, and try something new every time. Through all of this you'll find your voice and trust will build. It's ok to fail for as long as it takes. The more risks you take, the more confidence you will discover in what you really want to say.