Creating a Sci-Fi Epic : Darius Khondji ASC AFC Vision with TLS Vega and Alexa 65 in "Mickey 17"

Darius Khondji is known for his ability to bring a director’s vision to life, with an impressive list of directors he has worked with throughout his career. He has been nominated for an Oscar for his work on Bardo : False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Alejandro González Iñárritu - 2022) and Evita (Alan Parker - 1996), and won the Italian Golden Globe for Stealing Beauty (Bernardo Bertolucci - 1996), the 20/20 Award for The City of Lost Children (Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet - 1995) and the Chicago Film Critics’ Association Award for Se7en (David Fincher - 1995).

For Mickey 17, Darius Khondji knew that the right lens would be crucial in capturing the film’s vast, otherworldly settings while still conveying the emotional depth of its characters. He chose TLS Vega lenses to bring his vision to life, working alongside the large-format Arri Alexa 65 camera. With these lenses, he was able to capture the epic scale of the film’s sci-fi world and the raw emotions of its characters. TLS spoke with Darius Khondji to learn more about how the TLS Vega lenses helped shape the visual style of Mickey 17.

Did you draw inspiration from any particular films when crafting the look of Mickey 17 ?
Darius Khondji : The look of the film was possibly influenced by some classic film noir movies we watched, but references are helpful mainly at the beginning. Sometimes, they can be difficult to see in the final film. I remember watching The Third Man (Carol Reed - 1949) and Touch of Evil (Orson Welles - 1958), but I don’t think you see much of that in Mickey 17.

What led you to choose the TLS Vega lenses for this project ? Were there specific qualities that stood out to you ?
Darius Khondji : I really like the feel of Nikon photographic lenses on the TLS Vega lenses, especially the structure they have when photographing faces. It’s perfect for capturing the kind of detail that is key in a film like this. The quality of close-ups, even on very close short focal faces, was also impressive, allowing the lens to highlight the raw emotion of the characters beautifully.

The Arri Alexa 65 is a large-format camera. How did the TLS Vega lenses complement its sensor, and what advantages did they bring to your cinematography ?
Darius Khondji : The great thing about these lenses is that we could use about 95% of the Alexa 65’s sensor, which rendered beautifully, especially when it came to skin tones. Additionally, we used the Vega lenses to their maximum possible coverage on the Alexa 65, which gives some slight imperfections on the edges of the image, breaking their modernity a little.

How do you feel about the capabilities of the Vega lenses in terms of bokeh, flare control, and contrast rendering to shape the film’s atmosphere ?
Darius Khondji : The amount of flare from the lenses was just subtle enough, and I loved the colour it brought. The bokeh had a very nice, classic feel, too. Both qualities helped create the atmosphere we were aiming for.

Were there specific scenes where the lenses played a crucial role in capturing the mood or enhancing the sci-fi aesthetic ?
Darius Khondji : In many scenes, the Vegas worked exceptionally well for photographing faces, as capturing skin tones is often the most important thing for me. One scene that stands out was the battle scene in the snow at the end, where the lenses really shone.

How did the TLS Vega lenses perform in different lighting conditions, especially with heavy VFX or LED volume environments ?
Darius Khondji : The Vegas performed well with the VFX in our film ; their sharpness was just right for what we needed. The lenses were as good in low light conditions as they were in brighter, high-key scenes, delivering consistent results across a range of lighting environments.

Sci-fi films often involve intricate world-building. How did the TLS Vega lenses help capture scale, depth, and texture, particularly with the Alexa 65 ?
Darius Khondji : The lenses worked very well with the Alexa 65. They helped to capture the scale and texture of the world we were building in Mickey 17, while also ensuring the scenes felt intimate when necessary. The lenses gave us both that epic feel and the detail we needed to make the world feel tangible.

Did you use a mix of focal lengths throughout the film, or did you find yourself returning to specific focal lengths frequently ?
Darius Khondji : We used a lot of the lens range, especially mid-sized and wide angles. These gave us the flexibility we needed for the various scenes.

Looking back, is there a particular shot or sequence where you felt the combination of Alexa65 and TLS Vega lenses truly shined ?
Darius Khondji : The battle scene at the end really stands out. I felt the lenses were working at their best in that sequence, where the scale of the action was combined with the emotional weight of the characters.

Did you use any zoom lenses in this project, and how did they combine with the TLS Vega lenses ?
Darius Khondji : We also used some zoom lenses, but fairly rarely ; we used Angenieux Optimos. The TLS Vega lenses are able to match the zoom when needed.

Do you have any upcoming projects where you plan to use the TLS Vega lenses ?
Darius Khondji : At the moment, I don’t have any film projects lined up, but I do occasionally use the Vega lenses for commercial work.

Darius Khondji’s work on Mickey 17 is a brilliant demonstration of how the right lenses can elevate a film to new visual heights. The TLS Vega lenses proved to be an essential tool in capturing the epic scale and intricate details of Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi world. Their performance in everything from skin tones to VFX-heavy sequences, combined with the versatility of the Alexa 65, allowed Khondji to bring a deep emotional resonance to the film, all while maintaining the grandeur of its otherworldly settings.

As Darius Khondji continues to craft unforgettable cinematic moments, the TLS Vega lenses will no doubt remain a key part of his creative process, helping him achieve the perfect balance of scale, intimacy, and detail. With Mickey 17 as a shining example, it’s clear that these lenses are not just a technical choice but an integral element in the storytelling process.

• Read more about the TLS Vega lenses