X-OCN Sony Workflow : Netflix shoots "Cursed" in HDR
"Cursed" is an ambitious new fantasy drama which debuted in July 2020. The 10-episode show is based on the legend of King Arthur but takes an original twist with the protagonist being a young woman, called Nimue, who is destined to be the Lady of the Lake. On her quest to return the magical sword Excalibur to the wizard Merlin, she is accompanied by a mercenary called Arthur.
The concept originated with writer Frank Miller and artist Tom Wheeler, initially as an illustrated novel, but soon expanded into a TV series when Netflix contacted them. The show was greenlit in 2018, with Miller and Wheeler as executive producers, and its ambitious visuals dictated intensive preproduction to determine how to realize their vision.
Cinematographer James Friend, , ASC, BSC, winner of a BAFTA TV Award for Rillington Place (2017) and an ASC Award for Patrick Melrose (2019), set about testing many different cameras, and Venice eventually came out on top :
"I love the pictures that come out of it. The guys that developed the camera and developed the sensor have done an extraordinary job, because frankly, I think it’s the best digital camera out there on the market."