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ComingSoons’ Jeff Ames got the chance to speak with cinematographer Antka Malatinska about her work on HBOs Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. The series airs on HBO Max.
Jeff Ames: What’s your path to becoming a cameraman?
Anka Malatinska: Curiosity and human conditions.
Are there people in the field who have influenced your style?
to Laszlo Kovacs, Vilmos Zygmond. Jim Chressanthis was one of my mentors who was also mentored by Vilmos Zsigmond. The New Wave said that Rembrandt’s lighting was exactly a simple method. This technique has many commonly used for backlighting, as is the case in the United States. When you’re looking at third generation close encounters, it’s the most beautiful way to close, the light can get much lighter and much harder. Some styles in this type have different iterations. Many people like to have even lighting, many people like to drink alcohol. I like things that, even when they are ugly, sing with their beauty. When I go to the movies, I go and relax. Part of it is being able to release disbelief in a world that, even in an unhappy world, is beautiful. That this is a poem. These are specific people that I feel influence me.
I feel like I’ve been really inspired by Anthony Dodd Mantle from time to time. Her cell phones are used by ten million cameras. I felt like Slumdog Millionaire had a lot of fun and inventive energetic framing. I’m always looking for new ways to juggle different ideas.
How has your technique/style evolved over the years?
Right now I’m turning the wheel and rethinking my style and technique. The huge way I’ve developed my style and technique is that over the last three years the volume of work and the number of hours I’ve worked has been huge. That means I live, eat, breathe cinematography. Cinema is my church and my daily bread. My brain does it more than anything else. It made me make very quick decisions. I like that Roger Deakins once said that the cinematographer’s job is to understand why he gets himself into trouble if he makes a decision. I’ll want to switch if I’m shooting my wide shots last and foremost. What could be better for a sunny corner? Things like that. Where did I put the light and I can’t move again and have the best job for you?
I never looked into the future. I want to use the technology, I can use the tools, to give the setting to the actors and to the energy of the story, to that ethereal, unspoken aspect when we watch movies and they really touch our hearts. How do we use these tools to not overwhelm and add finishing touches? When I practice my craft, I’m well versed in my technical tools, so we can ask deeper questions about what we’re doing. Because I have a schedule to prepare without being afraid to try something new or even approach the scene in a more complex way. This burden is large enough to entertain everyone.
What was it about Pretty Little Liars that made you want to work on it?
I saw the daily pictures I saw from the pilot. I thought, wow, this is a really special thing. After reading the script, I met the team. They really welcomed me into the team. I remember one of our production assistants telling me that when I got on the phone with you, I knew it was going to be you. I had the same impression of them. In the dark we went into the dark forest of the Catskills and into the cold winter woods and did beautiful things.
What was the most demanding part of Pretty Little Liars and how did you overcome that?
Time is one of the most difficult things. It was also extremely difficult to overcome the Covid wave in January. We overcame it by extending our schedule by nearly two months. The power had been out for three days. Since a city has no electricity or heat, there was no need for people to move from rental housing to hotels. In the forest I lived in a cabin with an electric generator, so I was right. A high school was in dire straits with students waiting for demolition. There were bats and heat issues in the place. We had a bit of back ice. We had snow storms. Their patience appeared; our manufacturers have made the choice to protect us and operate certain hours. They should go and say thank you.
Do you have any funny stories to share on camera about making Pretty Little Liars?
You were very interesting every day. We were able to get more power on schedule even in the heat. I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.
How was your work with the different directors on this show? How challenging was their top-secret vision?
I was really good at the show. We had a very young pilot director with a strong, specific vision. She shot the first and second episodes, and then I came in with Maggie Kylie. We watched the Lisas and wanted to continue our work, which we did. Of course, each director has a little more of their own perspective. The director of episode 7 came in and said that he doesn’t see a change from the first team. I feel like Maggie and I did a great job looking at Lisas work and building on that. I repeat the work of episode 4 and 5. Lisa is a very exciting and challenging director to work with. I think it comes from the animation and that you can take the camera anywhere and change it. She even had amazing ideas. She really struggled to keep those photos in the edits. I want to work with him in episodes 4 and 5 as I know about the series. There I started using even lower angles. When we came together, we opened the door to these beautiful lenses. Lisa then left and went back to watch the finale. I was able to carry the torch of broadcasting the show. I can proudly say that I did and carried it over while imposing my own journey and incorporating the visions of future directors. I remember Lisa being extremely committed to wide angle lenses as much as possible.
I worked on episode 7 with Alex. We had a lot of busy scenes. I remember Alex saying I should use wide angle lenses to separate them. I remember my feelings about this conversation related to the show’s fashion. I think eventually as we osculate the use of certain focal lengths throughout the life of the series. Having the same language followed by the same story is different, it does nothing but preserve the appearance of the show. No one is the same as every director, so I hope that every director can integrate their eyes into the series, which includes the love of their eyes and how they make their eyes be seen as storytellers. I did professional work with the best people. Sierra Glaude, Megan Griffiths, who directed episode 8. We like each other, and that’s the exciting part of making a series and sometimes the stressful part. I mean going out creatively, blind to directors and DPs. You never know if you will understand each other or say the same thing. Maggie and I have very similar instincts. Therefore, it was really easy to enter the world of Pretty Little Liars in episode 3 of the show.
Do you work for Joe Collins and Teodoro Maniacci or is it hard to combine your styles or does everyone do their own thing? What is consistency?
I think consistency is really important. I respected the vision that Joe gave birth to in episode two of series one and two. I thought it was exciting and cheeky. That was one of the things that made me go to the show. So of course I honor the vision and continue that vision. The world and I would like to have our own seal that is a little different from Joes.
I was young when I was 19 years old when I worked for Theo as a builder on the first indie film I had seen before. I remember watching it work and the beauty of its lighting. I remember how brilliant she was. When we needed a tandem DP, I feel like you always end up needing a tandem DP for a series that’s very complex. I have to explore while someone is shooting. He worked for Roberto on Katie Keene and was offered to be the tandem DP. He came in and was so generous and did such a beautiful job. He was very attentive to details, etc. I think Theo has taken what I did and refined it much more. There were things I did to give something to Joe’s approach. I used two hour bulbs and they went softer at times. I think Theo further embellished this. I think it was an amazing experience to have this DP that I wanted to work on, that I got, that I looked at, went in, and then we worked together on a series that I had shot. He was so nice and kind. He could come in and step on my toes because he had years of experience with me. It was a great experience in cinematography and I learned so much about what it’s like to come in and be treated with respect and work instead of being a DP.
Did you learn about Pretty Little Liars and want to apply for future projects?
There are many things I have already applied for future projects. I really started working with Titan and Helio light. They are a spiky bulb called an Astera that is easy enough to light. Helios are very small and we can hide them behind furniture. I used them a bit on I Know What You Did last summer, but they’ve become a staple on Pretty Little Liars. That was one of the reasons we could use them to get a soft look, because we used to smoke so much smoke that it diffused the light. I like to hide these little lights in a different way. They are fast and efficient.
Are there any other projects you could share with us?
Yes, I recently filmed two episodes of a series called Kindred that airs on Fox and FX. I’m really excited about the work I’ve done for this series. I also have a movie called The Listener directed by Steve Buscemi. It was a great collaboration. I am very excited to share this movie.
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