Prism

Prism is the story of legendary cinematographer Jack Cardiff, now2 retired to the sleepy village of Denham, Buckinghamshire…

Terry Johnson’s delightfully witty and poignant Prism is based on the extraordinary life of double Oscar-winning cinematic master Jack Cardiff; ‘the man who made women look beautiful’

Cardiff’s days of hard work – and play – on some of the most famous sets in the world are now long behind him, as are his secret liaisons with some of the most famous women in the world…

Surrounded by memorabilia from a lifetime of ‘painting with light’, the writing of an autobiography should be an easy matter – were it not that Jack would now rather live in the past than remember it.

“This shimmering production bristles with particles of tactile, living light and tangible glowing shadow” – The Reviews Hub

Ian William Galloway designed video and screen material to help the grand transitions from Jack’s garden shed into scenes from The African Queen and other movies. This was realised with a combination of animation, compositing and wide-angle projection, as well as 10 TV monitors that come to life with carefully constructed filmed footage matched to Jack Cardiff’s famous photography.

“In one wonderful scene the walls of the garage room dissolve and we are plunged on Tim Shortall’s set into the jungle, during the filming of The African Queen. That moment of unexpected transformation encapsulates the magic of light and imagination that Cardiff is always describing.” – The Independent

Client:
Hampstead Theatre

Location:
Hampstead Theatre, London, 2017
UK Tour, 2019

Services:
Video & Projection Design
Content Creation

Team:
Video Designer: Ian William Galloway
Video Programmer: Leo Flint
Video Programmer: Ellie Thompson

Production Credits:
Director: Terry Johnson
Set and Costume Designer: Tim Shortall
Lighting Designer: Ben Ormerod
Sound Designer: John Leonard

Photos:
© IWG / Mesmer