“Saving Lincoln,” directed by Salvador Litvak, is not only interested in telling the story of Abraham Lincoln through the eyes of his bodyguard Marshal Lamon, but it also brings a new cinematic style to filmmaking; CineCollage.
CineCollage, developed by Litvak, is a new technique that has allowed the sprawling period piece to be filmed on an indie budget. Films have used layered images before, but “Saving Lincoln” marks the first time cinematic collage will be used for every scene in a feature film. “Saving Lincoln” also marks the first time the technique has been officially branded.
CineCollage creates a collage by using existing images as a backdrop, according to the release:
“The process combines off-the-shelf visual effects tools with techniques borrowed from theater, animation, and photography. A typical scene contains live-action elements – including principal actors, tiled layers of extras, furniture and props – all shot on a green screen stage, as well as multiple layers of location and architectural elements culled from period photography. The layers are composited together to create a stylized look that works hand in hand with the story’s narrative structure: in this case, Marshal Lamon’s very personal recollection of his friend, Abraham Lincoln.”
Litvak said about the production process, “We had a huge story to tell, and we were determined to tell it. During our research, we dug into the enormous trove of Civil War photography in the Library of Congress, and I visualized scenes taking place in those locations.”
“In the wake of movies like ‘Sin City’ and ‘300,’ I realized we could use the photos to replace physical sets,” he said. “Of course, the process was far more complex and time-consuming than I imagined, but thanks to an extremely creative and passionate team, we were able to make ‘Saving Lincoln’ a reality. Further possibilities for CineCollage are unlimited, particularly for subjects that can exploit well-photographed periods and locations.”
“Saving Lincoln” was written by Nina Davidovich Litvak and stars Tom Amandes, Lea Coco, Penelope Ann Miller, Creed Bratton, Saidah Arrika Ekulona, and Bruce Davison, with songs performed by American roots-rocker Dave Alvin. You can learn more about the film through its official site, Twitter and Facebook.
You can see some stills from the film below the post. How do you think CineCollage affects the film? Give your opinions in the comments section below.
