The Cinematography of "Outerlands" with DP Lucia Zavarcikova, ASK [SXSW 2025]
Monday, March 10th, 2025
Written and directed by Elena Oxman, “Outerlands” follows Cass (Asia Kate Dillon), a nonbinary individual struggling with multiple jobs to survive. After a hookup with Kalli, a co-worker they’ve been interested in, Cass agrees to watch Kalli’s eleven year old daughter, Ari, while she travels out of town. In the following days, as Kalli seems to disappear from the face of the earth, Cass and Ari’s bond grows, unearthing Cass’ long repressed memories of their own tumultuous childhood.
In advance of the film’s SXSW premiere, we connected with cinematographer Lucia Zavarcikova, ASK, to discuss the process of making “Outerlands,” from how to best manage stress on set, to shooting over 35 locations on an indie budget.
by Ryan Rosenblum
"Outerlands" was filmed with the Sony Venice and Rialto. What drew you to this combination and camera platform?
I was looking for a camera that can perform well in low light scenarios and can be versatile when it comes to mounting it various places. With over 35 locations in 'Outerlands,' San Francisco itself became a character in the film, and I knew I wouldn’t always have full control over lighting conditions. The Venice allowed us to capture our characters authentically in the streets, where our schedule didn’t permit extensive lighting setups. Rialto on the other hand, gave us the ability to achieve specific shots we planned in tight spaces. One instance that stands out is a handheld sequence set in a bathroom stall at an arcade—a pivotal and vulnerable scene. The Rialto allowed my camera operator, Dae Hyun Kim, to stay engaged with the performances while giving the actors freedom to move naturally.
You shot with the GL Optics Canon FD primes. What led you to choose these lenses specifically?
I needed lenses that cover a large sensor, are fast and have a certain “nostalgic” quality —something that was an essential visual component of our film. That, in combination with some budget restraints meant that FDs were a clear winner after many rounds of testing.
When it comes to your experience making "Outerlands" in particular, how did working with Keslow Camera help bring the film to life? Were there any challenges during the production that Keslow was able to alleviate?
Working with Keslow Camera is always a fantastic experience, and 'Outerlands' was no exception. Given our tight budget and the need for extensive testing before shooting, Keslow provided us with the camera package nearly two weeks in advance. This was crucial for fine-tuning our approach. A great example of this was the period-accurate CRT TV, an important visual element reflecting the protagonist’s childhood video game, Outerlands. Having the camera early allowed us to test how it would be captured on screen. Additionally, our main apartment set was a mix of a real location and a build, requiring careful consideration of color and texture. Having access to the Venice and the FDs early on helped our production design team, led by Jamie Mayne, refine elements like wall colors and curtain types, ensuring they looked in sync with the emotional arc of the main character on camera.
Is there anything about the experience of making "Outerlands" that has impacted your creative process going forward?
Absolutely. Every movie has been a huge lesson learning experience for me so I’m grateful for the diversity of problems I’ve faced that has allowed me to improve. The biggest challenge was the sheer number of locations we had to cover in a limited timeframe. To stay efficient, we had to refine our setup and pack-up process significantly. My incredible camera team—Steadicam/camera operator Dae Hyun Kim, 1st AC Lawrence Ma, 2nd AC Leo Lopez, and DIT Alex Zajicek—was instrumental in keeping everything running smoothly and ensuring we were always ready to go very fast.
What advice would you give to aspiring cinematographers who are inspired by your work?
When it comes to things that would have been helpful to hear earlier in my career, I always like to think of my long time mentor and friend Steve Condiotti, who’s many pieces of advice helped me to embrace difficult situations and focus on what’s really important. One day I called him on the way to set for my first bigger commercial job that I was very stressed about and felt myself teetering on the edge of panic because of everything that could go wrong. I started rapid firing my thoughts and he stopped me and said “Lucy, this is our job.” It might seem a bit silly but that one sentence has literally changed my approach from thinking “if I had more time” or “if I had better gear” to adapting to the limitations and focusing on what’s in front of me. So if I had to distill it to one sentence, it would be to embrace the circumstances and focus on what’s important - the images we create.
Are there any members of the "Outerlands" camera department or production team in general you’d like to acknowledge for their contributions to the project?
I’m very grateful that Elena Oxman, the writer/director of 'Outerlands' invited me to help bring this beautiful story to life. Ever since I first read the script, I knew that I had something very special in my hands and I couldn’t be more excited that I got to work with Elena. I’d also love to give a huge thank you to my long term collaborators and friends, gaffer Matthew Barauskas and "A" steadicam/camera operator Dae Hyun Kim, who always bring their expertise, creative approach and upbeat energy to any project we do together. People say that the DP is only as strong as their team and I couldn’t agree more, none of this would be possible without the great team that poured their heart and energy into creating 'Outerlands.'
Are there any members of the Keslow Camera team you’d like to acknowledge for their support of the project?
Of course I have give a massive shoutout to Sean Jenkins (Business Development, Los Angeles), whose support has been essential to my DP journey throughout the years. We’ve done many projects together at this point and Sean’s been there for every single one, always figuring out how to get the best possible tools, while keeping the process lighthearted and easy. I really cannot overstate how grateful I am for Sean and Keslow Camera’s continued support. [x]