Inside the Cinematography of September 5 with Markus Förderer ASC

A Deep Dive into the Visual Storytelling Behind One of the Most Tense Historical Dramas of the Year

Recreating history on screen is never easy, but cinematographer Markus Förderer ASC took on the challenge with September 5, an independent feature that revisits the tragic events of the 1972 Munich Olympics. His approach combines historical authenticity with inventive cinematic techniques, producing a raw and immersive visual style that respects and enhances the story’s emotional weight.

We’ve been following Markus Förderer’s journey for years—from the poetic visuals of I Origins to large-scale productions like Independence Day: Resurgence, and more recently, the hauntingly beautiful series Constellation, which we’ve also featured on FilmmakersWorld in an insightful live chat.

One thing is clear: Markus never opts for a superficial approach. His work is rooted in deep research, intentional choices, and a constant push for visual innovation, especially when it comes to lenses and practical effects, two of his signature interests.

We at FilmmakersWorld had the pleasure of watching September 5 at its preview screening during Camerimage 2024—and what a powerful experience it was. The visual aesthetic crafted by Markus, the incredible production design, the expertly crafted editing, as well as the pacing and the actors’ compelling performances, made every one of its 95 minutes truly intense and immersive.

So, sit back, grab some popcorn—this is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Let’s get started.

“We wanted to give our audience the same level of intensity that viewers must have felt in the ’70s”

Markus Förderer ASC BVK

September 5 required a high level of historical accuracy. How did you approach recreating the events of the 1972 Munich Olympics while maintaining a cinematic feel?

We did a lot of research and spoke to people who were in the control room in Munich when the hostage situation unfolded. We wanted this film to feel as authentic as possible, but with a strong cinematic feel and with images that create a high level of tension.

Our goal was to give our audience the same level of intensity that audiences must have felt watching the events live on television in the 70s.

Collaborating with Production Design to Capture 1970s Munich

What were the biggest challenges in designing a set that felt authentic to the era, and how did you work with production design to enhance realism?

The exteriors of the Olympic village still exist today; it is a historic protected site that largely looks like it did in the ’70s. To recreate the interiors of our TV studio set as authentically as possible, I worked closely with director Tim Fehlbaum and our production designer Julian Wagner. We made sure that we could shoot entire scenes as long masters.

The sets had to be built as one continuous space, based on the blueprints from the original studio, but we paid close attention to modify certain aspects like the layout of the main corridor, placement of doorways, and lights built into the set.

“We tried to capture as much as possible in camera”

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September 5 avoids heavy reliance on CGI in favor of practical effects. Why was this important for the film’s visual authenticity?

It was very important to all of us that we create images with an authentic, gritty texture. We shot mostly handheld in a very dynamic style. Therefore, we tried to capture as much as possible in camera. For our period film, we had to recreate certain sets that didn’t exist anymore, like the exterior airport where the final shootout took place.

I find it important as the cinematographer to pitch ideas for how we can shoot scenes practically in camera. I shot a proof of concept in a parking lot in front of our production office, showing that we can simply use a printed “miniature” for the airport. This technique allowed us to create dynamic shots panning from our actors by the airport fence to the airport and play with focus by rack-focusing through the fence to the miniature in the distance.

This all added to the realism and ended up not only giving us more creative freedom on how to shoot the scene on the day, but also led to a photoreal result compared to a computer-generated VFX airport.

Miniature Helicopters and the Power of Forced Perspective

The scenes involving helicopters posed significant challenges due to location restrictions. Can you walk us through your process of using a remote-controlled miniature and the techniques you applied to integrate it seamlessly into live-action shots?

The helicopters arriving at the Olympic village were very important in our story. We explored flying a real helicopter, but it was impossible to get a permit at this historic site. Also, budget restrictions would have made it very difficult.

We found this amazing flying miniature helicopter. It was around 6 feet long, and shot at the right frame rate and with the right lenses, it looked absolutely authentic.

We could fly this miniature helicopter over the actual location, and we used a simple “split-screen” technique to give it a large scale. I shot the small helicopter flying in front of the large TV tower—with a simple rotoscope of a couple of frames, we could make it appear like the helicopter is passing behind the TV tower, which gives it the relative scale.

Lenses from the 1972 Olympics: A Vintage Look with Modern Gear

What role did lens choice play in selling the scale of the miniature helicopter, and how did you determine the right combination of focal lengths and frame rates?

I shot some tests in the morning during a short test flight and settled quickly on the right frame rates, which I kept between 48 frames and 60 frames. There are some guidelines on frame rates depending on the scale of a miniature, but I relied on what looked authentic to my eye based on the distance to the camera and speed of the helicopter.

I did some research and managed to find some old zoom lenses that were actually used in 1972 to shoot the Olympics in Munich. The softer image rendition further helped to sell the realism of the miniature.

Emulating the Analog Feel with Digital Tools

You modified the RED V-Raptor to achieve a vintage film-like texture. What specific adjustments did you make to soften the digital sharpness and introduce organic imperfections?

During pre-production, I created a specific show LUT with my colorist, Florian “Utsi” Martin. It was based on film emulation but also inspired by the look of analog telecine. Back in the ’70s, a lot of the footage from the Olympics was shot on film, quickly developed at an on-site film lab, and then live broadcast via telecine, which is basically an old analog video camera capturing the image off the film.

This hybrid film-plus-analog-video look that reduces the color gamut was a big inspiration for the look. I could load this show LUT on our cameras to be able to judge my lighting and exposure in real time.
A key factor for the look was the combination of soft vintage and detuned lenses with the high-resolution sensor. The result was images that felt present while conveying a ’70s period feel.

Lighting for 360-Degree Movement and Documentary Realism

Can you elaborate on the lighting approach? What techniques did you use to allow for 360-degree shooting while maintaining the film’s documentary-style realism?

I wanted to give Tim and our actors the maximum freedom to move within our set. The solution was to integrate hundreds of Astera LED tubes throughout the set, all placed in period-accurate housings to blend into the set.

The LED lights, controlled via a dimmer board, allowed me to adjust the mood of the scene quickly. We had rigged lights almost everywhere for all possible scenarios, so we didn’t have to re-rig anything on the day.

Flicker as a Storytelling Tool: Tension Through Light

Flickering light was an intentional storytelling device in September 5. How did you experiment with different flicker frequencies to build tension in key moments?

I was inspired by watching documentaries from the time when all the analog TVs would flicker on camera. In big Hollywood productions, we are used to modifying analog CRT TVs and syncing them to the camera so they won’t flicker, but in our case, I thought flicker is a great visual storytelling device to create a sense of tension.

We rigged LED soft lights above the main TV wall in the control room; these lights could pulse in a dynamic flicker frequency. Whenever the tension is high in the control room, I intensify the flicker. Our board operator could dynamically adjust the frequency throughout the scene.

This is what I love about cinematography—that most audiences won’t pay attention to lighting, but on a subconscious level, the lighting affects the mood and emotion of the scene.

Capturing Spontaneity: Handheld Camerawork with Purpose

The film was shot without rehearsals to preserve spontaneity. How did this impact your cinematographic choices, particularly in terms of framing and movement?

We knew many scenes would take place in the control room with our cast reacting to what they see on the TV monitors. These could have easily become very static scenes, so we tried to counter this with a dynamic handheld camera that stays close to our characters and is always in motion to create the tension that was building up during the hostage crisis.

Your handheld camera work creates an immersive and raw feel. What were the key considerations in balancing control with the need for a natural, unfiltered aesthetic?

We planned for specific shots in key moments—meticulously storyboarding the opening and ending scenes, for example. For most scenes throughout the film, however, we embraced a very intuitive way of shooting and blocking.

With two cameras, we tried to capture the scenes in front of us as authentically as possible, always reacting to the performance of the actors and always trying to connect important story beats with pans, zooms, or camera movement.

Looking at the broader picture, what do you think September 5 reveals about the evolving relationship between digital cinematography and practical filmmaking techniques?

I think September 5 is a great example of how limitations can enrich a story. By not showing everything that was going on, but exploring how our characters observe a situation, we ended up creating strong tension in the film. The practical way we were able to shoot—with real sets and a real monitor wall where our actors could interact with what they see on the TV screens—gave the performances a level of authenticity that is difficult to create.

Keeping everything as analog as possible, with real working tape machines and editing bays our actors could interact with, and capturing this with a very light-sensitive digital camera, we were able to create the level of authenticity that makes this film, hopefully, a special experience.

Thank you, Markus, for sharing the behind-the-scenes process of September 5. These insights are not only inspiring but also a valuable resource for filmmakers and cinematography enthusiasts alike.

And to our readers, thank you for joining us on this visual journey. If you missed our last feature, you can click here to catch up.

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See you soon for another deep dive,
The FilmmakersWorld Team