Former Missile Base Bratronice, Czech Republic 2019The Wastelands
The Story
This was challenging project on many different levels. The idea was to create whole world, set in post-apocalyptic reality where frost, radiation and poisoned air killed nearly all life on earth. There were only small groups of people left, living in fortified outposts deep in the Wastelands, travelling only once a year to trade and share news. My sources of inspirations were quite obvious - Mad Max, Fallout and Metro 2033. Scale of this project was enormous, the shoot took five days and there were more than 70 people involved.
For most of this project I used LED movie lights, since we were mostly shooting just before sunrise or after sunset and I had to match my light levels to fire from flamethrowers and explosions. The Wastelands project took about one month in pre-production phase, five days shooting and another month in post-production, some photos were very labour-intense.
The Process
Managing large groups of people at the same time was one of greatest challenges on this shoot. I ended up having stunt coordinator, pyro coordinator, smoke-making group coordinator and chief assistant. Only then could the shoot proceed smoothly.
I use permanent LED light whenever possible and I’d always choose them over strobes. Even though the light output is much lower I absolutely love the light quality of Fresnel lights. It’s usually also much easier for talents to feel as if they’re in the story when the lighting is there and is creating the atmosphere directly on set, which is something that doesn’t happen with strobes.
This part of project was pure creative pleasure. We built the set of hunter’s lodge from scratch, inhabiting it with furniture, props, lights and decorations, trying to imagine what the life of post-apocalyptic hunter/gatherer would be like.
If I had to choose one element of visual language we created it would be the cars. These were beautiful, torn-apart pieces of post-apocalyptic design. Some of them were even road-ready.
Working with professionals is always a pleasure. I worked with stuntmen and professional stage performers on this project, so that I could afford to pull tricks like this one.
Two stuntmen on ropes, few flamethrowers, one giant gas explosion and about ten dead actors. What else could simple photographer wish for?
Behind The Scenes Video
The Wastelands
A city of steel, hidden deep in the Wastelands. A city that is guarded by angels, radiation, but above all else by the omnipresent death. All manners of death. Remorseless cold, poisonous water and fumes in the air. The last city in the entire world that still has fires burning. My city. This is where I live.
The war changed everything, clearly not for the better. All wilderness evaporated. The endless winter destroyed trees, plants, even moss. What survived the cold and dark, perished in the radiation. Water we could not drink, air we could not breathe. It took impossibly long, and we survived by sheer luck. Deep in our underground shelters, we stayed alive thanks to the combination of hope, insanity and raw rat meat. We got used to this. Adapted. Our children were born resistant to the radiation and they do not need to eat. Or even breathe. Nobody really knows what keeps us alive now.
When we could return to the surface, life got better. Our generation was the first one to see the sky. Scouts went in all directions and the news they brought back seemed wonderful at first. We were not alone. Other tribes had survived in the Wastelands. We could rebuild civilization. Trade, exchange information and experience. Together we could make a new world. A better world.
Unfortunately, as the time progressed, we learned that the enormous casualties of the war were the least of our worries. The tribes lost something far more important. Hope. Compassion. Humanity. They became creatures that only look human. They were fuelled solely by feeding frenzy. Probably also radiation.
After several attempts of peaceful contacts that turned into skirmishes, we decided to isolate ourselves. We built a self-sufficient city where we shall endure until sun, life and humanity return. A city of steel, hidden deep in the Wastelands. A city, where we tirelessly keep the fire burning. Fire that shields us from cold and dark. Hope is coming back. We live.
It is the same fire however, that draws unwanted attention. Rumours of our city spread, and raids are part of our daily routine. Tribes of the Wastelands united and they intend to wipe us out. We are setting up defences. We are not afraid. Let them come. The only thing they will meet here is fire and death.
