Netflix’s film adaptation of Matilda The Musical was shot with equipment from Sony and Cooke Optics

Tat Radcliffe, BSC, is a cinematographer who shot the film adaptation of Matilda the Musical. It is produced by Netflix and it is available on the streaming platform from 25 November 2022 in the UK and Ireland. It also will be available from 25 December in the USA and other territories.

The film is directed by Matthew Warchus and it stars Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull and Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey, with Alisha Weir as Matilda.

The Director of Photography chose Cooke S7/i prime lens range paired with a Sony Venice to shoot the film. The main focal lengths used were the 25mm, 32mm, 40mm and 50mm, largely shooting close and wide.

What Tat likes most about the Cooke lenses is that they do not shout at the top of their voices and bring attention to themselves. “All the benefits I can think of stem from what they don’t do: no funky aberrations, not much flaring, no surprises.”

Tat’s first ever musical was certainly a challenge but using the S7/i’s meant one less thing to worry about. “I wanted a glass that could achieve a gentleness with no aberrations, a glass that was visually uncomplicated and down to earth. The S7/i’s were a no-brainer. There are big expectations for this adaptation, and I hope we’ve done it justice,” he said.