Variety Inside the Frame: ‘Griselda’ DP Armando Salas on Putting Sofia Vergara Front and…see more

Sofia Vergara’s Griselda declares war on her enemies in episode 4. Not only does she want to exact revenge on those men who have wronged her, she wants her territory back.

“Griselda” follows Griselda Blanco’s (Vergara) rise from Colombia to Miami as she builds her drug empire, fearlessly taking on the other cartels to run one of the biggest cartels in history. Titled “Middle Management,” the episode focuses on Griselda’s growing power, ambition and confidence before she is anointed the “Cocaine Godmother.”

The episode opens with Griselda at the car wash. Cinematographer Armando Salas notes the entire scene was a metaphor for her as she processes and relives the past betrayals. “It’s essentially washing the slate clean as she moves forward into this new chapter of her life, and she goes to war with the dealers and Ochoas,” Salas said sitting down for Variety’s Inside the Frame.

But just as she thinks she has the upper hand; she learns her Miami home has been burned to the ground and several of her closest confidants have been murdered.

Salas explained that much of the storytelling balances her journey of being a mother, and the importance of family while being a ruthless drug kingpin. “So much of that duality is dealt with both in color and in framing.” He said. “We do quite a bit of two-tone color as gold and amber represent the glamour she aspires for and this olive base that balances it out.” He added. “In this episode, we get into more blues and greens that expand the palette, both to represent the shift in location as she hunkers down in this fort, but also to show the expanded ambition.”

Griselda chooses her path and knows exactly what she’s going to do. Aside from the color shift, Salas changed the way he framed Griselda. “The camera work becomes more centered, and the world revolves around her.”

One key scene was shot on a thirty-foot techno crane, moving across bales of cocaine in a drained swimming pool as gasoline is poured over the pile. Griselda watches over, behind her are the newly recruited Marielitos and is empowering them and rallying them behind her cause by giving a rousing speech. Salas explained that there was very little camera movement other than the crane to show how many people were there. Otherwise, the camera is focused on her as she delivers this speech.

Salas tested several cameras, and after much testing used the RED V-Raptor which at the time was a new camera. “What was amazing about the camera was its ability to capture subtle images in low light,” he said.

Additionally, the camera was small which meant they could switch from a dolly to a crane to a jib crane with ease.

Salas paired the camera with Panavision Panaspeed lenses. “We landed on the Panaspeed. I was going to be so aggressive with the lighting on Griselda that I needed the performance and the consistency of the Panaspeed paired with how gentle they were on skin tones.”

The fire element was shot in-camera as practical. So, when it came to lighting the scene, there was a dramatic change in exposure once the bonfire kicks in. Throughout the series, Salas wanted compositions where the viewer could gather a lot of information at once. In the case of this scene, he used longer lenses to shoot through the fire and through the heat ripple and bring Vergara closer to the fire.

When she gives Miguelito the sword and he calls her “Godmother,” Salas shot that silhouetted against the fire. “It’s the first time we jump to the other side for this exchange. The audience at this point knows enough to possibly understand what is happening, but we’re leaving a little room for interpretation there.” He continued, “In the next scene through a news report, we find that essentially her rival dealer, the antagonist, at this point has been killed in public at Miami International Airport with that sword.”

At this point, Griselda has set the cocaine on fire and set the tone for what the next chapter will be – when she rules the cocaine empire and becomes untouchable.