How the Fantastical Blockbuster Movie ‘Wicked’ Was Lit

When it was released in 1939, The Wizard of Oz broke new ground in movie production thanks largely to its remarkable lighting setup. The blockbuster prequel Wicked, based on the award-winning Broadway play of the same name, likewise captivates contemporary audiences thanks in large part to its visual aesthetic and incredible lighting.

Cinematic and broadcast lighting company Litepanels recently released a video discussing how Wicked was lit, including in-depth conversations with cinematographer Alice Brooks (ASC) and chief lighting technician David Smith.

Universal Production Services, the exclusive set lighting and rigging supplier for Wicked, supplied more than 800 Litepanels Gemini 2×1 Hards, rigged across multiple stages. These were joined by 300 Cineo Quantum II lights.

Cinematic lighting has come a long way since 1938 and 1939 when The Wizard of Oz was filmed. The lighting of the time was exceptionally hot and energy-hungry. The production’s electricity bill is estimated to have been nearly $5 million in today’s money, nearly 10% of the film’s entire budget, and the lights were so hot that the set routinely eclipsed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

“When Jon [M. Chu] first approached me about Wicked and I knew I was going to it, Jon said that he wanted this world to be our own version of technicolor, our own Oz that was unlike any other Oz — something totally our own,” says Brooks.

Brooks explains that the production is the biggest project she and other crew members had ever worked on. The film was shot across 17 stages, some of which were up to 60 feet tall.

“We wanted to make an old Hollywood-style movie, something like Cleopatra or Spartacus,” Brooks continues. “Big, grand sets, real tangible filmmaking, practical sets.”

The cinematographer relied heavily upon large spotlights to mimic the Sun, similar to the aesthetic of the 1939 classic. Brooks relied upon more than 6,000 different lighting cues during filming for the 160-minute movie.

Although it only hit theaters just before Christmas last month, Wicked has already won 44 awards from 189 total nominations, including awards for production quality, set design, visual effects, art direction, and cinematography. As of Monday, January 6, the movie had already earned $681 million at the box office.

Image credits: Featured image courtesy of Universal Pictures. Behind-the-scenes photos by Litepanels.