Charlie Sarroff on Bringing the Horror of 'Night Swim' to Life with TLS Rehoused Lenses

Charlie Sarroff, a Melbourne-born cinematographer from Australia, now based in Los Angeles, has built a diverse portfolio spanning narrative, commercial, and music video productions. His career took off with his feature film debut on RELIC (directed by fellow Australian Natalie Erika James), which premiered at Sundance 2020. Since then, he has worked on notable projects such as SMILE and SMILE II (directed by Parker Finn), BROKE (directed by Carlyle Eubank), PINK SKIES AHEAD (directed by Kelly Oxford), and the recent horror-thriller NIGHT SWIM (directed by Bryce McGuire).

Night Swim: A Dive into the Supernatural

NIGHT SWIM, starring Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon, delves into themes of isolation, vanity, and the darkness lurking beneath the surface of ordinary lives. The story centres on the Waller family as they move into a new home featuring a swimming pool with a sinister past. Promising a mysterious fountain-of-youth-like power, the pool’s allure comes at a chilling cost.

To bring this eerie tale to life, Sarroff sought to craft a visual aesthetic inspired by 1980s adventure films, blending nostalgia with a foreboding edge. Achieving this required careful consideration of lens choices.

Unlocking the Character of Vintage Lenses

Sarroff has always been drawn to the unique imperfections and character of vintage lenses. For NIGHT SWIM, he utilised Bausch & Lomb Super Baltar and Kowa Cine Prominar lenses, both expertly rehoused by True Lens Services (TLS).

“The Super Baltars brought a warmth and softness that perfectly suited the film’s early stages, before the tension escalated,” Sarroff explains. “In contrast, the Kowa Cine Prominars, with their cooler tones, were ideal for the underwater sequences and the film’s more intense, horror-driven moments.”

Both lens sets offered a pleasing softness, particularly around the edges of the frame, and rendered highlights with a smooth roll-off and subtle halation. These qualities helped to create a filmic look despite shooting digitally on the Alexa 35.

How TLS Rehoused Lenses Made a Difference

TLS’s rehousing process transformed these vintage optics into reliable tools, perfectly suited for the demands of modern filmmaking. This was crucial for maintaining the fast-paced shooting schedule we were on.

“The original build of both lens sets often had different front diameters, along with physical size and weight variations. The Baltars, for example, were quite small, which made it difficult to attach remote focus and other accessories,” Sarroff explains.

“With many underwater scenes, we couldn’t afford any issues that might slow us down once the camera was set up in the underwater housing and submerged. TLS’s rehousing solved this by standardising the build sizes, ensuring consistency, and making them compatible with modern accessories.”

- Charlie Sarroff

Sarroff also highlights how the rehoused lenses improved workflow: “The iris and focus gears were smooth, and the focus scale was more evenly distributed, which is something that 1st ACs really appreciate. It made a significant difference in helping us stay on track with the fast-paced shooting schedule.”

Lenses as Storytelling Tools

Sarroff views lenses as more than technical equipment; to him, they are integral to the storytelling process. “The choice of lenses can profoundly shape the look and feel of a film,” he says. “TLS rehoused lenses allowed us to achieve the aesthetic we envisioned for NIGHT SWIM while maintaining efficiency and reliability throughout the production.”

Looking Ahead

Following NIGHT SWIM, Sarroff recently wrapped production on SACCHARINE (directed by Natalie Erika James) in Australia, where he utilised TLS rehoused Canon FDx and Petzval primes. With each new project, he continues to explore the creative possibilities offered by TLS lenses, blending the timeless character of vintage glass with the precision of modern filmmaking techniques.

Discover More

You can find out more about Charlie Sarroff on his website (https://charliesarroff.com/) or instagram page: @charlie_sarroff

Learn how TLS can help you preserve and enhance your cinema lenses. Contact us on +44 (0) 1455 848 411 or Sales@truelens.co.uk