With the hit release of The Narcotic Operation, this realistic drama centered on anti-drug themes, audiences have been captivated by its solid narrative structure, superb acting, and a distinct cinematographic aesthetic. The series immerses viewers in the complex and transformative era of China’s 1990s drug enforcement. We follow Director of Photography (DP) Chai Ran’s perspective to explore the visual world behind the series and uncovering the craftsmanship and ingenuity within each frame..
Set against the backdrop of the 1990s, The Narcotic Operation focuses on drug manufacturing and trafficking networks in Xigang City and the overseas Wanbei District. Through the life-and-death struggles between narcotics police and drug cartels, the series portrays the intricate moral and human dilemmas on the front lines of the drug war, prompting deep reflection on the perils of narcotics.
Establishing the Visual Language: “Frenzy” as a Structural Metaphor When you first approached the script for The Narcotic Operation, how did you conceptualize the visual style? What emotions or themes did you aim to convey?
My approach is rooted in extensive historical research. As materials accumulate and intertwine, the inherent visual essence of the era gradually emerges. The 1990s, viewed from today, carry a sense of magical realism, magical because society was restructuring disorder and turbulence, with countless “lawless” legends resembling fever dreams; yet it remains closely connected to contemporary reality, touching every Chinese family and their familiar relatives.
After compiling nearly 2,000 pages of reports on the 1990s, I noted: “The characters are merely common ‘madmen’ in an era of ruthless, rapid progress, their souls torn between extreme pragmatism and romantic poetry, erupting with torch-like resolve when facing dead ends.” This “madness” was the energy of that era, whether it manifested as frenzy, obsession, or outright mania. It represented a force that engulfed every individual and the entire nation, a desperate struggle to break through or take a leap. I distilled this “madness” into “frenzy,” and established two visual pillars: “Conflict” and “Instability,” which form the fundamental structural underpinning of the imagery.
This conceptual framework informed all cinematographic decisions, culminating in five technical commandments:Silver retention’s gritty texture Monochromatic color clashes per scene Baroque theatricality Handheld camera work Expressive zoom interventions
We aimed to blend commercial polish with the playful spirit of Dogma 95 and the creative freedom of the French New Wave, ultimately forging a brand of “pictorialism” unique to my interpretation of the 1990s.
The Aesthetics of 1990s Pictorialism: From Analog Imperfections to Visual MetaphorsHow would you define “1990s pictorialism” and how it was implemented technically?
The beauty of 1990s imagery lies in its uncertainty, a time when “heroes vied for dominance,” and various analog media coexisted and overlapped, filled with diverse distortions and flaws, making it an era rich with pictorial quality. It was like the world reflected on turbid, turbulent water, the reflection could not dissolve into reality but instead broke free from mere imitation, retaining its own unique character.However, capturing this pictorial quality required more than simulating 1990s visual traits with digital technology. It was essential to abstract commonality from analog-era imagery. This commonality, in turn, had to align with the spirit of the era, which I identified as: ·A handcrafted quality unique to analog signals ·A non-objective expressiveness arising from deviation from reality ·An intentionally imperfect, coarse texture
Guided by this sensibility, a fascinating connection emerged: the tinted black-and-white films of a century ago, with their highly expressive emotions and raw handcrafted feel, became the first pillar of what I consider the pictorial beauty of the 1990s. This also inspired the “monochromatic per scene” approach in The Narcotic Storm. In a long-form story filled with strong personalities and irreconcilable relationships, it is necessary to think in broader visual blocks to enhance conflict on a macro level. The monochromatic strategy was thus tailored as a “color histology” for such narratives.
Caravaggio, The Supper at Emmaus, c. 1601. Oil on canvas.
On another level, any pictorial quality is built upon a distinct sense of contrast and materiality. I almost instinctively associated it with Baroque oil paintings. The drama and tension inherent in Caravaggio’s compositions epitomize the spirit of the 1990s as I perceive it, and more importantly, they capture the essence of the story in The Narcotic Operation.
To translate this visual sensibility into cinematographic language, I turned to the aesthetics of silver retention. The compression of highlights and shadows (the “shoulders and toes” of the tonal curve) and the deliberate reduction of detail achieved through silver retention constitute a form of painterly simplification. Simultaneously, the resulting high-contrast effect aligns perfectly with the theme of “Conflict.” Thus, I established “Monochromatism per Scene” and “Silver Retention Texture (LUT)” as the two pillars for crafting the visual aesthetic of The Narcotic Operation, encapsulating the unique beauty of the 1990s as I envision it.
Camera Movement: Handheld and Zoom as Narrative Agents The kinetic camera work is a signature of the series. What logic drove its design?
Light, color, and the silver retention LUT resolve the theme of “Conflict” within the visual structure, whereas handheld camerawork and zooming movements embody the notion of “Instability.” The restless, untamed spirit of the era necessitated an equally dynamic and flexible mode of visual presentation.
Archival footage from that era features abundant handheld DV sequences, and Dogma 95 emerged as a defining movement of the period. The imagery of the time possessed a sense of immediacy, an impulse to start from frame one and shoot spontaneously. I deeply resonate with this creative impulse and sought to infuse it into every frame of The Narcotic Operation. Thus, handheld operation served as the foundational approach, supplemented by shoulder-mounted shots, large vertical camera lifts executed by the cinematographer, and dolly movements integrated with zooming. The overarching principle was to maintain constant motion, exert precise control over the audience’s attention, and unify in-camera montage with long takes.The perpetual camera movement was not merely a stylistic choice, but also a design rooted in human visual perception, dynamic frames continuously engage viewers, immersing them in the tense atmosphere of the anti-narcotics narrative.
Lens Selection: Why Angenieux EZ Series? During pre-production, what key factors led you to choose the Angenieux EZ series zooms as your primary kit? We noticed many high-tension “Zoom In” shots; how did this contribute to the narrative’s psychological rhythm?
My decision to use the Angenieux EZ series was based on a combination of creative philosophy and technical execution.
From a creative perspective, I sought to inherit the distinctive visual narrative style of the 1990s. Television productions of that era commonly utilized zoom lenses, and this visual language inherently carries a strong period-specific signature. Zooming is not merely a technical tool, but also a narrative device, it enables in-camera montage without cuts, preserving emotional continuity to the greatest extent and achieving a unique long-take aesthetic. This allows the audience to experience a strong sense of presence while simultaneously perceiving the creator’s intervention. Technically, the Angenieux EZ series lenses perfectly met our filming requirements. I adopted an all-weather handheld shooting methodology, with all support equipment carried on the operator’s person. This necessitated lenses that were lightweight enough to maintain overall balance.
Furthermore, I sought a sense of immediacy in camera movement, a seamless transition from stillness to motion. This demanded not merely lightness, but extreme lightness, in the equipment. In terms of exposure, as the series relied heavily on practical lighting as the primary light source to capture an authentic atmosphere, I required lenses with sufficiently large apertures to ensure proper exposure under low-light conditions. Given the dual requirements of lightweight design and large aperture, the Angenieux EZ series emerged as the sole viable option among available lenses. It proved to be a reliable partner throughout the production process.
Color as Cartography: Mapping Emotions through Hues The series features striking color palettes, deep greens, dark reds, amber yellows, etc. What emotions or situational atmospheres do these colors represent? How does color function narratively in shaping character dynamics and scene atmospheres?
Color functions as a musical motif, often originating from a single chromatic symbol. We started with the intrinsic colors of the environment and amplified them to extremes through lighting design. Given that The Narcotic Operation is an extensive series with substantial footage volume, it was impractical to design the color scheme for each scene with the meticulousness of a textbook example. Instead, we frequently captured contextually appropriate on-site colors and further refined them.
For instance, the yellow tones featured in the series originated from the high-saturation yellows observed during location scouting at a chemical plant, such as hazard warning signs and chemical protective suits. We then intensified this tonal tendency through lighting adjustments and white balance calibration, solidifying yellow as a visual symbol of danger.
Once a color is accurately associated with a specific character or narrative context (e.g., red with the antagonist “Lao Gui”), it serves as a reference for subsequent creative decisions. Similarly, when a specific blue tone (e.g., the scene between “Lu Shaohua” and “Lin Qiangfeng” in the funeral parlor) is successfully established, it can be echoed in scenes with analogous emotional undertones. This approach can be characterized as a form of “color cartography.”
Lighting: Revealing Inner Worlds through Chiaroscuro The lighting is equally dramatic. How did you use light to depict the complex inner worlds of characters, such as an undercover agent’s struggle or a drug lord’s maniac?
For me, cinematography centers on establishing aesthetic frameworks and creative strategies, while character lighting often relies on intuition informed by the individual’s traits, narrative contexts, and on-site conditions. Recurring lighting treatments typically emerge from overlapping creative sensibilities.
For instance, many character shots incorporate a “punctum” highlight to visualize their will to survive. This is less a deliberate design choice than an inherent visual consciousness. Another example is the distinctive lighting approach for narcotics officers. I entirely abandoned stereotypical lighting conventions for “positive characters.” Instead, I sought to grasp their lived realities, they operate year-round in the ambiguous space between good and evil, lurking in moral gray areas. Thus, I frequently employed subtle, ambiguous low-key lighting for their facial features. When it became necessary to reveal their “demon-quelling” ferocity, I used sharp highlights to sculpt their facial contours. The stark contrast on their faces vividly conveys their unspoken internal conflicts.
In Episode 2, for example, when Lin Qiangfeng returns to the crime scene, red curtains and pink lighting conjure a seductive yet perilous atmosphere. A flashlight illuminates his face from below, casting blocky highlights that evoke the intimidating aura of a temple guardian. I believe this constitutes a truer representation of the power inherent in society’s guardians.
Focal Lengths: The EZ Series’ Creative Range We noticed that the series’ tense compositions are closely tied to the creative use of the three EZ lenses (22-60mm, 45-135mm, 68-250mm). What principles guided your selection of focal lengths?
The filming of The Narcotic Operation relied almost entirely on the complete Angenieux EZ lens series:The wide-angle range (22–60mm) was primarily utilized for large-scale tracking shots, enabling zoom adjustments within a relatively stable wide-angle aesthetic. The mid-range (45–135mm) covers all focal lengths required for dialogue scenes, with its telephoto end facilitating sudden pushes from medium shots to extreme close-ups. The telephoto range (68–250mm) was frequently employed for multi-camera exterior shoots or to create a voyeuristic atmosphere through super-telephoto handheld shots.
Additionally, I did not limit myself to rapid zooming; instead, I extensively adopted classic “zoom aesthetics”, integrating stable focal length adjustments with dolly movements to achieve seamless transitions between shot sizes, thereby guiding the audience’s focus and emotional engagement. For instance, in the dialogue scene featuring Jin Shuangxi, the lens pushes in from a wide shot to an “eye close-up” while panning between the two characters, conjuring a suppressed and mysterious atmosphere. The sense of presence and tension achieved through such in-camera variations is unattainable through post-production editing. In such cases, I utilized ultra-wide-range zoom lenses such as the Angenieux 28–340mm, as only high-end zoom lenses of this caliber can deliver the ultimate narrative tension.
My deliberate choice of zoom lenses was driven not only by their portability and flexibility but also by a desire to rediscover the zoom aesthetics often overshadowed by the “prime lens supremacy” mindset, efficient and engaging in-camera montage, along with more impactful narrative interventions, constitute classic yet underutilized visual languages unique to zoom lenses.
On-Set Agility: How Lightweight Gear Empowered Creativity Production schedules are often intense, requiring rapid location changes and the capture of impromptu moments. How did the relatively lightweight design and versatile focal range of the Angenieux EZ series provide practical benefits and “surprises” in terms of on-set maneuverability and inspiring spontaneous creativity from the crew and actors?
During the fast-paced production of The Narcotic Operation, the Angenieux EZ series provided crucial mobility and creative flexibility through its exceptional practicality.
Its lightweight design and extensive focal range enabled us to respond swiftly to on-set contingencies, facilitating a “pick-up-and-shoot” workflow, whether for rapid location transitions or capturing actors’ spontaneous performances. Simultaneously, its distinctive “Angenieux Look” in color rendering and sufficiently large aperture ensured that even impromptu shots maintained consistent cinematic quality.
For me, the core value of the EZ lenses resides in their role in “image democratization.” Their accessible rental costs and lightweight design significantly lower the barrier to high-quality visual creation. In contrast to high-cost prime lenses that prioritize extreme resolution or specific bokeh characteristics, the EZ series offers irreplaceable agility and the capability to capture authentic moments. In dynamic filming scenarios, the freedom to “seize light and shadow in the moment” is far more valuable than technical perfection.
The Ultimate Challenge: Blending Baroque Precision with Documentary Immediacy Looking back, what was the greatest challenge, and what were your key takeaways?
If the imagery of The Narcotic Operation feels fresh to audiences, it stems not merely from the execution of lighting, color, and handheld camerawork, but from the striking fusion of Caravaggio-Esque lighting with handheld camera movement. Conventionally, painterly visuals are paired with stable camerawork, while handheld shooting is paired with naturalistic lighting. My distinctive creative pursuit was to merge highly stylized lighting with the realism inherent in handheld cinematography.
This demanded both rigorous compositional control and a potent sense of immediacy. Each scene had to deliver precise lighting and framing, while capturing the documentary-style authenticity seen in La Battaglia di Algeri. This entailed integrating all lighting design into the existing setting, and managing every element that contributed to the visual composition. It required a keenly attuned awareness of framing: lighting structures were realized through composition and blocking, rather than imposing lighting onto a pre-established frame.
Whether in the intricate staging of Captain Li’s return on a rainy night, or the prolonged street chase in the film’s climax, every shot necessitated flawless coordination across all departments, cinematography, lighting, art, and cast. Actors’ blocking trajectories were meticulously planned, with light zones positioned along all possible movement routes. Through repeated rehearsals, every position was aligned with the most suitable lighting. Yet during principal photography, the process unfolded with effortless fluidity, as if captured by a documentary crew. This “carefully curated sense of freedom” stood out as the most remarkable experience of this production.
This journey has deeply impressed upon me that when the camera engages intimately with the performance, it fosters profound trust between the actors and the cinematographer, which in turn significantly bolsters the confidence and cohesion of the entire production team.
The visual aesthetics of The Narcotic Operation were largely realized as initially planned, with only minor refinements made in the final grade, such as subtle grain reduction and brightness adjustments. Director WuBai and I have no regrets about realizing this vision of 1990s aesthetic beauty. With Director WuBai’s unwavering support, we embraced the spirit of the French New Wave, and articulated aesthetic sensibilities that transcend standardized industrial filmmaking norms. What we strove to preserve is a work imbued with an exploratory spirit, and that, in itself, constitutes its greatest significance.
