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Typically, Besson and Arbogast discuss ideas during preproduction, after which the cinematographer is given free reign to handle all photographic concerns regarding lighting, exposure and stocks. One of the duo's initial agreements involved forsaking the neo-noir, dystopian style that has become a standard in sci-fi cinema over the past 15 years. The cameraman explains, "Films with very dark moods, like Alien [shot by Derek Vanlint] and Blade Runner [photographed by Jordan Cronenweth, ASC], have many scenes using smoke to create shafts of light. Luc didn't want that kind of look for The Fifth Element because this movie also has comedic aspects. The light in Luc's films is always based on realistic sources; it has to make sense. He prefers a simple, honest approach with a striking effect, and doesn't necessarily like sophisticated lighting setups.
"Our objective on this film was to have a lot of colors and a lot of depth," Arbogast adds. "Everything was to be very sharp and clear, so the images would pop off the screen. Luc really wanted a comic-book style of look, so we worked together to pick the appropriate gel colors. [Since the film was shot primarily with tungsten-balanced lamps], we used HMIs as cold sources. We also tried to use complementary colors. For example, in the airport setup [a sequence in which Korben and Leeloo attempt to flee Manhattan], we had a lot of green and purple mixed with blue and a little red."
During the prep period, Arbogast worked extensively with production designer Dan Weil to integrate various lighting units — primarily fluorescent and occasionally ultraviolet fixtures — within the sets themselves. More often than not, the futuristic spaces dictated the types of fixtures that could be used.
The high-rise apartment of cabbie Korben Dallas proved particularly complex, given its compact, cube-like shape and Besson's desire to have the set built and shot as a practical location. Most of its illumination emanated from twin rows of ceiling panels containing fluorescent fixtures. Some smaller variations of these units jutted out from the walls, providing additional illumination. Says Arbogast, "The look of his apartment was a sort of futuristic variation on the types of big but low-rent apartment buildings we have in France. The apartments are like little cubicles. The set was a bit boxy, which led me to go with top-lighting. We also did a lot of bounce lighting.
"Many of the sets had ceilings, because Luc likes to shoot from low angles quite a bit," the cinematographer notes. "There were exceptions, such as the airport, where we had arches that blocked the view. We couldn't use as many low angles there, which allowed me to light from the top."
Early in the film, a fleet of Earth's starships encounter a powerful celestial entity — the embodiment of Evil — as it bears down on their home planet. Much of the sequence takes place aboard the bridge of the cruiser helmed by the President of the Council of Federated Territories. Arbogast and Weil lined the set with translucent panels of stellar charts that were lit from behind. Fill was created from overhead low-watt fixtures. Assessing the purple-hued command center, Arbogast says, "That set was easy because it was like a box; there was no opportunity to create cross-lighting or anything of that nature because there were no real sources. It was like a set out of Star Trek."
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