The Louma

The Louma was named after its French creators, Jean-Marie Lavalou and Alain Masseron. It was created in 1976. Thanks to a crane with a camera attached on it, an effect of depth and height to the filmed subjects is produced. Someone behind the Louma controls its movements. 

 

 tumblr.com

In 1983, Jean-Jacques Beineix directed a movie entitled The Moon in the Gutter (La Lune dans le Caniveau). The movie used the Louma a lot in order to make us feel sweltered. Beineix was the very first to use this process. A gloomy atmosphere pervades the whole story. The director chose the Louma to emphasize the dark aspect of the movie and to bring discomfort. 

After that, many directors chose the Louma in their movies because it is perfectly adapted to long shots, as well as to pans. The Louma camera was rewarded only in 2005 by an Oscar.

Rosane Kaya et Rachel Serbu