Filming at night has always been problematic for directors since cameras capture scenes best in the daytime with ample light. In spite of this some directors have excelled at filming night settings, using various techniques and equipment to overcome the limitations of darkness. Check out these docs that were primarily filmed at night:
“Tchoupitoulas” (2013)
In this lyrical portrait, three adolescent brothers take us on a lively journey through one immersive night in New Orleans, encountering a vibrant kaleidoscope of dancers, musicians, hustlers, and revelers. The filmmakers fully immerse us into the New Orleans night, introducing us to the people who make the city their home.
“Dark Days” (2000)
This film explores the surprisingly domestic subterranean world, unearthing a way of life unimaginable to those above. Through stories simultaneously heartbreaking, hilarious, intimate, and off the cuff, tunnel dwellers reveal their reasons for taking refuge and their struggle to survive underground.
“Brimstone & Glory” (2018)
The National Pyrotechnic Festival in Tultepec, Mexico is a site of explosive festivity unlike any other in the world. In celebration of San Juan de Dios, patron saint of firework makers, conflagrant revelry engulfs the town for ten days. Artisans show off their technical virtuosity and up-and-comers create their own low-tech combustibles.
