Roger Deakins shot Sicario with a merciless clarity that makes the violence feel inevitable. The border sequences are defined by harsh, blown-out daylight where the sky becomes a white void. Deakins uses negative space aggressively — the desert and sky dwarf the human figures, reducing them to silhouettes.
The Sicario look, scene by scene
Sicario is tense and stark. Daylight on the border is harsh and bleached, the night tunnel raid is seen through night vision and thermal imaging, and sunsets turn the sky copper behind silhouetted soldiers.
Border daylight
Harsh sun, blown sky and muted colour. Hot, exposed and threatening.
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Did you nail the look? What to look for
Harsh, bleached daylight
Muted colour
Silhouettes against bright skies
Green night-vision or very dark scenes
A tense, threatening mood
Sicario recipes — FAQ
Which Fujifilm film simulation is best for a Sicario look?
Classic Chrome for the harsh daylight and sunset scenes, and Eterna Bleach Bypass for the dark tunnel scenes.
How do I take silhouette photos like in Sicario?
Shoot towards a sunset, expose for the sky, and let people or objects in front become black shapes.
Which Fujifilm cameras can use these recipes?
All settings work on current X-Trans V bodies such as the X-T5, X-S20, X-T50 and X100VI. The X-T4, X-S10, X-Pro3 and X100V run the full recipes too. Every body renders slightly differently, so take a few test shots and adjust.
Who was the cinematographer of Sicario?
Roger Deakins, who was nominated for the Academy Award. Denis Villeneuve directed — they later worked together on Blade Runner 2049.