On March 24, 1999, in Los Angeles, the United States witnessed one of the most famous premieres of recent decades, introducing the world to the first film of the Matrix saga, directed by the Wachowski sisters. The film cemented the rise of a new star, Keanu Reeves, in the role of protagonist Thomas Anderson, who led an ordinary life by day as an office employee but transformed into “Neo” by night—an elite hacker navigating cyberspace in search of the world’s most notorious and “dangerous” hacker, Morpheus, played by Laurence Fishburne.

The Matrix visually translated cyberpunk imagery while focusing on a precise thematic concern: the relationship between contemporary man and technology, simultaneously redefining reality and its simulacrum. These two realms were sublimated through the innovative and masterful use of cinematography and editing, further enhanced by iconic visual effects such as bullet time.

A quarter of a century has passed since The Matrix, a film that was a watershed in the cinematic imagination of the 2000s. The latest installment in this legendary saga saw your collaboration— you co-signed the cinematography of The Matrix Resurrections (Lana Wachowski, 2021) with John Toll, ASC. What are your memories of the film’s release?

The Matrix was a technological milestone when it was released—it was immediately both a cinematic and social phenomenon. When I first saw the original, I was struck by its action-driven narrative, which was deeply infused with philosophical and anthropological themes. In many ways, it paved a new path in contemporary cinema.

From a technical standpoint, what were the film’s defining aesthetic characteristics?

The Wachowski sisters were deeply committed to absolute control over the image, which is why they sought to avoid shooting on real locations, favoring studio work instead. This led to extensive use of green screen, paired with another pioneering technique for those times — bullet time. Both became hallmarks of the film, creating some of the most iconic sequences in cinematic history. Today, green screen has been largely superseded by LED wall technology, which has significantly improved the actors’ experience, allowing them to interact visually with projected images in real time, unlike green screen, which required extensive post-production work. However, LED walls still rely on two-dimensional imagery. The next step forward could be a kind of augmented reality—an interactive experience that enhances the real world with computer-generated perceptual information, potentially benefiting both actors and their movement in space.

As mentioned before, one of the most distinctive elements of the original Matrix was also bullet time, which allowed Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) to lean back in slow motion, dodging bullets—creating the illusion of time slowing down or even freezing entirely. How did you approach this technique in The Matrix Resurrections?

Bullet time is a filming technique that captures a sequence of images simultaneously from multiple cameras positioned at different angles but triggered sequentially. When played back, this produces a tracking shot effect (as seen in the original Matrix) around a character who remains seemingly frozen in space. All bullet time sequences in the first Matrix were created using visual effects. However, for The Matrix Resurrections, we did not employ this technique. Lana had evolved artistically and wanted to break away from the past, choosing instead to shoot everything in camera, such as a sequence where characters move at different speeds. Initially, we considered using bullet time—we even had 100 Red Helium cameras in stand-by for that —but executing each single shot with this setup would have taken an entire day, and the script contained a 12-page sequence.

The sequence in question featured Reeves moving in slow motion while another character moved at normal speed, with welders in the background creating sparks in slow motion. Before working on The Matrix, I had experience with 3D films, using dual-camera rigs to replicate human vision. This inspired me to take a different approach: instead of offsetting the two images (as in 3D), I decided to align them precisely. We used two cameras—one recording at 6K 120fps and the other at 6K 8fps. The footage was then blended in post-production to create an 11-minute sequence played back at the standard cinematic speed of 24fps. This allowed us to shoot the entire 12-page scene practically in just three days.

What were the main differences between the original Matrix films and this new installment?

The biggest difference was the shift from film to digital. The first films were shot on celluloid, while The Matrix Resurrections was captured digitally. Beyond the choice of medium, Lana’s approach to filmmaking had changed dramatically—she moved away from green screen and embraced real-world environments. She wanted to achieve a more profound emotional engagement that green screen simply couldn’t provide. Acting without a tangible environment can be alienating for performers. For example, director Ridley Scott, whom I’ve collaborated with for years, is not a proponent of green screen. In Prometheus, he built the interior of the spaceship so the actors could physically interact with the set and absorb the atmosphere of the world they were inhabiting.

A prime example of this commitment to real-world shooting in The Matrix Resurrections was the much-discussed sequence where Neo and Trinity leap off a skyscraper. That’s not something you see every day. Preparing for such a scene created considerable tension—we had to account for every possible contingency, as unexpected technical issues could arise at any moment. For instance, when working with a remotely operated camera rig attached to cables, a sudden radio signal loss could be disastrous. Additionally, the actors performed the stunt themselves, without stand-ins. Lana insisted on shooting at dawn, just as the sun rose over the horizon, which meant we were entirely dependent on weather conditions. The sky had to be clear, with no clouds. While filming other scenes at night, we were simultaneously monitoring weather forecasts to determine whether conditions would be favorable. The first jump was nerve-wracking for the actors, so we ended up shooting across three different sunrises to get the desired effect.

The color palette of The Matrix Resurrections represents a noticeable departure from the previous films. How did you approach this shift?

The comparison is inevitable. If you recall, the first Matrix had a distinctive green tint whenever characters were in the Matrix world, reflecting the green hue of early computer screens. Today, computers no longer have that chromatic trait, so it would have been anachronistic. We chose not to define the real and virtual worlds with such a stark visual divide. Modern digital imagery often appears more “real” than actual reality itself, achieving an astonishing level of detail.

Your work on The Matrix Resurrections put a spotlight on you, but this wasn’t your first project as a cinematographer. You had already worked on short films and Italian features such as Il Supplente (Oscar-nominated for Best Short Film), Natale a New York, Natale a Beverly Hills, and the TV series Il Commissario Rex. Initially, you joined The Matrix Resurrections as a camera operator for two-time Oscar winner John Toll, ASC. How did you end up taking over cinematography for the film?

John Toll started the film, specifically the final section shot in San Francisco, covering 17 days of an 88-day schedule. When the pandemic hit, everything changed. Production was halted, and when the decision was made to resume filming, John opted out, particularly because the shoot had moved to Germany. With his departure, Lana, with whom I had collaborated on multiple occasions, chose to entrust me with completing the film. I still remember her call—I was at home in Rome during the first strict lockdown, and it felt surreal, as if I were inside The Matrix myself. Production resumed in May, and my departure from Rome’s empty Fiumicino airport was a strange experience. For secrecy, the film was codenamed Ice Cream Project, with an ice cream logo. When I filled out my travel forms, airport staff thought I was going to Berlin to make gelato!

Given the rapid advancements in CGI, digital effects, and AI, what are your thoughts on the role of artificial intelligence in cinema?

AI is becoming a silent yet influential force, particularly in pre-production. Studios like 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros already use AI to analyze scripts, assessing plot structure, character dynamics, and dialogue. While AI can evaluate artistic and commercial viability, it also poses a risk to human authorship. If it becomes too dominant, we might face a homogenization of storytelling, sacrificing originality and surprise—two essential elements of cinema’s magic.