Cinematographer and Concordia alum captures epic tales in The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers: Part 1 and Part 2
Portrait of Nicolas Bolduc on set (left) and The Count of Monte Cristo film set (right). | Photo by Jérôme Prébois.
Acclaimed cinematographer and Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema alumnus Nicolas Bolduc, attendee 93-94, is making waves with two recent high-profile films: The Count of Monte Cristo (2024) and The Three Musketeers - Part I: D'Artagnan and Part II: Milady (2023).
Bolduc, known for his impressive filmography, has previously collaborated on titles such as Enemy (2013) by Denis Villeneuve, Louis Cyr (2013), La belle époque (2019) and the crime thriller Crisis (2021).
D'Artagnan has seen considerable box office success, surpassing 3,337,706 tickets sold. Its sequel, Milady, which premiered in December last year, is currently on an international tour set to run through the end of the year.
Bolduc undertook the challenge of filming both productions simultaneously over a rigorous 150-day schedule and with a budget of approximately Can$105 million. D'Artagnan became the only French film released in more than 50 foreign markets in 2023.
Reflecting on his educational experience at Concordia, Bolduc shares valuable insights to aspiring filmmakers and cinematographers navigating today’s cinema industry.
The Three Musketeers - Part 2: Milady poster (right) and The Monte Cristo film poster (left).
‘Film is a great collaboration when everyone tries to understand the same movie’
What aspects of your experience at Concordia had the greatest impact on your career?
Nicolas Bolduc: During my time at Concordia, I dove headfirst into cinema with complete passion and tried everything I wanted to. The university is a place for that. But more importantly, I met people who shared this passion with me, allowing me to thrive and create a strong demo to advance in the industry with the same enthusiasm.
What advice would you give to students or recent graduates looking to pursue a career in cinematography or film?
NB: Our stories are all different, but if you want to direct, write or shoot for film, I believe you shouldn’t take too long to climb the ladder. You’ll quickly get pigeonholed, making it harder to break free from your connections and responsibilities. You need to live your ambitions as soon as possible because it's at the beginning that you can take risks.
The Count of Monte Cristo film set featuring French actor Pierre Niney. Photo: Jérôme Prébois
What challenges did you face while working on recent projects like The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, and how did you overcome them?
NB: For films of this scale, the challenges aren’t aesthetic or artistic; those decisions are made quickly, often over a glass of wine, relying on instinct. The real challenges are strategic.
You have to decide on all the technical aspects with certainty months in advance, and there's no room for error (for example, for The Three Musketeers, we had to confirm how to light the cathedral nine months in advance!). So, the strategy is to anticipate options even if, in the end, that’s not what we’ll do. Everything is negotiable, so everything is validated well ahead of time.
Is there a particular lesson you would like to share with students?
NB: Most people do this job out of passion. Some are even addicted to it. But we must never forget that we are ALL here to serve a script, a vision and a common goal. Film is a great collaboration when everyone tries to understand the same movie. This is true both on set and in the audience. Cinema begins when everyone shares the same dream.
Find out more about Concordia’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema & catch The Count of Monte Cristo in theatres.