“How would people treat lighting if they spend all their night, and all their winter in darkness?” That’s the question that guided cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister as he thought about how best to capture the harsh Alaskan environment in “True Detective: Night Country.” His goal was to explore the contrast of light and dark “not necessarily only from the idea of beautification or aestheticization,” he explains, “but to think about light more in a utilitarian way.” Watch the exclusive video interview above.

The latest season of this Max crime mystery takes place in the small town of Ennis, Alaska, which is submerged in constant total darkness for the winter months. Detective Danvers (Jodie Foster) and officer Navarro (Kali Reis) constantly find themselves looking across the ice into an ominous black void. Only artificial light sources provide any relief from the dark.

The final episode begins with a five minute trip through a winding maze of ice caves, which jettison the show’s usual threat of darkness. Light bounces around and through the thick slabs, creating a disorienting but awe-inspiring location. “The technical challenge was authenticity,” describes Hoffmeister, “it still had to feel of the same language, of the same reality as all the other episodes.” In order to accomplish this, the cinematographer mounted lights “that come more from a rock and roll stage” which could cascade a hard light effect against the thick plastic that formed the walls of the set. So, the sequence stays in line with the rest of the season’s imagery by playing up the allure and danger of the natural world. “The sense of wonder is something that I really cherish,” says Hoffmeister.

Hoffmeister was an Oscar nominee for “Tar.” He won an Emmy Award for the miniseries “Great Expectations,” with additional nominations for “The Prisoner” and “Pachinko.”