This book aims to explore the day-to-day working experience of a number of movie cinematographers. It is a brilliant resource. Fascinating information conveyed via an interview style so easy to dip in and out of.
This also really brings home how essential it is that the DoP is familiar with art generally, not just technical processes. They talk about a "painterly use of light" (John Bailey) and that a cameraman "literally has to see as a child does" (Bill Butler).
I think I need to read this book again as I begin the Gesture & Meaning course...
Those featured are:
Nestor Almendros
John Alonzo
John Bailey
Bill Butler
Michael Chapman
Bill Fraker
Conrad Hall
Laszlo Kovacs
Owen Roizman
Vittorio Storaro
Mario Tosi
Haskell Wexler
Billy Williams
Gordon Willis
Vilmos Zsigmond
Tosi: "Cinematography is more than just making pretty pictures." A successful cinematographer is just as familiar with the history of the visual arts as he is with the light sensitivity of film emulsion ...
The auteur theory is now in decline - filmmaking is a cooperative and collaborative effort by a team of artists, technicians and craftspeople.
The source of light should always be justified.
Almendros: "I believe in limitations and discipline." "I start from realism. My way of lighting and seeing is realistic. I don't use imagination, I use research. Basically I show things as they are, with no distortion."
Alonzo: "The technology should not control the art." "There's no such things as just flipping right into becoming a cameraman. For me it was the quality of what I could do plus being there at the right time and being tenacious about it."
No comments:
Post a Comment