you, Nancy Kirhoffer, for taking the time to fill me in on updated post-production practices.
Thank you, Nathan McGuire, for always being available to assist with valuable technical information.
I must also thank Mick Hurbis-Cherrier, who inspired me to update my book as quickly as possible and for introducing me to Gustavo Mercado whose beautiful book, The Filmmaker’s Eye, was an inspiration.
I would also like to thank my precious Anabella for understanding that it takes a lot of time to write a book. Sorry I missed out on more time with you!
And finally, a big thank you to Michael Wiese and Ken Lee for believing in this project and allowing me the time to pull this all together. I appreciate your understanding, patience, and support.
INTRODUCTION
Since the publication of the first edition of Cinematography for Directors, the motion-picture industry has shifted into a predominantly digital domain. Filmmakers have had to adjust to the changes in technology to continue to master their craft, but the essence of the craft remains the translation of storytelling from script to screen.
The cinematographer’s job has shifted from being the only one on set who really knew what the final product would look like to having everyone on set voicing their opinion on how light or dark the image should be. Digital capture has provided many advantages to the creation of the image, and certainly through the completion process now allows the world of special effects to reach previously unimaginable outcomes.
But there are still a few that are nostalgic for the film process, which is why I kept that section in the book. There may be a new crop of cinematographers who want to explore celluloid as a capture medium, and while the learning curve will be steep for someone who has never worked with film before, it will certainly be rewarding. Pulling frame grabs for this book, I could see the magic of celluloid transforming light into that magical quality. I could also see the sharpness and clarity of the digital image that we are now becoming accustomed to.
I have gone through the book and updated everything that has changed from digital image capture to digital intermediates and archival. I have added new information from cinematographers I spoke with after the publication of the first edition who provided insight into the new developments while they were occurring.
But the essence of the book remains. It is about collaboration and finding a way to visually transform a story into a two-hour visual event, a movie that takes the audience away from their lives and into the world of your film. I hope I have provided some of the tools to help you on your way to translating the movie that is in your mind to the one that appears onscreen.
Wishing you a successful collaboration!
Jacqui
CHAPTER 1
THE DIRECTOR AND CINEMATOGRAPHER: CREATIVE COLLABORATORS
Cinematographers have to be able to work with a variety of personalities. Ideally you hope to work with someone who really knows what they want so you can work with a director without imposing something on them that they don’t understand or might be unhappy with later.
(Robert Elswit, Frost interview)
The director is the visionary who takes the cast and crew on their creative journey toward the completion of a film. It is their interpretation of the script that will usually be seen on the screen. Directors tell their stories with images, and it is their intention to manipulate the emotions of the audience and capture their attention and imagination for two or three hours. This escapist trip could be into another time and place, another galaxy, a nightmarish world, or into the lives of people undergoing dramatic transformations. With a good script, the director will make the audience feel fear or suspense, or make them laugh or cry. The director creates an artistic whole from the actors’ performances, the selection of shots for editing, and the overall look of the film.
But a director does not work alone to construct the images we watch on the screen. They have many talented people helping them achieve their creative vision, and one of the closest of collaborators is the person who is the creator of the look of the film through lighting and camera work — the cinematographer, also known as the director of photography (DP).
The relationship between a director and cinematographer has been compared to a marriage. Theirs is a very close bond based on trust and mutual respect, although there can, of course, be disagreements from time to time. Because communication is key in any relationship, the better the cinematographer knows the director’s intentions, the better they will to be able to help him or her. But if a director throws the cinematographer a curve and goes in a completely different direction from what the two of them have previously agreed, discussion and compromise may be needed. Differences between them may also spring from the inherently different perspectives of their two roles, because a cinematographer will focus on the technical and aesthetic interpretation of the concepts a director envisions, looking toward the completed project and getting all the elements needed to make sure it all fits together. A director may or may not focus on technical and aesthetic questions.
The cinematographer is a very important player in the creation of a film. She or he is the eye behind the lens, the one who takes concepts and makes illusions of reality almost palpable on the screen. So it is important that the director and cinematographer work in close collaboration throughout the process to bring the director’s vision to the screen.
But how does a creative collaboration of this magnitude begin? Usually it begins with director and DP getting to know each other by talking, “hanging out,” screening films together, and sharing various books, images, music, and DVDs. This communication begins before production and continues through postproduction. At this stage of the relationship, the director may be most concerned with how to convey the guiding concepts and vision of the film, and to figure out the best ways to convey those ideas to the DP. The cinematographer will be focused on getting to know the director’s tastes. It is also important for a director to understand the role of the cinematographer and how the DP’s mind works as they try to translate the director’s concepts into tangible images.
What does a cinematographer want from a director?
■ I could list a number of different things, from how unique their perspective is to what they want to say and how they want to say it. But being prepared is key for me, because when a director is not prepared it means they haven’t really thought about what they want to do or say with the film.
(Ellen Kuras, Frost interview)
1. Ellen Kuras, ASC (Photo courtesy Ellen Kuras, ASC)
■ I like when people have a sense of humor, because when they are rough and tumble it’s really not fun making a film. I like director’s who can think fast. I really admire intelligence and also somebody with an unexpected take on things, people who don’t rely on formula.
(Seamus McGarvey, Frost interview)
2. Seamus McGarvey (Photo courtesy Seamus McGarvey)
■ For me the most important thing is passion. A director who is not passionate about his project turns me off. That means sometimes I work with directors who will
