Cinematographers Give Their Best Filmmaking Advice…
Summary
TLDRThe video script delves into the art and science of cinematography, emphasizing the importance of life experiences and personal vision in shaping a cinematographer's style. It highlights the role of lighting and camera work in storytelling, the significance of color grading, and the collaborative process with directors and production designers. The speaker encourages embracing happy accidents and taking creative risks, advocating for a balance between technical mastery and artistic expression to transform ordinary moments into extraordinary cinematic experiences.
Takeaways
- 🎥 Cinematography is a blend of technology and artistry, where the cinematographer is responsible for the visual storytelling through the use of light and camera movement.
- 🌟 The role of a cinematographer is to enhance the narrative with the right use of light, contributing to the mood and dramatic content of a scene.
- 📸 Style in cinematography is deeply influenced by the personal experiences and emotions of the cinematographer, making each work unique.
- 👁️ The audience's perception is shaped by the cinematographer's choices in composition, lighting, and camera angles, which should align with the story's mood.
- 🎼 Cinematography, like music, has a complex language that requires mastery of various technical elements such as lenses, depth of field, and lighting to create a harmonious visual experience.
- 🌞 The cinematographer's task involves manipulating reality to evoke specific feelings in the audience, such as heat in the film 'Do the Right Thing'.
- 🎨 The importance of color grading and tools like Film Convert Nitrate to give digital footage a timeless, film-like quality, emphasizing the role of color in storytelling.
- 🔧 Cinematographers must be adept at both the scientific and artistic aspects of filmmaking, understanding technical details while also adding their personal touch.
- 🤝 Collaboration with production designers is crucial for cinematographers to achieve a cohesive visual style and effectively convey the story's atmosphere.
- 💡 The ability to adapt and respond to unexpected events on set, such as changes in lighting or actor performances, is a valuable skill for a cinematographer.
- 🌈 Embracing a diverse color palette and understanding the symbolic meaning of different colors can add depth and layers to the visual narrative.
- 🌟 The best directors trust and respect the cinematographer's vision, allowing them to bring a unique quality to the storytelling process.
Q & A
What is the fundamental skill set required for a cinematographer according to the script?
-The fundamental skill set for a cinematographer includes understanding camera and lighting, and the ability to respond to emotions by dancing with the camera.
How does a cinematographer's life experiences influence their style in filmmaking?
-A cinematographer's style is largely determined by their life experiences and the things that personally move them, which in turn affects the material and the storytelling.
What role does the director play in the performances and story of a film?
-The director is the author of the performances and the story of the film, guiding the actors and shaping the narrative.
What is the cinematographer's contribution to the storytelling process?
-The cinematographer is the author of the use of light in the film, which contributes to the story and helps set the mood and atmosphere.
How does a cinematographer exercise control over the visual aspects of a film?
-A cinematographer exercises control by selecting lenses, camera angles, and using lighting in a way that appears natural and fits the mood and dramatic content of the scene.
What is the significance of operating a camera in picture making?
-Operating a camera is joyful because it allows the cinematographer to capture the image exactly as they envision it, rather than just interpreting it.
What is the difference between good cinematography and the cinematography that's right for a movie?
-Good cinematography is technically proficient, but the cinematography that's right for a movie is tailored to the specific needs and style of that film, even if it's not traditionally 'good'.
How does a cinematographer analyze their own work to understand their preferences and motivations?
-A cinematographer can analyze their work by looking at the pictures they've taken, understanding why they took certain images, and what drives them to capture specific moments.
What are the three essential functions of lighting in cinematography?
-Lighting must provide sufficient illumination for recording on film, make up for the contrast difference between the human eye and film, and enhance the illusion of three dimensions in a two-dimensional medium.
Why is it important for a cinematographer to know their own identity and background?
-Knowing one's identity and background is crucial because it informs all elements of the filmmaking process, from the camera and script to the sound and editing, and helps create a unique vision.
How does a cinematographer develop their unique style, especially in terms of color grading?
-A cinematographer can develop their unique style through color grading, using tools like Film Convert Nitrate to emulate authentic film stocks and give digital footage a timeless, film-like quality.
Outlines
🎥 The Art and Science of Cinematography
This paragraph delves into the essence of cinematography, emphasizing the importance of the cinematographer's role in creating a visual narrative. It highlights the interplay between camera movement, lighting, and the emotional connection with the subject. The speaker discusses the unique skill set required for a Director of Photography (DP), which includes not only technical expertise but also a deep understanding of the story and the ability to convey it through the use of light. The paragraph also touches on the idea that a cinematographer's style is influenced by their life experiences and personal sensibilities, which contribute to the overall mood and storytelling of the film.
🌞 The Role of Light in Cinematic Storytelling
In this paragraph, the focus shifts to the significance of light in cinematography. It outlines the three main functions of lighting in film: to provide sufficient illumination, to compensate for the contrast difference between human vision and film, and to enhance the illusion of depth in a two-dimensional medium. The speaker also discusses the emotional impact of lighting and how it can aid in storytelling. The importance of self-awareness and personal identity in a cinematographer's work is underscored, as these elements inform the creative choices made during the filmmaking process. The paragraph concludes with the notion that a cinematographer's work is most effective when it seamlessly integrates with the story, rather than drawing attention to itself.
🎨 The Creative Collaboration in Filmmaking
This paragraph explores the collaborative nature of filmmaking, particularly the relationship between the cinematographer and the production designer. It emphasizes the importance of effective communication and shared vision in creating a cohesive film style. The speaker shares personal experiences and insights into the creative process, including the value of embracing 'happy accidents' and the ability to adapt and respond to unexpected events on set. The paragraph also touches on the importance of being open to new experiences and the liberating nature of filmmaking, which allows for personal expression and artistic growth.
🔧 The Balancing Act of Technical Mastery and Artistic Vision
The final paragraph discusses the dual role of a cinematographer as both a technician and an artist. It stresses the need for mastery of complex technology in service of artistic expression. The speaker reflects on the challenges and rewards of the profession, including the necessity of being adaptable, innovative, and brave in one's approach to storytelling. The paragraph concludes with a call to embrace the unknown and to continually seek out new ways of expressing the mundane in extraordinary ways through film, highlighting the lifelong journey of discovery and growth inherent in the craft of cinematography.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Cinematography
💡Lighting
💡Lens Selection
💡Camera Angles
💡Composition
💡Mood
💡Authenticity
💡Storytelling
💡Color Grading
💡Production Design
💡Accidents and Adaptation
Highlights
Cinematography involves a dance with the camera in response to emotion, requiring a specific skill set.
Style in cinematography is greatly influenced by the cinematographer's life experiences and personal emotions.
The director authors the performances and story, while the cinematographer is the author of light in film.
A cinematographer's objective is to control the quality of life through lens selection and camera angles to fit the scene's mood and content.
Cinematography is as complex as music, with the ability to use light in intricate ways.
Cinematographers are in charge of the science of cinematography, including lenses, depth of field, and light measurements.
Composition and lighting are crucial for directing the audience's attention and creating mood.
Cinematographers must understand how to emotionally touch an audience and tell a story that resonates.
Operating the camera is a joyful part of filmmaking, allowing for the creation of desired images.
Cinematographers become characters in the scene, reacting and interacting with the actors.
Spike Lee's film 'Do the Right Thing' used controlled environments to make the audience feel heat.
Good cinematography is about what is right for the movie, not just technical excellence.
Cinematographers should analyze their own work to understand what drives them to capture certain images.
Lighting serves to provide sufficient illumination, correct contrast, and enhance the illusion of three dimensions.
Cinematographers must know the story they are telling before considering how to light it.
Personal knowledge and identity are the most important tools for a cinematographer.
Cinematography is about turning everyday experiences into extraordinary moments through storytelling.
Color grading is an effective way to develop a unique style, with tools like Film Convert Nitrate offering film stock emulations.
Cinematographers should embrace happy accidents and the scrappy nature of filmmaking.
Cinematographers must be ready to adapt and respond to unexpected events on set.
The best directors trust the cinematographer's expertise and encourage unique contributions to the story.
Production designers are vital partners for cinematographers in creating the film's visual style.
Cinematographers must be confident in their role and capable of making decisions on set.
Cinematography is about mastering complex technology in the service of art.
Cinematographers should be brave, bold, and always remember the story they are telling.
Every day in filmmaking is a discovery, and cinematographers should not be afraid to explore the unknown.
Transcripts
this video is brought to you by film
convert
it's experiencing life
it's just experiencing and connecting to
what's around you
you know cinematography is really
composed of camera and lighting and how
to sort of basically dance with the
camera in response to somebody else's
emotion and it's a it's a strangely
specific skill set and you know that was
really crucial I think to my journey as
a DP
style I think is so much besides the
material so much determined by a
cinematographer's life experiences and
and the things that personally move
the the artist the cinematographer the
director is going to be the author of
The performances
of the film uh the story of the film
the cinematographer is the author of the
use of light in the film and how that
contributes to the story the objective
of a cinematographer is to exercise the
control on the quality of life
the selection of lenses and camera
angles in such a manner that what
appears on the screen
appears natural fitting the mood and
dramatic content of the scene
operating is a joyful part of picture
making for a cameraman because you get
to get this image exactly the way you
want it rather than interpret it it's a
as complex a language as as music you
know cut 88 keys you can use them in any
complex way you want to but we got the
sun and the light Jesus is there
anything more complex than light we as
cinematographers were in charge of the
science
and there's a tremendous amount of
Science in in cinematography lenses and
depth of field and how many lumens come
out of a 2K light and what's the
exposure contrast ratio and on and on
and on
and adding our own
sensibilities our own artistry
our own skills to the process for
instance it's very much about
composition the were shot that tells an
audience where they're supposed to look
when
the lighting of the shot creates the
mood so as cinematography we
have always had to understand that how
do we you know touch an audience how do
we you know tell a story so that their
their brain and their heart you know
embrace it I think every cinematographer
will agree every cinematographer that
likes to operate will agree
that you become the character in the
scene so you're just acting along with
the actors as well like you're reacting
off of them getting up in it and like
being part of it is so much fun
yeah
[Music]
the first thing that spike said to me
about do the right thing he says this
film is going to be set on the hottest
day of the summer how do we make the
audience feel Heat
we had a one block in Brooklyn that was
going to be our studio
and we can control the color we control
the color the costumes we renovated some
of the houses there and determined what
colors were going to be there
so it is it's it's manufacturing the
reality heightening the reality to get
the audience to feel a certain way I
think people confuse prissy with good
cinematography what was it Freddie
Francis says there was
good cinematography and bad
cinematography and then there's the
cinematography that's right for the
movie and I often feel that actually
that people if reviewers don't mention
your work it's probably better than that
they do it means it actually works
because they've shown there's a piece
just walk around with the camera and
just take pictures and then look at
those pictures and try to analyze why
did they take the picture which picture
you like and which one you don't and try
to understand what drives you to take
particular image you know that tells us
who you are you know and then there are
certain conventions you have to follow
when you make movie you know it's very
individual and I think the biggest thing
for a photographer is to to have the
ability to read the script and find the
story in it and then digest the story
through your own experience and project
the images through through your own
experiences you know
when you have an idea it's usually an
idea if you've seen it you've heard it
or you experienced it
ideally you bring your life experience
to the process of making that a little
bit
at its best
so that you connect to it in the way
that you want your audience to
it has to do with the RTC the
photographs the the paintings and so on
the images on the street sometimes the
light the way it falls
in certain places on buildings and so on
there are three things that lighting has
to do
it has to
provide for sufficient illumination to
record damage on film
it has to make up for the difference in
contrast between our eye
and the film and it has to enhance the
illusion of third dimension in a
two-dimensional medium
okay well that's what it has to do what
it can do it can affect you emotionally
it can help tell the story
you have to know what story you're
telling before you even start to think
about how you light it and you have to
think about whether you want the
audience to see everything clearly or
whether you want to hold it back a bit
from the audience where they want to
throw the actors into a little bit of
shadow
having knowledge yourself knowing who
you are where you come from is the is
the the most important tool you have
it's more important than a camera it's
more important than the script it's more
important than if you sound as honest
more important than the editing because
all of those elements are informed by
your accent so before you invest in the
camera before you invest in writing the
script ask yourself real serious
questions about who you are and the
stories that you wanted to if you don't
see yourself in the story if the story
is not a reflection of a world that you
want to create it's probably not a story
worth telling that's just me that's just
my own bias in terms of why I feel like
filmmaking is an important art form
while it's an important expression
my way to
express myself I don't have only black
gray and white to have also red orange
yellow green blue indigo violet each one
of them
can be a different character a different
moment in the in the story can represent
symbolically different aspects
a frame cannot just be a representation
of just what's in front of you it's got
to have three-dimensional it's got to
mean much more than what it's shown I
constantly have to think every time I'm
doing a film so how could I make this
image more poetic how can I say more
about the emotional state of that
character in this film that's what's in
the frame the balance of the frame
whether it's a formal symmetrical frame
whether it's off balance such a complex
palette that you've got to play with
colors light that's what's wonderful
about it really
I think the best director for a
cinematographer will say I've given you
a story
and I know your work as iron I know
you're working respect your work as a
cinematographer and I see what you're
interested in and I can actually talk to
you about it in my what I see you know
we can have a conversation about if if
I'm if I'm On Target or not but I have
studied your work and I realize that you
are the only person
that can actually bring that quality to
this story and I'm asking you to come
participate with me in the process
because I know you can bring something
unique
well um
[Music]
I have a strong belief that the better
the production designer is the better
our work will be because they help
Propel and help aidas and how we grade
our scenes in terms of how we light our
scenes how they're actually able to be
staged I do believe production designers
are absolutely vital to cinematographers
in the creation of great work your
communication with your production
designer is so important because the
production designer and the
cinematographer are there working with
the director of find that look to find
the style of the film the production
designer is also a very key person for
me I spend a lot of time in the art
Department talking about color
practical lighting if they can build
that into the set you never really know
who you are as a cinematographer until
the moment that you're certainly on sets
with a whole crew and everybody looks at
you and sees you as the cinematographer
and you have to start calling the shots
so you have to sort of be confident in
your role know who you are where you
come from is the most
poor thing before you you know before
you go write a rival tell a story about
your grandmother tell a story about your
father tell a story about your ancestors
that's those are the stories those are
the stories we tell first and then films
like arrival have a different meaning
you can bring more purpose to those
films because you connect for me when I
made a as I was making a rival with
Denise I was thinking about my children
I was thinking about the mortality of my
children I think about my own mortality
you know I mean when I was thinking
about those things I was concerned about
Denise too that I was concerned about
Denise children's mortality and so those
things don't come you know you have to
live life you have to be seasoned in
life in order to like because I think
come to realization of those things in
your art form and I think the way you
become seasoned to your art form the way
you come uh partially realized I fully
realized partially realizing our form is
when you are honest with who you are and
you are Relentless with your own accent
and your own vision and your
storytelling art making process one of
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products I love what kanihui used to
cool happy accidents you know you're in
a set and suddenly the light stuff
slashing through a window and even even
if you don't use that natural light you
suddenly think well that's it I didn't
think of that so you maybe cut that lie
off and put a lamp to do exactly the
same thing so you can have consistency
I'm one of those guys who doesn't do a
lot of augmenting but like who knows how
to take the accident and turn it into
something wonderful magical I look for
that I thrive on I don't invent stuff it
invents itself and then I notice it and
use it dramatically and that's the way
I've always been it's uh I don't like
figure things out ahead of time before
the actors do would be wrong for me to
think of like figuring something out for
an actor to do I'd like to see what they
want to do then I'd like to like see it
in a very good way and or help dissuade
them from it into something else but
actors are the ones who bring the
characters alive and and the cameraman
in our interpreters of their efforts all
cinematographers take credit for
wonderful happy accidents along the way
and you know I'm certainly one of them
where you know the the clouds come in
and you know the light is amazing for a
brief period of time or suddenly the
clouds are blowing over I really like to
research things have a clear idea what
I'm doing but then I also like to
respond to what happens you you know at
the moment I mean an actor can come in
and their performance
is so overpower something that you
suddenly realize that what you imagined
was an actor in you know lost in a
setting is suddenly a big close-up
because the performance is so
extraordinary there's just so many
factors along the way that affect you
and you you know I mean it's to some
extent
it's it's like you know learning
everything you can and being well
rehearsed but then when it really comes
down to it it's like jazz in the sense
that you respond to the things and you
ebb and flow with everything as it as it
evolves on the set on the day
this is something that a lot of people
think that you know okay we're ASC
members we're always getting like the
big stuff and all that and we don't have
I DIY 70 of still on whatever uh massive
budget or no budget I love the scrappy
nature of that it's like I don't have
the money to to like that depth let me
just put one of these things that goes
25 feet in the air crank the damn thing
on turn it on and that's going to give
me depth in the woods this Scrappy
nature I think you never want to lose as
a Director of Photography
understanding
is
foreign
it's very easy when you're on set and
you're nervous to kind of get tied up
but there was a particular time on the
headsacker when I designed a rig for
this night scene in this boardroom it
wasn't quite right and I kept trying to
mess with it to get it right
some point you gotta say okay it's not
working start again and be ripped it all
down put up three China balls and we're
ready to shoot after lunch you also
learn the how to make it work so you can
come across and think oh that's not
worked at all but you then also have to
think very calmly how can I make this
work on the set now what can we do and
sometimes that doesn't mean you know
discussing options with the director but
also I like I like the room
for something unexpected to happen on
set they'll throw away the plan because
that's exciting and sometimes that's
when it's good you know when you didn't
you can't you know we've just been
looking at some interesting previews so
it's great and planning is great but you
can't plan for everything that will
happen on the day especially not with
weather or or what an act will bring to
a scene or whatever what does happen
every day
is that I'm nervous especially at the
beginning of the day on and every job no
matter what it is even you know
commercials anything that I'm doing I
feel that there is a possibility
and it might not work I might not be
able to figure it out I I always have
that feeling but
usually 99 of the cases it's possible to
to make it work and and um and that's
what gives me now a little bit of a
level of Tranquility where I have been
faced so with so many
um nearly impossible situations and we
figure something out and we can do it
there's always a way generally I think
when you you're kind of looking for new
ways to do things because uh you just
don't want to be telling each story the
same way that you told the last so
improvisation and Imagination is really
important the things I've stumbled down
to in terms of a look has come out of
ignorance and in naivete and making like
horrible mistakes and then going
actually that kind of looks kind of cool
it's kind of interesting I now feel it
in life generally nobody knows what
they're doing you know it's the only
time you have to hope that the pet that
people know what they're doing is when
you're on the in the operating theater
as a patient or in the airplane
because I know that I don't know what
I'm doing
you want to take we all want to take
chances because it's not this
comfortable life we've chosen where we
just make movies and and we work with
movie stars we express ourselves
artistically through our work
and you want to take chances so when you
work with collaborators who are willing
to do this and encourage you to take
this the chances then it's the ideal
thing that you don't mind you know
having two divorces and
you know because because they're making
movies is so liberating the sin retired
for not only has to be a scientist and
an artist but they they have to be a
manager and a politician and and a
people person and the the your greatest
gift to an actor or an actress is to
create a comfortable arena for them to
to be Stellar to do their best work and
if they feel like they're cared for by
the cinematographer their work is indeed
going to be better they're going to take
bigger risks than they might if they
felt that they weren't being watched
after by the cinematographer
cinematography is the mastering of a
complex technology in in the service of
Art and a lot of people think that that
if you're a cinematographer
uh that you're more of a technician than
you are an artist but I would I would
say that you're more an artist than you
are a technician because the technology
serves what the ideas are and how
they're filtered through your mind if
you're telling a story
how do you want the viewer to feel you
know and I and I don't think you should
be afraid of
um pushing things I think be brave be
bold and I think just remember always
what story you're telling
most of the time particularly at the
beginning of our career are we doing a
through an emotional state only
afterwards we become more and more
cautious and more and more aware we are
in order to be very specific uh which is
the reason that you are telling or doing
something in using that light that color
in technology or in in art in in our
professional we never know the end of
our journey and that's what is great
when we start any project we more or
less know where we're going for how far
we can be prepared but every day is a
discovery it will never should be afraid
to open a new door or the mystery and
discover something new this is the
meaning of our life
discovering I'm I would hope that when
people see my work what they see is an
attempt to take everyday sort of subdue
mundane human experiences in
storytelling in film and
my ability or my attempt to help turn
them into
extraordinary moments
foreign
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