The Turner Classic Movie channel is amazing…  It always provides something watchable, even if you’re not interested in the subject matter.  The other night I stumbled upon a picture that got me thinking in a way much too sophisticated for such trash.  It! The Terror From Beyond Space (1958) is certainly no Citizen Kane.  It’s … Continue reading “THE IMPORTANCE OF CRAPPY MOVIES”

            One of the biggest challenges a cinematographer can face is an expansive night exterior located far from motivated light sources.  I’m referring to such places as the open ocean, the plains, a forest, a mountainside…or, as in this case, the remote desert.              There’s no shortage of heavy artillery available to help define the … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #38 – JUSTIFIED”

            How is it that some smart executive hasn’t recognized the benefits of offering their cinematographer a hand in producing?  Along with the Line Producer, UPM and First AD, we are acutely sensitive to the money-time-equipment-manpower conundrum.  With so many critical elements under our control – and a profound understanding of how the pieces fit … Continue reading “CINEMATOGRAPHER AS PRODUCER”

            Made in a happy atmosphere, American Pie was one of the most memorable productions I’ve had the fortune to be part of.  Director Paul Weitz (along with his brother and close collaborator Chris) had this unbroken shot in mind from our earliest discussions.  Ostensibly meant to bring one of the main characters from the … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #37 – AMERICAN PIE”

            Seeing as it’s awards season and everyone’s in a froth about who’s hot, we should refocus some of that energy toward the majority of cinematographers, the unsung heroes of what we do.  You know who I mean: The lunch-pail gals and guys, the ones who always deliver first-class work yet for inscrutable reasons are … Continue reading “UNSUNG HEROES”

            This’s the final entry in my series of Ishtar lighting charts, beloved relics of my days as an assistant cameraman.  I don’t quite know what I’ll be posting next in this department…but I promise it will be exciting and educational.             The Emir’s palace…and yet another scene between two people across a flat surface.  … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #36 – ISHTAR”

            Recently I rediscovered a trio of films I hadn’t thought about for quite some time.  Each one – Scarecrow (shot by Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC), Slither (photographed by Laszlo Kovacs, ASC), and The Last Detail (cinematography by Michael Chapman, ASC) was released in 1973 and reminds us of what a fantastic period that was for … Continue reading “MORE ’70’S CINEMATOGRAPHY”

            Charles Grodin’s CIA operative Jim Harrison listens in on his prey from a cramped surveillance van.  Find this piece around the 00:47:20 mark…             This was a deceptively complex shot to light, as are all shots that take place within unusually confined spaces.  The problem is not just related to the size of the … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #35 – ISHTAR”

            Neil Leifer – Ballet In the Dirt: The Golden Age of Baseball             Taschen (2007)             Spring training is in full swing…the new season beckons…             Like most baseball fans I picked up the obsession early, courtesy of my Dad.  His fellowship with the New York Yankees was formed during their glory years and … Continue reading “READ THIS BOOK #4”

            Another day, another restaurant scene with Dustin Hoffman and Charles Grodin sitting across a table from each other.  This one was shot on stage at Kaufman Astoria Studios and was set at night.  Find it at the 00:40:42 mark…             The diagram begins with the shot that gets Hoffman into the restaurant and quickly … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #34 – ISHTAR”