We’ve long taken aerial cinematography for granted, but ninety years before Top Gun: Maverick ruled the skies, a daredevil cameraman took to the air in order to bring his own breathtaking images to moviegoers around the world. As the first to specialize in that sort of work, Elmer Dyer, ASC was a pioneer in the … Continue reading “ELMER DYER, ASC (1892-1970)”
FILM AND DIGITAL TIMES
Today, I’d like to send a shout out to my good friend and colleague, John Fauer, ASC. In addition to being an ace cinematographer and successful author, he’s the brain behind the industry’s most comprehensive and informative publication, Film and Digital Times. Its subtitle pretty much says it all: Art, Technique and Technology in Motion … Continue reading “FILM AND DIGITAL TIMES”
SPARKS WILL FLY
Last Friday’s post professed my appreciation for Verne and Sylvia Carlson’s 16mm\35mm Professional Cameraman’s Handbook. While rooting through yet another obscure storage space, I came upon this companion publication, written by the same authors and whose title anticipates its contents. Don’t let it fool you, though. It’s pretty much devoid of lighting techniques and is … Continue reading “SPARKS WILL FLY”
THE ALAN GORDON DIRECTOR’S VIEWFINDER
Back in the Stone Age, long before the arrival of so many clever phone apps, there existed the Alan Gordon Director’s Viewfinder. Why it wasn’t named after cinematographers – its prime users – escapes me, though I suspect there was some snootiness involved. Palm-sized and light-weight, it allowed you to frame shots without forcing … Continue reading “THE ALAN GORDON DIRECTOR’S VIEWFINDER”
A VOLUME OF A DIFFERENT KIND
I envy the aspiring cinematographers of today. They have more educational resources within easy reach than prior generations could have imagined. When starting my climb through the ranks as an assistant cameraman in the late ’70’s, information was hard to come by. Like so many others, I was super-motivated in my search for bits … Continue reading “A VOLUME OF A DIFFERENT KIND”
LENS, LENS…BABY
Everyone’s lens-happy these days, thinking that if they only stick the right piece of glass in front of the camera, they’ll discover a magical look that will set them apart from everyone else. The reality is that lens choice is only one instrument in a much bigger orchestra. There’s no question they’re important, but … Continue reading “LENS, LENS…BABY”
APOLLO 13 (1995)
I’ve been a fan of NASA and the space program for my entire life. The 1960’s marked the glory years of their efforts, and I’m old enough to remember the three projects that got us to the moon before the end of the decade: Mercury (just barely), Gemini (a little better) and Apollo (every … Continue reading “APOLLO 13 (1995)”
WHAT CONSTITUTES ‘GOOD ENOUGH?’
I had an interesting discussion recently with a director friend regarding how far we should go in order to make our films appear convincing. We happened to be watching a rotation of ’60’s-vintage movies at the moment, so there were plenty of examples to refer to. One stood out in particular, not because of … Continue reading “WHAT CONSTITUTES ‘GOOD ENOUGH?’”
MEANINGFUL FADES
In a recent post, I alerted you to the clumsy use of a lighting fade in Funny Girl. Today, I’ll point out a pair of more constructive applications which appear in a film that belongs in a category of its own, The Godfather, Part II (1974; Francis Coppola\Gordon Willis, ASC). The fades are easy … Continue reading “MEANINGFUL FADES”
FAVORITE CAMERAS #4
Photo courtesy of Panavision… How can you not love the Panavision Gold II…? I certainly do, and with great passion! By an exceedingly large margin, it’s my all-time favorite camera. Having exposed several million feet of film through its movement over the years, I’m not ashamed to admit that I have such an … Continue reading “FAVORITE CAMERAS #4”