WHY…?

            The Rising of the Moon is a 1957 anthology film directed by John Ford and photographed by Robert Krasker, ASC, BSC.  I saw it awhile back and it didn’t resonate with me, but what did make an impression were the Dutch angles within which so many of the images were framed.  With no data … Continue reading “WHY…?”

3.29.2022

THOUGHT FOR AN EARLY SPRING FRIDAY

            How many times have you watched a film that was beautifully shot yet left you empty as a drum at its conclusion?  Conversely, you’ve no doubt seen many that were photographically sloppy yet have retained their emotional power years after the fact.             Director James Cameron addressed this dichotomy in The Toronto Star, April … Continue reading “THOUGHT FOR AN EARLY SPRING FRIDAY”

3.25.2022

STUDENT QUICK TIP #12

The success of foolishness does not imply wisdom. Sounds simple, but really think about it. It will apply to situations you’ll encounter over and over throughout your filmmaking career. This is not to say that they won’t be valuable learning opportunities…

3.22.2022

ISN’T IT INTERESTING?

Yes, isn’t it interesting indeed how certain images affect us.  Below are two versions of the same photo (which happens to be the view from my current production office window in Providence, RI).             Though a decent composition with a sort of 70’s vibe, for the most part the color original leaves me as cold … Continue reading “ISN’T IT INTERESTING?”

3.18.2022

Q & A #4…

Angela B. of Dallas, Texas asks: How do you approach pre-production? In short? As often as possible. In almost every case, time spent in prep will pay infinite dividends during production. Much of that is spent getting to know my crew and other collaborators, consulting on the shooting schedule, visiting locations, assembling gear, shooting tests, … Continue reading “Q & A #4…”

3.15.2022

THE HUMANIZING EFFECT

            Now that so many contemporary productions have come to appear so antiseptic, so perfect in every way, they’re starting to feel as if they’ve been leeched of all human contact.  Maybe that’s a result of working in a digital world after having been brought up on film, but I’ve always gotten a kick from … Continue reading “THE HUMANIZING EFFECT”

3.8.2022

GRATITUDE…

            I’ve written about gratitude in this space before, but only as it applied in a general sense.  Now, in the midst of prepping a show, I’d like to send profound appreciation to my great friends at Panavision.  Since first setting foot inside one of their facilities back in the day, management and staff have … Continue reading “GRATITUDE…”

3.4.2022

SOMEBODY ASKED…

            And I’m answering…the honorable Andrew Cirincione: I was wondering if you could make a post about your process exposing and lighting low key scenes, specifically night exteriors and interiors.  While normally I try to get things right “in camera” and expose how I would like it to look, I’ve heard that it is often … Continue reading “SOMEBODY ASKED…”

3.1.2022