Continuing upon last Friday’s post, here are Arthur Miller, ASC’s thoughts on how a producer can influence a cinematographer’s work.          The quote was cribbed from an article in the April 1942 edition of American Cinematographer…          “There are some whose only idea of photography seems to be to get a crisp, recognizable image, … Continue reading “ARTHUR MILLER, ASC ON THE MIGHTY INTANGIBLE”

Miller with his 1912 Pathe 35mm camera.  This exact model is currently on display in the ASC Clubhouse.          Arthur Miller, ASC (1895-1970) is one of our all-time great cinematographers.  A native of Roslyn, NY, he began his career as a lab man in 1908; by 1912 he was filming shorts for a variety of … Continue reading “AN OVERLOOKED PERSPECTIVE”

Have you watched any of the early James Bond films lately…the ones starring Sean Connery?  Though I’ve probably seen Thunderball (1965; Terence Young\Ted Moore, BSC) a dozen times, I recently sat through it again for the benefit of an uninitiated friend.  During our post-screening debrief, one question kept cropping up: How did anyone ever think … Continue reading “ACTION SCHMACTION”

         Epoch making?  Really?         After several readings of this short article from the November 1923 issue of American Cinematographer, I’m still not sure what Gaudio’s process entailed.  It supposedly rendered a convincing day-for-night effect, but in a proprietary stroke the piece fails to deliver much useful information.  We learn that the Schenck organization thought … Continue reading “BUT WHAT EXACTLY DID IT DO?”

         Let’s be clear regarding a painful fact: Leslie Stevens’ Incubus is a terrible movie.  Everything about it is awful.  Even for a cheap horror film, it’s shoddy, pretentious, nonsensical and – worst of all – boring.  It doesn’t warrant expounding upon, but I will note that it’s one of the weirdest films I’ve ever … Continue reading “INCUBUS (1966)”

         I haven’t posted one of these in quite some time but the theme is worth reviving, so here goes…          Whether you’re prepping, shooting or sitting on the couch plotting your next move, turn every idea you come up with completely on its head.  What that means is, within the context of what you’re … Continue reading “STUDENT QUICK TIP #23”

         Since I’m currently shooting in Canada, this ad stood out as I was leafing through old issues of American Cinematographer while trying to fall asleep the other night.  Featured in the April 1974 edition, its blatantly sexist approach to selling motion picture equipment was not uncommon at the time.  But don’t put the knock … Continue reading “IT WASN’T COOL, EVEN THEN”

         We all know Ed Lachman, ASC as a superb, Oscar-nominated cinematographer, but he has directed some entertaining films as well.  Last August, I was fortunate to see one of them at the appropriately named Rockaway Film Festival, in Rockaway Beach, NY.  This 1984 documentary – titled Report From Hollywood – serves as a light-hearted … Continue reading “AN OBSCURITY RETURNS”