Federal Hill (1994) was the first feature I shot of any substance.  It was also my first film to be released in theaters nationwide.  As you can imagine, that was a thrill that remains with me to this day.             It was made for very little money – $85,000.00 to get it in the … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #54 – FEDERAL HILL”

            If you’re not familiar with Walter Murch, you should be.  He’s an Oscar winning sound designer, a writer, director and most notably, a film editor.  There’s a raft of information concerning his career and spectacular achievements on the web, but the one I want to alert you to is the book he wrote, In … Continue reading “READ THIS BOOK #6”

            Two characters in a small practical location in the middle of the day, delivering lots of expository dialogue…  How do you keep the lighting interesting?             First, a tip of the hat to my good friend and esteemed colleague Lowell Peterson, ASC.  Recipient of the ASC’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Television, he was the … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #53 – JANE THE VIRGIN”

            Can you believe we’re more than halfway through the year?  Time once moved with the speed of a kitchen renovation; now, everything is an aching reminder that life has sped up to a ridiculous degree.  I used to think this was a cost of getting older, but young people are aware of it, too. … Continue reading “NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)”

            A late night meet-up between Tim Olyphant’s Raylan Givens and his boss, Art Mullen (played by Nick Searcy)…             The minimalist approach and color contrast of this scene always appealed to me.  Most of it is achieved with what you see in frame – practicals accented by Christmas lights and a few well-placed LED … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #52 – JUSTIFIED”

            In the April 2015 Presidents Desk column for American Cinematographer, I wrote  that we were living in a post-truth, post-common sense world.  A more accurate description today would be a post-reality reality.  Though objective truth never wavers, it’s scary when a willful ignorance of it has hijacked the culture.  The mainstream media is much … Continue reading “CHANGE OF A DIFFERENT KIND”

            This film was originally destined for a theatrical release but the vicissitudes of studio politics sent it straight to DVD.  That certainly wasn’t for lack of quality.  Everything about it holds up favorably and as the first sequel to the popular (and appropriately named) Bring It On (starring Kirsten Dunst), it’s the only one … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #51 – BRING IT ON AGAIN”

            Cinematographers are artist\scientists, with the emphasis on artist.             Every ASC member is an expert who can create appropriate moods for any type of production.  Though the craft relies on technology, command of the tools is only part of our brilliance.  History shows hundreds of examples in which refined practice has resulted in artful … Continue reading “FOR THOSE WHO SHOULD KNOW…BUT DON’T”

            Sub-zero night exteriors on a blizzard-swept British Columbian mountainside… What more could a cinematographer ask for?             Well, for one thing I wanted a simple way to illuminate a huge expanse that would give flexibility to multiple cameras covering a free-for-all downhill ski race.  The lamps would have to be mounted high in the … Continue reading “LIGHTING DIAGRAM #50 – OUT COLD”

            11 Harrowhouse (Aram Avakian\Arthur Ibbetson, BSC) is an odd, dated film that doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be.  Nonetheless, I sat through it one night and noticed a great example of how far you can go to cheat the lighting while still delivering expert-level cinematography.             Film students – listen up!  … Continue reading “11 HARROWHOUSE (1974)”