I was shooting tests for an upcoming feature at Panavision Woodland Hills last week when all of a sudden, this guy appeared and offered up his services as the 3rd AC.          What choice did I have but to go along?          Then again, how could I refuse?

          Eight years-old yesterday – and living his best life!  Have you ever seen a more handsome guy?

         In this final installment, the great jazz pianist continues to expound upon themes that will enlighten cinematographers of a certain type.  And in doing so, it also affirms that Evans wasn’t just a brilliant musician and clear thinker, he was one cool cat!          Q: When you start playing, to what extent do you … Continue reading “BILL EVANS’ HELSINKI INTERVIEW, PART 3”

         A couple of weeks ago I posted some remarks made by the great jazz pianist Bill Evans.  Though he was speaking about himself and his trio, they applied as much to cinematography as they did to music.  Further research revealed some equally fascinating truths drawn from a post-concert interview conducted in Helsinki at the … Continue reading “MORE SMART TALK FROM A VERY SMART GUY”

         Some interesting facts about this largely forgotten genius of the camera:          He came to prominence in an unorthodox way.  Having never worked as an assistant or in any other crew position, he simply bought a camera and called himself a cinematographer (so, there is a precedent for what’s going on today!).          He … Continue reading “IRA H. MORGAN, ASC (1889-1959)”

         I recently came upon some observations made by one of my all-time favorite jazz pianists, Bill Evans.  While he was referring to fellow musicians, they have some relevance to our time in which beautiful images are a mouse-click away and almost anyone who picks up a camera calls themself a cinematographer.          Are we … Continue reading “MUSIC TO MY EARS”

         Gerald Hirschfeld, ASC (1921-2017) was not just a talented cinematographer – Fail Safe (1964; Sidney Lumet), Young Frankenstein (1974; Mel Brooks) and My Favorite Year (1982; Richard Benjamin) are among his titles – he was also generous in sharing his knowledge.  Long before authoring The Hand Exposure Meter Book (1999) and Image Control: Motion … Continue reading “ANOTHER AMAZING CURIO”