CHAPTER 1

      THE DIRECTOR AND CINEMATOGRAPHER: CREATIVE COLLABORATORS

      Cinematographers have to be able to work with a variety of personalities. Ideally you hope to work with someone who really knows what they want so you can work with a director without imposing something on them that they don’t understand or might be unhappy with later.

      (Robert Elswit, Frost interview)

      The director is the visionary who takes the cast and crew on their creative journey toward the completion of a film. It is their interpretation of the script that will usually be seen on the screen. Directors tell their stories with images, and it is their intention to manipulate the emotions of the audience and capture their attention and imagination for two or three hours. This escapist trip could be into another time and place, another galaxy, a nightmarish world, or into the lives of people undergoing dramatic transformations. With a good script, the director will make the audience feel fear or suspense, or make them laugh or cry. The director creates an artistic whole from the actors’ performances, the selection of shots for editing, and the overall look of the film.

      But a director does not work alone to construct the images we watch on the screen. They have many talented people helping them achieve their creative vision, and one of the closest of collaborators is the person who is the creator of the look of the film through lighting and camera work — the cinematographer, also known as the director of photography (DP).

      The relationship between a director and cinematographer has been compared to a marriage. Theirs is a very close bond based on trust and mutual respect, although there can, of course, be disagreements from time to time. Because communication is key in any relationship, the better the cinematographer knows the director’s intentions, the better they will to be able to help him or her. But if a director throws the cinematographer a curve and goes in a completely different direction from what the two of them have previously agreed, discussion and compromise may be needed. Differences between them may also spring from the inherently different perspectives of their two roles, because a cinematographer will focus on the technical and aesthetic interpretation of the concepts a director envisions, looking toward the completed project and getting all the elements needed to make sure it all fits together. A director may or may not focus on technical and aesthetic questions.

      The cinematographer is a very important player in the creation of a film. She or he is the eye behind the lens, the one who takes concepts and makes illusions of reality almost palpable on the screen. So it is important that the director and cinematographer work in close collaboration throughout the process to bring the director’s vision to the screen.

      But how does a creative collaboration of this magnitude begin? Usually it begins with director and DP getting to know each other by talking, “hanging out,” screening films together, and sharing various books, images, music, and DVDs. This communication begins before production and continues through postproduction. At this stage of the relationship, the director may be most concerned with how to convey the guiding concepts and vision of the film, and to figure out the best ways to convey those ideas to the DP. The cinematographer will be focused on getting to know the director’s tastes. It is also important for a director to understand the role of the cinematographer and how the DP’s mind works as they try to translate the director’s concepts into tangible images.

      What does a cinematographer want from a director?

      ■ I could list a number of different things, from how unique their perspective is to what they want to say and how they want to say it. But being prepared is key for me, because when a director is not prepared it means they haven’t really thought about what they want to do or say with the film.

      (Ellen Kuras, Frost interview)

      1. Ellen Kuras, ASC (Photo courtesy Ellen Kuras, ASC)

      ■ I like when people have a sense of humor, because when they are rough and tumble it’s really not fun making a film. I like director’s who can think fast. I really admire intelligence and also somebody with an unexpected take on things, people who don’t rely on formula.

      (Seamus McGarvey, Frost interview)

      2. Seamus McGarvey (Photo courtesy Seamus McGarvey)

      ■ For me the most important thing is passion. A director who is not passionate about his project turns me off. That means sometimes I work with directors who will really challenge me and the crew, we will work long hours, and it’s tough, but I much prefer that to someone who just wants to get it done in a reasonable amount of time and go home. Just to get it in the can.

      (Rodrigo Prieto, Frost interview)

      3. Rodrigo Prieto (Photo courtesy of Rodrigo Prieto)

      ■ Ideally what a cinematographer is looking for is a partner in making the film. If they are a writer/director, they should have a vision, so for me it’s about getting that vision out of them.

      (Matthew Libatique, ASC, Frost interview)

      4. Matthew Libatique (Photo courtesy of Matthew Libatique)

      ■ I definitely like a strong director, somebody who knows what they want visually and thematically. I like enthusiasm and passion. It also helps to really like the director and that we have a connection.

      (Mike Bonvillain, Frost interview)

      ■ I appreciate a director who either sees something in my work or sees something in me that they feel is going to help them to express their vision, someone who can trust me. I’ve always enjoyed directors who love actors, who love getting wonderful performances out of actors.

      (Sandi Sissel, Frost interview)

      5. Sandi Sissel, ASC (Photo courtesy of Sandi Sissel)

      ■ I like a director with clarity of vision. With Joel and Ethan (Coen) obviously I know them very well; it’s been a longtime relationship. It’s a happy working relationship. I like their focus, I like the low-key nature in which they approach a project. It’s very matter of fact; there are no egos on the set. Everybody is doing their best to make that particular picture as good as it can be.

      (Roger Deakins, Frost interview)

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