Sorry for such a late reply…I just joined the site and I’m a lil slow on integrating it into my usual internet browsing lol
**The RED is great, I’ve used it four times now and I’m pretty familiar with it. The best thing about it is convenience, being able to use flash cards and portable hard drives to get such high quality footage…but I hate the huge marketing hype around it and still think it has some issues and its not the next coming of the messiah that many people seem to think it is…but I like using it!
I think Terrence Blanchard is one of the most underrated composers. He’s a Spike Lee regular and most of his work with him is great. I think recently 25th Hour and Inside Man had AMAZING music.
Clint Mansell is another one that doesn’t as much love as I think he should.
I’m not afraid to say I love:
Independence Day
Stargate
Sister Act 1 and 2
Executive Decision
Con Air
Beavis and Butthead Do America
…and even though I think the movie is Horrible, Spike Lee’s She Hate Me intrigues me and keeps me watching everytime I see it…maybe it’s the primal guy part of me finds it interesting that the every single type of girl imaginable seeks out the main character for his sperm lol
I agree with Carlos. I never really understood the fascination behind this auteur word…or the defintion…
I don’t understand why someone can’t be a great director and not write their own scripts…i actually believe that one of a director’s biggest talents is the ability to adapt the written word into the moving image…and it’s even more impressive when it’s not his work in my opinion.
And like Carlos said as well; so many great directors collaborated with amazing writers on their work.
I’m a cinematographer…because I employ a great camera operator and gaffer, does that make me less of a good DP?
“You can be a great director and not write your own scripts, but you can’t be a good filmmaker.”
I guess based on that logic there are many of great directors who much of the time weren’t good filmmakers then…(examples being Hitchcock, Scorsese, Spielberg, Lumet, John Ford). And I guess Shyamalan and Kevin Smith are filmmakers, but Sam Mendes, Ridley Scott, and Inarritu aren’t…
And I’m sure if you read the script and watch the film for Schindler’s List, there are probably so many affecting elements that were not present in the script that Spielberg brought to it and could not be possible as written word (a sign of a great filmmaker).
“The writer of the script is the true talent, because creating something out of nothing takes alot, and reading someone else’s script, and interpreting it does not”
It seems like you’re ignoring how much scripts change on their way to the big screen and how much that is affected by the director (many times without the influence of the original writer). I have much respect for writers but its a fact that there are more instances than not of the final movie being different than the submitted script in many ways, sometimes even being completely rewritten in editing. Even though the writing is extremely important, many working writers know and understand that this is not theatre and that once the script is greenlit and the director is onboard, the director is the voice. I just think its wrong to say that a director is less of a filmmaker if he doesn’t write the script, that’s undermining the fundamental elements that separates a good filmmaker from any other artist.
And based on that statement that interpreting someone else’s work doesn’t take alot, means that it’s just a breeze for any screenwriter to adapt a novel, short story, play, or graphic novel to the screen.
In Los Angeles:
The Arclight
The Egyptian
Laemlle Sunset 5
The Landmark on Pico Blvd (one of the only theatres in LA with a full 4K resolution digital projector if you’re into that, and even without it the theatre is still tied with the Arclight for best projection)
In Washington D.C. area:
The AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring (mostly plays retrospectives and film series, with the occasional regular-run movie, and has great projection along with great 70mm exhibition)
It’s interesting the exclusive fascination that many directors have with the cinematography. I never hear much about directors being their own production designers, costume designers, sound mixers, make-up artists, etc (even though all of these aspects are equally important), yet there are a good amount that prefer to be their own cinematographer. It’s intriguing to me.
And I believe that directors that are their own DP’s and camera operators are in some way not giving their full attention to these other aspects. Not to say that a good movie can’t come out of it. I think Steven Soderbergh is a capable DP and I enjoy some of his movies, but I truly believe that if he actually got an amazing cinematographer, his work would improve, even by a little bit.
If he’s operating and and still has other things on his mind like the performance quality and the way an actor’s hair looks…he’s not fully focusing on the operating…and if he’s fully focusing on the operating (a job that needs complete focus), he’s not paying the attention that he needs to the myriad of things he should also be focusing on.
A huge part of good directing in my opinion (and there are others that agree with me), is the ability to recognize and surround yourself with people who are more talented and capable than you in a particular element production and focus their talent to support their vision. I believe that about many careers actually, including my own as a cinematographer. By surrounding yourself with these people strengthen your work.
But that said…I believe that a good director should be heavily involved with every aspect of the film of course
I saw Coraline in 3D at the Arclight Theatres in Los Angeles and thought it was the best use of 3D I’ve seen to date. I haven’t seen it on bluray/dvd but I’ve heard that it uses the older anaglyph (red and blue) process with the glasses, which almost completely drain the color out of the image…so maybe that’s why so many people dislike it on home video. In the theatres I thought it looked amazing.
Other than that though I’m not a fan of 3D at all…
I think it simply evokes an emotion through the lighting and composition (just like a painting)…and thats a good feeling…
I think cinematography is special in that it works with the story and with all the other elements of a picture to convey these emotions…and these elements strengthen each other when done well, including the photography. This is one of the big reasons why I love movies and cinematography. Cinematography usually can’t supremely work without most of the other elements working…look at a movie like Zhang Yimou’s HERO:
The production design and costume design heavily influence the quality of the photography (not to take anything away from DP Christopher Doyle)! And in the context of the story…the shot is very affecting!
I love Suschitzky’s work! He’s extremely underrated. I loved Eastern promises and I think his work on History of Violence was great too!
I’ve seen the moving sun effect several times before actually. But it’s funny…the only one that pops into my head now is another piece of good work by Sven Nykvist. He did it for one scene in Winter Light where the sun came up briefly through a window as an emotional cue…forgot which scene though…
I love these threads as well. I’d like to propose something slightly different. I’d love to still keep the same thing going and see frames from popular movies…
But I’m also interested in seeing frames from the personal movies of some of the many filmmaker-members of the website/forums…your favorite frames of the films that you’ve done, whether professionally, in school, or just for fun…frames you feel really proud! I think that would be really interesting to see…
I’ve got some of my own but I’ve gotta gather them
*But I would still love to keep the original thread going…
Hot Stuff Drew! Especially the first shot, great use of the architecture and perfect time of day.
Yea I was worried it might seem a little stuck-up to do something like this but i was just interested in maybe changing up the thread a little to keep it fresh and to see what other people like about they’re own work.
I’ll join you with 3 shots from some movies I’ve shot:
A True Story:
Growth:
Eden:
And to keep the original thread going…a shot that I posted at the end of the first thread from Kurosawa’s RED BEARD:
Basically it refers to the aesthetic arrangement of elements within the frame…including the things Christine mentioned above, as well as composition and movement.
I agree with Mike. I absolutely loved it. I thought it was wonderfully made throughout…especially the first 15 mins and in the last scenes. The first two scenes in the movie; the party scene and then the play sequence at the high-school showed more about a couple’s relationship than many movies show in the entire running time.
And I loved how they used that great technique of: “jump into a scene late and leave it early” during the play sequence. As soon as the scene starts, the curtain falls on the end of the performance and you get April’s glance at her husband right before it falls, knowing the play’s result and seemingly begging for his approval, and then his responding look. Extremely simple, elegant, and engaged me instantly.
I could go on and on about the movie. I really think it’s underrated.
And by the way to the original poster: Janusz Kaminski was not the cinematographer, it was Roger Deakins.
I agree with most of your points on Fish Tank. I liked it but noticed that I didn’t really like or truly connect to the main character all that much. But I was intrigued to discover that I was still engaged somewhat lol. I did really like it though.
I did like part of the ending. Without giving anything away I liked the scene at the end with her mom and sister. That was my favorite of the whole movie.
And I don’t know why but for some reason this movie seemed a lot longer than The White Ribbon which I saw the night before…even though Ribbon was an hour longer…something to think about.
Your Photography/Filmography almost 3 years ago
here’s my cinematography reel:
http://www.vimeo.com/5104085
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Favorite Non-English Language Film of 2009 almost 3 years ago
i thought Sin Nombre was pretty good
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Your Photography/Filmography almost 3 years ago
Scooter:
Sorry for such a late reply…I just joined the site and I’m a lil slow on integrating it into my usual internet browsing lol
**The RED is great, I’ve used it four times now and I’m pretty familiar with it. The best thing about it is convenience, being able to use flash cards and portable hard drives to get such high quality footage…but I hate the huge marketing hype around it and still think it has some issues and its not the next coming of the messiah that many people seem to think it is…but I like using it!
Go to Comment
What composer do you wish work more often? almost 3 years ago
I think Terrence Blanchard is one of the most underrated composers. He’s a Spike Lee regular and most of his work with him is great. I think recently 25th Hour and Inside Man had AMAZING music.
Clint Mansell is another one that doesn’t as much love as I think he should.
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The CriterionCast almost 3 years ago
Kubrick’s Spartacus is on Criterion
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What is (are) your favorite frame(s)? almost 3 years ago
This whole thread can be filled with shots from Mizoguchi and Kurosawa…two masters of composition!!
Here are two from Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu Monogatari:
And two from Kurosawa (showing he was a master at composing in both the 2.40 and 1.33 frames in Red Beard and The Lower Depths):
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The Gultiest of Guilty Pleasures. almost 3 years ago
I’m not afraid to say I love:
Independence Day
Stargate
Sister Act 1 and 2
Executive Decision
Con Air
Beavis and Butthead Do America
…and even though I think the movie is Horrible, Spike Lee’s She Hate Me intrigues me and keeps me watching everytime I see it…maybe it’s the primal guy part of me finds it interesting that the every single type of girl imaginable seeks out the main character for his sperm lol
Go to Comment
DAVID FINCHER'S "THE GAME" almost 3 years ago
I agree with Carlos. I never really understood the fascination behind this auteur word…or the defintion…
I don’t understand why someone can’t be a great director and not write their own scripts…i actually believe that one of a director’s biggest talents is the ability to adapt the written word into the moving image…and it’s even more impressive when it’s not his work in my opinion.
And like Carlos said as well; so many great directors collaborated with amazing writers on their work.
I’m a cinematographer…because I employ a great camera operator and gaffer, does that make me less of a good DP?Go to Comment
Do you really consider that TV series have caught up with film in terms of quality? almost 3 years ago
The Wire is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
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DAVID FINCHER'S "THE GAME" almost 3 years ago
“You can be a great director and not write your own scripts, but you can’t be a good filmmaker.”
I guess based on that logic there are many of great directors who much of the time weren’t good filmmakers then…(examples being Hitchcock, Scorsese, Spielberg, Lumet, John Ford). And I guess Shyamalan and Kevin Smith are filmmakers, but Sam Mendes, Ridley Scott, and Inarritu aren’t…
“The writer of the script is the true talent, because creating something out of nothing takes alot, and reading someone else’s script, and interpreting it does not”
It seems like you’re ignoring how much scripts change on their way to the big screen and how much that is affected by the director (many times without the influence of the original writer). I have much respect for writers but its a fact that there are more instances than not of the final movie being different than the submitted script in many ways, sometimes even being completely rewritten in editing. Even though the writing is extremely important, many working writers know and understand that this is not theatre and that once the script is greenlit and the director is onboard, the director is the voice. I just think its wrong to say that a director is less of a filmmaker if he doesn’t write the script, that’s undermining the fundamental elements that separates a good filmmaker from any other artist.
And based on that statement that interpreting someone else’s work doesn’t take alot, means that it’s just a breeze for any screenwriter to adapt a novel, short story, play, or graphic novel to the screen.
Go to Comment
What are your favorite "art houses" around the country? almost 3 years ago
In Los Angeles:
The Arclight
The Egyptian
Laemlle Sunset 5
The Landmark on Pico Blvd (one of the only theatres in LA with a full 4K resolution digital projector if you’re into that, and even without it the theatre is still tied with the Arclight for best projection)
In Washington D.C. area:
The AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring (mostly plays retrospectives and film series, with the occasional regular-run movie, and has great projection along with great 70mm exhibition)
Go to Comment
Directors who DP their own films almost 3 years ago
It’s interesting the exclusive fascination that many directors have with the cinematography. I never hear much about directors being their own production designers, costume designers, sound mixers, make-up artists, etc (even though all of these aspects are equally important), yet there are a good amount that prefer to be their own cinematographer. It’s intriguing to me.
And I believe that directors that are their own DP’s and camera operators are in some way not giving their full attention to these other aspects. Not to say that a good movie can’t come out of it. I think Steven Soderbergh is a capable DP and I enjoy some of his movies, but I truly believe that if he actually got an amazing cinematographer, his work would improve, even by a little bit.
If he’s operating and and still has other things on his mind like the performance quality and the way an actor’s hair looks…he’s not fully focusing on the operating…and if he’s fully focusing on the operating (a job that needs complete focus), he’s not paying the attention that he needs to the myriad of things he should also be focusing on.
A huge part of good directing in my opinion (and there are others that agree with me), is the ability to recognize and surround yourself with people who are more talented and capable than you in a particular element production and focus their talent to support their vision. I believe that about many careers actually, including my own as a cinematographer. By surrounding yourself with these people strengthen your work.
But that said…I believe that a good director should be heavily involved with every aspect of the film of course
Go to Comment
The Recent Surge in 3-D Movies. Thoughts? almost 3 years ago
I saw Coraline in 3D at the Arclight Theatres in Los Angeles and thought it was the best use of 3D I’ve seen to date. I haven’t seen it on bluray/dvd but I’ve heard that it uses the older anaglyph (red and blue) process with the glasses, which almost completely drain the color out of the image…so maybe that’s why so many people dislike it on home video. In the theatres I thought it looked amazing.
Other than that though I’m not a fan of 3D at all…
Go to Comment
Let's Talk Cinematography almost 3 years ago
I think it simply evokes an emotion through the lighting and composition (just like a painting)…and thats a good feeling…
I think cinematography is special in that it works with the story and with all the other elements of a picture to convey these emotions…and these elements strengthen each other when done well, including the photography. This is one of the big reasons why I love movies and cinematography. Cinematography usually can’t supremely work without most of the other elements working…look at a movie like Zhang Yimou’s HERO:
The production design and costume design heavily influence the quality of the photography (not to take anything away from DP Christopher Doyle)! And in the context of the story…the shot is very affecting!
Go to Comment
Let's Talk Cinematography almost 3 years ago
@ Lee
I love Suschitzky’s work! He’s extremely underrated. I loved Eastern promises and I think his work on History of Violence was great too!
I’ve seen the moving sun effect several times before actually. But it’s funny…the only one that pops into my head now is another piece of good work by Sven Nykvist. He did it for one scene in Winter Light where the sun came up briefly through a window as an emotional cue…forgot which scene though…
Go to Comment
Mistaken Identity almost 3 years ago
The Big Lebowski
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What is (are) your favorite frame(s)? Part Deux almost 3 years ago
Black Narcissus:
The best matte-painting work ever…
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What is (are) your favorite frame(s)? Part Deux almost 3 years ago
I love these threads as well. I’d like to propose something slightly different. I’d love to still keep the same thing going and see frames from popular movies…
But I’m also interested in seeing frames from the personal movies of some of the many filmmaker-members of the website/forums…your favorite frames of the films that you’ve done, whether professionally, in school, or just for fun…frames you feel really proud! I think that would be really interesting to see…
I’ve got some of my own but I’ve gotta gather them
*But I would still love to keep the original thread going…
Go to Comment
What is (are) your favorite frame(s)? Part Deux almost 3 years ago
Hot Stuff Drew! Especially the first shot, great use of the architecture and perfect time of day.
Yea I was worried it might seem a little stuck-up to do something like this but i was just interested in maybe changing up the thread a little to keep it fresh and to see what other people like about they’re own work.
I’ll join you with 3 shots from some movies I’ve shot:
A True Story:
Growth:
Eden:
And to keep the original thread going…a shot that I posted at the end of the first thread from Kurosawa’s RED BEARD:
Go to Comment
What is (are) your favorite frame(s)? Part Deux almost 3 years ago
Jarhead (Sam Mendes):
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Trailer for my project BY HIS OWN LIGHT. almost 3 years ago
cool stuff
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Criterions that need the Blu-ray treatment almost 3 years ago
Drew: Neil’s brother probably has the UK blu-ray…i think it’s ITV, they also have a great blu-ray of Black Narcissus.
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?id=5554
I think it is the new restored version…
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Criterions that need the Blu-ray treatment almost 3 years ago
Sorry drew i edited my post…that blu-ray is the restored version supposedly
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What is (are) your favorite frame(s)? Part Deux over 2 years ago
D.W. Griffith’s INTOLERANCE. Epic is a good word I think…
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What the heck is mise-en-scene over 2 years ago
Basically it refers to the aesthetic arrangement of elements within the frame…including the things Christine mentioned above, as well as composition and movement.
Go to Comment
Revolutionary Road over 2 years ago
I agree with Mike. I absolutely loved it. I thought it was wonderfully made throughout…especially the first 15 mins and in the last scenes. The first two scenes in the movie; the party scene and then the play sequence at the high-school showed more about a couple’s relationship than many movies show in the entire running time.
And I loved how they used that great technique of: “jump into a scene late and leave it early” during the play sequence. As soon as the scene starts, the curtain falls on the end of the performance and you get April’s glance at her husband right before it falls, knowing the play’s result and seemingly begging for his approval, and then his responding look. Extremely simple, elegant, and engaged me instantly.
I could go on and on about the movie. I really think it’s underrated.
And by the way to the original poster: Janusz Kaminski was not the cinematographer, it was Roger Deakins.
Go to Comment
AFI Fest 2009 over 2 years ago
I saw The White Ribbon at the screening last night and really liked it. Seeing Fish Tank tonight!
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AFI Fest 2009 over 2 years ago
I agree with most of your points on Fish Tank. I liked it but noticed that I didn’t really like or truly connect to the main character all that much. But I was intrigued to discover that I was still engaged somewhat lol. I did really like it though.
I did like part of the ending. Without giving anything away I liked the scene at the end with her mom and sister. That was my favorite of the whole movie.
And I don’t know why but for some reason this movie seemed a lot longer than The White Ribbon which I saw the night before…even though Ribbon was an hour longer…something to think about.
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FAVORITE FRAME(S) OF 2009 over 2 years ago
Antichrist:
The White Ribbon:
The Hurt Locker:
**And I’m sure there are many more!
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FAVORITE FRAME(S) OF 2009 over 2 years ago
sorry double post
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