Inspirational Cinematographers.

[David Bradley]

Lance Accord is truly amazing, watching Lost in Translation is like seeing a classic renaissance painting in motion.

 

Also really liking Wally Pfister.

 

I would say that Jean Chiabaut's work in La Jetee (1962) really sparked my interests in cinematography. It sounds really pretentious I know. I was always a keen photographer at School but I had never imagined juxtaposing stills in a logical montage to create narrative. La Jetee defines visual story telling for me.

 

As I developed a keener interest in the field I would probably say that James Wong Howe really inspires.

[Kevin Masuda]

Ahh...now I remember...thanks, Kev.

 

Would it be possible to contact him?

 

 

Not sure, maybe through the ASC but I'm not sure how to go about that.

 

Kev

 

I'll have to take a look at his stuff.

 

What are his best films?

 

 

Janusz? Schindlers List, Munich...etc.

 

 

Kev

[Matthew Buick]

Not sure, maybe through the ASC but I'm not sure how to go about that.

 

How about wrapping a letter to him around an arrow and firing through an open window at the next open house?

[Kevin Masuda]

Funny.

 

Kev

[Angeliki Makraki]

How about wrapping a letter to him around an arrow and firing through an open window at the next open house?

Then you'll be humiliated when he doesn't answer.

[Niklas Kanervo]

My favorite film where Janusz has worked as DP is for sure Saving Private Ryan.

Take a look on the article http://www.cameraguild.com/awards/kaminski.html

there´s interesting stuff about how he filmed Saving Private Ryan.

 

And also take a look on the movie ;)

[Matthew Buick]

Funny.

 

Indeed. :D

 

Then you'll be humiliated when he doesn't answer.

 

In that case I'll just knock on the front door, if he answers the door then good, if he doesn't I'll ask to see him, if he's not in I'll take that guy hostage and try again until he comes to the door, then I'll give him his letter and relase or kill all 400 hostages.

Edited January 28, 2007 by Matthew Buick

[Kenny N Suleimanagich]

Probably my two personal favorites are Vilmos Zsigmond, for his work particularly on Deliverance, Close Encounters, The Deer Hunter, and Stalin. And Freddie Young, for Ryan's Daughter but especially for Lawrence of Arabia.

 

Zsigmond: When I sat in on a Q&A he was holding his stories about how he shot Deliverance and McCabe & Mrs. Miller. I was amazed at how he used the 3-print technicolor process while it was still available and sandwiched the color print with a B&W one to produce that saturated effect. And also how he shot the river sequence on an Elmo. MOreover how he shot McCabe on a Mitchell BNC through a parrallax and got amazing results, more than he had wanted.

 

Young: Whenever I watch Lawrence of Arabia, Young's technique blended with Lean's editor knowledge produced some amazing shots, like the match blow to desert sun shots, and the super wide of the dunes with Lawrence and the Bedowin, and after that when Sharif Ali is riding in the horizon.

 

Of course theres many more I can name who inspire me, but none like the two I've mentioned.

[dennismchugh]

Wow, that's one hell of a story, I'd love to be able to talk to these sort of DPs I've seem some of their work, and it's really well done, I think I'd especially like to talk to John Dykstra ASC, Douglas Trumbull ASC and Richard Edlund ASC, I really liked their VFX work.

 

If I could talk to a deceased DP (better dust off the ol' Ouija Board) it would probably be Harold Rosson ASC, I really loved what he did in Wizard o' Oz and Singin' in the Rain.

 

 

I dont think Trumbull is an ASC, he should be. I spent several years working for the "Commander". I gaffed on a couple of small ride films including Back To The Future - The Ride. the Luxor project (now gone). He used Dave Stewart as hi DP a bunch. Probably one of the Great VFX DP's. Trumbull there's not enough good I could ever say about him.

 

 

Dennis McHugh

www.dennismchughdp.com

[Christopher Schneider]

My absolute favorite DoP is Adam Kimmel. The first time I thought about what a DoP actually does was after my tenth viewing of Beautiful Girls, not the most dynamic of films photographicly, but Adam's work there showed me that a good DoP is unobtrusive, allowing the actors to do their work and the lighting and camera to underscore them. His recent work on Capote had a profound effect on me, and I want more and more to shoot like him.

 

Darius Khondji's work on Se7en is incredibly gritty and just so well done, it was a great tool in film school.

 

And now Lance Accord is doing things with the camera I can only dream of doing. I just don't have the confidence yet. But I'm getting their.

 

The other DoP that hits me hard is Jordan Cronenweth. Blade Runner is a flawed movie, but his lighting is perfect. The way Deckard's flat is lit specifically gets to me.

Edited March 18, 2007 by Christopher Schneider

[Matthew Buick]

I dont think Trumbull is an ASC, he should be.

 

Well you're in luck, he is ASC. :)

[David Sweetman]

Just saw The Last Emperor by Storaro for the first time on DVD, and my gosh, it blew me away. Story, pacing, and most of all visuals were amazing. I just wish it was in Chinese, but I'm sure that would have complicated things beyond reason, and alienated a good part of the audience...

[Christopher Schneider]

One last mention,

 

Ron Fricke, his direction and Photography on Chronos and Baraka are the stuf of legend.

[Chris Dingley1]

I'm going to have to say Sol Negrin asc, for the sole purpose that he is my teacher.

Edited March 31, 2007 by Chris Dingley1

[Andy_Alderslade]

Michael Seresin - I really don't like Allan Parker films but they always look great, the master of naturilism.

 

Peter Suschitzky - Again, I can barely sit through a David Croenberg film without feeling sick (or fainting) but they always look great, plus The Empire Strikes back is perhaps the most beautifuly shot fantasy films ever.

 

Henri Decaë - A cinematographer of the real world, The 400 Blows and Plein Soleil films shot on real, often crampted locations but have real visual strength to them.

 

Alex Thomson - His films often tend to be unlikey - narratively inconsistent, but they are always visually astounding. The Sicilian has a beutiful use of mixing different light sources/colour temperaturs.

[Matthew Buick]

Ray June ASC - He does the most incredible B&W cinematography. So beatifully glossy. :)

[carl spring]

if i had to choose one, it would have to be Conrad L Hall. there is so much beauty in his noir style. a much missed cinematographer. his work continues to inspire me

[Ram Shani]

storaro's films made me want to be a cinematographer so he is my hero

 

but today i am amazed by Chris Doyle visuals and use of light and colour to me he is the graetst dp

[John Holland]

For the last time i promise [ i think] David Watkin , you all have to watch the films he lit in 60s 70s 80s . only reasons films are lit the way they are now is because of him , go out get the DVDs and learn :D

[Dory Breaux DP]

Alex Fostdevet, all the guys from The Collective, Chris Paterson and Brian Sisslemen.

[marieta fuertes]

i believe is very ironical than being a photographer myself didn´t notice cinematography at the same time I started on photography ten years ago. i suppose the moving looks so real! that we tend to forget we are watching !!!

i firstly noticed it when watching PARIS, TEXAS directed by wim wenders and photographed by robby muller, he also did TANGO LESSON directed by sally potter. but who really made fall in love and lead me to write my thesis in cinematography was CHRISTOPHER DOYLE..... what a brave camera man!!!! his way of framing and use of colour is very tight, he just risk it achieving a top score. HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO WATCH IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE ( directed by wong kar wai) , LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE ( directed by ruatarang ), SIX DAYS ( the video he made for DJ SHADOW) and many more.

 

however now i have to carry on writing my thesis on it....... which is based on the differences and similarities between the still and the moving image .... any suggestion is welcome!!!!

[Michael Collier]

Rodger Dekins, Conrad Hall, Vitto Storaro, ansel addams (though not a cinematographer, hes still a big influence) I could go on and on.

 

 

The big one for me is Dekins. I wanted to be a director until the shot in 'Shawshank Redemption' where they are up on the building, guard about to throw andy off the ledge, and the camera starts high, cranes down into an OTS of and, then does a 180 move around the two to end on an OTS of the guard.....the shot was beautiful and I wondered how much time and thought went into that one shot....it was then that I was hit with just what a cinematographer does, and relized I wanted to be a cinematographer, not a director. Then over the next few months of research I found that several of the movies I really enjoyed visually were shot by none other than Rodger Dekins, BSC. I would live in a cardboard box and eat from the garbage to intern under him. seems like a good personality from his cinematographers style interviews.

[Adam Thompson]

Robert Richardson. I'm not sure if anyone has mastered pushing the medium of film like he can. A true master of knowing where the edge is and at taking risks. Watch The Doors, his masterpiece I think.

 

Also- Natural Born Killers, Born on the Fourth of July, Casino, Platoon.

[Steve Wallace]

For me, Jean-Yves Escoffier, Anthony Dod-Mantle, Chris Doyle

[Steve Wallace]

For me, Jean-Yves Escoffier, Anthony Dod-Mantle, Chris Doyle

Robbie Muller is another...