Wexler's work on Bound for Glory

[Rick Shepardson]

Greetings,

I"m about to shoot a short film that takes place in a drought. Bound For Glory is one of the films the director and I are looking at to create an asthetic. Does anybody know if there are any books or articles that go in depth about Haskell Wexler's approach to this film? I know there's an issue of American Cinematographer's magazine-however, I don't have the 75 dollars to shell out for it.

Thank you,

Rick Shepardson

[Robert Starling SOC]

I've met Haskell a few times over the years and he seems approachable; you could try to contact him directly in a professional manner.

 

If reading is what you want to do you could also research information on Garrett Brown, the inventor of the Steadicam. Bound For Glory was officially the first film that used Steadicam and I know there's lots of information out there on that where you could possible gain some insight.

 

Robert Starling, SOC

Steadicam Owner Operator

[Chayse Irvin ASC, CSC]

I heard about this film last week. Its a documentary on Haskell by his son. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420952/

I haven't seen it but I really want to. It might help.

Edited August 3, 2008 by Chayse Irvin

[David Mullen ASC]

It was covered in the July 1976 issue of "American Cinematographer". Mainly what is discussed, besides the use of the Steadicam, is the use of large parachute silks over locations to soften the light, and the alternating use of filters like Low Cons and Fogs, plus smoke or dust on sets. It was shot on 5254 100 ASA Kodak color negative. There is some discussion in the interview book "Masters of Light" as well, where Wexler says most of the movie was flashed as well.

[Mark Herzig]

It was covered in the July 1976 issue of "American Cinematographer". Mainly what is discussed, besides the use of the Steadicam, is the use of large parachute silks over locations to soften the light, and the alternating use of filters like Low Cons and Fogs, plus smoke or dust on sets. It was shot on 5254 100 ASA Kodak color negative. There is some discussion in the interview book "Masters of Light" as well, where Wexler says most of the movie was flashed as well.

 

I met Mr Wexler a couple of times, but didn't ask anything technical of him. HW also notes that the standby painter was kept busy "touching down" any color on the set considered too vivid for the strategy. "Bound For Glory", in my opinion, richly deserves the plaudits it has earned.

HW was, and is, a great stylist, and a fervent supporter of mixing soft light and hard light, to taste. In my experience, going "all soft" or "all hard" is . . . well, an exercise in futility, and . . . an exercise.

I don't think there are any generic solutions for visual problems. Me? I use my eyes.

Edited September 13, 2008 by Mark Herzig

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

I know there's an issue of American Cinematographer's magazine-however, I don't have the 75 dollars to shell out for it.

 

If there's a large public library near where you live, you should be able to find that issue there. Here at the SF Main Library, they have Pre-'66 issues on microfilm, and the rest bound in volumes.