The Birth of a Nation cinematography 

Cinematographer: Elliot Davis

Technical specs: 2.40:1, Arri Alexa XT, Red Dragon

The Birth of a Nation Sundance Cinematography Elliot DavisCredit: Elliot Davis

"Nate explained to me, 'this is a dark period in history. The film should not be afraid to be dark."

The Birth of a Nation Sundance Cinematography Elliot DavisCredit: Elliot Davis

"Nate had lived with this project for seven years... he already knew every frame of the movie."

The Birth of a Nation Sundance Cinematography Elliot DavisCredit: Elliot Davis

"The sooner [the director] sees what you want it to look like, the better, because that's the only look they know."

The Birth of a Nation Sundance Cinematography Elliot DavisCredit: Elliot Davis

"My best tool is the Digital Intermediate. If I had to make a film with only one thing, that's what I would make it with. I would give up all of my lights, of course you can't give up the camera, but I would just have the camera and the DI."

The Birth of a Nation Sundance Cinematography Elliot DavisCredit: Elliot Davis

"Develop yourself as a person. To me, the way you do that is you study anything but cinematography. You want to develop a way of looking at the world, a worldview that becomes your own."


 

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No Film School's podcasts from the 2016 Sundance Film Festival are sponsored by Canon and Rode Microphones.

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