nofilmschool » cinematography

Derek Cianfrance Breaks Down Scenes from 'The Place Beyond the Pines'

Micah Van Hove — Sun, 12 May 2013 03:23:52 +0000

Derek Cianfrance’s followup to the extraordinary Blue Valentine comes in the form of a three act Shakespearian crime drama, The Place Beyond the Pines. Collider goes behind the scenes with the director to discuss the filmmaking and break down a few scenes, discussing camera placement, character choices, working with ‘movie stars’ and blending a performance together across many different takes. Hit the jump for the video and analysis: (more…)

Janusz Kaminski & Julian Schnabel on Creating New Conventions for 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'

Micah Van Hove — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:28:07 +0000

DP/30 brings us some of the most casual yet penetrating interviews with filmmaking talent, and this one pushes that envelope even more. In the format of a roundtable lunchtime chat in sunny Southern California, the creative crew behind The Diving Bell and the Butterfly exposes their approach to material that had no precedent, the perks of making the film outside the United States, and creating new conventions where none existed. Hit the jump to watch the 30 minute segment: (more…)

From Microscopic to Cosmic: The Fittingly Organic VFX of 'The Fountain' & 'The Tree of Life'

Dave Kendricken — Tue, 07 May 2013 03:49:45 +0000

Other than their deep meditation on mortality — and the associated motif of a sacred source of life — Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain (2006) and Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life (2011) couldn’t be more different. That is, aside from the way in which the films achieve much of their strikingly beautiful cosmic imagery. In an era of filmmaking in which CGI and space-bound science fiction are far from strangers, these two films opt for a more naturalistic alternative — such as macrophotography and high-speed microscopy — to visualize their explorations of life in the universe. What could be more appropriate effects for films so occupied with the organic? Click through for some details on how VFX allowed the microscopic to ‘double’ for the cosmos. (more…)

DIY Co-Directors Talk About Their First Feature Film Experience 'Hills Green'

Micah Van Hove — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:18:21 +0000

In between their 9-5 jobs, filmmakers Ryan C. Glover and Krista Dzialoszynski have been working diligently on their feature film debut Hills Green, and after several years are proud to say it’s finally complete. It’s a story about two friends’ escape to the country to discover what their relationship is made of, and is brought to life with the power of real-life nostalgia. The duo is now set for the film’s Canadian premiere at the ReelHeART International Film Festival on June 24th in Toronto. Hit the jump for the trailer and our interview with the first-time feature filmmakers: (more…)

Roger Deakins to Aspiring Cinematographers: 'You Have to Have Your Own Perspective & Way of Seeing'

Joe Marine — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 02:34:45 +0000

Roger Deakins is no stranger to this site, but that’s because he’s been extremely generous throughout his career about giving advice and trying to help those who are just starting out (in fact that’s why he started a forum). If you aren’t an Academy Award-nominated Cinematographer (I’m guessing you aren’t), Roger Deakins has some sage advice for you. Check out the video below. (more…)

Cinematographer Sam Levy on Motivation: 'It's Just a Feeling'

Micah Van Hove — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:13:16 +0000

From Wendy and Lucy to The Romantics, Sam Levy’s work as a cinematographer is marked with naturalism and attention to character blocking. Here he sits down with Craft Truck to discuss his work, how he began as an assistant and lensed his first feature film on a standard def Mini DV camera. Hit the jump to learn more and to watch the full interview: (more…)

Legendary Cinematographer Gordon Willis Reminds Us: 'There is No Formula'

Micah Van Hove — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:00:07 +0000

Craft Truck is on a winning tear, recently releasing some of the best interviews with cinematographers in recent memory, and this one is no exception. Gordon Willis, the “Prince of Darkness” and a master of light, sits down with Jeff Glickman to discuss his work as a cinematographer, his working relationship with Woody Allen and Francis Ford Coppola. Though Willis is retired, his mark has been deeply felt by anyone who loves movies. Ask any working cinematographer today, chances are they’ve been influenced by Gordy. Hit the jump for the 2-part interview: (more…)

Director Antonio Campos Talks About Finding 'The Right Amount of Perfect & Sloppy'

Micah Van Hove — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 16:00:21 +0000

Ever wondered what was going through the director’s head as they set up on a shot? Antonio Campos, a filmmaker on the forefront of American independent film, sits down with Filmmaker Magazine to discuss his process and aesthetic method. Here they look at some scenes from Campos’s latest film Simon Killer, and break down the filmmaking in terms of composition, intent, and performance. Hit the jump to watch the full interview: (more…)

Canon Announcements: C300 Push Autofocus, C500 ACES Support, & New 35mm Cinema Prime Lens

Dave Kendricken — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:02:41 +0000

The days when Canon made its prized quality lenses separately for either its bizarre HDV psuedo-progressive imaging camcorders (remember those?) or its high-res digital stills cameras are gone — having bled into the present day. Now, its lenses have a significant stake in the production of 4K digital cinema, and its Cinema CN-E EF-mount line of compact prime lenses will be fully rounded out by a just-announced 35mm prime, due out before the close of the year (that makes six lenses now: 14, 24, 35, 50, 85, 135). Furthering the same professional motion picture mission, Canon has also announced free firmware/software upgrades for automated functions such as Push Autofocus, as well as professional-grade ACES pipeline support for color management. Some updates apply to different cameras than others, so check below for more details. (more…)

Shane Hurlbut Talks the Art & Technology of Cinematography, Shooting 'Need for Speed' on Canon C500

Robert Hardy — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 13:00:41 +0000

Shane Hurlbut should be no stranger to nofilmschool readers. He’s one of a few cinematographers working at the highest level of the industry who consistently takes the time to share his experiences and his cinematography expertise on his awesome blog. Whether he’s talking about how to create a soft and beautiful book light, or the fundamentals of telling a story through composition, Shane is always filling the interwebs with his vast cinematography knowledge. Recently, he sat down with Paul Antico of Anticipate Media for their weekly podcast. Needless to say, Shane and Paul’s conversation is absolutely fantastic, and the pair touch on many of the key topics relevant to cinematography in the modern age. (more…)

Cinematographer Wolfgang Held Explores the Ethics of Vérité: 'The Camera is a Catalyst'

Micah Van Hove — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 02:02:16 +0000

Craft Truck brings us another great candid interview, this time with cinematographer Wolfgang Held. Wolfgang has shot countless films over the past 20 years, from documentaries, to commercials, to narratives. He is perhaps best know for his vérité work, ranging from the social labor of love Children Underground, to the cult Metallica doc Some Kind of Monster, to Bruno (whatever that is). Hit the jump to hear Wolfgang discuss vérité filmmaking in the digital age, his favorite focal lengths, and the undercover shenanigans of working with Sacha Baron Cohen: (more…)

Basic Lighting Lesson: Understanding Hard Light and Soft Light

Joe Marine — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:53:19 +0000

Lighting does more than just expose your image. It’s one of the very basic tools that filmmakers have at their disposal to create an atmosphere for their story. While you need a certain quantity of light to give your movie the proper exposure, it’s actually the quality of the light that creates the look for your film. If you’re looking for a basic lesson in the differences between hard light and soft light, and what they can do for your image, look no further than the tutorial below. (more…)

Learn How Camera Movement Affects a Scene in 'The Career of Paul Thomas Anderson in Five Shots'

Joe Marine — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 22:46:42 +0000

While you might have already seen the recent video featuring the history of the Steadicam in cinema, today we’ve got a video from Kevin B. Lee — who most recently gave us his best films of 2012 — that gets much more specific, and follows the career of Paul Thomas Anderson and his use of camera stabilizers. Not only does the video focus on specific shots in his films, but it also goes into the psychology of what the shots do (or are trying to do) for the scene in the context of the movies. (more…)

Watch: 'The Art of Steadicam' Pays Tribute to Film's Great Gliding Shots, Operators, and Pioneers

Dave Kendricken — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:41:47 +0000

While hand-held shooting has basically been around since there was a camera light enough to do so, it’s safe to say that the Steadicam (which is technically a Tiffen name) constitutes a cinematographical revolution all its own. Hand-holding dates back as early as 1911, but it was a long time before cinema gained the dolly’s fluidity of motion coupled with the hand-held operator’s freedom of travel. Audiences would first meet the ‘Steadicam shot’ in 1976′s Bound for Glory, and the first impressions were enough to earn the film an Academy Award for Cinematography. Larry Wright of Refocused Media recently created a supercut called The Art of Steadicam, paying homage to the ground-breaking invention and the artists who helped reshape the possibilities of cinematic movement — check it out below. (more…)

'Frozen River' DP Reed Morano on Shooting Movies: 'It's Not for You, It's for Someone Else'

Joe Marine — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 03:15:26 +0000

There was quite a bit of back and forth regarding the role of the DP on a recent post about Andrij Parekh, much to the surprise of myself and a few others. The DP is one of the most important people on a production. The real purpose of the last post was to hear from a working professional that the cinematographer has to be a collaborator and must serve the story. Now we’ve got another Craft Truck interview from Jeff Glickman, this time with Reed Morano, the director of photography on Frozen River. In the video below, Reed talks about her process and her career, and how she’s risen up through the ranks. (more…)

Hive Lighting Brightens Up All-Plasma Chevy Volt Ad (With Only Batteries and 60A Generator)

Dave Kendricken — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:37:48 +0000

Modern lighting technology continues to become more energy-efficient, while at the same time increasing light output. This applies to LEDs, but it also applies to plasma lighting systems, which are growing rapidly in popularity. Plasma is capable of a very naturalistic light spectrum (much closer to traditional Tungsten lights depending on the design), which is usually more difficult with LEDs. A company really pushing the boundaries of plasma technology is Hive Lighting, who recently lamped-up a 30-second Chevy ad using only batteries and a 60 amp generator — to rather impressive effect. Check out a line-item lighting breakdown of the Volt Plasma Challenge video from Hive Lighting below. (more…)

SALT III: a Comprehensive and Thorough High-Speed Professional Lens Shootout

Joe Marine — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 21:11:58 +0000

There are now more options than ever for good professionally built lenses, and many of them are exceptionally fast. None of them are perfect at their widest aperture (well, a few come as close as possible), but there are times when you just need that extra stop or two of light, even if you might normally be shooting more closed down. SALT, the Southland Alternative Lens Test, is conducted by a group of professionals who test a wide range of lenses against each other in difficult situations, trying to determine the strengths and weaknesses of each set of lenses. The most recent test, WFO, is specifically designed to push lenses like Master Primes, Zeiss Super Speeds, and Canon Cine lenses at their widest aperture to see how well they perform. Check out the test below. (more…)

'Blue Valentine' DP Andrij Parekh: 'People See Movies for Great Performances, Not Nice Photography'

Joe Marine — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 03:58:56 +0000

There is no question the director of photography is one of the most important jobs on set. The DP helps the director set the look of the film, and depending on their working relationship, may actually have quite a bit of influence on the final film. In the end though, the DP’s job is to help the director get the movie “in the can” at all costs, even if that means sacrificing time for lighting and camera moves. Blue Valentine director of photography Andrij Parekh sat down with Craft Truck, a website that focuses on discussions with technical storytellers from the world of film, to talk about his career and how he sees the role of the cinematographer. (more…)

What is the 'Real' Aspect Ratio of 'On The Waterfront?' Plus, Restoring a Warped Hitchcock Classic

Dave Kendricken — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 22:05:08 +0000

The aspect ratio is one of the fundamentals determining your compositions. Even though we live in a time where displaying any aspect ratio is incredibly easy, films are still being shown incorrectly in many mediums in an attempt to make them fill the entire screen (even if that’s not the intention of the filmmaker). Interestingly enough, cinema history has actually been plagued by these kinds of issues related to aspect ratio. A visual essay by Criterion Collection illustrates how the intended aspect ratio of On The Waterfront is still in question to this day, and we also get a demonstration of the impressive restoration to Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much from a heavily warped and damaged print. (more…)

SnapTrack Cinerails: a Light, Portable, Easy-To-Assemble Curved Dolly Track System on Kickstarter

Dave Kendricken — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:50:44 +0000

Danny Dodge is a cameraman and cinematographer who has devised what may be the most light-weight and portable curved dolly track system you’ve ever seen. Searching for a way to build the ultimate portable dolly setup, Dodge stumbled upon the fact that a draw string could be used to arch PVC track to any degree he wished. The SnapTrack Cinerails rig was the result. Combining a simple draw string device with seven Cinerails gives you up to eight feet of curvable dolly track that seems primed for low-impact DSLR shooting, weighs under ten pounds, and breaks down/sets up in about a minute. Check out the SnapTrack Cinerails below, and some pre-ordering info if you’re interested. (more…)