The Fundamentals: The Craft of The DP

Los Angeles -- As good as your concept is and as skilled and clever your editor is if you have a DP (Director of Photography)  commonly referred to in film as a Cinematographer or in the digital new media as a Videographer.  

So in we can say with confidence and assurance that the other leg in the craft of the moving image is the camera work.  A critical and essential component and folks this isn't just the point and click approach or will fix it in post high concept.  If it ain't happening on set it ain't happening and if it is then it is.  

Obviously there is more to it than just making it happen.  You must have the expertise, talent and skill sets to capture the moment on celluloid or magnetic tape in such a manner and distinction as to suspend the premise of disbelief resulting in an "AH HA" moment of sorts where the line between reality and fantasy are either blurred or completely gone.

That takes skill.  That takes experience.  That takes knowledge.  And that takes a long, long, long time to master in order to stand up and deliver.

Gordon Willis was one such individual.  An American cinematographer.  Willis came to be known for his work on such modern classics as THE GODFATHER series ANNIE HALL  and MANHATTAN to name just a few.  He has been called "a milestone in visual storytelling."


Essentially Willis was placed among the ten most influential cinematographers in history back in a 2003 survey conducted by the International Cinematographers Guild. 

Here is an interview with the master craftsmen of the camera shortly before his death at the age of 83 back in May of this year with Craft Truck, a shop talk website.  You'll discover in listening to these masters that they valued doing the job well and doing it right for the picture they were hired to lens and not for the art of the ego.  By the way visit Craft Truck cause we checked them out.  They have a lot of information, and real world application without the hype and glitter on the science and craft of making a movie.  Here are their links:

http://www.crafttruck.com
http://www.facebook.com/cra...
http://www.twitter.com/craf... 

---