Blog post# 10 - Final reflection

There's a lot that I can say about this course, it's really more of knowing where to start that's a challenge for me. There are a couple of outcomes in particular that stand out though.  The documentary storytelling and scene assignment projects each had their own challenges that provided excellent experience. On both of the projects encountered a number of issues; as frustrating as that is, the assignments allowed me to have that experience, and now I will know how to solve them in the future. I can say, out of everything, the most that I gained from the course was a new way to explore and think about the craft. I already had varying degrees of knowledge about the equipment and their applications going into the course. What the course provided for me personally was a push to delve in and discover the craft of cinematography to a larger degree than I had done before. I was pushed to read as much as I can, to discover the process of the masters, and then to try and apply the new techniques to the productions. Besides lighting a fire to learn and develop as much of the mechanical side of the art, the class also pushed me to think about the connection between form and content. I learned all of the technical skill in the world won’t help you tell a good story unless you understand how it can be used to serve the story.

Blog post # 9 - DP Reel and Artist Statement

Hello Everyone, here is the vimeo link to my reel for the course. Below the link is my artist statement. 

https://vimeo.com/93369840

I want to tell stories, and as filmmakers, it's probably safe to say that is something we all seek. For me though, that particular story telling focus revolves around people, human stories. I find people to be the most fascinating subject of all; their struggles, their loves, their heartbreaks, their pitfalls, and the shining moments are the moments that I'm always seeking, and I choose to capture as cinematographer. The films I love the most and constantly return to for inspiration, have solidified their place in large part because of the character driven narratives. It's those types of films that I most connect with, and that I try to achieve whenever I tell a story. When I read a script, it's always the people that drive the story for me. All of the other elements within the process of cinematography are tools and extensions to tell the story of the characters. With each composition, framing, and lighting setup that I choose, I think of what it says about the characters, the people of the story, and how can I best make those choices to bring that connection with the audience. I have a way to go with my skills; I will not proclaim any mastery, and I'm uncertain that one can, without hesitation, every completely claim a total mastery of the art form. The art form is one that calls for adaptation and change, as well as a constant dedication to the craft, and my goal to always strive for those characteristic, and to always be as malleable as the medium itself. The education never ceases, and I am driven to constantly learn and improve so that I can capture the best moments of the human experience. 

Blog post # 8 - Best camera

I find this particular blog post a bit tricky. The thing is it calls for detailing the best camera, but at this point, we all should know that the answer is not absolute. That is one of the big details that has been demonstrated through the course: the answer is purely situational. What makes the best camera? Depends. What is the best camera? Depends. The answer is completely dependent on the needs of the project. As a cinematographer, if the production needs a camera that is small, lightweight, inexpensive(relative), and fairly easy to pick up and use; perhaps, a DSLR with a couple of lenses would be perfectly suitable for the job. If the project has a large budget and setup is not a constraint, perhaps one of the premiere 35mm Arriflex, Mitchell, or Panavision cameras would be perfect. What if the production wants digital? Again, if the budget allows for it, one might choose an Arri Alexa or maybe a RED camera. What if you are wanting to shoot a full 6K digital image. There's the newer RED Dragon. The "best" camera is what serves the story best. It's just another tool used to serve the written word. In that regard, the term "best" can be entirely different for each cameraman. If I am referring specifically to what we have available within the department, then my choice would be the Sony F3. It is the highest quality camera we have available. It is a piece of professional equipment used regularly in the industry and provides a fantastic quality that the others can't match in my opinion. However, with that said, that doesn't mean it is definitively the best camera every time. Not every situation calls for a camera like F3.

Blog post #7 - Inspirational lighting

Light: it is one of the most crucial tools to a cinematographer. It is the paint with which the cinematographer constructs the story. It is honestly my favorite aspect of cinematography. There are countless images and films that I can delve into that have inspired me. For this post though, I will focus on particular films or moments within certain films that made me actually think and become interested in cinematography.

I make no qualms about speaking my mind about Roger Deakins; he is my favorite cinematographer, and I believe his work is one of the biggest influences.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is probably one of the most important films I have ever seen, at least in regards to how I think about lighting. Deakins is not afraid of letting things go dark or into silhouette and these images demonstrate that amazing ability. 

Blade Runner combines all of my favorite elements of color and lighting. Jordan Cronenworth truly helped create a master piece with this neo-noir sci-fi classic. The hard light, and beautiful use of blues help create the gritty, hard-boiled future that Decker must navigate to locate the replicants. 

Conrad Hall, quite frankly, he is one of the best American cinematographers of all time. I think it would be hard to argue that assertion. He is also among the cinematographers that have influenced me greatly. I love all of this films, but his final one, Road to Perdition, is probably my favorite and possibly his best work. Hall truly brought everything to the table with this film and his aesthetic vision helped create one of the most visually stunning films in cinema. Of course, the scene I got to the most from this film is the final confrontation between Hanks and Newman. 

 

More Roger Deakins with perhaps the best use of color lighting that I have ever seen.

Gregg Tolland is another one of my favorite cinematographers. I can see his clear influence on so many of the DPs that I love. He was a master of the hard lighting.

In recent years I have found the work of Gordon Willis to be some of the most fantastic photography in the whole of cinema. I absolutely love his work on the Godfather films, but honestly, the works I enjoy the most are his films with Woody Allen. In particular, I find that Manhattan is one of my favorite black and white films of all time. I couldn't find an image of the couples walking in front of the store fronts of New York, but I absolutely love that entire sequence, along with the observatory in complete silhouette.

If I could submit the entire collection of Breaking Bad as my visual inspiration I would. The work Michael Slovis provided for the visual mastery of the show blows my mind every time I watch an episode. Here are a number of selections from a couple of my favorite episodes. Slovis makes wonderful use of color and contrasty lighting that gives the show its dark atmosphere.

As an added bonus, here is a shot that has always stood out to me from the amazing film The Spy Who Came in from the Cold based off the John le Carre novel.

Blog post #6 - DSLR strengths and weaknesses

There are number of key things about DSLR cameras that are a considerable advantage to anyone who wants to pick one up and film. However, like with most things, there are negatives that you must consider when choosing to use these pieces of equipment. Here are some of the biggest pros that I have come to find out about the cameras:

• One of the biggest things they have going for them is the price range; it can certainly still be costly to purchase one of the higher tier DSLR cameras, but pricing isn't completely prohibitive. You can pick up new and used Canons from $800-$2000. The most important aspect of this is that it allows easier access to individuals wanting to film. They no longer need to spend thousands or tens of thousands on a camera just to be able to film. This is opening up the market for a whole new generation of creative minds.
• DSLRs, unlike many digital cameras within the same(ish) price range, allow interchangeable lenses. This is an incredibly useful feature. The bodies of these cameras are not mind blowing, but that becomes a tad less important when you have the ability to put on some of the best glass available.
• The cameras are light weight, simple in build, and user friendly. These are great if you don't want, or can't worry about the hassle of carrying a large camera and the tons of equipment you mind need to go with it. It makes shooting fast and easy.
• To go along with the two points mentioned above, the can be outfitted with just about endless features; these cameras can be transformed from simple point and shooters, to an impressive rig if you want to invest in the build of it.
• For the price range, these cameras carry great sensors, which in turn make them great for shooting in low light situations; this goes hand in hand with low budget productions where light will most likely be limited.

Now with all these positives aspects of the cameras come the drawbacks that you need to be aware of when working with them.

• These cameras should be on sticks or in a type of steady rig. They are not for straight hand-held unless you have the steadiness of a surgeon. One of the things people love about the cameras is their ability to crush the depth of field, providing a cinematic look to the digital imagery. These can also be one of the biggest negatives with the equipment as well. The incredibly shallow depth of field can cause of types of issues with the focus, especially if you are not completely static while operating. 
• They are small and have these powerful sensors inside them. Even the models with the sturdier bodies, will heat up quickly on the inside. These cameras don't hold up well to heat. Running the for long, long stretches of time are not advised.
• The customization of DSLRs is great, with that said, the cameras as is aren't great for filming. You need to invest in them if you want to get the most out of them.
• I prefer running dual sound anyway, but if you are shooting with these cameras, it's basically as must. Otherwise, if you use the mic built into the camera, your audio will suffer.  

 I like the idea behind DSLR cinematography and film making. It's opening up new opportunities and creation that either didn't exist or was incredibly limited before. Having said that, I personally am not a fan of DSLR cameras. I have seen amazing footage and stories told through these cameras, but I can always tell when a DSLR has been used, and I typically just don't like the images it produces and while working with them, I dislike the problems that come up. Also, as much as I like how it is opening up the industry for young film makers; I dislike the type of over saturation coming as a result as well. By that I mean, just because these cameras have their unique capabilities, does not mean that it should become the definitive go to camera. I see countless pieces about producers and directors who obsess over the cameras because of the type of hype that has developed around them. That's what they go with, which I can understand for budgetary reasons, but then there are the times where the camera clearly was not the best choice, and the project ends up looking like shit. I just don't like to see it being used as a type of crutch for film makers. That's a personal complaint though, and stems more from the way some projects are produced rather than the actual cameras. 

Blog post #5--documentary storytelling

I've been tasked with "portrait" projects before, this one stands out among those for a number of reason. Honestly, I can say it is more beneficial than previous ones I have engaged in--not discounting those. As prospective filmmakers, when have our idea, we all want to touch the camera and adjust it to our exact specifications. However, when you're actually out there working on the project the dynamic of that changes. This project addressed that kind of challenge. If you become a director, it is crucial that you work extensively with your Director of Photography. The most important detail in that working relationship is communication. We challenged to do so in this assignment. I can say, my experience differed from the rest of the class in that I did not have DP. That was just one road block in the process. The inclement weather also did not aid in my plans. I originally had an entirely different story planned out, but things kept breaking down. This is something that can happen; you just deal with it. Two things that I took away from this exercise: plan so throughly that when the inevitable mishaps come--and they will that's a guarantee--you can take them and still be able to recover. I believe my original idea fell flat in that regard. The second, you must be able to keep going. I was frustrated that I couldn't get the original idea to pan out. I had to alter my idea and put something together on in an even smaller time frame, but I did it. I made sure to finish the assignment. Issues will occur, move on, do the work. Also, working a both DP and Director might be fitting for some individuals but not me. Splitting the tasks can dilute the effectiveness of your story, if not worse, prevent it from having any kind of true development at all. I caught myself without the shots I wanted when editing because while serving as a DP at the same time, my interests would interfere with what I as a director wanted to tell. It wasn't good to say the least. In the end, it may be hard to relinquish that control. Your gut instinct in both creative positions may tell you to do something one way, but you have to be open to communicate your ideas effectively. Building that teamwork and level of communication is key to telling the story. When director and DP are on the same page, the both can focus on their job, and do what's best to tell the story.

Film/cinematography helpful sources

I'm always on the look out for new sources and inspiration when it comes to the subject of film. Here are a number of sources that I have found that can be helpful for just about anyone interested in film making, and for this class in particular, cinematography.

Are you looking for visual references, some type of inspiration? Here's your site. Most of you have probably heard of devianART before; if you haven't, check it out. It's a fantastic site for users to post their art work, so there's that aspect; but,  it can also serve as a vein for visual references for your stories. The amount of artwork to draw from is above and beyond, and with many different categories to choose from as well: anime, photography, painting, digital painting, etc..
http://www.deviantart.com/

One way that we as filmmakers can learn how to make great films, as well as what makes great films, is to delve into the work of the filmmakers that paved the way. Film history is a great tool that all of us should utilize. These days we have so many ways to access the classics that it's a disservice not to go back and view them. Your not sure where to start though. Here is a great site that I found that has not only a list for great films ranging from cinemas beginnings to modern day; it also has a directory for many of the greatest directors in history with their filmography listed. If you want to see the films that your favorite directors were influenced by, and to find suggestions for great films in general, give this site a visit.
http://www.theyshootpictures.com/index.htm

This site is pure cinematography goodness right here. The American Society of Cinematographers website is an amazing source for just about any information in the industry regarding cinematography. The ASC have a trade publication that can be ordered through the site if that catches your interest; I think it is the best out there, just my opinion. The site itself is not only a resource, it also provides links to numerous other sources as well. I would highly recommend giving this a look through.
http://www.theasc.com/

I hope these may be helpful to anyone willing to check them out.

Documentary/Portrait Project post

Here's the vimeo link for my Portrait assignment. You'll have to forgive the lack of an intro. I finished editing and had already posted this before I remembered.

https://vimeo.com/87182715

Blog post #4 - Midterm Scene Analysis

 

 

Steven Spielberg has an innate skill of creating films that stick with me. He has his fair share of critics, and a few of his films are well beyond anything ground breaking; but, when he does create those gems, I believe he easily ranks among one of the flat out best "big" filmmakers of all time, certainly of the modern era. Despite, my enjoyment of his work, and the influence his films have played in my life, I had not seen one of his biggest films: Schindler's List. I think one reason being that it is an incredibly heavy film, and honestly I was hesitant to view it. I finally set aside the time to watch it and I'm glad I did; I knew immediately that it was what I wanted to cover for this particular blog post. The film depicts different periods and events involved in the systematic extermination of European Jews during World War II by Nazi ruled Germany. The majority of the film is based in Krakow, Poland. It follows the actions of one Oskar Schindler, and how through his "business ventures," he employed and spared many Jewish lives who would have otherwise perished.



In this scene we have the two characters, Oskar Schindler(Liam Neeson) and Amon Goeth(Ralph Fiennes). The two have a converse while seated on the Goeth's balcony overlooking the Jewish work camp below.


 

 The scene begins with camera just inside the interior of Amon Goeth's "villa." The two figures are framed left. This may seem unbalanced, but Spielberg's choice of framing is of course, deliberate. The work camp, is framed to the right and the predominant feature of the background. I believe Spielberg did not want to allow the audience an escape from recognizing its existence. This scene follows the events of an upscale party held at Goeth's temporary home set above the camp. The party has all of the luxuries expected by the high ranking German officials and associates. The camera dollys in on the scene from the lavish party to this balcony; it's a stark juxtaposition. As the camera moves in, the frame opens up from the lavish interior to the work camp. Oskar Schindler comments on the wonderful party held at Goeth's residence. Schindler sits down on a bench on the balcony. He is framed almost center; he may attend the parties of these war criminals, but he does follow their same ideology; he does not belong. Goeth is framed left, still standing, due to perspective, he appears larger than the camp. This expands upon his previously established ego.

Goeth falls due to his level of inebriation. Schinder chastise him for the not only his level of drunkenness, but for the fact he continues to drink low grade alcohol, rather than partake what Schindler gives to him. This scene takes place at night. The two characters are both lit, but to me what is interesting is that he camp is shown clearly as well. This is not only for practical reasons: a prison camp would be lit to prevent escapees; it also reinforces Spielberg's goal: the camp never goes away for the audience.




Goeth crawls toward the bench where Schindler is seated. It is in the style of a courting bench, thus the characters are not seated in the same orientation, rather, they are on complete opposite sides. This is another type of distancing for the audience between the characters, both physical and philosophically. Goeth is obsessed with power and says he admires Schindler's ability to have self-control(in his mind a form of power).
 

Schindler introduces the question of "power" to Goeth, and what does it mean to have it. The focus is racked from Goeth to Schindler

For the first time, we move into the tighter shots of the two characters. The background goes into a soft focus as the main conversation begins.

The focus is soft, but not so soft to where the background is indistinguishable. Here Spielberg brings us right back into the reality. The spot light can be seen as it surveys the grounds.

We see the spot light rotate in the background, but at this point it seems to linger on Goeth. The lighting between the two switches from a practical look due to light spilling out from the inside of the house, to a type of harsh contrasted light similar to that of an interrogation. The spot light serves as a reminder of the environment. But at the same time, Schindler tries to appeal to the humanity, and the ego of Goeth. It is shining another light on the mindset of the two men.

Here the frame shifts slightly to left as Schindler moves in closer. His words are meant to stroke the ego of Goeth by comparing his level of power with that of an emperor. Really, Schindler is trying to implant the idea so that perhaps Goeth will begin to curve his ruthless acts.

The frame is tight and as Schindler continues with his explanation, we can see the discomfort of Goeth due in part to what Schindler is implying.

The frame opens back up to give some room to breathe. Schindler was simply playing the ego of Goeth to get what he wanted, but the conversation was still pretty confrontational in tone. The depth of field has shifted slight, and the background is not as soft.

The final shot consists of Goeth framed by himself. He begins to digest the words of Schindler, but makes a mockery of the whole point. The ideas of mercy held by Schindler is out of the realm of understanding for Goeth. One constant of the scene is the lighting of both men. Schindler is the man of mercy in this scene, but he is often lit with harder light and more contrast. Goeth, the bastard that he is, gets lit by spill light from the inside of his home. What this does however, is make his lighting much more even. The thing about Goeth is that in this scene and a couple of others in the film, he comes off as charismatic. He doesn't look like the boogey man in this scene. He doesn't have deep contrasted lighting and shadows on him. This lighting shows him as being "normal." This makes his level of depravity even more shocking and honest. History shows, and Spielberg knows this, that most of the atrocities were carried out my people, who in other circumstances seemed normal. What is more disturbing than an incredibly human figure performing these kinds of acts.