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The DP that wasn't there...

http://eduardoangel.com/2011/12/07/the-dp-who-wasnt-known/ - Read the original full article here from Eduardo Angel. Great stuff about cinematography, film-making and photography.

"It is amazing how little we know about directors of photography. When we think about the Godfather series we immediately imagine Francis Ford Coppola, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Robert Dinero. Some would even think of Mario Puzo. When we dis*cuss Woody Allen movies like Zelig or Annie Hall, we connect them with Mia Farrow and Diane Keaton, but very few people will know that the man responsible for the lighting, movement, and overall “look” of both movies is Gordon Willis, who is also responsible for “The Purple Rose of Cairo” and “Manhattan” among many others.

The Director of Photography, also known as DP, DOP, or Cinematographer, is responsible for the quality of the photography and the cinematic look of every movie by creating the appropriate mood, atmosphere, and visual style of each shot. The DP also determines the camera angles, lighting, shot composition, and cam*era movements, among many other technical considerations."

“The Man Who Wasn’t There” is an absolute masterpiece in Cinema lighting. DP - Roger Deakins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htxvLcSnOU0 - trailer for The Man Who Wasn't There

Who is your favorite DP?! I would love to start watching more beautifully cinematic movies. Any Suggestions?
 
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Who is your favorite DP?!

Conrad L Hall, responsible for the cinematography of some of the best movies ever made, although my favourites are American Beauty and Road to Perdition.

Rodrigo Prieto: Worked on the cinematography for Brokeback Mountain, Babel and one of my all time favourite movies just because it is so unbelievably beautiful, Frida.

Robert Richardson: Kill Bill 1 & 2, Inglorious Basterds, A Few Good Men, Shutter Island, Platoon.

Those are a couple :)
 
I'm a big fan of:

Doug Slocolme, who did Jesus Christ Superstar, The Great Gatsby, and the first 3 Indiana Jones films.

Andrzej Sekula, who did Pulp Fiction and American Psycho.

And Dante Spinotti, for his work on LA Confidential, The Insider, and Red Dragon.
 

The DP also determines the camera angles, lighting, shot composition, and cam*era movements, among many other technical considerations.


Where does it say this is the responsibility of the DP? When I direct, I determine camera angles, camera movements and shot composition. I tell the DP, then he lights accordingly. He is indispensable to the effort, but I'm not letting anybody else determine shot composition or camera angle or movement. But then again, maybe I'm wrong. I'm not a real director, only one in my head. But I refuse to believe that most directors let DPs make these decisions. In fact, I've seen ample making of videos to be quite sure that it is the director who makes these decisions (at least amongst the directors I've watched including Coppola, Scorsese, Spielberg and Aronofsky for eg.), and not the DP.

Not trying to start a flame war with you. DPs are important. But I'd like to let any aspiring director know that there are some decisions best left to the director. Otherwise, we can get rid of the director and let the DP make the movie.

Cheers,
Aveek
 
Where does it say this is the responsibility of the DP? When I direct, I determine camera angles, camera movements and shot composition. I tell the DP, then he lights accordingly. He is indispensable to the effort, but I'm not letting anybody else determine shot composition or camera angle or movement. But then again, maybe I'm wrong. I'm not a real director, only one in my head. But I refuse to believe that most directors let DPs make these decisions. In fact, I've seen ample making of videos to be quite sure that it is the director who makes these decisions (at least amongst the directors I've watched including Coppola, Scorsese, Spielberg and Aronofsky for eg.), and not the DP.

Not trying to start a flame war with you. DPs are important. But I'd like to let any aspiring director know that there are some decisions best left to the director. Otherwise, we can get rid of the director and let the DP make the movie.

Cheers,
Aveek


Whilst it is true that the Director has the final say, usually the Director and DP sit together and create a shot list that the movie then works off, after the DP has sat with the Production Designer and created the look for the film. Whilst it may be the Director saying lets set up for this or can we try that, the initial process of deciding how to shoot it is generally collaborative between the DP and Director. That said, it also often depends on how the Director works as some Directors will literally say this is what I want, do it whereas others will say this is the feel I want in the scene, do it and others will have lenghty discussions with the DP about each shot and what will work best time, budget and story-wise. The reason you hire a DP is because he/she has the technical knowledge that the Director generally doesn't, so whilst a Director should have a good idea of how he wants to shoot the film, DPs often have ideas that you may never have even thought of, whether it be a shot you never thought would be possible/never thought of doing or filtration on the lens like a soft filter that you didn't even know existed.
 
Whilst it is true that the Director has the final say, usually the Director and DP sit together and create a shot list that the movie then works off, after the DP has sat with the Production Designer and created the look for the film. Whilst it may be the Director saying lets set up for this or can we try that, the initial process of deciding how to shoot it is generally collaborative between the DP and Director. That said, it also often depends on how the Director works as some Directors will literally say this is what I want, do it whereas others will say this is the feel I want in the scene, do it and others will have lenghty discussions with the DP about each shot and what will work best time, budget and story-wise. The reason you hire a DP is because he/she has the technical knowledge that the Director generally doesn't, so whilst a Director should have a good idea of how he wants to shoot the film, DPs often have ideas that you may never have even thought of, whether it be a shot you never thought would be possible/never thought of doing or filtration on the lens like a soft filter that you didn't even know existed.

I agree with you completely. In fact I collaborate heavily with my DP as I severely lack technical knowledge.

cheers,
Aveek
 
Gah!! I came back here because I realized that no one mentioned Mathew Libatique, but that there is a great list. Why do I always forget about the great Mr. Cardiff.

Was great to watch The Red Shoes again after Black Swan - not often you get to compare two very different approaches to similar material by masters of the craft!

With whom I have recently been exchanging emails. Might have something interesting on the way.

There's no "very intrigued" emoticon, so this'll have to do. :hmm:
 
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