If not then I judge it my mistake and I must try not to let it happen next time. Perhaps I might think it better to change things for take two. At that time if I see a bad shadow or an eyeline that is slightly off I might talk to the actor or I might not. When an actor appears on set ready to do a take it may be too late to change anything. Sometimes it is better to go wider to include a prop in frame than break an actor’s concentration. “Sometimes, as with the death row scenes on ‘Dead Man Walking’, it is better to compromise composition, lighting and perhaps even sound a little and shoot with two cameras in order to help an actor get their performance. Compromise is Sometimes Needed for a Better Film My way is just one of an infinite number of ways to do the job.” I hope what I do can do is in some way inspire others but I would be appalled if I though my work was being studied as ‘the right way to do the job’. You can’t learn your craft by copying me or anyone else. I loved seeing him work but it had absolutely no influence on the way my work evolved. The closest I ever got to seeing ‘how it was done’ was by shooting some documentary footage of Doug Slocombe at work on ‘Pirates of Penzance’. I just remember that when I began as a film maker and a cinematographer I never watched another cinematographer at work. Not because I am secretive and I don’t want to give away something that is personal. “I am very wary of showing too much in the way of plans and diagrams. I don’t feel the need to practice anymore but I do reassure myself that I can still sign my name each time I start a new film, if I am using a gear head.Ī gear head is not everyone’s choice and I don’t always carry one but it does have distinct advantages on certain set ups and on certain films.” When I was starting I practiced doing figures of eight with the wheels and progressed to signing my name with them. “Operating the wheels needs to become second nature as it can be a disaster if the technique of operating distracts from the relationship that an operator has with the subject. He’s such a capable artist who, at the core of it, is OK with releasing his “art” into the public - shortcomings and all. It is this combination of attitudes that makes Deakins a voice of reason in cinematography circles. He’s also quick to point out that his job is ultimately to serve the director and that the “art” of cinematography is meaningless when it doesn’t benefit the director’s vision. Deakins is aware of this and, while striving for artistic relevance in his films, acknowledges that he sometimes needs to get out of the way and avoid favoring perfectionism over the realistic obstacles of a shoot. Roger Deakins on the Art of CinematographyĬinematography is a strange blend of creative art and practical resourcefulness. Instead, it’s best we just get to the point: 25 pieces of filmmaking advice from Roger Deakins himself, pulled from his website where he interacts with fans and filmmakers on all topics from careers to cinematography basics. No - Roger Deakins needs very little introduction as a master of cinematography. Surely you already know him as the talented cinematographer behind films like The Shawshank Redemption, A Beautiful Mind, and almost every Coen Brothers film since Fargo.Īnd by now, as a fan of filmmaking and a filmmaker, you’ve discovered that when Deakins talks, what comes out is a treasure trove of wisdom - only overshadowed by answers so candid and honest that his responses are more engaging than many movies themselves. Is it really worth my time to give Roger Deakins an introduction?
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