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Gordon Willis

Gordon Willis Quotes

Cinematographer

Gordon Willis, born on May 28, 1931 and passed away on May 18, 2014, was a renowned cinematographer. He made significant contributions to the field of cinematography, particularly known for his innovative use of lighting and shadows in film photography.

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All People Want Way Knows Simple Complexity Crafts Dark Film Helping

Famous Gordon Willis Quotes

“I don't believe in doing thousands of cuts, then giving it to the editor to make the movie. 'Dump-truck directing' is my reference to that style of moviemaking. You have to know how to cut before you can shoot well. The lack of definition in movies today is appalling. Very few people know how to mount a narrative anymore. If a scene works in one cut, you don't need 10. Or it might need 10. Let's not make it 20.”

People Ifs Knows Needs Giving Believe Wells Might Today Know How Cutting Style Scene Don't Believe Definitions Narrative Editors Truck Dump

Author:Gordon Willis

“I'm a great believer in relativity when making movies. Relativity, in my mind, meaning "Light to dark, big to small, good to bad." You visually embrace these things to enhance transitions and instantly paint environments and moods.”

Mind Bigs Light Dark Environment Embrace Paint Believer Mood Transition Relativity

Author:Gordon Willis

“The thing about film is that your eye is selective. Film isn't. You have to make film do what you want. Simply photographing something doesn't do it. You have to know how to apply light and know what it does on film.”

Knows Want Doe Light Eye Film Know How What You Want Selective

Author:Gordon Willis

“A huge problem in movies or with people who work on movies is that two people can look at the same thing but they don't necessarily see the same thing.”

People Looks Two Problem Huge

Author:Gordon Willis

“I hate when somebody says, "This may not work." You'll never get anywhere with that. I've pushed a lot of people out of my way - I don't mean physically - over them being afraid something isn't going to work.”

People Way May Mean Hate I Hate My Way Going To Work Being Afraid

Author:Gordon Willis

“The lack of perfection, that's the hardest quality of all, because you're fighting your instincts. You're trained to want to do things perfectly.”

Want Fighting Quality Perfection Instinct Hardest

Author:Gordon Willis

“Grips and electricians have done more to help me shoot good movies than any other craft.”

Done Helping Crafts Help Me Good Movie Electrician

Author:Gordon Willis

“Complexity is not good. People don't understand the elegance of simplicity.”

People Simplicity Complexity Good People Elegance

Author:Gordon Willis

“Don't get simple mixed up with simplistic.”

Author:Gordon Willis

“I don't really like directing. I've had a good relationship with actors, but I can do what I do and back off. I don't want that much romancing. I don't want them to call me up at two in the morning saying, 'I don't know who I am.”

Knows Want I Can Two Actors Can Do Morning Who I Am Call Me Good Relationship

Author:Gordon Willis

“Zooms are lazy closeups. And too many people hang their hats on video assist; it's a way to avoid too much. Video assist helps people dissociate from the scene that they are directing. Pretty soon the director will be directing all the way from his apartment.”

People Way Helping Too Much Scene Directors Video Hats Lazy Apartment Zoom

Author:Gordon Willis

“A cinematographer is a visual psychiatrist, moving an audience... making them think the way you want them to think, painting pictures in the dark.”

Thinking Way Want Moving Dark Audience Painting Visuals Psychiatrist Cinematographers Movie Making Painting A Picture

Author:Gordon Willis

“If you take a sophisticated idea, reduce it to the simplest possible terms so that it’s accessible to everybody, and don’t get simple mixed up with simplistic, it’s how you mount and present something that makes it engaging.”

Ifs Ideas Term Simple Sophisticated Engaging Simplest

Author:Gordon Willis

“I wasn't trying to be different; I just did what I liked. Don't misunderstand when I say I really had no particular DP I was aspiring to be. I really fell in love with the movies as I was growing up, and I must say, I was emulating things that I saw others doing, that’s how you learn, but you soon have to push past that, and do things that you feel are right… or better.”

Feels Trying Different Past Growing Up Saws Growing Particular

Author:Gordon Willis

“There are a lot of cameramen but not so many photographers. And a lot of cameramen attack from a technical approach without much imagination. They look, but they don't see.”

Looks Imagination Vision Seeing Approach Photography Photographer Profession Attacking Technicians Cinematography Cameraman

Author:Gordon Willis

“I'm a minimalist. I see things in simple ways...It's human nature to define complexity as better. Well, it's not.”

Way Humans Wells Simple Human Nature Complexity Minimalist Simple Ways

Author:Gordon Willis

“Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be applied at that moment in a film, but your craft isn't structured around such things, except in beer commercials.”

Made Moments Happens Film Photography Good Things Accidents Things Happen Crafts Occasions Beer That Moment Good Films Good Photography

Author:Gordon Willis

About the Author

Born: May 28, 1931
Died: May 18, 2014
Known for: Cinematographer
Quotes: 17

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