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Quote by Gordon Willis

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

Quote by Gordon Willis

Author

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. more

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“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

“Posthumous charities are the very essence of selfishness when bequeathed by those who, even alive, would part with nothing.”

Literature Alive Essence Charity Generosity Selfishness Transcendentalism Posthumous

Book:Lacon: or, Many things in few words

Source: Lacon: or, Many things in few words

“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

“Recently I have done some circles that are almost that large and I've come all the way around after walking for an hour and I have hit the other side exactly. I mean exactly the right spot which is very strange. Believe me it's very, very strange.”

Way Believe Mean Done Sides Hours Strange Walking Circles Spots Believe In Me

Author:Jim Denevan