“Very few cinematographers, other than the Europeans, know how to light women like they used to in the old days.” KnowsLightUsedKnow HowOld DaysCinematographers Author:Jennifer O'Neill
“The difference between a regular camera and a 3D camera, for an actor, is really no different except that the turn-arounds are longer. It takes a lot longer to set up a shot because the cinematographer is really trying to set up a whole world, so it can't be more intricate and more beautiful to the viewers, in 3D.” WorldTryingDifferentWholeBeautifulTurnsActorsDifferencesShotsCamerasWhole WorldViewersIntricateCinematographers Author:Chris Zylka
“I have always wanted to be either a cinematographer or a veterinarian.” WantedVeterinarianCinematographers Author:Christopher Bollen
“I was very glad later when I was directing that I wasn't in the hands of a cinematographer and hoping that he would do it well. I would know what he was doing, and we could discuss how that scene would look.” KnowsWellsLooksHandsSceneGladCinematographers Author:Nicolas Roeg
“I think people just see cinematography as being about photography and innovative shots and beautiful lighting. We all want our movies to look great visually, to be beguiling and enticing, but I think that what really defines a great cinematographer is one who loves story.” PeopleThinkingWantLooksStoriesBeautifulPhotographyShotsLove StoryInnovativeLightingCinematographyEnticingCinematographers Author:Seamus McGarvey
“To me, achieving tone, achieving consistency, is exactly the job of a director. It is to be the fusing, the nexus of a whole bunch of people contributing to the complex life of a movie. There are actors, there's a cinematographer, there're costume people, set people, there are all these things, and you somehow have to be the person in the middle of it who is making it all synchronize into the same magic bubble.” PeoplePersonsWholeJobsActorsMagicMiddleAchieveDirectorsComplexesBunchToneBubblesConsistencyCostumesContributingCinematographersNexus Author:Edward Norton
“An action choreographer is kind of like a dance choreographer. You choreograph the moves and you let the director, cinematographer take into positioning their cameras.” KindActionMovingDirectorsCamerasChoreographersCinematographers Author:Donnie Yen
“That excites me, working with really excellent people, be it wonderful directors or actors or cinematographers and especially writers. My work life is going to a set and having these great experiences and coming home shifted by them.” PeopleHomeLife IsActorsWonderfulDirectorsExcellentComing HomeGreat ExperiencesCinematographers Author:Deborah Kara Unger
“The way I work with my cinematographer is not based on general principles, but the ideas are triggered by the locations where we shoot.” WayIdeasPrinciplesLocationCinematographers Author:Paolo Sorrentino
“I never look a gift horse in the mouth. And I've been really, really lucky. I'm aware of that. And my career has been given to me by the people I've worked with, no question. The actors, the directors, the cinematographers, the writers, all of whom gave me the opportunity to work in the way that I have and I'm really grateful.” PeopleWayLooksHas BeensActorsOpportunityGivenCareersLuckyDirectorsMouthsHorseGratefulCinematographers Author:Meryl Streep
“Cinematography is infinite in its possibilities... much more so than music or language.” LanguagePossibilityInfiniteInfinite PossibilitiesCinematographyCinematographers Author:Conrad Hall
“Every cinematographer I worked with had his own way of solving problems.” WayProblemProblem SolvingCinematographers Author:Conrad Hall
“People don't live their lives in a series of scenes that form a dramatic narrative, they don't speak in dialogue, they're not lit by a cinematographer or scored by a composer. The properties of real life and the properties of drama have almost nothing to do with each other. The difference between writing about reporters and being a reporter is the same as the difference between drawing a building and building a building.” PeopleLifeWritingRealFormSpeakDifferencesBuildingDramaScenePropertySeriesDrawingReal LifeDialogueNarrativeDramaticComposerReportersLitCinematographers Author:Aaron Sorkin
“I've kept the people who've been in my career who I feel are my family. Kathy [Kennedy] had been with me since 1978. Janusz Kaminsky, my cinematographer, has made every movie with me since Schindler's List. Michael Kahn has cut every movie I've directed since 1976 when we made Close Encounters together. Rick Carter has done more than 15 of my directed films as a production designer.” PeopleFeelsMadeDoneTogetherFilmCareersCuttingMy FamilyProductionsListsDesignerEncountersCarterCinematographersSchindlerSchindler's ListClose Encounters Author:Steven Spielberg
“You have to believe in yourself and always strive for the best. Whether that is getting the best actor, the most talented cinematographer, or the best location for your story, you have to have the hunger to want it and be willing to do what it takes to get it. A filmmaker should never be satisfied with their work. There should always be something that they want to improve on.” WantShouldBelieveStoriesActorsWillingStriveHungerSatisfiedFilmmakerBelieve In YourselfLocationBelieve In YouCinematographers Author:Nicholas Ozeki
“I try to take B genre movies and treat them as if they're A dramas. Get the cinematographers, get the actors to do an A drama, but it just happens to be about aliens or ghosts or crazy people, or killers, or whatever it is.” PeopleIfsTryingHappensActorsCrazyDramaTreatsGhostAliensGenreKillersCrazy PeopleCinematographers Author:M. Night Shyamalan
“As the cinematographer is usually more visual than the director is and full cooperation is really the answer and to make a great film, you need a good director and you need a good cinematographer.” NeedsFilmAnswersDirectorsVisualsCooperationGreat FilmGood DirectorsCinematographers Author:Vilmos Zsigmond
“In a period piece, particularly a fantasy, the lighting is your own choice, the lenses are your own choice. It's really a great thing for a cinematographer to do. Everything is open for you. You can even be more creative and you can use more shadows than usual.” UseChoicesFantasyCreativePiecesPeriodsShadowGreat ThingsUsualLensesLightingCinematographers Author:Vilmos Zsigmond
“I think all cinematographers, at least most of them, would love to do everything on location because you cannot cheat on location. It's there, it's part of the story usually. You have to deal with the elements. You have the sunshine, you have rain, you have fog - it really makes you work harder to try to match things during the day to make it look like it was shot within five minutes, movie time.” ThinkingTryingLooksStoriesDealsFiveMinutesHard WorkElementsShotsRainHarderSunshineCheatLocationFogFive MinutesWork HarderCinematographers Author:Vilmos Zsigmond
“There are, of course, many, many, many good cinematographers and unfortunately they don't work as much as many of those people who do those crazy, stupid movies.” PeopleCoursesCrazyStupidCinematographersStupid Movie Author:Vilmos Zsigmond
“In comics, the writer is also the director in a certain way. So if this were a film, you wouldn't tell the cinematographer to make a good fight scene while you go and get a cup of coffee.” IfsWayFilmCertainFightingSceneDirectorsCoffeeCupsCoffee CupGood FightCinematographers Author:Max Bemis
“I don't really believe in the mystery of cinematography - what happens in the camera is what the cinematographers create and all that nonsense.” BelieveHappensMysteryCamerasNonsenseCinematographyCinematographers Author:Roger Deakins
“The cinematography was of course incredibly important to me because I graduated as a cinematographer.” ImportantCoursesCinematographyCinematographers Author:Pirjo Honkasalo
“Sexism is real and it persists in film and television. I've seen female directors openly undermined by male cinematographers in front of the entire crew” RealFilmFrontsTelevisionDirectorsFemaleMalesSexismPersistCrewFilm And TelevisionCinematographers Author:Liz W. Garcia
“I'm completely surrounded, not only my father, but also my three brothers, and Sergio, my husband, all four of them work in film. Some are writers, or directors, or cinematographers, all of them. I'm surrounded by men that make films, so much that at some point I felt there was no more room in the family for another filmmaker.For many years I was only working as novelist or writing screenplays for others to direct.” MenWritingYearsFilmThreeFatherFeltRoomsFourBrotherDirectorsHusbandDirectNovelistsFilmmakerMy HusbandScreenplaysCinematographersThree Brothers Author:Lucia Puenzo
“We discard the personal specifics which don't conform to the ideal conventional beauty created by art directors and cinematographers.” ArtDirectorsIdealsConventionalConformSpecificsCinematographersArt Director Author:Damian Loeb
“I wanted to be in film. I wanted to be a film student, possibly be a director or cinematographer, not an actor. That was my goal. I didn't believe I had the physical beauty that I'd seen projected and advertised in movies, in theater. It just wasn't for me.” BelieveWantedFilmActorsGoalStudentsDirectorsTheaterPhysical BeautyCinematographersFilm Students Author:Pam Grier
“I grew up as a cameraman, so it's much easier for me to shoot it myself. I work with an operator and a crew, but it's way easier for me to function as a cinematographer, than to have a cinematographer between me and the lens. I don't need that.” WayNeedsGrewEasierGrew UpFunctionCrewLensesOperatorsCinematographersCameraman Author:David Douglas
“I'm the most experienced cinematographer in this medium, so there's no point in having that extra conversation in the middle of the loop. You're making the film in relation to what's happening now, and you can't really affect what's happening now. It's not like you're in control of anything in front of the camera. If you're calling yourself the director and you're not the cinematographer, I think you're kidding yourself.” IfsThinkingFilmMiddleFrontsLike YouCallingDirectorsConversationHappeningsRelationCamerasMediumsExtrasNo PointLoopsCinematographersKidding Yourself Author:David Douglas
“For many years I thought, "Well, I need to know a lot more to direct." But I looked around and watched all the people I know directing and thought, "No. I just need to know what I want it to be." Then there will be a lot of people to help me get it to there, especially Bobby Bukowski, he's a brilliant cinematographer.” PeopleKnowsWantNeedsYearsWellsHelpingDirectBrilliantHelp MeCinematographers Author:Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal
“I have a profound respect for cinematographers. That is my secret sauce. Like they are everything to me.” SecretProfoundSauceCinematographers Author:Jake Gyllenhaal
“To me I just, I'm a geek when it comes to cinematographers . And when it comes to Robert and when it comes to someone like Roger Deakins who shot Prisoners and he shot Jarhead.” ShotsPrisonerGeekRogerCinematographers Author:Jake Gyllenhaal
“Working with Robert, Robert [Elswit] is a storyteller. He's not a cinematographer, he's a storyteller. And to me, that's the graduation I hope to get to in my profession. That I'm not just an actor, I'm a storyteller. And I think that takes a long time in, when you have one job on a movie set. Makeup artists, actor, whatever. To graduate from just that to storyteller.” ThinkingLongJobsArtistActorsLong TimeProfessionMakeupGraduatesStorytellerMovie SetsCinematographersMakeup Artist Author:Jake Gyllenhaal
“It's turned into a world of amateurs. There are amateur actors making millions of dollars, amateur cinematographers, amateur directors... Jesus, these amateur directors can get deals for anything. Another comic book? Oh, very good.” WorldBookActorsJesusDealsMillionsDirectorsDollarsVery GoodComicComic BookCinematographers Author:James Coburn
“I think that digital is offering many great possibilities for cinematographers. Particularly in urban cityscapes and low light photography its allowing us to render what we actually see with our eyes; which is interesting.” ThinkingLightEyeInterestingPossibilityPhotographyLowsDigitalAllowingOfferingUrbanCinematographersCityscapes Author:Seamus McGarvey
“The visualization of my films is always very important to me and I work very closely with my cinematographers. I've never had the same cinematographer twice now that I think about it. I don't know why that is. Everyone is always busy. They do three or four films a year. It's vital to me.” ThinkingKnowsYearsImportantFilmThreeFourBusyVisualizationCinematographers Author:Scott Hicks
“The art of making films is a collaborative art. As a composer, you're always working with the cinematographer because he's so much the heart of the world they've created on film.” WorldHeartArtFilmComposerAlways WorkingCinematographers Author:Howard Shore
“Mexican cinematographers Gabriel Figueroa and Emilio Fernandez were students of both Sergei Eisenstein and Toland. Their exteriors and lighting were gorgeous. And the films Ingmar Bergman did with Sven Nykvist were exceptional.” FilmStudentsExceptionalGorgeousMexicanLightingExteriorGabrielCinematographersBergman Author:Vilmos Zsigmond
“I should mention Vittorio Storaro, who was Bernardo Bertolucci's cinematographer. You watch those films and they are exceptional.” ShouldFilmWatchesExceptionalCinematographers Author:Vilmos Zsigmond
“It's because you have no power. You give them all the material and the cinematographer, the director, the editor, boy what they can choose... You better hope they like you because they can slice and dice and make you look like a damn fool when your face and body are up there on a 30-foot screen.” GivingLooksBodyFacesBoysFeetMaterialsLike YouFoolDirectorsScreensDamnYour FaceEditorsDiceCinematographers Author:William Mapother
“I'm most excited that the hard work has paid off for myself and the team. You put your heart and soul into something and you want to show it to an audience outside of Jersey Boys. It gives a chance to not only show my work, but of Jeffrey Schecter as an actor and co-writer. It gets to show off our cinematographer, my production team. That's what I'm most proud of… everybody gets to have their own moment to enjoy it.” WantGivingHeartSoulHardMomentsShowsActorsEnjoyChanceBoysAudienceTeamHard WorkProudPaidProductionsExcitedJerseyHeart And SoulShowing OffCinematographersPaid Off Author:J. Robert Spencer
“The cinematography is as much involved with the physicality of the scene, so a lot of our shots are hand-held. I felt the cinematographer needed to be the fourth-character with the same drive as the actors” CharacterHandsActorsFeltNeededInvolvedSceneShotsFourthPhysicalityCinematographyCinematographers Author:J. Robert Spencer
“When you're doing physical comedy, everybody's involved, not just the actors. Everybody's behind the scenes following them, and we've got Jillian the cinematographer running after them, then we've got three guys behind her who are cable-wranglers running with her so she doesn't trip on it. Every day was a mad-dash to the finish line. Every day was so stressful. Every day was so fun.” RunningGuyThreeActorsFunLinesBehindsComedyInvolvedSceneMadFollowingCablesStressfulBehind The ScenesFinish LineCinematographersPhysical ComedyWranglers Author:J. Robert Spencer
“I worked with the same producer from The Freebie, my cinematographer was one of my shooters from The Freebie. I was really aiming to tackle a genre, but sorta tackle it in my own way, and put my stamp on it, and the way that I like to see movies made.” WayMadeMy OwnProducersGenreStampsShooterCinematographers Author:Katie Aselton
“I think what inspires me is in a constant state of flux...it's easier to stick to photographers and perhaps cinematographers, though the great medieval, Mannerist, and Baroque painters of Italian, Spanish, Flemish, and German origin are a constant source of inspiration, along with select modernists like Dali.” ThinkingStatesInspirationInspireSourceEasierConstantSticksPhotographerPainterItalianSelectMedievalFluxBaroqueSource Of InspirationCinematographers Author:Anton Yelchin
“I think women have made progress in cinematography, contrary to women directors, who I think have regressed. There are many more women cinematographers than when I started.” ThinkingMadeProgressDirectorsContraryCinematographyCinematographers Author:Maryse Alberti
“As important as it is to learn the techniques of cinematography, you also have to learn how to deal with the movie set, with show business. I came up with a cinematographer who is very talented, but she was never quite able to handle everything else you have to do - dealing with the producer and the crew and the time frame that you have to follow.” ImportantShowsAbleDealsTechniqueHandleProducersCrewShow BusinessNever QuitMovie SetsCinematographyCinematographers Author:Maryse Alberti
“Male crews know that women cinematographers are here to stay, and there will be more of us. If they're professionals, they behave as such.” IfsKnowsMalesBehaveCrewCinematographers Author:Maryse Alberti
“I think I learned a lot on Beaches. A guy I worked with Dante Spinotti is a wonderful cinematographer and it was his first picture and he went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for "LA Confidential" which was great.” ThinkingFirstsGuyWonderfulBeachAwardsAcademyAcademy AwardsCinematographersConfidential Author:Garry Marshall