LIVE AND LET LIVE From major sporting events to theatre and live music, shooting for the camera means working within tight constraints while finding opportunities for beautiful imagery, considered lighting and a distinctly cinematic feel. As live broadcasting has evolved,…
A DESIGN FOR LIVE As live production evolves, cinematographers moving across to live navigate unpredictability, blending broadcast precision with cinematic ambition in real time, without second takes. Live production is changing shape in real time. What was once defined by…
IN THE SPOTLIGHT As LED lighting continues to grow in prominence, DPs and gaffers discuss how the evolving technology influences their work – and what the future may have in store. The last decade has seen LED lighting go from…
GRIPPING TALES DPs, operators and grips collaborate to produce camerawork that propels the story, be it observational or immersive, dreamlike or down-to-earth. Here are some of their tales. Maja Jensen recently completed her Level 3 Grip Certificate, making her the…
A still image has the power to tell an entire story, capturing a moment in time. Celebrating the connection between photography and the moving image, we hear from a group of DPs about their passion for photography and the impact it has…
LIGHTING FOR BALANCE: FORGING A SUSTAINABLE CINEMATOGRAPHY PRACTICE Jack Shelbourn, a cinematographer and University of Lincoln lecturer currently undertaking a practice-based PhD on sustainable approaches to cinematography, recently completed two linked studio experiments that expand the concept of New Naturalism into a…
MASTERING MONOCHROME Black-and-white cinematography continues to inspire striking visual storytelling, with filmmakers embracing its expressive power through digital innovation, historic references and bold photographic techniques. Colour and monochrome cinematography was once considered so different that there were, for a long…
FLUID PERSPECTIVES Filming underwater demands specialist crews and cinematographers. Here, those who do it with aplomb share their tips for capturing compelling, controlled images below the surface. Underwater cinematography was once the preserve of Hollywood features and BBC wildlife crews,…
THE PERFECT SCOUT The creative, technical and diplomatic skills of the location manager often fly under the radar. We explore their role and how they work with the cinematographer to help bring a story to life in the most suitable…
EASTERN PROMISE Indian cinema has gone global, propelled by digital platforms, a vast diaspora, and universal themes, capturing worldwide attention as India’s population and middle class expand. Indian cinema is often narrowly and wrongly defined by the glitzy lens of…
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK Long shadows to cast, surreal hallucinations to simulate, blood-curdling scares to stage… For DPs fluent in darkness and light, horror is the ultimate catalyst for creativity. “Two of the hardest genres to get right,…
TIME FOR ACTION Rapid advancement in camera and aerial filming technology means filmmakers in action cinema can bring viewers even deeper into the visceral thrills to maximise audience engagement like never before. The summer blockbuster season is in full swing…
SPACE FOR THE IMAGINATION Alien suns to simulate, glowing gadgets to light up, fantastic creatures to frame – science fiction is a genre that takes a DP’s creativity to the outer limits. “I think sci-fi is an extremely creative genre…
CAUGHT IN THE ACT Cinematographer Witold Stok BSC explores the fascinating relationship between those in front of and behind the camera, drawing on his own experiences on set. “I think acting – and particularly feature film performance, because of its…
SENSOR SENSIBILITY There are more lens and sensor options to choose from than ever before. Exploring how the two can work together in harmony, cinematographers share their thoughts on the large-format phenomenon and their preferred combinations. All things being equal,…
The opening scene of The Godfather is a zoom that lasts almost three minutes. Some feel that this is the most important scene in the most important movie. This was shot with a computer-controlled zoom lens built over fifty years…
AS NATURE WANTS An opinion persists that representations of nature in art are mostly about art itself rather than nature. Picasso incited: “Through art, we express our conception of what nature is not”. Does this apply to film, too? In…
PERFECTING THE WORKFLOW We explore the evolution of the digital imaging technician’s role in helping achieve maximum image quality, the workflow wizardry surrounding it, and their collaboration with cinematographers and other members of the production team. In the early days…
PICTURE THIS Being visual disciplines, cinematography and production design share a common language. Experts in their field share their experiences and techniques as well as the secrets to successful creative collaborations. Long before working on The Luminaries, Denson Baker ACS NZCS and production designer Felicity Abbott…
A PAINTER’S EYE Why should cinematographers looking to produce unique creations seek influence from centuries-old art? Witold Stok BSC explores the powerful influence paintings can have on filmmakers. In cinema’s multi-rooted parentage, painters, poets, novelists and theatre animators line up with engineers, craftsmen, builders of…
REALISING THE VISION Tania Hoser speaks to three fellow members of illuminatrix – a collective of female cinematographers – about their planning and process when creating visual concepts for a film and turning them into a cinematic reality. For me,…
THE REAL AND THE UNREAL “In my experience, most DPs get VFX. They’re often a technical bunch who love cameras and gear so they get what we do,” says Geoff D.E. Scott. Scott has supervised his share of visual effects,…
A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP Critical to the successful preparation and execution of a movie is the creative partnership forged between the director and cinematographer. In order to explore the fundamental relationship, four pairings were selected, including two veteran actors making their…
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