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Second Life
Jess Hall, BSC helps ASC member Wally Pfister make his
directorial debut with the sci-fi thriller Transcendence
Alien Ways
44
Divine Purpose
Polish cinematographer Lukasz Zal and director
Pawel Pawlikowski discuss their approach to Ida
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A Festive Focus
Lively ambience prevailed at this years ASC Awards events
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Editors Note
Presidents Desk
Short Takes: Me + Her
Production Slate: Locke
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Michael Leatherwood: Tim Burtons Batman. Mark Sullivan: The Richard Donner SuperI was in awe as a kid way back in 89.
man. It made me appreciate the way a movie is
filmed.
Tanmay Toraskar: The first two X-Men
movies. Splendid camerawork by Newton Stephen Murphy: Geoffrey Unsworth, BSCs
Thomas Sigel [ASC]. Great use of movement, work on Superman and Dariusz Wolski, ASCs
space, colors and lighting. And also Batman work on The Crow continue to be a source of
Returns, improving on the dark, moody palette inspiration and admiration.
set by [Batman].
Brian Macaione: Sin City. I feel like the cineJames Wright: Unbreakable.
matography fit this film perfectly. To this day it
remains a staple film that I can turn on and simTom Wyler: The Dark Knight, Dick Tracy, ply enjoy the way it was shot.
Watchmen, Thor.
Ray McDonough: Every frame of Superman.
Will Getchell: The Dark Knight Rises. Wally
Pfister seamlessly blended the Imax format with Robert Skates: Man of Steel has the requisite
the 35mm format, which resulted in a stellar- breathtaking fight and battle scenes, but it also
looking image.
has smaller intimate scenes and beautiful single
shots. Its in these moments that Amir Mokris
Jonas Fischer: Watchmen really had great work really shines. There are times when one
style.
shot says more, makes you feel more, than an
entire scene. These iconic images are what set
Luther Alexander: Ben Davis, BSCs work in Man of Steel apart from other films in the
Kick-Ass was nice, [and] Storaros color work in genre.
Dick Tracy was very cool.
Surrendar Shanmugam: The Dark Knight and
Leijo Van Aubel: The Dark Knight trilogy, and also Captain America.
I have to agree with the people who mentioned
V for Vendetta as well.
Captain America photo by Zade Rosenthal, SMPSP, courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.
Opaloch photo by Kimberley French, SMPSP, courtesy of Sony Pictures.
THIS MONTHS ONLINE QUESTION: Which superhero movies have you most admired for their cinematography?
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Details surrounding the February death of second camera assistant Sarah Jones in Georgia
have been well documented, but something important has been lost in the reportage. The
facts, as theyve been related, describe a horrible and preventable tragedy. The public
outpouring of grief by individuals and groups connected to the camera department was
remarkable, but the fact that it came almost exclusively from us uncovered a dark secret
most of us have known for quite some time: This industry is in trouble, and I dont mean
economically, but spiritually.
From time to time, the late ASC legend William A. Fraker liked to hold court in the
Clubhouse bar and expound upon the early days of his career. Those were the good days,
he was fond of saying. You could feel the romance when you went to work. His emotion
was palpable, and those of us lucky enough to be there believed his every word. But look
a little deeper, and his sentiment becomes more than a nostalgic reference to the era of
highballs and unfiltered cigarettes. He was really talking about the feeling of family and
community that infused the movie business of his day.
According to Fraker, filmmaking collaborators showed a genuine caring for one
another that extended well beyond the workplace. Though a similar ethic may exist in
isolated pockets today, it bears no relation to its predecessor. There is no question that in
the 1940s and 50s, and even up to the 70s, society had a sharper understanding of what
was really lasting and meaningful in life. On the soundstages of 2014, its likely those
notions of warmth and common decency will prevail only as long as they can generate cold, hard cash.
I am by no means suggesting the past was rampant with peace, love and understanding. There were plenty of things wrong
with our culture then, and there was no way for Fraker to know it was already beginning to unravel. But if were honest, his gauzy
recollections force us to confront uncomfortable truths about how we think of and treat one another, even in the smallest of ways.
Have we lost our humanity? Just open a newspaper. For a view closer to home, consider the disdain with which so many
people deal with each other on the road, in the supermarket, at the ballpark and, dare I say, on set. Its almost as if narcissism
and a sense of entitlement have drained some people of the ability to see anyone as being like themselves. Those who make motion
pictures for a living work long and hard at jobs we love, sometimes making significant sacrifices along the way. But were not curing
cancer. Were not even curing a hangnail. Twisted individuals for whom money, power, ego and prestige are the ultimate goals,
however, treat the obsessive pursuit of these superficial rewards as being tantamount to conquering a fatal disease. As sad as this
reality is, it becomes frightening when you realize how pervasive the attitude has become.
I cant imagine that anyone associated with Midnight Rider wished for Sarah Jones to be killed while doing her job. Unless
theyre followed by corresponding action, good intentions mean nothing, and thats especially true in this case. The only people who
really know what attitudes led to this tragedy are those who were with her at the location that day. But if you think a certain loss
of humanity didnt play a primary role in what happened, you might be beyond saving yourself.
Will we just make note of Sarahs passing, bow our heads for a moment and then carry on? Or will we use it and I mean
really use it to effect genuine change in how we regard one another? Our behavior is the only thing in our lives over which we
have total control, and its vital to realize were all living on borrowed time. Our journey through this world goes by very quickly.
As directors of photography, we have always been responsible for the safety of our crews, and it is incumbent upon us to
find ways to be more decent and caring not only to them, but also to everyone we know. It wont always be easy; at times, it will
run counter to initial impulses. But if our example proves worthy, it might make a start toward curing the spiritual sickness I have
described. It would also stand as the most profound tribute any of us could offer to the memory of Sarah Jones.
Richard P. Crudo
ASC President
12
May 2014
American Cinematographer
Presidents Desk
Short Takes
May 2014
matographer with his concept. Joey told me about this crazy world
he was coming up with, and I was all for it, Stonesifer recalls. We
figured out the visual style and general approach gradually, long
before getting anything on camera. The cinematographer and his
wife, Emily Bloom, became the projects lead producers through
their company, Island Creek Pictures.
Preproduction on Me + Her began in earnest in April 2013,
and the shoot (18 days of photography scheduled over six months)
took place in Los Angeles at The Escarpment studio and the Allen
Box Co. Because of limited storage space, the filmmakers had to
build and tear down sets on a regular basis. Sixteen puppeteers
manipulated the 15"-tall figures with rods, using wires to achieve
nuances such as the blinking of eyes. A through-line for the whole
movie was that it should look and feel handmade, which is why I
decided to leave the rods in frame, says Oxford.
After testing several cameras, including a Panasonic AGHPX500, an Arri Alexa, and Canon C300 and 5D Mark II cameras,
Stonesifer opted for a Passive Micro Four Thirds model Blackmagic
Cinema Camera. The Panasonic has a macro capability, so it would
have helped us get extremely close to the puppets and achieve varying focal lengths throughout the zoom, but its massive, and the
image quality wasnt what we wanted, explains the cinematographer. With both of the Canons, the sensor size was too large and
would have required more light for the depth-of-field we wanted.
And, based on our limited money, crew and equipment, we decided
moving an Alexa around 15-inch puppets was too daunting. The
American Cinematographer
Corrugated
constructs Jack
and Jill picnic
at magic hour
before Jill
suffers a tragic
fate in the short
film
Me + Her.
Top to bottom:
Jills death spurs
Jack to drastic
action;
puppeteers
maneuver the
actors in the
cardboard
hospital;
cinematographer
Bradley
Stonesifer (left)
supervises the
lighting over
Jacks home; a
recycling truck
rumbles past
Jack.
16
May 2014
American Cinematographer
pull focus from the monitor. The cinematographer operated on that segment;
otherwise, he pulled focus and allowed
crew volunteers to operate the camera.
Stonesifer notes that the Blackmagic
Cinema Cameras 2.5K sensor helped with
the productions limited lighting budget,
because the largest instrument he needed
was a 5K Fresnel, which served as a sun
source.
The box-factory set was 24' long,
with fog machines blowing smoke out of
the stacks and a haze machine for interior
atmosphere. We had 750-watt Source
Four Lekos on dimmers outside the factory,
blasting through the windows to create a
strong edgelight, Stonesifer explains. For
the interior, we had a daylight-balanced
4-foot 4-bank Kino Flo gelled with Lee 245
[ Plus Green] overhead to give us an industrial-looking fill. Then, we had Dedolights
raking the interior walls, creating a sconce
effect as a downlight, along with a LitePanels 1-by-1 LED. The mix of colors helped to
create contrast. Its a moody finale, dark and
gritty.
Most of the picture was created incamera, but Oxford animated the timelapse growth of a tree, and students at the
Pastilla Institute of Design extended a few
sets digitally, removed rafters from backgrounds and added a city to the background of the final shot.
Aaron Peak of Hollywood DI served
as the projects colorist, on-line editor and
post coordinator. The goal of the final
grade was to accentuate the texture of the
cardboard pieces, bring depth and life to the
set pieces, and unify the images, says Peak,
who worked on a DaVinci Resolve. He ran
some image sequences through Adobe
Lightroom processing in search of that
unique and magical look, particularly for
the flashbacks showing Jack and Jills happy
life together.
Me + Her received its premiere at the
2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Top and middle: Jack surreptitiously searches for Jills body. Bottom: Director Joseph Oxford (facing
camera) and the puppeteers block a romantic magic-hour setup.
18
May 2014
American Cinematographer
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Production Slate
Road Work
By Jon D. Witmer
May 2014
technical about how to shoot it, for me it was about, How can I be
a good servant to this human story?
How much prep time did you and Knight have
together?
Zambarloukos: Two to three weeks. It was quite intense.
First of all, Steve says, I want to do the whole performance every
night while driving from Birmingham to London. Thats the route
Locke takes along the M1, which is a very important highway in the
U.K, and it takes about an hour and a half. But then we were told
youre not allowed to film on a motorway in England anymore, so
we had to find permission from a road that could double for the
M1. We were both quite devastated that we couldnt do the Birmingham-to-London route, but in retrospect, I was very lucky because
half or three-quarters of that route would have had no streetlights
whatsoever!
How many shooting days did you have?
Zambarloukos: We had eight nights to shoot. We had five
nights with Tom, and we needed to spend one shooting him getting
into the car and driving off from the construction site. In the end,
we decided to do three nights on a low-loader [process trailer] and
one night of Tom driving the real car, with us inside with two
cameras, so we could look through the windshield at the road. We
also did a couple of days of drive-bys and POVs, anything we could
do without Tom. We worked out that we could do two performances every night, so I can actually tell producers I did 79 pages in
one day, because thats how long the script was! Tom put his entire
self into it, so he would be exhausted by 2 or 3 a.m., giving us about
four hours of shooting [each night]. Another reason for finishing by
American Cinematographer
Unit photography by Kerry Brown. Photos and frame grabs courtesy of A24.
Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) weighs the consequences of his path as he drives from Birmingham to London in the feature Locke.
Top: Lockes journey takes him away from a record-setting concrete pour he was to supervise,
and which he strives to keep on schedule via mobile phone. Bottom: 1st AC Ashley Bond (left)
and cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos, BSC ready one of the productions three
Red Epic cameras.
May 2014
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To help capture the play of light reflected on the cars windshield, Zambarloukos frequently employed
two-way mirrors rigged at varying angles in front of the cameras. With the effect, Zambarloukos notes,
I was trying to say, I want to look at Tom Hardy, but I also want to see what he sees.
May 2014
May 2014
American Cinematographer
Top: The production utilized a 30' Technocrane for shots that bookend the film. Bottom: Zambarloukos
confers with director Steven Knight. The cinematographer recalls that he and Knight discussed Locke as
a kind of visual poem. More than anything technical about how to shoot it, for me it was about, How
can I be a good servant to this human story?
May 2014
TECHNICAL SPECS
2.40:1
Digital Capture
Red Epic MX
Panavision C Series
Second
30
f
Li e
May 2014
With Transcendence,
Jess Hall, BSC, envisions a
contemporary sci-fi tale for first-time
director Wally Pfister, ASC.
American Cinematographer
By David Heuring
|
Unit photos by Peter Mountain, courtesy of Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros.
Opposite page: Artificial intelligence researcher Will Caster (Johnny Depp) communicates with his
wife and fellow academic, Evelyn (Rebecca Hall), after his consciousness is transferred from his body
to a computer. This page, top: Caster is questioned by an audience member during a conference
presentation. Bottom: Cinematographer Jess Hall, BSC meters a scene.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
31
Second Life
Top: Evelyn comforts Caster as he begins succumbing to the terminal effects of radiation poisoning.
Bottom: Casters image appears on a monitor in a data-storage facility after he succeeds in transporting
his consciousness to the digital realm.
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May 2014
American Cinematographer
Evelyn communicates with Caster from her apartment (top) and the data facility (bottom). All but a few
of the projections were captured in-camera. That was incredibly beneficial for the actors, and it also
meant that we were composing complete shots, says Hall. Finding ways to achieve these effects in
camera was a great challenge, but the results were visually exciting.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
33
Second Life
May 2014
May 2014
35
Second Life
it also meant that we were composing
complete shots, says Hall. Ive always
been inspired by the work of [artist] Bill
Viola, who projects imagery on various
materials, and Wally let me run with
that idea. In testing, we found a material
called Clearview that allowed us to
project onto glass whilst allowing the
material to remain reflective and semitransparent. We also found a type of
black Perspex that worked well. It was all
36
May 2014
American Cinematographer
Second Life
resolution and positioning of the various
elements. However, ultimately, monitoring the color balance of the projectors
and their material was done the oldfashioned way, using a color-temperature meter, and finally by eye, utilizing
the knowledge of the process I had
gained during testing.
Two key environments featuring
the projections presented different challenges: an all-white lab, which is the
central room in Brightwood, and
Evelyns all-black apartment. The latter,
Hall explains, was partly a design decision [in that] it worked as a nice counterpoint to the all-white lab. However, it
also has a meaning and a purpose within
the story. Its darkness presents a void
from within which Will reproduces
elements of his and Evelyns shared past
in the form of projections. Images from
their shared consciousness, dreams and
memories appear from within its darkness alongside data monitoring the
activities within the facility and tracking
the world at large. So, the main challenge was about how to get light into the
set and a good quality of light onto the
actors without polluting the many
projections or creating reflections in the
multiple panes of glass, reflective floor
and ceiling it had a low [10'], black,
reflective ceiling and a highly reflective
black epoxy resin floor. Balancing all the
elements without destroying the mood
of the space was tricky.
38
May 2014
American Cinematographer
manfrotto.us
Second Life
Armed troops burst through the doors of an Internet caf while executing a raid.
May 2014
Second Life
Pfister consults
with Depp in
the virtual
world.
42
TECHNICAL SPECS
2.40:1
35mm Anamorphic and
Digital Capture
Panaflex Millennium XL;
Arri 235, 435;
Vision Research Phantom Flex
Panavision C Series, E Series,
High Speed, Close Focus
43
Alien Ways
Daniel Landin, BSC goes
undercover to create otherworldly ambience for the eerie
sci-fi drama Under the Skin.
By Iain Stasukevich
|
44
May 2014
American Cinematographer
Unit photography by Niall OBrien. Additional photos by Daniel Landin. All images courtesy of A24.
Opposite page:
An emotionless
extraterrestrial
(Scarlett
Johansson) takes
the form of a
human female in
Under the Skin.
This page, top:
While cruising the
Scottish
countryside
seeking men to
seduce and
process, the
alien meets a
disfigured recluse
starved for
physical contact.
Bottom:
Cinematographer
Daniel Landin, BSC
surveys a seaside
setup.
45
Alien Ways
May 2014
After being
lured to a
desolate
location, the
men are trapped
in a mysterious
liquid substance
so their muscle
can be
harvested.
47
Alien Ways
wired to the top of the destroyed lampposts. Most of the lighting ended up
being in shot, so it had to look like it was
practical.
What were your lens stop and
ISO rating for the night scenes?
Landin: At night, we mostly
worked wide open on the One-Cams,
rating them at 800 ISO, which was
pushing them about a third of a stop.
We had to set our light levels to the
existing lamps, and Glasgow is not a
brightly lit city in general. The Cmount lenses in particular were difficult
in that respect because they were slower
than the Super Speeds, and all of them
were rendered in f-stops rather than Tstops. The Schneiders were generally
f1.8 and the Kowas f1.6, but the Kowas
lost resolution wide open.
How did you shoot the mall
scenes without being noticed?
Landin: We got permission to
shoot at the Buchanan Galleries and
were there at the busiest time of day on
a Saturday. We prepped the One-Cams
in a back room and had a number of
operators, including me, operating
cameras that were hidden in mop buck-
48
May 2014
American Cinematographer
Opposite page, top and middle: Inside the van, the crew rigged compact cameras in hidden
positions to capture the interactions between Johansson and her passengers from a variety
of angles. The pictured setup shows two One-Cams with PL adapters and 16mm Zeiss Super
Speed lenses rigged to shoot through an 18" optical flat mounted in the vans steel partition;
one camera was equipped with a 6mm lens to capture a wide over-the-shoulder angle, and
the other with a 25mm trained on the rearview mirror. During filming, these cameras were
shrouded in black cloth. Other cameras, mounted in the vans dashboard and other spots,
were equipped with 1" and 1.3" Schneider C-mount lenses and 1" Kowa SWIR lenses. This
page, top: The filmmakers monitored the action from the back of the van. Both pages,
bottom: Manning the mobile base with Landin, were (from left) 1st AD Nick Hextall-Smith,
production sound mixer Nigel Albermaniche, director Jonathan Glazer, DIT Mark Purvis and
One-Cam engineer Arron Smith.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
49
Alien Ways
Top: Vehicle supervisor Ben Dillon (seated) prepares for a shot with Purvis and A-camera
operator Stuart Howell. All of the motorcycle POVs were shot with One-Cams mounted to the
bikes handlebars or rear fenders. They were very small and didnt compromise the rider in any
way, says Landin. Bottom: For scenes shot at the Buchanan Galleries shopping center, the crew
operated One-Cams hidden in shopping bags, mop buckets and safety cones. Pictured (from left)
are 2nd AC Simon Surtees, Howell, Smith and One-Cam technical supervisor Louis Mustill.
May 2014
Alien Ways
After meeting a kind man who provides her with shelter, the extraterrestrial begins to
experience emotional stirrings.
52
TECHNICAL SPECS
1.85:1
Digital Capture
Arri Alexa Plus;
One of Us One-Cam
Zeiss Super Speed;
Schneider Cinegon,
Xeno/Xenoplan; Kowa
53
Divine Purpose
Ida, an ASC Award winner
shot by Lukasz Zal, PSC, and
Ryszard Lenczewski, PSC, tells
its story with artful
black-and-white images.
By Benjamin B
|
54
May 2014
American Cinematographer
Opposite page:
Novitiates prepare
to take their vows
in Ida. This page,
top and middle:
Ida (Agata
Trzebuchowska,
right) learns that
she has an aunt
and leaves the
convent to meet
her. Bottom:
Director Pawel
Pawlikowski (left)
and
cinematographer
Lukasz Zal, PSC
on set.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
55
Divine Purpose
most of the picture. Lukasz replaced
me perfectly, notes Lenczewski. He is
a talented, sensitive guy.
Inspired by his familys old photo
albums, Pawlikowski wanted to frame
Ida in 1.33:1, which led him to choose
an Arri Alexa with a 4:3 sensor. (The
monochrome Alexa had not yet been
introduced, so the picture was shot in
color and desaturated in post.) The
filmmakers used Arri/Zeiss Ultra
Prime lenses and captured in ArriRaw
to a Codex recorder. The equipment
was provided by Panavision Poland.
Zal says the main challenge with
the Alexa was to find the right density
for darkness to be just on the edge of
visibility and achieve the proper effect
on set. He adds, The Alexa performs
great at its maximum latitude and with
high underexposure, when the picture is
almost about to break. It looks less digital that way.
Pawlikowski recounts that he set
out to make an anti-film, without
using camera moves or conventional
cinematic techniques. At the root of
Ida was a desire to make a film with
nothing but the essentials, he says.
Maybe its my midlife crisis, but I feel
Ive been seeing too many similar films
that have little to say, and that use the
same old bag of tricks, where cameramen are hired because of a style they
used on a previous film. There are very
few films where the form has something to do with the content, possibly
because there is often little content.
Idas form was designed to be as
unadorned as possible. Almost all the
shots are locked off, so the few shots
that feature moves have that much
more impact. There is no traditional
coverage. Zal describes the approach as
creating scenes with posters wide,
static frames that enclose the characters
and convey the story and mood. Some
scenes unfold in single long takes,
whereas others are broken down into
two or three austere shots. When
Wanda tells Ida she is Jewish, there are
just three shots: a lengthy wide shot, a
shot of Ida, and a close-up of a family
photo.
56
May 2014
American Cinematographer
I wanted to find a
proper contrast
between the
characters and their
environments.
May 2014
57
Divine Purpose
Clockwise from
top: Ida
watches her
aunt leave their
hotel; bare
lightbulbs
enhance the
ambience as
Wanda relaxes
to music in a
nightclub; the
pair grow closer
as they flip
through family
photographs.
May 2014
little sunlight there was, but they sometimes used large HMIs bounced on
large frames on one side of frame, and
large negative fill on the other, to add
some direction to the diffused light.
Zal says he wanted to create
lighting that was very simple and
natural, like the other elements in this
movie. I wanted to find a proper
contrast between the characters and
their environments. He notes that
when he and Pawlikowski felt the image
was too beautiful, they stepped back to
simpler setups.
Zal perceived his frequent reduction of light in the frame as following
the directors desire to strip down to the
Top: A handsome
saxophone player
(Dawid Ogrodnik)
leads the
nightclubs band.
Middle: A closer
view of the
location shows the
diffused lighting
deployed for the
scene. Bottom: Ida
and the musician
share a moment
outside the club.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
59
Divine Purpose
May 2014
www.theasc.com
May 2014
61
Divine Purpose
Many of the
compositions in
Ida feature
abundant sky
room.
Pawlikowski
says this
framing was
initially
designed to
maximize the
impact of the
movies 1.33:1
aspect ratio, but
concedes that
the strategy
suggests
meaning to
some viewers.
62
TECHNICAL SPECS
1.33:1
Digital Capture
Arri Alexa
Arri/Zeiss Ultra Prime
63
ASC Shines at
Sci-Tech Awards
Front row (from left): Actress/co-host Kristen Bell; Peter Anderson, ASC; Charles Tad Marburg; AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs; Sci-Tech Awards
Committee Chairman Richard Edlund, ASC; and actor/co-host Michael B. Jordan. Second row (from left): Jeremy Selan, Andre Gauthier, Jan Sperling, Etienne
Brandt, Gifford Hooper, Philip George and Robert Lanciault. Third row (from left): Ronald D. Henderson, Dan Piponi, Ian Sachs, Olivier Maury, Tony Postiau,
Emmanuel Prvinaire, Yves Boudreault and Benoit Sevigny. Fourth row (from left): Chris Perry, Peter Huang, Thomas Lokovic, Areito Echevarria, Peter Hillman,
Martin Hill, Nick McKenzie, Jon Allitt and Jim Hourihan. Fifth row (from left): Greg Humphreys, ASC associate Joshua Pines, Colin Doncaster, Janne Kontkanen,
David Cardwell, Csaba Kohegyi, Pat Hanrahan, Tibor Madjar, David Register and Curtis Clark, ASC. Back row (from left): Matt Pharr, Joe Mancewicz, Hans
Rijpkema, Johannes Saam, Chris Cooper, Eric Veach, Andrew Camenisch, Ofer Alon, Florian Kainz, Jeffery Yost, Philip Hubbard, ASC associate Lou Levinson and
ASC associate David Reisner.
May 2014
American Cinematographer
Photos by Jordan Murph, Aaron Poole, Todd Wawrychuk and Michael Yada, courtesy of AMPAS.
Sharing
the
Technical
Achievement Award for the ASC
CDL were Curtis Clark, ASC, who
chairs the Societys Technology
Committee; ASC associate members
Lou Levinson, Joshua Pines and
David Reisner; and David Register.
Pines, the vice president of imaging
R&D at Technicolor, accepted the
award with characteristically dry
humor. After apologizing for lacking
the time to thank everyone who
contributed to the ASC CDL, he
pulled out a 5'-long flip card of his
thank-you list. Its an honor to be here
competing at the Winter Olympics for
geeks, he joked. Producing a line of
color-timing punch tape, he explained,
This was the method used for describing color-correction information in the
fabulous days of film, and cinematographers lamented no longer having a
similar mechanism to accurately and
repeatedly describe their creative looks
as things went downhill I mean, as
things went digital.
Once the audiences laughter
subsided, Pines continued, So, we
came together under the auspices of the
ASC [and] created the CDL, which
allows cinematographers to have their
creative visions passed from the set to
dailies [and] all the way through post,
including editing, visual effects and final
color correction.
Speaking to AC more recently,
Clark said, The ASC CDL provides a
much-needed, easy-to-use, cross-platform tool for crafting and managing
creative photographic looks that are
initially generated on set by the cinematographer and subsequently applied
to dailies, editorial and VFX. Its pervasive adoption throughout an array of
digital motion-picture production and
postproduction workflows is evidence
of its intrinsic value.
Noting that the ASC CDL had
also recently received a Prime Time
Emmy Engineering Award, Clark
continued, The Academy Technical
Achievement Award [recognizes] an
accomplishment that could only have
been achieved with the dedication and
Top: Co-hosts Kristen Bell and Michael B. Jordan welcome the audience. Bottom: ASC associate
member Joshua Pines (at podium) makes light of his thank-you list while accepting the Technical
Achievement Award for the ASC CDL on behalf of fellow honorees (from left) Curtis Clark, ASC;
David Reisner; David Register; and Lou Levinson.
65
Above: Richard
Edlund, ASC,
chairman of the
Academy Sci-Tech
Awards Committee,
and Academy
President Cheryl
Boone Isaacs
congratulate the
honorees. Right:
Filmmaker
Christopher Nolan
presents an
Academy Award of
Merit honoring the
hard work and
dedication of filmlaboratory personnel
over the past
century.
May 2014
Left: Don Rogers (right) presents the John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation to friend and colleague
Charles Tad Marburg. Right: Marburg addresses the audience.
Technical Achievement Awards
(Academy Certificates):
To Olivier Maury, Ian Sachs and
Dan Piponi, for the creation of the
Industrial Light & Magic Plume
system, which simulates and renders fire,
smoke and explosions for motionpicture visual effects. The unique
construction of this system combines
fluid solving and final image rendering
on the GPU hardware without needing
an intermediate step involving the CPU.
This innovation reduces turnaround
time, resulting in significant efficiency
gains at ILM.
To Ronald D. Henderson, for
the development of the Flux gas-simulation system. The use of the Fast Fourier
Transform for solving partial differential
equations allows Flux a greater level of
algorithmic efficiency when multithreading on modern hardware. This
innovation enables the creation of very
high-resolution fluid effects while maintaining fast turnaround times.
To Andrew Camenisch, David
Cardwell and Tibor Madjar (concept
May 2014
67
May 2014
Scientific
and Engineering
Awards (Academy Plaques):
To Ofer Alon, for the design and
implementation of the ZBrush software
tool for multi-resolution sculpting of
digital models. ZBrush pioneered
From left:
Jordan,
Marburg,
Isaacs,
Anderson,
Edlund and
Bell pause for
a photo op.
Academy Award of Merit:
May 2014
69
Festive
Focus
Dean Cundey, ASC accepts his
Lifetime Achievement Award.
Here are the nominees in all of the evenings competitive categories, presented in alphabetical order, with winners
highlighted in boldfaced type:
ASC Spotlight Award: Camille Cottagnoud, Winter Nomads;
Mark Lee Ping Bing, Renoir; Ryszard Lenczewski and
Lucasz Zal, Ida.
Half-Hour Episodic Television Series/Pilot: Peter Levy,
ASC, ACS, House of Lies, The Runner Stumbles; Matthew J.
Lloyd, CSC, Alpha House, Pilot; Blake McClure, Drunk
History, Detroit.
Television Movie/Miniseries: Jeremy Benning, CSC,
Killing Lincoln; David Luther, The White Queen, War at First
Hand; Ashley Rowe, BSC, Dancing on the Edge, Episode 1.1.
One-Hour Episodic Television Series/Pilot: Stephen
Bernstein, ASC, Magic City, The Sins of the Father; David
Franco, Boardwalk Empire, Erlknig; Jonathan Freeman,
ASC, Game of Thrones, Valar Dohaeris; Pierre Gill, CSC,
The Borgias, The Purge; David Greene, CSC, Beauty and the
Beast, Tough Love; Anette Haellmigk, Game of Thrones,
Kissed By Fire; Kramer Morgenthau, ASC, Sleepy Hollow,
Pilot; and Ousama Rawi, BSC, CSC, Dracula, The Blood Is
the Life.
Theatrical Release: Barry Ackroyd, BSC, Captain Phillips;
Sean Bobbitt, BSC, 12 Years a Slave; Roger Deakins, ASC,
BSC, Prisoners; Bruno Delbonnel, ASC, AFC, Inside Llewyn
Davis; Philippe Le Sourd, The Grandmaster; Emmanuel
Lubezki, ASC, AMC, Gravity; Phedon Papamichael, ASC,
Nebraska.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
71
May 2014
11
10
American Cinematographer
1
2
3
7
4
8
6
10
13
11
12
1. Figueras and Simmons salute the students who won Harris Savides Heritage Awards. 2. The audience applauds the student winners: Miskha
Kornai, Ryan Broomberg, Drew Heskett and Ryan Westra of Chapman University. 3. Filmmaker Edward Zwick praises his collaborator Eduardo Serra,
ASC, AFC, recipient of the International Award. 4. ASC President Richard Crudo presents a progress report on the Societys various programs and
endeavors. 5. ASC associate Beverly Wood expresses her surprise and delight as she accepts the Bud Stone Award of Distinction for her extraordinary
contributions to both the Society and the industry. 6. Wood shows off her plaque while posing with Crudo. 7. Actress, filmmaker and choreographer
Debbie Allen introduces the television motion picture/miniseries nominees. 8. Jeremy Benning, CSC accepts the top honor for Killing Lincoln.
9. Benning busses Allen. 10. Despite the ebullient expectations of Miss ASC, Natalie Clark, Figueras and Simmons deny the rumor that Miley Cyrus
will twerk during the show. 11. Actress Margo Martindale introduces filmmaker John Wells, recipient of the Board of Governors Award. 12. Wells
hefts his trophy. 13. Wells and Martindale celebrate with smiles.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
73
1
2
1. Actress Niecy Nash regales the room with her spirited introduction of the
one-hour episodic television category. 2. Kees Van Oostrum, ASC accepts the
award on behalf of fellow ASC member Jonathan Freeman, who won for the
Game of Thrones episode Valar Dohaeris. 3. Director John Carpenter
introduces his friend and collaborator Dean Cundey, ASC, recipient of the
Lifetime Achievement Award. 4. Cundey reminisces about his remarkable
career. 5. Cundey offers Carpenter a shoulder to lean on. 6. Caleb Deschanel,
ASC introduces the theatrical-release category. 7. Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC,
AMC achieves high orbit for his work on Gravity. 8. Lubezki accepts his
award with characteristic humility. 9. The winner hugs his ASC colleague.
10. Figueras and Simmons close the show.
10
74
May 2014
American Cinematographer
7
8
11
10
1. David Mullen and his wife, Lisle Foote, circulate during cocktail hour. 2. ASC associate Joe Matza with his daughters, Daria and Tia. 3. Guests
socialize outside the ballroom. 4. ASC members Rodney Charters, Bill Bennett and Ron Dexter pose with Dexters wife, Jill. 5. Mark Irwin, ASC, CSC
with Nancy Schreiber, ASC and Rick Doremus. 6. Gil Hubbs, ASC and his wife, Ann Major. 7. Bernhard Jasper, BVK (left) and ASC associate
Alexander Schwartz (right) flank ASC associate Wolfgang Baumler and his wife, Sabine. 8. Steven Fierberg, ASC squeezes his significant other,
Shielu Bharwani. 9. ASC member Patrick Cady and his wife, Jill (left) socialize with Aaron Saffa and his girlfriend, Alexandra Olson. 10. Paul
Cameron, ASC and his wife, Laura. 11. Fred Elmes, ASC and his wife, Nancy Israel.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
75
3
2
1
6
4
9
7
10
1. Oliver Bokelberg, ASC, BVK and his wife, Jill.
2. Joe Bogacz with William Mank and Robert Lewis
Cunningham. 3. Stephen Lighthill, ASC and his wife, Veronika.
4. Steve Silver, ASC and his wife, Kerri Kenney-Silver.
5. ASC associate Frank Kay and his wife, Sharlene. 6. Nominee
Anette Haellmigk (Game of Thrones, Kissed By Fire).
7. Patty Mack with ASC legends Haskell Wexler and Vilmos
Zsigmond. 8. Isidore Mankofsky, ASC and his wife, Chris.
9. Spotlight Award nominee Camille Cottagnoud (Winter
Nomads); director Paul Walther; theatrical-release nominee
Bruno Delbonnel, ASC, AFC (Inside Llewyn Davis) and
nominee Ashley Rowe, BSC (Dancing on the Edge, Episode
1.1). 10. Cundey and his wife, Patricia Cowmeadow.
11. ASC members Kramer Morgenthau and Ellen Kuras.
12. Radek Ladczuk with ASC Award winners Lukasz Zal, PSC
and Blake McClure and McClures wife, Sarah. 13. Nominee
Pierre Gill, CSC (The Borgias, The Purge) with ASC member
Matthew Libatique. 14. Sharon Henley and Sara Wood.
76
May 2014
12
11
American Cinematographer
14
13
1
2
6
5
9
8
10
12
11
14
13
15
1. Mardrie Mullen and ASC associate Denny Clairmont. 2. Claudio Miranda, ASC. 3. Marek Zebrowski with Stephen Goldblatt, ASC, BSC.
4. ASC associate Franz Wieser and his wife, Philomena. 5. ASC members Amy Vincent and Donald M. Morgan with Bruce Doering and his wife,
Lynn. 6. John Toll, ASC and his wife, Lois Burwell. 7. Kees Van Oostrum, ASC (far left) and his wife, Esther Spitz (second from left) with Theo van de
Sande, ASC (far right) and his wife, Michle Ohayon, and Baird Steptoe. 8. John Simmons, ASC and his wife, Cynthia. 9. Robert Primes, ASC and his
wife, Theo. 10. Honorary ASC member Larry Parker and cinematographer Lisa Wiegand. 11. Owen Roizman, ASC and his wife, Mona.
12. Cinematographers Jendra Jarnagin; Rachel Morrison; Uta Briesewitz, ASC; Svetlana Cvetko; and Ellen Kuras, ASC. 13. Crescenzo Notarile, ASC
and his girlfriend, Carolyn Trampf. 14. Dwayne Ralston with his two dates. 15. Crudo and his date, Joanne Baker.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
77
6
5
1. Panavision sponsored an ASC
Awards after party held at the
Societys Clubhouse. 2. ASC events
coordinator Patty Armacost (left)
and Crudo (right) lead the
applause during a birthday
celebration for Awards Chairman
Lowell Peterson, who enjoys the
moment with his wife, Carol.
3. Nancy Schreiber, ASC and ASC
associate Judith Doherty.
4. Michael Goi, ASC and his wife,
Gina. 5. Rick Beatty and Yolanda
Price. 6. ASC associate Kim Snyder
and her husband, Jim. 7. Former
American Cinematographer photo
editor Julie Sickel and her twin
sister, Chelsea, with AC associate
editor Jon Witmer and his wife,
Corinne. 8. Dean Cundey, ASC
seeks compositional counsel from
his wife, Patricia Cowmeadow.
9. Spotlight Award nominee Mark
Lee Ping Bing (Renoir) flanked by
his wife, Robin, and daughter,
Danielle. 10. AC senior editor
Rachael Bosley with ASC
circulation director Saul Molina
and Carmen Cabana.
78
May 2014
8
7
10
9
American Cinematographer
6
1. Beverly Wood parties
with Rodrigo Ruiz.
2. Bill Wages, ASC and his
wife, Cathy. 3. ASC associate
Joshua Pines with journalist
Carolyn Giardina.
4. Figueras and her husband,
AC executive editor Stephen
Pizzello, with Lubezki and
his wife, Lauren. 5. Rodney
Taylor, ASC with Justin
Dickson and Beverly Wood.
6. AC circulation manager
Alex Lopez and his wife,
Noemi. 7. Niecy Nash with
her husband, Jay Tucker.
8. A birds-eye view of the
festivities on the ASC
Clubhouse lawn.
www.theasc.com
May 2014
79
9
10
8
1. Guests gather for the annual Nominees Dinner.
2. Nominees Delbonnel and Peter Levy, ASC, ACS
(House of Lies, The Runner Stumbles). 3. Nominee
Steven Bernstein, ASC (Magic City, The Sins of the
Father) and his fiance, Carolyn Rodney. 4. Robert Liu,
ASC and his wife, Ivy. 5. Crudo and Peterson flank
Rowe. 6. Theatrical-release nominee Phedon
Papamichael, ASC (Nebraska). 7. Haellmigk totes her
plaque. 8. George Spiro Dibie, ASC walks past the
Societys Donor Wall with his daughter, Suzanne
Shook. 9. Nominee Ousama Rawi, BSC, CSC (Dracula,
The Blood Is the Life). 10. Delbonnel frames his
honor. 11. Theatrical-release nominee Sean Bobbitt,
BSC (12 Years a Slave). 12. Christopher Chomyn, ASC,
with his wife, Lindsey, and Florence Omens.
80
May 2014
11
12
American Cinematographer
6
7
9
10
11
1. Pam and Larry Parker with Amy Vincent,
ASC. 2. ASC Awards Chairman Lowell
Peterson and his wife, Carol. 3. Cundey with
ASC associate Robert Hoffman and Victor J.
Kemper, ASC. 4. Andrew Evenski and his wife,
Linda. 5. Woody Omens, ASC with Crudo.
6. Nominee David Greene, CSC (Beauty and
the Beast, Tough Love). 7. Lighthill and
Crudo. 8. Evenski, president and general
manager of Kodaks Entertainment Imaging
Division, which sponsored the Nominees
Dinner, addresses the evenings guests.
9. Roizman and Crudo. 10. Le Sourd steps into
the spotlight. 11. Theatrical-release nominee
Barry Ackroyd, BSC (Captain Phillips).
12. The nominees form an illustrious group
on the Clubhouse steps.
12
www.theasc.com
May 2014
81
6
7
9
10
1. and 2. Peterson steps to the podium to provide good cheer and salute the nominees achievements. 3. Daniel Pearl, ASC with ASC associate
Wolfgang Baumler. 4. Ryan Smith, Pat Caputo and Thierry Garepian. 5. ASC members Johnny Jensen and John C. Flinn III. 6. Bernstein and his fiance,
Carolyn, with Greene. 7. Peterson and Ed Barger. 8. Dibie and ASC associate Thomas Fletcher flank Kelli Bingham. 9. ASC associate Frieder Hochheim
with Lighthill and Curtis Clark, ASC. 10. Cundey with fellow ASC members OShea, Flinn and Rawlings.
82
May 2014
American Cinematographer
OF
CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Thanks Our Sponsors for Their Support of the 28th Annual ASC Awards
A+J Cases
Abel Cine
Active Camera Systems
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Alan Gordon
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Alternative Rentals
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ARRI Rental Group
Autoscript
Barbizon Lighting Co.
Best Audio
Bexel
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Camera House, The
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Deluxe
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Global Artists Agency
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IMAX Post/DKP Inc.
Iron Mountain
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JVC ProHD
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Locations Michel Trudel
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Matthews Studio Equipment
Modern Video/Film
Mole-Richardson Company
Motion Picture Studio Mechanics, Local 52, IATSE
Murtha Agency
NBC Universal
Nikon
OConnor
Osram
Otto Nemenz International, Inc.
Panavision
PanavisionCanada
Paradigm
Paramount Pictures
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Pixar Animation Studios
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PRG, Production Resources Group
ProTapes and Specialties
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Schneider Optics
Sesler
Shadowstone
SIM Digital
Skouras Agency, The
SOCSociety of Camera Operators
Sony
Sound Devices, LLC
Technicolor
TechnicolorPostWorks New York
Teradek
Thales Angenieux
Tiffen Manufacturing Company
TWCThe Weinstein Company
UTA, United Talent Agency
Vantage Film GmbH (Hawk)
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Worldwide Production Agency
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With Very Special Thanks to Autoscript, Illumination Dynamics, Mole-Richardson Company and Technicolor
May 2014
SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Please e-mail New Products/Services releases to
newproducts@ascmag.com and include full contact
information and product images. Photos must be
TIFF or JPEG files of at least 300dpi.
classical RGB imager/prism system that provides equi-band full-resolution color processing for critical applications. Among the
camcorders key features are real-time high-frame-rate and offspeed recording up to 240 fps in 1080p (using AVC-Intra 100), plus
the ability to change frame rates while recording. Image controls
such as matrix, detail, gammas and a new Log recording capability
allow precise creative control over image parameters. The VariCam
HS also features Panasonics Emmy Award-winning Chromatic Aberration Compensation technology to minimize lateral chromatic aberrations and improve the Modulation Transfer Function of the optical
system.
The VariCam HS features a range of high-quality recording
formats, including AVC-Intra 100 (recording as 1080/24p, 30p or
60p format with VFR, up to 240p), AVC-Intra 200 (up to 30p/60i)
and AVC-Intra 4:4:4 (up to 30p). Professional interfaces on the VariCam HS include RGB 4:4:4, a 3G-HD-SDI out to support 1080/60p,
an HD-SDI out for monitoring, and two XLR inputs to record four
channels of 24-bit, 48KHz audio. The cameras 23" B4 lens mount
enables the use of a wide variety of prime lenses and servo zooms.
Both the VariCam 35 and VariCam HS will utilize Panasonics
new expressP2 card for high-frame-rate (VariCam HS) and 4K (VariCam 35) recording. The camera recording module unit is equipped
with a total of four memory card slots, two for expressP2 cards and
two for microP2 cards. The new expressP2 card can record up to 130
minutes of 4K/24p content, or about 32 minutes of 240p 1080 HD
video; the microP2 card is designed for recording HD or 2K at more
typical production frame rates.
The VariCam 35 and VariCam HS will launch this fall, with
pricing to be announced. For more information, visit www.pana
sonic.com/broadcast.
Alan Gordon Distributes Panavisions AC Bag
Alan Gordon Enterprises is the exclusive distributor for a new
camera assistants bag made by Panavision. The bag has been
designed to satisfy a wide range of professional camera assistant
needs.
The bags interior is lined with Velcrocompatible gray polyester atop foam backing,
allowing for an array of bag-division options.
The bag also houses an easily removable
accessory tray, two sets of dividers
and four clear plastic pouches (one
17"x5" and three 5"x5") with
Velcro-exposed flaps.
The bags exterior is wrapped
in black canvas reinforced with rugged
PVC, providing superb water resistance and structural
American Cinematographer
integrity. The exterior also features three waterresistant, zippered pockets and three drawstring pouches, which allow easy access to
gear. The bags padded shoulder strap is made
from heavy-duty nylon security-belt material
and fashioned with nickel-plated snap-hooks,
which lock to both sides of the bag.
For additional information, visit
www.alangordon.com.
Cinedeck Tackles 4K
Cinedeck has introduced the MX4K
recorder and the v5 software release for the
RX3G and MX recorders.
The Cinedeck MX4K features two
channels of 4K YUV10 30 fps recording from
4K and Ultra HD sources, including the Sony
F55 camera, while simultaneously creating
edit-ready HD master and proxy deliverables as
well as H.264 for streaming. The MX4K also
down-converts the 4K camera feeds in real
time for on-set HD monitoring. The 4K, HD
master and proxies are all simultaneously
recorded to the MX4Ks embedded SSD drives,
with edit-ready deliverables written to SAN for
immediate access, and can be encoded to the
full gamut of ProRes or Cineform profiles.
Users can apply a variety of industry-standard
or custom look-up tables to the proxy, H.264,
onboard display and HD outputs.
A key feature of Cinedecks v5 software
release for the RX3G and MX is the addition of
the AS10/AS11-compliant acquisition and
delivery standards XDCam HD Op1A, AVCIntra 100 Op1A and D-10 (IMX) Op1A. These
codec/wrapper specifications remove ambiguities during production and delivery processes
by including editorial and technical metadata,
and ensure a consistent set of information for
the processing, review and scheduling of
programs. The v5 software release also
includes enhanced Edit While Record, EDL and
H.264 support features.
For additional information, visit
www.cinedeck.com.
Telecine &
Color Grading
Jod is a true artist with
a great passion for his craft.
John W. Simmons, ASC
International Marketplace
86
May 2014
American Cinematographer
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MISCELLANEOUS
NEW BOOK
Showdown at Shinagawa:
Tales of Filming from Bombay to Brazil
By Bill Zarchy
Cinematographers memoir. Funny, sweet, and
wise.
showdownatshinagawa.com OR on Amazon
May 2014
87
Advertisers Index
Adorama 9, 51
AJA Video Systems, Inc. 25
Alan Gordon 87
Arri 5
ASC 13
Eastman Kodak C4
Next Shot 41
P+S Technik 87
Pille Filmgeraeteverleih
Gmbh 86
Pro8mm 86
Glidecam Industries 17
Hertz Corporation C3
Hollywood Rentals 63
Huesca Film Office/HFO 29
Siggraph 89
Schneider Optics 2
Super16, Inc. 86
Jod Soraci 85
Technocrane 21
Thales Angenieux 19
Carl Zeiss 27
Cavision Enterprises 86
Chapman/Leonard Studio
Equipment Inc. 23
Cine Gear 70
Cinematography
Electronics 8
Cinekinetic 86
Codex 15
Cooke Optics 7
88
Kino Flo 53
LAFF 91
Lee Filters 43
Lights! Action! Co. 86
Maine Media 8
Manfrotto 39
Matthews Studio
Equipment/MSE 86
Movie Tech AG 86, 87
Video Equipment
Rentals/VER 37
Willys Widgets 86
www.theasc.com 6, 52,
62, 88
Klein Becomes
Associate Member
Scott Klein, Technicolor Creative
Services senior supervising colorist, broadcast,
has been named an associate member of the
ASC. A native of Philadelphia, Pa., Klein began
working at a young age as a still-photography
assistant before spending time as a touring
guitar player. He graduated from Berklee
College of Music in Boston, Mass., before
moving to Los Angeles and starting in the film
business. Over the course of his 30-year career
in broadcast finishing, Klein has lent his talents
to commercials, music videos, features and
90
May 2014
Cinematographers in Spotlight
During Awards Season
Among the multitude of accolades
presented during the recent awards season, a
number of honors went to ASC members and
their director-of-photography colleagues. On
the critics front, the Los Angeles Film Critics
Association selected Emmanuel Lubezki,
ASC, AMC for its best-cinematography
award, recognizing his work on Gravity (AC
Nov. 13); Bruno Delbonnel, ASC, AFC was
named the runner-up for his work on Inside
Llewyn Davis (AC Jan. 14). The Online Film
Critics Society also saluted Lubezki for Gravity,
while the National Society of Film Critics
awarded its top honor to Delbonnel.
Lubezki also took home the cinematography award during the 67th annual
British Academy Film Awards. His fellow
BAFTA nominees were Barry Ackroyd, BSC
(Captain Phillips; AC Nov. 13); Sean Bobbitt,
BSC (12 Years a Slave; AC Dec. 13); Delbonnel and Phedon Papamichael, ASC
(Nebraska).
The Film Independent Spirit Awards
gave its cinematography award to Bobbitt,
while also nominating Benot Debie, AFC
(Spring Breakers; AC June 13); Delbonnel;
Frank G. DeMarco and Peter Zuccarini (All is
Lost; AC Nov. 13); and Matthias Grunsky
(Computer Chess).
Last but not least, the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated
Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC (Prisoners; AC Oct.
13); Delbonnel; Lubezki; Philippe Le Sourd
(The Grandmaster); and Papamichael, with
Lubezki receiving the Oscar.
American Cinematographer
Clubhouse News
HOST VENUE
LAFILMFEST.COM
When you were a child, what film made the strongest impression on you?
It has to be Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). Blame it on
the Southern drive-in and all the Saturday nights my parents took me
to the movies.
92
May 2014
American Cinematographer
Close-up