Directors Greatest cinematographers? (1 Viewer)

[Rob Tomlin]

I agree to a large extent Simon.

But you seem to imply that the DP's job is just technical, and they don't need "artistic vision". I don't agree with that.

A good DP must have artistic vision, and the ability to communicate that vision to the director. It is a collaboration. In the end, though, it is the director who makes the final determination regarding composition, lighting etc. Often this will be communicated to the DP, who will give his own ideas on how to accomplish the results wanted by the director.

 

[JohnRice]

It varies with the director and DP, but my blood pressure still goes up a little when I see comments like that about the contribution of the DP. In most cases DPs are far more than mere camera mechanics. While you might have people like Soderberg and Kubrick at one extreme, read up a little on Gregg Toland's contribution to Citizen Kane to get the oppposite extreme. Most fall in the middle. A good director has generally his ego enough in check to benefit from the skills of the people around him.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Funny, I always thought of the director as a "head coach" that delegated a lot of the responsibilities to various "assistant coaches" and "coordinators".

Don't get me wrong, I still think what Simon says is accurate, but I believe there's some better communication between DP and director. A director can say, "I want X and Y set up in this manner so I can accomplish this. DP, how do I accomplish this?" And the DP could say, "Well, we have to set up X and Y in manners A and B. But might I suggest arrangements C and D as well?"

I can only recall with certainty that there are very few directors who have control over both direction and photography, Kubrick and Soderbergh being two examples.

Thanks for the reply guys. I certainly understand that all DP's and cinematographers should be good at everything. The thought I was aiming for was that there are just some things people are especially good at. An example is Darius Khondji (sp?), the cinematographer for City of Lost Children and some David Fincher films. He makes really good use of very drab colors to create a sense of..... well, I just get the feeling the universe the films are in set in aren't exactly the happiest of places.

 

[Lew Crippen]

While you might have people like Soderberg and Kubrick at one extreme,

And in my opinion, Steven would be well served to hire a good cinematographer.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

And in my opinion, Steven would be well served to hire a good cinematographer.

I pretty much agree with that opinion. I will say this though: Soderbergh does have a style that is pretty much all his own.

 

[Simon_Lepine]

I agree with you Rob and John, it was just John's comment about 'his storytelling' that got me going. It's still the director's job to do the storytelling and choose the type of shot. That doesn't mean the DP can't bring his artistic vision and input in a collaboration with the director.

I'm well aware of Orson Welles/John Alton stories, in fact I own a book of interviews with Welles where he recalls how Alton showed him everything about moviemaking, when he started Citizen Kane he didn't have clue.