26Mar/12Off
Three of this year’s lauded DPs Reflect On Their Wins, Recent Endeavors
Robert Richardson, ASCHaving won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography twice (JFK, The Aviator) didn't prepare Robert Richardson, ASC, for his recently receiving the coveted honor a third time in his distinguished career (Hugo).
"Winning the Oscar this year was virtually an out-of-body experience," reflected Richardson. "I recall little from the first moment my name was announced until I pulled a meter from my belt on an exterior shot of Django Unchained [Quentin Tarantino's latest feature] two days later."
As for the biggest creative challenge posed by the Martin Scorsese-directed Hugo, Richardson simply cited the fact that the feature was shot in 3D.
"We began testing with no experience, hence we were at square one...Furthermore, we were forced to ask if it were viable both physically but also financially to shoot in 3D or would it be best to do 3D in post. Graham King (Hugo producer) allowed us to evaluate these questions through a series of tests, then all parties sat down and conversed—and obviously the decision was to shoot in 3D."
While Richardson's longstanding collaborative relationship with Scorsese (The Aviator, Shutter Island, Shine A Light, Bringing Out The Dead, Casino) "allowed us," said the cinematographer "to move rapidly through the central questions/problems," Hugo still had a sophisticated learning curve. Asked what the most valuable lesson was that he learned from Hugo, Richardson replied, "Imagination is more valuable than experience."
However, Hugo did represent Richardson's first theatrical feature experience with ARRI's ALEXA digital camera. ...
Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki, ASC, AMC
It's been an eventful awards season for Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki, ASC, AMC, who won his second career ASC Award for feature film excellence on the strength of director Terrence Malick'sThe Tree Of Life (SHOOTonline, 2/12). The film also earned Lubezki his fifth Best Cinematography Academy Award nomination (SHOOTonline, 1/24), the previous four coming for Children of Men in 2007, The New World in '06, Sleepy Hollow in '00 and A Little Princess in '96. Alfonso Cuaron directed Children of Men and A Little Princess. Malick helmed The New World. And Tim Burton directed Sleepy Hollow. ...
It's been an eventful awards season for Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki, ASC, AMC, who won his second career ASC Award for feature film excellence on the strength of director Terrence Malick'sThe Tree Of Life (SHOOTonline, 2/12). The film also earned Lubezki his fifth Best Cinematography Academy Award nomination (SHOOTonline, 1/24), the previous four coming for Children of Men in 2007, The New World in '06, Sleepy Hollow in '00 and A Little Princess in '96. Alfonso Cuaron directed Children of Men and A Little Princess. Malick helmed The New World. And Tim Burton directed Sleepy Hollow. ...
Lubezki gave the ALEXA a positive review, saying it was ideal for a movie which Cuaron wrote to be 3D.
"This wasn't a case of a studio trying to impose 3D on a film. 3D was essential to the storyline created by Alfonso," said Lubezki, adding, "We live in an incredible time where we have all these tools—film, RED, ALEXA, Sony cameras. We have a bigger palette. If you're like me, you can pretty much pick the camera you feel is most appropriate. If you're a new cinematographer starting out, even if you can't choose, you have access to inexpensive digital cameras that you can do very cool work with."
Having said that, Lubezki affirmed, "I hope film doesn't go away. I'm not one of those who says film is the only way. It all depends on the particular project. A lot of the work I do with Terry [Malick], though, couldn't be done on anything but film. In The Tree of Life, we shot with no movie lights. The latitude of film is what allowed us to shoot inside and capture all the detail that we needed."
Still there's room for mixing and matching. ...
"This wasn't a case of a studio trying to impose 3D on a film. 3D was essential to the storyline created by Alfonso," said Lubezki, adding, "We live in an incredible time where we have all these tools—film, RED, ALEXA, Sony cameras. We have a bigger palette. If you're like me, you can pretty much pick the camera you feel is most appropriate. If you're a new cinematographer starting out, even if you can't choose, you have access to inexpensive digital cameras that you can do very cool work with."
Having said that, Lubezki affirmed, "I hope film doesn't go away. I'm not one of those who says film is the only way. It all depends on the particular project. A lot of the work I do with Terry [Malick], though, couldn't be done on anything but film. In The Tree of Life, we shot with no movie lights. The latitude of film is what allowed us to shoot inside and capture all the detail that we needed."
Still there's room for mixing and matching. ...
See the full story here: