American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 37

Opposite: Oil prospector Daniel Plainview (Daniel DayLewis) stands near the wreckage of a derrick after extinguishing a night-long burn. This page, top: Plainview and his men probe for oil by dropping a drill bit into a well. Below: Plainview and his adopted son, H.W. (Dillon Freasier), offer their services to a roomful of citizens at Signal Hill. “It’s hard for me not to see Plainview as a little bit heroic — he’s enormously ambitious, and I can sympathize with his quest for survival, particularly during that time in the West,” he adds. To realize this tale of a driven man who goes off the deep end, Anderson once again tapped cinematographer Robert Elswit, ASC, who had shot all of the director’s previous features: Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love. Anderson recalls that he first noticed Elswit’s skill while watching Waterland (1992), directed by Stephen Gyllenhall, and the two were eventually introduced by a mutual acquaintance, actor John C. Reilly. “Paul is 20 years younger than me, but I liked him right away,” recalls Elswit, whose recent credits include Michael Clayton and Good Night, and Good Luck (AC Nov. ’05). “He had so much energy and enthusiasm. He also loved some of the same movies I love — particularly films from the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, many of which are somewhat obscure. Even at 25, Paul was an encyclopedia of American film, and he was very aware of what pictorial style meant. He can respond immediately to something he sees and understands instinctively why it works or why it doesn’t.” Pondering his relationship with Elswit, Anderson laughs before offering, “It’s kind of a miracle anything gets done, really. We’ve worked together so long the relationship has its own set of advantages, but it also has enormous dysfunction. Bob and I disagree just as often as we agree, but the relationship wouldn’t be as good if we agreed on everything. Sometimes I’ll sit right over his shoulder and all he’ll want me to do is go away. At other times, we have a great time sitting together and coming up with ideas. Or, sometimes, I’ll get distracted and he’ll put something together that’s really lovely.” Elswit notes that Anderson’s methods can be quite unorthodox, so much so that the cinematographer has occasionally had to dismiss crewmembers who couldn’t grasp the director’s freewheeling approach to filmmaking. “Paul has very clear ideas, but he doesn’t want to plan out every little thing in advance,” says Elswit. “Actors love him because they feel free to play, create and discover. Cinematographers want to control Photos and frame grabs courtesy of Paramount Vantage. American Cinematographer 37

American Cinematographer - January 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - January 2008

American Cinematographer - January 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Short Takes: Madame Tutli-Putli
Production Slate: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Great Debaters
Blood for Oil
Very Close Shaves
A Rogue Politician
A Bulletproof Cinematographer
Post Focus: Restoring Days of Heaven, Achieving Color Symmetry, HPA Awards
New Products & Services
International Marketplace
Classified Ads
Ad Index
In Memoriam: Roderick Ryan, ASC
Clubhouse News
ASC Close-Up: Glen MacPherson
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Intro
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - American Cinematographer - January 2008
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 1
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 2
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Contents
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 4
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 5
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 6
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 7
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Editor's Note
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 9
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Short Takes: Madame Tutli-Putli
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 11
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 12
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 13
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 14
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 15
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 16
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 17
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Production Slate: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Great Debaters
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 19
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 20
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 21
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 22
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 23
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 24
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 25
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 26
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 27
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 28
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 29
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 30
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 31
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 32
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 33
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 34
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 35
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Blood for Oil
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 37
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 38
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 39
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 40
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 41
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 42
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 43
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 44
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 45
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 46
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 47
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 48
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - BRC1
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - BRC2
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 49
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 50
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 51
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 52
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 53
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 54
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 55
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Very Close Shaves
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 57
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 58
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 59
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 60
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 61
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 62
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 63
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 64
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 65
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 66
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 67
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 68
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 69
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - A Rogue Politician
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 71
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 72
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 73
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 74
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 75
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 76
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 77
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 78
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 79
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 80
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 81
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - A Bulletproof Cinematographer
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 83
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 84
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 85
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 86
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 87
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 88
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 89
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 90
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 91
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 92
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 93
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 94
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 95
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 96
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 97
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Post Focus: Restoring Days of Heaven, Achieving Color Symmetry, HPA Awards
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 99
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 100
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 101
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 102
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 103
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 104
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 105
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - New Products & Services
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 107
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 108
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 109
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 110
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 111
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 112
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 113
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 114
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 115
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 116
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 117
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - International Marketplace
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Classified Ads
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Ad Index
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - In Memoriam: Roderick Ryan, ASC
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Clubhouse News
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - 123
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - ASC Close-Up: Glen MacPherson
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - January 2008 - Cover4
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