American Cinematographer - February 1996 - 22

technology and publishing. Sponsors in¬
clude the County of Kauai, Adobe Sys¬
tems, Eastman Kodak, Apple Computer,
and Wired magazine.
County of Kauai Office of Eco¬
nomic Development, (808) 241 -6390, FAX
(808)241-6399.
Massachusetts
The Crucible, starring

Daniel
Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder, began
filming in September on Hog Island in
Essex, where the company re-created
Salem Village as it was in 1692. The
state was able to convince Fox execu¬

Transportation Bldg., 10 Park Plaza, Suite

Massachusetts Film Office, the

new offices are at 633 Third Avenue,
33rd Floor, New York, NY 10017, (212)

2310, Boston, MA 02116, (617) 973-8800.

803-3100, FAX (212) 803-2339.

Nevada

North Carolina

The State of Nevada Motion

Picture Division has

a new

Web address

offering access to location photos, list¬
ings of upcoming productions and local
service providers, as well as information
on Las Vegas, Reno and rural Nevada.
The State of Nevada Mo¬
tion Picture Division, (702) 486-

2711, FAX (702) 486-2712, http://www
.

intermind, net/kvbc/nmpd/.

tives to

bring the film there after enlist¬
ing the National Guard to assist with
barge transportation to the otherwise

New York

In
sources

this year were

Television Development
the headquarters of the

in Massachusetts
Sabrina on Martha's Vine¬
yard, Mrs. Winterbourne in Boston, To
Gillian On Her 37th Birthday on Nan¬
tucket, and Celtic Pride in Boston.

the blow-up looked," Howe confesses. "I
credit it to the Zeiss SuperSpeed lenses.
I used only primes - a 9.5mm, 12mm,

has moved to
Empire State
Development Corporation and Depart¬
ment of Economic Development. The
notes. "I

prefer the aspect ratio in 35mm,
intimate; your eyes don't
dart around. It was a real eye-opener for

too. It is more

ASA 50 daylight, with is an
amazing stock with virtually no visible
grain," he adds. "For the night shoots we
used high-speed 7296 and it looked
good, too. DuArt did a brilliant job with
the blow-up."
McCann credits geography
and good fortune in being able to finish
the film and make the blow-up. The pic¬
ture was brought to the attention of one
of McCann's mentors, Oscar-winning di¬
-

rector Jonathan

Demme, who after see¬
ing a rough cut decided to shepherd the
project through its finishing stages. "I
very taken with the film," says
Demme. "It felt like the work of a total
filmmaker. He's really telling a story in a
was

straightforward, surprising way. I found
thoroughly riveting and impos¬

the film

sible to stop

watching."

The 35mm

blow-up made a dif¬

ference in the final aesthetic decisions of
the film as well. "The difference be¬
tween 16mm and 35mm is that in 35mm
you

really do

American

see

much more," McCann

Cinematographer

expertise in such

awareness

areas as

of

ani¬

mation, simulation, multimedia, and film
and video

special effects, and is especially
keeping the state's com¬
puter graphics graduate students and fac¬
ulty from having to migrate to other regions
for jobs. The project plans to be present at
national industry events this year.
concerned with

NC/Vision, (919) 481-0578, FAX
(919) 481-4639, ncvision@cybernetics
.net.

Quebec
The Film Office of Quebec is

touting Le Confessional, the official

en-

from Nick's point of view as he is lying
on his back show his attackers walking

to

out that most directors come from one

neo-realist film

side

the

7245

NC/Vision aims to increase
the state's

get much more into it. And it's more of a

didn't work

in love with. We used

"We shot the exteriors with

a

the state's computer
graphics and imaging technology providers.

"It's very engaging to see things
upside down," McCann says. "It brought
the film style and the emotions of the
character together."
However, he adds, "Every cin¬
ematographer knows that the film is not
about the cinematography." He points

and I cut out a few scenes that either

25mm, and 50mm. At least half the pic¬
ture was shot on the 12mm, a lens I fell

slow-speed 7293

re¬

efficiency, the

Governor's Office of Motion Picture and

me,

or

weren't needed after I

saw

blow-up.
"Another consideration is the

at ASA 200 for the interiors.

20

effort to consolidate

an

and increase

unreachable island.
Also filming

North Carolina has launched
program to promote

experience of the film for the audience,"
he continues. "The audience
now.

seems

The effect of

lighting and style is actually much

our

more

obvious in 35mm."
Howe adds, "We really worked
the color of the light to fit the different
moods of the shoot."
Would he shoot another pic¬
ture in 16mm?

Responds McCann, "I'll

tell you, you can go from one location to
another much more quickly. It's small and
easy.

You

can

shoot

87 - a faster
use less light and

on

stock - and you can
a smaller crew."
Much of the liveliness of the
film's look is due to the handheld camera

work, executed by McCann himself. Al¬
though 50 percent of the film was shot
handheld, he preferred to shoot without
a Steadicam. "It's not lively enough for
me, particularly in the park scene," he
says,

referring to the

scene

in which Nick

confronts Sid after Mary's sexual assault
and is beaten by Sid's boxer friend. Shots

February 1996

away.

or the other
their experience is
usually gained either through camera¬
work or through writing or editing. Ac¬
cording to McCann, the writing-oriented
director is frequently not as concerned
with the cinematography. "I've shot films
and I've written scripts, and I've also
worked with actors," he says. "But I like
-

to be behind the camera. I like to be di¬

rectly involved with the composition and
what is

seen on

the

screen.

That's got

to be

secondary to the story, though."
Although he was advised
against it, McCann chose to direct and
operate the camera. He was warned that
it would be difficult to get the best per¬
formance from his actors, but they have
received praise at most screenings. "I
don't think that was a problem, really.
The work with the actors takes place
before

we

start to roll. I don't think it

matters if you are

beside the camera or
from stand-

behind it. But it did stop me
American Cinematographer - February 1996

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