American Cinematographer - October 1999 - 20

Two frame

continue to

shop for the best situation
find. The feeling of community
that exists in Canada is something we'll

captures from

they

the inventive

documentary
Persistence of
Vision. Top:

have to rediscover for ourselves."

Subject Jack

Cardiff

Cardiff, BSC
discusses how
he lit some of
the cinema's

on

Camera

by David E. Williams
Few

greatest

leading ladies.

cinematographers are
being in front of the

accustomed to

Bottom:

However, British ace Jack
Cardiff, BSC, the recipient of the ASC's
International Award in 1993, has

camera.

Freddie Francis,

BSC, who
earned

can

an

Academy
Award for his

photography
Cardiff's
directorial

on

debut. Sons
and Lovers

(I960),
interviews his

longtime friend
and colleague.

setups per day than most companies do
in

days, which gives me
opportunity to capture more pieces
two

film. I'm

a

an

on
firm believer in the Robert

Rodriguez school of directing - give me
lot of pieces."

a

Matheson and his cast had little
downtime for

lighting changes while
the Blue Sky Operations
Center set, thanks to Wagner's overhead
lighting scheme, which took 21/£ hours to
set up on the first day, but only required
minor adjustments over the three
subsequent shooting days. "Tim was
always specific about what he wanted to
do on each day, but those plans
sometimes had to change at the last
minute, perhaps because an actor
wanted to do something else," Wagner
says. "Because of the way we lit things,
Tim could make those 90-degree turns
shooting

on

without fear that it would cost time

artist, it's important to
feel that you can explore a new path
without jeopardy.
"That approach is great for actors,
because they can move wherever they
need to be. I'm not fond of forcing people
to hit marks. My lighting is not broad or
general, but allowing an actor to step out
of the light may be that pathway of
discovery. Perhaps the scene will be
better, or say something different about
their character, if they don't perfectly fall
into the light. In short, if you take what
you're given in terms of performances and
money.

For

or

any

locations, and then expand upon it, you're
likely to explore those other avenues."

Wagner learned the art of lighting
by training with some of Hollywood's
great cameramen. He cites ASC legends
18 October 1999

Harry Stradling, Frank Phillips and Bill
Fraker

as

valued mentors who

were

instrumental to both his education and
his later acceptance
establishment.

into the Hollywood
Wagner remembers, "I'm

from the Midwest, and when I moved out
to L.A. in the 1960s, I was an unwelcome

guest. If you were an insider, those were
great times, but they were impossible for
outsiders. To

friends like

have

connected with

Harry, Frank and Bill

was

wonderful. Even all of the other guys at
the ASC who had a reputation for being

tough, like Leon Shamroy and James
Wong Howe, were very nice to me.
While working in Canada, I felt that
same sense of being welcome."
Discussing the hot topic of

recently received extensive onscreen
as the subject of Persistence
of Vision, a feature-length documentary
that explores his career.
Director Craig McCall began this
project soon after meeting Cardiff for the
first time
during an impromptu
discussion about the merits of springdriven Bolex cameras. "Listening to Jack
describe how a Bolex was the right
camera for a project he was working on
sparked something in me," McCall
remembers. "Some cinematographers
think they have to be shooting in
Panavision to do 'important' work, but
here was Jack deciding to use a Bolex. I
attention

-

rather liked that."

Cardiff later gave

that "this is

unpublished 1996 autobiography, Magic

a purely political issue. It's
responsibility of producers to
protect their local artists. The Canadian

the

McCall a copy
manuscript for his then-

"runaway productions," Wagner opines

of

not the

Hour. "It was

government has done a wonderful job of

I knew that Jack's story and anecdotes
would be accessible to a very wide

supporting their filmmakers, and it's the
responsibility of our government to do
the

same

for

us

in order to level the

playing field. Until then, producers will

audience,"

fascinating, partly because

McCall

explains. "That
make this film."
McCall began the process by
producing a short about Cardiff, a

inspired

me to

&MLFOMtdpi.lio/reSlrdmmoaunskdsse,

ocurftesy

Phot s
American Cinematographer - October 1999

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