American Cinematographer - September 2000 - 152

Single Frame System
The Norris

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He adds that he was able to learn

consists of two basic modules,

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lighting from other students
cinematography program. "I really
had an amazing class - 23 cinematog¬
raphers and no egos." In turn, Armstrong

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working in
technically good
small fraction of

successful director of

Bill

Dill, Armstrong has also learned about
the role of

cinematography in an overall
production. "Everything you do has to
serve the story," he notes. In the case of
John, one particularly impressive shot at

the start of the film had to be eliminated.
"It

great Steadicam shot, but it

was a

took

from the story," says
Armstrong. "It doesn't matter how goodlooking the film is - if the story is no
good, it won't get seen."
us

away

That said, he observes that audi¬

MICHAEL MANN, TAK FUJIMOTO, ROGER PRATT,

question

From AFI instructors such

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photography," he says. Equally important
is a person's ability to communicate and
be sociable. Armstrong admits to having
a preference for camera assistants who
have a sense of humor. "People will hire
you for the strangest reasons, [and] a
good sense of humor can really help you
through a tough show."

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really seem to connect with the
story of John. The movie has played very
well on the festival circuit, winning more
than 20 awards, and it was even
ences

screened in the American Pavilion at

Cannes. The short then went
racked

series of high-profile
national awards, including the DGA
Student Award (see AC Oct. '99), the
up

ASC Student Award and the Student

Academy Award Gold.
Actor Steve Guttenberg was so
impressed with John that he hired
Armstrong, director Banack and editor
Derek Vaughn to work on his directorial
debut. An adaptation of the play RS. Your
Cat Is Dead, the film is now being co¬
directed by Guttenberg and Banack. "All
of the mileage we got out of John
surprised us," Armstrong marvels. "Who
knew we'd get such a boost from a little
film about

bathroom attendant?

■

American Cinematographer - September 2000

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