American Cinematographer - September 2000 - 78

whether

Janusz Kaminski, asc

commercials. I'm

storytelling.

Souls,

Steven

pictures for consumer magazines.
a movie I directed, is coming out

directing and shooting
currently shooting A.I. with

Spielberg. So how would you categorize

me?
"I believe I will still be

doing all of those

things in the future and digital imaging will be one of the

palettes I can use. My concern about digital technology is that it will
diminish the importance of images in storytelling. There is more of a
tendency to stop and talk when we are shooting film. My experience
with video is that there is a 'roll

more

tape' ritual that is much less thought¬

question that film looks better today, because it is

organic. The strength of digital video is that it costs less. It's not

question of which technology will prevail. Filmmaking is a language
with its own grammar that has evolved over decades. The question is
a

Robert

Adobe Illustrator first came

come

comes

graphic designer and commercial

artists. A dilettante

out of a

willing to celebrate mediocre work because

don't want to be controversial. Most of the great

jazz artists
play Chopin first. Filmmaking is no different. If you
think of yourself as a digital rebel, I encourage you to find ways to
learned how to

learn the
orative

language and aesthetics of classical filmmaking as a collab¬
process."

Saving Private Ryan, Amistad, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jerry Maguire,
Schindler's List

Phil Abraham

it ain't art.

"Art doesn't

diminishes the art, and less
we

"I think the idea that

a

design a good layout without a computer, you
weren't going to able to do one with a
computer. The same rule applies any time a
new tool or technology comes along.
"Technology doesn't make art. Artists make art. They may use
technology to make it easier, or faster, or different, or new, but with¬
out an original idea behind it - with something to say, masterfully exe¬

than it

cinematographers we need to be more willing to
only in the work we do, but also in how we express
ourselves. We need to be more critical when someone or something
as

could be

sure

more

"I think

take chances, not

out, we were all being told that now anyone
illustrator. But it turned out that if you couldn't

-

a

McLachlan, CSC

"Years ago, when

cuted

suspect

transition

this month. I've been

"I take still

ful. There is no

not those traditions and aesthetic values survive. I

period - perhaps a generation where peo¬
ple without the same reference points for aesthetic values are using
digital or video cameras that diminish the importance of images in

Lost

same

or

there will be

computer or digital camera any
paint; it comes out of

technology will change the

and make films is a given. It
already has for so many of us. But technology

way we see

will not in itself

change the way we think about
filmmakers can do that, by redefining
conventions and creating new ways to view

films. Only
our

the human condition. A lot of discussion has

been

going on lately that with the advent of digital filmmaking, every¬
a director and a cameraman
just pick it up
and go. That may be true, but good ideas still have to be there, and
dramatic content and visual style will still be very much in demand."
one

will be able to be

The

Sopranos

-

out of a tube of oil

might disagree, but remember what Oscar Wilde

said about them: 'A dilettante is

a

who thinks he can pick a
paying for it with his life."

person

leaf from the laurel tree of art without
Final Destination, A Vision of Murder: The

Janusz

Story of Donielle, Millennium,

Abduction of Innocence, The Commish, MacGyver

Kaminsk
photo
by

Tom

Houghton

"It's my

hope that

seen

new

"Another

technologies will be

within the context of that which has

come

before. While the computer offers access to
different tools

as

well

time-saving devices

as

shortcuts, those very

can turn out to

be the Cliffs

Notes version of culture.

"Discipline and aesthetics will always
be required. Aesthetics come largely from classical forms - we
must still understand light, dark, color and the subtleties of their
interpretation.

aspect of our work that I hope will not change is set

all those procedures that have been developed to allow
smoothly. Many people who don't work on sets think
our job is a simple recording process. Because the process of captur¬
ing an image has been simplified, the filmmaker may be lulled into a
false sense of security that can create unpleasant surprises in the
discipline

-

the work to go

Douglas
Kirkland;
Tom

cutting room. But craft is still the primary goal, and anarchy on the
set would be a disaster. In the end, you can shoot miles and miles of

Houghtn

material, but it still must be put together by the artist to tell

phot

a

story."

by
Jazz
is

a

Night, Tiara Tango, Who Was That Man, and Fire Down Below. Houghton

member of the executive board of ICG Local 600.

Janet

Forman
American Cinematographer - September 2000

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