American Cinematographer - September 2000 - 81

Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC
"If you

believe everything you read and hear,
important news is that digital technology
is transforming the art form and will inevitably
replace film. Of course, it wasn't so long ago
that the pundits predicted television would
replace the movie theater and photography was
going to replace painting. The truth is that a
book is still a book, whether the author uses a pen or a computer to
express ideas, or whether it is printed on paper or distributed on the
Internet. Computers and typewriters have made it easier to write, but
Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick with a pen. Millions of people own
film and digital still cameras that are easy to use and inexpensive.
But there is still only one Henri Cartier-Bresson, only one Marc
Riboud, and only one Sebastio Selgado.
"The technology available for filmmaking has evolved in
remarkable ways, but the storytelling techniques being attributed to
digital imaging can be traced back to the earliest days of the indus¬
try. Abel Gance used handheld cameras, split-screen images, natural
lighting and non-professional actors during the 1920s. Napoleon,
which he directed, is still a compelling film today. What made it great
the most

was
ers

the content and Gance's

ability to assemble a team of filmmak¬

with the talent and skills to execute his ideas.

"Digital technology is a tool we can use to tell our stories
appropriate, but techniques aren't a substitute

when and where it is

style isn't a replacement for content. I recently pho¬
tographed 0 Brother, Where Art Thou? tor Joel and Ethan Coen. We
used digital intermediate technology throughout postproduction as
an extension of cinematography. The technology enabled us to create
a look that supported the mood of the story, but it's not the right
technique for telling every story. I wish there was more discussion
about how we can tell more compelling stories and less hype imply¬
ing that different techniques and uses of technology will replace or
diminish the cinematographer's role in telling stories."
for ideas, and

Kundun, Fargo, Dead Man Walking, The Shawshank Redemption, The
Hudsucker

Proxy, Barton Fink

Bill Roe
"I think the main ways

this job are changing is

that stories are more visual and

Bill Bennett
"This is my life's work, so

I'm offended when
time and money
because you don't need to light with digital HD
camcorders. They say you just point the camera,
push a button, and then fix it in post. That's way
too simplistic. Like most cinematographers, I
believe I can shoot anything, but it all begins
vendors claim you can save

with

understanding the story. Chances are you wouldn't light a tough

in a movie the way you light a glamorous actress. It's the same
with products in TV spots. That's why you usually light a truck differently
than a luxury car. They are like characters in a narrative story. It's
guy

true that when you are
an

shooting film for a TV commercial, even for
over-sampling colors and con¬

HD screen, you are tremendously

producers have

higher expectations. They want us to create
looks that help tell their stories, and at the
same time, they want us to shoot more setups
at a faster pace.

better tools

Fortunately, we have much

today. Some think it is inevitable

that in 10

or 20 years we'll all be shooting digital video. Who knows
happen? Maybe that will be true in 10 or 20 years, but I still
believe film is the best way to shoot today. It has more colors, more
latitude and more textures. They say you can create a film look in

what will

postproduction, but I don't know a cinematographer who would be
routinely fix his lighting with a comput¬
er. When I look at the great stories being told on television today and
the incredible work being done by cinematographers, I can't under¬
stand why anyone would settle for anything less."
content to have someone else

trast, but that's what gives you the latitude to create different looks.
Just about

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Roger

anything is possible. What distinguishes my work from
others' is the decisions I make based on my taste and experience.
People who claim you don't have to light just don't understand the
language of film."
Bill Bennett has

compiled more than 1,000 TV commercial credits.

Bill Roe has

TheX-Files.

won

two ASC

Outstanding Achievement Awards for his work

on
American Cinematographer - September 2000

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