American Cinematographer - December 2000 - 12

CAMERA CASES
www.portabra«e.«om

Iately, more than a few pundits have lamented the
end of the

"truly independent film." In planning this

issue of AC, however, we found the indie spirit to
be alive and well, as evidenced by the war stories
recounted

by this month's featured filmmakers.

Shadow of the Vampire, an artful and affec¬
tionate

homage to F.W. Murnau's 1922 expressionist
certainly reflects the aesthetic
integrity of its director, E. Elias Merhige, and cine¬
matographer, Lou Bogue. Despite a modest budget,
the duo managed to effectively recreate, down to the
classic Nosferatu,

last obsessive detail, the look of both Murnau's film
and the

era

of life in

a

in which it

shot. Our coverage

of this fascinating project ("Dark
Shadows") begins on page 66.
Likewise, no one would dare claim that Maggie Greenwald's Songcatcher
("Elusive Tunes," page 76) panders to the mainstream. Acclaimed during its run at the
2000 Sundance Film Festival (where its cast earned a Special Jury Prize for Outstanding
Ensemble Performance), the picture tracks a woman's voyage to the heart of the
Appalachian Mountains, where she seeks the roots of a distinctly American folk music.
Our monthly departments serve further notice that the indie ethic is
indomitable. In Production Slate, the makers of Skeletons in the Closet and A Million
Miles reveal the passion that brought their microbudget projects to fruition; Short
Takes highlights the clever holiday charmer Merry Christmas and the lyrical dramatic
short Aizea: City of the Wind; and Global Village salutes Billy Elliot, the heartwarming
tale of a British boy whose passion for ballet helps him escape the the harsh realities
was

mining town.

This issue of /ACalso offers

Carry-On.. .well padded everyday case

a pair of special features that will hopefully prove
helpful to both indie filmmakers and more established professionals. "The Rise of
Internet Cinema" (page 84) presents an overview of the Web options that exist for
ambitious artists, while "The Reel Deal" (page 94) serves up expert advice for cine¬
matographers on how to assemble an effective show reel.
Fittingly enough, even the major-studio pictures we've covered exemplify inde¬
pendentthinking. Director Sam Raimi and cinematographer Jamie Anderson made the
most of a tight budget and schedule on the supernatural thriller The G/ft("Southern
Gothic," page 58), while the the paranormal drama Unbreakable teamed a refined
European cinematographer, Eduardo Serra, AFC ("Man of Steel," page 38) with a
creative and uncompromising American director, M. Night Shyamalan ("Extrasensory
Perception," page 48).

Quick-Draw.. .hard shell case

j^n^roductsATD.

e-mail:

Box 249

North

Bennington

Best Overall Trade Publication

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Best Communications,

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stephen@theasc.com

Maggie Awards

Vermont 05257 USA

PHONE: 802-442-8171
10

2000

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