American Cinematographer - August 2002 - 98

Get it

quick.

want ahead of time

of

cable."

More

-

plus pulling a lot

work

followed;

enough, Cady, flush with both
professional crew and student cinema¬
tography experience, was occasionally
landing paying jobs as a cinema¬
tographer on commercials and music
soon

videos.

Cady had decided that he would
stop gaffing after a year and then only
accept cinematographer positions.
However, he wound up gaffing for twice

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Adventures in Location Lighting

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For

Cady, working with an agent
proved crucial in other
situations as well. By way of example,
he notes that "you have to make tough
choices between projects. I was in
consideration for a big-budget comedy,
but it wasn't a smart project for me."
Cady discussed the situation with
Alexander and they agreed that he
should pass. "It was scary to take myself
out of the running," he admits, "but a
has

also

as

month later I

years,

State."

long as he'd planned. "It took two
but it was the best thing for
me. My gaffing really improved and I
truly had my eye on what the
cinematographers wanted. The shooting
I was doing came more easily, and I
began to have a sense of comfort [on the
set].
Along the way, he'd gotten to
know aspiring writer/director Karyn
Kusama via his work with Sayles. When
a proposed Kusama film he'd hoped to
shoot didn't reach production, they kept
in touch, and eventually Kusama showed
him her script for a film project called
Girlfight.
By then Cady was considering
signing with agent Sara Alexander. With
the Girlfight script in hand, Cady was
faced with an important decision. The
dilemma, he explains, is that a
cinematographer can make a good deal
of money by shooting commercials, but
those income opportunities are lost
while one is photographing a low-budget
feature.

Matters of Light

for-television movie.

Prepared to make that sacrifice,
Cady told Alexander that he thought the
Girlfight script was so strong he wanted
to do it even if he didn't get paid;
Alexander agreed. "It was a good script,
it had John Sayles' support, and I feel
that if you shoot a really good
independent film and it gets noticed,
your career changes," says Alexander.
Girlfight was made and won a slew of
awards, including the 2000 Director and
Grand Jury prizes at Sundance (see AC
April '00). In addition, the project
launched Cady into the realm of working
cinematographers. He recently wrapped
Sayles' Sunshine State and is now
shooting Comedy Central's first made-

was

offered Sunshine

Aside from the value of having a
professional adviser as a sounding board
who can also steer potential projects his
way, Cady finds that representation has
another key benefit that low-budget
cinematographers everywhere should
appreciate: he is now able to talk to
filmmakers about projects but can demur
when the discussion turns to money. "It's
great to say, 'You should call my agent
about the financial aspects, and you and
I can just stay focused on the creative
issues.'"
New York Office is, of
inundated with reels from

The
course,

aspiring cinematographers. How do
they pick from the deluge of videotapes?
"We look for
with

someone

who shoots

who
Hausler. One
was added to their
roster based on a short film he shot using
just one lighting instrument. According to
Hausler, the film felt unapologetically
European and courageous, and was
therefore true to a sensibility not often
seen in young people who are eager to
find paying work.
Another way Hausler and
Alexander size up potential clients is to
visualize them at the top of their field.
opinion"
is just good,
cinematographer

"You

an

can

look at

versus someone
says

someone

who is in the

stages of his career and imagine
him on the set of a $60-$70 million
movie," Hausler says. "You also imagine
nascent

that while he may be geeky and
uncomfortable in his own skin today, [on
the set] he's going to be the Mack Daddy,
and turn into someone like Allen Daviau

[ASC], That's what makes it fun and
exciting."
■
American Cinematographer - August 2002

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