RIGHT ROYAL DRAMA A timely shift in focus from the Royal Family takes Netflix’s The Crown from English to Egyptian soil to follow the Al-Fayed family in season five’s “Mou Mou”. The series’ seasoned cinematographer, Adriano Goldman ASC BSC ABC, reveals how he used colour to shape the contrasting storylines in his lensing. It’s not … Read more
ON COURSE FOR CAMERA CAREERS In October 2022, the BSC and London Screen Academy ran the inaugural Cinematography and Camera Department Workshop for “early career creatives” as part of BSC Education. The Cinematography and Camera Department Workshop was conceived two years ago by BSC president Christopher Ross and aimed at those from marginalised groups or … Read more
THE SHOW MUST GO ON Shooting in the precious setting of London’s Freemasons’ Hall added an extra layer of complexity for See How They Run’s cinematographer Jamie D. Ramsay SASC and gaffer Carolina Schmidtholstein. The duo discusses the intricacies of lighting the historic venue while juggling capturing an ensemble cast. It’s 1950s’ London and we … Read more
ORCS BY FIRELIGHT An enormous lighting setup was required when Alex Disenhof ASC lensed the orc nighttime invasion of a village in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. I remember the moment when I was in high school, sitting in a theatre watching The Return of the King and I said, ‘I have to figure … Read more
PLAYING WITH FIRE Time was of the essence for Will Baldy when lighting a fast-evolving tavern set on The Sandman. He explains the tricks and techniques used to capture the changing light over the centuries. On the surface, The Sandman is adapted from the eponymous DC Comics series written by Neil Gaiman. As you’ll learn … Read more
GRANULARITY OF TIME Ula Pontikos BSC’s work on “Nowhen” – the opening episode of season two of Russian Doll, the series merging death, rebirth, past trauma, and time travel – saw her receive an Emmy nomination. The cinematographer talks us through one of her favourite sequences from the second series which follows protagonist Nadia’s DMT … Read more
Bridging the gap Part of the Mayor’s Academies Programme, the West London Film and Television Skills Hub aims to nurture blossoming creative talent to meet rising demand, as its ambassador, the filmmaker and director Chris Skarratt explains. Every time I meet with the next generation of British filmmakers, TV producers, VFX artists or cinematographers, a … Read more
MOVING WITH THE MARKET A selection of UK rental houses share perspectives on the ever-evolving sector, from the peak in activity following the production void through to popular gear, training, and encouraging new entrants to the industry. Much as the events of 2021 have hinted that there might be such a thing as too much … Read more
PERFECTING THE WORKFLOW We explore the evolution of the digital imaging technician’s role in helping achieve maximum image quality, the workflow wizardry surrounding it, and their collaboration with cinematographers and other members of the production team. In the early days of digital cinema, digital imaging technicians emerged for what seemed like three main reasons. One … Read more
EXPLORING NEW DIMENSIONS Erik Alexander Wilson BSC details how he captured elements of four-part series Landscapers, adopting a new “Portrait Anamorphic” mode approach which saw him shoot with 2x anamorphic lenses for a 16:9 delivery. Whilst trying out ideas to find a look for the series Landscapers, I was wondering what would happen if I … Read more
AT THE HEART OF THE ACTION Polly Morgan BSC ASC breaks down an action-packed scene from A Quiet Place Part II and the bespoke car rig, teamwork, and kit that made capturing the first-of-its-kind, tightly choreographed sequence possible. When John [Krasinski] and I discussed the prologue – when the creatures attack – we decided the … Read more
A PAINTER’S EYE Why should cinematographers looking to produce unique creations seek influence from centuries-old art? Witold Stok BSC explores the powerful influence paintings can have on filmmakers. In cinema’s multi-rooted parentage, painters, poets, novelists and theatre animators line up with engineers, craftsmen, builders of medieval cathedrals or the creators of mass-produced Bauhaus works. 17th century Italian opera welded together music, movement, … Read more
REALISING THE VISION Tania Hoser speaks to three fellow members of illuminatrix – a collective of female cinematographers – about their planning and process when creating visual concepts for a film and turning them into a cinematic reality. For me, one of the most beneficial aspects of being part of illuminatrix is the opportunity to … Read more
SPACE TO CREATE Despite the obstacles presented by the pandemic a number of new UK studio locations have been announced recently. We round-up some of the latest developments and the role they will play in filmmaking’s future. The shockwaves of 2020 are still being felt throughout the film industry, even though a number of productions … Read more
THE REAL AND THE UNREAL “In my experience, most DPs get VFX. They’re often a technical bunch who love cameras and gear so they get what we do,” says Geoff D.E. Scott. Scott has supervised his share of visual effects, both on celluloid-shot movies, like Richard Donner’s underrated thriller 16 Blocks and Robert Eggers’ career-launching … Read more
A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP Critical to the successful preparation and execution of a movie is the creative partnership forged between the director and cinematographer. In order to explore the fundamental relationship, four pairings were selected, including two veteran actors making their directorial debuts, two Hollywood stalwarts working together for the first time, and a married couple … Read more
Colour My World The Craft / The DP-Colourist Relationship Colour My World The Craft / The DP-Colourist Relationship BY: Trevor Hogg The final creative to have an impact on the look of a movie or television series is the colourist who works closely with the director and cinematographer. To better understand the dynamics and evolution … Read more
THE CHANGING FACE OF CINEMATOGRAPHY Special Report / Part 2 THE CHANGING FACE OF CINEMATOGRAPHY Special Report / Part 2 The world of cinematography and the working lives of DPs have changed and evolved in many ways since British Cinematographer Magazine was launched in 2002. In our special 100th edition, and also in issue 101, … Read more
Secrets of the Master (Part 2 of 2) Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC / Café Society Secrets of the Master (Part 2 of 2) Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC / Café Society Triple Oscar-winning cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC, continues to share his experiences of shooting Woody Allen’s romantic comedy Café Society digitally, and offers more sage advice for … Read more
Secrets of the Master (Part 1 of 2) Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC / Café Society Secrets of the Master (Part 1 of 2) Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC / Café Society Triple Oscar-winning cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC, shares his experiences of shooting Woody Allen’s romantic comedy Café Society digitally, and offers some sage advice for up-and-coming cinematographers. … Read more