Stories From Quarantine Across The Pond / Mark London Williams This past month, as many have observed, has been one of the longest years of our lives. It seems like another era when I filed that previous column speculating the NAB might be cancelled. The question a few short weeks later is: What is still … Read more
Bedazzled Darius Khondji AFC ASC / Uncut Gems Bedazzled Darius Khondji AFC ASC / Uncut Gems Filmed predominantly on Kodak 35mm film, Uncut Gems, the high-stakes, high-anxiety thriller directed by Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie, received critical acclaim and multiple awards after releasing in cinemas in December 2019 by A24. Along with its screenplay, direction, … Read more
Balancing Acts President’s Perspective / Mike Eley BSC Balancing Acts President’s Perspective / Mike Eley BSC Lead image: Credit – Richard Blanshard The second BSC Awards Night was held on February 15th at the Grosvenor House Hotel. After last year’s inaugural event, it was great to see the same energy taken forward by all involved … Read more
Whimsical Worlds Zac Nicholson BSC / The Personal History Of David Copperfield Whimsical Worlds Zac Nicholson BSC / The Personal History Of David Copperfield BY: Valentina Valentini From the very first frames of The Personal History Of David Copperfield, it is clear that the film is going to be an aesthetic feast for its audience’s eyes. The … Read more
Light Emitting Dynamo Spotlight / DMG Lumière by Rosco Light Emitting Dynamo Spotlight / DMG Lumière by Rosco BY: Kevin Hilton The history of corporate acquisitions is littered with examples of a company being taken over and getting completely absorbed by the new owner, which strips out the best products and merges them with its own offering. … Read more
Satire In Space Eben Bolter BSC / Avenue 5 Satire In Space Eben Bolter BSC / Avenue 5 BY: Michael Burns With a spaceship-sized set, comic timing, a thousand-strong cast, integrated lighting, and a devastating fire, British cinematographer Eben Bolter BSC and the crew of Avenue 5 steered Armando Iannucci’s sci-fi epic to the screen. … Read more
Sense Of Purr-pose Christopher Ross BSC / Cats Sense Of Purr-pose Christopher Ross BSC / Cats The musical fantasy Cats follows a tribe of felines, called the Jellicles, who must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer before coming back to a new Jellicle life. The vivid, dance-filled film is based on … Read more
Motion Controller Innovator / Dave Alex Riddett Motion Controller Innovator / Dave Alex Riddett BY: Kevin Hilton During a 35-plus year career, director of photography Dave Alex Riddett, has taken inspiration from inventive pioneers such as Georges Méliès, Ray Harryhausen, Gerry Anderson and Derek Meddings to create his own effects for many Aardman Animation productions, … Read more
Just one language – visual language Across The Pond / Mark London Williams Just one language – visual language Across The Pond / Mark London Williams By the time you read this in March – which side of the “Ides” you find yourself on – the Oscars and award season itself will be, as previously … Read more
Soul Sisters Yorick Le Saux AFC / Little Women Soul Sisters Yorick Le Saux AFC / Little Women The chemistry between the performers, plus the alchemy of 35mm film for capturing nature and human portraits, have conspired to make Little Women, director Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic American novel, a contender across … Read more
Caveat Emptor Letter from America / Steven Poster ASC Caveat Emptor Letter from America / Steven Poster ASC I’m writing to you on the plane home from the 2019 celebration of the art of cinematography called EnergaCamerimage in Toruń, Poland. This grand event happens every year in November and allows us a wonderful week to … Read more
Check The Gate Clapperboard / Harvey Harrison BSC Check The Gate Clapperboard / Harvey Harrison BSC In a career spanning more than five decades, Harvey Harrison BSC worked on a great number of movies with some of the biggest names in the filmmaking business, including Nic Roeg, The Wachowski’s, Mickey Moore and Ken Russell. During … Read more
Uncoupling Robbie Ryan BSC ISC / Marriage Story Uncoupling Robbie Ryan BSC ISC / Marriage Story Shot on Kodak 35mm film, director Noah Baumbach’s tragi-comedy Marriage Story earned multiple nominations during the 2020 awards season. Its sure-footed cinematography was composed by Robbie Ryan BSC ISC. Baumbach’s sensitive and sharp-witted bi-coastal narrative centres on a marriage … Read more
May The Force Be With Us President’s Perspective / Mike Eley BSC May The Force Be With Us President’s Perspective / Mike Eley BSC 2019 was the BSC’s 70th Anniversary year, one during which the society’s identity was celebrated and given a bit of a polish. There were two particular highlights; the inaugural BSC Awards … Read more
At The Peak Of Their Craft Across The Pond / Mark London Williams At The Peak Of Their Craft Across The Pond / Mark London Williams By the time you read our next column, the Oscars could well be in the rearview mirror, and it would seem probable that Roger Deakins will be holding another … Read more
