REFRAMING THE CONCERT FILM Erik Messerschmidt ASC takes us behind the scenes of monochrome music creation, Bono: Stories of Surrender, to explore the making of a bold, immersive and intimate concert film. The passion to ensure a project came to life in glorious monochrome saw the filmmakers behind Apple TV+ production Bono: Stories of Surrender … Read more
FLYING COLOURS Colour plays a starring role in cinematic storytelling. Erik Messerschmidt ASC shares insight into how it can create emotion and inform the audience, the vital collaboration cinematographers enjoy with colourists, and his experience on the jury of this year’s FilmLight Colour Awards. Every filmmaker’s relationship with colour is different and extremely personal. Cinematographer … Read more
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE When portraying a significant period of change in the life of ex-racer and famed automaker Enzo Ferrari, eliciting an emotional response from the audience was a priority for writer-director Michael Mann and DP Erik Messerschmidt ASC, whether they were immersing them in high-octane race action or the drama and struggles … Read more
Films, frogs and festivities The cinematography community enjoys a deserved week in the spotlight at Poland’s Camerimage Film Festival. Two days before the 31st edition of EnergaCAMERIMAGE Film Festival began on 11 November, the industry breathed a collective sigh of relief: SAG-AFTRA had reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP, so their 118-day strike … Read more
Movie magic in Mallorca Shining a light on those behind as much as in front of the camera, Mallorca International Film Festival is the must-attend event for the cinematographic community. “I wouldn’t be up here if people hadn’t invested in me, if I didn’t have mentors, if I didn’t have parents who cared for me, … Read more
The nominations for the 96th Oscars have been revealed, with the announcement of nominees taking place during a presentation at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. A total of 23 categories were announced as the movie-awards season hits its apex after a year that blasted off in July … Read more
Though the labour disputes may have come to a close – for now – their reverberations still echo around Hollywood, as Mark London Williams sees first-hand on a food drive with IATSE in Los Angeles. We also bid a sad farewell to an accomplished cinematographer and former Academy president, and hear from the visual artists … Read more
The November/December issue of British Cinematographer is now here! Read on to find out what’s in our latest edition… ROBBIE RYAN BSC ISC ON POOR THINGS “Unique” is a word you’ll hear a lot – and for good reason – in relation to Yorgos Lanthimos and Robbie Ryan BSC ISC’s latest visual feast. Find out how … Read more
Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF), Mallorca’s premier annual event for international filmmakers, will this year celebrate the work of Oscar-winning DOP Erik Messerschmidt ASC, by honouring him with the prestigious Cinematography Icon Award, which will be presented at the festival’s Opening Night Gala on October 18th, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The festival’s Cinematography … Read more
DNEG’s VFX supervisors Fabricio Baessa and Francois Lambert reveal how they painstakingly recreated historical planes and ships and crafted some jaw-dropping war sequences for J.D. Dillard’s Devotion. 2022 has been a bumper year for high-flying filmmaking. Following in the vapour trails of May’s Top Gun: Maverick is Devotion, an action-packed war drama based on the … Read more
“We made use of every single cobblestone we could get.” That’s not the first image that comes to mind when considering a historical drama about U.S. Navy fighter pilots, but it’s revelatory of the attention that Oscar-winning DP Erik Messerschmidt ASC and the rest of the cast and crew, brought to Devotion, the current film … Read more
Hollywood cinematographers have signed a letter urging the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to address “the hazards of unsafe working hours” that have plagued the industry for decades. Among the many signatories are Emmanuel Lubezki ASC AMC (Gravity), John Toll ASC (Braveheart), Sir Roger Deakins CBE BSC ASC (1917), and Erik Messerschmidt … Read more
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the latest members for 2021. This included 395 members in 50 countries across many roles within the film industry, from casting directors to actors. The 11 cinematographers are as follows: Manuel Alberto Claro Hope Melancholia Christine A. Maier Quo Vadis, Aida? Life Guidance Tobie Marier-Robitaille … Read more
This year’s Academy Awards recognised many outstanding films and artists this year. ARRI provided camera equipment for Oscar’s big winner of the evening, Nomadland, and many others. The postponed 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by AMPAS, was held on April 25, in Los Angeles. The event, traditionally been seen by more than 225 countries and … Read more
The film industry’s finest were honoured at the 93rd Academy Awards, a smaller than usual – but no less entertaining and celebratory – COVID-safe event at Los Angeles’ Union Station. Erik Messerschmidt ASC won the cinematography award for his magnificent lensing of Mank, his first Oscar win. Nominees in the category were Sean Bobbitt BSC … Read more
Outstanding achievement in cinematography was championed at the 35th annual American Society of Cinematographers Awards. Taking place at the the historic ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood and hosted by TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz, the virtual ceremony saw the nominees’ outstanding talent and creativity recognised and the winners revealed. The live ceremony included the presentation of the ASC … Read more
We’re excited to announce the BSC Awards nominees for the Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Release category are… Sean Bobbitt BSC for Judas and the Black Messiah Joshua James Richards for Nomadland Alwin Küchler BSC for The Mauritanian Erik Messerschmidt ASC for Mank Dariusz Wolski ASC for News of the World The nominees … Read more
MASTERCLASS IN MONOCHROME Black-and-white biopic Mank sees another successful collaboration between cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt ASC and director David Fincher as they craft an authentic portrayal of Hollywood’s golden age and explore the turbulent development of the script for Citizen Kane. “This was not an offer I had to consider; the answer was an immediate yes,” … Read more
Actor-producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas and singer, songwriter and actor Nick Jonas announced the 93rd Oscars nominations in 23 categories live from London, via a global live stream. Nominees in the Cinematography category are Judas and the Black Messiah (Sean Bobbitt BSC); Mank (Erik Messerschmidt ASC); News of the World (Dariusz Wolski ASC); Nomadland (Joshua James … Read more