American Cinematographer - March 2008 - (Page 27)

he searches for the real culprit, he stumbles upon evidence of his greatuncle’s life’s work, the book Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Soon, Jared is exploring a world of powerful, dangerous magic that is full of creatures of all shapes and sizes. Directed by Mark Waters and based on the best-selling books by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, The Spiderwick Chronicles was shot by Caleb Deschanel, ASC, who has mingled family films with adult fare throughout his career. “I like to do a children’s movie now and again, and I really liked this story,” says the cinematographer, whose recent credits include Ask the Dust (2006), National Treasure (2004) and The Passion of the Christ (2004; AC March ’04). “In prep, the script was rewritten to be a bit more mature, with a little more weight in terms of story and consequences, but it’s still a family film. I felt if we could bring the creatures to life in the right way, it would be a great film.” The evolution of Spiderwick’s script actually continued throughout production, and toward the end of the shoot, the company shut down for about three months so the ending could be rewritten. “It seems rewriting during production has become the norm, and honestly, we prepped one film and made another,” says Deschanel. “Often, we’d have a previz worked out for a scene, and then Mark would come in with new pages and say that scene was no longer in the movie. So we had to do a lot by the seat of our pants as we went along.” As is typical of large-scale productions, there were other complicating factors as well. In the story, as the Grace family struggles Opposite: Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn) studies the magical realm in The Spiderwick Chronicles. This page, left: His findings are recorded in a book that’s been guarded for decades by his miniscule assistant, Thimbletack, an entirely CG creation. Below: After unlocking the book’s secrets, the Grace siblings — Mallory (Sarah Bolger), Jared and Simon (both played by Freddie Highmore) — must keep the tome from falling into the wrong hands. Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures. American Cinematographer 27

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - March 2008

American Cinematographer - March 2008 Contents Editor’s Note Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore Production Slate: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids Magical Mystery Tour Some Kind of Monster Tantalizing Television Making Sitcoms “Sexy” Post Focus: Mega Playground Helps Set Look for Sibling Post Focus: Visual Effects Society Launches White Paper New Products & Services International Marketplace Classified Ads Ad Index In Memoriam: John McPherson, ASC ASC Membership Roster Clubhouse News ASC Close-Up: Wayne Kennan

American Cinematographer - March 2008

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