American Cinematographer - November 2008 - (Page 43)

Pressure on a Stone production begins with the very first interview. Papamichael remembers his tête-à-tête with the director for Any Given Sunday, which was ultimately shot by future ASC member Salvatore Totino (AC Jan. ’99): “Oliver was lying on the couch, wearing bright orange socks, and the first thing he said was, ‘Phedon, I’m very disappointed in you. We shot in this office on Wild Palms, and you haven’t mentioned it.’ I said, ‘We didn’t shoot here; we shot in the office next door.’ He said, ‘No, we shot here.’ It went like that for a while. The first thing Oliver does is rattle your cage and see how you respond, because he knows the pressure in interviews is nothing compared to the pressure he’s going to put you under on the set! But I love the guy, and even though W. was probably the most demanding picture I’ve ever done, I’d definitely jump in and do it again. Working with Oliver is a very intense but super-creative process.” On W., their collaboration began in preproduction, often while Stone and Papamichael were killing time in airports or flying to and from Louisiana. “It was less talking conceptually or technically about the movie and really just getting to know each other,” says Papamichael. Nonetheless, Stone was always taking notes. “Oliver writes down everything you say, even if you just make a joke!” says the cinematographer. “He’s the hardest-working guy I’ve ever worked with, and he’s very well-prepared. He’s like a mad professor — he has a huge bag of notepads about every filmmaking situation he’s been in, and on one of our trips, he pulled out notes that went back 15 or 20 years! He’ll go through his notes and ask, ‘What about shutter speed? What about strobing?’ You might say something and think it’s not really registering on him because he frowns and doesn’t respond. Then, three days later, Opposite: President George W. Bush (Josh Brolin) addresses the White House press corps. This page, top: A younger, wilder Bush does the “Texas twostep” atop a bar with a lively partner. Below: The Bush clan reacts to the news of George senior’s election defeat to Bill Clinton in 1992. George W. stands at far left; seated from left to right are George H.W. Bush (James Cromwell); his wife, Barbara (Ellen Burstyn); and Laura Bush (Elizabeth Banks). Photos courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment. American Cinematographer 43

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American Cinematographer - November 2008 Contents Editor’s Note Letters Short Takes Production Slate Forging a Bond The Making of a President Thunder Down Under Habitat for Inhumanity Saluting Television’s Top Talents Post Focus New Products & Services International Marketplace Classified Ads Ad Index Clubhouse News ASC Close-Up

American Cinematographer - November 2008

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