American Cinematographer - November 2008 - 94

Clubhouse News production design for the African Film Academy’s “Film in a Box” workshop in August, and among the texts used by Martin, the group’s cinematography instructor, were issues of American Cinematographer. “My favorite tool to inspire my students was American Cinematographer,” says Martin. “The magazine offered the best glimpse into how notable cinematographers approached and executed their films. What was their philosophy behind lens choices? What film tests did they do? How did they communicate with their director? The best part was that my students were then able to see those same films playing on the big screens in Lagos.” and techniques and mastering for digital cinema. “Ron Burdett has epitomized the entrepreneurial spirit of innovation and forward thinking that helped to define our modern postproduction industry,” says Leon Silverman, president of the HPA. “His leadership skills in helping to create a vibrant postproduction community and his contributions to technical excellence and creativity cannot be overstated.” Pizzello Wins Bronze AC executive editor Stephen Pizzello recently won a bronze Eddie Award for his Jan. ’08 article on There Will Be Blood. Presented by Folio: magazine, the Eddies recognize editorial excellence in business-to-business (trade) and consumer publications. The other publications honored in the same category — Best Single Article, Business-to-Business, Media/Entertainment/Publishing — were Digital Content Producer, which won the gold, and Publishers Weekly, which took the silver. Pizzello’s article, titled “Blood for Oil,” included interviews with cinematographer Robert Elswit, ASC, who won ASC and Academy awards for his work on the picture; director Paul Thomas Anderson; gaffer Robby Baumgartner; camera assistant Barry Idoine; lens designer Dan Sasaki; and specialeffects supervisor Steve Cremin. Pizzello won a 1993 Maggie Award and has earned six additional Maggie nominations for his writing. During his tenure as executive editor, AC has won four Eddies and three Maggies for overall excellence. I Frontier Justice David Stump, ASC (above, center) was on hand in Amsterdam to contribute to the IBC Master Class “Out on the Dynamic Range: Why Hasn’t Digital Killed Off Film Yet?” Mediated by George Jarrett (right), the session also included Glenn Kennel (left), vice president and general manager of feature film at LaserPacific. The 90-minute session covered everything from exposure latitude and sharpness to grain, texture and color reproduction. Data storage, archiving and workflows were also discussed, as was the concern that increased automation could threaten the craft skills of cinematographers and colorists alike. AC Finds Readers in Nigeria Three graduates of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Cybel Martin, Cinque Northern and Toni Barton, traveled to Lagos, Nigeria, to teach cinematography, editing and HPA Honors Burdett ASC associate member Ronald D. Burdett (above) will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA) Awards on Nov. 6. A founding member of the HPA, Burdett headed the post facility Sunset Digital for over 25 years, during which time the company’s advancements included digital restoration tools 94 October 2008

American Cinematographer - November 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - November 2008