American Cinematographer - November 2008 - (Page 96)

ASC CLOSE-UP Victor Goss, ASC When you were a child, what film made the strongest impression on you? My dad built the first drive-in theater in Santa Maria, Calif., so spending evenings in the projection booth tuned me to the rhythm of sprockets and claws at 24 Hz. Naturally, I was the AV geek in high school because I knew it was a good chance to sneak a smoke during class, but The Grapes of Wrath (1940) made me quit smoking. I was drawn by those haunting images created by Gregg Toland, ASC. I’ve seen the movie at least 50 times and will never forget it. Which cinematographers, past or present, do you most admire? A partial list: ASC members Gordon Willis, Jordan Cronenweth, Vittorio Storaro, Owen Roizman, Roger Deakins, Conrad Hall, Vilmos Zsigmond, Laszlo Kovacs, Allen Daviau, Jost Vacano, Bill Fraker, Caleb Deschanel, Bill Pope, Darius Khondji, Tak Fujimoto, Sandi Sissel, Charles Lang, John Seitz, Gregg Toland, Arthur Edeson, Elwood Bredell and Freddie Young; and BSC members David Watkin and Ozzie Morris. What sparked your interest in photography? My dad bought me an Ansco 620 when I was a kid, and I went around Yosemite taking pictures, inspired by the Ansel Adams prints I saw in the gift shop. Later, I read Adams’ photo series and began experimenting with exposure and development — and learned about gamma. Where did you train and/or study? I was accepted at Art Center School of Photography but never got a chance to attend because I was broke. I took a few UCLA extension courses in beginning filmmaking, but it really wasn’t film school. Who were your early teachers or mentors? My dad worked as a gaffer and taught me all the classic techniques, and I spent the 1970s and ’80s shooting commercials influenced by the New York school of ‘single-source’ or ‘natural’ lighting. I worked as a gaffer for several years and learned many things from ASC members John Hora, Woody Omens, Allen Daviau and Caleb Deschanel and countless other outstanding artists. Without a doubt, the best experience was working second unit for Vilmos Zsigmond across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East in the ’80s — that’s a guy you’ve gotta work hard to keep up with! What are some of your key artistic influences? Most influential were Gordon Willis’ work on Interiors and Stardust Memories and Jordan Cronenweth’s work on State of Grace. I also was transported by Laszlo Kovacs’ Five Easy Pieces and Paper Moon. Angel Heart, shot by Michael Seresin, BSC, opened a whole new visual world to me, and City of Lost Children, shot by Darius Khondji, was as big as Disneyland and more fun. Also, Ozzie Morris’ lighting in The Guns of Navarone, though not modern by today’s standards, haunted me every time I approached a nighttime lighting situation. In addition, I’ve always been moved by the paintings of Edward Hopper, the photography of Walker Evans, and the journals of E.B. White; other influences include James Joyce, Thomas Pynchon, Henry Thoreau, Wallace Stevens, William Blake, Emily Dickinson and John Donne. 96 November 2008 How did you get your first break in the business? I made a short film about spelunking on Ektachrome high-speed reversal with my Beaulieu 16mm. (I had invented a 12-volt batterypowered backpack lighting system, which I described in an article in AC in 1973.) It had a beautiful synthesized musical score by the late Basil Poledouris. I showed it around town and started working with Robert Lieberman and others on commercials. What has been your most satisfying moment on a project? When they call lunch! Also, viewing the finished product and seeing smiles when the lights come up. Have you made any memorable blunders? It’s a long list, but the one I regret more than most was a night of crazed celebration in Athens with Vilmos and his crew, drinking ouzo and bellydancing onstage. When everybody started breaking plates, I grabbed one and, thinking it was a breakaway plate like in the movies, cracked it over Vilmos’ head. I think we were all well anesthetized by then, and I hope Vilmos has forgiven me. What is the best professional advice you’ve ever received? When I was becoming successful shooting commercials, a wise producer friend leaned over in a screening room once and whispered, ‘Don’t let this go to your head.’ About 23 years later, I figured out what he meant. What recent books, films or artworks have inspired you? The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and La Vie en Rose. The French film industry is rising again, and I keep up with it via Greencine and Netflix because foreign theatrical imports are anemic in the States. Do you have any favorite genres, or genres you would like to try? I used to like action, horror and thrillers, but I’ve become enamored by the human face and have come to love photographing beautiful women. Sue me! If you weren’t a cinematographer, what might you be doing instead? Writing. I love journalism of all kinds and am a big fan of short stories and poetry. Which ASC cinematographers recommended you for membership? Michael Watkins, John Hora and Woody Omens. How has ASC membership impacted your life and career? Being a cinematographer is one of those strange occupations where you seldom get to work with others who do what you do. The ASC has given me an opportunity to hang out with guys and gals who are, to me, the real movie stars. I

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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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