American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 58
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A Cinematic Passport
is an amazing director.” Seale, who had actually been director of photography on several films prior to Gallipoli, returned to that rank with his next picture, Careful, He Might Hear You, and walked off with the Australian Film Institute Award. Two years later, Witness put him on the map in America. He considers that film’s success the most significant turning point in his 40-plusyear career. Suddenly, he was in demand in America, and he followed Witness with, in quick succession, The Hitcher , Children of a Lesser God , The Mosquito Coast (AC Feb. ’87), Stakeout, Gorillas in the Mist, Rain Man (AC April ’89) and DeadPoets Society , all in the 1980s. Seale has become well known for using multiple cameras not just on action sequences, but as a matter of course. He developed the idea on Rain Man . “Dustin [Hoffman] and Tom [Cruise] started to ad lib. It was brilliant stuff, but getting reverses for editing was going to be difficult. I thought we should be covering the other side as well. Fortunately, [director] Barry Levinson agreed, and we started cross-shooting with two cameras. It gives the director and editor performance continuity.” Over the years, two cameras became three, and sometimes, as on last year’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (AC June ’10), he uses four or more. Seale has received a certain amount of flak from other cinematographers for this habit. “I gave a talk on using multiple cameras once, and a cameraman said, ‘You must be compromising your lighting.’ Honesty is always the best policy, so I told him, ‘Yes, but never more than 20 percent.’ He looked at me, said nothing and walked off.” Camera operator Todd Henry, who worked with Seale on Rain Man and Spanglish, among other films, notes that many cinematographers refuse to compromise in that way. “Compromising your lighting is a remarkable sacrifice for a cinematographer, but John’s attitude is that he serves the director and the story, and sometimes that requires sacrificing a pretty shot,” says Henry. Seale recognizes that using multiAmerican Cinematographer
Top to bottom: Director Sydney Pollack and Seale consider their options on set for The Firm (1993); the cinematographer checks the light on The Firm star Tom Cruise; Seale captures a patriotic moment for Rob Reiner’s The American President (1995).
58
February 2011
American Cinematographer - February 2011
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - February 2011
American Cinematographer - February 2011
Contents
Editor’s Note
President’s Desk
Short Takes: God of Love
Production Slate: The Way Back • The Last Lions
Masked Men
Total Immersion
Behind the Music
A Cinematic Passport
Post Focus: MTI Films
New Products & Services
International Marketplace
Classified Ads
Ad Index
In Memoriam: Robert Steadman, ASC
Clubhouse News
ASC Close-Up: Barry Markowitz
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - American Cinematographer - February 2011
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 1
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 2
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Contents
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 4
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 5
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 6
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 7
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Editor’s Note
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 9
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - President’s Desk
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 11
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Short Takes: God of Love
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 13
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 14
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 15
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Production Slate: The Way Back • The Last Lions
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 17
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 18
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 19
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 20
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 21
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 22
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 23
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 24
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 25
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Masked Men
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 27
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 28
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 29
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 30
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 31
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 32
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 33
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 34
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 35
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Total Immersion
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 37
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 38
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 39
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 40
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 41
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 42
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 43
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 44
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 45
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Behind the Music
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 47
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 48
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 49
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 50
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 51
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 52
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 53
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - A Cinematic Passport
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 55
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 56
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 57
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 58
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 59
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 60
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 61
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 62
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 63
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Post Focus: MTI Films
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 65
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 66
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 67
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - New Products & Services
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 69
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 70
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 71
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 72
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 73
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 74
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 75
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - International Marketplace
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Classified Ads
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Ad Index
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 79
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - In Memoriam: Robert Steadman, ASC
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 81
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Clubhouse News
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - 83
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - ASC Close-Up: Barry Markowitz
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - February 2011 - Cover4
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