American Cinematographer - February 2017 - 10

You know another Star Wars movie has arrived when your
managing editor saunters into the office wearing a screenaccurate Rebel Alliance parka - despite the fact that the
thermometers at the AC editorial offices in Los Angeles rarely
drop to the frigid temperatures of Hoth. Granted, it was rainy
out - and even a tad nippy - when Mr. Witmer proudly
dropped his co-workers' jaws with the limited-edition attire,
but the jacket's style and functionality is somewhat undermined by the fact that Jon would never consider hanging it
on a public coat hook, especially if the hanger were located
in some "wretched hive of scum and villainy."
Elsewhere in the office, associate editor Andrew Fish
and photo editor Kelly Brinker could be overheard bantering
about X-wing fighters and other finer points of the Lucasfilm universe, which recently
expanded its narrative with the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. My own conversations about the movie began two winters ago in Poland at the Camerimage festival, where
cinematographer Greig Fraser, ASC, ACS expressed his excitement about the project while
sipping Zubrowka cocktails. His battle plans - which ultimately included deployment of Arri's
brand-new Alexa 65 camera, paired with vintage Ultra Panavision 70 lenses - are expertly
achieved in the finished picture, which is chock full of action amid otherworldly settings that
benefit greatly from the gritty, naturalistic look that Fraser helped director Gareth Edwards
achieve.
The filmmakers welcomed senior European correspondent Benjamin B onto the Rogue
One sets at Pinewood Studios just outside London. Our in-depth coverage ("Rebel Assault,"
page 30) includes Benjamin's firsthand account of the visit, as well as comments he and Witmer
gathered in interviews with Fraser; ASC associate Dan Sasaki, Panavision's vice president of optical engineering and lens strategy; production designer Doug Chiang (who shared those duties
with Neil Lamont); and senior visual-effects supervisor John Knoll.
Fraser notes, "I love Lucasfilm because we said to them, 'Here's a camera no one's ever
shot a feature film with, and some 50-year-old lenses, which are kind of funky, and we want
to shoot the movie with them.' A lot of more conservative studios would say, 'Nah, let's use
what we used on the last movie.' But Lucasfilm has the integrity and artistic vision to say, 'Yes.'
And the guys at Arri and Panavision made it happen."
This issue kicks off with a special-focus piece: "Rising Stars of Cinematography," featuring a group of up-and-coming talents profiled by Jim Hemphill (page 14). The article also
includes valuable advice and counsel from Hollywood agents who represent both new and
veteran cinematographers.
Several such seasoned cinematographers are saluted in our pages as they are being
honored this month at the annual ASC Awards ceremony: Edward Lachman, ASC, who will
receive the Lifetime Achievement Award ("Masterful Vision," page 54); Ron Garcia, ASC, who
adds the Career Achievement in Television Award to his résumé ("Shot From the Heart," page
64); Philippe Rousselot, ASC, AFC, whose European panache is being recognized with the International Award ("French Evolution," page 72); and Nancy Schreiber, ASC, a trailblazer who
richly merits the Presidents Award ("Energy and Instinct," page 78).

Stephen Pizzello
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
10

Photo by Owen Roizman, ASC.

Editor's Note
American Cinematographer - February 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - February 2017
