American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 36

Some Kind Monster Michael Bonvillain, ASC simulates the look of a consumer-grade video camera to capture a monster’s rampage through Manhattan in Cloverfield. by Jon D. Witmer Unit photography by Sam Emerson of O 36 March 2008 n his latest project, the monster movie Cloverfield, director of photography Michael Bonvillain, ASC faced the unique challenge of crafting an entire feature that looks like it was captured by a single consumer video camera operated by one of the main characters. That meant eschewing traditional coverage in favor of long takes that are interrupted only when the character supposedly turns the camera off. On set, this led to long rehearsals and days when nothing was shot until hours after lunch; once the camera started rolling, though, shooting went on for upwards of 60 takes. “I felt like we were constantly teetering on the edge of disaster, but as long as we never actually fell in, I knew it was going to inform us in a good way,” says Matt Reeves, the film’s director. Cloverfield reunited Bonvillain with Reeves and producer J.J. Abrams; the three first collaborated on the series Felicity, and Bonvillain went on to work with Abrams on Alias (AC Nov. ’02) and Lost (AC Feb. ’05). “J.J. and Matt are really respectful of the cinematographer, and they’re just good people,” says Bonvillain. The main characters in Cloverfield comprise a band of friends trying to stay alive amid a monster’s rampage through Manhattan. The story begins with a

American Cinematographer - March 2008

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

American Cinematographer - March 2008
Contents
Editor’s Note
Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore
Production Slate: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids
Magical Mystery Tour
Some Kind of Monster
Tantalizing Television
Making Sitcoms “Sexy”
Post Focus: Mega Playground Helps Set Look for Sibling
Post Focus: Visual Effects Society Launches White Paper
New Products & Services
International Marketplace
Classified Ads
Ad Index
In Memoriam: John McPherson, ASC
ASC Membership Roster
Clubhouse News
ASC Close-Up: Wayne Kennan
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - American Cinematographer - March 2008
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 1
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 2
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Contents
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 4
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 5
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 6
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 7
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Editor’s Note
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 9
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Short Takes: Bill Viola’s Ocean Without a Shore
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 11
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 12
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 13
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 14
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 15
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Production Slate: Chantal: A Night at the Pyramids
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 17
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 18
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 19
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 20
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 21
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 22
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 23
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 24
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 25
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Magical Mystery Tour
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 27
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 28
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 29
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 30
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 31
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 32
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 33
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 34
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 35
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Some Kind of Monster
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 37
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 38
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 39
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 40
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 41
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 42
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 43
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 44
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 45
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Tantalizing Television
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 47
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 48
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 49
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 50
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 51
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 52
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 53
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 54
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 55
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 56
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 57
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Making Sitcoms “Sexy”
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 59
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 60
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 61
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 62
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 63
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 64
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 65
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Post Focus: Visual Effects Society Launches White Paper
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 67
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 68
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 69
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - New Products & Services
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 71
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 72
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 73
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 74
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 75
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 76
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 77
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - International Marketplace
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Classified Ads
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Ad Index
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 81
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - In Memoriam: John McPherson, ASC
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 83
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - ASC Membership Roster
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 85
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Clubhouse News
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - 87
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - ASC Close-Up: Wayne Kennan
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - March 2008 - Cover4
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