American Cinematographer - July 2016 - 88

Shane Hurlbut, ASC

When you were a child, what film made the strongest
impression on you?
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, because of the light, the mystery
and the aliens. Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC, HSC was such an inspiration
for me.

it was going, and three days later I got a call from Rob's office
requesting an interview. A week after that, I started my first narrative film with Rob, The Rat Pack. I will be forever grateful to him for
believing in me and giving me a chance to prove myself in the
narrative world.

Which cinematographers, past or present, do you
most admire?
Gregg Toland, ASC, for his use of contrast and composition. Roger
Deakins, ASC, BSC, for his seamless, effortless
and stunning visuals. Robert Richardson, ASC, for
his ballsy exposures and mixing formats.
Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC, for his extraordinary talent to immerse you as a viewer.

What has been your most satisfying moment on a project?
Each feature project is satisfying in its own way, but if I had to
choose just one, it would be Act of Valor. That experience was
unlike anything I had ever done before. Under
the leadership of directors Scott Waugh and
Mike McCoy, we made the movie with a core of
about 10 storytellers, and the teamwork necessary to pull it off was inspirational.

What sparked your interest in
photography?
I grew up in a small town in Upstate New York
with very little money, but my parents always
made it a priority to take a long family vacation
during the summer, and they loved to take
pictures to document our adventures. I would
shoot Super 8mm movies on these epic train
trips. By 14 years old, I was making my own
experimental movies and processing them in the bathtub.

Have you made any memorable blunders?
My first day as a gaffer, I had set my meter to
100 ASA and we were shooting 500 ASA film.
I will never forget coming up to the cinematographer and telling him that we had to reshoot all
the footage. Of course, the agency decided to
use the footage we exposed incorrectly.

Where did you train and/or study?
I graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a bachelor's degree
in film.
Who were your early teachers or mentors?
First and foremost, my wife, Lydia, has been a leadership mentor to
me. As a filmmaker, I had three mentors while training to become a
cinematographer. The first was Daniel Pearl, ASC, who took me
under his wing as his key grip. Kevin Kerslake is a director-cameraman
whom I studied under for six years; he encouraged me to experiment
and take things over the edge if it's best for the story, and he showed
me that failure is essential for the creative process. Herb Ritts taught
me how to light a face, how to make an actor comfortable, and how
to deliver beauty with a unique look and feel.
What are some of your key artistic influences?
I love to go to museums, study architecture, and view paintings and
still photography. The artists who have really influenced me are
Caravaggio, Georges de La Tour, Todd Hido, Philip-Lorca diCorcia and
Gregory Crewdson, among others.
How did you get your first break in the business?
I was on a Donna Summer music video for the movie Daylight,
directed by Rob Cohen. His team came down to the set to see how
88

July 2016

What is the best professional advice you've
ever received?
Never feel comfortable, always challenge yourself and never stop
dreaming.
What recent books, films or artworks have inspired you?
Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher, by Timothy Egan; and The
Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game, both by Carlos Ruiz
Zafón.
If you weren't a cinematographer, what might you be doing
instead?
I would be a chef. My hobby is to cook. It's a passion of mine to
create new recipes and share them with our family and friends.
Which ASC cinematographers recommended you for
membership?
Fred Murphy, Dave Stump and Michael Goi. Francis Kenny helped
me so much throughout the process as well, in addition to Bob
Primes, who was influential in my acceptance.
How has ASC membership impacted your life and career?
It has really pushed me as an artist - it's the gold standard. It is an
amazing community to reach out to for advice and referrals,
personally as well as professionally. It has given me the ability to
understand how important it is to share and to educate future
storytellers.
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American Cinematographer

Photo by Dana Phillip Ross.

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American Cinematographer - July 2016

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