American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 66
Persistence of Vision
Willis meters a scene for The Landlord (1970) featuring actors Beau Bridges and Marki Bey.
Supervising a Set
Gordon Willis, ASC offers his insights into
the managerial and supervisory aspects of the
cinematographer's job.
Interview by Stephen Pizzello
(Excerpted from the forthcoming book
Gordon Willis on Cinematography, courtesy of the author.)
*|*
66
October 2014
American Cinematographer
During his long and distinguished career behind the camera,
Gordon Willis has gained a reputation
as a demanding and sometimes obsessive perfectionist. He readily concedes
the accuracy of this characterization,
noting that his exacting standards
extend to his interactions with directors,
actors, crewmembers and anyone else
who steps onto his sets. However, he's
quick to assert that his strict methods
are always intended to strengthen a
picture's narrative or aesthetic underpinnings.
As the head of the camera crew, a
director of photography is not only
responsible for the picture's overall
visual style, but also a dizzying array of
logistical and pictorial details - ranging from the choice of equipment to the
quality of the light on an actress' face.
The cinematographer must also interact
with virtually everyone on a given
project, from the producer to the
camera loader. The resulting pressure
can be enormous, and Willis understands that he can't always be Mr. Nice
Guy. Still, he insists that his occasionally stern demeanor is merely a byproduct of his professional pride. "Over the
years, I have gotten upset with certain
people, but only if I feel that they suffer
from selective hearing," he says.
While Willis is all too familiar
with the pitfalls of motion-picture
production, he still enjoys the work. "It's
a great business to be involved in when
you're on a shoot and everything is
going well," he offers. "In general, I
think of myself as a low-key guy. I like
making movies, and I enjoy working
with other people who like it. I try to do
my job well, go home and relax. At the
end of the day, I like to remove myself
from the process. I don't need it 24
hours a day. Some people do, but I'm
not one of them."
Maintaining discipline on a set is
a skill that comes from experience, and
Willis is a keen observer of both human
nature and the collaborative process. In
the following pages, he offers his
insights into supervising a set, including
tips on hiring a solid crew, interacting
The Landlord photo courtesy of MGM/UA.
◗
American Cinematographer - October 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - October 2014
Contents
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - Cover1
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 1
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 2
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - Contents
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 4
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 5
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 6
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 7
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 8
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 9
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 10
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 11
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 12
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 13
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 14
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 15
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 16
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 17
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 18
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 19
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 20
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 21
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 22
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 23
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 24
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 25
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 26
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 27
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 28
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 29
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 30
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 31
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 32
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 33
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 34
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 35
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 36
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 37
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 38
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 39
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 40
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 41
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 42
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 43
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 44
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 45
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 46
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 47
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 48
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 49
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 50
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 51
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 52
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 53
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 54
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - I3
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - I4
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 55
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 56
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 57
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 58
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 59
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 60
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 61
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 62
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 63
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 64
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 65
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 66
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 67
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 68
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 69
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 70
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 71
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 72
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 73
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 74
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 75
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 76
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 77
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 78
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - I1
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - I2
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 79
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 80
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 81
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 82
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 83
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 84
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 85
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 86
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 87
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 88
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 89
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - 90
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American Cinematographer - October 2014 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - October 2014 - Cover4
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