American Cinematographer - February 1988 - 52

Cronenweth

by Nora Lee and Benjamin Bergery

Nota Bene: This

Ford

ar¬

on

Cronenweth chose
to build his

lighting seminars

ematography") held
recently at the Uni¬
versity of Southern

dle of the

originally
organized by two students, Kate Hall and
David Hartwell. Benjamin Bergery of Panacoordinator and Hartwell

was

supported
by Eastman Kodak, Panavision, Technicolor
were

and Mole-Bichardson. For each seminar, a

cinematographer recreated
one

night,

Peggy has

come
down to the base¬

nars were

was

a scene

of his recent films, with the students

ASC, Allen Daviau, ASC, John Hora, ASC,
and others.

a long list of accolades for his
cinematography, including the first ASC

gathered

award for excellence for his work in Francis

American

Cinematographer

the film are lenses,
along with camera
angles. Cronenweth explained that these
camera

appears on
and filmstock,

choices (a Panavision 35mm Primo lens, the
Panavision Platinum, and Eastman 5247 in
this case) are often the result of experience.

Together they move in and out of the
shadows, lit only by the moonlight from a
single small window.

"You are always working under changing
conditions. Every location has its own set of

"I chose that

scene

because it is

graphic representation of what can be
done with one light," said Cronenweth in an
interview after the seminar. "The choice to
a

light was the result of the location.
only one window in the base¬
ment and if I had brought the light inside, I
would have had to use a bunch of little tiny
use one

There

was

units and hide them somewhere. It would
Jordan Cronenweth, ASC, has

Other elements that affect the

image that

ment of her house for a smoke; her boyfriend-cum-husband has joined her there
and they are deeply involved in discussion.

from

acting as cast and crew. Cinematographers
discussing their particular approaches to
lighting problems in upcoming issues will
include Stephen Poster, ASC, James Crabe,

50

The most intriguing aspect of
simple lighting set-up is that the actors
provide the fill light for the scene. As they
move into and out of the key, the light is
reflected off their clothing and their faces,
filling in the shadows in a very subtle way.

this

that film. In the mid¬

California. The semi¬

vision

lighting

seminar around his
favorite scene from

("Aesthetics of Cin¬

instructor, and the seminars

Coppolas Peg¬
Got Married.

gy Sue

ticle introduces a
new series based

problems. As

learn your craft you find
solutions to problems solutions that allow you to work with the
more

and

you

more

style that you have chosen. What you have
consideration when you choose
the lens and other things, is 'What do I have
to do to this room to give it my look or

to take into

the look?'"
In

one

part of the seminar foot¬

have been spotty and I wanted to have one
I always like to have a source. The

age, the camera begins tightly on the torsos
of the two actors. The girl moves back under
the window and slides down to a bench.

window was the
worth a test."

Using this scene as an example,
weth described his choice of lens.

source.

February 1988

answer.

At least it

was

Cronen¬
American Cinematographer - February 1988

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