American Cinematographer - March 1989 - 73

Bari's

judgment in this department,
no expertise with
makeup effects at all - this was my
first effects film. The main thing I

because I have

noticed is effects need to be rim lit.
If someone has a burn makeup, for

Precision Repair and
Maintenance of all your

Production Sound

Equipment

example, and you put flat light on
it, you lose all the detail, so you
have to rake it

or half
light it. I
just look at an effects make¬
and pretend it's the moon -

would

up
when I could

see

the craters, I knew

I had it!"

Because of Rush's heavy
videotape background, he found
the videotap to be one of his key
pieces of equipment on Life on the
Edge. "I can't overemphasize the
importance of the videotap," he in¬
sists. "I like the tap because it gives

the director

a

chance to

the shot is. I would
tor to hate

tell

me

a

shot

see

the set than to

in dailies that he can't

in his film.

f Mu i

Mixers. Microphones.
Wireless, Walkie-talkies...
...and

Everything else!

Sales

*

Rental

*

Service

h

what

prefer the direc¬

on

1 'I vf

use

it

Otherwise, without the

tap, no one can see the shot for
lighting and composition except the
operator. It can be a very useful tool
if you leave it at one setting. I cer¬

tainly don't light by the videotap only a photocel rendering a ver¬
sion of your image - but if you look
with your eye, then with your con¬
trast glass and the videotap and
compare that with dailies, you be¬
gin to see some correlation there."

[91

mIky

/~\)

audio
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it's

Like Burman, Rush is ex¬

tremely loyal and open to the sug¬
gestions of his crew. "Bill Baker, my
key grip, is my right hand man and
I wouldn't do a project without
him," Rush says, "he's that good.
My gaffer was Paul Macllvaine and
I used his crew. It was a delightful
experience working with him. In
many cases, I used his lighting - I
would set up a general scheme,
walk away and come back and he
usually hit it on the head, some¬
times better than if I had done it."

Looking back on filming
the Edge, Rush finds it diffi¬
cult to comment on the difficulty or

Life

on

of the

project in retrospect:
"I've never had an easy job. I mean,
my expectations are high. This job
ease

should be

I can."

A

and real western towns

on the high plains. Forts. Indian mins. Three narrow gauge
trains. And all the wranglers and gear you'll ever need
to

special, but making

something special requires every¬
thing you have. You're asking 100%
of yourself, six days a week. I
think I make every job as tough
as

Out where there's wide open spaces

perched

It

get it on film.

helps to have friends
in

high places.

Film Commission, 1313 Sherman, Room 500C, Denver, CO 80203
303 866-2778 FAX 303 866-2251
American Cinematographer - March 1989

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