Q&A with Lisa Wiegand, cinematographer of
SHOPPING FOR FANGS.
Thanks, everyone, for your participation. This will be the last posting of responses to questions, as Lisa Wiegand has moved on to new projects. Please watch for more e-mail Q&A's coming soon.
Hi Lisa,
My name is Seanski. I've been making short films for nine years now. I'm 21 and I absolutely love all aspects of cinematography and need to learn more about it. I am currently working with a very dominant Vancouver-based company which will be producing a number of films in the coming months. There will be, without a doubt, a number of opportunities for me to get involved in these projects — but I need to be on the 'front lines.' I was wondering what advice you may have for someone who needs to learn more about the technical aspect involved with cinematography —specifically DoP's.
Hi Seanski,
It sounds like you have a great opportunity ahead and you are eager to gain some skills. My still photography background has helped me a lot in understanding some of the basics of cinematography. I would recommend that you shoot some photos with a 35mm camera that has manual controls. A camera that has automatic functions can often rob you of important visual choices by making decisions about f/stop and focus for you.
Of course, stills differ from cinematography in a very fundamental way...they don't move. The best way to learn to work with moving images is to just shoot film or video as often as you can. I have shot many short films for myself and others. It is really the best way to gain confidence in yourself and become familiar with the equipment. Often, some friends and I will just get together and shoot scenes that we make up or improvise on a video camera. It is fun and it keeps us thinking cinematically even if it isn't for a serious project.
Also, part of being a good cinematographer is keeping up with the changing technology. I have subscriptions to American Cinematographer and International Photographer (The U.S. camera union magazine). I read them from cover to cover so that I can keep up on the latest goings on in the world of cinematography.
I hope this helps you. Best of luck!
— Lisa
Dear Ms. Wiegand,
I currently work as a grip/electric here in the Washington DC area, and my eventual goal is to become a DP. My first question is how does one become a DP? I have an Associate degree in photography. Does this help?
My second question is about the different types of film stock out in the market. What is the big difference between Kodak and Fuji films? My friend and I are planning to shoot a very low budget film next year and I'm trying to do some research on the different types of film. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Larry Cha
Hi Larry,
There are many ways to become a DP and I think working as a grip/electric is a great way to start out. Working in the electric and camera departments will help you to communicate with people working in those departments when you become a Director of Photography.
You asked if a still photography background would help you. I shot stills and did my own developing and printing before shooting any motion picture film. It helped me a lot in understanding the basics like aperture, film speed, composition and lighting. You can apply much of what you've learned to cinematography.
The main difference, for me, in switching to cinematography is that it's a collaborative art. All of still photography can be done alone, and you can end up with a photograph that is exactly what you had imagined it would be before it was even shot. Cinematography is an art not only of visualization, but also of communication. You have to work with the production designer and wardrobe department to achieve what you want to appear in the film. Then you have to work closely with your gaffer and camera operator to make sure the lighting and composition match what you are imagining. On the finished film you are seeing the result of your ability to communicate your vision. Your ideas are being filtered through many other people and the stronger you can communicate your ideas in the beginning, the closer the look on film will be to what you visualized with the director.
You also asked about the difference between Kodak and Fuji films. I have shot on both and find that Fuji has more vibrant greens and Kodak favors reds. I also think that Fuji's colors are slightly less saturated and allow you to achieve more of a pastel look, especially if you overexpose. However, I am a firm believer in testing for the look you want before you shoot the film. You can either do some controlled testing in a sound stage with a color chart and a model, or you can go to one of the locations where you will be shooting and do some tests there. But when you are on location it is harder to maintain control, so be prepared.
I hope some of this helps you. Good luck.
— Lisa
Lisa,
I have a few questions for you...
- What is your background, and what made you decide to make cinematography
your career choice?
- What has been your experience in the "indie" world? How do
you reconcile a desire to bring the best possible images to the screen
(i.e., high production value) with the low budget nature of indie work?
What type of concessions have you had to make?
- How did you prepare for the position of cinematographer? Did you run into any resistance from those who were not used to a woman in this leadership position?
I think that's enough questions...for now.
Thanks!
A Adams
Hi A Adams,
Those are some tough questions, but I'll try to answer them.
- My background began in Royal Oak, Michigan — a suburb of Detroit.
I became interested in still photography during high school because my
Dad taught photography, and we had a bunch of cameras and a darkroom in
the house. I became interested in cinematography because I loved movies
and figured that I could combine my interests. (My Dad thinks it's because
I spent so many hours in our living room watching MTV — that may have
some truth to it.) I went to Wayne State University for my undergraduate
degree in film and made a couple short films and a bunch of videos. After
graduation, I shot videos for a production company in Detroit — mostly
industrial stuff for car companies and local utilities.
Then, in 1993, I came to LA to attend UCLA's MFA film program. I took a year off during this and went to the AFI for cinematography, and then went back and finished at UCLA. Now I'm in the beginning stages of my career as a DP; I have shot 17 short films and one feature length film. I am in preproduction on a couple of films, and am talking to some people about their upcoming films. Wow — not a very short answer, but I could talk about myself for hours :)
- Ahhh — you ask about making concessions in independent films. Of course!
Everything takes money, and indie films (at least the ones I've worked
on) don't have much. So your creativity must be focused on how to make
something look good with what you have. It's not always easy and most of
the time the dreams you had in your head when you originally read the script
do not come true. But you surround yourself with a good crew and try to
communicate as much and as clearly as you can. Getting exactly what you
want may not happen, but there is no reason you wouldn't be able to get
some exciting stuff that still works for the script.
- I'm not sure what you mean about "preparing for my position as a cinematographer," being a cinematographer is not just a job — it's a lifestyle. I know that sounds weird, but it is a constant learning process. Technology is constantly changing our tools, and to be fully prepared for every film we have to be aware of the tools that will help us achieve our goals. I try to read as much as I can about new technologies and also about other DP's experiences on films. I also try to see as many films as I can.
The second part of your question is pretty easy to answer. I haven't had many problems with being a woman in a position of leadership. If a director or producer has a problem with hiring a woman DP, I just don't get a call. I don't want people to hire me just because I am a woman. I want to be hired because they trust me, respect my work and find me easy to work with. As far as crew goes, some guys may have a bit of a problem accepting me giving orders in the beginning, but it usually doesn't take long to see that I know what I'm doing and that they can trust me.
— Lisa