Q&A with Fred Elmes, ASC
cinematographer of Ice StormMr. Elmes will review the questions he has received and post answers to selected questions here, so bookmark this page and come back to see what Fred Elmes has to say! RESPONSES JUNE 1998:
Hello Fred,
What roll does the cinematographer play in deciding how, where, and what is the best angle to shoot the current shot in a given scene? Example: you're setting up the shot for the telephone pole to fall onto the road. Now, going by your storyboard and reading the script, do you change the shot location (if it was impractical to shoot from the original scripted location) or do you talk with your director about changing the shot?
Thank you ,
Bernie Godfrey
Dear Bernie:
A storyboard is only a starting place. Remember, they are often drawn by someone who has not met with the director or seen the actual location. It may be impossible to exactly reproduce the drawn frame with the camera. Your responsibility as cinematographer includes helping the director find the best place to put the camera to tell the story. Whether you're photographing a commercial or a scene in a movie, the director needs to rely on your visual sense and experience.
— Fred Elmes
Dear Mr. Elmes,
Do you operate for yourself? What do you think the advantages/disadvantages are to operating while also DPing? And lastly, does the "Hollywood feature" frown on DP's shooting their own shows?
— Scott Plante
Dear Scott:
Having made films which I have operated, and those which I have not, I would say that there are advantages to each method of working. I enjoy operating the camera because it gives me a precise sense of what's going on in the frame. Seeing the exact relationship between two characters interacting, the composition of the frame, the sense of depth and perspective, and the light on their faces is something you only really see looking through the lens.
On the other hand, that's a lot to think about if you are in the middle of a complicated pan or dolly move. I admit I have lost track of holding the composition I wanted because I was more interested in the lighting at that moment. Hence, a good camera operator can take some of the weight off your shoulders.
Your relationship with the operator is very important however, because you are asking this person to think exactly the way you do when composing the frame, as well as being alert to everything else that's happening in the scene. Often the best of both worlds is to stand directly behind the operator during the take. There you have a view of what the camera sees and how it moves, without the responsibility of the composition.
— Fred Elmes
Dear David,
I have currently moved to the United States from Europe to pursue a career in film. I am thirty years old and a photo lab technician and photographer. I am currently attending UCLA extension classes. Do you think I would find it difficult to learn all the cinematographer's craft to be able to work professionally in the industry, at my age ?
— Helle M.Nielsen
Dear Helle:
It is never too late to start. Cinematographers come to the craft from all different directions. What it takes is ambition and perseverance, because the field is very competitive. If you're starting with some technical photographic background, you're already ahead.
— Fred Elmes
RESPONSES JANUARY 1998:
Hi Mr. Fred Elmes!!!
I'm an Advertising student from Brazil and I'm in my last year of university. I love the idea of becoming a cinematographer or a TV producer. I like, principally, the role of post-production in movies and TV series. I'd like to know if you can giving me some addresses and/or names of institutions that have courses in these areas, there, in the U.S.A.
Response from Fred Elmes:
There are many film schools in the U.S. which teach a full range of film and television production and post production. I was fortunate to attend both the New York University Graduate Film School, and the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, CA. The teaching approach and priorities will be different at each school you consider, so you must read the catalogues carefully and don't hesitate to ask questions. One thing I'm sure I benefited from was a well-rounded study of cinema. Even though my love is cinematography, I feel it is important to study directing, editing, story structure, and film history as well!
— Fred Elmes, ASC
Dear Mr. Elmes,
I'm twenty years old and I have already worked a little in the industry — doing commercials and videos. I work with different departments depending on the shoot. Which department would help enhance my ability as a cinematographer the most? The camera department or the electric department? I ask this because all the greats that I've read about started with being ACs.
— Tommy Upshaw
Dear Tommy,
I believe that either the electrical or the camera department are great training for becoming a cinematographer. The most important thing is observing and asking questions. Working on a film set you have many opportunities to watch the way a cinematographer uses the light, the choices he or she makes, the way they relate to the director and actors. Observation is important. Ask if you can see the dailies. Ask questions. Be persistent.
— Fred Elmes, ASC
Dear Mr. Elmes,
My name is Baris Özbiçer. I am studying in a film school and also working as a clapper/loader in feature films, commercials and music videos in Turkey. I have also just started exposing negative (of course, only the short films which my friends from film school shoot).I would be very pleased if you could supply some information about film processing, especially ENR processing or advise some book titles which may be useful.
Sincerely yours,
Baris OzbiçerDear Baris,
My experience with the ENR, or bleach bypass process, is limited. However, I have seen tests from several laboratories and like the results. You will learn most by shooting a test yourself and speaking with the lab directly. This way you will discover what the technique can do for you, rather than relying on someone else's ideas. The American Cinematographer Magazine is probably the best source of printed material on this subject.
— Fred Elmes, ASC
Dear Fred Elmes,
My name is Scott Wilson. I am a Mass Communications student at Virginia Tech. I am very interested in film and would one day like to be a cinematographer for feature films in Hollywood. My question is, how do I go about doing that?
Should I try and go to graduate school somewhere like USC or NYU to get a degree in film (since my school only offers a degree in Communications) or what?
Dear Scott,
As I mentioned earlier, I was fortunate to have attended two great film schools which provided the beginning of my film education. The rest of my education has been through working on movies. My first experiences were with very small student films, then educational films and finally longer dramatic movies. Eventually I was even paid for what I did. In film school you don't often hear about how long it might take to "break into" the film industry, so learning patience is also important. I think that my film school education has proven as valuable as my practical education. Probably the most important thing you need is a deep desire to make movies.
This will provide the momentum to keep you going.
— Fred Elmes, ASC
Dear Fred Elmes:
Hi, my name is Tom Peyton, and my question is, what stocks do you prefer for a major winter location feature shoot????
Tom Peyton, Alaska
Dear Tom,
On Ice Storm I chose Kodak Vision 500 stock for our night exteriors. This is because it is relatively sharp, and allowed me to keep the dark areas in the night scenes dense enough. Because the look of the ice was important to us - the color, translucence and transparency - we tested a couple of stocks as well as different kinds of ice. Remember that most of Ice Storm was shot in the spring, so our 'ice' was either a biodegradable gel or acrylic plastic. The tests showed us the best ways to light and photograph it convincingly. Testing on film ahead of time allowed us to experiment and find solutions before we were in production.
— Fred Elmes, ASC