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AC Panel at NAB Explores A Beautiful Planet with James Neihouse

The cinematographer has contributed to some of the most successful giant-screen films, including The Dream Is Alive, Space Station 3D, Hubble 3D, and Ocean Oasis.

David E. Williams

Expedition crew member Samantha Cristoforetti is instructed by James Neihouse, ASC
Expedition crew member Samantha Cristoforetti is instructed by James Neihouse, ASC





American Cinematographer magazine (AC), the publication of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), will put James Neihouse, ASC in the spotlight to discuss his experience making the IMAX film A Beautiful Planet. The panel, moderated by journalist and former AC editor David Heuring, is part of the Creative Master Series at The National Associations of Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas.




The session, “Cinematography in Space for A Beautiful Planet,” will be held on Monday, April 18 from 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. in room S220 at the convention center.




Cristoforetti in the cupola of the ISS.
Cristoforetti shooting in the cupola of the ISS.





Neihouse will reveal his multi-year preparations and last-minute adaptations for this Walt Disney Studios-IMAX-NASA collaboration, which will be released exclusively in IMAX and IMAX 3D theaters beginning April 29.








Narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence and directed by Toni Myers, A Beautiful Planet is a breathtaking portrait of Earth from space, providing a unique perspective and increased understanding of the planet and galaxy as never seen before. Made in cooperation with NASA, the film features stunning footage of Earth — and the effects humanity has had on it over time — captured by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS).








A veteran of large-format films, Neihouse has trained a number of astronauts to shoot in space, including those involved in the unforgettable Hubble 3D in 2010. On A Beautiful Planet, Neihouse was again responsible for choosing all the equipment and preparing the astronauts to photograph Earth’s natural beauty and the electric intensity of human expansion. As part of the discussion, Neihouse will divulge his thought process from conception to execution, including his earthbound adaptations when the shuttle originally slated to bring the images home became inoperable.




A nocturnal view of city lights from aboard the ISS, as seen in the IMAX film A Beautiful Planet.
A nocturnal view of city lights from aboard the ISS, as seen in the IMAX film A Beautiful Planet.





Neihouse worked on his first IMAX film, directed by Graeme Ferguson, one of the co-founders of IMAX, soon after graduating from the Brooks Institute of Photography. That project, Ocean, was the first underwater film made in the format. Since that time Neihouse has gone on to work on 30-plus IMAX and other large-format films. Neihouse's first credit as director of photography was on The Eruption of Mount St. Helens, the first IMAX film to be nominated for an Academy Award.




A view of the Earth, as seen in the IMAX film A Beautiful Planet.
A view of the Earth, as seen in the IMAX film A Beautiful Planet.





Neihouse has contributed to some of the most successful giant-screen films. His credits include The Dream Is Alive, Space Station 3D, Hubble 3D, and Ocean Oasis, to name a few. His work has garnered many awards and accolades, including two Giant Screen Cinema Association Achievement Awards for Best Cinematography, and a Kodak Vision Award. He is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, cinematographers branch, and became a member of the ASC last year.




American Cinematographer and the ASC will be exhibiting at the NAB Show at booth C11831.




For more information, visit www.nabshow.com.





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