132 Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding MediaA fi lm stock that is more sensitive to light is described as faster than
another stock, although with higher speed types of fi lm, the grain is increased
and sharp defi nition is reduced. Th ere is a tradeoff between sharpness and
sensitivity to light. However, this is an area of cinematography that has advanced
enormously in the late twentieth and early twenty-fi rst century: Film stocks
have increased signifi cantly in their speed while retaining superior grain
structure. Th is is yet another way in which technology has had an enormous
impact on the content of motion pictures. Filmmakers have more options
to shoot with less light, which means they can move about more easily and
shoot in more locations such as dark places that were previously impossible
to capture adequately.
With digital cinematography, sensitivity is determined by digital cameras
and their sensors, which are the source of the ability to capture and reproduce
light. Th is sensitivity can be increased by adjusting the gain, which is the
amplitude of the light signal on the camera. Th e actual sensitivity of the sensor
is not being increased, but the camera is making digital adjustments to alter
the light of the image. As with fi lm stocks, as gain is increased, defi nition is
decreased and the image begins to lose quality of contrast and color values. On
the other hand, increasing the gain and slowing the shutter speed can be used
to shoot in extremely dark situations, such as on a dark street at night.The Cinematographer
Th roughout the history of motion pictures, fi lmmakers have worked to
understand the limitations and explore the possibilities of cinematography.
As you have discovered, they developed the capacity of the camera and lens
to depict subjects both near and far, to capture movement, and to move in
front of and around a subject. In visual storytelling, the selection, quality,
and expressiveness of the images are generated through technical and artistic
challenges. Ellen Kuras, the cinematographer of such feature fi lms as Be Kind
Rewind, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Bamboozled, explains:
I think that we can’t forget that being a cinematographer is not
only about taking a camera and photographing a scene. It really is
about the ideas and the vision behind what you say... I think that
a lot of people think of cinematography as a craft only, and once
you’ve mastered the camera and the technical that you can become
a cinematographer... for me, the material and what I want to say
about the material is what motivates me and has motivated me to
become a cinematographer.- Directors will oft en review the previous work of cinematographers
when considering hiring them for a production. For the black-
and-white fi lm, Sweet Smell of Success (1957), director Alexander
Mackendrick sought the collaboration of cinematographer James
Wong Howe because “his hard-edged approach would be ideal for
this particular subject.” Howe, a Chinese native raised in America,
was an innovative cinematographer who was able to work in a great
VIEWFINDER
“In lighting a close-up
a technical knowledge
of lighting is very
important but far from
suffi cient. In order to light
creatively, inspiration
is essential... For good
photographic results in
motion pictures there
is inspiration in good
music, in the art director’s
design of sets, in a well-
written script, and in
convincing interpretations
by the actors. What is
inspiration? I don’t know.
But I know that it exists,
and that it electrifi es me.”–John Alton–
(Cinematographer of over one
hundred features including
T-Men (1947), Raw Deal
(1948), and Designing Woman
(1957); also the author of
Painting with Light)Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).