TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE - For Cinematographers

TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE - For Cinematographers

Author: James Ellis Deakins, Roger Deakins October 30, 2024 Duration: 1:33:15

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 113 - Technical Knowledge for Cinematographers - with David Mullen

In this special episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we're joined by our friend and cinematographer David Mullen (Season 1, Episode 83) to discuss what and how much technical knowledge a cinematographer ought to know these days. The conversation includes specific explanations of technical details (such as the difference between film grain and digital noise) and more general subjects (such as the importance of telling a story and eliciting an emotional response from the audience). We also share a number of work stories, including Roger's early-career exposure to cinematographer Douglas Slocombe's internal light-meter and David's experience seeing his work on a TV show smothered by a yellow filter during post. Reflecting on the diversity in images in older Hollywood films despite limited film stock and optical options, we maintain the position that the look of a film is the product of a cinematographer's eye (rather than the technology one uses), and David elucidates how cinematographer Oswold Morris developed the desaturated look of director John Huston's adaptation of MOBY DICK using the technology available to him to serve the storytelling. We also reflect on the lost knowledge of how films were made in the early digital days of the 2000s and stress the need to study and remember filmmaking history, recent and ancient. Towards the end, we also consider director Yasujiro Ozu's prolific and effective use of a single 50mm lens when the conversation drifts towards the phenomenon of people avoiding "boring lenses". Plus, we highlight the need to understand basic high school mathematics (no excuses!).

 

Cinematographers at all levels, from the aspiring to the battle-worn, can enjoy and learn from this discussion, and we hope you enjoy listening.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure


There’s a particular kind of conversation that happens when two people who have spent a lifetime in film just start talking, following a thread wherever it leads. That’s the heart of Team Deakins. Roger Deakins, the Oscar-winning cinematographer, and his longtime collaborator and wife, James Ellis Deakins, sit down to unpack questions sent in by listeners, which means every episode begins with a specific point of curiosity-a technical detail, a business dilemma, a philosophical query about storytelling-and unfolds from there. You’ll hear them dig into the craft of cinematography, dissect the realities of the film and television industry, and share stories from their own remarkable journey. The discussion is meandering, insightful, and grounded in decades of practical experience. While it’s primarily their dialogue, they are occasionally joined by guests from across the film world, adding new dimensions to the talk. This isn’t a formal lecture series; it’s an accessible, ongoing dialogue between experts who love what they do. For anyone fascinated by how movies are made, from the lighting of a scene to the navigating of a career, this podcast offers a rare, unfiltered look behind the curtain. The entire project feels like a natural extension of their shared life in art, making each episode a unique and personal listen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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