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A Practical Study of the Role of the Cinematographer

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A Practical Study of the Role of the Cinematographer University of New Orleans ScholarWorks@UNO University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations Dissertations and Theses 5-20-2005 A Practical Study of the Role of the Cinematographer Ryan Martin University of New Orleans Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td Recommended Citation Martin, Ryan, "A Practical Study of the Role of the Cinematographer" (2005). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 227. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/227 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by ScholarWorks@UNO with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights- holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A PRACTICAL STUDY OF THE ROLE OF THE CINEMATOGRAPHER A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in The Department of Drama and Communications by Ryan H. Martin B.A. Loyola University of New Orleans, 2002 May, 2005 Copyright 2005, Ryan H. Martin ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the members of my thesis committee, J. Stephen Hank, Robert Racine, and David L. Jones, for providing a foundation for the development and understanding of professional standards both in technical aspects and performance in film production. My comprehension of the cinematographic process and the consistently evolving technologies associated with it would be limited without their influence. Special thanks to Robert Racine for spending extra hours advising on finishing projects in the digital realm and dealing with the obligatory frustration of software malfunctions. I would also like to extend thanks to Phil Karnell for trusting my knowledge of cinematography in its infancy, permitting me to lens Spring Film 2004. Thanks to Mike Postalakis for allowing me to further develop my skills on the short film, 364. I would like to thank Simon Carmody for sharing with me his extensive knowledge of photographic principles and real world execution of what I’ve read in books. Also, thanks to Mike Ryan for encouraging me to always question my motivations, abilities, successes, and self-perception. Most importantly, I would like to thank my wife Emily for putting up with the many hours and days I’ve spent away from home. Her continued love, patience, and support have made the whole journey more worthwhile. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract.............................................................................................................................. vi Introduction..........................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: Making the Decision ..........................................................................................2 Chapter 2: Butterflies...........................................................................................................6 The Script.................................................................................................................6 Pre-production: Conceptual Research and Design ..................................................7 Pre-production: Practical and Technical................................................................10 Production..............................................................................................................12 Post-production......................................................................................................15 Retrospection .........................................................................................................16 Chapter 3: Transitioning from Film to Video....................................................................18 Escape Velocity .....................................................................................................18 A Very Special.......................................................................................................19 Retrospection .........................................................................................................20 Chapter 4: Spring Film 2004..............................................................................................22 The Script...............................................................................................................22 Pre-production: Conceptual Research and Design ................................................23 Pre-production: Practical and Technical................................................................24 Production..............................................................................................................29 Post-production......................................................................................................36 Retrospection .........................................................................................................37 Chapter 5: 364....................................................................................................................38 The Script...............................................................................................................38 Pre-production: Conceptual Research and Design ................................................39 Pre-production: Practical and Technical................................................................41 Production..............................................................................................................42 Post-production......................................................................................................48 Retrospection .........................................................................................................50 Chapter 6: The Hunter’s Apprentice..................................................................................52 Pre-production........................................................................................................52 Production..............................................................................................................54 Post-production......................................................................................................58 Retrospection .........................................................................................................59 iv Chapter 7: Coyote Funeral.................................................................................................60 The Script...............................................................................................................60 Pre-production: Conceptual Research and Design ................................................61 Pre-production: Practical and Technical................................................................62 Production..............................................................................................................68 Post-Production......................................................................................................78 Retrospection .........................................................................................................78 Chapter 8: Conclusion........................................................................................................80 Appendices Appendix A: Mother Wit Storyboards...................................................................82 Appendix B: The Hunter’s Apprentice Storyboards..............................................99 Vita...................................................................................................................................150 v Abstract The following thesis describes the development and process of the responsibilities and skills necessary for a director of photography in the motion picture industry. Pre- production and production aspects pertaining to experiences as a cinematographer are covered. Furthermore, the progression of learning about the field of cinematography is explained through personal examples of logistical, technical, and artistic requirements on both short and feature student films. Storyboards are included in the appendices. vi Introduction What is cinematography? On the first page of the 9th edition of the American Cinematographer Manual, John Hora, ASC, states that “Cinematography is not a subcategory of photography. Rather, photography is but one craft that the cinematographer uses in addition to other physical, organizational, managerial, interpretive, and image-manipulating techniques to effect one coherent process.”1 If you’ve been blessed with a natural talent for cinematography, the road to becoming a director of photography is challenging, consuming, uncertain, and taxing. For the rest of us, it is a long, arduous journey that involves mistakes, sleepless nights, regrets, fear of failure, failure, self-doubt, stress, and countless hours developing a final product that gives little assurance that you have any idea what you’re doing. It requires reading many books, studying films, staring at photographs, and observing the interplay
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