Many years ago, even before I became a cinematographer, I learned the importance of properly representing the story on the page. Years later, as I began to shoot professionally, I found that how you shoot something had just as much an impact on the story as the script, the acting and the directing. That is why I fell in love with cinematography.
I've been shooting since the mid 80's (first on film, now digital) and feel that a good cinematographer understands how they impact the story with every choice they make. I'm hosting this AMA to discuss this process, and how a Director of Photography can participate in the filmmaking process even more by using their tools the right way.
I look forward to the discussion!
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Hi, John Parenteau. Hope you had a great summer! Thanks for spending time with us for the AMA! What's one way a Director of Photography can participate in the filmmaking process?
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Maurice Vaughan A cinematographer is already heavily invested in the filmmaking process, but the key is for them to realize that they tell the story with pretty much every move they make. Most cinematographers already know that the angle of the light or quality says something different depending on how you use it, but also each pan, tilt, camera movement also tells the story.
There's a story from the set of "Rosemary's Baby" where Roman Polanski, the director, set up a shot of Minnie (played by Ruth Gordon) taking a phone call in a bedroom. The cinematographer, the great William Fraker, lined up the shot outside the door, framing Ruth with the doorway. Polanski saw it and said, "No no! Move the camera to the left, more, more!" Fraker shifted the camera until the edge of the doorway was cutting off the Front of Gordon as she sat in profile on the bed. Normally that would be bad framing, but the film was one built on tension throughout, so cutting off Gordon created an uncomfortable frame. Fraker said that when they screened the film and that scene came up, the entire audience leaned to the right to try and see around the door frame.
That is just one example of how framing the shot tells the story. It's simply important to think of these things, plan them, and be in lock step with the director on this type of thing so you are both telling the same story.
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Thanks for the answer and sharing the story, John Parenteau! The shot of Minnie looks great, and it looks like the audience is spying on her.
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Good to see you again John Parenteau and thanks for spending your time with us. Questions (2): What should a writer do/not do in order to make a cinematographer's job easier. #2 How much of the cinematographer's job bleeds into the director's? Thanks in advance!
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Leonardo Ramirez good to see you! For the writer, don't over explain a camera move or lighting unless it is critical to the story. Simple as that. For #2, that depends on the director and DP. Some directors just let the DP figure out coverage, while other directors like to weigh in on a lot of that, even lighting! The relationship between the director and DP is critical, so it's rare that a DP will work with a director that has a style they hate. But in the purest sense, the director would work with the DP on how to cover the scene, and they would discuss the mood and style they are both going for. Then, on set, the director leaves the DP alone, and focuses on the actors. My favorite sets are when I come on, the director and I do a blocking rehearsal, we discuss some details we see on the day (having already discussed the scene long before we came to set) and then we both part and do our thing.
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This is great John Parenteau. I've often considered directing but my strengths do not fall on the technical aspects of cinematography. They are, however, very strong on character development so I'm comfortable on that side of things. I can visualize a scene but that's it. I also prefer to work with folks who know more than I do about a subject so I would likely leave most of that in the capable hands of a cinematographer. Having said all that, I've often wondered how much of each is OK to let go. Good to see you too. I enjoyed your last AMA.
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Leonardo Ramirez It isn't a bad idea to respect and embrace the collaborative nature of film. I do feel it's great if you are honest and hire someone to fill in the gaps you aren't comfortable managing. It will ultimately make for a richer, more interesting project, in my opinion! That being said, make sure you explain your take on scenes to the DP so your thoughts are worked into the equation, even if you aren't picking specific shots on the day.
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Sounds good John Parenteau. Thanks a ton!
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Welcome to AMA Day! I thought I'd share a story here about a recent experience where framing affected the way the performance of an actor came across on screen.
I was teaching a class at a college. We had a scene in a living room set with two young characters sitting on a couch. The character on the right had a secret, namely that she had recently attempted suicide, but hadn't told her friend. As we discussed how to cover the scene with the students, we showed them standard coverage, such as Over the Shoulder shots or singles. When we got to the single of the young girl who had attempted suicide, the student frame her up so that she was on the right side of frame, with plenty of room on the left. When asked, the student said that she looks to her friend screen left, so they left "nose room".
I let them shoot that shot, then suggested an alternative. Frame the girl so that the "nose room" was to the right instead, putting her on the left side of frame. With all the space ahead of her, as she gazed off, trying to decide if she was going to tell her friend about her suicide attempt, the new framing made her feel very alone, with all the empty space in front of her.
This was a great example of how framing a shot can affect the intention of the scene, and certainly how that framing enhanced the actor's performance as well.
I look forward to talking to you all today!
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Thanks for doing this John Parenteau. There are still a few recent films that shoot scenes or entire scripts in black and white. What considerations have to be made with the camera and framing to enhance a black and white scene, as opposed to shooting in color. Or is there a difference?
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Thank you for sharing your time with us today, John Parenteau! Do you have any tips or systems for breaking down a script as a Cinematographer? What is your process normally like when you first sign onto a project and get a copy of the script to begin prep?
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Hi John Parenteau Thank you for sharing your day with us. Is there something you wished actors knew about cinematography that would make your life easier on set?
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Hey John Parenteau this is all so interesting. My question is who and what have been the most notable influencers/influences on you as a creative artist?
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Debbie Elicksen The biggest issue with black and white is contrast. It's important to work closely with your art director to create the right color palette (yes, even for B&W!) to convey the right sense of the scene. Reds look black. Certain colors appear brighter in B&W than in color imagery. Since you are limiting your color palette, you have to be hyper aware of what the TONES of the image say, or what they don't say.
Framing is pretty much the same as color. Not much to be worried about here except if the final image is going to be contrasty (graded with heavy darks, for example) and then your edges and framing become more important so they don't disappear in the final product. You might frame something close to the edge that you see in camera, but then later it disappears, leaving a blank spot that affects the story.
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Ashley Renee Smith howdy! It sounds trite but when I first read the script I'm just trying to put myself in that world. Is it making me feel nervous or anxious, or comfortable? The genre will inform that a lot, but as you read the words it will often build a look or style in your head. I don't really do boards or shot lists until I've gotten much further down the road. Mostly early on I'm considering locations, style of photography (is it a lot of moving camera? Handheld? or static?). All of that will inform the shots later.
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Suzanne Bronson Most actors are pretty savvy on set, largely because it serves their work to understand how framing works, how coverage works, etc. I think it there's one thing that helps a cinematographer is being a contributing element on set. Some actors (perhaps those with less experience) either treat the camera person as a second class citizen, or they don't listen when the operator or DP talks about what the coverage is going to be. All that info is really helpful for the performance. Understanding what size the frame is, how much room you have to work, what the limits are, all are important details. So I'd just say as an actor, work with the camera and lighting crew. They are all there to make your performance shine, beyond your ability as an actor.
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Sarah Jane Mc Carthy for cinematography, Caleb Deschanel (yes, Zoey's dad) was an amazing cinematographer. Just go watch The Natural with Robert Redford. Stunning photography. I had the pleasure of working with Steven Spielberg for awhile, and he was such a pleasant yet inventive person, he was always inspiring. I think ultimately every artist I work with inspires me in some way, so it's hard to point out more than that! Look for inspiration from everybody. That's what art is about!
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Hi John Parenteau - thank you so much for doing this AMA. I've heard recently about DP's deliberately filming scenes "flat" to be able to best enhance color and such in post. I love when practical lighting and color are used to their fullest. What are your thoughts on this and can you share any advice you'd give young DP's on this topic? Thanks, again!!
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Sam Sokolow It is true with modern digital filmmaking that you can shoot more "flat", which is also shooting Log, meaning with less contrast in the scene. They can do amazing things in the color grade these days. But the truth is that a DP will always light for the scene and not just to do the work in post. Usually, when you light "flat" you are not really lighting flat. You do the same thing on set, namely light for contrast and a desired light-to-dark ratio, but you maybe fill in those darks a bit more, knowing you can take them down in post.
If you look at the original LOG/RAW file of almost any film, even those like Alien: Romulus, while the final film comes out very contrasty, the camera original isn't that contrasty. But it IS lit with contrast.
Light the way you want it to look in the final output, but then fill in your darks a bit to ensure you have options in post. You'll achieve the same purpose but give your colorist options.
For those who may not understand RAW/Log files, take a look at these two images (from a BTS shoot I did recently). The RAW image looks washed out. That is because a Log file shows the full range of the sensor. Imagine, as an example, the realm of light energy that exists. We see the visible realm, but below the visible realm is infrared, and above is ultraviolet. We can't see those two. Our eyes are adapted to seeing the part in the middle. Log is essentially like an image that can see from infrared, through the visible spectrum, into ultraviolet. When you do a color grade, you impose on the frame the visible area you want to show. you add contrast, saturation, etc.
( I can't add two images here, so I'm adding second in another post)
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the graded image.
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Thank you SO much for this detailed answer and these two photos. Really appreciate it, John Parenteau!
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Do you have any suggestions for screenwriters who want to learn the basics of cinematography? Also, what movies would you recommend for beginners?
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, sir. I'm a fan of the Hunger Games movies.
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Gisele Orellana there are a million pages online you can search for some basic education in framing, such as this one: https://motionarray.com/learn/filmmaking/shot-composition-framing-rules/ The truth of the matter is it ultimately takes some study and practice. I use these guides, like that link, to share the idea of framing, but then suggest people watch movies that are considered well shot, and study why they frame each shot like they do. Start with a film like "Blood Simple", the Cohen Brother's first movie, then move on to almost any other good film. I love films like "The Natural", "The Conversation", "Good Fellas", "Citizen Kane" and the more modern "Almost Famous" as example.
A good cinematographer and camera operator frames each frame very specifically. If someone has "nose room" there's a reason. If the camera looks up at an actor, or down, there's a reason. Watch the TV show "From" on Amazon. they intentionally frame shots where the actor is on the right of frame, looking right, with empty space into the distance to the left. I, as a viewer, am constantly watching that empty space for something coming out of it that will scare my pants off! These are prime examples of how framing alone can enhance the storytelling.
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Thank you for your response and the examples, John. I’ll check out the YouTube channel and the movie recommendations.
I used to watch movies and pay attention only to the story and characters, but after recently shooting a short film, I’ve started noticing how scenes are shot and the transitions between them. I believe that shooting short films will help me become a better writer and I'm eager to learn the basics of filmaking in general. There is so much to learn.
Thanks again!
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Gisele Orellana I fully support anybody wanting to learn more about film to actually go make some short films. Even if nobody ever sees them, the process will be enlightening!
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Very enlightening, indeed.
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related to Mark?
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Gisele Orellana I think it was to me. I guess there's a Mark Parenteau out there. I don't know him.
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Got it. Thank you, John.
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Mark Parenteau was one of bigest DJ's ever in Boston (rock WBCN) FOR MANY YEARS until he got blackballed in business because of scandelous misadventure. He's dead now.
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Jed Power Inevitably we are related, though I have no idea how. There aren't that many Parenteau's around. But I do not know him!