Transcript
of Live Chat with
Wally
Pfister, ASC
Aug.
9, 2003
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:02:25 PM)
Hi to everybody and thanks for joining this chat.
Isaac (Aug 9, 2003 1:02:42 PM)
What are you working on now?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:03:13 PM)
I am working on a movie called Slow Burn. It's a film noir starring
Ray Liotta and we're shooting in Montreal.
raphael (Aug 9, 2003 1:03:34 PM)
So…you’re in Canada. What made you “runaway”? Is that something that you
find yourself doing often?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:04:41 PM)
I choose my work based on the script and the material. Sadly, sometimes that
means going out of the country. When I do leave town I very much miss my
Hollywood crew.
SBDP (Aug 9, 2003 1:04:55 PM)
You mentioned working on crews with Janusz Kaminski, Phedon Papamichael and
other cinematographers. What types of things did you learn by working with
or watching them?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:05:55 PM)
One of things I learned while working with Janusz was how to work fast, how
to keep your energy level up. I also learned the earliest fundamentals
of lighting from these guys.
Warren Yeager (Aug 9, 2003 1:06:10 PM)
Did your experiences and colleagues at AFI help you land your first jobs?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:07:11 PM)
Yes, the connections I made with other AFI students indirectly led to some
of my first professional work.
Nancy Jameson (Aug 9, 2003 1:07:21 PM)
You have justly and sincerely credited your fellow visionaries, mentors and
colleagues – Phedon Papamichael, Harry Wolfe (ASC), and Chris Nolan, to
name a few. What can you tell us about those who are somewhat in the shadows
now, namely, legendary icon, Mr Boppinini?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:08:30 PM)
LOL…Mr. Boppinini is not welcome at this chat session. Hi, Nan. Thanks for
the question.
SBDP (Aug 9, 2003 1:08:42 PM)
Who are the other cinematographers who have influenced your work... and how?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:10:35 PM)
Gordon Willis, Vittorio Storaro, Conrad Hall, Darius Khondji , and others.
Mostly because of their sense of fearlessness in the way they translate
the story to the screen visually.
Lumens (Aug 9, 2003 1:10:47 PM)
Wally, you mentioned a number of times in your interview,
how important it is to develop rapport with the director. Do you have
any tips for young cinematographers?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:11:41 PM)
Always show the proper respect to the director. The director is and always
will be running the show and you need to do your best to translate the
director's vision even though you may not always agree with it.
raphael (Aug 9, 2003 1:11:44 PM)
What are the differences between working with a director who’s shooting someone
else’s script and working with a director who’s shooting his/her own script?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:12:58 PM)
There's a great difference. Writer/directors tend to be a lot closer to the
material and are less likely to change the material. They also have an
incredible passion for the story they are telling. I've found that isn't
always there from a director who is merely adapting the material.
D-Rek (Aug 9, 2003 1:13:00 PM)
Have you ever worked with Robert Altman again, and would you like to? Could
you talk a bit about how it was working with him?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:14:32 PM)
Robert Altman is a great filmmaker. I had an opportunity to work on The
Player but was not able to and haven't worked with him since. But in
some ways, with some of my favorite filmmakers I'm just happy to watch the
work that they do and I don't necessarily need to work with some of these
directors to continue appreciating their work.
Isaac (Aug 9, 2003 1:14:34 PM)
What was your vision for Memento after first reading the script?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:16:24 PM)
The screenplay for Memento was very complicated. I had to read it
several times before breaking it down and working towards a vision of it.
In the end, I saw it as a classic film noir and wanted to keep it very simple
visually.
Op_Ed (Aug 9, 2003 1:16:26 PM)
Why did you shoot black and white film in Memento instead of desaturating
color film, and how did you pick a film and prepare to shoot it?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:18:46 PM)
The decision to shoot black and white in Memento was made by Chris
Nolan before my involvement on the film. I chose to shoot black and white
stock (5222) because of its contrast. I choose film stocks based on whether
their particular characteristics suit the needs of what I'm looking for.
I'm currently using 5218 on Slow Burn and having great success with
it.
bryantlemelle (Aug 9, 2003 1:18:49 PM)
Hi Wally. It's Bryant Lemelle one of the additional camera assistants on The
Italian Job. Your Los Angeles crew sends their best. Did you and Chris
Nolan hook-up when you were at AFI?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:19:27 PM)
Thanks, Bryant. No, I met Chris about 10 years later.
Warren Yeager (Aug 9, 2003 1:19:36 PM)
What were the greatest challenges in making the jump to a big action film
like The Italian Job?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:21:02 PM)
The greatest challenge in jumping from independents to a studio picture of
that size really was dealing with the size of the machine that was now
driving the picture. There are many more people to answer to.
Lenser (Aug 9, 2003 1:21:05 PM)
I was fascinated by the way The Italian Job was able to tell an entertaining
story at the same time it was serving as a 2-hour commercial for the Mini-Cooper.
Did you have any relationship with the marketing department or was that just
the byproduct of a great script?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:22:21 PM)
I had no personal contact with the marketing department, but I know that
very early on Paramount was very involved with BMW. All parties knew that
if the film was successful, there would be a great boost to Mini-Cooper
sales.
Silvio (Aug 9, 2003 1:22:24 PM)
The Italian Job was such a fun, action-packed movie. What
was your favorite part of shooting it?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:23:28 PM)
My favorite part of shooting The Italian Job was the stuff that I
like the look of the best, which is the beautiful water garage set made by
production designer Charlie Wood. Also, the whole opening sequence of the
Venice Palazzo.
Lumens (Aug 9, 2003 1:23:30 PM)
At what point in your career did you get an agent and what do they do for
you?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:24:46 PM)
I had my first agent in about 1992 and he did almost nothing for me. I remember
him getting me an interview to shoot the Power Rangers movie and
I didn't get the job. I now have an agent who is very active in finding
the right work and making the best deals that he can get.
Aaron the AC (Aug 9, 2003 1:24:50 PM)
I wanna ask about some of your earlier work. The soft-core b-movies. Does
working on those things have any technical value or is it just about paying
your dues and getting a check?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:26:15 PM)
Working on those films had enormous value. Some of the lighting tricks that
I learned then, I currently apply to my work. Every bit of life experience
you get seems to pay off in some way or another.
Jorge (Aug 9, 2003 1:26:18 PM)
Do you have any interest in directing? Why or why not?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:27:11 PM)
Yes. I just directed my first commercials and plan on directing and shooting
more commercials.
tre (Aug 9, 2003 1:27:15 PM)
Do you still shoot documentaries? How has your narrative work affected your
approach to "reality" filmmaking?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:28:19 PM)
I don't really shoot documentaries anymore, but the documentary work I did
continues to influence the style in which I shoot narrative films. I continue
to do my own handheld camera work and take my inspiration from natural
light.
Op_Ed (Aug 9, 2003 1:28:23 PM)
I really enjoyed your description of how you used light as a character to
play against Al Pacino in Insomnia. Please tell us about working
with Pacino on those terms. Did it come up again and again in the film?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:29:20 PM)
It came up occasionally, but mostly Pacino was focused on his character and
I feel that a camera is there to serve that character and the needs of
the story, not the other way around.
max power (Aug 9, 2003 1:29:28 PM)
Did you feel more comfortable working under the constraints of a small budget
on Laurel Canyon or with the freedom of a large budget on The
Italian Job?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:31:00 PM)
That's a good question. There are benefits and detriments to both. I appreciate
the speed at which you can tell a story in an independent, but I like having
time and the resources to do anything you want on a story on a larger budget.
SBDP (Aug 9, 2003 1:31:04 PM)
You said you had an opportunity to direct and shoot a spot for PBS. What
was it, and how do you find those opportunities or do they find you?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:31:44 PM)
That opportunity found me and it was a great experience. It's a very visual
spot.
mrjebef (Aug 9, 2003 1:31:49 PM)
I've heard you are up north currently shooting another independent feature.
After your success with Memento and now The Italian Job,
why are you still choosing smaller projects?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:33:31 PM)
I choose my projects based on the material, not the budget size. In recent
years, I've been fortunate enough to be offered the best of the independents
as well as large studio pictures. It's important to make your choices based
on story when possible. If I don't think I'd enjoy watching the movie,
I don't want to film the movie.
bryantlemelle (Aug 9, 2003 1:33:35 PM)
How soon do you start pre-pro on the Batman sequel? Will you go with
the established look of the previous films or will you give us something
different.
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:34:45 PM)
I may start pre-production as early as September, immediately following Slow
Burn. I will absolutely find an original look for the film based on conversations
with Chris and my understanding of the material.
Calliope (Aug 9, 2003 1:35:10 PM)
Are there directors whose work you particularly follow, and if so who are
they?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:36:36 PM)
Most of them are dead, but the directors who I love most are people like
Stanley Kubrick and Hal Ashby. And we just lost a great director with John
Schlesinger. Currently, I'm a big fan of the more original filmmakers like
Alexander Payne.
Aaron the AC (Aug 9, 2003 1:36:41 PM)
Have you ever talked to Steven Spielberg about shooting something for him
rather than just for his company?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:37:13 PM)
No, I've met Steven Spielberg, but never discussed working with him directly.
Jennie (Aug 9, 2003 1:37:16 PM)
If you had to pick a movie in your childhood that motivated you to want to
become a cinematographer or be involved with movies, which one would it
be? Why?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:39:48 PM)
I would have to say there are two different phases of my life where a particular
film influenced me visually. The first was 2001 with Jeffrey Unsworth's
photography. Second was Hal Ashby's Being There, which was shot
by Caleb Deschanel. It influenced me much later and I was struck by the
beauty and the simplicity of the natural lighting that he used to tell
the story.
Gino (Aug 9, 2003 1:39:52 PM)
Are there any Roger Cormans around today? How does one find them?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:40:40 PM)
I don't know. I think that the markets are very different now for low budget
movies. I think the risk is greater for people investing and distributing
low budget movies.
Malena (Aug 9, 2003 1:40:41 PM)
What do you think of digital intermediate? Do you like it or hate it or something
in between?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:41:39 PM)
Something in between. I think that a digital intermediate can be a great
creative tool. However, there are great dangers whenever anybody can manipulate
the image as much as you are able to in that arena.
Lumens (Aug 9, 2003 1:41:41 PM)
You talk about the difference in resolution between HD and film cameras.
How do you explain to a young director why that is important?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:43:04 PM)
The best thing a young director can do is go out and shoot an image himself
on a Mini-DV camera and then shoot the same image on a 16mm camera and
see what difference he sees. I'm attracted to the organic nature of film
over video image capturing.
SBDP (Aug 9, 2003 1:43:19 PM)
Looking back, did your experience with shooting TV news reality influence
your thinking as a cinematographer shooting fiction?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:44:56 PM)
Yes, absolutely. Once again, every bit of experience behind the camera that
I got, I've found use for in my experience shooting feature films. News
and documentaries help ground you in keeping your vision of narrative material
as real as it can be.
Warren Yeager (Aug 9, 2003 1:44:58 PM)
Is there a difference in your film stock and lighting choices in films which
you're finishing on video vs. films which you're finishing on film?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:47:02 PM)
The answer is yes. Although I know longer do films that finish solely on
video, I definitely made different contrast decisions in how I expose the
film in television, even though I use the same stock regardless of the
medium.
raphael (Aug 9, 2003 1:47:05 PM)
I’m a big fan of Tanner ’88 and I wondered if you had plans to do
any more "acting"?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:47:53 PM)
Ha, ha, ha. No, I have absolutely no desire to act anymore. I was petrified
in front of the camera on that. But I loved the experience of working on
that show.
BigDipper (Aug 9, 2003 1:47:59 PM)
Hey Wally, I just joined the chat. Loved the look you put on The Italian
Job. Can you talk a bit about your involvement with all the aerial work?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:49:48 PM)
Thanks Tom and hi. Yes, I used the same aerial operator on Insomnia, Laurel
Canyon and Italian Job. He is a very talented man named Hans Bjerno.
I trust him to come back with spectacular compositions and blocking.
mrjebef (Aug 9, 2003 1:49:50 PM)
How influential on your career was your two years studying at AFI?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:50:57 PM)
The greatest benefit in my years at AFI was the time I spent listening to
Tony Vellani talking about story and structure in his director's class.
DaViD (Aug 9, 2003 1:51:03 PM)
How has your work evolved over the course of your career?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:53:35 PM)
I'm more confident in my decisions and of my vision than I used to be. I'm
having much greater success putting the images on the screen that I see
in my head.
Chris Mosio (Aug 9, 2003 1:53:38 PM)
Hi Wally. You've got a great eye for light and helm a very talented crew.
I wonder if Cory, your gaffer, is itching to shoot on his own?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:54:30 PM)
Hi Chris. Cory has been a great collaborator of mine and I hope to move him
up to shooting in years to come.
Jimmy Z. (Aug 9, 2003 1:54:37 PM)
Is there a film that you passed on that, in hindsight, you wish you would
have shot?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:55:11 PM)
Power Rangers, just kidding.
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:56:03 PM)
I've passed on a couple films recently that ended up being very successful
in the box office but I still don't regret my decision to turn them down,
despite the fact that it would have raised my rate if I had taken them.
Matt (Aug 9, 2003 1:56:06 PM)
How did Memento affect your career?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:57:25 PM)
Memento affected my career enormously. It was really the launching
pad for my career as it exists.
max power (Aug 9, 2003 1:57:30 PM)
On Scotland, PA...did you watch any stage performances of Shakespeare
to get ideas for how to present the story on screen?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 1:58:33 PM)
Thanks for watching Scotland, PA – it's a movie I really enjoy but
very few people have seen. I didn't watch any performances of Macbeth but
I was very familiar with it from my high school years.
Isaac (Aug 9, 2003 1:58:40 PM)
How does a young director figure out how to pick the right cinematographer,
and how do they establish rapport and get the most of them?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 2:01:50 PM)
First off, make sure you're familiar with the cinematographer's previous
work – not just one or two things, but everything they've done. Meet with
them, and see if there's a creative connection. Try to find out if that
cinematographer is able to present a visual translation of your material
in an appropriate way and perhaps, in a way that you hadn't seen it before.
cyclevideo (Aug 9, 2003 2:01:53 PM)
Wally, what advice can you give to someone who wants to transition to film
projects from shooting network news shows (like Dateline or Sixty
Minutes)?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 2:03:13 PM)
It's a difficult transition, but the best thing you can do is find some kind
of narrative short to shoot.
Cyd (Aug 9, 2003 2:03:30 PM)
Do you ever shoot any music videos? If so, who’ve you worked with?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 2:03:51 PM)
No, I have never shot a music video.
Gino (Aug 9, 2003 2:04:00 PM)
I've heard it said the DPs are a combination of artist and engineer. Where
would you place yourself in that range?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 2:06:17 PM)
I would add storyteller to that, politician and insomniac.
Warren Yeager (Aug 9, 2003 2:07:53 PM)
When you're prepping for a big film, and visualize a shot which requires
complicated camera movement, how do you research what equipment you will
choose for the shot. Do you rely on operators you know or do you visit
the equipment manufactures or rental houses?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 2:08:43 PM)
I would say all of the above. If I don't know how to do something, I ask
everybody I know until I can get an idea for how I can best execute that.
Chris Mosio (Aug 9, 2003 2:09:47 PM)
Wally, do you have a dream project? A particular subject or genre that you
have yet to film? Is there any writer's blood running in you?
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 2:10:35 PM)
No, I'm not much of a writer. My real dream project is to record an album
of instrumental music.
Wally Pfister (Aug 9, 2003 2:11:24 PM)
Thanks very much everybody for being involved in this chat. I am greatly
honored that you are interested in what I have to say.
