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Transcript of Live Chat With
Owen
Roizman, ASC
Feb. 8, 2003
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:28:11 PM)
Welcome to the chat! Unfortunately, my son Eric is not available today because
he's out on a barge shooting in Miami. However, you can still send questions for
him. They will be answered when he can get to them and they'll be posted on this
web site. So feel free to ask as many questions of him as you would like.
Gino (Feb 8, 2003 1:28:37 PM)
I'm just wondering if you have anything to say about Conrad Hall?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:29:07 PM)
I don't think there's enough time to say something about Conrad. He was not only
a dear friend, but one of my idols. And an icon for all cinematographers everywhere.
Sky (Feb 8, 2003 1:29:20 PM)
The handheld shooting style in The French Connection is integral to the
beauty of the film. Who's idea was it to shoot a feature with this radical technique?
Were there any debates about it or did everyone love it from the start?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:29:56 PM)
It was something that – as I remember – Billy Friedkin said he wanted to do. Partly
because it was faster. It was something that sort of developed because that was
not the original concept, which was to be shooting over the shoulders and behind
the backs of the actors. We tried that for one day and found it didn't work at
all, and then switched over to the handheld mode. It was something nobody could
tell at the time whether it would be great or not. It was just something we did
that felt right at the time.
kartik (Feb 8, 2003 1:31:01 PM)
Can u suggest a good way to light rainfall?? Something good and cheap...
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:31:41 PM)
The way to shoot - to see rain – you have to backlight it. The darker the background,
the more it will show up. Whatever light that takes, that's what it is. There's
no cheap way to do it.
jlight (Feb 8, 2003 1:31:45 PM)
Could you talk a little about the way you processed the film stock on The
French Connection?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:33:31 PM)
We were using Kodak 5254 negative and my theory was to underexpose and force develop
the film. Therefore getting the blacks to be milky. This gave the film a very
thin look, very low contrast.
Amerikan (Feb 8, 2003 1:33:38 PM)
The expressively articulate commentary by William Friedkin on The French Connection,
fox five star dvd, he consistently and vividly recalls the contributions of camera
operator Ricardo "Ricky" Bravo. Please comment on Bravo's role in creating
the "documentary" look to the film? Was Bravo free to shoot like a photojournalist,
composing his own frames, camera movement, and placements? How did Bravo's role
of operator differ compared to operators on your other films?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:34:35 PM)
In general, I always set up the compositions and then tell the operators what
I'd like to see. And it was no different on The French Connection. Ricky
was a great operator, and I could trust him implicitly. He had the freedom to
adjust where necessary, but he didn't have the photojournalist kind of freedom
you're referring to. He was just a great colleague to work with.
jlight (Feb 8, 2003 1:35:27 PM)
How did this process effect you lighting strategy? Were you lighting with harder
light to make the highlights snap etc.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:36:04 PM)
No, my whole approach to the lighting on The French Connection was to make
everything look as if it were not lit. Sometimes that took just about every light
that was available to us.
Sky (Feb 8, 2003 1:36:09 PM)
The French Connection was early in the careers of Friedkin, Hackman, Scheider,
and you. Could a film like that be made under the corporate umbrella of today's
system?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:36:57 PM)
There's no reason why not. I think it still happens today. We see new stars, new
directors, new cinematographers that nobody ever heard of making great films.
I can't refer to any right now, because it's not something I'm prepared to answer.
But I think if you research it, you'll find that's a fact.
Op-Ed (Feb 8, 2003 1:37:07 PM)
Storaro talks about color theory and how different colors conjure different emotions,
experiences, etc. How did this idea come into play in your work, Owen?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:37:39 PM)
Color is always important. Every aspect of what you're shooting is important,
same as composition, lighting, movement. I tended to like to work with earth tones
and avoid blues and rich colors whenever possible. It was just something I personally,
esthetically ascribed to.
SBDP (Feb 8, 2003 1:38:03 PM)
You mentioned in your interview that you are still involved with still photography.
How active are you, and what types of pictures do you take?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:38:37 PM)
I'm very active, but I'm doing mostly just portraits – especially portraits of
ASC members we publish in the magazine every month. What I try to do is make each
of them a little different from the others, so I don't get bored.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:39:23 PM)
I almost always have a camera with me and I'll take pictures on the spur of the
moment. I've been shooting all digital stills because it's faster for me to see
the results and I can go to my computer, put t hem in PhotoShop and manipulate
them artistically to my own satisfaction.
Jack Rob (Feb 8, 2003 1:39:32 PM)
Owen, you spoke about the importance of faces. How do you decide how to light
faces, and the best angles, how to handle different skintones, and so on? Are
there certain tests you do, or is it all in your eye?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:40:02 PM)
To me, faces are the most important thing you can deal with in making a movie.
But every face is different. So there's no set formula for any face. Every skin
tone is different. The hardest thing to do is make sure you balance different
skin tones in the same shots so nothing looks out of place.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:41:43 PM)
Whenever I was working with an actor/actress I thought might be tricky to photograph,
I would try to shoot tests using different diffusions and lighting combinations
to get the best results so I didn't have to spend that time on the set in the
middle of production.
UCLAGirls (Feb 8, 2003 1:41:49 PM)
From all the films that you have done, which one do you think is your best/favorite?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:42:14 PM)
You know, films are like having children. There's something about all of them
you really like and it's hard to pick a favorite.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:42:29 PM)
But one of my personal favorites that I did was True Confessions. There
are many reasons for that. One was that it had great production design; it was
a period picture. Great faces to light. And a variety of moods to capture. I also
was working with a director who let me do whatever I wanted.
Snad (Feb 8, 2003 1:43:07 PM)
Since you were talking about lighting faces and skin tones, how did you deal with
the heavy makeup in the third act of The Exorcist? Did you work closely
with Dick Smith to test how the makeup would film?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:43:42 PM)
Yes, Dick Smith and I worked very closely on that. And we shot many tests. Mostly
before the picture started, but some during production. Wherever I would have
a problem, I could call on Dick and he could fix it immediately. It turned out
not to be as difficult as we had anticipated, once he got the formula for the
make-up down pat.
UCLA Boys (Feb 8, 2003 1:44:10 PM)
Did you perform film tests to determine a style before every project?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:44:36 PM)
I was a great fan of shooting tests. And to me tests are not only to see what
you want to do, but what you don't want to do also.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:44:47 PM)
I probably shot tests before most every picture, but not necessarily to determine
the look. I might have been testing lights, lenses, cameras, compositions, and
anything else I might face during the actual production.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:45:14 PM)
I found that you never stop learning and you never learn it all.
Wide Angle (Feb 8, 2003 1:45:18 PM)
You spoke about using a day for night technique in The Electric Horseman.
Are techniques like that passe' now that it can all be done during digital mastering?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:46:10 PM)
Digital mastering certainly makes it easier. But you still have to take certain
steps to present a negative that will work the best that it can in digital mastering.
Again, there is no set formula for getting great day-for-night. There's a lot
of elements that contribute to it. One is the direction of the light, and another
is the background.
Movie lover (Feb 8, 2003 1:46:42 PM)
There's a great shot in Tootsie when we first see Dustin Hoffman's feet
in high heels. What inspired that shot?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:47:24 PM)
I have to be honest, I don't remember the shot, so I can't really comment on it.
But probably because Sydney Pollack said he wanted the shot.
Amerikan (Feb 8, 2003 1:47:28 PM)
I'm sure there are many, but can you please list a few films you feel exemplify
excellence in cinematography? What about them makes them unique?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:48:03 PM)
There are so many beautiful classic films that it would be hard to list all of
them and it would be unfair to those that I didn't mention.
SBDP (Feb 8, 2003 1:48:11 PM)
I really love Grand Canyon. One of my favorite scenes is when Kevin Kline’s
son is learning how to drive in the notorious LA traffic. How difficult is it
to stage a location shoot of that nature?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:48:44 PM)
I'm glad you like Grand Canyon that much, because so do I. It was one of
my favorite films to work on.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:49:05 PM)
That sequence took a lot of logistical planning from everyone, especially production.
To be able to organize the traffic, block certain streets off, etc. It's always
tricky to do things like that on live location. It's sort of like during the chase
in The French Connection where the logistics were enormous.
Tre (Feb 8, 2003 1:49:26 PM)
What are your thoughts on digital shooting? Does it have the same emotional richness
of film?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:50:11 PM)
There's no doubt in my mind that someday in the distant future digital will replace
film. But for now, there is no comparison. Film is king. There is nothing that
digital has to offer at this time that even compares to film.
Sky (Feb 8, 2003 1:50:16 PM)
Speaking of digital cameras, how do you feel about the new generation of HD cameras?
How does new technology effect your approach to cinematography?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:51:12 PM)
HD offers some interesting techniques to use. It is a tool to be treated as such
– just as if you were given a new film emulsion or a new lens or a new light.
It does not replace film at all and it still takes the creative idea and experience
from the cinematographer to capture the best images possible. You still have to
light, compose, and move the camera properly to capture the mood you want.
filmer (Feb 8, 2003 1:51:50 PM)
Where do you see the digital revolution headed? Does it mean less work for us
camera guys? Or more and different?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:52:19 PM)
I think I already answered the question about where it's headed. As far as whether
there's more or less work, only the future will determine that. Unfortunately,
I can't predict the future.
kartik (Feb 8, 2003 1:52:57 PM)
Who are your favorite painters and photographers?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:53:32 PM)
Again, that's a long list. Obviously, Rembrandt. I love the Impressionists. Probably,
almost all of them. Especially Degas. But there are so many more. And photographers
too. There would just be too many to mention. I take a little bit from all of
them; they all have something to offer and to learn from.
UCLAGirls (Feb 8, 2003 1:54:00 PM)
What do you think is the best training for becoming a WORKING cinematographer
in the industry?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:54:49 PM)
Start at the bottom, learn everything you can about the job you're doing at the
time, and then when you feel ready try to move up to the next level. And keep
that chain going until you reach the place you want to reach.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:55:04 PM)
Unfortunately, you have to be lucky to get that first position. And then after
that, it's up to you as an individual to move forward. It'll come from hard work
and studying.
UCLA Boys (Feb 8, 2003 1:55:22 PM)
How do you shoot knowing extra CGI will be added later?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:56:02 PM)
I don't know if you have to plan much in advance for that. Because from my understanding
of what can be done in CGI these days. You can make all kinds of mistakes and
it can be fixed. And you can do some great stuff and they can ruin it, too. So
if it's something there's a question or could be a problem, then I think it should
be tested up front.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:56:58 PM)
Currently, I know John Schwartzman is shooting Seabiscuit, and they're
going to be doing a lot of CGI work. Consequently, he did many tests up front
to determine which was the best way to go.
seak (Feb 8, 2003 1:57:17 PM)
When you shoot shots that are keyed from the back, as a thin rim light, how do
you think about/determine the exposure.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:57:45 PM)
Everything is based on the old zone system. And you have to train your eye to
determine what portions of the frame you want to fall into which zone. And then
measure with your light meter accordingly.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:58:21 PM)
There are no formulas for it. It comes from experience and from common sense.
Mat (Feb 8, 2003 1:58:31 PM)
You mentioned the importance of the light direction and background in day for
night shooting. How do you think these should be used to create a believable impression
of night?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 1:59:03 PM)
It's really difficult to make a day-for-night shot absolutely 100% believable
that it's night. What you do is take poetic license and try to create an illusion
of night.
jlight (Feb 8, 2003 1:59:21 PM)
Talking about low contrast looks etc. what is your feeeling about the new kodak
stocks? i.e most recently 5218
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:00:21 PM)
Unfortunately, I retired from shooting films several years ago, and I'm not up
on some of the latest film stocks.
Amerikan (Feb 8, 2003 2:00:25 PM)
Did the folks at Fox consult you when producing their five-star DVD of The
French Connection? Are you happy with the end result? Any thoughts on the
kind of access a cinematographer should have to the post-production and archival
process(es) of their film?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:00:53 PM)
Great question!
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:01:07 PM)
I was not consulted on the DVD of The French Connection. I believe that
Billy Friedkin supervised that himself – much to my dismay. Because I felt that,
although it was okay, it wasn't nearly as good as it should have been – which
it would have been had they had me in for consultation.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:01:50 PM)
I feel it's very important for cinematographers to always be involved with final
transfers to the digital medium. It's the only way the work will ever be preserved
the way it was intended to look. I think it's almost criminal that studios do
not always take this step.
Snad (Feb 8, 2003 2:02:14 PM)
Sydney Lumet once said that Network is meant to become literally darker
and darker as the film progresses. Was that planned early on in preproduction,
or did it organically come to be over time, just because it made sense?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:02:51 PM)
That's the first time I heard that Sydney said that. He certainly never said it
to me. I just shot the film the way I saw fit to shoot it. And to capture the
moods I felt were necessary for the scenes wherever they appeared in the story.
Op-Ed (Feb 8, 2003 2:03:45 PM)
I wanted to ask about working with Barry Sonnenfeld on the Addams Family.
Did his camera background make it easier or harder for you as a dp?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:04:15 PM)
It made it neither easier nor harder. It was just a different experience. Barry
is a very talented director, and we had a mutual respect for one another. So it
was a pleasant relationship.
Movie lover (Feb 8, 2003 2:04:49 PM)
Did you ever meet any of the old great studio cinematographers? George Folsey,
Hal Mohrs, etc. What did you think of them?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:05:37 PM)
Yes, I met lots of them. Especially after I became a member of the ASC. I had
the honor of working with George Folsey once as either his assistant or operator,
I forget which.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:05:49 PM)
When I first came to California, they treated me with open arms and were just
a great group of people. Stanley Cortez was one of my sponsors to the ASC, and
was a grand character.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:06:24 PM)
I specifically remember Lee Garms coming to my house one day with avocados when
I first moved out here, in welcome to me. And I'll never forget Joe Ruttenberg,
who sent me a wonderful admiration letter for my work on Network.
hapage (Feb 8, 2003 2:06:49 PM)
Owen, it is a shame Eric could not join us today. Still, as someone who's been
there and now sees the change in the employment climate, especially with large
numbers of operators and D.P's fighting for the few spots available, what advice
did you pass along to Eric regarding his move up last year and the job of operating
itself?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:07:37 PM)
I constantly talked to Eric about the art form. About operating. And lighting
as well. Because eventually he would like to be a DP and he is quickly learning
that you can never learn too much.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:08:23 PM)
Knowing every aspect of filmmaking helps you in whatever job you're doing at the
time. So he is trying to learn editing as well, and shooting lots of stills, and
just preparing himself for the future. Actually, he has a great advantage in the
fact that he can come to me at any time and pick my brain – which I am always
encouraging him to do.
Mattie M. (Feb 8, 2003 2:08:53 PM)
What's it like to have your son in the business? Do you look at his work as a
father or as a cinematographer?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:09:15 PM)
I think it's great to have my son in the business. I can live vicariously through
him that way. I look at his work both as a father and a cinematographer. I can
be critical and loving at the same time. So it's a great thrill for me. Especially
to see how he's come along.
SBDP (Feb 8, 2003 2:09:53 PM)
In retrospect, do you have any regrets about spending all those years shooting
commercials?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:10:12 PM)
Not at all. I have no regrets. I learned so much from shooting commercials.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:10:25 PM)
I also directed so many commercials that I was able to appreciate more what editors,
directors, and actors do. Commercials were how I started. And how I was weaned.
What I learned on commercials prepared me for feature films.
George (Feb 8, 2003 2:10:49 PM)
How do you feel when you see something in a film that's obviously an imitation
of your style? Flattered or angry?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:11:26 PM)
I've never been aware of any imitations of my style. But if I were, I would definitely
be flattered. Certainly not angry. I believe in sharing knowledge with young cinematographers.
And I think it's part of our duty to pass the knowledge along to the next generation.
Tommy (Feb 8, 2003 2:11:51 PM)
Owen, if you could pick any of your films to do a pre-quel or a sequel to, which
would it be? Why?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:12:28 PM)
It's a thought that's never entered my mind. And probably never will.
Daryn (Feb 8, 2003 2:12:36 PM)
What are your thoughts about beginning a career as a cinematographer in New York
as opposed Los Angeles? Were there creative challenges in the east coast that
influenced your development as a cinematographer that may have been different
on the west?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:13:20 PM)
I think that – learning on the east coast – things were a little freer at that
time, and not as "studio-oriented" looking. So it gave me an opportunity
to be an individual and to use my own creativity.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:13:44 PM)
I don't know if I had started on the west coast if it would have been the same.
But I suspect that eventually I would still have come through that.
Wide Angle (Feb 8, 2003 2:13:57 PM)
What would it take to bring you out of retirement to shoot another film?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:14:35 PM)
Unfortunately, I don't think I really have that option. I do miss the art. But
I sure don't miss the hours – which I think are ridiculously long and unhealthy.
UCLA Boys (Feb 8, 2003 2:14:49 PM)
Would you ever consider picking up an Arri S and helping a film student on his
project?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:15:16 PM)
I would consider telling him how to hold it! But that's about it.
Jack Rob (Feb 8, 2003 2:15:21 PM)
Do you know if the ASC has plans to do a follow-up to Visions of Light?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:15:56 PM)
We certainly hope to. We have talked about it. And in the next year we will probably
make a determination whether or not it's going to be feasible.
Sky (Feb 8, 2003 2:15:59 PM)
You mentioned Eric is studying editing. A lot of camera people shy away from post
production. How important is a knowledge of editing for a cinematographer?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:16:54 PM)
It's very important. And the reason why Eric is studying it is not to become an
editor, but to help him understand how scenes go together, what compositions work
best for when you are editing, and just the whole structure of each scene. How
it works to help tell the story.
UCLAGirls (Feb 8, 2003 2:17:02 PM)
What recent film did you find remarkable in cinematography?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:18:11 PM)
Still being fair to all the wonderful films that were shot this year, for my taste,
Road to Perdition is not only a brilliantly photographed film this year,
but I put it in my top 5 of all time. And I don't know what the other four are.
seak (Feb 8, 2003 2:18:15 PM)
The difficulty I find with rim light is that it is too thin to measure with a
spot meter, and since the reflectance value of the subject can create vast variances
on exposure, how do you determine such with an incident meter. Or do you?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:19:21 PM)
Well you can use an incident meter. But you have to know how to decipher it. I
find it's easier to use a spot meter in that case. And determine again what zone
you want different areas of the frame to fall in. Rim light will go usually to
white. And after that the only way it'll get brighter is to maybe flare the lens
a little bit.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:20:04 PM)
Remember that in film, as opposed to video, the maximum density you can have on
the film is white. After that, nothing else shows up.
Wide Angle (Feb 8, 2003 2:20:13 PM)
I'd like to hear more about how you approached shooting Wyatt Earp as a
period film. What did you do to create a period look?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:20:54 PM)
Strangely enough, one of the things Larry Kasdan told me he didn't want was for
the picture to look like a period picture. He said he'd rather have it shot as
if we were living at that time, and we did it normally. Therefore, we let the
sets and the wardrobe contribute to the look more than anything.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:21:42 PM)
Of course, I did a few other things I never told him about. Like over-exposing
the daylight scenes and using a mixture of cool and warm light at night to give
a beauty to some of the night scenes. And a brightness to the day scenes.
Gino (Feb 8, 2003 2:22:14 PM)
Did you ever make a 65 mm film-and do you think that genre is dead?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:22:47 PM)
I never made a film in 65 mm but I shot some plates in 65 mm for one film. And
I was astonished at the quality that large negative gave.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:23:06 PM)
It's sad to think that it would be a genre that's dead. But certainly because
of the size of the equipment, it's something that is not done very often. Though
ideally, it should be used all the time.
UCLA Boys (Feb 8, 2003 2:23:23 PM)
Are you always aware of shots that are to be cut together and shoot for continuity
or do you leave that up to the director?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:24:41 PM)
I feel it's one of the responsibilities of the cinematographer to totally understand
the structure of each scene and how it will eventually cut together. Not necessarily
the exact sequence of the cut, but that shots will give the editor enough flexibility
to cut it any way he/she wants.
UCLAGirls (Feb 8, 2003 2:24:45 PM)
What was the most difficult lesson you had to learn as a cinematographer?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:25:05 PM)
That the director's the number one guy on the set!
kartik (Feb 8, 2003 2:25:08 PM)
Have you worked on any international films? Did u meet any of the European greats?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:25:49 PM)
I never worked on an international film, but I certainly have met some of the
European greats. And many have become good friends of mine.
Mat (Feb 8, 2003 2:25:54 PM)
Talking of editing, do you prefer to shoot films were there's a lot of coverage
and the film is made later, or do you have more control over the look of the film
if the amount of footage shot is far more limited?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:26:21 PM)
I don't believe you can ever shoot too much. The more options an editor and director
have to work with in the final result, the better off they will be. It can only
help them with the performances from the actors and to give them as many options
as possible.
Gino (Feb 8, 2003 2:26:49 PM)
Is there anyone (directors, actors, production designers, editors, etc) who you
never got a chance to work with that you wish you would have?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:27:31 PM)
I don't think I could ever run those thoughts through my mind. I'd rather think
that I'm grateful for the people I did have the opportunity to work with. I got
to work with some wonderful directors, and great actors and actresses.
filmer (Feb 8, 2003 2:27:45 PM)
When reading a script, how do you relate the emotions in the story to your approach
to lighting and composition?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:28:40 PM)
Whenever I read a script for the first time, I would try not to picture anything
in my mind about lighting or anything like that. I always tried to reserve those
thoughts until my first meet with the director about the script.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:29:11 PM)
And then I would re-read it and think it through. And I always took the approach
that whatever the story was, I would try to adjust my lighting and compositions
to fit that story. Rather than look at it as how the story would fit my lighting
style.
dijon (Feb 8, 2003 2:29:37 PM)
Tootsie has an unusual look for a comedy made at that time, can you talk
about your strategy for it?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:30:03 PM)
First thing, of course, was that we shot in anamorphic. The other aspect of it
was that we didn't shoot it with the intention it was a comedy. We felt that in
order for the audience to believe this whole premise, everything would have to
look very realistic so that they could relate to the fact that the people within
the story were actually fooled by this guy. If they accepted the fact that those
people were fooled, then they could be fooled also. Therefore making everything
more believable.
UCLAGirls (Feb 8, 2003 2:31:01 PM)
Why do you think there are so few women cinematographers? And Do you think that
women will ever achieve an academy nomination for a feature film?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:31:27 PM)
I've seen some really wonderful work out of female cinematographers in the last
few years. And there is no doubt in my mind that a woman will not only get an
Academy nomination but will probably win an Oscar before too long.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:32:03 PM)
It's just a matter of getting the right projects to work on, and I personally
don't see any gender segregation in my mind. Same as there's no doubt in my mind
that one day a woman will be President of the United States.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:32:23 PM)
I think it's all about the work rather than the gender.
UCLA Boys (Feb 8, 2003 2:32:35 PM)
Now that you're retired, do you miss shooting and being a part of the process?
if so, what part about it do you miss the most? what parts don’t you miss?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:33:29 PM)
I answered that question before. But to repeat, I miss the art. Which consists
of the camaraderie of working with different people every day on the set, creating
new ideas, images. Telling a story that can touch the lives of people around the
world.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:33:57 PM)
What I don't miss is the interminable hours that for some reason producers think
are necessary in order to make a film these days. I remember in the old days producers
used to be more interested in the product than in the budget. Somewhere along
the line that's changed. Unfortunately.
jlight (Feb 8, 2003 2:34:24 PM)
In this day and age what do you feel is the best path to climb to becoming a cinematographer.
The camera route or the electric route?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:34:59 PM)
Given a choice? Definitely the camera route. You really should understand every
aspect of creating images. They're not always just about lighting.
Spotlight (Feb 8, 2003 2:35:09 PM)
Is there any interior scene that comes to mind that was particularly challenging
to you?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:35:59 PM)
One of the earliest challenges I ever had was shooting the inside of the men's
room in a bar in The French Connection.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:36:14 PM)
The solution for me was to just change the bulb to a brighter bulb and get out
of there because it smelled so bad in there. And I learned a lot from that actually
because the results were so satisfying that I realized you can do a lot with a
little – if you do it carefully.
Amerikan (Feb 8, 2003 2:36:37 PM)
In Road to Perdition, Conrad used beautiful shadows, which I felt added
tremendous weight and emotion to the story. Everyone is aware of the importance
of light in a picture, but how important is shadow?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:37:27 PM)
Conrad always had an expression, that it's not always what you light that counts,
but often it's what you don't light that counts. There was probably no better
example of that than what he did in Road to Perdition.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:37:48 PM)
All images are made up of a gray scale that goes from pure white to black, and
all kinds of gradations in between. Whatever portion of that gray scale you, as
a cinematographer, decide to render, that's what captures the mood of that particular
scene. So it could be bright. It could be dark. And it could be a combination
of any parts in between. Conrad was a master at creating that.
Jack Rob (Feb 8, 2003 2:38:31 PM)
Is it true that all great cinematographers are also great still photographers?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:40:07 PM)
I don't know the answer to that. I know that through the efforts of Francis Kenney
at the ASC, we are compiling a collection of still photographers taken by ASC
members. And hope to someday publish them in a book.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:40:23 PM)
However, I don't think it's a general rule that a great cinematographer is a great
photographer. I would assume that would be the case, but I can't state that as
a fact.
Op-Ed (Feb 8, 2003 2:40:36 PM)
Every time I see The French Connection, I get so wrapped up in the story
that I hardly notice any of the production elements. Not the cinematography, not
the editing, not the script. And I think that’s the greatest compliment a filmmaker
can receive. Would you agree?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:40:57 PM)
Yes, definitely.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:41:13 PM)
My theory always was that the cinematography should be subservient to the story.
Go unnoticed. Unless it was designed to be one of the important elements of telling
that story. Like creating a period look, for example.
Tommy (Feb 8, 2003 2:41:44 PM)
In your humble opinion, which is in better shape today – the state of filmmaking
or the state of baseball?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:42:43 PM)
I would like to think that the state of films is in a lot better shape than baseball.
But since I'm a baseball fan, in my humble opinion, they both need a lot of work.
Bob. F. (Feb 8, 2003 2:42:57 PM)
How did you make an unbelievable concept - Linda Blair becoming possessed in The
Exorcist - look so believable?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:43:37 PM)
The most important thing we tried to accomplish was that we kept everything looking
very believable. The same approach we used in Tootsie.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:44:01 PM)
We didn't want it to look like an old, for example, Lon Chaney horror film where
you used ghastly under-lighting and weird compositions. We tried to shoot The
Exorcist from beginning to end as if it was entirely possible and a believable
thing.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:44:31 PM)
I think that's what made it so powerful. Because people actually walked out of
the theater not sure whether something like this could happen.
Cropper (Feb 8, 2003 2:44:35 PM)
If you could wave a magic wand, and be 18 years old again, knowing what you know
now, would you do anything differently? Would you go to film school?
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:45:26 PM)
I definitely would have gone to film school. And art school. And learned anything
I could about all art forms. Because eventually they all apply to cinematography.
I don't regret any of the steps that I did take. But since you ask that question,
that's what I would do differently.
Owen Roizman (Feb 8, 2003 2:46:18 PM)
I’d like to thank everybody for chiming in with great questions. I hope I was
able to help you. I'm sure Eric sends his regrets that he wasn't able to make
it.
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