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Editorial - Michael Frediani “Change is the only constant.” — Heraclitus I don’t know what constitutes a generation in “Hollywood years”—what I do know is that during my career I’ve witnessed vast changes in the moviemaking landscape. Change it seems is not always a good thing, but it is necessary. I recall that when I was fortunate enough to become a part of this business in 1977 it was quite different than it is today. Having said that, I’d bet the oldest members of the Guild probably said the very same thing fifty years ago after they’d been in the business for a while. And the generation before theirs, when talkies pushed aside silent films, some in the business signaled that as the end of movies as they knew them—they were right. Some say that we are in a more creative environment; decades after the advent of sound—‘uh, the boom is in the shot’—smart dialogue goes hand in hand with the beautiful images we provide. I also remember when I was new, my intimidation on the set and my fear of the DP—someone who not only could make my day miserable, but more importantly someone who knew so much more than I would ever know. I recall my first day on the set working on a closed freeway on ChiPs, loading ARRI mags all day long in the back of a van—I was stoked at the end of that tough day. My second day was on a soundstage at Universal on the series Rosetti & Ryan—two Mitchell cameras, a courtroom with lots of actors and one 2nd assistant: me. All day long not a word from the crusty (but renowned) DP until around 10 pm. When I went to hit the second slate...it fell apart, the board falling from the sticks, crashing onto the floor! “There goes a perfectly good slate,” he harrumphed. I remember dragging my exhausted body home that night knowing that I would never work in this town again. Directors were another story. Back then I could not fathom how they were able to put together a film or fast-paced TV series on a daily basis. Many directors at the time, although organized were not very collaborative—most of us learned not to make any suggestions, just follow orders. That, for the most part was then; this is now. With change comes a gathering of forces that not only makes what we do better, but also makes us feel more comfortable about our contributions each day on the set. The autocracy that once existed has given way to welcomed comments and suggestions from the crew. We truly have become more of a community of filmmakers even though our name may not be above the title. However, I am compelled to shift gears by mentioning something that many have noticed on some sets—directors who haven’t done their homework (blasphemy) and therefore must ‘rely’ on the cinematographer to bail them out. Directors come from many different places before sitting in that chair in front of the monitor—“not all of them belong there” (as one actress told me), yet experience must come from somewhere. The problem is that the DP is expected to make the day’s page count whether the director is a seasoned professional or a friend of a friend of a friend…that will not change. But the old-fashioned high regard once afforded cinematographers who author the image must be restored—not only on the set but also when the DI is created. It boils down to R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
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