In Conversation with Cinematographers - by David A Ellis (Hardcover)

About the Book

This is a collection of interviews with some of the most significant British cinematographers of the last 30 years. The subject included here discuss their craft and recount their experiences working on some of the most notable films of the last few decades, including Anna Karenina, Atonement, The Avengers, Casino Royale, The Cider House Rules, Goldeneye, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Help, and The Prince of Tides. Many of the individuals have also worked on major television films and mini-series, including The Forsythe Saga, Inspector Morse, Life on Mars, Pennies from Heaven, The Singing Detective, and Traffik.

Book Synopsis

Although cinematographers are vital to the filmmaking process, they don't always get the recognition they deserve. Directors of cinematography often are responsible for the look of a film and its lasting impression on the viewer, but their skills are not as readily appreciated as those of directors or screenwriters. David A. Ellis had the privilege of meeting with a number of accomplished cinematographers to discuss their art and craft.

In Conversation with Cinematographers features interviews with 21 directors of photography--as well as two notable camera operators--most of whom still work in film and television today. In this volume, readers are taken behind the scenes of some of the most successful films and shows of the last several decades. Interviewed in this book are:

- Sue Gibson (Hear My Song, The Forsyte Saga)
- Gavin Finney(Colditz, Mr Selfridge, Wolf Hall)
- Oliver Stapleton (The Cider House Rules, State and Main, The Proposal)
- Phil Meheux (The Fourth Protocol, Casino Royale)
- Brian Tufano (Trainspotting, Billy Elliot, The Evacuees)
- Clive Tickner (Traffik, The Puppet Masters, Inspector Morse)
- Stephen Goldblatt(The Prince of Tides, Angels in America, The Help)
- Seamus McGarvey (High Fidelity, Atonement, The Hours)
- Peter MacDonald (Excalibur, Hamburger Hill, Rambo 3)
- Mike Southon(Gothic, Doctor Who: The Hider in the House)
- Rob Hardy(Every Secret Thing, Testament of Youth, Ex Machina)
- Harvey Harrison (101 Dalmatians, The Expendables, Sahara)
- Mike Valentine (Shakespeare in Love, Skyfall, The Bourne Ultimatum)
- Robin Browne (Gandhi, A Passage to India, Air America)
- Adam Suschitzky (Life on Mars, The Whisperers)
- Ken Westbury (Dr. Fischer of Geneva, The Singing Detective)
- Simon Kossoff (Young Charlie Chaplin, Client 9, The Daisy Chain)
- Chris Seager (Call the Midwife, Game of Thrones)
- David Worley (Quantum of Solace, Thor: The Dark World, The Full Monty)
- Trevor Coop (Amadeus, Ballykissangel, Chocolat)
- Haris Zambarloukos (Mama Mia, Cinderella, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit)
- Peter Hannan (The Gathering Storm, My House in Umbria, The Razor's Edge)
- Roger Pratt (Shadowlands, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Batman)

These cinematographers recount their experiences on sets and reveal what it was like to work with some of the most acclaimed directors of recent times, including Danny Boyle, Francis Ford Coppola, Clint Eastwood, Lasse Hallstrom, David Lynch and Steven Spielberg. With valuable insight into the craft of moviemaking and featuring more than forty photos, this collection of interviews will appeal to film professors, scholars, and students, as well as anyone with an interest in the art of cinematography.

Review Quotes

"The book is remarkable for the insights it brings into what goes on while movies are made, as much from the human-interaction side as the technical side. . . .[The book] contains[s] a remarkable range of interviews which could prove invaluable to those studying the history of film-making." --Cinema Technology Magazine

About the Author

David A. Ellis is a freelance journalist who has contributed articles to British Cinematographer magazine. He is the author of Conversations with Cinematographers (Scarecrow Press, 2011).