Cinematography

Today, we where treated at Dreamworks to a lunch time talk featuring WALLY PFISTER, cinematographer of BATMAN BEGINS and recently, THE DARK KNIGHT. (Pfister is shown above seated next to writer/director Christopher Nolan)

Pfister shared some interesting insight regarding his philosophies especially on lighting, and his continuing collaboration with Christopher Nolan which began with the film Memento in 1999. He is a throwback as far as his concepts on what cinematography and lighting are supposed to accomplish in films, which is mainly that a balance should be struck between satisfying the director’s vision of the story, and what mother nature provides you at any specific moment. Pfister also believes that camera work should only help augment the story and not become a distraction. Those techniques should be relegated to filming music videos and movies about transforming robots and falling asteroids.

A short six minute clip of The Prestige was shown where he illustrates his use of natural lighting, and using the opportunities that natural lighting gives you. If you plan to shoot in sunlight and there is no sun. You shoot under overcast skies. It makes films less predictable and often, unexpected subtext and drama enhances the film.

I also had the standing assumption that Christopher Nolan was a very rigid and calculating director who plotted and mapped out his scenes carefully. Nothing can be further from the truth. Nolan would often delegate decisions about lighting and camera to him and production designer Nathan Crowley while Nolan worked the story with the actors.

Nolan likes to be spontaneous. Even in a large scale production like both Batman movies, he leaves room to improvise which is just the right setting for Pfister who has a passion to collaborate. This is the main reason he and Nolan and have worked together on five films.

The Prestige was their most spontaneous and free form project together. For this movie, Nolan wanted to buck the convention of the period piece so he and Pfister decided to shoot 85 percent of the film hand held using mostly available light. In some cases according to Pfister, Nolan would only plan minimally and shoot scenes spontaneously with the actors while Pfister would improvise on the spot on blocking and lighting.

In closing, Pfister reminds all of us in the creative arts to have the keenest senses. To explore and experience and always keep filling our creative reservoirs from which to tap from.

Wally Pfister on IMDB, and Wikipedia