- What personality or character traits are necessary to excel in being a cinematographer/DP?
Time management, patience, calmness and good communication between co-workers are excellent skills for many jobs. A good cinematographer/DP also needs these assets.
- In terms of cinematographers, who do you like?
Roger Deakins, Emmanuel Lubezki, Wally Pfister, Sven Nykvist
- What makes good cinematography?
Hard to answer. This period of my life, I tend to believe that a simple and proper narration, along with a creation of deep feelingly structures, makes a good cinematography.
- What makes a good camera? And what has been your favorite camera to use?
There are no good cameras. There are only good projects. So, my favourite camera is always the camera that suits better to the project that is going to be used.
- Do you think that cinematographer’s work has changed when movies went from film to digital?
I have never worked on film. I can’t really answer that question.
- Now that people watch films on TV, computers and even their phones, do you think about that end experience when you are shooting?
I think the shooting experience is never going to be altered. However, the watching experience in theatres is constantly being diminished and that is something crucial for the future of cinema.
- Which one is more important: light or shadow?
There is no shadow. There is only the presence or the absence of light.
- What is the cinematographer’s involvement in pre-production, production and post-production?
There is such a creative involvement of a cinematographer in all the different phases of production. The visual style of the constructed world of a film is always something that needs the collaboration between director and cinematographer.
- What involvement in the production budget does the cinematographer/DP have?
The cinematographer’s/DP’s involvement in the production budget of a film is quite significant. Nevertheless, the camera department never really needs lots of money to create good pictures.
- What is your most valuable advice for being a Cinematographer/DP?
Live your life to gain a lot of experiences. Always go to the set as much prepared as you can be.
BEST STUDENT SHORT FILM @ SHORT TO THE POINT – NOVEMBER 2018 AWARDS
Meatballs
Director: Chrys Barmpas
Country: Greece
Duration: 14:30
Synopsis: Panagiotis, a young introverted architect, is in the perfect relationship. Lena, his partner, embodies everything he desires, just like he discusses with a particularly attentive man in an office. But all the characteristics that once seemed heavenly to Panagiotis, now have become a living hell.
