Sir Ridley Scott directed the film that made me want to make films. It started as a low-budget space monster movie, a throwback to the dubious 1950’s, and ended up being fresh and scrappy, yet so masterful that it completely redefined the genre. What is it that takes a script to such transcendent heights? Scott has been known to drop gems from time to time. Any department can appreciate his technique of storyboarding to be an element that can save production time and a bundle of money. As a cameraman, right away I appreciate his technique being focused on “the performance of light on objects”. Even superficially, this simple contrast and framing cue instantly informs my lighting and camera placement. Listening to him here, I get the feeling he’s giving up some of those insights that have allowed him to elevate his art above many other directors. Speak it Ridley:
Working With Actors
Listen, This Guy is a Knight, Part 1
One of the reasons I love my job so much is the people I work with. In some circles, it’s common practice for crew, to think of actors as non-entities to be put on a pedestal. Let them do their thing to get their performance the way it needs to be, but take a breath and remember it’s not radio. An extremely tight working relationship between the actor and the lens has to exist to make the performance work. Sir Michael Caine knows this, and we all ought to consider ourselves extremely lucky he’s willing to pass down what’s taken him a lifetime to learn:
SAM NAIMAN, S.O.C. 