Ever since my spur of inspiration from Nostalgia for the Light, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a film visually appealing. Cinematography has become a focus of mine and is something I’d like to keep pursing and improving my skills upon this semester. Hence, I thought I’d go with the aesthetics theme and write my second initiative post on cinematography and composition.
After doing some research, it became apparent to me that there isn’t a be-all end-all criteria that defines “good” cinematography. Does it involve technical mastery? Originality and innovation? Artistry and vision? These are all terms that can be thrown into the mix, but despite each of their relevance, there is no magic combination (although I wish there were) which guarantees that a film will be visually diverse and interesting.
In light of this, the best we can do is to observe what is recognised as superior cinematography, as is done by Kevin B Lee through his video essay which analyses various cinematic aspects each of the Oscar nominated films for 2014. For example, the first nominee discussed, The Grandmaster (2013, DOP Phillipe Le Sourd) is stunning because of the incredible amount of detail on the screen. In the scene below, deep focus is used and it seems that you can see every single raindrop fall. Although the fast paced action packed scene has rapid cuts, the individual shots are slowed down so that the clarity of the rain juxtaposes the chaos of the action, creating a fascinating effect.
In reference to cinematography more generally throughout the times, another article I came across in my research was this Buzzfeed post, in which the author has compiled a list of screenshots that showcases some of the most beautiful shots in cinematic history. These screencaps where great inspiration for understanding composition and mise en scene. However, I found that although the sweeping, epic scenery shots are incredible by nature, I actually lingered the most on the shots that created something beautiful out of simple circumstances, such as a character standing in a doorway. Although the subject was ordinary, the superb calls on lighting, mise en scene and colour were what made them special. As a personal preference, I actually found myself coming back to the more ‘mundane’ looking scenes and analysing them further.
One of my favourite shots from the list is the below shot from Blade Runner (1982, DOP Jordan Cronenweth). Just like the way I was fascinated with Patricio Guzmán’s ability to find the extraordinary within the everyday, I like how these shots demonstrate the ways you can find beauty in simplicity. The way that cinematographers can capture such beauty is something I really admire.
Although I can recognise and appreciate the various elements that makeup good cinematography, I think the next step is to go out, do some experimenting of my own and find my own niche/style.
