Research theme - cinematography

A New Age of Cinematography — Cinematography in the Nineties

An overview of the stylistic role of the cinematographer in the past and the present-day.

Speaking of pictorial styles in cinematography, it is easier to talk of genre styles then of global period styles. E. g. the style of noir movies was quite different from the style of comedies or classical musicals of the same period. Personal pictorial styles of the best classical Hollywood cinematographers were both connected with particular genres (often due to studio induced specialisation) and with the their lasting connection to particular directors. The director’s sensitivity to the pictorial side of film was often decisive for the highest achievements in cinematography. Because of these circumstances, some of the best classical Hollywood cinematographers were able to attain their own recognisable pictorial style.

Today’s situation is different. Though there are few cinematographers that impose their own style on most movies no matter how different they are (e. g. Vitorio Storaro), most cinematographers depend in great measure on the director’s sensibility, and are forced to be highly flexible in their stylistic approach in different films. The fact is that the new generation of filmmakers in the USA tend to be very precise in their imagery — cinematographers are often just engaged to implement a style that is highly predetermined by a directors’ storyboard. An additional factor that limits the possibility of authorial contribution of the cinematographer is a new technology: computer control over the image in postproduction, the possibilities of digital image generation and modification often reduce a cinematographer to a supplier of raw material, to a mere technical crew member.

Mario Sablić