| |
The cinematographer’s role in post-production is drastically different today than it was for, say, James Wong Howe, ASC, and his role was different than, say, Billy Bitzer’s. For many of the years that film has been the medium of choice, the cinematographer’s role changed by seemingly infinitesimal increments. But since 1990, there has been a constantly accelerating evolution of technology that continues to involve the modern cinematographer in insuring the integrity of the image that he, or she, creates.
Traditionally when a cinematographer finished a movie and made an analogue print in the lab, the process only took a few days. Within those days only a few of the cinematographer’s hours each day were spent on the print. And we did it without compensation. Today in the digital intermediate suite, a cinematographer can spend up to six weeks finishing a movie. And that time is still usually without compensation.
It is important that issues of compensation aside the director of photography be deeply involved in all aspects of bringing that image to the screen. The DI process allows us, as artists, to complete our work, as it has never been done before. We must do it or somebody else who knows nothing of what our work should look like will do the job. Let’s face it, now more than ever our careers rely on seeing to it that the image on the screen is the same image we intended to shoot.
Slowly, some of us are starting to be compensated for this work. It is gratifying to note that in those situations our contributions are being adequately acknowledged. But what happens if we are not available to be there? We are rapidly coming to the day when the cinematographer can contribute ideas or direction remotely or even as the movie is being shot. These are sea changes to the way we do our work that have happened in just a few short years. This process didn’t even start until the art and craft of making movies was almost one hundred years old. And DIs are becoming the norm rather then the exception.
These technology changes are happening throughout our entertainment industry. And they are affecting all of our lives in the workplace. I can’t imagine one craft or classification that hasn’t been touched by these changes. Have any of you compared an old Technicolor Three Strip to a Genesis lately? And how about the Preston? The precision of that instrument never fails to astound me. It wasn’t so very long ago that a remote focus was simply a long stick.
These changes also affect the work our Union is called upon to do for you, our Brothers and Sisters. Every one of these changes has to be reflected in negotiated adjustments to our agreed upon working conditions and compensation. And like the changing technologies, some of these happen quickly and some of them need to be hard fought over years; some are accepted easily with both sides recognizing the need and some take difficult negotiations to accomplish.
We need to place ourselves far enough ahead of the curve to see these developments coming and train you, our members, to be ready when they arrive. We need to let the producers know that we are ready to take on these new technologies and that we should be paid appropriately for this work.
In order to make that argument, we will need to keep the communication flowing, from us to you; and from you back to us. I ask that you keep the information flowing by coming to union meetings, participating in workshops and seminars, and keeping this magazine informed of any new technologies you may see, hear or read about, not only when you are working as camera professionals, but as you go about your life. We really need to see it coming before it hits us between the eyes and in our pocketbooks.
 |
In Solidarity,
Steven Poster, ASC
Local 600 President |
|
