Follow along as the cinematographers behind some of the year’s most-acclaimed films share behind-the-scenes stories and offer real-deal industry insight.
The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Oscar Roundtables are a fantastic watch for anyone with even a mild interest in the film industry. The concept is simple: Gather a handful of contemporary filmmaking’s best and brightest, stick them in a room together, and film the conversation. The result is always fascinating, insightful, surprising, and inspiring. Plus, you can finally put a name to a face to a shot!
This year’s Oscar Cinematography Roundtable features some of the most-acclaimed DPs in the business — John Toll (Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk), Bradford Young (Arrival), Rodrigo Prieto (Silence, Passengers), Charlotte Bruus Christensen (Fences, The Girl on the Train), Linus Sandgren (La La Land), and Caleb Deschanel (Rules Don’t Apply).
This video, over an hour in length, is well worth your time. It’s not just a simple conversation — it’s a culmination of years of experience, passion, and technique.
Here are a few of the discussion’s key highlights and eye-opening takeaways.
Rodrigo Prieto
Prieto recently had two major films released around the same time — the sci-fi romance Passengers (on which he utilized the ALEXA 65 of The Revenant fame) and Silence, which was shot mostly on film. During the roundtable, Prieto explained his decision to shoot Passengers digitally and discussed the importance of the feeling you get from an image.
Bradford Young
Bradford Young’s ever-expanding resume has positioned him as a contender for the title of The Next Great Cinematographer. His impressive work on Arrival is proof of his wide-ranging talents and photographic expertise. In the roundtable, Young focused on the philosophy of cinematography and the importance of trust and communication with the director.
Linus Sandgren
Sandgren’s stellar work on last year’s love letter to classic Hollywood musicals — La La Land — makes him a frontrunner for the cinematography Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards. Shooting on film and successfully achieving a golden-age-of-cinema look came with a few worries and fears. In the roundtable, he sheds some light on the necessity of planning before you shoot:
Charlotte Bruus Christensen
In the course of the conversation, Christensen made an excellent case for shooting the play-adaptation Fences on film. Gritty texture was a must and director Denzel Washington’s trust in Christensen was key. Regarding her recent work on The Girl on the Train, Christensen praised the textures that come with shooting on film.
Caleb Deschanel
Rules Don’t Apply, Warren Beatty’s long-in-the-works Howard Hughes film, has a classic feel, rich with deep shadows and almost noir-like images. During the roundtable, Deschanel reflected on shooting digitally:
John Toll
John Toll (DP for Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk) offered some interesting insight into director Ang Lee’s controversial decision to shoot the film in 3D at an unheard of 120 frames per second.
Closing Thoughts
Here’s some closing inspiration from Bradford Young, who called out the necessity of truth and self within your art with this final thought on capturing images.
Which movie from last year do you think looked best? Do you disagree with some of these cinematographers? Let us know what you think!