Camera Operator: Spring 2021

SOC.ORG VOL. 30, NO2

SPRING 2021

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM

NEWS OF THE WORLD · WONDER WOMAN 1984 1

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CONTENTS 14

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

4 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 6 NEWS & NOTES

14 MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM

SOC Camera Operator of the Year Awards & Creative Vision Celebration, SOC Happy Hours, and the SOC Membership Portal

10 ESTABLISHING SHOT

by Craig Haagensen, SOC

38 SMOOTH OPERATOR

by Brenda Zuniga, SOC

42 CORPORATE CORNER Bright Tangerine and ARRI

44 WHAT'S YOUR STORY...?

by Mande Whitaker, SOC

"Song, Dance and Drama..." an interview with Kirk Gardner, SOC

by Kate McCallum

18 WW 1984 "Wonder Woman 1984..." an interview with with Simon Jayes, SOC

by Kate McCallum

24 NEWS OF THE WORLD "Western Vérité" an interview with Martin Schaer, SOC

by David Daut

32 LIVE OPERATING: THE OSCARS

by David Daut with interviews from: David Eastwood, Lyn Noland, and David Plakos

45 INSIGHT Meet the Members

46 SOCIAL SOC

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24 CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

40 32 ON THE COVER: Camera operator, Kirk Gardner, SOC on the set of MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM. Photo by David Lee/NETFLIX

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Society of Camera Operators Corporate Member Craig Bauer, George Billinger, Mitch Dubin, Dave Frederick, Simon Jayes, Sarah Levy, Bill McClelland, Jim McConkey, Matt Moriarty, Dale Myrand, Dan Turrett, David Sammons Education Colin Anderson, Will Arnot, Bonnie Blake, Dave Chameides, Mitch Dubin, Dave Emmerichs, Mick Froelich, Craig Haagensen, Geoff Haley, Sarah Levy, Simon Jayes, Jim McConkey, Larry McConkey, Matt Moriarty, Jeff Muhlstock, John “Buzz” Moyer, Jamie Silverstein, Dave Thompson, Chris Wittenborn Technology Andrew Ansnick, Luke Cormack, Rich Davis, David Emmerichs, Eric Fletcher (Chair), Steve Fracol, Dave Fredericks, Chris Haarhoff, Mike Heathcote, Jamie Hitchcock, Simon Jayes, Doc Karmen, Mark LaBonge, Bill McClelland, Rocker Meadows, John Perry, Manolo Rojas, Sanjay Sami, David Sammons, Job Schotz, Gretchen Warthen Inclusion Sharra Romany (co-chair), Nikk Hearn-Sutton (co-chair), Olivia Abousaid, Shanele Alvarez, Alfeo Dixon, Pauline Edwards, Alexandra Menapace, Jeremiah Smith, Lisa Stacilauskas, Gretchen Warthen, Mande Whitaker Social Media and Content Ian S. Takahashi, SOC (Committee Chair), Sharra Romany, SOC, Gergely Harsanyi, Ryan Lewis, Brandon Hickman, Emily Lien,

Board of Governors OFFICERS President George Billinger 1st Vice President Mitch Dubin 2nd Vice President Dan Turrett Secretary Lisa Stacilauskas Treasurer Bill McClelland Sergeant-at-Arms Dan Gold

BOARD MEMBERS Colin Anderson George Billinger Mitch Dubin David Emmerichs Eric Fletcher Michael Frediani Daniel Gold Geoffrey Haley Bill McClelland Matthew Moriarty David Sammons Lisa Stacilauskas David Thompson Daniel Turrett Gretchen Warthen

COMMITTEE CHAIRS Awards George Billinger, Dan Gold, Geoff Haley, Bill McClelland, John “Buzz” Moyer, Dale Myrand, Benjamin Spek, Dave Thompson, Dan Turrett, Rob Vuona Charities Brian Taylor Membership Drive Lisa Stacilauskas Historical Mike Frediani Membership Dan Gold, Dan Turrett Technical Standards Eric Fletcher

Agnelia Scuilli, Gloria Bali, Julio Tardaguila

STAFF AND CONSULTANTS Bookkeeper Angela Delgado Calligrapher Carrie Imai Business Consultant Kristin Petrovich and Createasphere

CAMERA OPERATOR MAGAZINE Publishing & Executive Editor Kristin Petrovich Managing Editor Kate McCallum Art Director Stephanie Cameron Advertising Jeff Victor

CONTRIBUTORS George Billinger, SOC David Daut David Eastwood Kirk Gardner, SOC Craig Haagensen, SOC Kent Harvey, SOC Dave Hirschmann, SOC Simon Jayes, SOC Kate McCallum Lyn Noland David Plakos Martin Schaer, SOC Mande Whitaker, SOC Santiago Yniguez, SOC Brenda Zuniga, SOC

David Lee David Levisohn Nicola Marsh Garrett O'Brien Rob Paine Helen Richardson Andy Schartz Brian Bowen Smith Bruce W. Talamon Sarah Terry Eli Wallace-Johansson

TRIVIA Source imdb.com

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CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

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Letter from the President Dear SOC Members and Camera Operator Readers: First and foremost, congratulations to all the nominees and recipients of this year’s SOC Camera Operator of the Year Awards for both Film and Television. COY–Film Award recipient Geoffrey Haley, SOC, Cherry; and COY–Television Award recipient Jim McConkey, SOC, The Marvelous Mrs. Mais-

el—your work inspires each and every one of us and helps remind us what an art form the craft of the camera operator truly is. We wish you continued success in all your future endeavors.

In spite of the continued challenges of COVID-19, the SOC Camera Operator of the Year Awards and Creative Visions Celebration show “went on” virtually and the show was a big success.

Special thank yous to the Awards Committee, Kristin Petrovich, Alex Hemingway for his editorial expertise with the segments, and to everyone who participated in pulling off the production, producing the show clips, and creating the very funny humorous clip segments.

And another special nod goes out to outsponsors, and especially CineMove for their presenting sponsorship, and to the additional supporterswho helped make the show possible.

Also, a big thank you to all those members who helped work with Dr. Thomas Lee on this year’s short for The Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles.

During this past year, the SOC has been making a significant impact in the virtual and digital realms.

The Education Committee has been working diligently producing over 100 hours of online content and they will be announcing soon a series of hands-on educational events that will start later this summer.

Our SOC Happy Hours have also been a great success and have been helping to build and nurture our community. These take place on the first Saturday of each month from 4:30-6pm PST and are a great way to get to know other members in a casual setting.

I want to sincerely thank the all the committees and the individuals who participate through their deep commitment and dedication to the SOC. It’s because of this work that the SOC truly is continuing to grow and evolve. and develop into a solid community of professionals.

COVID-19 has challenged and changed our world, and it’s had an impact on each of us, yet we continue to come up with creative solutions to these challenges and we continue to carry on. I wish you all an inspiring spring and summer ahead, and hope you had a change to celebrate and toast your members and colleagues!

Regards always,

George Billinger, SOC Society of Camera Operators, President

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

OUTSTANDING LIMITED / ANTHOLOGY SERIES AND ALL OTHER CATEGORIES INCLUDING OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY Shabier Kirchner, Director of Photography

“GORGEOUSLY SHOT BY SHABIER KIRCHNER”

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

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News & Notes SOC CAMERA OPERATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS & CREATIVE VISION CELEBRATION

Despite not having the SOC Awards show in person, the Society of Camera Operators honored the Camera Operator of the Year for Film & Television online and it was a great success! Hosted by the Awards Committee, we brought together our community to celebrate our industry’s triumphs, masterful storytelling, and stand out creativity. A very special thank-you goes out to our Awards Committee for all the work they did to pull this together.

CAMERA OPERATOR AND EDITOR ROUNDTABLE

On March 20, 2021 the SOC hosted an online esteemed panel who discussed camera operating from an editorial perspective. A lively panel discussion was had, clips were shown, and a Q&A provided insights and answers to the perspective of both the operator and the editor. A special thanks to our panelists: Sue Blainey, ACE; Simon Jayes, SOC; and Jeff Muhlstock, SOC; and Michael Ruscio, ACE.

SOC MEMBERSHIP RESOURCES AND PORTAL

SOC HAPPY HOURS

SOC Happy Hour host Mitch Dubin, SOC Our online SOC Happy Hours have been a big hit. Be sure to join the SOC for these upcoming informal Zoom gatherings on the first Saturdays of the month from 4:30–6:00pm PST, to meet and greet fellow members. These gatherings are hosted by an SOC member, and are fun, informal, and freeform. Jump on at any time during the “Happy Hour,” with a drink in hand, and connect with your fellow operators.

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The Educational Committee continues to provide online sessions and now over 100 hours are currently posted to view. The SOC Membership Portal is available for current members of all categories to access this material. If you haven’t yet, register and sign in to take advantage of this valuable and informative content. The Membership Portal is offered to membership of all catagories in good standing.

Members are responsible for setting up their own username and password. If you are a current member, you have received an email with the account setup information.

For further assistance, please e-mail socoffice@SOC.org.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

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The SOC 2021 Camera Operator of the Year Awards & Creative Vision Celebration AWARDS & CELEBRATION CAN BE VIEWIED ON THE MEMBERSHIP PROTAL

 WATCH the SHOW OPEN

“This is an opportunity for the SOC to acknowledge and honor our fellow operators and their remarkable work. It is even more critical for the SOC to do so during these adversely challenging times.”—George Billinger, SOC President & Awards Co-Chair

The hour-and-a-half virtual celebration showcased segments honoring the camera operators and crew from over the past year, and also shined light on the work that the SOC continues to do in their partnership with The Vision Center, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

This year, the SOC 2021 Camera Operator of the Year Awards & Creative Vision Celebration went virtual on Sunday, April 11, 2021 from 5-6:30pm PST and it was a great success!

The evening also highlighted a few lighthearted moments the challenges camera operators and crews have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Society brought together the community and celebrated the industry’s triumphs, masterful storytelling, and standout creativity. The nominees for the Camera Operator of the Year Film & Television categories were presented with their awards live on ZOOM.

“The Society has a role in highlighting the contribution of camera operators.

The Awards and Celebration will certainly do that, including a spirited celebration with a virtual twist.” —Geoff Haley, SOC Awards Co-Chair.

AWARD WINNERS: SOC 2021 Camera Operator of the Year–Film Geoffrey Haley, SOC, Cherry

A special thanks go to: Tim Kashani and his Zoom Production team: Christopher Sepulveda, Ally Rice, and Ido Gal; Nate Anderson, images; Craig Bauer, technical consulting; Stephanie Cameron, art director; Charissa Clarke, talent support; Alex Hemingway, editor and post producer; Kristin Petrovich, producer; Becky Sapp, editor; and Ian Takahashi, SOC, social media.

Geoffrey Haley, SOC the Recipient for Camera Operator of the Year–Film & George Billinger, SOC President.

SOC 2021 Camera Operator of the Year–Television Jim McConkey, SOC, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Craig Bauer & Shanele Alvarez, announce the Recipient for Camera Operator of the Year –Television to Jim McConkey, SOC

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The SOC featured a segment “A Year in Covid” with membership generated content.

George Billinger, SOC President & Lisa Stacilauskas, Board member – Co-hosts, welcome the Community.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Camera Operator of the Year Nominees

Don Devine, SOC Greyhound and Perry Mason

George Billinger, SOC Greyhound

Geoffrey Haley, SOC Cherry

John “Buzz” Moyer, SOC The Hunt

Jason Ellson, SOC Mulan

Simon Jayes, SOC The Mandalorian

Sasha Proctor, SOC The Outpost

Andrew Mitchell, SOC Ratched

Jim McConkey, SOC The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Henry Tirl Wandavision

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

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Establishing Shot Craig Haagensen, SOC

On the set of FATAL ATTRACTION with Vinnie Gerardo, 1st AC. Photo by Andy Schartz

I can’t say I expected—or planned—to be to be where I am now.

No one can in the freelance business we are in. We meet new crew members and work with them at a level of intensity the regular 9-5er couldn’t fathom. Clocking in a regular day at 12 hours; 2.5 hours a week for our “lunch hour.” Wrap the project, and hopefully start another with the best you’ve worked with at your side once again. It’s certainly not office work, nor would we want it to be. Each of us has a story of how we began and where we are now, but few of us active in the industry know where we will be next year, next month or even, perhaps, tomorrow.

My story began at 20th Century Fox Studios on West 54th Street in Manhattan. My father worked with Movietone News, running their high-speed film processing lab, eventually ending up doing R&D on the early analog video camera systems which Fox saw as the wave of

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the future. I often got to hang out with him at work during summers, and I had the opportunity to tour the set of The Pawnbroker, (Boris Kaufman, ASC), and got lessons on the new video pedestal system with its cool video TV viewfinder. I also accompanied Dad on tests of the projectors at the Roxy Theater, located just north of Radio City Music Hall. It seated nearly 6,000 patrons! Fox opened their biggest releases at the Roxy, as it had its projection booth built into the balcony, giving it the least screen distortion, along with the sharpest lenses. I saw many movies there, some by director Douglas Sirk, which would be useful later in my career. IATSE Local 644 had an interest in the new video medium. The Local approached my dad hoping he’d train its members on this new medium. He agreed, provided he could join the tightly held union. He was ushered into membership, much to Fox’s consternation. In time, he became a much in demand comPhoto by Stephane Malenfant mercial DP. I was in high school when I began apprenticing on his

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Top left: On the set of I AM THE CHEEZE with David L. Quaid, DP. Photo courtesy of Craig Haagensen Bottom left: On the set of JACOB'S LADDER. Photo by Andy Schartz Right: On the set of FISHER KING. Photo courtesy of Craig Haagensen

commercials during summer break summer. He hired great AC’s, and I got to understudy with them. I joined Local 644 in September 1965 as a 1st assistant. You had to remain in a category for a minimum of five years before moving up. I worked summers between college studies. I worked about 50/50 with my father, and with some of the best commercial and feature DP’s, such as Arthur Ornitz (Serpico, The Anderson Tapes) and Ernesto Caparros (The Miracle Worker, Naked City).

The most influential for me was David L. Quaid. One of three combat cameramen with WWII’s Merrill’s Marauders in Burma, he was the only one whose film made it back to the USA. Dave specialized in the unusual, and at times, the seemingly impossible commercial projects. He elected to DP features that examined eccentric characters (Pretty Poison, The Swimmer). He owned a cross section of the latest to the strangest camera gear. He taught the advantages and use of the O’Connor fluid head. He showed me why never be disappointed in a failed test. Tests were made to court failure, not success. Gordon Willis, ASC, had been Dave’s focus puller for years, and had learned the value of pre-testing to failure from Dave. When Gordon moved up to DP, he did lighting tests in both contrast extremes and exposure to the point of failure with the stocks he chose. With this information, he pushed the limits of the medium. Dave taught me to keep a log of the sun’s position. As an AC I got a lot of sunrise calls. I still keep my

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

Sunnto compass and inclinometer handy, and track the sun a couple days prior to scouts or filming. It’s saved the day many times. And just as Fox tested screens prior to showing, Dave taught me to do the same, and it saved several DP heartaches.

It became vogue to import both British directors and directors of photography. Production companies I worked with were now introducing me to DP’s such as Adrian Biddle (V for Vendetta, Aliens). Ian Wilson (The Crying Game, Edward II), Tony Richmond (Don’t Look Now), and Peter Biziou (Mississippi Burning, Pink Floyd: The Wall).

Talented directors, such as Dick Donner and Howard Zieff left for Hollywood to do features, and I began to work with new directors, as well, such as Ridley Scott and Nick Roeg.

It’s 1985, I’m now in my tenth year as a full-time freelancing assistant.

Pete Biziou asked me to join him working with director, Adrian Lyne on a feature shoot in New York City. It’s titled 9 1/2 Weeks. Pete tells me Adrian tries to operate his own camera, but Adrian knows he’s not the best at it. Adrian wanted to meet with me to discuss the project and ask me about operators. I’m ushered into a small office—bare save a metal desk and two metal chairs in front of it. Adrian is behind the desk, and the wall behind him is completely papered over with pages torn from fashion magazines. Pete seems to fade into the

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On the set of WONDERSTRUCK withTodd Haynes. Photo by Myles Aronowitz

background. Adrian asks a few innocuous questions. Then he asks about operators. Prepared for this, I suggest two I’ve worked with—a newbie with Steadicam skills, the other a seasoned free-spirited kind of operator. Three weeks later I get a call from Adrian. He’s spoken to my two recommendations and more, and then he asks me to operate the project. I was stunned, and reluctant. He said, “Think about it.”

As 9 1/2 Weeks was dragging its feet through weeks of protracted prep, and me in a panic, I called my friend Jim Glennon for advice. We had met on Taps, where I was 1st AC on B cam, and Jim was A-cam operator for Owen Roizman. Jim invited me to Los Angeles where he was DP’ing a short titled Overnight Sensation. He tutored me on the myriad things operators did, which is a lot more than you’d likely think. He also schooled me on the geared head. His succinct summation of the operator’s role, “The continual bearer of bad news!” We later did several features together, including my second operating hire for Smooth Talk. I was on my way to following Peter Biziou’s advice.

Decide what sort of film you enjoy doing. Arrange your life so you can say “no” to films that don’t fit that vision, and “yes” to those that do. I owe Jim a lot for his generous mentorship, and Pete for his sage advice.

9 1/2 Weeks had lots of handheld, and was my first adaptation of video finder on film camera, an echo of that pedestal camera’s video finder.

That morphed over time into the stabilized handheld camera system I use to this day. Over the years, Adrian and I collaborated on five features. Decades later, I worked with director Todd Haynes on Far From Heaven, a tribute to Douglas Sirk. Eddie Lachman, ASC was DP. That was followed by Wonderstruck, Carol, and Dark Waters.

I eventually became a proud member all three camera locals, and became a member of Directors Guild of America when Roger Deakins, ASC requested me for the 2nd unit on The Siege. I still operate, as the operator is the final filter for all that came before that moment.

CRAIG HAAGENSEN, SOC Craig Haagensen, SOC has worked multiple projects with directors of photography, Darius Khondji, Bruno Delbonnel, Adam Greenberg, Tak Fujimoto, Peter Biziou, Harris Savides, Roger Pratt and Adrian Biddle. He’s also done multiple projects with directors Ridley and Tony Scott, Adrian Lyne, Jonathan Demme, Terry Gilliam, and Todd Haynes. His most recent operating projects are Motherless Brooklyn (Edward Norton, director, Dick Pope, DP), The Woman in the Window (Joe Wright director and Bruno Delbonnel, ASC), and as director/operator for 2nd unit on Dark Waters (Todd Haynes director and Eddie Lachman, ASC).

Photo courtesy of Craig Haagensen

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

NEW Membership Portal As an SOC member you gain access to the membership portal with over 70+ hours of content including:

• • • • • •

Camera Operating Series, in partnership with AFI Getting Back to Work During the COVID 19 Pandemic Health & Well Being Series Inspirational Roundtables Making the Transition from NonScriped to Narrative The Secret Life of the Camera Head

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

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Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Song, Dance and Drama... an interview with Kirk Gardner, SOC

by Kate McCallum

TRIVIA: This is Viola Davis' second appearance in a film adaptation of a play by August Wilson. She previously appeared in Fences (2016), which garnered her an Academy Award.

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(L–R) Chadwick Boseman as Levee, Colman Domingo as Cutler, Viola Davis as Ma Rainey, Michael Potts as Slow Drag and Glynn Turman as Toledo. Photo by David Lee/NETFLIX

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is an award-winning drama film by Netflix directed by George C. Wolfe, based on the play of the same name by August Wilson. The film depicts the tensions musician Ma Rainey, played by Viola Davis, encountered between her bandmates, her white agent, and her producer while recording an album in 1927. The film has won or been nominated for numerous industry awards including: five Academy Award Oscar nominations; a 2021 Golden Globe Award for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture–Drama to Chad Boseman and a 2021 Golden Globe Award nomination for the Best Performance by an Actress–Drama to Viola Davis; and the 2021 AFI Award for Movie of the Year to name just a few.

TRIVIA: Set in Chicago, this is the only play in August Wilson's "Century Cycle" that doesn't take place in his hometown of Pittsburgh (though it was largely filmed there).

 WATCH TRAILER NOW Camera Operator: What a powerful film.

I watched it on my TV, and also imagined seeing it on the big screen in a movie theater.

The acting was so powerful. Can you share a bit about how you got the job?

burgh, Pennsylvania. We shot on stages,

Kirk Gardner: I believe I received a call from Tobias Schlisger about this project. It’s always a great pleasure and honor when the DP calls you personally about working on a film with him or her. I get excited. It means they want me personally and artistically involved from the start. It’s a little different when you get a call from production about hiring you. But when the DP himself calls you, to me, it’s special.

tumes were all so authentic and well done.

CO: Who made up your team?

Gardner: Tobias Schlisger was the DP, Willie Estrada my 1st AC, and Matt Gaumer was my 2nd AC. Willie and Matt, and I have worked together many times before.

It’s always good to work with a team that knows you. Doesn’t mean they know your every move, but they know you’re going to move. And that helps a hell of a lot.

CO: Was the film actually shot on location in Chicago? Where else did you shoot?

Gardner: The entire film was shot in Pitts-

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

and live exterior locations in Pittsburgh where they transformed certain streets to reflect that Chicago era.

CO: The production design, sets, and cosWhat challenges did you face shooting this period piece?

Gardner: I believe the idea was not to shoot this in a bygone era way. Lots of camera moves. The camera was very involved in the emotion and sometime created an emotion.

I’m a Steadicam operator and I love moving the camera. But I really do enjoy stories when the camera just sits there and everything swirls around it. Peaking in and out of the frame.

This was not a camera “sit there” type of film.

CO: Music was such an instrumental part of this story. How were the numerous music scenes to shoot?

Gardner: The music was really not shot like a music video. I felt it was shot to tell a story, get a point across, move the story or the plot forward. Never seemed we were shooting a music video style, showing off the music itself. Other than to show Ma Rainy had talent.

CO: Viola Davis was outstanding in this role as were all the other actors. How was it working with the talent, especially in such tight sets like the band room?

Gardner: Sweet-mother-of-pearl, I felt like I had front row tickets and a backstage pass to a rarely seen play at every scene rehearsal. Watching those actors mold the piece together to their film to their character and watching George Wolf directing, again sweet-mother-of-pearl rare moments of spectacular, seriously. I could never pay for that education. That’s where you see all the actor vulnerabilities. Some of their weaknesses and insecurities coming out, and the strengths of getting a handle on the character. And George sometimes following, and sometimes leading them through it.

CO: What tech did you use and any special techniques to achieve style/look/feel? There were moments in the film that I could “see” the action unfolding as the play on the stage. Were these intentional?

Gardner: We used the Oculus head on a short Technocrane arm.

CO: Is there anything you’d like to share about your experiences as an operator?

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Camera operator, Kirk Gardner, SOC and DP, Tobias A. Schliessler on set. Photo by David Lee/NETFLIX Gardner: It seems I get to work on projects and with actors and directors I never though I would meet. Bryan Cranston on The Infiltrator, Denzel Washington on both Equalizers 1 and 2. Keanu Reeves on The Matrix 4, and with Henry Bumstead set designer who was Alfred Hitchcock’s set designer.

CO: What great projects you’ve worked on.

Congratulations. What are you doing next?

Gardner: Don’t know what I’m jumping on next, but I’m sure I’m going to have some kind of fun while working. I’ve got to enjoy myself.

TRIVIA: The "Black Bottom" is a dance that originated among African Americans in the rural South in the first decade of the 20th century.

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KIRK GARDNER, SOC Kirk Ricardo Gardner, SOC was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. In high school, Gardner watched Irwin Allen’s The Towering Inferno movie which inspired him to become a filmmaker. Realizing he needed an education in cinematography and could not afford to go to USC he joined the Navy as a Photographers Mate, learned much about photography, traveled the world, discovered the Steadicam, and took a workshop with Garrett Brown, inventor of the Steadicam, who inspired him to continue onward. After the Navy, Gardner headed to Hollywood with a used Steadicam and landed his first film— I’m Gonna Get You Sucka with Keenan Ivory Wayans. Gardner then went on to do Leatherjackets, Love and a .45, Roadside Prophets, A Midnight Clear, Killing Zoe, Gun Shy, and many music videos.

Kirk has worked with top DPs and his many numerous film and TV credits include projects such as Boyz In The Hood, Scream 1 & 2, Selena, Pursuit of Happiness, The Equalizer 1 & 2, Training Day, Tears of The Sun, The Bernie Mack Show, and Community to name just a few.

Photo Courtesy of Kirk Gardner

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

TRIVIA: This is Chadwick Boseman's last film. He died on August 28, 2020, after a 4-year battle with colon cancer.

Unbeknownst to his fellow cast members, Boseman was receiving cancer treatment while filming this movie.

Camera operator, Kirk Gardner, SOC and DP, Tobias A. Schliessler on set. Photo by David Lee/NETFLIX

Viola Davis as Ma Rainey. Photo by David Lee / Netflix

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

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WW 1984 Wonder Woman 1984... an interview with with Simon Jayes, SOC

by Kate McCallum

TRIVIA: Gal Gadot's family and Patty Jenkins's son have a cameo at the end of the film: Gadot's elder daughter and Jenkin's son throw a snowball at her, and Gadot's younger daughter and husband appear on the carousel.

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GAL GADOT as Wonder Woman in the action adventure WONDER WOMAN 1984, a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Photo by Clay Enos/ ™ & © DC Comics

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Wonder Woman 1984 is a 2020 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Wonder Woman. It is the sequel to 2017's Wonder Woman and the ninth installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film is directed by Patty Jenkins from a script she wrote with Geoff Johns and Dave Callaham, based on a story by Johns and Jenkins. Gal Gadot stars as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman, alongside Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, and Connie Nielsen. Set in 1984 during the Cold War, the film follows Diana and her past love, Steve Trevor as they face off against Max Lord and Cheetah.  WATCH TRAILER NOW Camera Operator: Simon, you’ve had quite a wonderful career working in both television and features films. Can you give us a bit of background on how you got started as an operator and then how you got hired for this job?

Simon Jayes, SOC, ACO: The short answer to that is: through TechnoCranes. I was working at TechnoVision U.K. when the TechnoCrane was conceived and built. Myself and Derlin Brynford-Jones (the legend himself, of whom many of you know) became the first TechnoCrane technicians. During those times in the U.K., the cranes worked mainly in TV, and as such, most of those camera operators were not experienced with “the wheels,” so I managed to get in that way. In 1990, I formed TechnoCrane Ltd., bringing the first TechnoCrane to the U.S. and was fortunate to have Derlin join me in 1991, so I could pursue operating full-time.

The silver lining of my crane business, was that I met an enormous amount of DP’s, key grips, and their crews. This meant, as an operator, not only was I able to get work, but I had the best education of how to be an operator, as there were so many “teachers” available to me…something that isn’t readily available if you come up though the same crew.

When I finally picked up a Steadicam, all these contacts were very helpful once again.

I had been fortunate to work alongside, and befriend, many of the Steadicam superstars through TechnoCrane jobs. This meant that

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

I had their support and help.

I got hired for WW84, in part, because I had just met and worked with Patty on I Am the Night which was also a wonderful experience.

CO: Matthew Jensen was the DP. Who else made up your team? Had you worked with any of them before?

Jayes: Matt is truly my favorite DP to work with. We go back quite a few years, I first met him on Numb3rs in 2005.

I like that you used the word “team”—this is the main reason I enjoyed this movie so much. The people involved, many whom I have worked with before, work so well together and have become firm friends.

Each and every new person I met on WW84 also struck me as people working at the top of their game and the crew ended up being, for lack of a better word, a “Dream Team.” I really should say “Dream TeamS.” There were, in fact, two main crews, a U.S. and a U.K. one, and I was fortunate to bridge both.

This was the other reason Matt brought me on: WW84 employed so many different formats from 35mm (for the bulk of the work), IMAX, 65mm, and Digital (for some lowlight locations), and Matt wanted someone around to help maintain “consistency” while crews were changing.

I have worked often with most of the U.S. camera crew, especially Ray Milazzo (1st

AC) and Blake Collins (2nd AC), and I was very excited to be reunited with Darryl Humber (dolly).

There was an enormous amount of varied grip equipment on this movie too, and Walter ‘Bud’ Scott (key grip), another frequent collaborator, was instrumental in making that go very well, he even managed to get Derlin to join us for the TechnoCrane work.

There are a lot of other people I should credit, so please forgive me for cutting it short here.

The work in Washington, D.C. and Virginia went extremely smoothly because this team works so well, and I was a little nervous of that not carrying over when we went to the U.K….I really shouldn’t have been.

Matt and Patty had worked with a lot of them on their first Wonder Woman film and I was the odd-one-out. They welcomed me as one of their own, (I guess the accent helped!), and it, too, became one of the best professional experiences of my life: (Again, the credit-where-due disclaimer) Simon (L to R) Emily Mest as(1st NurseAC), Amelia, Sarah Finney (op), Sam Barnes Adrian Paulson as Mildred Ratched, Alice Englert Stephens (2nd AC), and the wonderful Kevas Nurse Dolly, Charlie Carver as Huck in Fraser Finnigan (key gripanddolly) being a bigaspart of Jermaine Williams Harold in Episode 101 of RATCHED. that welcome.

Photo Credit: Saeed Adyani/ NETFLIX © 2020

CO: It’s rather rare for women directors to do such big-budget action films. I’m so impressed with Patty Jenkins and her success in the genre. Any thoughts about working with her you’d like to share?

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TRIVIA: DLilly Aspell (Young Diana) performed all the required physical stunt work herself at the age of 12, because it was deemed that she did the job better than her own stunt doubles.

Jayes: Well, YES! She’s amazing. I credit her entirely for the “Dream Team.” People want to work with her. Not only is she a very strong, decisive director (which something of this scope needs), she is an amazing collaborator. She involves everyone in the filmmaking process and actively promotes suggestions without losing control of the situation. She also fosters the idea that the crew is a family and that feeling is encouraged.

Patty builds teams, after working on I Am the Night, she brought me onto WW84 and fought for me to be the operator on the U.K. portion too, and she did the same with a number of different crew members. The sense of unity she nurtures between departments, actors and (dare I say it) production makes for a great shoot and experience.

CO: I loved Gal Gadot in the 2017 Wonder Woman film. Please share anything of interest about working with the cast.

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(L–R) Sam Barnes, A camera 1st AC; Patty Jenkins, director; Simon Jayes SOC ACO, A camera operator; Matthew Jensen ASC, DP; and Toby Hefferman, 1st AD. Photo by Clay Enos

Jayes: Gal is truly a force of nature in the absolute best sense. Her “Joie de vivre” is second to none and whether you like it or not, extremely contagious! She will be singing, dancing, laughing on set so much that you can’t help but smile. The combination of Patty and Gal makes for a very happy work environment, and then you add Chris Pine!

The cast and their doubles were amazing.

They also encouraged a family-feel to the whole project.

A stand-out to me was Lilly Aspell who plays young Diana (as she did in the first film).

She was 11 when we were shooting and she kicked ass! She did all her own stunts, wire work, water work, and horse riding—all with a massive grin on her face.

I fondly remember a shot where she has to come out of the sea, jump on a massive horse, and gallop down a beach. We had a crane mounted on a caterpillar-tracked vehicle tearing down

the beach, trying to keep up with her. Lilly’s excitement was truly infectious and seeing this firsthand was definitely a career highlight. Lilly spent a lot more time with 2nd Unit and I’m told they all felt the same way as she ran rings around all those amazing stunt people.

CO: How about the work that Chris Pine did as Steve Trevor, Diana’s love interest from the past?

Jayes: Chris is a consummate professional.

I was fortunate to work with him on I Am the Night, and look forward to the next time.

His attention to nuance and timing is tremendous and his camera sense is impressive to say the least. The chemistry he and Gal share, is wonderful to be around and this clearly translates to the screen.

CO: Did you actually shoot the film in D.C.?

The Smithsonian? Were there any challenges with the locations?

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

TECH ON SE&T: 65mm

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Shooting WW84 with UK camera crew on location in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands. Photo by Clay Enos

Jayes: Yes, yes and yes. Patty likes to shoot everything practically where possible. The mall, for instance, in Virginia was an entire real mall—it was huge, the challenge there was not getting lost! We shot in a number of Smithsonian halls, the standout being the National Air and Space Museum. The biggest issue there being access—I heard they had to get hundreds of extras though the works, starting at around midnight, as we had to shoot as soon as there was light in the windows so we could be done before the public arrived.

There was a night scene along the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a beautiful location to be sure. A big challenge here were the city restrictions on the amount of equipment we could have, specifically lighting. This was one of the reasons Matt went digital here.

The next challenge was that apparently the

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

reflecting pool is the most efficient breeding ground for mosquitoes—it was the stuff of nightmares!

CO: You’ve gone back and forth between TV and features. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with our readers about how you manage this?

Jayes: I’ve been fortunate to get to do both, although the lines between them are beginning to blur nowadays. It’s becoming more and more common that feature crews and talent are delving into long-form TV and I’m liking that, as the quality of work is evident.

However, TV’s schedule can become a bit of a grind, especially now they’re expecting a higher quality product—it is difficult to sustain standards on such schedules.

I don’t really “manage” going back and forth between TV and movies, it really comes down to working with those crews you like, and this

takes me to my main point here—deciding on what you’re working on (and most don’t have that luxury) is usually a varying equation of script/pay/people/location and impact on your personal life. More often than not, now, the decision of whom I’m going to be working with is the key factor in taking a job. If you are going to be working umpteen hours a day away from your family and loved ones, then you should at least be happy while doing so. Therefore, who you work with and how that crew functions becomes an extremely important decision. If you are not happy in your work, the work will suffer, as will you.

CO: Any final thoughts you’d like to share about working on this film?

Jayes: Prior to working on WW84 and I Am the Night, I had been lax in making sure the “people” part of my work decision was correct and, I confess, I was a little disillusioned with the film industry as a whole. Reuniting

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TRIVIA: When Diana takes Steve around the Space Museum, one of the exhibits hanging from the ceiling is the craft that Major Steve Austen crashed, causing him to become The Six Million Dollar Man (1974).

with Matt (and many other friends) for these projects, and being welcomed by Patty into her team rekindled my love of filmmaking and I will cherish WW84 as one of the best work experiences of my career.

CO: What are you doing next?

Jayes: Since WW84, I have been on The Mandalorian, and am now on a related project (NDA’s are now a part of camera operating life), with more Mando to come…fun, interesting times!

I especially look forward to teaming back up with Patty and Matt in 2022.

Above: Simon Jayes SOC, ACO, A camera operator, Photo by Clay Enos

SIMON JAYES, SOC, ACO

1984 and has been a camera operator for 28 years. Simon was part of the team that built the first TechnoCranes, and he moved to Los Angeles in 1990 to introduce this technology into the U.S. through his company: TechnoCrane Ltd. In 2005, Simon added Steadicam to his abilities. Since being in the U.S., Simon has had the privilege of working with many different crews and his credits include: The Mandalorian, Wonder Woman 1984, I Am the Night, all seven seasons of True Blood, American Horror Story: Cult, Quantum of Solace, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, and Miles Ahead, to name a few.

Simon Jayes, SOC, ACO, has been involved in the camera department since

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Photo by John Johnson

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

WW84 U.K. camera crew on location in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands. (L–R) Sam Barnes, A camera 1st AC; Dave Sinfield, gaffer; Dave Rist, grip; Simon Jayes SOC ACO, A camera operator; Adrian Stephens, A Camera 2nd AC; Dennis Fraser, grip; Simon Finney ACO, B camera operator; and René Adefarasin, B camera 1st AC. Photo by Clay Enos

GAL GADOT as Wonder Woman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure WONDER WOMAN 1984, a Warner Bros. Pictures release Photo by Clay Enos

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

23

News of the World Western Vérité

an interview with Martin Schaer, SOC

by David Daut

(L-R) Johanna Leonberger (Helena Zengel) and Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks) in NEWS OF THE WORLD, co-written and directed by Paul Greengrass. Photo by Bruce W. Talamon / Universal Pictures

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

News of the World, based on the 2016 novel, tells the story of Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks), a former captain in the Confederate Army, who travels across Texas reading the news to anyone with ten cents to hear it. As he wrestles with his place in the aftermath of a country torn apart by war, he finds a young girl (Helena Zengel), orphaned and abandoned, and begins a journey to reunite her with her family. The film is directed by Paul Greengrass from a script by Greengrass and Luke Davies. News of the World has been nominated for several industry awards such as four nominations for 2021 Academy Award Oscars, including a nomination to Dariusz Wolski for Best Achievement in Cinematography. Wolski also received a 2021 BAFTA nomination for Best Cinematography.  WATCH TRAILER NOW Camera Operator: I know you’ve worked with cinematographer Dariusz Wolski many times in the past, but if I’m not mistaken, this is the first time either of you have collaborated with Paul Greengrass. How were you approached to work on this movie?

Martin Schaer: The first movie on the West Coast both Dariusz and I met and worked on was a movie titled The Oasis. It was a movie in the early 80s about a plane crash in the Mexican desert, people struggling to survive, resulting in cannibalistic behavior; this low-budget movie was before Alive where a soccer team crashes in the Andes and has to survive, eventually feeding on their dead. Guess there was an “appetite” for these kinda stories! This is how Dariusz and I met the then-production associate, Gregory Goodman, who later produced News of the World and a handful of other Paul Greengrass movies. Through Gregory, I got calls to work on Paul Greengrass projects before, but this was the first one that really fit, especially after Dariusz asked me to do News of the World with him. So we reunited with Greg Goodman as producer and it became like old times. Gregory knew of Dariusz and Paul Greengrass liked his work. Paul always chooses people to do his movies who have an unusual creative history and embrace filmmaking outside the mainstream. Kinda cool when things come full circle.

CO: As a director, Paul Greengrass is sort of famous for his use of handheld cameras and

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

the so-called “shaky cam” style, while westerns, at least traditionally, tend to skew in the other direction. How did you go about finding the visual language for this film?

Schaer: Let’s face it, an operator is—in the end—adapting to the visual style chosen by the director and the cinematographer. So, I think that was both Dariusz’s and my own first question: what was that style going to be? Are we going to do what Paul Greengrass always did, or are we going to find a somewhat different style? Dariusz already early on approached Paul with the suggestion to sort of tone camera movement down. In the beginning, his idea was to just go controlled as the characters are traveling through the landscape with tracking shots and all sorts of stabilizing systems to keep things calm, consequently when the action comes in it would evolve into handheld and a visual style that’s a little bit more action oriented. Paul is very much into the movement and free style, flowing handheld, so we settled for a mix between controlled handheld and Steadicam, still keeping things alive and breathing.

As we found out during filming, Paul is a huge fan of the Maysles brothers—New York documentarians—and it just so happened that I have worked on many films with Albert Maysles. Back in my early operating years (introduced by Ed Lachman!) I was hired to come in as a second camera because

often Albert would position himself in a corner and, in the cinéma vérité style, had his 16mm Aaton on his shoulder and just filmed whatever was going on, like being a fly on the wall, so to speak. Albert, as the conceptual brain and cameraman, was never aggressive in telling people where to stand, what to do—that wouldn’t be cinéma vérité. That was something that always interested and fascinated Paul in terms of filmmaking; not so much controlling it, but instead letting things go and see how takes and scenes fall into place. That includes the actors, but nevertheless he does still talk the actors through the essence of a scene and what he intends to do so they understand the basic concept, that moment he wants to get on film. After that the cameras come in and we get a talk, and from then on he lets it kind of happen.

So if he feels and sees it, he’s a very happy man, and if he doesn’t see it, he tries again.

But it’s not, “the camera has to do this,” it’s more making sure that we understand the concept. In that sense it’s feature making in an almost cinéma vérité style. Consequently that intuitive handheld style was developed.

Albert Maysles also shot everything handheld, all the time. We had tripods along, but very seldom did we ever use a tripod. Albert, of course, was a little more deliberately quiet and calm about it—he didn’t move around, often did not cut—where Paul often take it to another level and says, “give me some life, it’s okay when it shakes.”

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Director and co-writer, Paul Greengrass with B camera operator, James Goldman on the set of NEWS OF THE WORLD. Photo by Bruce W. Talamon / Universal Pictures

To answer your question, Paul started prep in London and we took pictures of locations in New Mexico so Paul could see what he was dealing with. A week before shooting started, he came to Santa Fe, New Mexico, we had him on the set, we decided that we would mostly be doing handheld, but we would use Steadicam whenever we had scenes that required walk and talk which need to be a little calmer. James Goldman did a stellar job walking with the wagon, and with both of us being on the wagon and shooting the actors when it’s very bumpy, the Steadicam came in handy. We pretty much decided to nix all the gadgets like insert cars, camera cars, remote crane arm. We had them on hold just in case we wanted them, but we abandoned all of it in that week before shooting. Steadicam and handheld became the simple answer for the look of the movie.

James Goldman, was the B camera and Steadicam operator; always positive ener-

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gy, very talented craftsman, was with us from early on in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies as a kind of lab liaison/third assistant. He started very low in the camera department 20 years ago and moved up, got himself a Steadicam, and started energetically working on it. He became top-notch.

For me, it was comforting and rewarding to see James moving into a savvy, creative partner-operator position. I find it always refreshing to have younger blood and energy in the camera department. Together we worked on balancing/smoothing the obvious differences between handheld and Steadicam.

avoid being found by the bandit.

CO: And I think that balance works really well! In particular, I think about the shootout sequence in the middle of the movie where there are those moments of frenetic action, but then you also have these moments of stillness. Especially when they’re hiding under the rocks, trying to

So, I do think in a way Paul really did change his style. I mean, he agreed to go with certain things which maybe before he wouldn’t have, but he also knew that Dariusz, James and I would be listening to what he had to say and what he wanted to do. You know, this was my first time I met Paul, so when

Schaer: Due to the dangers in this steep, cliffy location, we shot the two principles— Tom and Helena—first in the rocks in their key positions, laid out by Paul and Dariusz, based on what they had in mind. From the beginning, they both had it in mind for me to shoot second unit. It was scheduled so that I would be there with first unit, and then go back with a 50-head second unit to plug in and cover the bad guys. We had them pretty much the whole time; they were all pretty good trained riders, so we could do some pretty harrowing stuff to spice up the action.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Photo by Bruce W. Talamon / Universal Pictures On the set with Tom Hanks and B camera operator, James Goldman. Photo by Bruce W. Talamon / Universal Pictures

he heard that I had worked with the Maysles brothers on many films, he got a huge smile on his face and hugged me. It wasn’t that we imposed another style on him or took over, it was still his vision, he had a great appreciation for all of us. The only addition is that we did carry a dolly and occasionally used it when we tracked behind the public listening to his speeches. We actually shot about five times more speeches than were in the movie; a lot of editing had to be done so that only the best parts were used. One further note about the equipment: we still had to come up with a camera vehicle of some sort because there was so much riding through the desert on the wagon, we had to follow them in wide shots which could sometimes be impossible using just a Steadicam. So we ended up renting a Ram 1500 pickup truck and our key grip, Mike Popovich, built a camera car out of it with a speed rail in the back, side, and front. The fancy exception was on second unit where I had to use a dune buggy

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

CO: Westerns are something of a rare breed these days, but this isn’t the first western you’ve done. I know you also worked with Gore Verbinski on both Rango and The Lone Ranger—two movies I personally love very much. How did your work on News of the World compare to those earlier films you did?

and tools that were available. That ended up being something like a $200 million movie, and we had trains built which were specifically adapted for remote cranes—we were able to put the Technocrane on the train itself. We had five miles of our own selfbuilt track in the desert with switch tracks and parallel tracks and stations. We carried a short technocrane as well as a long, 50-foot Technocrane for the whole show. We had Steadicam, of course, plus countless cameras, both film and digital. As I said, everything was available, and whatever we needed, that’s what we’d get. Sky’s the limit. We mixed all the styles drastically. Let’s note, Gore is not a documentarian. He’s a very well-prepared craftsman, a filmmaker who controls every aspect of his set. He’s a savvy multitasker, and he thinks about things beforehand.

Schaer: The biggest difference was exactly what we were just talking about. On The Lone Ranger we had virtually all the toys

Same thing with Rango. It was an animated movie, but what Gore initially wanted to do was record the entire film on videotape with

with a stabilized head for a couple of shots that had to be stabilized for face replacement. So, in that way it was a rather organic way of filming; less is more, sitting with the actors, strapped in on the carriage, and doing handheld when it was smooth enough, and only when we got into the more remote locations with rocks and roots that we’d use the camera car (aka speed rail pickup) or James would walk backwards with Steadicam next to carriage going with the trot of the horse.

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TECH ON SETA: lexa

LF; Alex Mini EZ Angenieux ; F L io d tu S 70 AVISION P N A P ; s m o Zo arimes; Ste Vintage P syrigs dicam; Ea

TRIVIA: News of the World marks Tom Hanks' second feature with British director Paul Greengrass, the first being Captain Phillips (2013).

Director and co-writer, Paul Greengrass and Martin Schaer, SOC on the set of NEWS OF THE WORLD. Photo by Bruce W. Talamon / Universal Pictures

the actors in the studio acting it out. No costumes or makeup, and just a few props at best. Pretty soon after that initial test and rehearsal, the actors had a hard time making that work. You know, it wasn’t exactly motion capture, but it was more elaborate than normal reference footage for the animators. Ultimately, it got shut down by the actors after the first week. We ended up just doing voice recording with all the actors in the studio with a video camera capturing their facial expressions. That footage was then given to the animators for reference.

For me, as an operator, it was very cool experience because we had that lensless camera, which was a tablet with antennas on it, and you’re in a room with tracking cameras, so you get to see the rough animation on the tablet and can move around to change the camera angle in real time while the characters were moving in the scene. That meant I could give a scene a handheld feel or do

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a crane shot just by lifting the tablet above my head. You could do all this cool stuff and Gore and I and the producers would go up to ILM every week and talk to those guys and give them my recording from the lensless camera so they could build it in the finished animation. It was special! I did exactly what I do all the time: I operated as if it wasn’t at all an animated movie.

Gore was a stickler about exactly what the movement should be precisely and how fast, how it transitions into other shots, and we’d have to walk through every step with what was virtually an auditorium of animators at ILM where we would sit every week and have these meetings. We were all part of it, I would listen to what Gore was saying and take notes so I would know how to operate and execute. Needless to say, News of the World was a much more organic way of doing a film, and that’s largely due to Paul, a different director with his own way

of thinking and visualizing. Yes, I was content with the visual style at the end. There were the usual tricky parts where the weather was not cooperating or we had changes in schedule, the actors had to go, or we just ran out of time.

CO: I understand that you shot primarily on location in New Mexico back in the fall of 2019. What were the shooting conditions like out there in the desert?

Schaer: I thought the shooting conditions were really inviting. I like New Mexico at that time of year, especially fall into early winter. Once it gets into the winter, though, it gets brutal. We were already encountering snow in November, and it can get brutally cold—the wind on those high plateaus just cuts through you. So, obviously that’s the not-so-friendly side.

In terms of shooting locations, currently there are a couple of very usable ranches that have some old buildings and typical

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

TRIVIA: Wapping, East London is home to both the former office of Rupert Murdoch's newspaper 'News of the World' and a pub called Captain Kidd, named after the Scottish pirate who was executed in there in 1701.

Martin Schaer on the set of NEWS OF THE WORLD with Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel. Photo by Bruce W. Talamon / Universal Pictures

“western towns.” Unfortunately they’re now always used because a lot of westerns are shot in New Mexico. Obviously there’s the landscape, and the amount of sun in that state per year is relatively high, it offers dramatic skies with bombastic cloud formations. Yes, you can encounter monsoon style rains where you have to be careful, other than that there’s rattlesnakes you have to watch out for which means pretty strict regulations for productions depending on the area you’re shooting in. I think the pool of people available in the state, especially based out of Albuquerque, is quite astonishing. There are a lot of people who moved out there, away from the bigger cities, and I have to say I was super happy with my local crew. There were other productions shooting there at the time, but we were able to put a very good crew together with locals for both the first and second units. I have only good things to say; it was a very positive experience. The

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

ranches are private and they are within half-an-hour of Santa Fe, which makes the crew happy because there are good restaurants and culturally something happening there. I don’t mind Albuquerque either— Albuquerque now has studios and they’ve built quite a film metropolis in its own right—but personally I do prefer Santa Fe for production. It’s more pleasant and inviting for the crew.

CO: Obviously News of the World finished shooting before the outbreak of COVID-19, but coming on the heels of this world-changing event where people— at best—lost a full year of their lives, I think the movie’s themes of both living in the aftermath of a traumatic event, as well as the feelings of isolation and difficulty connecting with other people in a rapidly changing world, feels all the more resonant. What do you hope is the thing that lingers with people after they see this film?

Schaer: Yes, I do hope people pick up on the aspect of racial segregation. I think of great importance is the very fragile situation after the Civil War where everybody is weakened, nobody knows where to go, what’s next.

Okay, we know that the war is over, but there’s nothing but misery everywhere. There are diseases, sickness, there’s no money, and everybody struggles to just make it work. In a way it’s amazing that COVID just happened after we shot that film. It’s in a lot of ways a similar situation. Obviously, COVID broke out, it’s not like two parties feuding with each other, even though actually—in this country especially—the pandemic did become so politicized that it ultimately resulted in feuding parties. See what happened between the Democrats and the Republicans. I think that for me, the film did have an ultimate message of human compassion. In the end, The Captain does go back for her, he takes her on. That’s a very valuable point. Yes, it has a happy ending

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and maybe in a European movie it would’ve gone the other way, but I do hope that people get that out of it. It’s one of those stories where you take your time to explain the story and a lot of people think, well, this is a bit boring, or this is a little slow, or whatever, so you also have the criticism of that side. Then if you make it faster, it threatens to be solely an action movie and then where do you go with that? In the end it’s a quiet little movie, and at the time I saw it, after Christmas (in a movie house in Montana!), it kind of hit the spot. I think what’s on the screen, is an honest piece of work. Altogether a great, uplifting experience. A big thanks to all the fabulous crew.

Tom Hanks in NEWS OF THE WORLD. Photo by Bruce W. Talamon

TRIVIA: Paul Greengrass said in an interview in the New York Times on 12/30/2020 how this movie "is the first film I made with a child actor at the heart of it" and he thought that it would be very difficult to cast the role of Johanna but when he saw Helena Zengel's audition, he said she "was the only person I really had to look at" and that it "was the easiest decision in the film."

DAVID DAUT

MARTIN SCHAER, SOC Martin was born in July of 1954 in Sion, Switzerland. He studied photography for three years at the School of Applied Arts in Bern Switzerland with an additional three years apprenticing at Schwarz Filmtechnik Motion Picture Film Laboratory. After that, he was the house photographer for Municipal Theater and Opera in Bern followed by three years as a photographer and interior designer for an architectural company in the Middle East. He earned his MFA in Film at the San Francisco Art Institute before spending four years as first assistant camera on music videos, documentaries, television pilots, and feature films. He’s worked as a camera operator and additional unit cinematographer since 1986.

A writer and film critic for close to ten years, David Daut specializes in analysis of genre cinema and immersive media with bylines at Lewton Bus, No Proscenium, and Heroic Hollywood. David studied at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and currently works as a freelance writer based out of Orange County, California.

Photo courtesy of David Daut

Photo courtesy of Martin Schaer Tom Hanks as Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd in NEWS OF THE WORLD. Photo by Bruce W. Talamon

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Live Operating: The Oscars with interviews from David Eastwood, Lyn Noland, and David Plakos

by David Daut

David Eastwood on the set of the OSCARS. Photo courtesy of David Eastwood

Hollywood’s biggest night is set to return this year on April 25, 2021; a bit later than usual, but with as much of the prerequisite pomp and circumstance as can be obtained given the unusual circumstances surrounding it. Like all live TV, shooting for the Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, presents a unique challenge for camera operators who have to at once clearly convey the “story” of the evening’s proceedings as well as be ever vigilant to capture unexpected moments of spontaneity. Prior to this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, we spoke with three operators about their times working on the biggest event of the awards season.

DAVID EASTWOOD

David Eastwood: In the Live TV article featured in the Fall 2020 issue, I gave a brief rundown of my camera beginnings. In short, my brother-in-law started a production company in Orange County, California focusing on surfing, skateboarding—essentially the sports that now make up the X-Games. They needed a camera operator, and since I had always shot stills and super 8mm, I was hired. It was physically hard work back in the 1980s, with heavy cameras and schlepping a record deck along with it. With no formal training, I did well and received a lot of “Attaboys”—I couldn’t believe they would pay me to operate a camera, it was the best job ever. Mostly I enjoyed it because it didn’t require a lot of math.

Camera Operator: How did you get your start as a camera operator and when did you start shooting the Oscars?

I was first hired by director, Jeff Margolis for the Academy Awards after having worked with him on a few earlier projects. What he found

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

interesting was that I had developed a zoom/focus system that I could operate myself with no focus puller which enabled me to be in the set and have the freedom to move like a handheld camera operator. I believe his thinking was that it would add a more up-close and personal look and feel—anything to set his show apart from previous telecasts.

That was early 1990s, since that time there has been a Steadicam or three used on every broadcast since. I have been fortunate to be a camera operator on the show for 24 years straight with 2021 making 25; the first 19 of those was as a Steadicam operator. In 2016, I hung up the Steadicam vest and have been operating my other various robotic cameras: Tower Cam, Remote Heads, RailCams, etc.

CO: How does operating for the Academy Awards compare to other live TV work you’ve done? What are some of the unique challenges?

Sometimes referred to as “Hollywood’s Super Bowl,” the Oscars have a feel of utmost prestige and honor over the other award shows. Every year they remind the audience of the millions of viewers worldwide that are tuning in LIVE! (Which means for the camera operator, if you mess up a lot of people are going to know—but more importantly your colleagues.) The Academy Awards certainly goes to the top of your credit list on IMDb. It’s a show that you want to be invited back on no matter who the director. I would say that most crew members never forget working on their first show.

CO: Though not necessarily scripted, the Oscars at least broadly follow a planned structure. As an operator, how do you find the balance between covering the planed aspects of the show with being ready for unanticipated surprises?

Eastwood: In that regard the Oscars are a lot like many other awards shows, albeit this one is a minimal three hours. It’s important to fight fatigue for sure. No matter how many times nominees are reminded to keep acceptance speeches short or told how to make it to the stage when they hear their name, in many cases, they enter serious brain fog.

To anticipate changes takes training and perhaps a sixth sense. It’s the reason why the entire crew specializes in live, award show broadcasts.

It’s particularly challenging for the handheld and Steadicam ops when four, five, six nominee live shots are all needed at the same time, sometimes we are all stacked on top or beside one another in an aisle. At a moment’s notice, all hell can break loose when they announce the winner. Think Cuba Gooding Jr. in 1997, or Roberto Benigni in 1999.

CO: Are there any moments that stand out to you as particularly memorable in your time working on the Academy Awards?

Eastwood: During my time as a Steadicam operator, I was always positioned in the on stage right wings where the stars would gather before each award and exit after each winner. I would be in a unique position to hear their chatter before and after each award and before they entered the off stage press gallery. One year, Jack Nicholson asked us if he could help my utility, Charly Fernandez, with coiling the cable attached to our camera. Of course, we said yes. Surprisingly he stayed for a few

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

awards in the wings helping us (or getting in the way), and when it was his time to present he said, “Thanks for letting me help and I’ll see you on stage.” I don’t believe Charly put Jack on his utility backup list.

When Martin Scorsese was in the wings with us he asked me, “How the hell do you hold that thing (Steadicam) for three plus hours? I need to have you on one of my films.” I’m still waiting for his call.

Meryl Streep, one year after she had won—I think—her third Oscar, was very shocked and nervous when she exited the stage. We carried her off into the wings on camera and when the director cut away she asked if she could sit down in my chair for a few minutes before she entered the press area. We gave her a water bottle and she stayed for a few minutes to catch her breath and relax. I believe she referred to the pressroom as the “lion’s den.” Guess you never get used to it.

Halle Berry was in our off-stage right wing preparing to go on stage to present the best actor award. Her instructions were to follow me to the center stage microphone. I asked her once she arrived to give me a chance to loop around her and exit before speaking. I was about two feet away from her talking with 30 seconds to go and she asked me, “How do I look?” I was a bit taken aback and at a loss for words. All I could do was give her a thumbs up, and we were off.

CO: This year’s Oscar ceremony will be the first major award show since the start of the pandemic to be presented in-person rather than having participants and attendees teleconference in remotely. What are the logistical realities of preparing for a production of this scale during these waning days of the pandemic?

Photo by David Levisohn

DAVID EASTWOOD David Eastwood has worked for 35 years as a camera operator with most of his credits as a full-time Steadicam operator for live TV. He has won 15 Primetime Emmy Awards with over 50 nominations. He was the first owner and operator of a Jimmy Jib camera crane and an early innovator of a zoom/focus handle control for Steadicam. He also incorporated several new technologies for live TV during the late 1980s including onboard program monitors, Tally lights, Prompter monitors, and single pole resting stands (Moses pole).

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Eastwood: The logistics are still being worked out for this year’s telecast with regards to the crew. I was contacted a few weeks ago to provide a number of robotic cameras for the show as it allows for remote operation. Obviously, having six-to-eight handheld and Steadicam operators crammed in each isle within feet of each other and the actors might not be happening this year. Think long lenses, robotic cameras operated from afar, and a mix of remote locations all wrapped around a home base set at some theater or other venue.

unanticipated surprises?

The in-your-face close-ups, pizza delivery, and world famous selfie moments won’t be re-enacted anytime soon. All those acts of spontaneity made all the better because they were all live in front of millions of TV viewers from around the world. And we as camera operators get to see it first.

my next nominee.

Noland: It is thrilling to react fast, have a shot in focus, and capture a moment you’re sharing with millions worldwide. One year I covered The Lord of the Rings director, Peter Jackson. That year, he won. After carrying him to the lip of the stage I went back and had multiple reaction shots. Mostly there was a fast pace and quick resets.

The balance, if any, was in the pause between awards, and the shot of

CO: Are there any moments that stand out to you as particularly memorable in your time working on the Academy Awards?

LYN NOLAND Camera Operator: How did you get your start as a camera operator and when did you start shooting the Oscars?

Lyn Noland: When I was in college, a friend—a soap opera actress— knew I was interested in camerawork. She knew about studio television cameras and suggested I try one out. This was easier said than done because, at the time, very few women—if any—were camera operators. I volunteered at a tiny cable station in Manhattan and the minute I got on a camera, I fell in love.

I started shooting the Oscars in 1997 when the director Louis J. Horvitz brought a number of New York area camera operators out to Los Angeles to shoot the show. I was ecstatic. I started on a handheld camera shooting the nominees.

CO: How does operating for the Academy Awards compare to other live TV work you’ve done? What are some of the unique challenges?

Noland: If you are a star-struck film buff as I am, there is nothing like the Oscars. Because the outcome is unpredictable, and the audience is worldwide and in the millions, there is more pressure than the usual TV show. We are put through our paces. If the nominee you are covering wins, you carry them up to the stage, then you need to quickly get a reaction shot from their significant other, or fellow actor, or the director. Preparation helps. If you know the films, the actors, directors, the others involved, you can react quickly and get the relevant shots. There’s a surprise element not present in most other TV shows. As a camera operator you need to have a sixth sense of what’s happening around you.

This requires listening carefully and reacting instantaneously.

One unique challenge for me was learning how to walk backwards down the aisle, keeping the camera steady, with the winner coming at me, sometimes running!

CO: Though not necessarily scripted, the Oscars at least broadly follow a planned structure. As an operator, how do you find the balance between covering the planed aspects of the show with being ready for

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Photo by Rob Paine LYN NOLAND Lyn Noland is an award-winning, New York-based camera operator whose career has taken her across the United States, throughout Europe—and into nearly every television genre across the spectrum. Noland began her career more than 30 years ago in the hectic world of New York news. She has since gone on to shoot primetime specials, scripted series, network documentaries, and stand-up comedy specials with the likes of Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock.

Noland is a favorite among directors of live award ceremonies.

Such events include 20 Academy Awards as well as multiple Tony Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Mark Twain Prize, Showtime at the Apollo, and The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductions. She shot and won an Emmy for Jesus Christ Superstar Live. Noland has also been behind the camera for such legendary musicians as the Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Elton John, and Bruce Springsteen. She has also shot the Superbowl Halftime Show eight times.

As one of television’s most accomplished camera operators, Noland has won six Primetime Emmy Awards and garnered more than 58 Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

This is David Eastwood operating at the 84th ACADEMY AWARDS (2012) as Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. present the award for Best Documentary Feature.

Photo courtesy of David Eastwood.

Noland: Out of so many memories, one of the funniest is a rehearsal of Celine Dion singing My Heart Will Go On from the film Titanic.

At rehearsal, she started singing, and, at the same time, the special effects team started pouring what turned out to be too much fog and haze onto the set, which escaped from the set into the theater. In moments, the entire theater was covered and nobody could see. We had to stop down, and everyone was laughing hysterically.

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles.

CO: How does operating for the Academy Awards compare to other live TV work you’ve done? What are some of the unique challenges?

Camera Operator: How did you get your start as a camera operator and when did you start shooting the Oscars?

Plakos: The Oscars is TV “royalty," and the annual production reflects this no matter who the director might be. It is always treated with tremendous respect and the crews assembled are highly seasoned industry professionals who all bring their A-game. Being a live show, all departments must prepare for the “what-ifs" without stifling their creative contribution. I've operated various cameras over my 28 consecutive Academy Awards from handheld, to pedestal, to Jib, and most recent years, the front of house Techno-Jib. Each position requires a different skillset and proposes its own set of “what-ifs." For instance, when operating the Techno-Jib, I must be keenly aware of my fellow operators under my "arm" and not just their physical location for safety but also the angle of their shot coverage so I don't go floating through their shots on the air! I also have to be cognizant of the lighting so as I am swinging a 24-foot arm around or telescoping in towards the stage that I'm not casting any shadows on the talent or set. Even if the shadow is not in my shot, it might be in subsequent shots. Running such a large and moving piece of equipment, I always default to camera moves that are safe—keeping in mind, not just my fellow crew members’ safety, but also that of the audience who really isn't paying attention to me and what I'm doing.

David Plakos: I started my professional career at WDAY TV in Fargo, North Dakota in 1973. My first Oscars show was in 1993 at the

CO: Though not necessarily scripted, the Oscars at least broadly follow a planned structure. As an operator, how do you find the balance

I have fond memories of the generosity of the more experienced operators, sharing their knowledge and how they shot the Oscars. Walking backwards was one of the skills I learned from them!

CO: This year’s Oscar ceremony will be the first major award show since the start of the pandemic to be presented in person rather than having participants and attendees teleconference in remotely. What are the logistical realities of preparing for a production of this scale during these waning days of the pandemic?

Noland: After 25 years of shooting the Oscars, this will be only the second Oscars I’ll miss. The reason is the pandemic, and I trust all appropriate protocols will be in place.

DAVID PLAKOS

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

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between covering the planed aspects of the show with being ready for unanticipated surprises?

Plakos: Most, if not all, directors call their "show" from an extensive script or expanded rundown which for the most part has every cue scripted (or otherwise) in it. All operators use a camera rundown (paper or electronic) which reflects the order of the live show. During camera meetings and rehearsals, we take our specific notes on these rundowns. For instance, for the Techno-Jib, when should I offer up an extreme wide floating shot for a lighting, scenic or pyro cue or which way should I be headed on a camera move as talent is entering on stage from stage left or stage right? In the past, I've worked with directors who have scripted and numbered every shot but most directors now assign specific "zones" of coverage (head-to-toe or close-up among others) which we don't deviate too far from. As operators, we have the flexibility and responsibility to frame up what we believe is the best shot that the director has requested and they rely on us to do this automatically. As always, you must be prepared for those "unscripted" moments and be able to offer up your "zone" coverage for any surprise.

of the stage or another room, thus keeping the amount of human contacts on or near the stage to a minimum. Recently, I ran such a remote head at the Grammys which did have in-person attendees and production employed strict COVID testing schedules and protocols for talent and crew. I know the Academy Awards will be no different.

My sincere thanks to all the production companies who endeavor to keep us all safe as possible.

CO: Are there any moments that stand out to you as particularly memorable in your time working on the Academy Awards?

Photo courtesy of David Eastwood

Plakos: The moment that sticks out the most to me was during the 1999 Oscars where I was operating a handheld camera, shooting nominees in the audience at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The award category was for Best Foreign Language Film. My nominee was Roberto Benigni for Life Is Beautiful. When presenter Sofia Loren announced that Roberto had won, he immediately and quite unexpectedly kicked out his leg hitting my lens and jumped up onto the back of the seats in front of him grabbing the extended hand of one Steven Spielberg who offered up assistance to steady the newly named Oscar winner. Roberto then proceeded to "hop" up the steps to the podium and joyously went on to embrace Sofia on stage. He was quite overwhelmed and appreciative and gave a very inspired, touching, and humorous acceptance speech.

CO: This year’s Oscar ceremony will be the first major award show since the start of the pandemic to be presented in-person rather than having participants and attendees teleconference in remotely. What are the logistical realities of preparing for a production of this scale during these waning days of the pandemic?

Plakos: Our industry, from executive producers on down, have taken the COVID-19 protocols for talent, staff and crew very seriously (I've personally been tested close to 100 times). All award shows that I have been on during the pandemic have followed strict precautions for all crew. Whether there are in-person attendees or not, there are still a lot of men and women gathered in one area working and safe distancing; masks and sometimes face shields are part of the “uniform of the day.” Some camera positions that are usually manned are now replaced with “remote heads” with the operator in a different part

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Plakos operating at the Techno-Jib center of house at the 2020 OSCARS at the Dolby. Photo by Brian Bowen Smith. Headshot courtesy of David Plakos.

DAVID PLAKOS David Plakos is a Los Angeles-based freelance camera operator.

He's shot hundreds of music/variety television specials, concerts, and award shows—specializing in live events, as well as multiple TV series.

Plakos has 49 Emmy Award nominations and has won 10 Emmy Awards. He has also served on the Television Academy's “Lighting, Camera & Technical Arts” Peer Group Executive Committee multiple times, and is currently co-governor.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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The TIffen Company, LLC. 90 Oser Avenue • Hauppauge, NY 11788

Keeping Old Promises

Smooth Operator

by Brenda Zuniga, SOC

On the set of GORDON RAMSAY: UNCHARTED, on location in Puerto Rico. Photo by Gary Humphrey

Years ago I started writing a magical realism novel about my grandmother’s life growing up as a Pipil (descendant of the Aztecs) in El Salvador, surviving massacres and civil war, and eventually raising a beautiful family and living to be a tiny old lady. In my version of telling her story she was an orphan that traveled around the world, learning lessons from strangers along the way, to eventually become the warrior she was always meant to be. I still haven’t finished the novel but, somehow, I ended up adopting my grandmother’s fictional lessons as my own.

SCHOOL DAYS I picked up my first video camera during my last year of art school, for a video installation project about my love affair with Havana, Cuba.

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I was in the discovering-my-roots phase of young adulthood, all passion and politics, spending hours in the darkroom printing giant photographs, trying to find my voice in my expanding view of the world.

The search for identity sneaks up on you as an artist.

It was upon graduation, that delicate moment where you are unleashed into the world, that I took a trip with my parents to my father’s home in Nicaragua. It was his first time back in 24 years and I was documenting every second of it. Halfway through the trip we were hit head-on by a drunk driver and, cameras seat-belted alongside me, I filmed the whole thing. It was terrible. We were all pretty badly hurt and for 2.5 seconds I thought I had lost them both. Throughout the course of the documentary my dad’s idea of home changed—Los

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

On the set of ARE YOU THE ONE?, on location in Maui, Hawaii. Photo by Blaze Anderson

Angeles was home. My life shifted after Nicaragua—the reality of where my parents came from, the thin thread of life, and the importance of documenting stories. After making the project I understood that I had the tough heart and inquisitive soul to keep my cool behind the lens, while also realizing that I needed technical training to pursue my new love for the moving image.

8mm Arri S, 16mm Arri SRII, 35mm Panavision Gold—USC was a toy chest for a film purist. We were the last generation of students to physically cut film. I was there at the perfect time as the film school was transitioning into the digital age. I worked with Chris Chomyn, ASC as a TA for several years and learned the importance of mastering the highly technical side of camera work. Chris taught me to be decisive in my composition and introduced me to the most important education: adjusting the breadth of my knowledge to a multitude of practical situations. The camera world is in a constant state of flux. The way we make movies and television, the very nature of what we do is constantly shifting. And I love that. It’s exhausting, but I love it.

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

MOVIE DAYS I don’t think my ancestors’ idea of the “American Dream” would include working for free for so many years. Working on features as a fledgling AC was a crash course in doubting myself. Confidence is something you build with each setup, each shot, each frame. While my USC education was a significant part of my path, my early work in features was formative in that I humbled myself to the experience.

As the only female in the camera department on every set at that time, I had no room for failure. Mistakes were expected of me and amplified. So all I could do was be better, and sometimes run to the bathroom to cry.

REALITY DAYS Just as I was finding my groove in the feature world, a writers strike and runaway production drove film away from Los Angeles, and I found myself pulling focus for Steadicam on a reality competition show. I didn’t know much about this world. All I knew was that it combined two of the things I loved the most: cameras and travel. I

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On the set of THIS COUNTRY in Wilmington, North Carolina. Photo by Eli Wallace-Johansson

fluidly fell into this complex new genre and quickly worked my way up the ranks to camera operator.

Reality TV shooting is quite fascinating. It’s more of a dance than most people realize. When paired with another veteran shooter we don’t need to talk. One glance and I know what the other person is shooting, anticipating movements, all while holding the frame. I began building my technical ability to a point where the camera was an extension of my body. I could pick up any rig and mechanically move my hands like a walking and breathing camera machine. Camera operators in reality television shoot so much content, hours and hours on the shoulder waiting for something to happen.

DOCUMENTARY DAYS Until Born This Way, I was a storytelling machine. It was on this passion project that Emmy Award-winning DP, Bruce Ready set me free.

I fully realized the delicate balance of the camera operator. Working with a cast of young adults with down syndrome offers an environment of uninterrupted truth. Part of my job was making them and

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their parents feel comfortable and, in the process, I became invested in their lives and discoveries and success and tears and frustration and pain and pure joy. There’s nothing like it. We made something that changed the way viewers understand a whole population of people and their families. That is what the gentle presence of a camera in delicate times can create. Bruce Ready taught me to trust my instincts and shoot with my heart. He taught me how to be gentle in the way I approach each environment. I learned to stand back and observe before storming in with subjectivity.

MERMAID DAYS The underwater world fed my soul during one of the darkest times of my life. I needed an outlet after my mother’s death. She was my muse and my biggest supporter. The only reason I became an artist in the first place was because she believed in my talent. And somehow, as if driven by some cosmic force, my two loves collided and I found myself learning how to shoot underwater on a job in the Dominican Republic. To be a good underwater operator or DP you need excellent

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

buoyancy, and getting to that point means lots of dives and training.

As a natural school nerd, I sought dive education and quickly worked my way up to PADI Assistant Instructor. After several tropical shows of learning on the job, I attended the SOC Underwater Workshop with DP and dive buddy, Johnny Derango SOC, met the Nauticam rep and bought a housing for the Sony A7Sii. There is a common theme in camera work and scuba diving. The more you master the technical side of things, the easier it is to just exist in the space. I’ve done some of my best work when I trust my instincts and get lost in the moment. To become part of the story, to truly feel it, is the best way to escape. And if the person most connected to the moment is escaping into it, there is no doubt that the audience can feel the same thing.

PANDEMIC DAYS The two biggest opportunities of my career happened this past year during the global COVID-19 pandemic. I became one of the DPs of Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted where I combined everything I love: travelling around the world, shooting underwater, documenting adventures, and eating amazing food. This solidified my place as an adventure DP and featured a few cameos of my interaction with Gordon, who I’ve known since my first operator job on Hell’s Kitchen in 2008.

Above: On the set of THE NIGHTSTALKER in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Nicola Marsh Right: On the set of FULL BLOOM for HBO Max. Photo by Anne Marie Fox

I also returned to the scripted world on This Country, an upcoming comedy series for Fox. The show is a culmination of everything I learned from scripted, reality and documentary shooting. I felt prepared for the inherent physicality of the mockumentary format and, because of the hours spent on my shoulder, my instincts were sharp. Shana Hagan, ASC taught me the importance of the camera as a character, and forming trusting relationships with the actors. Working with Shana filled me with pride. We have both dedicated our lives to the medium, and women like her helped pave the way for me and future women camera operators to come.

CONSERVATION DAYS I have kept my head in the lens for so long, and now I strive to seek out my own experiences. So on my down time I travel and use my skills, and inability to sit still, to help conservation efforts around the world.

After spending so much time underwater and seeing the harm that humanity has inflicted on our delicate ecosystems, it’s the least I can do.

I wouldn’t be here without my teachers, so generous with their knowledge. As much as I have doubted my path, amidst the shoulder pain, back pain, knee pain, the artist meltdowns, I realize that I am exactly where I am supposed to be and I can’t wait to see what the next few years bring. Abuelita, I promise I’ll finish the book. I’m just getting all the research done.

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

BRENDA ZUNIGA, SOC Brenda Zuniga, SOC is a camera operator for scripted, documentary and reality television. She is an active member of Local 600 and the Society of Camera Operators, as well as a professional diver and underwater operator and cinematographer. Her interest in art began at a very young age and she received her Bachelors degree from UCLA in Fine Arts and World Literature, and her Masters degree from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. She has worked with Chris Chomyn, ASC, Bruce Ready, Nicola Marsh, Shana Hagan, ASC. Her recent credits include: This Country, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, The Nightstalker, Born This Way, Ugly Delicious, American Ninja Warrior, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Full Bloom.

Serengeti National Park. Photo by Wally Chamon

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Corporate Corner INTRODUCING AXL

BRIGHT TANGERINE'S NEW UNIVERSAL EVF MOUNT It's always good news for filmmakers when Bright Tangerine release a new product.

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What you'll find in the box, is a real time-saving device for all filmmaking professionals out there. And it works with a wide range of EVFs including ARRI, Canon, Zacuto, and more.

What makes Axl so quick to use is the Multi-Axis lock.

Operated with a single knurled handle, it enables you to quickly position and tighten your EVF in three different axes all at once. This makes adjustment of your EVF or monitor extremely quick. And it eliminates any fiddling or fumbling with multiple knobs and screws that you find with many standard mounts.

To fine-tune the tilt of your EVF or monitor, you have the single Bright Tangerine coloured thumb screw on top, which is always easy to find, thanks to clever little hard stops that prevent it from moving underneath the main support arm.

The Support arm itself also features a 'drop-free, fluid movement', remaining under tension to keep your precious EVF safe from dings. Even when it's totally loosened, your EVF won't flop or drop down suddenly.

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Learn more about the Axl at www.brighttangerine.com/axl

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

ANNOUNCING 0% FINANCING ON SELECT ARRI PRODUCTS

As production ramps up, we continue to face uncertainty from delays and changing production schedules. Owner/Operators face the additional uncertainty of financial commitments on equipment. In cooperation with our financing partners, ARRI has added new financing promotions with flexible options to give you more access to our award-winning products to ease your transition back to work.

In cooperation with Western Financing and DLL, we have introduced 0% financing for 12 months on select ARRI products.

Camera Stabilizer Systems (CSS) products of particular interest to SOC members include the award-winning Trinity Camera Stabilization System.

The ARRI WCU-4 (FIZ) system, coupled with the new External Radio Modules (ERMs), dramatically extends your wireless camera control range and reliability. The ERMs allow crews to operate “near set” without the need to be too close to the actors or action.

We have also expanded the 0% promotion to cover all ARRI cameras, including the AMIRA, ALEXA Mini, LF, Mini LF, as well as the Signature Primes and Zooms.

Here are some of the financing program details. A minimum transaction of $10,000.00 is required for financing. Eligibility is subject to credit approval by Western Equipment Finance or DLL. The total technology investment can be financed, including “soft” costs such as software, extended warranties, and training. Financing terms ranging from 12 to 60 months are available.

For more information, please contact Alan Lennox SOC by email at alennox@arri.com.

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

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by Mande Whitaker, SOC

What’s Your Story…?

My career began in late 90s Seattle. I was attending a tech school for film and audio when an internship became available on The Real World Seattle. I spent the next couple months working with Victor Nelli and Patti Lee prepping Kino banks for the house the cast would live in. My internship then turned into a PA job for the run of the six-month shoot. During the production I was able to spend time with the tech supervisor, audio supervisor, and camera assistants—all of whom taught me about the gear. I read the manuals on my off time.

it’s common in our industry but I’ve never been a “fake it ‘til you make it” person. I’d rather just ask. For me this is a much faster way to learn and perfect my craft.

I now bounce between documentary, unscripted competition, and scripted comedy. I couldn’t be happier with the variety of content and people I get to work with and learn from.

After a few months I was being sent on shoots to practice my new skills with the guidance of the very supportive crew. Thanks to them, at the end of the run, I was hired as a camera assistant on The Real World/Road Rules Challenge for MTV. I was paired with a crew, including Gretchen Warthen who would become one of my mentors, and now longtime friend. As an AC, I learned more about operating. On slow days I was given the camera to practice my handheld while the other ops directed from the monitors. This taught me how to listen and follow story as a single camera, making sure to get proper coverage. This hands-on learning was the best training I could have asked for.

My next AC job, with many of the same crew, was as an AC on the Hawaii season of The Real World which was a six-month shoot.

I was assisting the DP, John Gumina, which was a wonderful opportunity to learn lighting. Since I hadn’t gone to film school, I was learning everything on the job. It was scary and exciting all at once. He taught me the names of everything, as well as techniques for interviews and location set-ups. I can’t imagine it was easy for him to have an inexperienced AC but he was very patient, and I learned a lot. I got more experience shooting HH when there were busy days, and learned how to cover multi-cam style with other operators. The support was really incredible when I think back on it. I soon was bumped up to operator and was on my way.

When I moved to Los Angeles in 2001, I was able to use these contacts and skills to get into stage and competition shows which is also when I joined the union. It was during this time I got my first hands-on work experience with PEDs and dollies. Again, I was learning on the job, but I still think that was one of the best ways it could have happened. Something I always try to remember is that at some point everyone was new at these things. I look for the experienced operators around me and find allies willing to answer my questions as well as show me tips and tricks. I know

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Photo by Jason Derck

MANDE WHITAKER, SOC Mande Whitaker, SOC became a camera operator in 1998. In 2001, she moved to Los Angeles and joined Local 600 as an operator. Over the years she has operated on a variety of projects from the competition series Wipeout and Fear Factor to scripted comedies such as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and documentary series like Netflix’s Jailbirds. Mande joined the SOC back in 2007. She now splits her time between Los Angeles and Seattle. She currently serves on the Local 600 NEB, Local 600 Safety Committee, and the SOC inclusion Committee.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Insight Photo by Helen Richardson

KENT HARVEY, SOC What was one of your most challenging shot or challenging day in the industry? That’s a tough one because there have been a lot of those. On Jumanji 2: The Next Level we were doing a couple weeks of arm car work in the Glamis Dunes east of San Diego shooting various chase sequences. I was operating in the Pursuit Razor buggy at high speeds and in variable terrain for 2nd unit director, Wade Eastwood who can be very demanding. Getting bounced around in the vehicle, with sand flying everywhere as it’s an open air buggy and trying to nail very precise action shots. It was a very challenging several days but worked out well!

Credits: Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, Jumanji: The Next Level, Logan, Everest

Photo by Sara Terry

DAVE HIRSCHMANN, SOC What is your most memorable day in the industry?

The big stunt days always standout. I've had a few where cameras get to go running around, guns blazing, shooting action scenes like being a kid again (but much more safely). Days like that are more fun than work.

What is the job you have yet to do but most want to do?

I've wanted to operate on a Batman or Indiana Jones movie. So I would say operate on an Indiana Jones movie with Batman in it, or vice versa. I would also settle for A camera on an Oscar-caliber feature script.

Credits: Veep, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Alice (2021 movie), Justified, About a Boy

SANTIAGO YNIGUEZ, SOC

Photo by Garrett O'Brien

CAMERA OPERATOR ·SPRING 2021

What is your most memorable day in the industry?

Working as a camera tech, I received a call for A.I. I was setting up, and PA's started coming around handing out champagne flutes filled with Cristal. I declined because it’s 9:00 am and it’s my first time on a big set, but the key grip said, "Take a glass man, it's the toast, it's the first day." We listened as Spielberg talked about what an honor it was to be asked by the Kubrick family to step in. In that moment, listening to Steven talk to the crew, I felt part of something much larger than myself. And I have felt that way ever since.

Credits: Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story, Real Rob, American Ninja Warrior, NFL/College Football Skycam Operator, I Am Wrath

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