As you delve deeper into your filmmaking journey, you might ask, "What is cinematography?" The vast number of individuals involved in creating films can be quite staggering. While some roles within the film industry have self-explanatory titles, such as scriptwriter or makeup artist, the role of cinematographer may not be as clear. Cinematography is a broad field that includes more than just pressing record on the camera.
What is cinematography?
Cinematography is the art and science of capturing motion pictures. It involves techniques related to framing, lighting, and camera movement during the capture of a film and animation. Cinematography contributes to storytelling and mood-setting in visual media, leveraging various technologies and creative choices to enhance the visual narrative. In short, how you perceive any given scene in a film or TV show is majorly attributed to cinematography.
Video via Smashing UK Productions
It encompasses lighting, camera operation and placement, choice of camera lenses and film stock, framing and composition, color grading, and visual effects (VFX). Therefore, it's not as simple as saying "scriptwriting" or "makeup."
And who is at the helm of cinematography? It would be the cinematographer, who can also go by Director of Photography (DP or DoP)
Let's break down each element of cinematography to see how it all comes together.
1. Lighting
The first and perhaps the most important aspect of cinematography is lighting. Many will assume the camera is the primary tool of cinematography, and well, of course, without the camera, there would be no movie; however, lighting is often more significant.
You've likely spent countless hours wading through the shores of YouTube, only to find that the footage looks great on some channels. On other channels, the footage looks like it’s from a low-budget camera.
Look at the example below.
Image via filmmaker Lewis McGregor
Inherently cinematic, right? That's because of tthe lighting and the intent of the shot.
While it may seem that lighting is just about making sure that the scene is well-lit, it's not. Lighting is the first tool to create an atmosphere, set the mood, and help guide the viewers' gaze throughout the scene.
The best cinematographers use light to help tell the story, like how mise-en-scène can fill the gaps between dialogue, from the harsh low-key lighting (high contrast) that evokes danger and mystery...
Image via Warner Brothers
...to the high-key diffused light that conveys a sense of normalcy and warmth.
Image via Warner Brothers
Light is a key component of storytelling, and if you want to learn more, "Painting with Light" by John Alton is a strongly recommended book by cinematographers. Aptly named, the book breaks down the fundamentals of light, how to use it, and the different techniques available. It should be noted that the book has undoubtedly aged since its publication — but for the better. With the advent of budget-friendly LED lights, aspiring filmmakers can achieve lighting setups that would have cost a significant amount ten to fifteen years ago.
We discuss light a bit in our article about mise-en-scène, as it tends to relate to both the art of how things look in front of the camera (mise-en-scène), as well as how they're filmed (cinematography).
2. Camera
The camera is a key reason many video enthusiasts aspire to become cinematographers. Of course, the camera's placement and the composition's framing are core elements of cinematography. However, several factors extend beyond where you place the camera and how you move it.
The decisions regarding which film stock, camera, and lenses to use are also fundamental in establishing a film's visual tone. While lens manufacturers tend to build their lenses to avoid any visual defects, numerous lenses with unusual characteristics, like an anamorphic lens, add visual flavor to the shot.
For instance, in "The Batman" and "Dune," cinematographer Greig Fraser used old Soviet lenses in some of the shots. These lenses bend light in an unusual fashion, giving the image a distorted, grungy feel — perfect for films like "The Batman," where the look enhances overall aesthetic.
Image via Warner Brothers
Likewise, film stock and sensor choices impact the image's grain, color, and texture. Some cinematographers prefer the soft coolness of an ARRI camera, while others favor the skin tones that a RED camera produces. Conversely, some diehard filmmakers shoot exclusively on celluloid to capture the organic feel that 16mm and 35mm film provides. Even though these are technical elements, they ultimately can change how the audience perceives the visuals and how they perceive the film's theme.
With the camera or film stock selected, along with the lenses, how the camera moves, and the focal lengths used at certain points are equally important in establishing the correct cinematic language. The dynamism of the camera movements becomes an integral part of the visual storytelling. This is, after all, a fundamental difference from theatre. Being able to fly across city rooftops and into an apartment in one shot, to handheld captures revealing the intimate nuances of a character's personality, provide a vast observational perspective to propel the visual experience.
How the camera moves can change how the viewer receives a scene. Introducing a slow zoom toward a thinking detective can suggest that he's piecing together the case and is about to figure it out without the detective having to say anything. This subtle guidance alters the storytelling experience.
This is put to great use during "Breaking Bad" as Hank realizes who Heisenberg really is (...spoiler alert!):
Video via Rotten Tomatoes TV
These decisions regarding camera placement and shot size extend beyond mere technicalities; they're artistic choices that play a crucial role in the storytelling process, directing the audience through the visual narrative with deliberate purpose and intention.
3. Color grading
Nearly all modern cinema cameras, and even mid-range mirrorless cameras that filmmakers can purchase from B&H, can film in a mode called LOG.
Image via filmmaker Lewis McGregor
This mode lacks saturation and contrast and appears flat and washed out when ungraded. However, it allows the colorist to make more extensive adjustments than possible with footage with fixed colors.
Image via filmmaker Lewis McGregor
In modern-day filmmaking, color grading is a pivotal step in the post-production process, where the mood and visual style of the film are finely tuned.
While the colorist has a distinct role, the Director of Photography (DP) will often work closely with them, especially at the start, to ensure the final output aligns with their original vision. For a seamless workflow, you will often find that a cinematographer, with the help of the colorist, would have created a Look-Up Table (LUT) to use in-camera while shooting. This allows the cinematographer to view their on-set monitor with a grade, giving them a reasonable idea of the final output.
4. Visual effects
Although visual effects are typically attached to the post-production area, you will find members of the visual effects unit, like the visual effects supervisor, on set during production to ensure that the shots are captured in a specific way or certain elements are removed from the shot to facilitate a smooth post-production process.
The cinematographer must collaborate closely with the VFX team from pre-production through post-production. This collaboration ensures that the visual effects are seamlessly integrated with the live-action footage. A cinematographer's involvement helps maintain visual continuity and authenticity across all scenes. This ensures that the impact enhances, rather than detracts from, the storytelling.
Cinematography and the director
A cinematographer's job is to bring the cinematography to life and fulfill the director's vision. They are usually the director's number one collaborator. With everything we discussed above, that will usually be a collaborative effort, with the cinematographer lending his artistic eye to help guide the director's vision.
However, if you watch enough behind-the-scenes content, you may sometimes see the director asking for a particular shot, and even, in some cases, operating the camera altogether. If so, you may ask yourself: Did we not just state that the cinematographer does this job?
Unlike a scriptwriter, who has one specific job, the cinematographer's job can be fluid. Some directors, like Christopher Nolan, prioritize working with actors, entrusting the DP with the execution of the visuals. Patrick Tomasso's video essay on how great a movie can be when the DP and director are in sync is a great resource.
Video via Patrick Tomasso
Some directors are more preoccupied with technical aspects, such as camera angles and the seamless transition of scenes during editing. They prefer to have a refined role in choosing the angles, and even some directors, like Steven Soderbergh, will take the burden of cinematography into their own hands. In these situations, the cinematographer usually works with the director to optimize shot composition.
Your cinematography homework
Stephen King famously said, "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read and write a lot." The same can be said for cinematography. If you want to be great, it's about knowing your craft and how it is employed. The more films you watch, the more ideas you can soak in. The list of working cinematographers is vast; however, five cinematographers currently crowd the top spots of most people's 'best' lists below.
Hoyte van Hoytema:
- "Oppenheimer" (2023)
- "Tenet" (2020)
- "Ad Astra" (2019)
Roger Deakins:
- "Empire of Light" (2022)
- "1917" (2019)
- "Blade Runner 2049" (2017)
Emmanuel Lubezki (Chivo):
- "Song to Song" (2017)
- "The Revenant" (2015)
- "Birdman" (2014)
Matthew Libatique:
- "Maestro" (2023)
- "Don't Worry Darling" (2022)
- "A Star is Born" (2018)
Greig Fraser:
- "The Batman" (2022)
- "Dune" (2021)
- "Vice" (2018)
Final thoughts
If you were to watch an interview or listen to a podcast with a famed cinematographer, the one constant you will find is that they are always learning; there’s always something that they could have done better on reflection. And that’s one characteristic to inherit as you continue to explore and refine the craft of cinematography.
It’s a constant learning process, and even Oscar-winning cinematographers fail. In an interview with Tribeca Film, Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki, who won back-to-back Oscars three years in a row, said:
“Absolutely. In ["The Revenant"], we had many moments where we completely failed. There's a scene at the beginning of the movie where the Native American warriors attack. You see arrows flying in the air and [the fur trappers] are lost and don't have any idea where the attack is coming from. We probably shot that scene four times because we failed a couple of those times. The blocking was wrong. The camera was in the wrong position. More than anything, the tempo of the scene was wrong.”
However, the persistent filmmaker will always push forward. With quality video footage captured, you’ll need a platform to bring your vision to life. WeVideo empowers you with intuitive, professional editing tools that are accessible from anywhere. Just sign up for a free plan to get started!