Cinematographer

A camera crew sets up for scenes to be filmed on the flight deck for the motion picture Stealth with the crew of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

A cinematographer (usually credited with the title director of photography, or DP) is the chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, and responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image. The study and practice of this field is referred to as cinematography.

The British and American systems

There are differences between the British and the American traditions as regards the role of the director of photography.

In the British system, the director of photography ("DOP"), sometimes credited as the lighting cameraman, is responsible for lighting the set and the visual look of the film, but has no final say over more purely camera operating-based visual elements such as framing. This system means that the director consults the lighting cameraperson for lighting and filtration, and the operator for framing and lens choices. "DOP" is the British and Canadian acronym for "director of photography".

In the American system, the camera operator and everybody else in camera department is subordinate to the DP, who, along with and next to the director, has the final word on all decisions related to both lighting and framing.

The cinematographer selects the film stock, lens, filters, etc., to realize the scene in accordance with the intentions of the director. Relations between the cinematographer and director vary; in some instances the director will allow the cinematographer complete independence; in others, the director allows little to none, even going so far as to specify exact camera placement and lens selection. Such a level of involvement is not common once the director and cinematographer have become comfortable with each other, the director will typically convey to the cinematographer what is wanted from a scene visually, and allow the cinematographer latitude in achieving that effect.

Several American cinematographers have become directors, including Barry Sonnenfeld, originally the Coen brothers' DP; Jan de Bont, cinematographer on films as Die Hard and Basic Instinct directed Speed and Twister.

Societies and trade organizations

There are a number of national associations of cinematographers which represent members (irrespective of their official titles) and which are dedicated to the advancement of cinematography. These include:

• the American Society of Cinematographers (A.S.C.), with membership by invitation only
• the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (C.S.C.)
• the British Society of Cinematographers (B.S.C.) and
• the Australian Cinematographers Society (A.C.S.)

Noted cinematographers

See Category:Cinematographers and Academy Award for Best Cinematography

See also

• Camerimage
• Cinematography
• Filmmaking
• Indian cinematographers
• List of film formats
• List of motion picture-related topics

External links

• Cinematography.com
• Cinematography Mailing List (CML)
• International Cinematographers Guild
• Burns, Paul The History of the Discovery of Cinematography
• Indian Society of Cinematographers
• American Society of Cinematographers
• The Guild of British Camera Technicians
• British Society of Cinematographers
• European Federation of Cinematographers
• Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS)