I'm always looking in the lighting to tell the story in a different way than it actually looks in real life because it's, for me, more contrast sometimes has to mean it's softer than normal. Vilmos Zsigmond More Quotes by Vilmos Zsigmond More Quotes From Vilmos Zsigmond We used hand-held cameras 50 years ago. It wasn't something new. Sometimes we used a tripod, or we'd have a tracking shot, and sometimes - like when a character was being chased - we used a hand-held camera because it was right for the scene. In those cases, it helped the mood; it created immediacy and a feeling for the viewer that they were in the scene and in the moment. Vilmos Zsigmond character hands years It's all about special effects and explosions now. It leaves me just cold when I walk out of the theater. There's no heart; there's no soul. Movies used to be about people. It's as though we don't tell stories any more. The studios have to make money, and if you want to make $20 million, you have to spend $200 million. Vilmos Zsigmond soul heart people I'm always looking for directors who are very strong, they have great ideas, but on the other hand, that need help. It means they rely mostly on my eyes. Vilmos Zsigmond eye strong mean There is a difference between creating something and just capturing something. And when we were using film, it was not that fast, and it was expensive, so there was incentive to make sure the shot was exactly right before we rolled. With digital, it's fast and its cheap, and it's easy to bypass the rest. Vilmos Zsigmond incentives creating differences When I first came to America there still was Look Magazine and LIFE Magazine, and the photography in those magazines was amazing to look at. They had the best portraits, and their news photography. Vilmos Zsigmond portraits photography america I don't like to be in front of the camera - my place is behind the camera. Vilmos Zsigmond fronts cameras behinds I am actually retired - yes, I am retired. But I like to work. So I'm retired until someone calls me up to work. Vilmos Zsigmond retired call-me I had never met Woody Allen before Melinda and Melinda. My agent knew the producer of the movie and he suggested that we would work well together and then we did. We had a great time on that film. Vilmos Zsigmond agents film together I think all cinematographers, at least most of them, would love to do everything on location because you cannot cheat on location. It's there, it's part of the story usually. You have to deal with the elements. You have the sunshine, you have rain, you have fog - it really makes you work harder to try to match things during the day to make it look like it was shot within five minutes, movie time. Vilmos Zsigmond sunshine hard-work rain Kubrick was one of those directors who actually did practically everything in his movies. He actually directed, photographed, wrote, lit, edited - everything. A few people can be like that. Vilmos Zsigmond lit directors people In a period piece, particularly a fantasy, the lighting is your own choice, the lenses are your own choice. It's really a great thing for a cinematographer to do. Everything is open for you. You can even be more creative and you can use more shadows than usual. Vilmos Zsigmond shadow choices creative If you need to strap a camera to you or get in a small space, then it makes sense to use digital.I do think it is possible to use a digital camera artistically, but it can only be good if you are using film technique. Film has grain, and digital has pixels, and there is not that much of a difference, but digital does not replace the need to create a scene and light it properly and spend time considering the shot. Vilmos Zsigmond differences light thinking What I would suggest to the young people is to not forget this and don't try to get assimilated into today's Hollywood style of movies because I don't think it's going to last long. Vilmos Zsigmond long people thinking I like to work with talented people, I must say that. That's my weakness. I really like to work with good directors. That doesn't mean I don't like to work with starting up young directors, that's fun also. Vilmos Zsigmond starting-up fun mean There are, of course, many, many, many good cinematographers and unfortunately they don't work as much as many of those people who do those crazy, stupid movies. Vilmos Zsigmond crazy stupid people I don't think there is any advantage to digital unless it's in a case like Slumdog Millionaire, where you have to get a shot and a big bulky film camera is out of the question. Vilmos Zsigmond digital cameras thinking Each story has a different approach for me and I try to work with lighting that will tell you visually the story better than if it was shot in available light. Vilmos Zsigmond different light trying As the cinematographer is usually more visual than the director is and full cooperation is really the answer and to make a great film, you need a good director and you need a good cinematographer. Vilmos Zsigmond answers directors needs When you are shooting a movie, you have to collaborate with many, many, many people. First of all, the director with all his own ideas and I can only just help him with that. I cannot change his idea. Vilmos Zsigmond directors people ideas Some movies are what I would call murky. Just because it's murky doesn't make it artistic. It makes it hard to see. Vilmos Zsigmond artistic hard
