Cinematography Thinking, become a cinematographer
Abstract
“Cinematography Thinking” is a research essay which proposes an actionable methodology to improve the new cinematographer’s work towards innovation maximizing and expanding the possibilities of film language and cinematography starting from the narrative.
This methodology systematizes the process that a cinematographer develops in order to accomplish his/her responsibilities to achieve the specific goals of each project and enrich it, applying the best practices of other disciplines with similar dynamics.
Each one of the tasks or steps that make up the methodology is based on three sources of information:
1. Interviews with cinematographers, describing their processes and tasks
2. The responsibilities attributed to the cinematographer in manuals such as the American Cinematographer
3. The phases that typically form an innovation-oriented creative process
This essay seeks to contribute to finding the solution of a constant problem that those of us who teach cinematography face: how to ensure that students apply theoretical knowledge, that technique
does not prevail over language, and that the image is at the service of the story.
