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[[File:US Navy 040615-N-6817C-030 A camera crew sets up for scenes to be taped on the flight deck for the upcoming motion picture Stealth.jpg|thumb|right|A [[camera crew]] sets up for scenes to be filmed on the flight deck for the motion picture ''[[Stealth (film)|Stealth]]'' with the crew of the [[Nimitz-class aircraft carrier]] [[USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)|USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' (CVN 72)]].]]

A '''cinematographer''' or '''director of photography''' (sometimes shortened to '''DP''' or '''DOP''') is the chief over the camera and light [[film crew|crew]]s working on a [[film]], television production or other live action piece and is responsible for making artistic and technical decisions related to the image. The study and practice of this field is referred to as [[cinematography]].

The cinematographer selects the camera, [[film stock]], [[photographic lens|lens]]es, [[filter (photography)|filter]]s, etc., to realize the scene in accordance with the intentions of the [[film director|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 [[Reed Morano]] who lensed ''[[Frozen River]]'' and Beyonce's ''[[Lemonade (Beyoncé album)|Lemonade]]'' before winning an Emmy for directing ''[[The Handmaid's Tale (TV series)|The Handmaid's Tale]]''. [[Barry Sonnenfeld]], originally the [[Coen brothers]]' DP; [[Jan de Bont]], cinematographer on films such as ''[[Die Hard]]'' and ''[[Basic Instinct]]'', directed ''[[Speed (1994 film)|Speed]]'' and ''[[Twister (1996 film)|Twister]]''. [[Nicolas Roeg]], cinematographer on films such as ''[[The Caretaker (film)|The Caretaker]]'' (1963) and ''[[The Masque of the Red Death (1964 film)|The Masque of the Red Death]]'' (1964), directed ''[[Don't Look Now]]'' (1973) and ''[[The Man Who Fell to Earth]]'' (1976). [[Ellen Kuras|Ellen Kuras, ASC]] photographed ''[[Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind|Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind]]'' as well as a number of [[Spike Lee]] films such as ''[[Summer of Sam]]'' and ''[[He Got Game]]'' before directing episodes of ''Legion'' and ''Ozark.'' In 2014, [[Wally Pfister]], cinematographer on [[Christopher Nolan]]'s [[Batman in film#Christopher Nolan|three ''Batman'' films]], made his directorial debut with ''[[Transcendence (2014 film)|Transcendence]]''; whilst British cinematographers [[Jack Cardiff]] and [[Freddie Francis]] regularly moved between the two positions.

==History==

In the infancy of motion pictures, the cinematographer was usually also the [[Film director|director]] and the person physically handling the camera. As the art form and technology evolved, a separation between director and [[camera operator]] emerged. With the advent of artificial lighting and faster (more light-sensitive) [[film stock]]s, in addition to technological advancements in optics, the technical aspects of cinematography necessitated a specialist in that area.

The cinematography was key during the [[silent movie]] era; with no sound apart from [[background music]] and no dialogue, the films depended on lighting, acting, and set.

In 1919 Hollywood, the then-new motion picture capital of the world,{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} one of the first (and still existing) trade societies was formed: the [[American Society of Cinematographers]] (ASC), which stood to recognize the cinematographer's contribution to the art and science of motion picture making. Similar trade associations have been established in other countries too. [https://theasc.com/asc/committees/asc-vision-committee The ASC Vision Committee] is known for working to encourage and support the advancement of underrepresented cinematographers, their crews and other filmmakers, and to inspire us all to enact positive changes through hiring talent that reflects society at large.

However, the [[Soviet]] filmmaker, [[Dziga Vertov]], writing in [[Kino-fot]] No.1 (August 1922) rejected the role of Cinematographer in the "We: Variant of a Manifesto":

{{quote|
We call ourselves [[kinoks]] – as opposed to "cinematographers", a herd of junkmen doing rather well peddling their rags.

We see no connection between true [[kinochestvo]] and the cunning and calculation of the profiteers.

We consider the psychological Russo-German film-drama – weighed down with apparitions and childhood memories – an absurdity."<ref name="We variant">{{cite web |url=https://monoskop.org/images/6/66/Vertov_Dziga_1922_1984_We_Variant_of_a_Manifesto.pdf |website=monoskop.org |title=We: Variant of a Manifesto}}</ref>
}}

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

*the [[American Society of Cinematographers]] (A.S.C.)
*the [[Brazilian Cinematographers Society]] (A.B.C.)
*the [[International Collective of Female Cinematographers|International Collective of Women Cinematographers]] (ICFC)
*the [[Canadian Society of Cinematographers]] (C.S.C.)
*the [[Guild of British Camera Technicians]] (G.B.C.T.)
*the [[British Society of Cinematographers]] (B.S.C.)
*the [[Australian Cinematographers Society]] (A.C.S.)
*the [[Cinematographers Guild of Korea]] (C.G.K.)
*the [[Filipino Society of Cinematographers]] (F.S.C.)
*the [[French Society of Cinematographers]] (A.F.C.)
*the [[Italian Society of Cinematographers]] (A.I.C.)
*the [[Indian cinematographers|Western India Cinematographers Association]] (W.I.C.A.)
*the [[Indian cinematographers|Indian Society of Cinematographers]] (I.S.C.)
*the [[German Society of Cinematographers]] (BVK)
*the [[Malaysian Society of Cinematographers]] (MySC)
*the [[Netherlands Society of Cinematographers]] (NSC)
*the [[Spanish Society of Cinematography Works]] (A.E.C)
*the [https://www.imago.org/ International Federation of Cinematographers] (IMAGO)
*the Uruguayan Society of Cinematographers (S.C.U)
*the Lithuanian Association of Cinematographers (LAC)
*Cinematographers XX
*Illuminatrix

The A.S.C. defines cinematography as:

{{quote|A creative and interpretive process that culminates in the authorship of an original work of art rather than the simple recording of a physical event. Cinematography is not a subcategory of photography. Rather, photography is but one craft that the cinematographer uses in addition to other physical, organizational, managerial, interpretive and image-manipulating techniques to effect one coherent process.<ref>{{cite book
| first = John | last = Hora | authorlink = John Hora | chapter = Anamorphic Cinematography | editor-first = Stephen H. | editor-last = Burum
| title = The American Cinematographer Manual | edition = 9 | isbn = 978-0935578317
}}</ref>|author=|title=|source=}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20190524102123/https://cinematography.com/ Cinematography.com]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20200318014246/http://cinematography.net/ Cinematography Mailing List (CML)]
*[http://www.cameraguild.com/ International Cinematographers Guild]
*[http://www.precinemahistory.net The History of the Discovery of Cinematography]
*[http://www.theasc.com American Society of Cinematographers]
*[http://www.gbct.org The Guild of British Camera Technicians]
*[http://www.bscine.com British Society of Cinematographers]
*[http://www.iscindia.in Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC)]
*[http://www.imago.org European Federation of Cinematographers/IMAGO]
*[http://www.cinematographer.org.au Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS)]
*[http://www.kinematografie.org/english/bvk/index.php German Society of Cinematography, BVK]
*[http://www.aicine.it/ Italian Society of Cinematography , AIC (Autori Italiani della Cinematografia)]
*[http://www.lac.lt/ Lithuanian Association of Cinematographers, LAC]

[[Category:Mass media occupations]]
[[Category:Cinematographers| ]]
[[Category:Cinematography]]
[[Category:Filmmaking occupations]]

Cinematographer - Revision history

WikiDwarf at 19:01, 28 August 2020