The Road To Perdition

On What Makes Collaboration Work

It’s about having a very strong ego that’s properly placed rather than misplaced. Properly placed is when it’s honest. Don’t be a “winner;” be a collaborator for everything you think is the best thing to do, but not because it was your idea.

On Working With First-Time Directors

When you find yourself being condescending, you better do what Annette Bening did in American Beauty and give yourself a good slap. (laughs) “I will sell this house!”

On a DP’s Most Important Tools

The ability to pay attention and to listen. Focus. Know the script the way that you read it; listen to other people and the way that they see it. See where the divergent beliefs are on the material, paying particular attention to where the director is coming from.

The physical tools are your crew. You need the best crew you can possibly get—the best camera operator; the best assistants.

On Leading a Crew to Their Best

I involve everybody and I always have because I get so much from them. I get ideas from them; we are all a team. It’s not just me doing the cinematography out there: it’s us doing the cinematography. The grips, the electrical and the camera: we are a unit that the director can count on to bring out his visuals.

On the Merits of New Technology

They are very helpful, but you don’t want to overuse them. When the zoom lens came in, people—myself included—overused it. As a craftsperson, I don’t know all the situations that will come about. Maybe they will write rain in suddenly; I need to have the lighting tools, the camera tools that will enable me to really do a good job on a film.