When you approach a new film, you are creating a new cinematic universe. And you risk that a DOP with a fixed visual look cannibalizes your story. In my opinion, cinematography should serve to that universe that you envision and not vice versa.
You know that every shot in your film is an opportunity to convey emotions, meaning, or both. And don’t you think that they also should be cohesive within the whole picture? I often see projects suffering from a lack of cohesiveness because the DOP compromise a few shots due to inexperience.
Those are the kind of things that breaks your heart when you revisit a project. The viewer will perceive it, even subconsciously. Those shots that are not up to the overall quality of the movie. That cool visual style that doesn’t fit the story or the emotions of the characters.
And you can’t be there to explain it to the audience. I learned that early in my career. That…
