Contents There Will Be Blood

Robert Elswit, ASC reteamed with director Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love) on this audacious period drama about an obsessive oil prospector (Daniel Day-Lewis) whose misanthropic nature leads him into conflicts with a Bible-thumping preacher (Paul Dano) and oil-company executives at the turn of the 20th century. Both Elswit and Anderson gives AC executive editor Stephen Pizzello full accounts on the ambitious project, which presented a variety of practical and philosophical challenges.

Sweeney Todd

Dariusz Wolski, ASC was behind the camera on director Tim Burton's screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's acclaimed Broadway musical, which relates the infamous legend of bloodthirsty London barber Benjamin Barker, a.k.a. Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp), who sets up a sinister partnership with his associate Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter). Wolski analyze his role on the highly stylized and visually lush production, which was filmed entirely on stages at Pinewood Studios in England.

 

Charlie Wilson's War

Stephen Goldblatt, ASC, recently named Hollywood Cinematographer of the Year at the Hollywood Film Festival, Discusses his work with director Mike Nichols on this dramatic feature starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. The plot is based on the true story of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson (Hanks), whose efforts to assist Afghan rebels in their war with the Soviet Union led to the CIA's largest covert operation. Goldblatt discusses his approach to both the photography on set and the show's digital intermediate in post.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Janusz Kaminski discusses his collaboration with director Julian Schnabel on a film that uses some unique means to tell the true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, who suffered a stroke that left his entire body - save for his left eye - almost completely paralyzed. Kaminski took a break from his work with Steven Spielberg on Indiana Jones 4 to detail his technical approach to the film's challenging narrative, which presents a significant portion of the story from Bauby's paralyzed POV.

 

ASC Lifetime Achievement Award

Stephen Burum, ASC received the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award at the 22nd Annual ASC Awards ceremony, that was held in Los Angeles on January 26, 2008. The Lifetime Award is the Society's highest honor, presented annually to an individual cinematographer who has demonstrated a commitment to excellence over an entire career. Burum certainly meets the criterium. He earned an ASC Award and an Academy Award nomination for the stunning look he lent to the 1992 feature Hoffa, and received two additional ASC nominations for The Untouchables and The War of the Roses. His other credits include Rumble Fish, Body Double, St. Elmo's Fire, Casualties of War, Carlito's Way, Mission: Impossible and Snake Eyes. Rachael Bosley, AC's senior editor, Pen's a comprehensive overview of Burum's life and work.

The January issue's departments will also offer illuminating insights:

Short Takes offers an interview with filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski about their stop-motion film Madame Tutli-Putli, which earned two prizes at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

Production Slate offers an interview with Philippe Rousselot, ASC, AFC about his cinematography on the feature The Great Debaters, directed by Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington.

Post Focus presents an interview with John Bailey, ASC about his work on the restoration of Terence Malick's visually stunning Days of Heaven, shot by Nestor Almendros, ASC. This section will also feature short articles on Color Symmetry, a suite of plug-ins that allows film "looks" to be emulated within a wide array of animation, graphics and effects packages, and information about PostWorks' new facility Los Angeles facility.

Filmmakers' Forum offers an article by Bill Taylor, ASC about his visual-effects contributions to a videogame company's online promotional campaign.

Contents I Am Legend

Andrew Lesnie, ASC, ACS was behind the camera on this epic big-screen adaptation of Richard Matheson's celebrated science-fiction novel, which has previously been brought to the screen in 1964 (The Last Man on Earth) and 1971 (The Omega Man). This latest retelling revisits the frightening saga of scientist Robert Neville (Will Smith), who may be the last human survivor of a plague that has turned the population into vampiric creatures who torment him after nightfall. Lesnie details his collaboration with director Francis Lawrence (Constantine) and discuss the challenges of creating the film's ambitious, post-apocalyptic settings and landscapes.

Cloverfield

Michael Bonvillain, ASC helped director Matt Reeves try a new take on the monster movie with this scary vision of New York City under siege. The duo brought intriguing creative strategies to the time-honored terrors of a "hideous creature run amok": there is no traditional scene coverage, no score, and the entire story unfolds over the course of 7 or 8 hours. Working on a short schedule of 33 days (with just 3 days of additional shooting), the filmmakers shot most of the picture with Panasonic's AG-HVX200 "prosumer" HD camcorder to lend a documentary-like realism to the fantastic events onscreen. Scenes involving visual effects were shot with either a Thomson Viper or Sony's new F23 CineAlta 24P camera, and a few sequences were even captured with a consumer-grade Panasonic camcorder. Bonvillain gives a full rundown of his approach to AC assistant editor Jon D. Witmer.

ASC International Award

The accomplished career of cinematographer Walter Lassally, BSC reached its peak on January 26, when he receive the ASC International Award during the Society's annual Outstanding Achievement Awards gala, That Was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland complex. This prestigious award is reserved for foreign-born cinematographers who have made an enduring contribution to their art form.

        Former AC editor David Heuring details Lassally's accomplishments, which spanned 50 years and took him to all corners of the globe. Lassally was a main player in the evolution of the Free Cinema and British New Wave movements in collaboration with Tony Richardson, Karel Reisz, Lindsay Anderson and other directors. He compiled more than 50 feature film credits, including Zorba the Greek, for which he earned a 1965 Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Other notable titles on his resume include A Taste of Honey, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Tom Jones, Autobiography of a Princess, Heat and Dust and The Bostonians. His cinematography on the latter two pictures earned him BAFTA and British Society of Cinematographers nominations, respectively.

ASC Presidents Award

A true practitioner of movie magic, visual-effects expert Richard Edlund, ASC, Has receive this prestigious honor, which celebrates exceptional contributions to the art and craft of cinema. Ron Magid offer an overview of Edlund's many stellar accomplishments, which include four Academy Awards for his effects work on Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Return of the Jedi (1984), and six additional nominations for Poltergeist, 2010, Ghostbusters, Poltergeist II: The Other Side, Die Hard and Alien³. He has also earned three Scientific and Engineering Awards. Earlier this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Edlund with the coveted John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation in recognition of his significant contributions to the Academy. Edlund has also earned an Emmy for creating visual effects for the original television miniseries Battlestar Galactica (1978), and an additional nomination for Mike Nichols' Angels in America (2003). He has created seamless visual effects for such memorable films as Fright Night, Solarbabies, Ghost, Species, Multiplicity and Air Force One.

The February issue's departments will also offer illuminating insights:

Short Takes offers an interview with filmmakers Carolyn and Andy London about their work on the short film A Letter From Colleen.

Production Slate offers an interview with cinematographer Oleg Mutu about his work on the film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, which won the Palme d'Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and the FIPRESCI Film of the Year award at the San Sebasti?n Film Festival. This section also presents a piece on Dick Pope, BSC's work on the indie drama Honeydripper.

Post Focus profile's two companies that have recently opened new facilities in the Los Angeles area: the postproduction house PostWorks and the boutique visual-effects facility Elicit.

Filmmakers' Forum offers an article by Steven Fierberg, ASC about his work on the indie feature Searchers 2.0, a postmodern take on the classic John Ford Western.

Contents Mad Men

Phil Abraham (who shared cinematography duties with Alik Sakharov, ASC on The Sopranos) is responsible for the images in this stylish new series, which recently earned a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Television Series (Drama) category. Created by Sopranos writer/producer Matthew Weiner and set during the early 1960s, the show follows the drama at a top New York advertising agency, focusing on one of the firm's most talented executives, the mysterious Donald Draper (Jon Hamm). Abraham reveals the strategies he uses to perfect the show's evocative period ambience.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Caleb Deschanel, ASC joined forces with director Mark Waters to envision this story of a family that is suddenly thrust into a magical realm that normally exists just out of sight. Based on the popular series of books by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, the film follows brothers Jared and Simon Grace (both played by Freddie Highmore) and their sister Mallory (Sarah Bolger) as they unlock the long-hidden secrets of Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn), which they must then protect from an army of dark forces led by the evil Mulgrath (voiced by Nick Nolte). Deschanel reveal a few secrets of his own as he describes how he grounded this fantastical tale in a recognizably real world.

Cloverfield

Michael Bonvillain, ASC helped director Matt Reeves try a new take on the monster movie with this scary vision of New York City under siege. The duo brought intriguing creative strategies to the time-honored terrors of a "hideous creature run amok": there is no traditional scene coverage, no score, and the entire story unfolds over the course of just 7 or 8 hours. Working on a short schedule of 33 days (with just 3 days of additional shooting), the filmmakers shot parts of the picture with Panasonic's AG-HVX200 "prosumer" HD camcorder to lend a documentary-like realism to the fantastic events onscreen. Scenes involving visual effects were shot with either a Thomson/Grass Valley Viper or Sony's new F23 CineAlta 24P camera, and a few sequences were even captured with a consumer-grade Panasonic camcorder. Bonvillain gives a full rundown of his approach to AC assistant editor Jon D. Witmer.

Desperate Housewives

Lowell Peterson, ASC mans the camera on this satirical and wildly popular series, which concerns the trials and tribulations of a group of female friends in the fictional suburban neighborhood of Wisteria Lane. Peterson discusses television logistics and his approach to keeping the show's beautiful stars (Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria Parker and Nicollette Sheridan) looking their very best.

Bones

Gordon Lonsdale lends suspense to this hit series, in which a cynical forensic anthropologist (Emily Deschanel) and a cocky FBI agent (David Boreanaz) team up to solve long-ago murders - while trying to circumvent bureaucratic red tape, corruption and other obstacles. Lonsdale details the approaches he and his crew use to create feature-film panache on a television schedule.

ASC Career Achievement in Television Award

The Society honors the stellar accomplishments of George Spiro Dibie, ASC on January 26, were he receives this prestigious award during the annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards gala, which was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland complex.

Dibie's career highlights include five Emmy Awards and seven additional nominations for multi-camera, episodic television series between 1985 and 1998. His award-winning programs were Mr. Belvedere (1985), Growing Pains (1987 and 1991), Just the Ten of Us (1990) and Sister, Sister (1995). The other nominations were for Night Court (1986 and 1988), Growing Pains (1992), Dudley (1993) and Sister, Sister (1996, 1997, and 1998).

Dibie worked on six television series that broke through the 100-episode barrier, beginning with Barney Miller in 1975. Along the way, he compiled between 1,500 and 2,000 hours of situation-comedy credits on primetime television. He shot every Warner Bros. pilot for multi-camera series over a 10-year span, including My Sister Sam, Head of the Class, Murphy Brown, Driving Miss Daisy and The Trouble With Larry. He also shot between 60 and 70 television movies, including a number of programs for a regular, late-evening drama series called The ABC Armchair Mysteries.

In 1984, Dibie was elected second vice president of the Los Angeles Local for cinematographers and soon stepped up to president, a post he held for 20 consecutive years. During this remarkable span, the country's three regional organizations were merged into the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600.

All of these accomplishments and more will be saluted in a piece penned by frequent AC contributor Jon Silberg.

The March issue's departments also offers illuminating insights:

Short Takes offers an interview with pioneering video artist Bill Viola, who has been instrumental in the establishment of video as a vital form of contemporary art. Viola offers particular insights into his video installation Oceans Without a Shore, which was recently unveiled in the atmospheric Church of San Gallo during the 52nd Venice Biennale art exhibition.

Production Slate offers an interview with cinematographer Oleg Mutu about his work on the film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, which won the Palme d'Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and the FIPRESCI Film of the Year award at the San Sebasti?n Film Festival. This section also present a piece on the intriguing lighting challenges faced by cinematographer Jean-Philippe Bourdon and lighting designer Matthieu Larivee as they helped stage the PBS musical special Beladi: A Night at the Pyramids, featuring Canadian singer Chantal Chamandy and the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. AC executive editor Stephen Pizzello traveled to Egypt to see the show and talk with both men about their approach to this unique television spectacle.

Post Focus presents an overview of the intriguing workflow used during production and post of the independent movie Sibling, shot by cinematographer Aaron Medick. Medick shot the project with Thomson/Grass Valley's Viper camera, capturing entirely to 4:4:4 log space on HDCAM SR stock. During post, he worked with digital imaging technician David Satin (Miami Vice, Reign Over Me) to create a set of Look-Up Tables that allowed the creation of different looks for the movie's different time periods.

Filmmakers' Forum offers an article by Steven Fierberg, ASC about his work on the indie feature Searchers 2.0, a postmodern take on the classic John Ford Western.

Contents 21

Russell Carpenter, ASC (an Oscar winner for Titanic) placed his bets on Panavision's digital Genesis camera while shooting this suspense-filled gambling drama, which is based on the true story of six MIT students who were trained to count cards and subsequently beat Vegas casinos for millions of dollars. Carpenter discusses why he chose to shoot the film digitally and how the Genesis performed. He also details the show's use of previsualization systems provided by the Los Angeles-based company Proof, Inc.

The Ruins

Darius Khondji, ASC, AFC (Seven) revisited the horror genre for this terror-inducing movie, which was adapted from a bestselling novel. The tale concerns a group of friends whose Mexican holiday turns into a nightmare when they visit a remote archeological dig in the jungle, where evil lurks in the ruins. AC's Australian correspondent, Simon Gray, offers a complete overview of the production, which combined location footage shot along Australia's Gold Coast with studio work shot at Warner Roadshow Studios in Queensland.

Principles of 3-D Cinematography

With 3-D productions once again becoming a hot trend in Hollywood, ASC associate member Rob Hummel, the president of Dalsa Digital Cinema, presents a detailed primer on the basic principles of 3-D cinematography. Based on his recent seminar about 3-D production, Hummel's article addresses the do's and don'ts of "in your face" cinema, offering a strong foundation for anyone seeking to explore this special photographic format.

Sundance Film Festival

Each January, industry insiders flock to Park City, Utah to attend this key festival, which has launched the careers of many independent filmmakers. AC's team of writers scouts out the most visually compelling entries for our annual roundup, which spotlight the event's most promising cinematographers.

The April issue's department also offers illuminating insights:

Short Takes presents interviews with cinematographer Philipp Friesenbichler and director Jorge Valdes-Iga about their stylish short film Milia, which was shot with Arriflex's D-20 digital production camera.

Global Village seeks out cinematographer Benedict Neuenfels, who analyzes his work on The Counterfeiters, Austria's official submission in the foreign-film category of the 2008 Academy Awards.

Production Slate offer insights from Chris Doyle, HKSC about his work on Gus Van Sant's dramatic feature Paranoid Park and Darren Genet about his cinematography for the indie thriller All the Boys Love Mandy Lane.

Filmmakers' Forum offers an article by Steven Fierberg, ASC about digital cinematography for the indie feature Searchers 2.0, a postmodern take on the classic John Ford Western.

Contents Iron Man

Matthew Libatique, ASC helped director Jon Favreau bring this classic Marvel Comics character to the silver screen. Shooting in Playa Vista and Downey Studios and on locations ranging from Los Angeles' Disney Concert Hall to Las Vegas' Caesars Palace, the filmmakers pulled out all the stops to tell the story of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a millionaire playboy and weapons manufacturer who puts himself inside his technology to battle crime and his old business partner, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). Libatique and co. takes readers into Stark's secret headquarters to reveal how they created the hero's high-tech milieu.

Speed Racer

David Tattersall, BSC discusses his recent collaboration with the Wachowski brothers (creators of the Matrix trilogy) on this live-action version of the popular 1960s Japanese animated series. Speed Racer was produced in Germany at Babelsberg Studios, where filming took place entirely against greenscreen. The Wachowski brothers filmed in high-definition video for the first time; to give the film the appearance of real-life anime, they employed special techniques to keep both the foreground and background of scenes in focus. Tattersall offers AC full details about the groundbreaking approaches he and the Wachowskis brought to the project.

The List

Dante Spinotti, ASC, AIC was behind the camera on this adult drama about an accountant (Ewan McGregor) who is introduced to a mysterious sex club by his lawyer friend (Hugh Jackman), which leads him become the prime suspect in a woman's disappearance and a multimillion-dollar heist. Spinotti discusses his experiences working on location in New York and Madrid with first-time director Marcel Langenegger.

ASC/Academy Award winners and nominees

In our annual salute to the year's best cinematography, we offers a pictorial recap of this year's ASC Awards weekend and acknowledge the accomplishments of all the directors of photography who were honored at this year's ASC and Academy Award ceremonies: Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC (No Country for Old Men; The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford); Robert Elswit, ASC (There Will Be Blood); Janusz Kaminski (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly); and Seamus McGarvey, BSC (Atonement).

Academy Scientific and Technical Awards

We present a full recap of this year's ingenious honorees, whose technical contributions to filmmaking were feted on February 9 during a prestigious dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Included in our coverage are profiles of the evening's major individual award recipients: David A. Grafton, who received the Gordon E. Sawyer Award; David S. Inglish, who earned the John A. Bonner Award; and Jonathan Erland, who took home an Award of Commendation.

The May issue's departments also offers illuminating insights:

Short Takes presents interviews with student cinematographers Andrew M. Davis of Chapman University and Sean Stiegemeier of the American Film Institute, whose respective films The Line and The Butcher's Daughter earned them the Laszlo Kovacs Heritage Award at this year's ASC Awards ceremony.

Production Slate offers insights from Fred Murphy, ASC about his work on the dramatic feature Anamorph.

Post Focus presents a comprehensive look at the recent 4K restorations of all three Godfather films by renowned film preservationist Robert Harris and a team of experts, who received valuable input from Allen Daviau, ASC and the trilogy's director of photography, Gordon Willis, ASC; this section also offers an overview of the latest upgrades to the Avid Media Composer (version 2.7.5), which includes a new function that allows color information, as defined by the ASC CDL (Color Decision List), to be passed through the entire editorial process, from dailies to the digital-intermediate stage.

Filmmakers' Forum offers an article by Levie Isaaks, ASC about his recent experiences teaching cinematography to Iraq War veterans.

Contents Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Janusz Kaminski discusses the creative strategies he and director Steven Spielberg brought to the summer's most hotly anticipated blockbuster, in which Harrison Ford reprises his iconic role as swashbuckling archeologist Indiana Jones. This time around, an older but wiser Indy battles agents of the Soviet Union, including the ruthless agent Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), for possession of an artifact known as the crystal skull. Assisting our hero in his adventures are his old flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), teenaged greaser Mutt Williams (Shia LeBeouf) and fellow archeologist Mac (Ray Winstone). Kaminski and his crew offer a detailed account of the epic production and their technical approach to the film's visual style, which will honor the look of the previous films in the beloved Indy series.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Karl Walter Lindenlaub, ASC was behind the camera on the second Narnia film, continuing the fantastic journey begun by fellow ASC member Donald McAlpine on the 2005 movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The sequel brings the Pevensie siblings back to the magical land of Narnia, where they help to ward off an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the kingdom's throne, Prince Caspian. Lindenlaub explains how he integrated his live-action footage with the project's dazzling array of visual effects.

Sex and the City: The Movie

John Thomas reunited with America's favorite gaggle of urban gal-pals - Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) - on this big-screen version of the popular HBO comedy series. Thomas tells AC how he made the most of the movie's New York settings and kept the actresses looking their very best.

Arri's 90th Anniversary

AC historicals writer Robert S. Birchard traces the rich history of Arriflex as the German film and television Service Company celebrates nine decades of success. Birchard offers a comprehensive overview of Arri's rise from its early roots as a production company to its current status as an influential leader in the global entertainment industry.

The June issue's department also offers illuminating insights:

Short Takes presents an interview with cinematographer Chris Lytwyn about his work on the music video "100 Days," which he filmed for the soul group Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. To give the video a 1960s period feel that reflects the group's classic sound, Lytwyn lend the shot with original Sixties black-and-white tube cameras and used vintage lighting units.

Production Slate offers insights from cinematographer Sergei Trofimov about his work on the Russian historical epic Mongol, which dramatizes the early years of 13th-century conqueror Genghis Khan, and Michael Jacob Kerner, who shoots the Discovery Channel archeology show Bone Detectives in a variety of far-flung and often perilous locations.

Post Focus examines Fotokem's 3-D workflow for the Imax film Wild Ocean, as well as Gamma & Density Co.'s incorporation of the ASC's Color Decision List (CDL) standards in its 3cP on-set color-correction system.

Filmmakers' Forum offers an article by John Bailey, ASC on cinematographers' efforts to maintain control over their images.

Contents X-Files: I Want to Believe

Bill Roe, ASC reteamed with director and X-Files series creator Chris Carter on the second feature thriller based on the wildly popular TV show. In this installment, former FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) return to help the Bureau investigate a series of mysterious disappearances in Virginia. The X-Files earned a record 10 ASC Award nominations during its nine seasons on the air, and five of those nominations were notched by Roe, who won twice (in 1998 and 1999). In an interview with AC senior editor Rachael K. Bosley, the cinematographer explains how he transposed the X-Files mantra of "lighting for darkness" to the big screen, and Carter, executive producer/co-writer Frank Spotnitz and key crew members discuss aspects of the ambitious wintertime shoot, which took The X-Files "home" to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Mamma Mia!

Haris Zambarloukos combined studio work in England with location shoots in Greece on this big-screen adaptation of the international hit musical, which is built on the ear-pleasing pop songs of Swedish supergroup ABBA. Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsg?rd, the scenic romance tells the story of a bride-to-be (Amanda Seyfried) who tries to determine the identity of her real father by inviting three of her mother's former lovers to the wedding. Zambarloukos discusses how he executed the movie's musical interludes and maximized the impact of its breathtaking locations.

The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Simon Duggan, ACS worked to integrate cutting-edge CG effects into live-action photography in the third installment of the popular Mummy franchise. This time around, adventurer Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and his son, Alex (Luke Ford), travel to the Far East to unearth the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin (Jet Li) - who has been transformed into a shape-shifting entity by a centuries-old curse. Duggan and the movie's effects experts discuss their collaboration, with an emphasis on the techniques they employed to create the villain's memorable transformations.

Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D

Director of photography Chuck Shuman was the point man on this 3D adventure film, in which a scientist (Brendan Fraser), his nephew (Josh Hutcherson) and their mountain guide (Anita Briem) attempt to learn the fate of the scientist's missing brother, only to fall into a fantastic and dangerous lost world at the center of the planet. Shuman worked closely with effects experts from various companies to produce eye-popping 3-D images, and our coverage offers a detailed overview of the stereoscopic techniques they employed.

The August issue's departments also offer illuminating insights:

Short Takes presents interviews with filmmakers Aaron Stewart and Shawn Kim about their collaboration on a music video for Death Cab for Cutie's "I Will Possess Your Heart."

Production Slate offers insights from two cinematographers: Tim Orr, who captured relentless mayhem for the stoner action-comedy Pineapple Express, and Reed Dawson Moreno, who shot Frozen River, which earned the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

Post Focus gives readers a step-by-step look at the Dalsa 4K workflow employed on the comedy-drama Reach for Me, shot by Kris Krosskove for director LeVar Burton.

ASC Close-Up offers a profile of John Bartley, ASC, CSC, whose credits include many episodes of the TV series Lost and The X-Files.

Contents The Duchess

Gyula Pados (whose credits as a cinematographer include the dramas Kontroll and Evening) was behind the camera on this period drama, which chronicles the life of 18th-century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (played by Keira Knightley), who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal lives. Pados details his work at locations throughout England.

Blindness

Cesar Charlone, ABC reteamed with director Fernando Meirelles on this drama about a mysterious affliction that causes an entire city to go blind. The filmmakers discuss their decision to shoot in multiple formats (including 65mm VistaVision) at locations in Canada, Uruguay and Brazil.

No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos

James Chressanthis, ASC collaborated with director of photography Anka Malatynska and other cinematographers on this documentary about two of the ASC's favorite sons: Hungarian cameramen Vilmos Zsigmond and Laszlo Kovacs, who chronicled the Hungarian revolution during their youth and made a dangerous pilgrimage to the United States to present their work. Their experiences during and after this adventure led to a lifelong friendship and careers as top Hollywood cinematographers. To get the whole story, Chressanthis interviewed a slew of prominent entertainment-industry veterans who befriended and worked with the duo, including Jon Voight, Sandra Bullock, Sharon Stone, Rachel Miner, Dennis Hopper, Barbra Streisand, John Williams, Karen Black, Peter Bogdanovich, Richard Donner, Irwin Winkler and Mark Rydell.

Lola Montes restoration

This in-depth article details the extensive restoration of director Max Oph?ls' final masterwork, released in December 1955. The picture became known as one of cinema history's most abused and neglected films after being chopped up, mutilated and re-edited against Oph?ls' wishes. The ambitious restoration was guided by Oph?ls' son, Marcel, and realized through a collaboration involving Fran?ois Ede (who had previously worked on the restoration of Jacques Tati's Playtime), the Thomson Foundation (which provided access to the Technicolor laboratory in Burbank, California) and the Franco-American Cultural Fund.

The September issue's departments also offer illuminating insights:

Global Village recaps the lavish 50th anniversary celebration staged in Sydney, Australia by the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS). AC's Australian correspondent, Simon Gray, Offer a firsthand account of the festivities, which he attended in late May.

Short Takes offers thoughts from Hiro Narita, ASC about the stylish noir cinematography he lent to the 25-minute short film A Perfect Place.

Production Slate presents an interview with cinematographer Igor Martinovic about Man on Wire, an award-winning documentary about Philippe Petit, who thrilled the world in the summer of 1974 when he snuck to the top of the World Trade Center towers and performed the greatest high-wire walk in history. This section also present details about The Last Enemy, a British miniseries shot by Nigel Willoughby and directed by Iain MacDonald.

Post Focus spotlight the anti-terror PSAs "Alley" and "Match," directed by ASC member Jan DeBont and shot by Amir Mokri, with visual effects by Ntropic. The spots were produced for NoTerror.Info, an organization that campaigns against terrorism in Iraq.

ASC Close-Up offers a profile of cinematographer and visual-effects supervisor Pete Kozachik, ASC, a stop-motion expert whose credits include The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, Corpse Bride and the upcoming feature Coraline.

Contents Body of Lies

Alexander Witt was promoted to director of photography on this show by director Ridley Scott after gaining years of experience as a second-unit director/director of photography on major features such as The Bourne Identity and Casino Royale, as well as Scott's Gladiator, Hannibal and American Gangster. Witt discusses the challenges and responsibilities of his new position on Body of Lies, a political thriller in which a former journalist injured in the Iraq war (Leonardo DiCaprio) is hired by the CIA to track down an Al Qaeda leader in Jordan.

Burn After Reading

Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC shot this quirky comedy for sibling filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen when their longtime cinematographer, Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC, was unavailable. Although Deakins undoubtedly resume his collaboration with the Coens in the near future, Lubezki proved an able ally and will share his own insights about the duo's working methods. Presenting a comic contrast to Body of Lies, the Coens' comedy concerns an embittered CIA analyst (John Malkovich) blackmailed by a pair of foolhardy fitness trainers (Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand) and cuckolded by a federal marshal (George Clooney) who is sleeping with his wife (Tilda Swinton).

City of Ember

Xavier Perez Grobet teamed with director Gil Kenan on this adventure fantasy about an amazing world of glittering lights threatened by a power failure that could thrust its inhabitants into perpetual darkness. Grobet details his work on the show's spectacular visuals, which were created on sets and locations in Northern Ireland.

The Express

Kramer Morgenthau, ASC was behind the camera on this drama based on the remarkable life of college football hero Ernie Davis, who overcame incredible hardships to become the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. Morgenthau reveals his game plan for the show's football scenes, as well as his approach to the film's early-1960s settings.

The October issue's departments also offer illuminating insights:

Short Takes offers details on a new series of humorous DirecTV ads inspired by famous movies, including Terminator 2, Aliens, Misery and the Star Trek films.

Production Slate presents an interview with Fernando Arguelles about his cinematography for the tense television series Prison Break. This section also offer insights from cinematographer Jeff Seckendorf about his experience shooting live-action elements that helped dictate the look of the new Electronic Arts videogame Need for Speed.

Post Focus offers an in-depth overview of the ASC Color Decision List (CDL), with input from key members of the ASC Technology Committee.

ASC Close-Up offers a profile of cinematographer Ross Berryman, ASC, ACS, whose credits include the TV series Ugly Betty and Angel.