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Roger Deakins Essay

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Roger Deakins is a cinematographer who is well known for his work on award-winning films that include Fargo, The Shawshank Redemption, No Country for Old Men, A Beautiful Mind, True Grit, and more. He has earned nine academy award nominations on his work. He has also partnered with the Coen brothers. Roger Deakins studied at Bath Academy of Art and then extended his education later on and went to study at the National Film School. He started out as a still photographer, but went on into the motion picture business. Deakins got his first cinematography gig in the business as a crew member aboard a yacht with a documentary film crew. The yacht was in an around-the-world race, however, so in order for Deakins to be able to work in the position …show more content…

The owners did not allow the crew to touch anything, which was difficult for setting up lighting equipment and necessary props. Deakins felt that balloon lights to light the interior would work the best, however, the ceilings were very low and there was no room. These kinds of lights are also broad sources that do not create the soft, selective wash that Roger Deakins was looking for. The chief lighting technician of this crew, Chris Napolitano, had previously worked with Deakins on No Country for Old Men and True Grit. He remembered a favourite lighting solution to the lighting predicament and helped employ it for the shoot. This technique required clear, 60-watt globes to be put into large ring lights that are fitted with forty to sixty standard, medium-base sockets. They would then install these light units around chandeliers that already exist in the mansion’s ceilings. This technique was the perfect solution to Deakins’ problem because it helped create a soft pool of light around the existing fixtures and did not intrude on the space on the floor. Deakins wanted to shoot 360 degrees, which required an empty floor, so this solution was the best approach. The only time Deakins brought in floor lighting was to light the occasional

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