Whenever someone asks me what I'm majoring in, I know just what to tell them. "I'm a film major," I reply. Easy enough. However, if the conversation goes further and I'm asked about what I want to to in film, I usually have no answer other than, "I don't know." I've had a little experience in film, and I've enjoyed it enough to know I'd like to make a career out of it, but I haven't been able to nail down the specific role I desire to play in the filmmaking process.That changed last night.
My dad and I watched "To Kill a Mockingbird", a film I had not yet viewed. "To Kill a Mockingbird" is considered a classic, and for many reasons. The script is excellent, and actually won an Academy Award. Gregory Peck excellent portrays his character "Atticus Finch", and is listed as such on the American Film Institute as the number one film hero.
However, my reason for enjoying the film was a bit more subtle, and most people may not even acknowledge it. I found the cinematography to be EXCELLENT!
Wow, that's a big word. Some readers may not even know specifically what that is. That being the case, I'll define it: the cinematographer (also known as the director of photography) is in charge of the photography that will take place during the shoot. In other words, he arranges the lights, establishes the composition, and sets up the frame. Essentially, a cinematographer is basically just a photographer, except he's involved with projects of a much larger scale and is dealing with moving pictures instead of stills.
And I'm thoroughly convinced that the cinematographer for "To Kill a Mockingbird" was a genius. Each and every scene was very well done. The lighting excellently reflected the mood, and the frame was composed fantastically. Even when the film was over, I couldn't get over how spectacular, yet subtle, the imagery was.Then it hit me. I love photography. I'm fascinated by any movie with good cinematography. And I'm a film major. All those spell "cinematography career"!
So now I know what I want to be when I grow up, at least for the time being. I'm definitely going to have to watch for any chances to be a director of photography for any student films on campus, and I'm going to have to study up on cinematography techniques.
Even so, at least I've got a bit of direction now.
T.H. Excellence
