How Directors Collaborate With Cinematographers

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I think the topic of how cinematographers can best collaborate with directors is not discussed often enough in the filmmaking community. When it comes to working with a director there are no hard and fast rules that can be applied to everyone.

In this video I’ll outline the basic roles which each can occupy, look at directors with a set visual style versus those who change their style depending on the project and look at different case studies of well known directors to analyse their approach to working with their respective DPs.

List Of Films Featured:
Raging Bull (1980)
That Day On The Beach (1983)
Kundun (1997)
Barton Fink (1991)
Chungking Express (1994)
Fallen Angels (1995)
Hero (2002)
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)
House Of Flying Daggers (2004)
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
No Country For Old Men (2007)
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Hugo (2011)
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

0:00 Introduction
0:54 Role Of The Director & DOP
3:08 Set Style Vs. Fluid Style
4:52 Case Study: Coen Brothers
7:44 Case Study: Zhang Yimou
9:44 Conclusion

Music:
Noir Et Blanc Vie - 'AnaCaptainslogue'
NoMBe - 'InterplanetaryAlignment'
The Tides - 'Ammil'
The Tides - 'Somnolent'
Jesse Gallagher - 'Monumental Journey'
Jesse Gallagher - 'Satya Yuga'

[InDepthCine]

Who are some of your favourite director/DOP duos?

[BrendaGarcia-tyml]

YES just the content we need! Almost no one is making content about this topic, so thank you

[makefilmhavefun]

Robert Richardson used to say that he felt like he was not a dop, but just a lighting man on set while receiving the whole storyboard from Scorsese. LOL.

[HasanAmin]

I'm in the final year of film school, cinematography department, and I'm currently preparing to shoot my graduation project, this video of yours, you have no idea how helpful, informative, eye-opening is is for me, thanks a million :)
liked and subscribed for sure, stay brilliant :)

[franjes]

As someone interested in writing and directing films with extremely limited knowledge of the intricacies of great cinematography this was super helpful and interesting

[HollyHargreaves]

I'm an indie director and finding the right DP is so important. Thanks for your channel, it's great.

[maxkern]

As a student interested in various parts of filmmaking, I deeply enjoyed this video! Insightful information, delivered in an informative and visually appealing way and a great structure! Thanks a lot from Austria! :)

[pogoprofilms]

I feel like this channel is a resurrection of Every Frame a Painting and it's absolutely brilliant.

[chungdha]

Please dont mix up Adrew Lau Cinematography with Christopher Doyles, many of Wong Kar Wai movies have multiple DOP and should not give Christopher Doyle all the credits for it. Especially Chung King Mansion the style of how the two stories were filmed were fastly different and noticeably Andrew Lau slow shutter styled, while Doyle was more handheld approach.

[TChristopher]

So glad to be back to these incredible analyses! This relationship is probably the most intriguing next to the Director/Actor collaboration. The trust and the ability to communicate on visual terms to convey meaning and emotion is paramount, and I think that’s often overlooked when Directors interact with DOPs. Guess I’ve gotta work hard on my storyboards then 🤣 One Director’s work that would be interesting to analyse is Denis Villeneuve. Even though he works with several DOPs, his films feel like his. Meditative, expansive and focused. I wonder what cinematic decisions he makes beforehand to ensure his style is present before opening up the collaboration with his DOP.

[divagarans]

In The Big Lebowski, there's a dream sequence of Jeff Bridges flying. The lighting and cinematography is just wow in that scene... It's the Coens and Roger Deakins.

[MrTagadagada]

Amazing! Thank you for the quality content and education. Can you make a video about Directors and their relationship to Screenwriting/Screenplays? Also one about the steps that starting as a director practically involves. And more videos exploring the different working methods of different directors. Thank you so much 🙏🏽

[yashsavla]

The way you explain things so easily and so softly is truly amazing, love your videos.

[ginofactap]

actually, framing and shooting is also the director's job. the director has the image and movement in his/her head, and the DOP is the one that knows how to technically achieve that image, as in lighting, lens, color, etc.

[CJSPARKES]

The quality of information in this video is sooo excellent and in depth, thank you!

[vishalnayer]

Beautiful video. Very few tutorial videos like these are able to articulate the technical craft and artistic vision in the right balanced manner while breaking down the craft!

[srinivassridhar]

Thank you!! Can you please make a video series about the various elements that go together while creating a vision, if not the entire film, at least covering a scene or a sequence and how they achieved that particular effect and why they used what they used and the whole process of transformation from script to screen. It would be helpful if you could cover the technical aspects in detail as well, like lighting design, colour temperature, lens choices.etc. Thank you for your video analysis, they're awesome 👍🏻

[nelsonwang]

The quality of your videos are consistently impressive. I have definitely learnt a lot about different processes of cinematography. Please keep it up!

[helle_larsen]

Personally I prefer working with directors that have ideas in their mind regarding cinematography, but are also open to input from the cinematographer. To me the action of the characters and key props are really important as well, because those can help me come up with good shots that tell a lot. The relationship with the DoP and the Director is really important, but I think what is the most important is that the Director believes in their DoP. I have met Directors in school that believe they know what is best, but have no knowledge on the technical stuff. It is important to remember that DoP's can create the look you want in the way you want because they have the knowledge too, and believe in their ideas because a lot of times those look good on the screen. Maybe not 100% like what you imagined in your head, but as close as possible hopefully.

[pierrezapata]

This is such a beautifully done video. Thank you for that breakdown and great footage from some of my favorite directors and DOPs. Great info for someone like me just starting making some short films and footage from my photography experience.