Cinematography Opens More to Women, AI Reshaping Visual Language, Camerimage Regulars Report

As the start of the Camerimage Film Festival approaches, Variety asked four festival regulars, all sought-after cinematographers, to weigh in on the issues, trends and opportunities the profession is encountering this year all subjects expected to come up during the fest, which runs Nov. 11-18. Heres what they had to say:

Mandy Walker (Elvis, Hidden Figures), currently filming Disneys live action Snow White remake, and chairing Camerimage main competition jury.

I see more and more women are shooting [film] projects and TV in the States, a lot more women are shooting TV shows. A lot more in the camera department in general, camera operators, first ACs, and its definitely getting better. But theres still a bit of a hump to get over before its anywhere near equal.

The technology for me, when I first started shooting movies, there was no VFX, there was no blue screen because I was shooting very small indie projects. Now, more and more, Im involved with VFX right from the beginning of a project. For Elvis and for Snow White, Im involved a lot with the look of the visual language. Originally, I would do a movie and we would do a blue screen shot and I would never see it until it was into the final color timing. Now Im working with some great people who understand we have to collaborate right from the start.

Its been a really great experience for me, actually, in dealing with shooting in a virtual world and working with Unreal Engine and things like that. Ill say, Look, Im lighting for this sunset this is the color and this is the light and we check in with each other all the time and show each other ideas and run it with the art department too, the concept artists. For me, that part of my job has become really important and really great.

Ed Lachman (Far From Heaven, Carol), currently filming Maria Callas story Maria in Budapest with director Pablo Larrain, and screening Larrains El Conde in competition at Camerimage.

Generally, people will ask about whatever your last film was. Ive been proselytizing my EL zone system, the exposure mapping system, and I used it on El Conde so Camerimage is a great forum to discuss how it works so well the subtlety of tracking exposure, you know. And I use the original Ultra Baltar lenses made in 1938 for black and white film (used for Citizen Kane and Touch of Evil) Im sure people will be interested in discussing that and we made this monochromatic Arri LF camera. People will talk about the latest thing, you know.

The think I love about the festival is, even though part of its the competition, its more about sharing your own experiences with each other and renewing friendships. Because cinematographers young and old dont really get to see each other other than at an event like Camerimage. Its the spirit of it, you know? For me its like a trip back to the 60s.

Ellen Kuras (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, David Byrnes American Utopia), screening Lee in competition at Camerimage, the true story of war correspondent Lee Miller, starring Kate Winslet and directed by Kuras.

I see a lot more people moving from DP work into directing, especially women. Because there are more opportunities. Before opportunities were really slim. But especially in television now, the quality of television has gotten so much higher so there are a lot more opportunities for people to step into the directing role. I know a lot of people on series who were asked to direct an episode because they were there the whole time.

For me, I actually started out wanting to make films as a director. I just happened to come into cinematography because I started shooting my own film for a thesis for a masters.

Its really interesting that a lot of the films that have come out this year are more traditional classic cinema. Anatomy of a Fall, for example, is a great film. And the way its been put together is certainly metaphorically complex but visually, kind of classic cinema. Very straightforward, it doesnt have a huge use of visual effects and the story and the actors come to the forefront of that film.

As for AI, cinematographers tend to be optimistic. Were certainly aware of the abuses of AI because no one wants to be replaced. And also no one wants to be copied in a way that replaces that creative work. Theres a lot of experience that goes into being Erik Messerschmidt, for example, or being Caleb Deschanel. A huge amount of knowledge and experience of being on set, experimenting, so to replace that with one algorithm is a travesty.

But there are opportunities in AI where we can use it as a tool, if were exploring something about color or if we want to change the light in a certain way or if theres an image we want to manipulate for creative reasons. I think it becomes interesting and exciting in that way. Before, there were limitations in the medium thats why people would put film in ovens and cook it to see what they could do, certain filtration, bleach bypass to get to a certain look. Our tools are so much more sophisticated now. AIs going to provide opportunities to change the shape of the image even beyond what we know now.

Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire, Radioactive), main competition juror, now in post-production on David Schurmanns The Penguin the Fisherman.

This year theres quite a strong American presence, in the main competition. Theres a good mix but theres a lot of big, interesting films. Its a good variation and then when you look at the debuts, the Polish films competition, theres a lot of variation there too. Im often involved in the festival from the other side so its good for me for once to be serving on the jury it looks like Ive chosen a good year. I like Pablo Larrain with El Conde, I really want to see Poor Things screened, Robbie [Ryan] is always funnyIm very excited about Napoleon, Joaquin Phoenix, Ellen Kuras to see how she gets on with Kate Winslet in Lee, Rodrigo Prietos got a great film with Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon. Theyre all big ones. The Zone of Interest I think will be very interesting and very disturbing.

Ill look at the technology its as great for the students as it is for the old hands, like me. That will be quite a significant presence this year. But first and foremost, I love Torun I think its the best place, has been the best place and atmosphere. It mustnt get any bigger.

Im looking forward to meeting all the students I mean, they pay their way and starve and were often invited on first-class tickets, weve got hotels. Were quite privileged in relation to the people that are just devouring film. They make for mature audiences and at the QAs they can be quite tough, which is good. Always detailed questions and theyre also quite direct, politically, sometimes. Ive seen very experienced DPs almost get up and walk out! I think its good that they have an open forum.