Author: Helen Carter
Carter, Helen, 2024 Recognising cinematography: the industrial, technical and aesthetic role of the cinematographer with reference to films directed by Gillian Armstrong, Flinders University, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
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This research makes a contribution to knowledge and to pedagogy in the field by identifying the skill-set cinematographers bring to films and by articulating the creative, technical and organisational work of cinematographers particularly Australian and their crews. It elucidates the multi-faceted role of the cinematographer as visual artist, directorial collaborator, technical expert and Head of Department. Using films directed by Gillian Armstrong as the principal point of reference, I employ interviews with cinematographers, background research and close visual analysis to identify the ways in which the work of cinematographers collaborating with Armstrong reveals a range of distinctive styles. My research has been aided by the generosity of many of the cinematographers corresponding with me regarding their working practices. The thesis shows how, even within the output of a single director, the work of individual cinematographers is demonstrably distinctive.
The works studied span forty years of cinema, from the 1970s to 2015. They include 16mm film, video and digital formats, and demonstrate a range of industrial and creative practices, from low-budget documentaries to Hollywood features. Visual analysis reveals the flexibility and creativity with which cinematographers must respond to widely differing industrial contexts. The broad time-frame of the analysis also reveals the ways in which cinematographic practices have evolved. In particular, digital technologies continue to transform aspects of the cinematographer’s role, not only during shooting but also in pre- and post-production.
Keywords: cinematorgaphy, Russell Boyd, Geoffrey Simpson, australian cinema
Subject: Creative Arts thesis
Thesis type: Doctor of Philosophy
Completed: 2024
School: College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Supervisor: Mike Walsh