After USC film school I graduated into the two extremes of my real world education. The Corman and Cameron School's of filmmaking. From Roger I learned how a movie can be shot in twelve days, from Jim I learned why it shouldn't be.

“ Shooting a film is the act of one person willing their vision into reality.”

I got my award-winning short REQUIEM in the can by selling a group of Japanese karaoke video producers on my futuristic vision. While I shot my 35mm short I brought in a second crew to simultaneously shoot the 16mm karaoke. By piggybacking productions the investors got a great video and I got my film in the can. A textbook win-win situation.

Ninety percent of REQUIEM was shot with Jim Cameron's Arri IIC camera which I am still not sure if he knows I borrowed. A 25mm lens is what the camera had so I made it work. I learned cinematography in the old school where you didn't zoom in for the close up you moved the camera.

Every lens focal length has a unique psychological perspective and if you pick one and move your camera to get coverage instead of changing lenses then you not only maintain continuity of perspective but also stimulate the audience with new visual information on every setup. The bottom line is that I was flat broke and the 25mm was free.

The lighting in REQUIEM was very simple, usually just a single source on the actors with accents to define the background textures and give separation. For the execution chair room I shot a Xenon light through a fan gag and into a mirror angled down onto the prisoner from above. Where ever the light hit was incredibly bright leaving the shadows a dark rich black. Anytime I felt like I was letting things go too far I knew I was headed the right direction. If you don't push the envelope you'll never find the edge.

“Anytime I felt like I was letting things go too far I knew

I was headed the right direction.”

 

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