Cinematography: Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition

Set Operations

The director, the cinematographer, and the production designer are the three people directly responsible for all creative aspects of the film: how it looks, how it works, the “style,” and the continuity.

The working relationship between the director and cinematographer is the key to getting a film made. Let’s look at the responsibilities of everyone involved, first of all in a typical feature film. These procedures are general to most types of production including, commercials and music videos, and on small productions such as industrials and documentaries; many of these are omitted, but the essential functions are always the same.

In relation to the camera work, the director has a number of duties. It is the director who makes ...