The key shooting style is to have the camera in the background of the story. Director of Photography Roger Deakins "1917" [Director's Interview Vol.54]

There are no easy scenes!

Q: This game features a variety of situations, including eternal trenches, rivers, broken bridges, and destroyed towns. Which of these was the most difficult?

There wasn't a single easy scene (lol). In terms of technical challenges, we shot the scene where Schofield (George MacKay) crosses a collapsed bridge using a large wire rig, then handed it to a handheld camera to follow him. is. One photographer, then another, then another, and so on. The problem was when I became the last cameraman in that series of scenes. If you fail this, you will have to start all over again. I was already nervous because failure was not an option (lol).

The other thing is the weather. In order for the video to feel like a single piece, we had to keep it constant, so there were many times when the weather affected us.

Q: What is the longest scene?

It's a farm sequence. I remember that it was a long run, about 9 minutes long. For the plane crash scene, we shot some elements first and then composited them in post-production. It was about 9 minutes in one cut from the moment the plane crashed.

Q: Listening to your story, it seems surprisingly difficult, but it must have been extremely challenging for you as a photographer.

Of course! Although it was incredibly difficult, I never once thought, ``I wish I hadn't done it.'' In fact, I would have never had a Being There to take on such a challenge, so I just wanted to thank them for entrusting me with it. The first day of shooting was a trench scene, and it felt like a real experience. It was such a sense of reality that everyone who watched it couldn't help but cry out. It feels like Sam has accompanied me on a wonderful journey. I can only thank you.

Q: You are also known for working with great directors, including Sam Mendes, the Coen brothers, and Denis Villeneuve. What is the ideal relationship for a cameraman with a director?

It's a collaboration. You could say it's all about collaboration. Just having an excellent cameraman will never make a good movie. You understand that, right? A good movie cannot be produced unless the director is a talented person. So, by working with a director like Sam, I can become an excellent cameraman myself (lol). All you have to do is get a great director to lead you.

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Director of photography: Roger Deakins

He won an Academy Award® for Best Cinematography for Blade Runner 2049(17), and also won his fourth British Academy Award. ``The Shawshank Redemption'' (1994), ``Fargo'' (1996), ``Kundun'' (1997), ``Oh Brother! ” (00), “Barber” (01), “No Country for Old Men” (07), “The Assassination of Jesse James” (07), “The Love Reader” (08), “True Grit” (10), He has been nominated for an Academy Award for more than 13 films, including ``Skyfall'' (2012), ``Prisoners'' (13), ``Unbroken'' (2014), and ``Sicario'' (15). In addition, he has been nominated for the American Society of Cinematographers Award 15 times, and has been nominated for ``The Shawshank Redemption'' (1994), ``Barbour'' (2001), ``Skyfall'' (12), and ``Blade Runner 2049'' (17). Four works won awards. He also won BAFTA awards for ``Barber'' (2001), ``No Country for Old Men'' (2007), and ``True Grit'' (10). He has also been nominated for five BAFTAs, and has won five British Cinematographers' Guild Awards, two Independent Spirit Awards, and the National Board of Review's Cinematography Award. He has also received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the American Society of Cinematographers and the British Society of Cinematographers. In 2013, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, making him the only cinematographer to receive this honour. Other works include "Sid and Nancy" (1986), "Barton Fink" (1991), "The Future Is Now" (1994), "Courage under Fire" (1996), and "The Big Lebowski" (1998). , "A Beautiful Mind" (2001), "Doubt" (2008), "Hail, Caesar!" ” (16). “Wall-E” (08), “How to Train Your Dragon” (10), “Guardians” (12), “The Croods” (2013), “How to Train Your Dragon 2” (14) He is also involved as a visual consultant in anime such as ・Mi).

Interview and text: Maki Watanabe

Movie writer. Currently writing for TV Bros, SF Magazine, Animage, etc. He was in charge of editing and writing director Oshii's first life counseling book, ``Oshii Mamoru's Life Tips''.

(c) Photofest / Getty Images

“1917”

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Official website: 1917-movie.jp.