Book review by Charles Cassady, Jr.
Now, when you think cinematographer, what do you imagine? The classic James Wong Howe lighting up the faces of beauties in B&W in the 1930s and 40s? Roger Deakins making the magic for Spielberg? Chris Doyle becoming a legend in his own time working with rising Hong Kong talent in the 1990s? Robert Banks Jr., shooting expired celluloid stock on a shoestring budget for a diversity of Cleveland filmmakers? Whoever that veteran lensman was who hit it off with delicious Leslie Ann Warren on the set of the TV miniseries
North and South and got to marry the vixenish actress? Yes, I forget the latter's name, but "lucky bastard" will do.
What film schools won't tell students, however (besides that at the level of tuition those bastards charge, you better get a Leslie Ann Warren-quality fringe benefit) is that a lot of pro cinematographers just take industrial and commercial gigs most of the time. Nothing to be ashamed of, and sometimes quite interesting and creative gigs, but not Hollywood stuff.
