Gregg Toland
Cinematography is the art of filmmaking. It is a technical practice, which has evolved into an aesthetic expression that portrays customs or tendencies of society. (Mauer, Mornik, n.d.) Cinematography is the heart and backbone of cinema. Without the scientific advancements made early on motion pictures wold not have advanced beyond the simple technology of early instruments such as the zoetrope. George Horner invented the zoetrope in 1834. It consists of a simple drum with an open top, supported on a central axis. A sequence of hand-drawn pictures on strips of paper are placed around the inner bottom of the drum. Slots are cut at equal distances around the outer surface of the drum, just above where the picture strips were to be positioned. (Elsaesser, Barker, November 1990) When the device is spun it creates the illusion of movement. From this illusion of movement inspiration for advancement to technologies that would create the illusion of reality were born. "Technical and artistic innovations by cameramen have always been a major factor in the development of movies, and their requirements have been met at every turn by the manufactures of cameras, filmstocks, lighting equipment and other necessities of the trade."
During the time of the staunchly systematic studio system Toland was unconventional. His anxiousness to try new technological advancements made him a sought after rarity, forcing his contract employer Samuel Goldwyn to lend him out to other producers as to not loose his talent all together. Toland was given ultimate authority in his time, being allowed to choose his own crew and specifying the studio cameras to his liking. The film 'The Long Mile Home' is often regarded as the apex of Toland's technical experimentation. In this he used high contrast black-and-white film, the deep focus technique, self-blimped camera, low angle lighting, and his muslin ceiling sets. This film though, directed by John Ford, was never seen as the ideal showcase for Toland's advancements "...which required a bright, high-voltage directorial presence in which to display his innovations." (www.hollywood.com) This film allowed Toland's style to flourish. He was able to set-up camera angles that were designed to frame characters with the shadows created by their backgrounds. He didn't waste his time with lighting close ups, feeling that it took away from the actual lighting of a piece. To successfully achieve even lighting Toland panned the floor and ceiling along with the character as the character moved across the screen. When filming the character of Kane Toland often used low angles, having the viewer feel as if Kane was taller and more powerful, also adding tot he shadows on his face which made him seem more detached and dark as a person.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1840
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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