Some of what I consider my best work, and some of the best films that I've ever worked on, kind of disappear without a trace. There's no accounting for it. Something connects, or something doesn't.
Roger DeakinsRead
There's nothing worse than an ostentatious shot or some lighting that draws attention to itself, and you might go, 'Oh, wow, that's spectacular.' Or that spectacular shot, a big crane move, or something. But it's not necessarily right for the film — you jump out, you think about the surface, and you don't stay in there with the characters and the story.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that technical excellence in filmmaking should not overshadow the narrative and emotional depth of the story.
Roger Deakins highlights the importance of prioritizing storytelling and character engagement over flashy cinematographic techniques. He warns that spectacular visuals can become a distraction, steering the audience's focus away from the film's emotional core. Instead of being captivated by impressive shots, viewers should remain immersed in the characters and the narrative that unfolds.
Themes
CinematographyStorytellingFilmArtVisuals
In practice
Example use cases
Discussing film techniques in a filmmaking class.
More from Roger Deakins
All quotes →You can’t learn your craft by copying me or anyone else. I hope what I do can do is in some way inspire others but I would be appalled if I thought my work was being studied as ‘the right way to do the job’. My way is just one of an infinite number of ways to do the job.
Roger DeakinsRead
Am I nostalgic for film? … I mean, it’s had a good run, hasn’t it? You know, I’m not nostalgic for a technology. I’m nostalgic for the kind of films that used to be made that aren’t being made now.
Roger DeakinsRead
If you shoot with a billion cameras, then there's no perspective. You want to use one shot at a time, so it's better to discover what that is before you shoot, rather than trying to make something in the cutting room, and then it just becomes generic.
Roger DeakinsRead
Someone said to me, early on in film school... if you can photograph the human face you can photograph anything, because that is the most difficult and most interesting thing to photograph.
Roger DeakinsRead
Some of the smallest things on a smaller film, to me, are greater achievements than on a big film when you have the resources and the time and everything else.
Roger DeakinsRead
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