Action camera operator and DP Lawrence Ribeiro joins us again (See his original interview) with comments on the importance of observing and appreciating viewpoints in camera work.

“Viewpoints, in my eyes, are the catalyst to collaboration. Create!”

“Some years ago,” says Ribeiro, “the combination of doing search and rescue, heli-logging and studying Native American mythology/tracking gave me the eyes to see and feel the land. The wind, clouds, leaves’ colors, soil texture/impact, sound of the birds…all tell a story. They are much more accurate than most modern devices, as nature has been around a lot a longer. The ability to observe is almost gone.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Back in the day the director would tell the DP to go to the museum to study a specific piece and spend hours looking at it. Studying the source of light, the quality of it, the mood, etc. And that in turn would get into the movie, eventually.”

 

 

 

 

 

“So does that mean the piece’s overall mood,” asks Ribeiro, “could be the point of the view of the artist who created the piece? … Or it could be the director’s point view, because after all it was he or she that told the DP to look at the piece? What about the DP’s work, as he transferred that mood onto a new medium with HIS choices and viewpoints?”

These quotes are taken from Ribeiro’s thoughts on viewpoints and collaboration on his blog. See Ribeiro’s film reel and read his entire commentary on his site.