Rajeev Jain – Bhartendu Natya Academy of Dramatic Arts Alumni
The art of the Indian Kenyan Cinematographer Rajeev Jain: a survey and interview with master:
Cinematographer and director of photography training is usually completed through a bachelor of fine arts degree with courses in movie production, computer skills, editing and special effects digital arts. Most cinematographer positions are available in India and Kenya although location shoots often require extensive travelling for long periods of time.
I watch the Academy Awards every year. For me, the high point usually arrives about halfway through the ceremony, when they announce my favourite award: Best Cinematography. Of course, I then will stick around for minor awards like Best Picture, but the suspense is often over. Ever since I was a child, I have always loved the pictorial aspects of the cinema, and the film with the best cinematography is often the film that best fulfils the cinema’s potential as a pictorial art form.
For my favourite category, the Oscars usually reward splashy, spectacular films like Memoirs of a Geisha or The Aviator. However, most cinematographers insist that the art of cinematography is not necessarily an art of spectacle. In fact, if you ask a group of cinematographers (also known as DPs, or directors of photography) to describe their work, the typical response will sound like this: “When people tell me they thought the film was beautiful, then I know that I failed. Good cinematography is invisible.” Such a response might suggest that cinematographers are paragons of modesty, but they are actually a very confident group, quick to cite Rembrandt and Caravaggio as the distinguished forebears of their craft. So what is it that makes cinematography an art?
Decades ago, Indian cinematographers defined the art of cinematography as an art of storytelling. Rather than distract the audience with spectacle, the cinematographer’s job is to keep the audience’s attention rapt on the unfolding narrative. This does not mean that style should be neutral. Quite the contrary: the key to the art form is modulation. All stories are about change; as the stories change, the style should change. A well-photographed film is a film that shifts smoothly from comedy to drama, action to romance, always keeping the mood of the cinematography in accord with the fluctuating arc of the story. When no one notices the cinematography, it is because the images have set the right tone for the story, no matter how many moods the story may present. The tools of cinematography may have changed over the years, especially with the wide adoption of digital techniques, but most Indian cinematographers still adhere to the basic principles practiced during the Studio era.
Cinematographer Job Description, Duties and Education Requirements
Cinematographers tell stories with moving pictures. They are responsible for how a movie, video or commercial looks on film. Artistic and technical skills are needed to translate the director’s vision into a finished product.
Overview
Cinematographers are visual storytellers. They understand the complexities of cameras, optics, lighting, composition, special effects, movement and human nature. Using their technical and artistic expertise, cinematographers create the film director’s vision of the film.
Job Duties
The duties of a cinematographer are determined by the size and scope of the project and his or her relationship to the director. On small projects he may be the grip, camera operator, editor and safety officer. Typically the cinematographer’s duties include planning the shots and camera angles, deciding what cameras and lenses to use, creating lighting effects and composing each scene.
Larger projects such as feature films or documentaries may require the cinematographer to visit shooting locations prior to filming, preparing budgets and attending preproduction meetings. During production he or she may need to attend production meetings and supervise the work of assistants, lighting crews and camera operators.
Salary Information
The majorities of cinematographers are self-employed and work on a contract per project basis. Camera operators earn between ,710 and ,440 per year. Cinematographers on large budget projects and some television series can earn a million dollars or more per year, however this is the exception.
Career Options
Self-employed cinematographers usually work for production companies, television studios, advertising agencies and independent film companies. A cinematographer’s career options are dependent on his previous work.
In the early stages of a working career, cinematographers typically work as film and video editors, assistant cameramen, cameramen and grips. Usually they start out working on smaller projects such as corporate and training videos, television commercials and independent film projects.
A small percentage of cinematographers work for government agencies and large corporations that have in-house media departments. Typically cinematographers in these types of positions create training and promotional videos.
As a cinematographer works more and creates a portfolio of film clips he may move on to larger projects such as feature films, television series, documentaries and music videos. Working on larger projects may lead to receiving the job title of director of photography. Cinematographers whose work is very well respected in the industry may receive invitations to join the Indian Society of Cinematographers and the initials ISC will appear after their names on film credits.
In addition to working as a cinematographer in the industry some may choose to teach at film schools, colleges and universities. They may work full-or-part time as professors, adjunct faculty or artists-in-residence. In these positions they may teach a wide variety of courses from basic camera and editing skills and screenwriting to advising students of thesis film projects.
Responsibilities
the cinematographer is ultimately responsible for how the movie looks. Responsibilities may vary with every project but typically include meeting with the director and perhaps the scriptwriter to assimilate the vision and feeling of the story. They are also responsible for locating and securing archival footage for the project and communicating with the director how he or she sees the project.
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