In
an interview published in a 1984 issue of American Cinematographer,
director of photography Gordon Willis said of his style: “The ideal situation is to take a sophisticated idea and reduce it to its
simplest form because then it is accessible to everyone.” The same is true of Woody
Allen, who was shooting “Zelig” at the time of Willis’s interview. The
mockumentary style of “Zelig” is, by Allen’s standards, a formal
experiment. His unobtrusive, seemingly hands-off directorial style has
crystallized over time, and is especially apparent in “Magic in the
Moonlight,” a new romantic comedy about a magician (Colin Firth) who
seeks to debunk a spiritualist (Emma Stone) in 1928 Provence.
RogerEbert.com talked with Allen last week about working with the
recently-deceased Willis, cringing at Marlon Brando, and learning from
Jennifer Lawrence.
Watching “Magic in the Moonlight,” I’m reminded that you usually favor master shots in
dialogue scenes. To paraphrase [director of photography] Gordon Willis,
you shoot to cut. That’s generally more freeing for your actors, but
when do you feel more coverage is necessary?
WOODY ALLEN: The
scene usually dictates it. If I can play a scene in a master shot, I
always prefer it. And …read more