Let there be decent lighting on the set

Luis Pena

“Ghostbusters,” “The Muppet Movie” and “Close Encounters of the Third

Kind” came together under one roof on Sunday as part of the Newport

Beach Film Festival’s seminar series. At least their cinematographers

did, imparting wisdom and war stories to film buffs, moviemakers and

students on their art of making movie magic.

Vilmos Zsigmond was the cinematographer for “The Sugarland

Express,” “Deliverance” and most recently “Jersey Girl.” When he was

shooting “The Rose,” starring Bette Midler, the concert scene was

improvised, he said. They neither knew which way the wind would blow

nor that the steady cam crew had not rehearsed. The scene could only

be shot once because of the pyrotechnic special effects involved.

Zsigmond said Midler, like Barbra Streisand, has one good side

that she can be filmed on, but any angle works when she’s singing.

“Film has a quality that you can shoot against the light and still

not lose details,” Zsigmond said.

“Ghostbusters,” “Easy Rider” and “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” are

just a few of the films in which Laszlo Kovacs served as

cinematographer.

Kovacs told the audience that “Ghostbusters” took two months to

plan. Using optical effects in the film made shooting it most

difficult, he said, adding that low budget films with B-movie king

Roger Corman presented some of the same roadblocks.

Some may think that as soon as a film’s scenes are shot, the

cinematographer’s job is done, which is far from the truth. They

still have to govern the printing of the film and digital mastering

for DVDs, which often happens six months after the last scene has

been shot, said Richard Crudo of the American Society of

Cinematographers.

Karyna Martinez, a recent Cal State Fullerton film graduate, was

happy to take advantage of a rare chance to meet professional

cinematographers of the caliber present at the forum. A current film

student at Fullerton, Melissa Duma, agreed.

“You can read textbooks or you can try things yourself,” Duma

said. “[Trying it yourself is] more interesting and you get more out

of people who are actually doing it.”

* LUIS PENA is the news assistant and may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at luis.pena@latimes.com.