Page 11 - Fujifilm Exposure_15 Melinda Messenger_ok

second assistant on a low budget fea- ture film called Virgin Witches. I was 21, having fun, I’d never been out of work and I’d gone from third to first AD. But the film business crashed in the early 70s and I was back washing cars, moving furniture and working on building sites.”
By 1978 Fowler reached the end of road as AD, realising his real ambi- tions lay elsewhere. A passing curios- ity with stills photography had grown into a fascination with the creation of the moving image, and the chance offer of a camera - a 16mm EBL Bolex - and a commission to cover the Isle of Man TT Race in 1979 made his mind up for him.
“Honda gave me something like £6,000 to make a film of it,” he recalls, “and I took this six man crew over with me to help me do it. Luckily Honda won, and they paid for the post pro- duction because I’d run out of money.
“But by now I was hooked. In 1980 I did my last feature film as first assis- tant, Priest of Love, which was directed by Chris Miles and lit by the late Ted Moore. We did that in Mexico, and at the same time as we were doing that I was filming my own little documentary about the making of the film. I realised the game was up, because I was more interested in making that documentary than being first AD.”
A friendship with budding pro- ducer Eric Fellner, then with MGMM, led Fowler into the world of pop pro- mos just as they were beginning to have a global impact. In the years that followed he worked with directors like Russell Mulcahy and with stars such as Queen, Chris Rea, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Simply Red and Wham. It was the beginning of an intensive, on-the-job apprenticeship for Fowler, and it was a challenge he rose to with relish.
Creating his own production company in 1986, with a view to nur- turing directorial talent for future col- laborations, Fowler also travelled the world on assignments for commer- cials and pop promos. Products as diverse as Marlboro cigarettes for the Middle East, a Nigerian milk drink and tea for the Pakistan market have all had the Fowler touch. But working in far flung places, where methods might be different and equipment may not be up to date is a source of some fas- cination for him.
“I did a cigarette commercial in Pakistan recently, and that was an interesting experience, because they still shoot on Arri 2Cs with no fluid heads. It’s like going back 40 years. They had no barn doors on lights, or gels and I found one of the first HMI lights ever built out there. You don’t get paid a lot of money for it, but I enjoy the challenge of it and the thrill of seeing the world.”
So it’s been a busy and successful career filled with challenges, but until recently no feature credit as DP. That has changed with South West Nine, a low budget tale from producer Allen Niblo, one of the men behind the award-winning hit Human Traffic. In fact, Fowler takes an executive pro- ducer credit on the film as well, hav- ing brought in some outside invest- ment. But his crucial contribution is behind the camera.
“We shot mostly on Fuji 400T and the results have been fantastic,” he beams. “All I’ve seen so far are one- light rushes, but it does look excep- tionally good.”
Set during a frantic 24 hours for a group of friends in Brixton, South West Nine, written and directed by Richard Parry, is a sex, drugs and rock and roll kind of tale that could emu- late the success of its ‘stablemate’‚ Human Traffic. It certainly had a simi- larly modest shooting budget, posing plenty of those challenges that Fowler enjoys so much.
“It was entirely shot on location, so of course you can’t just get rid of a wall when you’re in this tiny mini cab office. Fortunately I had my own Dedolight kit. They run off 12 volts, they’re very small and you can put them anywhere.
“They’re great because they focus to a small point. Consequently I was using fast stock on low light levels, and the 400T was absolutely superb, with no grain. Quite often you have a problem with depth of field, which is as you would with anything, but I had a brilliant focus puller who coped with it extremely well.”
Fowler also eschewed any dol- lies for this production - partly for speed, and partly to give the film a more natural, dynamic feel – so all tracking shots were achieved using Steadicam. Bringing in 23-year-old cameraman Leo Bund to do that, Fowler has been delighted with the results, and is similarly proud of his camera team, focus puller Iwan Prys Reynolds and clapper loader Derrick Peters. He’s also quick to praise his gaffer Andy Hamilton.
The youthful nature of the cast – including Frank Harper and Nicola Stapleton - and crew, the buzz around the set and the pressure on Fowler to get the job done in double quick time harked back to his days on pop promos.
“You’ve got to shoot four minutes in a day,” he nods, “and normally you get only one chance to do it. We had a bit more latitude on this film, but you have to work fast and it’s got to look good.” ■ ANWAR BRETT
South West Nine was originated on Fujicolor Motion Picture Negative
“We shot mostly on Fuji
400T and the results have been really fantastic.”
Photos opposite page: Graham Fowler on top of Totem Pole rock in Monument Valley, USA shooting the Unifilla commercial in 1993; this page from top (l-r): South West Nine crew, standing, Iwan Prys Reynolds (Focus Puller), Tess Malone (Continuity), Andy Hamilton (Gaffer), Graham Fowler DP, kneeling, Derrick Peters (Clapper Loader) and Erin Stevens (Camera Assistant); Graham Fowler, Andy Hamilton and Gareth Unwin (First Assistant Director); Leo Bund (Steadicam Operator); on the set of South West Nine; Ava Gardner, Graham Fowler and Director Chris Miles on location with Priest Of Love; still from South West Nine
behind the camera