Page 25 - Fujifilm Exposure_28 Michael Winner_ok

“The hard work, banter and politics were a revelation. After a few films I managed to work my way up to stand-by props, which seemed to be more at the sharp end nearer the camera. But I knew that I’d have to go back to being a runner if I were to get into the camera department.”
A year working in a film equip- ment hire company and then a Joe Dunton Cameras-sponsored trainee- ship helped get him closer still including brief opportunities – on Sid & Nancy and Stormy Monday – to be up and reasonably personal with one of his enduring heroes, Roger Deakins BSC. “It’s not just the look he achieves, but also the humanity in the projects he picks to work on,” Kelly says of Deakins. One of his first big breaks was becoming assis- tant to top documentary film cam- eraman, Brian McDermott, and together they travelled the world – from Siberia to the Costa del Sol - on various programmes, including
the Karachi-Khyber Pass pro- gramme in BBC’s popular Great Train Journeys Of The World series.
“Even though it was hard work, because Brian always pushed for the best, I sometimes couldn’t believe I was also being paid to be wherever we were.”
Kelly has since busily mixed drama and documentary, working for directors like Paul McGuigan, Julian Kemp and Nicola Black, not to mention his own partner (and mother of their two young chil- dren), Sarah Barclay. Together, for their Top Left Productions compa- ny, they have made films on Scotland’s notorious ‘Bible John’, the latest winner of BBC’s Young Musician of the Year and line-danc- ing in Nashville.
Says Kelly: “Prepping for the last few dramas, I’ve spent at least a full day with the director going through each scene, not in terms of the lighting but sorting the essence of what each scene is about, and what’s essential in story and character terms. This has meant that when the sched- ule hits the fan on location, we
can still find a way of retaining those elements while making quick decisions.
“More importantly, I’ve tried to move on from the initial arrogance that comes from being at the camera and ‘calling the shots’, so to speak. I’ve grasped the essential element of good drama (after the script, of course) are the performances. The camera and lighting are there to enhance them, not to distract or interfere with the actor’s concentra- tion. You must be able to accommo- date them, however they work.
“Someone once said that film- making is ‘a practical and logistical exercise aimed at getting an emo- tional response.’ That’s true of both drama and documentaries on different scales.
“However,” he smiles, “I some- times feel it’s the partners at home, having to listen to the sto- ries of heroic dealings with the various logistics, who really have their emotions challenged.”
While Kelly waits confidently to link up once again with Coutts and Casci – this time on an Edinburgh- set quirky romantic comedy-adven- ture – he reflects on his second feature which like one of his recent commercials and a drama-doc was shot on High-Definition.
Blinded, directed by Eleanor Yule and shown at the Taormina and Moscow Film Festivals, stars Peter Mullan, Jodhi May and Anders W Bertelsen in a torrid, not to say Gothic, tale of love, lust and revenge set in the remote Scottish borders.
“Although, as far as I’m con- cerned, it’ll never replace the subtlety of film, Hi-Def has a great look and plenty of latitude for grading. The only problem is that, with a 32-inch hi-spec monitor, on location everybody has a pristine view of their own departments’ obsessions. Which doesn’t aid expediency!”
Recalling American Cousins, Kelly muses: “We had been able to shoot the film partly because we could move fast on Super16mm. And after seeing the blow-up from the Fuji stock, I would love to do that on Don’s next feature.” ■ QUENTIN FALK
American Cousins, released on DVD in August, was originated on 16mm Fujicolor F-64D 8622 and F-125 8632 Motion Picture Negative
Fuji Motion Picture And Professional Video • Exposure • 23