"Just make me look good!" - The Cinematographer

Do I love to act? Yes.
Is acting the only part I love about making a movie? No.

The Cinematographer - Alex Meade

Acting always has, and always will be, possibly my greatest passion in life, but in the realm of movie making I love every aspect like my own children - I can't choose a favorite [no, I don't have children, it's a metaphor]. This past winter I enrolled in an 8 week cinematography class at my local community college, because out of every movie making role there is I have been more fascinated by the duty of creating beautiful images than anything. Cinematography simple amazes me...but what is it?

A cinematographer is the person who is in charge of how a movie looks, through the shots and the lighting. The term Director of Photography (or DP) is also used, but personally I've always preferred cinematographer - there's something more artistic feeling about it.

The class was very illuminating (not a pun), and I learned alot from the teacher. He's a professional, so I really got alot from his approach to things. But, beyond the few things I learned, there was an even better benefit - I met Alex.

The class was divided into groups, and we spend the short semester working with these groups on different types of lighting styles and situations. My group was fairly able, but there was one guy who really seemed to get it. Alex and I shared the same ideas many times, things the rest of our group wasn't focusing on. They weren't horrible, but he and I definitely shared the same mindset. We got to talking, and we've both been been in and around making small movies for a number of years. Neither one of us was producing anything at the time, but I told him that I'd let him know if I ever needed help.

Get Back was in the beginning of the writing process while my class was in session, but a few months later, when the script was finalized and Nick and I were starting to cast, I suggested we approach Alex for our cinematographer. Thankfully Alex was interested and very game to join. I haven't known him for years, like I have with Nick, but we all get along very well and even more importantly, we have the same ideas and hopes for Get Back. So, as much as I'm excited to finally act opposite some great and varied actors, and as much as I'm excited to finally see what Nick can do as a director, I'm just as excited to have Alex along with us and to see just how great he'll make this movie look.

Man - this movie's exciting!