Adam Kimmel Joins the Cinematography Master Class Series at SVA

January 07, 2020 – – Adam Kimmel recently participated in a Master Class series in Cinematography, under Professor Dejan Georgevich at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City. The class is generally one session lasting for about 3 hours. Kimmel, who has participated in this class previously, chose to show students, sections of two films that he shot, “Capote” and “Never Let Me Go.” Both clips were from the third acts of the films. He explained the choices that he had to make and why he made them, and then provided details about the factors that helped him arrive at those choices.

In “Never Let Me Go,” Kimmel explains that there was a sequence in which one of the main characters discovers that the one thing he thought was keeping him alive, isn’t true. “He’s destined to die soon and die young,” explained Kimmel. It was scripted as a night scene that took place out on a country road, where he is a passenger in a car. He asks the driver to pull over, gets out, and completely breaks down on the side of the road. According to Kimmel, the challenge, both creatively and financially, was lighting a country road that is in total darkness.

“This would have required a lot of costly equipment, so I proposed to the director, and then to the producers, to shoot the scene in that last little slice of dusk, when you can feel the day is gone but it’s not completely dark yet.” Said Kimmel, “To me, this felt more in tune with the emotion that the character is experiencing.” It would require that Kimmel and the team work with precision, and do all of the work in a short window of light. “I knew it would save on costs, and time, as long as we could pull it off.”

As the cinematographer Adam had to convince the director and producers that shooting at dusk would add something fleeting to the scene, and be very powerful, even though they would have to work quickly. They agreed, and discussed what they would need to get it done. The plan was discussed with the actors, and Kimmel broke down and planned every shot with the Assistant Director to ensure they would have everything they needed, for every shot.

In the end, according to Kimmel, the scene worked really well and he believes the way it was shot set the perfect tone for a profound performance by Andrew Garfield. “This is a great example for students to see,” he explained later. “It shows them how various factors and choices come into play, before shooting, and as you shoot.”

According to Kimmel, the scenes he highlighted in the Master Class in Cinematography demonstrates to students the real life challenges a cinematographer faces. “I hope that it has given them some insight into how they could apply their creativity when they finally work as cinematographers.”

Adam Kimmel, ASC is a NYC cinematographer and director of photography (DP) who has been instrumental in helping film directors establish the visual look of feature films and commercials for over 35 years. As DP, he has also assisted directors and producers as they tell their stories, lending his artistic and technical expertise in lighting, camera operation, and film stock choices. Kimmel has been nominated for several national awards for Best Cinematography. Some of his credits include Mark Felt, Foxcatcher, Capote, Lars and the Real Girl, Chrystal, Never Let Me Go, Jesus’ Son, Monument Avenue, Auggie Rose, Beautiful Girls, New Jersey Drive, Almost Heroes, Who’s the Man, Me and the Mob, and The Ref.

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