When you make a film, you need to know that you have to beg for money, for a team. And with the movie you want to be noticed, said double Oscar winner Janusz Kaminski at his masterclass as part of the Manaki Brothers festival in Bitola, sharing parts of his own professional and life experience, from the first steps in cinematography to the making of films that marked contemporary film history.
The Polish-American cinematographer, who won the Oscar twice for best cinematography for Schindler’s list (1993) and Saving Private Ryan (1998), before the audience in Manaki Cinema spoke openly about the road he travelled to reach the top in the movie industry.
Kaminski reminisced about his beginnings and the period when he went to art school, but his desire was to create narrative movies. In the early years he made short movies and, as he said, worked exceptionally hard.
In the period when took his first steps, the competition was fierce.
“At that time there were 20 directors of photography, 20 screenwriters”, Kaminski recalled, talking about the difficulties that young filmmakers face when they try to create their own movie and find their place in the industry.
According to him, the love for films alone is not enough, i.e., in order to make a movie you need money, a team and an opportunity to get a chance. But, that the desire to createguided him through his career “I want to keep doing what I’m doing as long as I amble to pay the rent. I love what I do, I made a professional career”, Kaminski said.
Behind success, however, there are also personal sacrifices. Kaminski also talked about the difficult choice that any filmmaker can face at a certain point in.
“Sometimes you have to choose between art and family,” he said.
Janusz Kaminski is a Polish-American cinematographer and two-time Academy Award winner for Best Cinematography. His name is inextricably linked to the cinematic language of director Steven Spielberg, with whom he has collaborated for more than three decades. Kaminski won his first Oscar for Schindler’s List (1993) and his second for Saving Private Ryan (1998). His filmography includes numerous notable works, including Amistad, Artificial Intelligence, Munich, Lincoln, Bridge of Spies, West Side Story, and The Fabelmans. Known for his expressive use of light, shadow, and contrast, Kaminski has built a visual style that serves not only to create aesthetics, but also to deepen the atmosphere and emotion of the film story. His work is a significant example of how cinematography can become an integral part of the way an audience experiences a film.