Over-the-shoulder vs clean single

[Gohanto]

Makes sense. Do you ever run into problems working instinctively when something feels right to you, but the director just doesn't "get" your idea?

[Roger]

That's not a problem! As a cinematographer I can make suggestions but all final decisions are with the director.

[Gohanto]

I think I could've written the question a little better. Mostly I'm curious if there's ever challenges where you have an idea that just comes from instinct on watching the scene, and the director just asks why you like that idea. Do you find that you can justify most of your instinctual choices logically when asked, or do you more commonly say that it just "feels right" and see if they agree or not?

So not outright disagreements by any means, just having instincts to do things visually that you might not always be able to explain on the spot.

[Roger]

There are so many ways to light and compose a shot and the choice between one and another is mostly instinctual but I probably could always come up with some logical explanation if I had to. I do find myself saying 'It just feels right' a lot of the time. It's easier that way and, besides, didn't John Huston who say 'you shoot with your gut and not your head'?

[Sing Howe Yam]

I feel it just depends on every film and also the scene, I agree with Roger about an actor that can keep up with continuity, I recently shot a film where both male actors were terrible about it and the director, script sup, and myself usually agreed on clean singles for them.

I would say it's also about preference, I usually like dirty singles opposed to OTS. I remember watching Road to Perdition and Conrad Hall A.S.C. in one scene did a OTS that pushed in gradually to a single.

[maliksaj]

hey Roger! its been quite long that i am listening about the observational feel.

Can you please explain the "observational" feel?

Staying on long or wider shots as compared to clean singles creates observational?

[Roger]

I can't really explain it any more than I have. It is just a feeling created by the placement of the camera and quite a personal perception.

[Andy Karkut]

For those of who want some kind of visual reference, Roger talks about the observational quality of a shot composition and choice of lenses in the excellent documentary Cinematographer's Style. At one point he even gets the camera person to change the long lens to a wide, and move the camera position dead-center to demonstrate this point!