Three time Oscar Winning Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (APOCALYPSE NOW, THE LAST EMPEROR, REDS) sits in the green room of the Paramount Theater about to speak before the first US screening of Woody Allen's new film, Café Society. Storaro not only brought his genius to the film as Cinematographer, he accomplished something no one else had done thus far -- got Woody Allen to go digital. Café Society was both Allen and Storaro's first full-length feature film shot on digital. Storaro, who in 1983 had tested early HD camera technology from Sony Professional, saw their vision for the future and believed they were creatively aligned. After much conversation Storaro and Allen decided the Sony F65 CineAlta 4K camera was the way to go.
We were privileged to sit down with Storaro before the first US screening of Café Society at the Paramount Theater as part of the Cine Gear Expo. Storaro who has been known for his genius for manipulating light and shadow, details his passion for the great painters, architects, sculptors and photographers throughout the ages who have influenced his craft and warns of the dangers of not striking the "balance between Technology and Art". He refers to his method as "writing with light", an art that is quickly becoming endangered.
His breadth of knowledge of both art and technology is astounding yet he insists "How wonderful it was to be a student. I was doing what I love without any pressure. Catch that moment and take it with you in your pocket. Never stop learning."
Café Society opens in the US on July 15, 2016. Stay tuned for our full review. For more information about Sony Professional and the F65 visit pro.sony.com/
LISTEN below to Sarah Mason's roundtable interview with Vittorio Storaro.
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