Michael Spitzbauer
Director of Photography // Cinematographer
Director of Photography
My Philosophy
Michael Spitzbauer
Working with Directors
My job is to put the image which the director has in his head to the screen. I always start with a long conversation with the director. In this talk I want to learn, what he wants the final piece to look like, which emotion should it deliver and the overall mood. I love to work with reference pictures.
Camera
I worked with a veraiety of cinema cameras. RED, Arri and Sonys are my favorite ones. However the most of the time I work with the Sony Cinema Line. The dual base ISO is so good that I don’t want to miss it. I love to shoot digital because I want to see what the end product looks like. Personally I own a Sony FX6 and FX3 and shoot commercials, documentaries on them.
Light
As a cinematographer light is my paint brush. I paint with light, however I do it to complete the story. I create a reality in which the movie, series, commercial plays. Light should supports the actor and the story. I combine classic Hollywood techniques with a new fresh style. I love to use practicals and I often find myself falling for the shadows. I am very open for new ideas and techniques. I work a lot with natural light. My cinematography usually doesn't stand out or be noticed in the movie. It completes the story.
Camera Movement
I only move the camera if it needs to be moved. I love to let the viewer see the stunning performance of the actors. Especially in dialogue the framing is important. At the end of the day it depends on the story and the directors choice.
