Dave Sperling
Cinematography
Why HDVDP.com?
I started out working in film, first in the editing room, then as a camera assistant, gaffer or sound recordist, and eventually as a Director of Photography. I still love film, but the financial realities of production make it difficult to justify for most projects.
I've also always lived on or close to the technological cutting edge. That meant that I moved into electronic field production early, even while continuing to shoot projects in film.
A New Look...
I've had this website for a while, and for the first couple of years I spent plenty of time getting it up and running - and adding lots of elements.
But then I got too busy, and it was too large and unmanageable, and it just started to become too dated. I was putting all my web and computer time into OnSet Software, and then I got involved writing the online Principles of Cinematography course for Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. So this website seemed to be getting permanently back-burnered.
Finally I decided something had to be done -- the site was too big and rambling, and needed to be simplified. So I figured I'd spend some time over the next couple of holidays playing with new approaches. I'm going live with it before it's really completed (but these projects really aren't ever completed!)
My apologies for any links that aren't yet working, or any other anomalies -- but I do hope you enjoy your visit here!
Some Other Thoughts....
About Cinematography:
Talent, knowledge, leadership, ability, a compositional eye, collaborative thinking, the ability to paint with light -- they all make up part of the picture. The other, perhaps ‘bigger’ half is problem solving. It’s not just about making a pretty picture, but making sure the picture tells the story you’re trying to tell. It takes listening, thinking, and using the combined resources of research, knowledge and experience to make it work. And just sometimes it helps to add a little luck.
I’ve spent almost 30 years working in one capacity or another on a huge variety of film, video, theatrical, and internet productions. Times and technologies change, but the basic principles of quality storytelling and hard work remain the same.
Warning:
If you don’t respect your subjects enough to care what the cinematography looks like, then you’ve come to the wrong place.
