Roger Deakins at DePaul!

Last week, the two-time Oscar-winning cinematographer and his Team Deakins partner James spent four days in Chicago. Here are three things I took away from their observations about cinematic storytelling.

One of my teaching colleagues at the DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts is Wendy Roderweiss. Among the many things she oversees is the school’s Visiting Artists Series. Previous guests include Paul Schrader, the Wachowskis, Bo Burnham, Emerald Fennell, Dan Harmon, Alex Cox, Sean Baker, Tom Schulman, and many others.

Last week, the school hosted a very special event: Four days with Team Deakins — world renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins and his professional and personal partner James Ellis Deakins.

Four days. Four events.

Day One: Thursday, February 8th — An interactive lighting workshop with DePaul film school students at Cinespace Studios

Day Two: Friday, February 9th — Q&A session with DePaul film school students and faculty featuring clips from notable movies including Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Blade Runner 2049, and 1917.

Day Three: Saturday, February 10th — An interactive Lighting Faces Workshop with DePaul students and the Chicago production community including members of the TV series The Bear.

Day Four: Sunday, February 11th — A screening of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford at the historic Music Box Theatre followed by a Q&A session.

Roger Deakins, who has been nominated 16 times for an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Cinematography, winning twice (1917, Blade Runner 2049), inspired our students … and me as well. At the Friday event, among my many takeaways were three points he emphasized in the conversation that evening:

— — “Every scene … every shot … every lighting choice must be made with an awareness of what’s happening in the story and with the characters.”

As a screenwriter, I was pleased to hear this … and for our students to hear it as well. A young director or cinematographer may fall in love with a specific camera shot, but if it does not serve the story … if it fails to capture the emotional and psychological experience of the scene’s characters in that moment … those are choices that do a disservice to the overall narrative. Again and again, Deakins hit those points: Story. Character.

— — “There is no right way to do this.”

When working with students in those two interactive sessions, Roger never said, “That’s a wrong approach” or “That’s the right way to do it.” Instead, he expressed an openness to any and all ways of lighting and composing a shot.

When I teach screenwriting, I tell my students much the same thing: There are no rules. There are conventions … paradigms … even expectations. But there’s no right way to write. Each writer needs to discover their own voice … and their own way of writing. We can learn from the masters, but it’s up to every writer to give expression to their own unique voice.

— — “Experience life.”

On Friday, the day after the first interactive session with DePaul students, Roger took off on a four-hour walk along Lake Michigan. Why? To absorb the world around him. The sights … sounds … atmosphere.

This is in keeping with his advice to our students: Experience life. Soak it all in. It’s important to feed one’s creativity so that, as Roger said, “You can bring your personal experience to the filmmaking process.”

Once again, I resonated with these words of wisdom. I tell my students, the world is filled with stories and cinematic moments. They’re everywhere. What we see and hear can fuel our creativity.

I encourage my students to turn off their cellphones once a day for at least fifteen minutes. Get quiet. Take some deep breaths. Look. Listen. Observe. Reflect. Feed your soul.

Yes, you can experience life by trekking around the world … pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone … daring to try something new.

But you can also experience life by being still and absorbing what the world brings you in the moment.

So, thanks to James and Roger Deakins. Thanks to Wendy Roderweiss and the Visiting Artists Series tream for making this magical weekend happen … such a gift to our students.

The DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts is a special place. Young, hungry, scrappy, and brimming with energy and talent.

James and Roger Deakins experienced that first-hand … they loved their time here.

And we loved having them.

In the near future, the Visiting Artists Series YouTube channel will host videos featuring Team Deakins on. I’ll be sure to alert folks when those become available online.