ROME IAGA IMAGO
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Leon Narbey in Rome
Report on the ROME IAGA Imago
It was like entering an Italian Cinema Heaven. Cinecitta
Studios was where the 2 day general assembly for IMAGO took place and was
hosted by the Association of Italian Cinematographers (AIC). These studios
were the base for Fellini’s films plus many American productions from the early 60’s right up to Scorsese’s “The Gangs of New York”. In the heart of the Studios the AIC have their “club-rooms” adjoining
a museum displaying their many old cameras, posters and photographs from
past productions.
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Luciano Tovoli AIC, ASC, was the main spokesperson for
AIC and he arranged and organised everyone like a First AD that
we go this way or that as we toured the back-lot studios in different
groups – it was Luciano who founded IMAGO 18 years ago. Luciano is renowned for his work on Antonioni’s “The Passenger” – remember
that continuous 7 minute shot at the end of the film where the
camera went from the interior through the window and then from the road
turned back on that room from which it had come?
Enlarge image. Leon with Luciano Tovoli AIC ASC
After the main assembly we were taken by bus to Technicolor
where in an inner sanctum unannounced, waiting for us was Vittorio
Storaro! He was in good spirits and spoke of his aims for “Univisium” the
1:2 aspect ratio as the favoured ratio that we should demand regarding film,
HD and DVD transfers, and in particular the problems arising from transfer
to HDVS on the 18/9 ratio monitors.
Nigel Walters BSC (President) welcomed us all and gave us in NZ special mention as did Louis-Philippe Capelle (General-Secretary. Tony Costa (Portugal) ran the big meeting day (12hours) as Moderator and is a vital and energetic person. It was quite a buzz and a little intimidating to be sitting with 50+ Cinematographers representing 28 of the member countries.
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New Zealand, Canada, Israel and Japan were all inducted as Associate Members.
As Associates we have no voting rights, but the knowledge that we are now part of IMAGO with its momentum to ensure the recognition of cinematographers as principle contributors in the art of cinema film and television should be cherished and maintained.
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Imago is maintained by fees from member societies. The sum offered or owing from each society is allotted by the number of active members in each society. The fee is at present 15 Euros. They wish to increase this fee to 20 Euros per active member per society.
This fee was not expected from associate societies like Australia / Japan / Israel / Canada / NZ – however Israel and Australia offered that they should/will pay the same as European members and were willing to propose this.
This issue needs to be discussed as it will be a large output from our reserves.
Imago would also encourage support and donations from society suppliers.
The issue of Authorship rights and the role of Cinematographer as co-author in film and television was one of the main points in the agenda. Dr Christina Busch presented her paper and it was generally agreed upon (This will be posted on the web site). There seems to be a “north - south” divide in that Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania (I think this is correct) have this right set in law, and have collecting societies that recognise and collect fees for them. In Germany legislation now over-rides contractual agreements like we have in NZ which were made with a producer with clauses that sign over all rights to a producer.
France Italy Spain Netherlands Greece and the UK and others follow the US/UK model as we do in New Zealand.
Mercedes Escherer (Austrian Actress /Politician EU) from EUXXL group spoke to the meeting and will present the IMAGO case to a Vienna EU meeting in May. From the results of this meeting we will have more of an understanding of how best to proceed. The aim is to get recognition and have it cemented into law so as to receive ”backend” residuals, payments and percentages which are currently being enjoyed by Directors, Writers, Composers/Performers and Producers. This is especially needed for films that migrate to television, and television series re-runs to foreign sales. I feel there is a long way to go yet and we are presently following the US model of ownership, or as the case stands for us, non-ownership.
There is an Imago “Working Conditions Committee”, and model contacts are being worked on. Perhaps we should send them the NZ Techos Guild “Blue Book” as an example of our working principles and aims for conditions.
On the 1st day Kodak presented a showing of 3 perf intercut with 2 perf film from two stocks. It was very good. The 2 perf was only just a little de-saturated and flatter in tone but was quite remarkable.
Fuji showed a new reel from 3 Cinematographers including Dion Beebe using the new Vivid 500 stock. Very impressive.
We were shown the new Deluxe Lab’s DI grading suites, and the following night were shown the Technicolor Lab in Rome which does print-runs for all European distributors. Panalight showed the Arricam Studio with 2 perf block and digital split, plus there was a monster 2 x Sony F35 3D camera rig.
On the last day a hurried meeting took place in the hotel lobby/conference room. A statement to the Minister of Culture in Poland concerning the future of Camer image, Lodz and how we from Imago feel. We urgently requested that this festival be given all the necessary support by his government. The statement was unanimously agreed upon.
The next general assembly (AGM) IAGA 2011 to be held in Estonia ( Finland has offered to jointly help out) – and because of the small society and lack of members and finance – they will probably ask those attending to pay their own accommodation.
Ron Johanson (ACS President) has offered that the 2012 IAGA be held in Sydney, Australia .
If that were to happen no doubt we should be involved and I made Ron this offer. But I have no idea what we could be in for, or even if they in Europe would seriously consider the endeavour of going to the other side of the globe to have their AGM, however it really could happen and I hope it will.
Leon Narbey 8.4.2010