Kodak and UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT) have announced that Oscar nominee Dante Spinotti, AIC, ASC will be the 2012 Kodak Cinematographer-in-Residence for the spring quarter at UCLA/TFT.
“It is an honor to have Dante Spinotti as this year’s Cinematographer-in-Residence at TFT,” said professor William McDonald. “His experience, unique cinematic eye and dedication to his craft make him an invaluable mentor for our students providing them a once-in-a-lifetime experience and education. This is precisely Kodak and TFT’s goal with our exclusive program.”
The mentorship program will begin with a free screening of one of Spinotti’s most memorable films, The Last of the Mohicans, at the James Bridges Theater in Melnitz Hall on April 30 at 8:00 p.m. Spinotti won a BAFTA Award for his work on the 1992 film directed by Michael Mann, and the film received various other accolades. The screening is free and open to students, staff, faculty as well as the general public. A Q&A discussion with Spinotti will be moderated by professor McDonald following the screening.
Spinotti’s U.S. career began in 1986 with his breakthrough visuals on Manhunter with Mann, and continues today with the recent release, Tower Heist, with Brett Ratner. He has compiled more than 60 credits to date, collaborating with such directors as Bruce Beresford, Garry Marshall and Michael Apted. His work with Curtis Hanson on L.A. Confidential in 1997 led to his first Oscar nomination, followed by a second nomination for The Insider in 2000, on which he re-teamed with Mann. Both films also earned Spinotti ASC Award nominations, with an additional nod from ASC for The Last of the Mohicans. His body of work includes such memorable films as Crimes of the Heart, Beaches, Frankie and Johnny, Heat, Wonder Boys, Red Dragon, Pinocchio, X-Men: The Last Stand, Public Enemies, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Berlin Affair, Fotografando Patrizia, Il segreto del bosco vecchio, The Legend of the Holy Drinker and The Star Maker.
“What a tremendous experience these students will have with the incredibly talented Dante Spinotti mentoring them,” says Kodak’s Judith Doherty. “We’re so pleased with the success of this program over the years, as supporting the next generation of filmmakers is always a high priority for Kodak.”
Professor McDonald inaugurated the Cinematographer-in-Residence program in 2000 with the support of Kodak to enhance the learning experience of students with insight from renowned cinematographers. UCLA/TFT is the only film school that offers a cinematography residency program such as this, where students can receive direct guidance from cinematographers through screenings, workshops and one-on-one sessions over the course of 10 weeks.
The program’s past mentors include Allen Daviau, ASC; Conrad L. Hall, ASC; Owen Roizman, ASC; Dean Cundey, ASC; Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC; Laszlo Kovacs, ASC; Joan Churchill, ASC; Stephen Burum, ASC; Victor J. Kemper, ASC; Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC; John Bailey, ASC, and Richard Crudo, ASC.
