Blog 4: Guest Lecturer

Gabriella Vetrano

Guest Lecturer: Kirsten Johnson

To say I was surprised by the format of our guest lecture is an understatement. I had gone into class expecting to watch Kirsten Johnson's film and maybe have a Q & A session afterward. I wasn't expecting the lively presence Kirsten brought to class and I most definitely wasn't expecting to spend part of the lecture looking into my classmate's eyes for two minutes. Looking back, I'm glad Johnson approached this lecture in the way she did and I feel her methods did better to prove her point than a powerpoint presentation could have.

Throughout the lecture Johnson was very active, constantly moving around the room. At one point she demonstrated the stance she uses when holding her camera. I think the point she was trying to make by doing this was how necessary it is for a camera person to be ready to get the shot. The cameraperson should be constantly thinking about the different ways to approach a shot and constantly scouting to see what angle is most compelling for the audience. You don't want your camera to be stagnant or just focused on a talking head, as exemplified by Johnson's brief conversations with students. She'd take a moment to sit and talk with someone but then immediately get back up and begin working the room again.

One of my favorite parts of the lecture was when she discussed her experience filming the hot air balloon. She told us about the lengths she went to get those shots, including waiting on top of the mountain for the perfect shot. If I remember correctly she said she had to wait for around an hour for the wind to be just right, for the flag to be in position and for her to get the amazing shot that ended up in her film. This experience speaks to the dedication one must have to get the best shot. You could take a quick shot and move on or you can put in the time and effort to get a shot that will stay in the minds of the viewers. That's the experience I had after seeing that shot; for days afterward, I was thinking about that story and the efforts she went through to get that shot.