Originally Posted by OG-
I think it is very rare that a writer writes the specifics of a shot. The only time I can imagine it happening is if the writer knows they are the director or if it is an incredibly visual piece, such as anything written by Charlie Kaufman, and even then I doubt the writer had much say at all in the shots themselves. The director ultimately dictates the shot, but depending on the director will collaborate greatly with the cinematographer on coming up with those shots. Then of course, the cinematographer is the person who executes it.
Charlie kaufman, ehh, but lets not get into that.
As for collaboration, I suppose that is what the writer and director do when making the movie. I can see a cinemtographer going "bra, you need a low frame shot and you need to dim the lights, bra", and I can see a director going, "While I disagree with your existence as a human being, your point of validity in the concept of this shot is noted, and I shall wax intellectual about it so as to deny you the burden of being considered anyone of purpose."
Originally Posted by OG-
That's about the extent of my knowledge on the situation, at least. Someone else could probably shed some more light on it. I should really learn more about cinematography, not just for personal use (because I could sure use it), but because over the past year I've developed a great respect for the people behind the camera and it is hypocritical for me to praise a cinematography so (such as I do with Christopher Doyle - but he is also hilarious and sounds like a badass in interviews) and yet not really know the truth of it all.
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