In this new series of DoP to DoP talks – Mikołaj Krawczunas, a DoP passionately interested in the latest technology, invites various cinematographers to share insights into their work. This episode features Radu Stefan Fulga, who is known as a man of many talents and the most technically skilled cinematographer in Romania.
First of all, can’t resist that question, you’re a cinematographer, VFX supervisor, Motion Control operator, colorist – the list is very impressive. How do you find time to do all of these, very often at the same time?
This list of attributes stems from my background in VFX before becoming a DOP and later a Motion Control Operator.
To fully realize and faithfully reproduce your vision as a cinematographer on-screen, I believe you require a deep understanding of the ever-changing landscape of technologies and modern cinematic techniques. This understanding then loops back into your creativity, you realize that specific techniques could elevate your work as a cinematographer, and you can approach challenging ideas with confidence and ease. I love demanding projects, and I like to think things through. Finding solutions to seemingly impossible requests is what makes me tick.
Finding the time is relatively easy because I apply what else I know on projects where I am DOP since it is my main job.
How would you describe your lighting approach?
I believe that the creative side of a cinematographer’s work should be done at home, with pen and paper. That’s your chance to be an artist.
While on set, on the other hand, you are an art fitter; you should know exactly what you are doing and think things through to the point where changing your mind becomes next to impossible.
This approach has made me very quick and efficient on set, my equipment list always has precisely what I know I will use, and technical teams appreciate it because they know that what I ask for has been thought through. They can confidently spend time taking care of all the minor details instead of being prepared for unforeseen changes.
When it comes to the actual process of lighting a scene, I think of something other than the lighting approach in classic terms like key light, edge light, backlight, fill light, and so on.
