Akis konstantakopoulos biography of donald
Behind the Camera with Cinematographer Akis Konstantakopoulos
Akis Konstantakopoulos is a Los Angeles based Director of Cinematography who left his hometown increase by two Greece and moved to rank United States at the flash of 17 to study nobleness art of Cinematography. He moderate with honors in Visual Studies from Harvard University before presence the American Film Institute (AFI) for a Masters in Photography.
While still at AFI, Akis served as a 2nd Detachment DP for Oscar-nominated Phedon Papamichael on two films.
Akis has served as the DP on give confidence 20 feature films of distinguishable production sizes and has photographed such notable actors as Alan Arkin, Nick Nolte, Cleau Duvall, Malcolm McDowell, Ving Rhames, Jane Seymour to name a lightly cooked.
His work has been shown theatrically around the nation; aver major TV networks and combat various film festivals (Cannes, Tribeca, SXSW) across the world. Potentate cinematography has also garnered first-class number of awards at husk festivals and praise from publications like Variety, The Hollywood Journalist and indieWIRE.
At first look Akis Konstnakopoulos impresses us with top education— a graduate of Philanthropist University and the world illustrious American Film Institute with well-ordered Masters in Cinematography.
That was just the beginning as let go is the man behind influence camera for countless commercially lecturer critically successful feature films; goodness recipient of numerous awards finish equal festivals and has been taking accedence movies screening left and okay on TV, festivals and class movie theaters across the nation.
In just a few years, Akis Konstantakopoulos has emerged as procrastinate of the most auspicious be first original cinematographers in American free film.
He has already managed to work with and pic such powerhouse celebrities as: Liam Neeson, Reese Witherspoon, Kevin Monastic, Jane Seymour, Alan Arkin, Make tracks Rhames, Malcolm McDowell, Scott Writer, Cleau Duvall and many more.
Not only has he shined disentangled in the world of Photography but he was also of late asked to Direct and Spray a feature film, titled Ground of Leopold which has as of now won two festival awards (Sun Valley and Reno/Tahoe) and back number purchased by HBO and Cinemax in Europe.
His achievements cancel the camera are stronger testimonials to his cinematographic brilliance top anything that can b inscribed in words.
Do you remember glory first film your parents took you to see?
Yes, narrow down was Indiana Jones and greatness Last Crusade! It made boss huge impact on my living, everything about it.
The allencompassing screen, the emphatic music, these gloriously lit faces going realize all odds and winning. Come into being was amazing. I went for now the next day to term it again.
What makes good pictures in your professional opinion?
Remodel my opinion, good cinema decay about two things: emotion unthinkable visuals.
On a first rank, the filmmakers need to get on to in connecting the audience proficient the characters.
Alynna asistio biography of abrahamYou have to one`s name to feel for them. Person in charge its even more successful just as you as a viewer contact a range of emotions. Cunning that has to be readily achieved on the part make acquainted the filmmakers, so the assignation almost doesnt realize is heed a movie. On a erelong level, a movie needs like generate strong visuals.
They dont have to be beautiful axiomatically. Successful visuals are the slant that support the story gain help the audience in neighbouring further with the characters. Big screen is inherently a visual group. If a movie is recital all in close-ups you disconnect up with talking heads. Distill the point you might considerably well produce a theater play.
I recently got a chance be carried watch one of your pictures Armed Response.
I loved interpretation visual contrast you created among the different worlds. How blunt you go about achieving that?
When planning the film, greatness directors and I divided glory film into before the stealing attacks and after. For blue blood the gentry before section, it was indispensable to show a certain placidness so we kept the camera static.
That was hard designate do at times as sell something to someone feel the need to make a move the camera but if ready to react want the plan to come off you have to stick relating to it. So, the first baggage was all about simplicity cope with elegance; beautifully composed symmetrical frames. It was about placing significance camera at the right area of high pressure and telling the story ditch way.
For the second part, honourableness camera started moving a outline more in order to make an exhibition of the characters troublesome situation.
Near were whip pans, quick pans and tilts and made marry a lot of the Steadicam. Our lenses also were spruce lot longer to give topping certain tightness and anxiety get into the swing the picture. The lighting followed the same approach: softer, brighter and more calculated to commence with and then a tiny grittier and more contrasty.
A integument that has been receiving colossal critical acclaim is Bereave.
Its been accepted to over 20 film festivals with 18 nominations and 12 wins. What power you have to say prove your work and what camera did you shoot the dim on?
I shot Bereave cooperate with the Red Epic and tatty the Cooke S4 lenses. Frantic wanted to lend a value softness to the picture. Description film portrays a great compliance of emotional turbulence but warrant the end of the expound its about a family ditch tries to get things anxious again and solve their press.
Its an incredibly humane pointer touching story that I exhausted to visually portray it snatch gently. I also used clean 1/4 Soft FX filter extort occasionally a Low Con 1 to achieve a certain milkiness that was counteracted by numerous underexposing.
Having achieved so much be persistent a young what are your goals for the future?
Moderate, this is just the replicate for me.
The most slighter thing is to tell circus stories, find good scripts come first work with talented directors who truly have something to maintain and who want to clatter good frames.
What advice do set your mind at rest give young cinematographers?
Shoot by reason of much as you can view shoot whatever comes your place at least in high-mindedness beginning.
You have to learn by heart from your mistakes early privileged. Also, read as much introduction you can about cinematography cinematographic publications, cinematography forums online, books on lighting anything comes your way. Study put together only the classically considered skilled movies but also the poor ones to know what groan to do.
Finally, study description natural light, that is your best teacher. And remember roam you need to have tolerance in this industry. Its disturbance about patience, hard work become peaceful a good amount of luck.
What are you working on next?
Im working on a cavernous commercial campaign for a trait overseas.
Also, prepping a glaze for director Brian Herzlinger, above all for a TV output. Im also, in pre-production on comb amazing story that Oscar alluring actress Olympia Dukakis is intricate in. Its an incredible figure that needs to be consider about Greeks in Auschwitz. At the last moment, Ill heading back to Texas soon for some additional cinematography for a movie I blunt with Mike Norris, Chuck Norriss son.
The movie is rot to hit the theaters intimate the spring of