Hey Folks!  Welcome to the first installment of our Behind the Scenes weekend for ACG3!  This is the first in a series of interviews with cast or crew members regarding their involvement with Assassin’s Creed: Generations III!  It should be a lot of fun, and you’ll get a lot of insight to what’s going on behind the camera and just off screen.  You might just be inspired enough to try it yourself!

Today we have an interview with Greggie G, the Director of Photography for ACG3.  Let’s see what he has to say!

Q: Introduce yourself!

Hello ACG Fans! My name is Gregory Georgianna, but on the set of Assassin’s Creed Generations, I’m better known as “Greggie G.” I first started loving movies as a young child and was always intrigued by the beauty of cinema on a purely visual level.  To me there are always a few, very specific shots that would stick out and stay with me. You know the type, the image that makes you tingle. I was always paying attention to those.

So it isn’t surprising that I would break into filmmaking by doing camera work. I’m quick on my feet and have always been able to visualize different options very quickly. This comes in handy when solving a Rubik’s Cube or driving golf carts through the mall (not that I’ve actually done that, but wouldn’t it be cool? Solving a Rubik’s Cube?)

I grew up in New Jersey and moved to Philadelphia where I studied Filmmaking and Screenwriting at Drexel University. It’s a great town and I’m happy with my choices to pursue an art form as amazing as this. The work is never easy but the reward is great. Where else can you show someone what you do for a living that is as exciting as this?

Q: Tell us a little about your role in the Assassin’s Creed: Generations series.

I first started by operating camera for a couple of scenes in AC:GI and since then I’ve held the role of Director of Photography for II and III in the series. I’ve also operated the Steadicam in some of those sweet action sequences that you’ve seen in AC:GII and will see in AC:GIII.

Being Cinematographer for an Action Series like this has been incredible!  There is no way to replace an experience like this one and especially at such a young age (I’m 22 now if you were wondering). As Cinematographer, I was responsible for working with the Gaffers (Lighting) and Art Department to create that final, beautiful image you see on screen. When they were setting up lights and props, I was mostly responsible for how to place the camera, its function, and in many cases, how it moved.

For Assassin’s Creed Generations III we had the biggest crew yet. With multiple camera operators and assistants, we were always on the move. You see, shooting action scenes can be very tiresome for the actors and stuntmen/women. In order to speed up the production, we would set up 2-3 cameras to grab different angles of the same scene. Along with Steadicam, we often used a lot of Dolly, or Tracking shots.

Q: How was working with director Tom Quigley?

Tom and I have spent a lot of time together and we’re still learning about each other everyday. We both like the same movies, TV shows, and videogames so communicating with him was very consistent. Sometimes I would just say “The Street Fighter Angle” and he would know exactly what I meant. You’ll see a lot of those shots in the film, so pay attention!

It’s important to be able to express your ideas and be on the same page. We’re bringing his vision to life! So Tom and I would sit down on many occasions and talk about every single shot that would be in the movie. We came up with a shot list of over 350 angles and both of us knew exactly why we were choosing that angle and also how we would accomplish it. As we discovered new and exciting locations, the shot list would change and be altered for those specific places.

It’s very exciting to work with a director as good as Tom. He knows what he wants and he’s always very passionate about his projects. With his enthusiasm, you can’t help but jump on board and give him everything you’ve got.

Q: Let’s get technical!  What cameras were used to shoot ACG3?

For Assassin’s Creed: Generations III we had a few options and it was a very difficult task when choosing what cameras to use. Initially we were leaning towards DSLRs such as the Canon 5D and 7D. It performs great in low-light situations and allows a much higher Depth of Field with the option to swap out lenses.

We eventually decided to stay with the Sony EX1 because it would not only match the first and second films, but it would allow more flexibility with multiple cameras and movement. This way all the cameras would have the same settings and look, and if we needed, we could pop one onto a Steadicam or dolly. This allowed us to shoot more efficiently and I’m very happy with the results.

Q: Any other interesting pieces of equipment used on the film?

DYNAMITE! (Just kidding… or am I?) I think one of the coolest shots in the film is when we used a Jib. That is a crane-like device that could lift the camera high into the air. We used this on the Market Street Bridge, right smack in the middle of Philadelphia during rush hour. Boy did we get a lot of stares. This shot leads up to something very cool, possibly too cool… but you’ll just have to wait and see for yourself.

Q: Tell us about the look you were going for when filming.

I always go for a very realistic, but also stylized look when filming. On this project especially, the actors and stuntmen/women are incredibly talented. They could all destroy me in any sort of physical confrontation, so I stayed behind the camera!

In order for the audience to believe that the action was real, I wanted to film it in its purest form. As many long takes as possible, just like in AC:GII we want the audience to see the level of their skill, we don’t want any room for possible doubts.

Q: Any major influences on your work?

Well I love action movies, of all sorts. Jackie Chan, Tony Jaa, you name it. But if I had to pick one that was my favorite, and don’t laugh, It’s gotta be X2.

It’s one of my favorite movies and has an excellent balance of story, action, and character development. I’ve watched it more than 10 times and have seen all the special features. My favorite scene, and I’m sure many of you will agree, is when Nightcrawler infiltrates the White House.

It’s one of the best action scenes in cinema history in my opinion. The first time I saw it, it blew me away. I wanted the theater to rewind and play it again! Not many films do that for me, In fact, it hasn’t happened since, so I consider that a rare treat.

Q: How do you approach working with your crew, and what did they bring to the table for ACG3?

Everybody has his or her own personality, especially in filmmaking! We are all individually unique and I love that dynamic. So there are a few ways one can go about their job. There’s the strict way, and then there’s the more open minded way. I like to think of myself as the open-minded type.

I like to have a general direction with how a scene should be set up and how the cameras should be placed. Everything is planned but there are always factors you can’t predict. The weather, the furniture in the scenes, the characters’ movement and improvisations, everything can change your original plans and nothing is exact.

I like to listen to other crewmembers’ ideas and their thoughts as the scene is developing. If they have concerns or ideas, any information is helpful in making the scene the best that it can be. So you can’t shut out those ideas and comments. I find it best to listen to what’s in front of you and to use that information to make your next move. Filmmaking is a collaborative process, so being open, I find, is always best.

Q: What’s next for you?

Since graduating from Drexel I’ve been freelancing and working on corporate videos along with shooting the occasional wedding for extra income.

I’ve worked on another short film after Assassin’s Creed: Generations III and will be Director of Photography on another short in early December.  I look forward to continuing my work as a cinematographer and to hopefully working on more awesome action films.

Be sure to check back every day this weekend for more awesome interviews with cast and crew!

~ by tompquigley on September 23, 2011.

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