How has Robbie Ryan's collaboration with director Andrea Arnold influenced his career?

Ryan's work with Andrea Arnold, particularly on her early short films, has been fundamental to shaping his approach and overall career. Their close friendship and collaborative partnership have been crucial in Ryan's development as a cinematographer.

What unique filming techniques has Robbie Ryan employed in his work with director Yorgos Lanthimos?

Ryan has experimented extensively with wide-angle lenses, including the use of a 6mm fisheye lens, to create a distinctive visual style for Lanthimos' films like The Favourite and Poor Things. These unconventional lens choices have helped to enhance the otherworldly and kaleidoscopic nature of Lanthimos' storytelling.

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Robbie Ryan's Cinematic Alchemy: Mastering the Art of Lens Choice and Storytelling

16 Nov

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Summary

Robbie Ryan, winner of the inaugural THR Visionary in Cinematography Award
Versatile career spanning raw handheld to fixed-tripod, long-lens approaches
Experimentation with formats like VistaVision and Ektachrome stock

Robbie Ryan's Cinematic Alchemy: Mastering the Art of Lens Choice and Storytelling

Robbie Ryan, the acclaimed Irish cinematographer, has been recognized as the winner of the inaugural THR Visionary in Cinematography Award at this year's EnergaCamerimage festival. Ryan, now 55 years old, has built a remarkable career defined by his radical range and adaptability.

Over the past decades, Ryan has collaborated with a diverse array of directors, from the raw, handheld urgency of Andrea Arnold to the fixed-tripod, long-lens approach of Ken Loach, and the wild, rule-breaking experimentation of Yorgos Lanthimos. His guiding principle has always been that the story dictates the style, leading him to shoot on a variety of formats, including 4:3 ratio, VistaVision, and even Ektachrome stock.