Rousselot: Rewriting Light, Adapting to AI's Shadow

Pierre-William Rousselot's cinematic journey ignited at age 11, shaped by a formative experience at a winter camp's cine-club. This early exposure to a wide array of films, from expressionist masterpieces to Cocteau's works, served as his unofficial film school. He later pursued formal training at l'École Louis-Lumière, where cinematography quickly became his passion.

Rousselot's groundbreaking work with Néstor Almendros on Éric Rohmer's films challenged conventional lighting. He learned to observe natural light and invent new techniques, such as bounce lighting, moving away from overly complicated studio setups. This resulted in a more naturalistic feel, as seen in films like 'The Collector.' His own innovations, like the mobile soft lighting system using Chinese lanterns for 'Henry & June,' became widely adopted.

Throughout his career, Rousselot has collaborated with diverse directors, adapting his approach to each project's unique demands, from the Amazon rainforest for 'The Emerald Forest' to precise solar calculations for 'A River Runs Through It.' While embracing digital cinematography as superior to film, he expresses significant concern about the future role of AI in filmmaking, emphasizing the need for cinematographers to remain essential collaborators in visual storytelling.