Michael interviewed Bruce Alan Greene, the Director of Photography of ROAD TO EVERYWHERE, about his career over the past 40 years. Bruce has had a fascinating path that has included photographing five features starring a young comic actor named Volodymyr Zelensky who later became President of Ukraine. We love hearing these "Hollywood" stories and hopefully, you will find them as interesting as we do.
Bruce filming "Close Enemy" in Batumi, Republic of Georgia in 2008. Seen here with Director Alexander Atanesyan.
MPS: Bruce, tell us a little about how you started in the film business. How did your career begin? What were your early years like?
BRUCE: I became fascinated by photography when I was about 9 years old. No idea why. My dad bought me a “Darkroom in a Box” kit that had a little developing tank and trays and a little light box to make tiny prints. Guess that really hooked me, but I had no idea it might be possible to make a career out of it.
CUT TO: Year 1978. I was studying Economics at Cornell. I really thought I might become an Economist, if I could make it to advising the President (or something like that). For fun I took a course in filmmaking, taught by a film historian, who had never made a film. Here was the deal: They gave us a 16mm Bell and Howell spring motor silent camera. Film was $11 for a 3 minute roll of B&W film, including processing. My first movie was an absurd 3 minute murder mystery. The star was my Economics advisor. I shot 3 rolls of film and the total budget was $40. I made a second film for the class using 5 rolls of film. It was a “Cult Film”. Not because it had a following, but because it was about a fictional cult. I think this was right after Jonestown. The budget ballooned to $90. And I thought, “This filmmaking is really really expensive! It's getting really out of hand!!!”
By chance, the School Filmmaking club invited experimental filmmaker Ken Jacobs to campus. And he asked to see some of our films. I showed the 3 minute murder mystery. And much to my surprise, he was incredibly enthusiastic about it! It's amazing what something like that will do to a young person.
Filming a chase scene in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada on "Far From Home", starring Drew Barrymore in 1988
CUT TO: Year 1979. Graduated from college by the skin of my teeth. Flunked out of my Statistical Theory math course and my Economist dreams died. I found myself living back home near Boston, working as a bus boy in a fish restaurant. My whole bleak future loomed ahead. What was I to do? I had no skills. I was doomed to start at the very very bottom. And then... the light bulb went off in my head. If one is starting at the very bottom, one can start at the very bottom of any industry! And maybe thanks to Mr. Jacobs, experimental filmmaker, I decided that I would start at the bottom of... Cinematography. I went off to the library and researched “how to become a filmmaker”. Long story short, one year later I loaded up my meager belongings and drove to LA to become a “Cinematography Fellow” at the American Institute for Advanced Film Studies. And then, I really started at the very bottom of the film business.
Bruce working as 2nd Assistant Camera in 1983 on DOING TIME in a scene featuring Muhammad Ali.
MPS: You became one of the industry's most well-known Steadicam operators. How did that happen? How long did you do it? And can you describe how a Steadicam operator is used on most big feature films? What are the challenges?
BRUCE: After AFI, I worked for free, trying to make some connections. And I ended up as an Assistant camera operator for about 2 years. And then a friend asked if I might be interested in investing in this Steadicam thing with him. I tried it and thought: “no way I'm ever going to be able to do this.” But it was still a new thing in Hollywood, and the Economist lurking in me figured: “It's really expensive. Few will risk such money and there will be little competition.” And that's exactly how it turned out. After my partner and I practiced with the Steadicam for about 6 months, the calls started coming in, even for us who had very little experience as camera operators. It was a good decision economically and artistically. In the early days of Steadicam, crews were kind of “in awe” of what it could do, and, as a Steadicam camera operator, I had a lot of control over the blocking and shooting of a scene once the director and cinematographer had decided to use the Steadicam. And I learned a hell of a lot about motion picture storytelling. My Steadicam career ended up covering all genres: TV series, Commercials, Music Videos, and Feature Films. The most famous film I operated Steadicam on was “The Mask” with Jim Carrey. But I also worked on “Starship Troopers”, Frances Coppola's “Dracula”, and a few films with John Frankenheimer and John Schlesinger, two of my favorite directors.
Bruce operating the Steadicam for a scene in ROAD TO EVERYWHERE.
MPS: How did you transition into becoming a DP? What do you feel have been some of the highlights of your career as a Director of Photography and the films you have most enjoyed doing? What are the films you're most proud of over your career?
BRUCE: About 20 years ago I decided to transition to Director of Photography because... I wasn't a very good “A” camera operator. I was fine with finding good frames, but I was hit and miss as a “silent partner” situated between the DP and the Director. I also had trouble paying attention while hours long lighting setups were completed. Camera operating is really a job for those who can stay focused while waiting around. And that was not me.
It was a big step to make this transition in middle age, without being “moved up” by a mentor. Again, I started at the bottom. The film budgets went from $100 million to $100 thousand in some cases. Early on, as a DP, I found myself working with an Assistant Director Alexander Yurchicov, who was originally from Russia and came to Los Angeles in the mid 1990's. He connected with a Russian Director, Alexander Atanesyan, who was coming to LA to shoot a Russian gangster movie and he recommended me as Director of Photography. A year later I was working again with Mr. Atanesyan in the country of Georgia shooting another Russian gangster film for Sony Pictures.
Filming the POV of a big truck about to eliminate a rival gangster in "Close Enemy", Batumi, Republic of Georgia in 2008
MPS: Something unusual in your career has got to be your work with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky who was an actor in a number of films you shot as a Director of Photography. Can you talk about working with him and making films in the Ukraine?
BRUCE: And then... Mr. Yurchicov and I went to Russia to work with Producer Marius Weisberg on “8 First Dates”, A Russian RomCom. It starred a very talented young comic Actor, Volodymyr Zelensky... who would later become very famous in his new career as President of Ukraine. I ended up shooting 5 films starring the future president. And my only point here is that it's amazing what adventures life will provide for you! And you never know how or when things will happen. Working with Mr. Zelensky was always a pleasure as he is just an amazing talent, the hardest working person I've ever met, and always a joy to work with. The last project I worked on with Mr. Zelensky was “Me, You, He, She”, a RomCom that we filmed in Ukraine 2018. It was his last film, and it broke the Ukrainian box office record. I had quite an adventure working on and off for10 years in the former Soviet Union. It's the same filmmaking job as in America, but the experience of living and working as a local on the other side of the world is a unique experience that I never expected to have.
First day of filming on "Me, You, He, She" in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2018. "Me, You, He, She" was the last feature film starring Volodymyr Zelensky and broke the Ukrainian cinema box office record!
Left to Right - Bruce Alan Green (DP), David Dodson ( co-director) and Volodymyr Zelensky (co-director, producer, star)
MPS: You are quite an outstanding still photographer as well. How does your interest in still photography inform your work as a Director of Photography on movies?
Since I'm not paid to make still photographs, I can do whatever interests me. I'm drawn to images that show beauty in ugly things and ugliness in beautiful things. And some irony, if I can find it.
MPS: How was your experience working on ROAD TO EVERYWHERE? What were your greatest challenges and the things you most enjoyed about working on the film?
BRUCE: The Road To Everywhere was one of the most enjoyable filmmaking experiences of my career. First, there was a fantastic script with a real story to tell. And that is not so common today. And Joe Mealey, whom I met in 1983 on my first feature film, was producing the film and he introduced me to Michael Shoob who wrote and directed the film. And they are two warm and lovely human beings. So, the perfect combination for filmmaking!
And being a small movie...there was really zero stress on this one. Just pure camaraderie and creativity. And it turned into a very very good movie!!!!
Bruce and Writer/Director Michael Paradies Shoob discuss an upcoming Steadicam shot.
Bruce Alan Green sets up a shot at K.E.Y. Ranch on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona
Bruce with Whip Hubley and Robert Mirabal in ROAD TO EVERYWHERE while filming on the Navajo Nation in Arizona.
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