"No skilled crew" is a lie. Cinematographer Peter Szilveszter on shooting epics for next to nothing, and why great Australian films go unseen.

Peter Szilveszter is a cinematographer and colourist, and director Matthew Holmes' longtime director of photography. Adam caught up with him in the middle of the micro-budget shoot of Ballad of a Sundowner. They talk about The Legend of Ben Hall, from Kickstarter short to award-winning epic, with miniatures, 36 setups a day and three months in the grade. Peter explains how Fear Below shot its underwater scenes "dry for wet", why he lights night scenes at 200 ISO, and how to work with a greener focus puller.

Then the industry: why the skills-shortage story doesn't add up, how few Australian films make their money back, distributors who won't market a film, and ideas for a new independent model. Plus the day Roger Deakins said Peter's first feature looked better than his own.

Unfortunately in what was a marathon 90-minute conversation in the middle of a film shoot, Peter did not get around to providing a 'Never Heard Of It' pick. Instead we would love for you to check out 'The Legend of Ben Hall' and to check out 'Ballad of a Sundowner.'

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Guest: Peter Szilveszter, cinematographer and colourist: https://petersz.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peter.sz/

Mentioned in this episode:
Ballad of a Sundowner (Matthew Holmes): https://www.filmink.com.au/the-sun-comes-up-on-the-sundowner/
The Legend of Ben Hall: https://www.justwatch.com/au/movie/the-legend-of-ben-hall
Shooting The Legend of Ben Hall (Australian Cinematographer): https://acmag.com.au/2015/09/01/the-legend-of-ben-hall/
The Cost (Matthew Holmes): https://www.justwatch.com/au/movie/the-cost
Fear Below (Matthew Holmes): https://www.justwatch.com/au/movie/fear-below
Dangerous Animals: https://www.justwatch.com/au/movie/dangerous-animals
Team Deakins podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/team-deakins/id1510638084
Australian Cinematographers Society: https://cinematographer.org.au/

Some figures may be misrepresented by guests or hosts from memory.
Correction: Maverick was shot on the original Venice with the Rialto extension; the Venice 2 came later.

Hosted by Adam Drummond and Pirie Martin.
Produced by WAGGAWAGGA.TV Pty Ltd.
Edited by Adam Drumond
Guest: Peter Szilveszter, cinematographer and colourist.

Thanks to Mary O'Neill for our Acknowledgement of Country. Read Mary's first book, Bipo and Roo: https://www.melissamaryoneill.com/

Music licensed from Envato Elements.

Chasing the Screen is recorded on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people in Wagga Wagga and the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains.

Views are the speakers' own. General information only, not legal or financial advice.

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