Films › Cinematography
There Will Be Blood
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007
Robert Elswit shot on anamorphic with a preference for wide, patient masters that let performance play out inside a landscape. The derrick fire is lit largely by the fire itself, and the framing keeps human figures small against industrial scale. Interiors use windows and lamps as the visible source, with deep shadow allowed to stay black. Jonny Greenwood's score works against the images rather than underlining them, which sharpens the cutting. Production designer Jack Fisk built the derrick and drilling sets to actually function, which let Elswit light real fire and real machinery instead of compositing them later, a decision that shaped both safety planning and shot duration. Editor Dylan Tichenor allows scenes to run past their expected length, trusting the anamorphic wides to hold attention without cutting for coverage. The oil fire sequence took days to choreograph safely while keeping the camera close enough to register heat distortion in the air. Filmmakers working with practical fire or industrial locations should study how camera distance here is dictated by safety as much as composition.
What to watch for
Watch the negative space around Daniel Plainview and how rarely the camera moves in to rescue the actor.
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