Biography Gilbert Taylor

1 biography

1.1 life , career
1.2 kubrick, lester , polanski
1.3 later work in colour
1.4 private life

biography
early life , career

the son of hertfordshire builder, taylor grew in bushey heath. paternal uncle newsreel cameraman , contact him age of ten gave taylor experience of working cameras , developing film stock. was, however, teenager studying career architect intending work in family business, without real enthusiasm, before plans changed. while father disapproved of movie industry, populated thought harridans, whores , gypsies , mother consented son s altered career plans.

a neighbour offered taylor, aged 15, job camera assistant william shenton, cinematographer working gainsborough studios @ islington base. in 1929, taylor worked on studio s final 2 silent films. shenton took taylor paris worked on 2 more silent films, before returning gainsborough. working @ elstree british international pictures, clapper loader on alfred hitchcock film number seventeen (1932). despite junior status, formally second camera assistant, taylor entrusted of special effects work, including use of mattes, disguise roofs of badly maintained buildings.

during 6 years service in world war ii officer in royal air force volunteer reserve, became operational cameraman flying in avro lancaster bombers, documenting damage after british bombing raids. taylor recalled: requested winston churchill, , material delivered 10 downing street him view. keen public see our lads doing. did 10 of operations, including raids on cologne , dresden .

after demobilisation, worked 2 cities films. in fame spur (1947), worked on dream sequence using deep focus. boulting brothers co-producers of film , placed taylor under contract. boultings, taylor, promoted full cinematographer, or director of photography, shot guinea pig (us, outsider, 1948), 7 days noon (1950) , high treason (1951). point, taylor began use bounced , reflected light gaining more naturalistic look, whereas use of direct light still common practice contemporaries. because necessary london unpopulated in 7 days noon, first of 3 end of world films taylor worked on, necessary him arise @ five-o-clock in morning during seven-week shoot.

kubrick, lester , polanski

taylor worked on number of films noted black , white photography, such stanley kubrick s dr. strangelove , richard lester s hard day s night (both 1964). taylor, without kubrick unwilling fly in aircraft, filmed material in arctic used background plates in flying sequences.

he commented later: strangelove @ time unique experience because lighting incorporated in sets, little or no other light used . concerning war room set designed ken adam: lighting set sheer magic, , don’t quite know how got away . continued: of same formula based on overheads fill , blasting in key on faces side . although kubrick , taylor had rapport, found director autocratic. easier project work on richard lester film beatles heavily improvised.

with lester, chris pizzello wrote in 2003, taylor adopted roving, multiple-camera technique (aided new, versatile 10:1 zoom lenses) beatles move freely , not worry technicalities hitting marks. fast, fresh brand of filmmaking perfect fit film’s tiny budget, tight schedule , simple black-and-white aesthetic . taylor , 5 other operators on film used hand-held arriflex cameras. key not hold camera still , once commented let breathe you, move .

his work on dr strangelove led roman polanski seek taylor repulsion (1965). in committing polish director s first english-language film, taylor rejected opportunity work on bond film (thunderball) because thought polanski interesting guy . according polanski in 1984 autobiography, repulsion s executive producer michael klinger protested gil taylor 1 of expensive cameramen in business, held out taylor , got him . taylor said aim stronger negative , shadows in final print. shadows make movies .

their collaboration continued cul-de-sac (1966) , macbeth (1971), third , last film shot polanski. according ronald bergan, although shot in colour , macbeth, near black , white possible, grey, misty landscape . taylor received bafta nominations on 2 consecutive years first 2 collaborations.

later work in colour

hitchcock requested taylor work on penultimate film frenzy (1972). despite claim in ronald bergan s obituary of cinematographer hitchcock unaware 2 men had worked forty years earlier, seems had stayed in touch, according taylor s own account. hitchcock never looked through camera, because of use of storyboards, leaving decisions taylor. tracking shot, , down flight of stairs , street, invisibly merged shots studio set , street location took day achieve switch disguised movement of in front of camera.

taylor s later films include omen (1976), , star wars (1977). on star wars, established principles visual aesthetics have been maintained in later films in series. told mark newbold in 2005:

wanted give star wars unique visual style distinguish other films in science fiction genre. wanted star wars have clarity because think space isn’t out of focus, mindful there enormous amount of process work done in america dykstra after had finished shooting in england, , crisp result process .

taylor found george lucas elusive person consult, leading taylor make own decisions how shoot picture after multiple readings of script. differences of opinion between director , cinematographer led 20th century fox, whom taylor had shot omen, intervening retain him on picture. after experience of working on star wars, taylor decided never work again lucas.

his last film credit don t me started released in 1994, continued work on commercials time afterwards.

taylor founder member of british society of cinematographers, receiving lifetime achievement award in 2001. received international award american society of cinematographers (asc) in 2006.

private life

taylor survived wife, former script supervisor dee (née vaughan), whom met while both working on comedian tony hancock s film, punch , judy man (1963), , married in 1967. couple had son , daughter; taylor had son , daughter earlier marriage. died on 23 august 2013, aged 99, @ home on isle of wright.