We recently connected with Ben Nurhaci LU and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Ben Nurhaci with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
When it comes to work ethic, Buddhism and military training are the two cornerstones of my life. Practicing Buddhism encourages me to delve into the essence of things and propels me to break through the superficial appearances that seem to replace the soul. As a cinematographer, I’m seeking the essence of the narrative, to find out what the story is truly about, as opposed to just creating a pretty image. After setting up a shot, I always think about whether it fits the storyline.
There’s an adage in filmmaking: “Being on time is being late.” Early arrival on a film set allows more leeway to familiarize yourself with the day’s work environment. Even if the location remains the same, the content of the shoot is always different, which requires careful tending by the various collaborating departments. Punctuality is the first lesson of the military because groups are valued more than individuals, so one’s behavior has an impact on others. Film sets are in some ways similar to the military environment, and the training there has fostered a work ethic that I have been able to maintain even years later.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Blockbuster is a precious memory for my family, when I was a kid, my father and I would immerse ourselves in rows of iron shelves seeking for films. From then on, I stepped into the world of film. At times, there were several foreign films with no Chinese subtitles, and surprisingly, I could still understand the narrative through visual storytelling. They forced me to focus more on the performances. It was amazing to me that I could feel this emotion despite the screen and cultural barriers between us. From then on, I have been obsessed with visual arts.
During my years at National Taiwan University of Arts, I went through various departments of film production, and one position instantly caught my attention. After shooting a film with an ARRI SRIII, I was amazed by how images can translate reality into our imagination, which laid the foundation for my desire to be a cinematographer.
I’ve learned a lot from legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins. My personal taste has been enormously influenced by Deakin’s “style”. More precisely, it’s the approach to storytelling— a rather realistic philosophy executed with camera movement, camera height, lens choice, and lighting. As a result, I often use bounce light, which I find to be a major but often overlooked source in everyday life. Furthermore, I operate the camera whenever possible. Because no two performances are exactly the same, moving the camera ever so slightly with the actors allows me to capture the nuances. All of these resonated with the desire to make strong story-driven films.
Another great cinematographer that I have learned a lot from is Steve Yedlin. His website contains numerous articles that aimed to either dispel the fallacies created by modern marketing terms or to clarify misconceptions often accumulated by plausible experience. Above all, he emphasizes that as filmmakers we should thoroughly understand our tools and even build our own if possible. I became increasingly rigorous about my work, and whenever possible, I will conduct well-planned tests to try the looks I’m after before production. Gradually, I learned to form my vague imagination and intention into concrete, understandable language that can faithfully convey the concepts I am after.
I love to play with different textures. During pre production, I always work with the production designer to try different textures of wallpapers, curtains and lampshades. I would also try different bounce materials with my gaffer, from unbleached muslin to custom-dyed fabric. Whenever lens testing is possible, I will test a specific set of lenses with a pre-designed plans.
I hope to make films that will provoke viewers to pause and reflect, especially in this extremely fast-paced modern society. Filmmaking provides me the opportunity to humbly offer more creative content while, at the same time, digging deeper into the perpetual quest of who I am and what I can do for the world.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Lifelong Learning. Being curious about the world is an important quality one must have, and I believe this is not only true for artists.There’s literally no end for learning, as a cinematographer, I expand my leaning base outside of the technical part of cinematography. While one can become an expert in the technical aspects, the real motivation for me is aesthetics, both in subject matter and form. In addition to studying film, I am often inspired by nature, impressionist, cubist and surrealist paintings. I pay attention to the slit of light in the alley, the mist in the air at midnight, the colors of sky during magic hours when sun is setting.
2. Introspection. Setting aside a portion of my day after work for introspection has helped me in my work and life.Taking a step back and observing myself gives me a more objective, omniscient perspective that reveals blind spots that are obscured by subjective, narrow views. I often meditate on what I’ve been doing lately to learn, how I interact with people throughout the day, and how I should redirect my life.
3. Focus on the positives. Doing the same thing with a different attitude can dramatically affect not only the process but also the outcome. Facing the challenges with a positive perspective opens up all the solutions you wouldn’t achieve with having a negative mindset. It pushes people to challenge their comfort zones and come up with creative solutions.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Working with new collaborators happens all the time during the movie making process, and in many cases it’s based on recommendations from people you trust. I strongly emphasize some key qualities. First, it’s not about competence, it’s about the quality of collaboration without much ego. Filmmaking is such a heavy collaborative process that requires every individuals to give their best to the project, and since the nature of film is an art of visual, there will be so many overlapping fields from different department contributing to the same 2D screen. For example, the Director, Production Designer and Cinematographer are the key elements for creating the look of the film. It is important to be open to ideas and know how to filter and transform elements of ideas. It’s a two-way street; you will absorb and enhance the ideas of others, and others will do the same with yours. Unnecessary protection can greatly hinder the making of a movie and the production process.
The second quality is competence, where work speaks louder than words. Earning trust with hard work, without being supervised or constantly micromanaged, is an essential quality that must be present in this type of collaborative art. Additionally, having a positive competitive mindset and offering better ideas than others enhances quality of the film. It is a pyramidal accumulation process where the collision of different ideas creates new chemical reactions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://reurl.cc/blZgYl
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benludp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002993705985
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/dbGBWZ1A_ZY?si=OQHhEMbTgK88zgdQ
Image Credits
Lily Chen, Margot Moore
