Gordon Willis, Jr. is a visionary. His visions are made of light and film that create visual symphonies to his client's products through 'real people who give you a suspension of disbelief, that creates an impression of a slice of life.' Gordon brings a cinematographer’s eye to his commercials. He commands composition, light and technology to create images that capture the product’s spirit as much as its form, often with minimal or no dialogue. Gordon is the third generation of his family to be involved in film production. His grandfather was a premier make-up artist in 1940s and ‘50s Hollywood. His dad is twice Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Gordon Willis, from whom he learned the most basic tenet of great filmmaking: Seeing shots and light with the artist’s eye and the master craftsman’s command of technology. The totalities of Gordon’s commercials are more than the sum of their parts. His best work is 'full of little contextual clues' that add the extra dimensions that 'capture the spirit of it.' Creating the extra dimension has become his calling card. The vision of his work is based on his creative and technical abilities to translate the product. He is 'not an effects guy' because digital effects are created in post-production. Rather, he focuses on the heart of the shoot, and the heart of his vision.
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