“Tourneurs de manivelle”, “as de la manivelle”, “tourneurs de moulins à café”: autant d’expressions qui renvoient au métier d’opérateur de prise de vues cinématographiques dont ce livre vise à retracer l’histoire inédite. Quelles furent les possibilités d’existence de ce métier? De quelles tâches concrètes l’opérateur était-il responsable avant, pendant et après le tournage? Comment ces tâches ont-elles évolué entre les premiers tours de manivelle demandés aux employés des frères Lumière et la généralisation du parlant? Autant de questions dont s’empare cette étude richement illustrée et accompagnée d’un DVD (sept films ou documents audiovisuels mettant en scène des opérateurs).
Avis de membres de Domitor:
“A remarkable work of synthesis: nothing less than a social history of the origins, roles, skills, etc, of the early and silent era cameramen of France. It brings together diverse, often fragmentary, information from company records, the trade press, autobiographies, manuscripts, genealogical sources, online sites – and turns it all into a fluent and cogent story of these technicians, or maybe one should say artist-technicians in some cases. There is nothing equivalent that I know of for cameramen of the American, British or continental European silent eras, and I’d say there should be. Sure, there are books about or by individual cameramen, or interviews with them, or histories of studio or camera technique. But this book goes well beyond those somewhat impressionistic accounts and becomes an analysis of the beginnings of a profession, or rather of several linked professions – ‘opérateurs’ of various kinds – taking in lab, projection and other work. Approximately the first half covers the ‘Domitor period’. The title, “Les As de la manivelle”, might be translated as “Aces of the crank” or “Masters of the crank”, though maybe one could just say “Camera Aces” for short in English. Oh, and then there is a formidable bibliography, an index and some great tables – and a DVD. Highly recommended.” (Stephen Bottomore)
“A terrific book. So much great empirical research and information about the foundational side of cinema.” (Ian Christie)
