Orientations: Chris Doyle: stirred not shaken

Orientations offers a broad profile of Australian maverick cinematographer Chris Doyle, whose collaborations with Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai have elevated him into cult status. Energetic to the point of being manic, Doyle talks candidly about his unorthodox working relationship with Kar-Wai, discussing how they shape the films through minimal scripting, their experiments with lighting and film stock, and the many “happy accidents” that contributes to their distinct look. With no formal training behind him and a working method which can only be described as chaotic, Doyle has ironically become hot property in Hollywood, whose formal and rigid studio system seems to be the antithesis of Doyle’s haphazard shooting methods. None the less, he has lensed films for high profile American directors such as Gus Van Sant (Psycho) and Barry Levinson (Liberty Heights). The documentary also focuses on Doyle’s directing debut, “Away with words”, which premiered at the 1999 Cannes film festival and his numerous side projects as a photographer and collage artist. See also “Fallen Angels” (1995), “Ashes of time” (1994), “Happy together” (1997).