Cinematographer for Solo: A Star Wars Story, Bradford Young has spoken with The Triton. The Oscar nominee talks about the challenges of the industry, and his career so far.
“You can be Black and make movies.”
This realization resounded deeply with Bradford Young when he was growing up, and consequently, it changed his life.
On April 27, Bradford Young, an Academy Award nominated cinematographer, spoke with Visual Arts professor Brian Cross as a guest lecturer at Price Center Theater. Young spoke about his journey with film, from his work as a cinematographer on the films Pariah, Selma, and A Most Violent Year, to the soon-to-be-released spin-off from the Star Wars franchise, Solo: A Star Wars Story. Young made history when he became the first African American cinematographer to be nominated for an Academy Award for his work on the 2016 film Arrival.
In deep and personal interview Young also touches upon his work on Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Young has now finished his work on Solo: A Star Wars Story, which is to be released on May 25. Despite growing up with the original Star Wars trilogy, he was convinced to become the cinematographer for Solo: A Star Wars Story because he thought he could shoot this film in a different style from the older films. He was allotted a good amount of creative freedom and employed it by using single source lighting and slow, procedural shots instead of the fast cuts often seen in action movies.
“Film is like my religion,” Young said, but he explained that despite his success, “I struggle with it.” Cinematography has not always been the most evident path for Young, but he has made quite the name for himself. He has often felt conflicted and lost, but has persevered and thrived, and found a style of cinematography that suits him best. Young laid out three important lessons that he learned from Selma director Ava DuVernay: One, do it your way; two, be unapologetic; and three, don’t forget where you came from.
It’s a fascinating insight to a man taking a very different approach to making Star Wars, and I urge you to check out the article in full at the link below.
