Conference Paper In: COA PGR showcase 2023, 22/06/2023, University of Lincoln.

Shelbourn, Jack (2023) NEW NATURALISM AND SUSTAINABLE CINEMATOGRAPHY.

Paper Abstract

The dogma of New Naturalism in its visual form, was first defined by Terrence Malick and Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki, ASC, AMC. with reference to their film The New World(2005). More recently It has been used to describe the cinematography of Chloe Zhao’s Oscar winning film Nomadland (2020) by writer Benjamin B with reference to shooting only with natural light.

Benjamin B expanded beyond Malick and Lubezki’s visual dogma by exploring the feel and visual dynamics of what appears on screen and ultimately how the characters are portrayed.
But by looking beyond the creative impact of the dogma an intriguing question now emerges.

Does New Naturalism and it’s expanded interpretation, contain the formula for sustainable practices for cinematography embedded within it?

This paper delves into the concept of New Naturalism, a cinematic approach that has gained prominence in recent years. As a senior lecturer and practitioner in the field, Jack Shelbourn has been unknowingly practicing forms of New Naturalism throughout his career, favouring techniques such as handheld camera operation, wide-angle lenses, and shooting with natural or available light. In this paper, Jack will introduce the concept of New Naturalism, discuss its impact on the film industry, and outline my research focus on developing a sustainable cinematography Manifesto.

The Manifesto, inspired by the principles of New Naturalism, aims to foster creativity while addressing sustainability challenges in cinematography. Furthermore, this paper explores the potential for New Naturalism, along with its expanded interpretation, to inherently contain a formula for sustainable cinematography practices.

This paper aims to address this question by focusing on the early research conducted as part of Jack Shelbourn’s on-going PhD.