First issue of "cinematography" Akira Mimura, the first deputy director 

The progress of world civilization and technology over the last half century is quite amazing. As for movies, various forms that people did not imagine 50 years ago are contributing to the people of the world today in terms of entertainment, education, research, art, and so on. 

The movie that started as a black-and-white silent movie became a talkie, and with the addition of color, the appearance of a three-dimensional movie was seen for a while, and after the wide era of cinemascope, it has now evolved into a 70 mm movie. And the technology that accompanies this is going through new stages one after another. Just catching up there is not an ordinary effort. No one can say that videotape will not replace film in the near future.

But no matter what changes, at least in cinematography at this stage, the basis of everything is light and shadow photography, and we must rely on our technology. That is the strength of the photographer, and at the same time, research, effort, and experience are required. 

There is no limit to our work. Especially for those who are in charge of filming feature films, one thing that must always be considered is that the other party is the audience. Audiences come to the cinema with a high admission fee. Some percentage of the actors enter because they want to see it. Others have hope for the content of the play. But it should also be remembered that some percentage of people are very interested in filming and director skills. 
Therefore we should never underestimate the audience. It is said that it is unparalleled that the general public has a camera and knowledge of photography as much as Japan. I think we have to use all our intelligence to do the shooting. 

However, the range of work we are currently receiving is too much. In that sense, the cinematographer-operator system implemented in other countries is absolutely necessary. Looking through the viewfinder, it's not usually the case to pay attention to every corner of the frame. Unlike still photography, the other person is always in motion. In many cases, it is best to make an accurate composition. I would definitely like to adopt this operator system in the future.

In English, there are the terms photographer and cinematographer, which distinguish between the two. However, in Japanese, it is our job title, which is simply expressed by the word photographer or cameraman. I don't think it's generally well known that the two are very different. 
If a person with some knowledge of photography puts a film in the camera and releases the shutter, the subject will always be captured. He is a photographer. 
The first condition for a cinematographer is to take into account the content, continuity, mood, etc. of what is being shot, to match the story, and to take a picture that appeals to the viewer. And there is a need for technology to express the story on film without always being aware of the camera. 
That's why it's often said that anyone can be a photographer, but it's not easy to be a cinematographer. In that sense, we have much to do now and in the future. 

With the launch of this magazine, we would like to receive materials not only from members but also from people who are widely involved in cinematography technology and strive to achieve our goals.