Harris Savides ASC

The first time I was ever truly Starstruck in this business was when i got to meet and work with Harris Savides ASC. I operated Steadicam for him on a music video for director Phil Joanou, on what turned out to be one of those long 20+ hour days, most of which I spent sitting next to Harris at video village talking about his work. He was an absolute gentleman and an incredible Cinematographer. His work was deceptively simple in its approach, but gave stunning results. He made it all look so effortless even though I know it required an incredibly confident and gifted hand to pull off.

We were both in awe of Jordan Cronenweth ASC's work and he told me that when he first met Jordan's son, Jeff Cronenweth ASC, Harris had asked him about his fathers work, in much the same way I was asking Harris about his work. Jeff told him that on their first movie together as DP and Assistant, Jordan would call him every day after work worrying if he had gone too far with his exposures or, worse still, not far enough. Every morning they'd go to dailies together and the work would look stunning. To Harris that gave him hope that if a master like Jordan Cronenweth could have self doubts and work through them to produce incredible work then maybe it was normal for Harris to have his moments of doubt too. And when ever he was shooting he would keep that story in mind and it would inspire him and encourage him to push further and take risks in his own work.

So now I often find myself thinking back to that story and I chuckle and occasionally I think what would Harris do? And I smile and I push myself a little further, and I take a few risks and occasionally i fall off the edge, but more often then not I fly.

Thank you Harris.