Techniques
Spielberg is probably most famous for being a master of the Hollywood spectacle but such a a generalization ignores the full range of his filmmaking talents. One of the most common compliments given to Spielberg, even by his critics, is his natural directorial ability or what many people have called "movie sense."Alfred Hitchcock described Spielberg as the first director to not operate within the confines of theater type visuals, opening up a wealth of visual possibilities. Influenced by classic filmmakers such as Hitchcock, David Lean, Howard Hawkes, Frank Capra, and others, Spielberg has displayed a wide range of filmmaking abilities, enabling him to tackle a near unprecedented variety of genres. Spielberg has proven himself a master of over-the-shoulder shots and tracking shots, and he uses close-ups to powerful effect in many of his movies, with Raiders of the Lost Ark and Close Encounters being notable examples. Spielberg sometimes adds a little flair to the close-up by using what is known as a dolly shot, where the camera quickly zooms in on the actor, creating a sense of realization or vertigo. The most prominent example would be this scene from Jaws where chief Brody realizes once and for all that Amity has a Shark problem. Spielberg, despite his reputation as a safe director, is not afraid to experiment with his filmmaking technique. For Schindler's List, Spielberg famously went with a black and white color scheme in order to give a timeless quality to the film. In addition, much of the film was shot on handheld cameras, as Spielberg intended the film to feel almost like a documentary and so got rid of devices such as cranes, steadicams, and zoom lenses. For Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg decided to shoot in chronological order, a risky, time consuming, and expensive process. He did so to obtain a more realistic feel for the film as the actors literally went through the events of the film together as the actual characters would have done. Spielberg has also proven adept at working with his cinematographers, particularly Janusz Kamiski, at adapting shot footage in order to obtain a particular feel or look. For example on Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg and Kamiski removed protective coating from the camera lenses, soaked film negatives in bleach and shortened shutter timing in order to obtain a look more in keeping with footage from that time. Similar techniques were later used in Minority Report in order to give the film its almost black and white noir visual aesthetic.