SOC: We've always appreciated seeing the SOC after your name on the credits. Stella: I enjoy that. I try to get it on all my hows. It's nice, and I like to see it there. It' a proud organization to be a ociated with. SOC: Some of the pictures you've done have been rather remarkable. You've worked with Director of Photography Dean Cundey, A c for quite a while.
W e're on the set of the little tiny town of Bed Rock, some time in the late BC's, in the home of Fred and Wilma. The film is that of the Amblin Productions, The Flintstones. Operating the camera is SOC Charter Member, Ray Stella, soc. In an informative interview, Ray talks about his illustrious career and body of work on some of the most visually adventurous pictures ever made. The pictures range from Roger Rabbit to Jurassic Park. So come with us on trip Back to the Future.
Stella: I've worked with Dean Cundey ince 1972. I wa barely an a i tant then. I had done ome 16mm film . When I an wered an ad, I aw in the trade a king for a DP and operator. Dean aw the ad and we met up and got the film together. We've been together ever ince that little short subject film. I knew Dean had something on the ball, o I wa going to tick around, if I pos ibly could.
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SOC: Did you assist primarily? Stella: I a i ted at first for about eight year and Dean operated, becau e they were
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non-un10 low budget . ~ That' how we came up in the bu ine . I alway operated the B camera. From early on I got a lot of experience operating. In '75, we got on a how where Dean wa the Director of Photography and I was the operator. We were able to get on the producers Experience Ro ter from that picture. In 1978, we met up with John arpenter and did Halloween which made a ton of money. We
Society of Operating Cameramen
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'11 i11 ter 1993