Most recently, he worked onBlack Panther,The Wolf of Wall Street, andArgo.
He was an innovator who earned the respect of filmmakers and crew alike.
This week, the film business lost a man you probably dont know.
Credit: Dale Robinette/Courtesy of Jason Reitman
His name was Zoran Veselic.
He died Tuesday night.
He was a first assistant camera man.
Dale Robinette/Courtesy of Jason Reitman
A 1st AC is the backbone of the camera department.
The precision of every lens, gear, and motor.
The fluidity of the personnel.
The focus of every frame that is shot.
These fall squarely on his shoulders.
Zoran lived amongst an elite few.
Desired by every cinematographer.
Booked for years in advance.
To hear him speak for the first time, you might think Zoran was related to Gru fromDespicable Me.
Imagine the soldier loading the bullet belt into the side of the machine gun.
This is where the first assistant camera assistant stands.
Amongst his own team, he was ruthlessly specific in his approach to order and cleanliness.
Theres a way to carry a lens.
A method to hand a filter.
An order to pack a case.
A camera truck should be clean and efficient.
Conversation amongst the team should be quiet.
His gallery of equipment was kept oiled, organized, and up to date.
Only one was ever made and lived in an earthquake-safe waterproof case, also of Zorans creation.
I have held Finder.
The handle is both soft and firm like a tennis racquet.
The optics are clean to the eye like a new pair of glasses.
The angle of the handle is completely adjustable depending on the users grip and arm length.
I have never seen Finder in any state but spotless.
Ive watched camera assistants present Finder with more care than a mother swaddling her first child.
I learned of Zorans passing when my lifelong friend and cinematographer Eric Steelberg called me in tears.
We abandon our lives and create new families amongst the hotels and ten ton trucks.
The scene wound up on the cutting room floor, but can be found on the DVD.
We needed an actor to operate the key grinder.
When I told George that we were casting Zoran, he lit up.
When I wrapped Zorans close up, the crew applauded.
Zoran leaned past camera and asked his 2nd AC, How was the focus?
Zoran Veselic died on Aug. 14 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
His passions included tennis and the ocean, but more than anything he loved making movies.
