Gerald Perry Finnerman

Director of Photography
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his five-hour Archive interview, Director of Photography Gerald Finnerman (1931-2011) speaks in detail about his long and distinguished career. He describes working on such varied series as Star Trek, Rod Serling's Night Gallery and Moonlighting. He also recounts working with famed actor, Orson Welles on an episode of Moonlighting. Karen Herman conducted the interview in Studio City, CA on October 8, 2002.

"Directors of Photography create the mood of the show.  They create the dimension. They tell a story with their lights."

Interviewee(s)
Gerald Perry Finnerman
Highlights
Gerald Finnerman on working with Star Trek's Gene Roddenberry and Robert Justman
Cinematographer Gerald Perry Finnerman on Orson Welles arriving on the set for the Moonlighting episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice"
Full Interview

Chapter 1
On his early years
On the role of a Director of Photography; on his early career; on being hired on Star Trek

Chapter 2
On working on the first season of Star Trek
On moving to Mission: Impossible; on returning to Star Trek
On working with Star Trek's Gene Roddenberry and Robert Justman

Chapter 3
On working with the cast and crew of Star Trek;  on the series' special effects

Chapter 4
On specific episodes of Star Trek; on leaving Star Trek to do a feature film The Lost Man with Sidney Poitier

Chapter 5
On working in film with Sidney Poitier; on surviving a deadly plane crash and resolved not to fly; on Emergency; on Kojak

Chapter 6
On working on Planet of the Apes, Police Woman,  and various made-for-television films

Chapter 7
On working on various movies of the week and other projects
On being hired as director of photography for Moonlighting

Chapter 8
On working on Moonlighting

Chapter 9
On his work on the series Moonlighting

Chapter 10
On Orson Welles' appearance on Moonlighting; on working on sitcoms; on how he chooses his crew; on how he'd like to be remembered
Shows

Emergency!

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Gerald Finnerman on problems he had lighting the fire station exterior

Kojak

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Gerald Finnerman on his work on Kojak

Mission: Impossible

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Gerald Finnerman on becoming director of photography on Mission: Impossible

Moonlighting

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Gerald Finnerman on being hired as director of photography for Moonlighting
Gerald Finnerman on being director of photography on Moonlighting
Gerald Finnerman on Moonlighting

Moonlighting: "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice"

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Cinematographer Gerald Perry Finnerman on filming the black and white Moonlighting episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice" (Part 1 of 2)
Cinematographer Gerald Perry Finnerman on filming the black and white Moonlighting episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice" (Part 2 of 2)
Cinematographer Gerald Perry Finnerman on Orson Welles arriving on the set for the Moonlighting episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice"

Night Gallery

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Gerald Finnerman on lighting episodes of Night Gallery

Planet of the Apes

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Gerald Finnerman on being director of photography on the Planet of the Apes series

Star Trek

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Gerald Finnerman on being hired as cinematographer on Star Trek
Cinematographer Gerald Finnerman on first working with the sets of Star Trek
Cinematographer Gerald Finnerman on working on the first season of Star Trek
Gerald Finnerman on working with Star Trek's Gene Roddenberry and Robert Justman
Gerald Finnerman on working with the cast and crew of Star Trek
Gerald Finnerman on being director of photography on specific episodes of Star Trek
Topics

Comedy

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Cinematographer Gerald Perry Finnerman on filming the black and white Moonlighting episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice" (Part 1 of 2)
Cinematographer Gerald Perry Finnerman on filming the black and white Moonlighting episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice" (Part 2 of 2)
Cinematographer Gerald Perry Finnerman on Orson Welles arriving on the set for the Moonlighting episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice"
Professions

Cinematographer

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Gerald Finnerman on the role of a director of photography 
Genres

Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

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Cinematographer Gerald Finnerman on first working with the sets of Star Trek
People

Barbara Bain

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Gerald Finnerman on becoming director of photography on Mission: Impossible

Matt Jefferies

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Cinematographer Gerald Finnerman on first working with the sets of Star Trek

Robert Justman

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Gerald Finnerman on working with Star Trek's Gene Roddenberry and Robert Justman

Joseph Pevney

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Gerald Finnerman on becoming director of photography on Mission: Impossible

Sidney Poitier

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Gerald Finnerman on working with Sidney Poitier

Gene Roddenberry

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Gerald Finnerman on being hired as cinematographer on Star Trek
Gerald Finnerman on working with Star Trek's Gene Roddenberry and Robert Justman

Herbert F. Solow

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Gerald Finnerman on being hired as cinematographer on Star Trek

Orson Welles

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Cinematographer Gerald Perry Finnerman on Orson Welles arriving on the set for the Moonlighting episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice"

All Interviews

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