The Visual Poetry in Days of Heaven: Second Unit Photography

Abstract

Filme director Terrence Malick has gradually developed a poetic narrative style that does not rely on dialogue but on visuals to express the story through images. Since cinematography is of great relevance in Malick’s work, the aim of this study is to highlight the way in which the second unit cinematographer becomes a vital element in Malick’s filme style. As Days of Heaven is a cornerstone in the evolving style of Malick’s work, this filme will be the point of focus for this research, which draws on interview material from second unit cinematographer Paul Ryan (as well as other collaborators), editing analysis, and the script of the filme.