Questions by Tara Sanders Brooks, Cinematographer and Writer
Patti Lee, ASC
Born the youngest of five girls in a traditional Chinese-American family, Patti Lee did the unthinkable and went into show business. She debated between a medical career and one in the Arts, but after enduring a chemistry class, Patti quickly chose the latter. Following a Bachelor’s degree from UCLA film school, she began her career lighting feature films, commercials, music videos and television shows, working first as a set lighting technician then becoming a gaffer. She continued to sharpen her skills as a cinematographer on independent projects, including the Independent Spirit Award nominee, BUNNY. Patti got her first big break as Director of Photography on The Bernie Mac Show. Since then, she has been busy shooting both single and multi-camera television and has received Emmy® nominations for her work on Superior Donuts, Bob Hearts Abishola and Call Me Kat.
In addition to her work as a DP, Patti Lee produced the Emmy® nominated feature documentary, A SMALL ACT, which premiered at Sundance and aired on HBO. The film was named by Roger Ebert as one of “The Best Documentaries of 2010.”
Patti Lee lives in Los Angeles with her wife, director Jennifer Arnold.
You lensed nearly 100 episodes of Bob Hearts Abishola over the last five years. What did you learn working on a sitcom for that long?
Even though you create a look for the show, each season evolves with the storylines. The show takes place in Detroit with the Maxdot sock factory as one of the main sets. We leaned into a more muted reality. As Bob and Abishola’s romance grew through the seasons, so did the sun as well as the colorful influence of the beautiful Nigerian fabrics of the costumes. Also, we shot the first four seasons without an audience, so we had more freedom in camera placement and lighting. Some of our sets were built more like single cam sets too, which allowed us to look 360º. In our last season, the show was reconfigured to play in front of a studio audience. That was a big challenge, because we had to keep a consistent look but redesign the lighting with greater constraints.
What is the number one thing you will take from Bob Hearts Abishola into your next project?
My crew, of course! I love my crew so much. They all are talented, hard-working and have great personalities. Your crew represents you on set to the producers and other departments even when you are not in the room.
What advice do you have for cinematographers interested in learning more about the multicam space?
A multicam is to single cam what pickleball is to tennis. Be prepared to learn new rules, move in a different way and enjoy yourself. Multicamera sitcoms have been around a long time and it’s good to learn the basics of how to light for 4 cameras. With that in mind, it’s good to think outside the box and break a few of the rules as you go.
What inspires you outside of cinematography?
I really love cooking. My mom was a great cook and she passed away last year. She was definitely the matriarch of our immediate and extended family. I’ve been trying to keep her recipes in circulation and continue her legacy.
What’s next for you?
I wish I knew. The industry has been slow for many of us and the world seems topsy turvy. What I do know is that I’ll stay busy with the ASC and continue learning, growing, and enjoying my friends and family.
What do you Suggest for emerging filmmakers as they start their journeys in the film industry?
One of the things that I wish I knew when I was younger is to know your strengths and what makes you unique. You can spend a lot of energy trying to fit yourself into a mold of what you think a DP should be. I think that effort can be put more fully into your work and your life experience that informs your point-of-view.
Is there a dream project you would like to manifest?
I would love to get back into single camera. You can find yourself pigeon-holed and I would love to break out of that and do something I haven’t done. I don’t have a specific kind of feature or drama I would like to do, but something to break the mold.
