We didn’t have the money for aerial shots or big expansive night shots. We chose to shoot wide-angle close-ups and just kind of make it goofy. Everything was locked in the shot; it was a very still film. What’s nice about that static camera is that the little nuances come shining through. If Kip and Napoleon do a little flinch or some little head droop, you always felt it. What made it sing were the performances. – Munn K. Powell cinematographer

I have to admit that my kids influenced my choice to watch Napoleon Dynamite. They had already seen it and were quoting lines imitating Napoleon. You’re trapped when your kids quote lines to each other and spontaneously explode into laughter. So reluctantly, I watched it. And watched it again. And watched it again. “Tina, you fat lard, come get some dinner!”

Not knowing it at the time, this movie would influence the final stages of my producing career more than any other. In what way? Two words, “static camera.” This quote from Munn Powell expresses it best:

What’s nice about that static camera is that the little nuances come shining through.

That “static camera” allows the audience to enjoy the moment’s authenticity. If you’ve done your homework and captured a good interview, these “static camera” moments will make the interview sing.

In my experience, locking off my camera and watching the action float in and out of the frame is a tad disarming. You think, “What if the action isn’t compelling?” Then I hear Napoleon, “I see you’re drinking 1%. Is that ’cause you think you’re fat? ‘Cause you’re not. You could be drinking whole if you wanted to.” My kids got that.

I produced Side Track Coffee in this fashion. Did my homework and captured the interview. Used “static camera” shots to support the story. The result, “little nuances come shining through.”

“It’s Still Dynamite” was a great read on looking back on the making of Napoleon Dynamite after all these years. Check it out!