Alchemy in Technicolor - Robert Hoffman

Robert Hoffman's Alchemy in Technicolor presents the definitive chronicle of a motion picture process whose look, though familiar to millions, is understood by few. Immanently readable and complemented by beautiful illustrations, Alchemy in Technicolor examines one of our most significant cultural touchstones with an insider's assurance and a fan's enthusiasm. It will appeal to everyone interested in film and will no doubt become the go-to volume for every historian that follows in his wake.

About the author

Robert Hoffman served as Vice President of Marketing & Public Relations at Technicolor for 18 years. Earlier, for seven years, he was the head of Communications & Public Relations at the Academy Award-winning visual effects studio, Digital Domain founded by Scott Ross, director James Cameron and legendary creature creator Stan Winston with funding from IBM. 

  As an undergraduate, Hoffman studied political science and fine art, and later, in 1970-1971, filmmaking at The American Film Institute. He began his career as a researcher, then a story analyst, and in the early 1980 began working in cinema marketing with actor-producer Edward James Olmos and legendary indie director Robert M. Young. In a career that spanned over 50 years, he was an award-winning educational documentary producer as well as having worked for Warner Bros., Paramount, and 20th Century Fox in Marketing and Publicity on such films as Stand and Deliver; Driving Miss Daisy; Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country; and the smash-hit, Speed. At Digital Domain, he directed the company’s communication strategy and award’s campaigns for True Lies; Apollo 13; The Fifth Element; Titanic; and What Dreams May Come. Working with author Piers Bizoni, Hoffman oversaw the development of Digital Domain: The Leading Edge of Visual Effects, published in 2001 by Billboard Books. While at Technicolor, he oversaw the development of author Michael Goldman’s monograph, Clint Eastwood: Master Filmmaker at Work, published by Abrams in 2012

371 pages

Reviews

Richard Crudo, ASC

Richard Crudo, ASC, 6-time president of the American Society of Cinematographers

Bob Hoffman's Alchemy in Technicolor presents the definitive chronicle of a motion picture process whose look, though familiar to millions, is understood by few.

Immanently readable and complemented by beautiful illustrations, he examines one of our most significant cultural touchstones with an insider's assurance and a fan's enthusiasm. It will appeal to everyone interested in film and will no doubt become the go-to volume for every historian that follows in his wake.

Beautifully illustrated with over 175 images, Alchemy in Technicolor is a must-read for anybody interested in motion picture color.

Nancy Schreiber, ASC

When I learned about Bob’s masterful book I was thrilled. I’m still in awe of this massive undertaking! I couldn’t put it down. His storytelling highlights not only the technological advancements but also the artistry and vision that brought Technicolor’s vibrant palette to life and the personalities and players that have become legend. I knew little about the intertwined histories of Technicolor and Kodak, and Bob showcases how their competition and collaboration shaped the trajectory of film history. For anyone passionate about the history, the technical advancements and the artistry of cinema, this book, complete with memorable classic photographs and newspaper clippings, offers an unforgettable journey through several pivotal chapters of visual storytelling. It’s a must read for every film student and cinephile.

Kerry Brougher

Kerry Brougher, Founding Director, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Hoffman’s beautiful book, Alchemy in Technicolor, is a must for anyone interested in the history of cinema. The advent and evolution of color in cinematography changed not only the history of the film medium but also world culture, and there was no more captivating color process than the two-strip and three-strip Technicolor formats, which allowed filmmakers to paint in rich and saturated hues that brought enchanting worlds to life. Alchemy in Technicolor is not only an entertaining and visually stunning account of color in film, but it also rewrites many of the misconceptions that have swirled around this most important company, one that literally changed our modern perception of the world.