Is there a film that I am more looking forward to than Paul Thomas Anderson's "Phantom Thread"? The answer is, obviously, no. PTA is the current master of cinema, despite the mixed reaction his last movie, "Inherent Vice," received back in October of 2014. I dug it, for the most part, but "Phantom Thread" reteams him with, newly retired, "There Will Be Blood" star Daniel Day-Lewis. We can expect the usual Johnny Greenwood score, best in the biz alongside Trent Reznor as far as I'm concerned, but what we didn't see coming was that PTA was also going to serve as the film's principal cinematographer.
According to Indiewire Paul Thomas Anderson has decided to be his own cinematographer for his upcoming movie "Phantom Thread." PTA has been itching on being a DP for years, something he did regularly in hs music video days. The venerable director has always been creatively involved with his DP's in past films, even sometimes taking over photography duties for specific shots or scenes.
Mihai Mălaimare Jr. took over photography duties for "The Master," but Robert Elswit has been his go-to DP for the better part of two decades now with "Boogie Nights," "Magnolia," "Punch-Drunk Love," "Inherent Vice," and "There Will Be Blood," winning the Oscar for the latter. Elswit seems to have been very busy shooting Nightcrawler director Dan Gilroy’s second film Roman Israel, Esq, but also wrapped up George Clooney's "Suburbicon."