The BBC ran a film last night on the Magnum presence at the making of various Hollywood films.
Very interesing story about the connection between the two bodies that (says the BBC) initially happened because of an affair between Robert Capa and Ingrid Bergman. There's irony in that Capa's dream of a life in movies soured on him, and he returned to reportage and his own death.
It's quite remarkable how personal ties can create effects far wider. Anyway, that aside, it shows once more that life and business are all about personal relationships and people deciding that yes, they like that person, and, eventually, trust them enough to allow full access to whatever. Anyone expecting the rustle of diplomas to do that for them is in the wrong business. Actually, Capa was but one of the Magnum crew who made friends with directors and so forth; several became photographer of choice that way, not to do the stock PR shots, but the "making of" stuff that proved so interesting down the years.
One should also bear in mind that many of those photographers were autodidacts, doing what they did because that's what they did, which, incidentally, is one of the reasons that I believe people should try to grow their vision on their own, away from mentors and teachers who, at best, will turn them into clones. Ask how to work something technical, but keep what your see your own. You can't, successfully, be anyone else, so do the best job of being you.
As Hollywood's movies dwindled in importance compared to the power of television, and as magazines slowly gave space away to the work of the paparazzo cult, Magnum showed no interest in sexploitaion and withdrew.
There's quite a measure there of where civilization is headed. We rather look at the knickers (or lack of) of some starlet getting out of a low car than observe the frailties, the emotional moments of humanity behind the mask of the biggest star. Our money has spoken for us.
Rob
