Art Streiber shoots single portrait of 116 Paramount Pictures stars, calls the experience “epic”

It’s common knowledge: A celebrity photographer usually get just a few minutes to shoot a portrait of a famous subject. But Art Streiber’s latest commission for Paramount Pictures takes that pressure-filled dynamic and turns it up. To 116. We’re not kidding.

Art photographed 116 of Paramount’s actors, actresses, directors, and executives for a group portrait celebrating the studio’s 100th birthday. “It was…epic,” says Art of the experience.

His portrait—shot on Stage 18 at the Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood—was published in the July issue of Vanity Fair and features, in the magazine’s words, “everyone from Kirk Douglas to Dakota Fanning.”

Art Streiber’s portrait of 116 of Paramount Pictures’ actors, actresses, directors, and executives, as seen in the July 2012 issue of Vanity Fair.

For a closer at the portrait, visit the interactive feature “The Paramount Picture” at vf.com, where you can zoom in like this:

A screenshot of the interactive presentation of Art’s photo at vf.com.

And because this was a historic event in entertainment history—and since the magnitude of the portrait might make some wonder if all those people really and truly were there at the same time—Paramount produced, and Vanity Fair released, a great making-of video:

“To celebrate its 100th birthday, Paramount Pictures assembled over a hundred of the most influential talents ever to work at the studio—including Meryl Streep, Ali McGraw, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Nicholson, Jane Fonda—for a once-in-a-lifetime photo shoot. See the stars arrive, pose, and bond over their work on the lot.”

When you watch the video, you see that Art had just moments to get the shot. Incredible. And, yes, epic.

Click to view the making-of video at vf.com.

CREDITS

Rick Floyd, set designer

The Paramount People:

Nancy Reid, Senior Executive Assistant to Vice Chairman

David Waldman, Senior VP, National Publicity

Riki Leigh Arnold, Senior Publicist

Newell Todd, Photo Editor

Jerry Coleman, Executive Director of Manufacturing & Construction Superintendent

Larry Margolis, 1st Company Grip

Bill Harden, VP Production Services

Emily Roth, producer

Elaine Browne, first assistant

Johnny Tergo, lighting director

Eric Vlasic, digital tech

There’s been a lot of press about Art’s portrait, including these interviews and articles…

• The New Fstoppers: “Fstoppers Exclusive Look at Art Streiber and Paramount’s 100th Anniversary Masterpiece,” in which Art talks about how his lighting, how the artists were positioned, and how he got the shot.

• La Lettre de la Photographie: “Vanity Fair, The Paramount Picture”

• Yahoo! Movies: “Paramount Pictures 100th Anniversary Interactive Photo”

• Entertainment Tonight: Go here and fast forward to 3:30 for the start of the segment.

• Entertainment Weekly: “Your party is a wonderland: ‘Vanity Fair’ Paramount portrait is an A-list playground”

Stockland Martel