When film and television director, producer and writer Rob Bowman was studying other directors in film school, he became convinced that a distinct point of view and an identifiable visual vocabulary were essential components to building a legacy in the industry. Some years later, while working on the noirish fantasy cult phenomenon "The X Files," Bowman decided to focus on lighting and shadows as a visual metaphor for the show's eccentricities. The moody lighting that became synonymous with the show proved groundbreaking enough to sustain a place for him on the television landscape, and he made good use of it in his later feature films.