Filming views over a city at night?!

sophia olsson · October 5, 2004

Hi there,

I´m going to shoot a short film on super16 with an ArriSR2 camera with 500 ASA film, Kodak 7218. There is one picture where we will film a view over a city at night and I wonder what I should think about when doing that. Should I lift (I really don't know how to say this in english) the film afterwards in the lab or do you have any other suggestions?! Is 7218 good for this kind of situation?!

Hoping for answers!

/Lisa

Mike Panczenko · October 5, 2004

I don't have experience with this situation, but I've heard that, when shooting in such condititions, you can push- I think that is what you mean by "lift"- to get what you want. Supposedly, that is the reason for getting rid of the 5293 800T- pushing 5218 gives a better looking image than rating 5293 normally. Don't take my word for it, because this is just what I've heard, and not actually tested it, but maybe someone here can back it up?

David Mullen ASC · October 5, 2004

Pushing 5218 works well but I'm not sure I would do it in Super-16 except as a last resort. I'd start with using a really fast lens and then if the shot does not have moving actors, I'd consider undercranking the camera to gain more exposure for the city nighttime skyline shots.

October 5, 2004

If you shoot at 7.5 fps and Xfer at 7.5 frames per second you will get all the exposure you need. Your effective shutter speed is 1/15th of a second instead of 1/48th at 24 fps. And you will get normal speed action. The elements which don't move will be sharp and steady. Anything moving will be a little blurry.

If your are shooting for projection you may find that the fim is fast enough without any "push processing". I would not suggest shooting wide open. Stop down 1/2 to 1 stop.

Usually what is under-exposed in a night shot is the darkness :D

Also wide angle lenses "collect" more light then normal and longer lenses.

Use 16/12/9.5mm

Mitch Gross · October 5, 2004

A city at night illuminates itself. The street lights will be bright points and the aeas around them will be underlit but visible. Lights inside buildings will create depth. For arials/scenics I think you are fine with fast film and wide open t-stops. If you need to see a person or object in front of the city, then you will need to light the foreground object.

Adam Frisch FSF · October 5, 2004

Get the Zeiss High Speed T1.3 series and shoot wide open, and you'll probably be fine unless it's a very, very dark city (or a blackout). In my limited experience, you can't really overexpose a nightscape too much - it just get's better and better.

sophia olsson · October 5, 2004

Thank you all for your helpfull advices!

I just wonder what undercranking the camera means. Otherwise I get it all.

Thank you once more and now I know what to try.

:D

/Lisa

Felipe Perez-Burchard · October 5, 2004

I would not suggest shooting wide open. Stop down 1/2 to 1 stop.

I was just curious why? Flare? In this situation if she really needs it, and she has a good lens and good AC I might go wide open (unless it is static / no characters and she can undercranck).

thanks.

-felipe.

undercranck = slowing down the motor of the camera, so less frames per second are exposed; so you get sped up motion if you transfer normal (24 fps), but like it was mentioned before, you can transfer / print at the speed you shot and the length of the shot will be normal, but the motion blur will be enhanced.

October 5, 2004

Stopping Down Lens?

Very few lenses are as sharp wide open as stopped down one to two stops. (with the exception of Leica lenses) Stopping down even 1/2 a stop will make a noticable difference in sharpness and also color contrast. The new Zeiss Master primes may be the exception.

Also enhance backfocus depth of field. Lots of meat ball light source coma are the result of poor or no colimation.

As is the oft repeated and incorrect assumption that you cannot shoot wide-angle shots in S16/16 because there is not enough resolution.

Other techniques to increase effective exposure are pre or post flashing which would reduce excessive contrast in the shadows. And in camera flashing( a lost art) Also waving of the hands and chanting special secret lens formulas...my choice.