"Man Push Cart" Love it but anybody know what camera?

[Tim O'Connor]

A while ago I read a great article about Man Push Cart that talked

extensively about how the DVX-100 was selected by the DP for budget and low light

performance. Where? I've searched everywhere. It couid have been in "American Cinematographer",

"Creative Cow", "DV" but I can't find it.

 

I didn't hallucinate. I remember the pictures and the discussion of using

the DVX-100.

 

 

Well, I finally saw the Man Push Cart on DVD. I love it.

 

It is too dark in places where I

think they could have thrown in even a couple hundred watts of light somehow, despite their protestations on the commentary track but I still love this

movie.

 

The commentary track features the director, the D.P. and the lead actor.

They sound like they have it together but they never mention what camera

they used. At one point I think it's the director who says that they "shot in

HD" but that's the only reference to anything in the realm of format/camera.

 

Also, it's weird how they all constantly talk about "filming" in that conspicuously

incorrect way that most of us were chastised not to do when we first started

working and used the term generically for shooting until we were told unless

there is film in that there camera; it's not "filming".

 

After I saw the movie, I wanted to read as much as I

could about how this movie was shot. I did a search and could find only one

fleeting mention of Man Push Cart in a discussion of the new crop of movies at the time.

 

I did NOT see that article in a dream. It was in a reputable publication and

it discussed Man Push Cart being shot with a DVX-100.

 

Does anybody know about this?

 

By the way, although I do like the movie, and I understand the rationale

for all the long lens shots as discussed on the commentary track, I think

that without some wide shots there's no context to many of the scenes.

 

That part drove me nuts. I wanted to scream at the tv for them to widen out

at least once. Also it's weird how they say that they were two or three blocks

away on many of their long lens shots. It doesn't sound like they say it in a

figurative manner but unless they had a DVX-100 with a million to one zoom

I'd say 40-50 feet would be more like it in most of those cases.

 

They made a great movie although they say "filming" like high school students

on the first day of tv class; they describe insane distance with the most

literal deliveries and there is stuff in that movie that I did not see because of the lack of light until it was mentioned on the commentary track! Also, there are story points that are so subtly done that I definitely didn't get them until I heard on the commentary track

"hope that people get this."

 

Still, it's an impressive picture and I'd love to know the story if they shot it on

Mini-DV!

[Brad Grimmett]

I read that article as well. I think it was in AC.

[Tim O'Connor]

I read that article as well. I think it was in AC.

 

 

Thanks. I'm still searching. It's probably fallen behind a bookcase or something.

[Seamus Mulligan-Ferry]

AC, May 2006 (Mission Impossible III on the cover) in the "Points East" section.

 

The article stated the DP, Michael Simmonds, pushed for HD over MiniDV, and was able to get it on the condition that his lighting budget was slashed/became non-existent. Simmonds shot with an F900 and essentially brought his lighting package in the trunk of car (china balls, small fresnels, plus a mini flo kit for inside the cart).

[Tim O'Connor]

AC, May 2006 (Mission Impossible III on the cover) in the "Points East" section.

 

The article stated the DP, Michael Simmonds, pushed for HD over MiniDV, and was able to get it on the condition that his lighting budget was slashed/became non-existent. Simmonds shot with an F900 and essentially brought his lighting package in the trunk of car (china balls, small fresnels, plus a mini flo kit for inside the cart).

 

 

Wow, thanks so much. I've been going bananas. I know that I have that issue so I'll dig it out.

 

Really appreciate it!