Film Grain on an F900

[Megan Woeppel]

I'm getting ready to shoot a feature with the Sony F900, and the director is asking for a grainy look. My first thought is to shoot it clean and add the grain in post, because I can't think of a good way to do it in camera. I don't want to up the gain and just add noise, that's different than what we're going for. Does any body have any other ideas for doing it in camera?

[John Ealer]

I'm getting ready to shoot a feature with the Sony F900, and the director is asking for a grainy look. My first thought is to shoot it clean and add the grain in post, because I can't think of a good way to do it in camera. I don't want to up the gain and just add noise, that's different than what we're going for. Does any body have any other ideas for doing it in camera?

 

Of course, you could try one of the spinning ground glass relay/adaptor systems, like the P+S Technik Pro35, which add texture to the image by focusing it on an oscillating ground glass and then capturing that image with the HD camera. Advantages are 35mm DOF, PL mount lenses, and, if you like the texture, the texture. Disadvantages are: light loss (up to 2 stops), bulkiness, and, if you don't like the texture, the texture.

 

There are many other threads you could explore that have feedback about the many adaptor system out there.

 

I think you're right, though, not to try to simulate grain through electronic noise. Different beasts.

 

J

[John Sprung]

My first thought is to shoot it clean and add the grain in post, ...

That's the best idea because you have more control and nothing is irreversible. You just need a director and executives who are smart enough to understand that the look will change radically from what they see in dailies.

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Megan Woeppel]

Thanks guys this confirmed my initial instinct.

 

I looked at using an adapter system, but I thought the loss of stops would be too much to compensate for in the lighting for the time and resources we have (95 page script, 12 day shooting schedule, ultra low budget). I just wanted to make sure there weren't any tricks out there that I didn't know about.