RED Mysterium X + Macro (Suggestions?)

[Glen Silva]

I'm going to be shooting a short in September entirely in macro on a Red and to be honest, it will be my first time with any kind of macro. I'm going to start asking the rental houses around here (LA) for suggestions but would like to come in knowing at least a bit about what I'm looking for, which is why I'm here.

 

I'm still trying to grasp the ratio thing but it's proving an alien concept for now. The general look is inspired by this video Karl X Johan - Flames but no similar shots aside from possibly eye shots.

 

Any lens and lighting technique suggestions are greatly appreciated. Also, any definite pitfalls I should avoid will be indispensable!

 

Thank you kindly in advance,

-glen

[David Mullen ASC]

Odd music video... using the Ennio Morricone theme to "The Untouchables" like that...

 

Not sure if the short zooms in those macro shots were done in post or not, but certainly it would be easier if they were done in post.

 

Actually many of those shots could be done on a long lens or at the end of a long zoom with a diopter filter. Or perhaps a 100mm or 200mm macro.

 

The problem you'll find with some macros is getting the lens physically close to the object without bumping into something, which is why sometimes the longer focal lengths help. Or a probe lens of some sort.

 

The number one thing about lighting: you can't use too much light... those really shallow-focus macro shots could have still been lit to an f/16, there's so much loss in depth of field when you start working that close.

[Glen Silva]

Thank you for your time David, it's greatly appreciated. I've also questioned if those short zooms were done in post and it does seem most likely.

 

I need to leave some distance between the subject and the lens for some scenes involving chemical reactions and messy paint splattering however. So with this, would you recommend a certain long zoom with a diopter filter as my best choice or a long focal length macro?

 

I'm willing to test both out as I prep these coming weeks.

 

Thank you, thank you, and thank you for your invaluable help!

 

-glen

[David Mullen ASC]

If you can get the subject to be big enough with the macro, then it's going to be sharper. I haven't worked with a 200mm macro, I just saw one in a catalog, but obviously if you use an Optimo zoom all the way out to 290mm with a diopter, you can get farther back than a 100mm or 200mm macro... but even with the zoom, the front of the lens is only going to be a foot or so away from a tiny object so use protection (glass filter, whatever.)

[Glen Silva]

This seems like it's going to be exponentially harder than I first thought, but where would the fun be otherwise.

 

Thank you David!