Marcus Joseph Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Who cares if the Alexa's used for everything? It's not up to the camera in the end, it's the crew, the story, the production etc. I think it's great that low-budget filmmakres and cines are seeking after opportunities to enhance their visuals any of the ways that they can. You just really hope in the end that there's a post pathway that knows how to handle it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KH Martin Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 I was just rewatching an old interview with Orson Welles, a really long comprehensive one, done by British TV. All that stuff about how he was doing all this terrible crap for other films in order to self-finance his own work. I was just thinking how if you could have put Welles on ice for a generation, he could have been shooting his movies economically and actually being able to afford to finish them. I remember there's a book of talks with him and Bogdanovich where they both rail about how old fashioned and ridiculous it is that you have to load film in a camera to make a movie. I was offended when I first read it, but when somebody's probably lived through enormous traumas owing to that methodology, I can see how they'd welcome any other more direct means. Even though I can only usually imagine shooting film, I can absolutely see the advantage of digital for economy and freedom. Think I'm going to take out Welles CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT (my next to last VHS movie, along with Tavernier's DEATHWATCH) and give it another viewing. Try to see past the postsynch issues to see it for the fascinating indy masterpiece it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freya Black Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Who cares if the Alexa's used for everything? It's not up to the camera in the end, it's the crew, the story, the production etc. I think it's great that low-budget filmmakres and cines are seeking after opportunities to enhance their visuals any of the ways that they can. Well to re-iterate, sometimes the Alexa is not the best camera for the job. If the Alexa is used for everything it means there are less choices and that moving image stuff will have a more uniform look, however as I suggested before, we are just in a bit of a fantastic time right now where there are many choices. A historical anomaly. Personally I don't think it's just about the story and the crew and the production, I think cinematography is also an important aspect. Also not all moving image work is narrative as we discussed in another thread. You just really hope in the end that there's a post pathway that knows how to handle it. Well already some people are not bothering with any special post pathway and cutting the cameras output direct. On the upside, there are people who despise the hierarchical nature of cinema and they will be very happy when cinema loses some kind of special status and the same cameras are used to make cheap soap operas as expensive movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Keith Walters Posted June 17, 2012 Premium Member Share Posted June 17, 2012 Well to re-iterate, sometimes the Alexa is not the best camera for the job. I really ... don't know how to respond to that. Should I laugh, scream, tear my hair out, sit sobbing and naked in the shower for hours scrubbing my mouth out with laundry soap or ... Spend hours out in the freezing cold, scratching a hole in the frozen ground where I can plant a willow sapling that in spring will burst forth in youthful verdant ebullience as a poignant memorial to the way, that has been so comprehensively lost, by those who aspire to cinematic relevance! I mean look: (OK, it has been out for a bit longer but...) In total,The Avengers earned $207.4 million on its opening weekend, setting an opening-weekend record in fact. As of June 15, 2012, Prometheus has earned an estimated $74,483,000 in North America and $92,736,717 elsewhere for a worldwide total of $167,219,717 With a worldwide total of over $1.4 billion so far, The Avengers is the third ever highest-grossing film worldwide, and it's still being shown. I just don't know how you can argue that the Alexa is not the better camera... :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Steven Beverly Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Look at what I wrote. I forget HE made the movie. I keep thinking it is a QT flick that just looks bad photographically. Perhaps I should describe it as a QT flick that survives Scott. :lol: I was just joking around with you guys but that last line is actually pretty funny. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freya Black Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I just don't know how you can argue that the Alexa is not the better camera... :rolleyes: I'm not quite sure what you are saying in your posting? Maybe that the Alexa is a better camera for achieving financial success at the box office? However if you read what I wrote and not what you imagined or wished I'd wrote, I made no mention of whether the Alexa was a better camera than another. I suggested that sometimes the alexa might not be the best camera FOR THE JOB. The idea being that perhaps in some contexts another camera might be a better match depending on what you are doing. For instance there might be a situation where a high speed camera might be more useful or a smaller camera. In fact there are actually even different kinds of Alexa cameras for different purposes which rather underlines my point. love Freya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted June 17, 2012 Author Premium Member Share Posted June 17, 2012 What exactly are we discussing here? Is Alexa better than Red? Er, yes, it is. I'm as sure about that as I can be having never used them, anyway. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Keith Walters Posted June 18, 2012 Premium Member Share Posted June 18, 2012 I'm not quite sure what you are saying in your posting? Maybe that the Alexa is a better camera for achieving financial success at the box office? However if you read what I wrote and not what you imagined or wished I'd wrote, I made no mention of whether the Alexa was a better camera than another. I suggested that sometimes the alexa might not be the best camera FOR THE JOB. The idea being that perhaps in some contexts another camera might be a better match depending on what you are doing. For instance there might be a situation where a high speed camera might be more useful or a smaller camera. In fact there are actually even different kinds of Alexa cameras for different purposes which rather underlines my point. love Freya Well, as a very highly-paid and important HR person essentially stated in a recent email to me: "If you have to ask that question, clearly you don't know the answer!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freya Black Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Well, as a very highly-paid and important HR person essentially stated in a recent email to me: "If you have to ask that question, clearly you don't know the answer!" :) Well yes! If I say "I'm not quite sure what you are saying in your posting?", I would say that is a preety strong indication that I don't know the answer. It might possibly even be an indication that I'm asking you what you mean exactly? I do find that generally when people have to ask a question it does mean that they don't know the answer. In my experience rhetorical questions are merely optional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Keith Walters Posted June 19, 2012 Premium Member Share Posted June 19, 2012 :) Well yes! If I say "I'm not quite sure what you are saying in your posting?", I would say that is a preety strong indication that I don't know the answer. It might possibly even be an indication that I'm asking you what you mean exactly? I do find that generally when people have to ask a question it does mean that they don't know the answer. In my experience rhetorical questions are merely optional. I can't help noticing you're no longer signing your posts "love, Freya". Is it something I've said? Or not said? Did I miss some important anniversary? (Sniffle) What will be next? A letter from your lawyer demanding a written apology by the close of business on the same day the letter is dated? I'm sorry; I just get so emotional when the Alexa is mentioned.... :rolleyes: Sorry, I'm trying to be as silly as some people are when they'e trying to be S-e-r-i-o-u-s It is something of a challenge :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freya Black Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I can't help noticing you're no longer signing your posts "love, Freya". Is it something I've said? Or not said? Did I miss some important anniversary? (Sniffle) What will be next? A letter from your lawyer demanding a written apology by the close of business on the same day the letter is dated? I'm sorry; I just get so emotional when the Alexa is mentioned.... *giggle* Nothing to do with you Keith! If you check it out I've also stopped always throwing that on when replying to other people too! Some of it's to do with having changed a bit after coming out the other end of a bit of a dark period in my life. Some of it's to do with being rushed off my feet with the running around trying to survive thing. (Some of the ones not signed were actually bashed out scary fast!), some of it's to do with becoming a bit nastier generally which makes me wonder if I should be handing out love to everyone all the time (although someone once pointed out theres no comma so it could easily be a command and I like to think it might have some kind of subliminal effect!). I dunno the old me would surely say I should just be myself, in which case I should take extra care to sign off properly. The more recent me might be questioning exactly who I am at this point, to which I'm sure the old me would probably say "people don't change, they just become more complicated!" Dunno! Alexa is a very special camera for sure. I mean she even comes with a proper name so you don't have to give her one yourself! I don't mean any direspect to the camera. I think the fact it's so incredible, is the reason it is becoming so ubiquitous. Would love to shoot something with her one day myself. Probably will happen after she goes out of fashion one day! ;) :rolleyes: Sorry, I'm trying to be as silly as some people are when they'e trying to be S-e-r-i-o-u-s It is something of a challenge :rolleyes: Some people? That would be me I think? :) I own that one. After all I nearly got thrown off here once for comparing video cameras to chocolate (and I love chocolate!) Also presently rethinking my business card and thinking of dropping the slogan "specialist in magical stuff". love Freya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Keith Walters Posted June 19, 2012 Premium Member Share Posted June 19, 2012 Some people? That would be me I think? :) I own that one. After all I nearly got thrown off here once for comparing video cameras to chocolate (and I love chocolate!) Also presently rethinking my business card and thinking of dropping the slogan "specialist in magical stuff". love Freya Er, no, I didn't actually mean you. As for "Magical Stuff" do you think it's just a coincidence that after a certain person went overboard bagging Arri for "letting everybody down" by bringing out a 2K camera, that somebody immediately used that same camera to make what is on its way to becoming one of the highest-grossing films in history? The Fraunhofer institute does far more than electronics and software; that's just a front. It's not generally known that "Captain America" is actually a documentary, disguised as a popular adventure film so as not to panic the population. Those Krauts know a thing or two about thaumaturgy, why do you think they wrote so many operas about it? I learned all this from a man I know who has an honest face, and he got it from a web site that was mysteriously closed down before he could show it to me, so I'll let you draw your own conclusions.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted June 19, 2012 Author Premium Member Share Posted June 19, 2012 thaumaturgy Pass, the Archchancellor's Keys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freya Black Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Er, no, I didn't actually mean you. Damn, does this mean not everything is about me???!! I meant me anyway. love Freya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Keith Walters Posted June 20, 2012 Premium Member Share Posted June 20, 2012 Pass, the Archchancellor's Keys! The most impressive thing is the way they've made everybody think this is all superstitious nonsense. Diabolically clever, the Hun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Steven Beverly Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 *giggle* Nothing to do with you Keith! If you check it out I've also stopped always throwing that on when replying to other people too! Some of it's to do with having changed a bit after coming out the other end of a bit of a dark period in my life. Some of it's to do with being rushed off my feet with the running around trying to survive thing. (Some of the ones not signed were actually bashed out scary fast!), some of it's to do with becoming a bit nastier generally which makes me wonder if I should be handing out love to everyone all the time (although someone once pointed out theres no comma so it could easily be a command and I like to think it might have some kind of subliminal effect!). I dunno the old me would surely say I should just be myself, in which case I should take extra care to sign off properly. The more recent me might be questioning exactly who I am at this point, to which I'm sure the old me would probably say "people don't change, they just become more complicated!" Dunno! ;) love Freya As a group of your more famous countrymen once said "All you need is love."Keep it in your heart, baby and the world will turn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4p8qxGbpOk B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Keith Walters Posted June 26, 2012 Premium Member Share Posted June 26, 2012 ...because the experience will be horrible, the film will be horrible, and it will cost too much money. And that's deeply depressing to me, because I love science fiction. P You're right. Stupid largely incomprehensible plot, more pointless sub-plots than Zero Hour (the prototype "Airline Disaster" movie that Airplane took the piss out of, directly using about 70% of the original script :P), endless scientific howlers from a supposed team of scientists, crap acting, been-there-done-that special effects, I could go on. Generally they made a two-hour movie to carry a story that would have fitted into an episode of the Twilight Zone, with change and commercials. Just in case some of you haven't seen the film yet and and are desirous of doing so, I won't reveal any spoilers, except that I saw one of the final plot twists coming while I was still parking the car. And what's this with Guy Pearce and the least convincing "old man" makeup job I've seen in a long while. His makeup reminds me of The Thing in the Fantastic Four. Since we never see him as a young man, here's an idea: why not actually get a 90-year-old actor to play the part? Unless you use CGI it's just about impossible to convincingly age an actor, because when you get old your face starts to sag. Surprisingly the 3-D was quite well done, but we still have the same "Jack Frost" facial highlights, typical of inferior video cameras. (So what happened to HDR?) Generally, the images were adequate but nothing special. They simply do not live up to the hype. On the plus side, the cinema was nice and clean, and there were only about ten other people, and three of them had left by the time the credits rolled :P I also got to see the trailer for The Great Gatsby. Mucho animated-cardboard-cutouts.... Spider-Man does look more promising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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