Super 16 stock choices for a polished music video

[Johnny Derango]

Hey all,

 

I am shooting what for all intensive purposes is a big name music video for a low budget. Here is the situation and any opinions would be much appreciated. I am shooting Super 16 with most likely Cooke primes. This is a hip-hop video that needs to look shiny and polished with bright poppy colors like an R&B video. There are day exteriors and night interiors. I will most likely be shooting everything at a 90-degree shutter with an abundance of high speed. If I were going to shoot 35mm my stock choices would be simple. I would use the 5205 (Kodak Vision 2 250D) and the 5218 (Kodak Vision 2 500T). I feel in 35mm those stocks would be low on grain and be able to cover the speed and shutter changes (90-degrees). Unfortunately because I am shooting in S-16 I feel that I should use the 7217 (Kodak Vision 2 200T) for the interior nights to try and keep my grain down, but this creates lighting issues when I change the shutter (90-degrees) and go to high speed. Has any one shot the 7218 (Kodak Vision 2 500T)? How does it hold up grain wise knowing it ultimately has to go into a flashy bright poppy video knowing it has to look like 35?? Any help would be appreciated. Also how does the Fuji Eterna 500 in 16mm hold up to the Kodak 7218? This is for a music video airing on MTV and BET so the destination is the small screen.

 

Johnny

[John Thomas]

Johnny,

 

I shot a ton of 7218 and 7217 this year. I'm always shocked how great the 18 is. Whenever possible I tried to shoot the 17 but at times looking at the dailies (also for the small screen) I wondered why I bothered. Have confidence with 7218, it will look terrific. ( unless you f*ck it up :D )

 

Good luck, John T.

[Wendell_Greene]

Shoot the '18 and transfer on a Spirit with an experienced colorist who understands how to look required and you'll be fine.

[Kevin Zanit]

I have shot 7218 pushed to a 1000 and rated at 800 without much grain problems. If it is a real "snappy" scene the grain is less of a problem (due to the lack of midtones).

 

'18 is real fine grained so shooting it at 500 (or 320) is most likely your best option.

 

Kevin Zanit

[John Pytlak RIP]

I have shot 7218 pushed to a 1000 and rated at 800 without much grain problems.  If it is a real "snappy" scene the grain is less of a problem (due to the lack of midtones).

 

'18 is real fine grained so shooting it at 500 (or 320) is most likely your best option.

 

Kevin Zanit

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree. 7218 has slight grain at its rated EI 500, and if you overexpose slightly (rate at EI 320), the grain will be even finer.