Igor Trajkovski

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From ARRI's Facebook page: Burned ALEXA still works! Any back story? Best Igor

Looks very nice! :) Best Igor PS: Would love to see the finished video.

Tech Imaging "... if you are a fan of Discovery’s Time Warp TV series (THE high speed imaging show) – chances are you have seen the work we do here at Tech Imaging Services." from Tech Imaging - Broadcast Regards Igor

I would suggest the book "The Visual Story, Second Edition: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media" from Bruce Block. @ Amazon's site take a look inside the book. A very interesting book about the visual components and how they can serve the story... That what i like to convey about the book is better done by the editorial reviews. Here some quotes: Editorial Reviews "Bruce Block has a unique knowledge and understanding of the visual structure of film. The Visual Story is the only book of its kind. it will teach you to become a better storyteller through the use of visuals." - Nancy Meyers, Director of "Something's Gotta Give" and "The Holiday" "Bruce Block masterfully deconstructs visual storytelling. Exposure to this material is essential for all students of cinema. This book will make you a better filmmaker." --American Film Institute "Bruce Block's work gives the visual storyteller a framework for making story-driven decisions, not just visual choices. It gives the filmmaker tools to create harmony and counterpoint between the story structure and its visual realization on the screen." --Randy Nelson, Dean of Pixar University, Pixar Animation Studios "No matter what kind of visual storyteller you are, whether a filmmaker, photographer, or graphic designer, Bruce Block explains how visual narrative works in a way that is clear and accessible." --David Pagani, Creative Director-On Air, DIRECTV "Bruce Block is legendary in the field of broadcast design. His profound insight into the art of visual storytelling will forever change the way you work." --Dan Pappalardo, Executive Creative Director/Partner, Troika Design Group "I spend much of my time in pre-production quoting Bruce Block to my cinematographers, production designers, costume designers, and editors. In all my years in the business I've never found a clearer more useful articulation of film grammar." --Jay Roach, director of Austin Powers, Meet the Parents, and Meet the Fockers Best Igor

Check Walter Graff's Lighting five locations in a single room tutorial. Cheers Igor

Goggles were put on when rolling begins and the lights seemed to be on all the time on the set. Between takes googles where removed. Why removing them while "hazardous" light is still on? Best Igor

And here another screengrab from the movie:

I am wondering why F.W.Murnau and his crew wear dark goggles while filming, as portrayed in "Shadow of the Vampire"? Best Igor

Recently watched "Close Encounters" again, after decade (maybe two) of my first full lenght "encounter" with it. At the end credits i was amazed of who else i saw being credited as DP's also ... Main cinematographer: Vilmos Zsigmond Director of Photography of additional American Scenes: William A. Fraker, ASC Director of Photography of India sequence: Douglas Slocombe, BSC Additional Director of Photography: John Alonzo, ASC & Laszlo Kovacs, ASC 2nd Unit Director of Photography: Steve Poster Assistant Cameraman: Scott Squires (VFX Supervisor later and creator of Commotion software) And the VFX bunch: Special Photographic effects by: Douglass Trumbull Director of Photography-Photographic Effects: Richard Yuricich UFO Photography: Dave Stewart Now that's a list! :) Just being surprised (and exited) of noticing so many well known DP's/artists being part of the film. Best Igor

I remember your BTS shots from Cinematography.com's facebook page. :) ... As this page loads i first saw the screengrabs and was puzzled how your 2k scans can look gorgeous ?!? Then i red about how these are 1 light telecine w/o CC grabs ... :) ... Just wondering, wouldn't digital acquisition fit in your budget? RED, SI-2K, F900...? Is the movie for TV or big screen ? Best Igor

While checking your first link, i saw the author already replied there the same question. :) Best Igor

A low-tek way of doing it is with a tripod: That's me preparing the MC for his performance in the music video. Here's a screengrab: Regards Igor

I was about to comment the same. Doing your animation at 12 fps will suffice. If you still want smoother motion and have time (money, nerves, patience...) go 24, 48, 72, 96 :) , and then frameblend the higher fps material into 12 or 24fps project. ... Have you decided which stopmotion animation software (with onion skinning and all) ? Best Igor

I shot yesterday a scene of a music video where we simulated a visit to a prisoner on a theater stage. We suggested the prison with a table, at which the prisoner and visitor sit and talk, and a guard somewhere in the background, faintly lit. The background was black backdrop far away. The intent was to keep it jet black. Table was lit from the top with a hanging theater spot light (1k i think) aimed down. Brought from high above down to 2.5-3 meters. Made a beautiful circle of light. ----- Key/Fill was with bounced tungsten units off beadboards on stands. Some directly at subjects as back/side light. ----- Just a softbox won't make you a circle, not even an rectangular sharp defined area of light. You need to contain your light. Skirt it of and/or use grids/eggcrates on the box. That can create a pool of light, but not a circle. If you still need somewhat soft top light creating a circle, try using a circular area softbox or big china ball, or attach the circle cutout on a rectangular box, and some deep skirting. The easiest way would be to go with a spotlight. Best Igor

Motion vise, apart from small shutter angles, it was also filmed at different frame rates, image shakers on the camera were used to vibrate when expolsions went off and out-of-phase shutter. Links: ICG - Janusz Kaminski, ASC About out-of-phase shutter in the last paragraph here. Change in frame rate can be seen as Tom walks out of the water and starts observing the beach. As the camera closes into CU, there is a change from 24 to 12fps. In the same take. Half frame rate as he watches the soldier/s hiding at the baricade, the first part when the flamethrower starts exploding, when the soldier searches his arm... When he holds his helmet full with bloody water, it is 12fps and a lot of motion blur, maybe 180 shutter (1/24sec), and as he puts his helmet on it returns to 24 fps. (back to reality) Just pop your DVD copy and start advancing frame by frame. ... From the above mentioned tricks i could not pinpoint ( in the chaos :) ) the out-of-phase shutter moments ... Just wandering, are they maybe subtly used... It's late, will check tomorrow for a sample. .... One of the method for halving your fps is with posterize time (in AE). Just adjust the target frame rate parameter to half of your project FPS. Project/footage 24fps, posterize at 12. Or even to some odd number. :) Try different shutter speeds for your half fps moments. For more staccato go with faster shutter. The motion blur from slower shutter (~1/24) can give interesting FX too. Best Igor

Have you looked at American Cinematographer? There in the articles about the movies, they usually mention cameras, film stocks, lenses, cranes etc. used. And at the end is the mandatory list with tech specs: Aspect Ratio, Cameras, Lenses and film stock. The site gives 1 or 2 movies per month as free online articles. More in their print or digital subscribtion edition. Best Igor PS: Check their Online Archives

Coppola and Storaro in Apocalypse: The actual scene with them + production designer Dean Tavoularis as documentary filmakers: What was the director/Coppola saying? "Don't look at the camera! Just go by like you are fighting... Like you are fighting!... Don't look at the camera! It's (for/a) television.. just go through, go trough! ... " :lol: ================== Where is Kaminski in Ryan ? Best Igor

Just saw the HD trailer. Liked the images. Nice. ... You mention couple of times how well the F900 holds on the big screen. I wonder what did you do with the camera detail/sharpness settings? Some turn it completely off... And... Did you go for in-camera look or shot, say with less contrast, to have more pictorial info and choices in post/CC? And how much was your input in the CC ? Regards Igor

May i remind you all from AC Jan 2006 the article on "The New World": "The filmmakers did shoot a small amount of 65mm “for what we called ‘hyper-enhanced moments’ —when, for example, John Smith or Pocahontas has an important realization.” =========================== On the idea of not using lights... I thought of it like filming and adapting to what is. Even no bounce boards for fill. In other words no proactive lighting. However, Lubezki mentions saying to his key grip once, to take only the camera and a bead board. Best Igor

Thanks for sharing. :) From the third video: "Once i started shooting with no lights, suddenly i felt like a naked man in the middle of Time Square... " I can relate to that ! :) Best Ihor

Yes, for taking a reading of an individual light. Or blocking backlight, regardless the Sun or an lighting instrument, not to hit the dome and interfere with your metering. ---- The old school analog Sekonic L-398M has a slide slot on top of the head, behind the dome, and the manual says: "When no slide is inserted, strong light directly striking the slide slot may enter through the slot. Although this does not seriously affect exposure, if more accurate exposure is required, cover slot with hand" Regards Igor

How are things progressing? Eager to see footage. :) Best Igor

I received the good news via mail too. That's great ! B) Igor

What exactly is an 1x3 holder ? I could not find any picture of it. Only as item listed in one or two rental catalogs. Best Igor