Igor Trajkovski

I generally liked the movie, and after reading good and bad critics elsewhere and here, including praising/dissing of QT, all i can say is like Delmar in "O, Brother...", saying the deciding vote on leader of the outfit: "Okay... I'm with you fellas." :) ----- Can somebody please remind me why film projection has deeper blacks and digital can't do it? Something to do with the opaqueness of film or...? Best Igor

Camera to Manual mode and focusing switch on lens from AF to MF. Best. Igor

From this Bridge of Spies B-Roll Behind-The-Scenes Footage we can see Spielberg/Kaminski holding onto film. :) Best Igor

In this review of the Kamerar QV-1 LCD Viewfinder, the reviewer comments on the strong magnet holding the finder to the mounting bracket and demonstrating it by holding the DSLR downwards on the loupe only - LINK. I wonder, is that magnet somehow affecting the LCD screen? Temporarily or maybe over time causing some damage? Didn't some users of s35 adapters for video cameras (remember those? :) ) attach magnet on screen or the viewfinder to un-flip the image? Best Igor

When slowing it down in computer, make sure to not activate any frame blending option. So if activated, the sequence of frames instead being: Frame1, Frame1, Frame2, Frame2, ... will come out as: Frame1, Frame1 + Frame2, Frame2, Frame2 + Frame3, ... or if motion vector based frame blending used: Frame1, motion vector CREATED frame from Frame1 and Frame2, Frame2, motion vector CREATED frame from Frame2 and Frame 3, ... Best Igor

Hi, I would comment on two things. One the second shot, where the "X" is sewn on the belt, the following of the action with camera or maybe it was pan/crop in edit, left me with kind of a disorienting feeling. I think a static shot with the movement in frame being only the machine and the operator hands would be enough. And the second thing, when the black part of the belt is sewn with white thread, the material from the other shots looks like leather, but here it is almost jet black, i can't readily see what it is. There are some weak, bare reflections on it but not enough to show me concisely what it is, material wise. In the next shot i can clearly see there is leather with reflection and texture. Bring that up in the shot in question. Either you crushed the blacks, by that removing all reflection and texture, or there wasn't enough of it in the first place. Improve with a softbox, foamboard, show card or anything white, placed in a manner to reflect in the leather. If it doesn't show enough texture that way, also add some light to rake across the surface to bring it up. Best Igor

Another remake? I recently (re)watched the 1967 film. After having that beautiful and pleasurable experience of a classic, with the super-annoying Bathsheba portrayed by Julie Christie, and the kindness, principles and patience of Gabriel played by Alan Bates, i don't know i am ready for another go... :) I like Vinterberg's "Festen" and "The Hunt". Will check this one out too someday. Best Igor

Try Adobe Color CC (former Adobe Kuler) Online tool for creating color pallets via varios rules - Analogues, Monochromatic, Complementary, etc... Best Igor

I remember reading that "Oliver Twist" by Polanski was shot mainly with 2 lenses. Here i've found the exerpt from "American Cinematographer" regarding that: "Polanski’s pictures are distinguished by the use of very few wide focal lengths. Edelman recalls that The Pianist was principally shot with two lenses, 27mm and 32mm, and he notes that Oliver Twist was shot with a 21mm and a 27mm. Lens choices “happen on the set,” says the cinematographer. “Roman has been shooting his movies with one or two lenses all his life. He likes wide lenses because he likes to see the characters integrated with the space.” The director adds, “A wide-angle lens gives you more depth of field, which is important when things that happen in the background have to be sharp, so that counts also. Of course, there is also more sensation of movement with a wide angle because you see more of the perspective change — the things on the sides of the frame move more than the things in front.” Link to the entire article from The ASC's website: "A Boy's Will - Oliver Twist by Roman Polanski" I think Douglas Trumbull talked about on using lens with FoV equivalent to human vision in order to accomplish the immersion or something... Best Igor

When i red a review of A6000 i downloaded and watched some videos at 800 and 1600 ISO, and for what i saw the camera was very nice looking. Here is the site with the review: Camera Lbs - Sony A6000 review - Movies Below the video is a "Download the original file" link which brings you to the video on Vimeo and if you are registered and logged in you can download via the download button the ORIGINAL file. Take a look at the sample video #5, called "low light handheld pan 1600 ISO", the one with the guitars. Good Luck Igor

I saw it couple of days ago, after finding a post on FB with those links from AC. Didn't read them, instead quick checked some non spoiler reviews and decided to watch. Was very pleased with the film. The visuals and coverage. Those 4:3 frames with the top 1/2 of frame as headroom - weird but pleasing. Was trying to find symbolism and meaning of it, but if i understood correctly, the director and/or DP were also surprised and pleased that people looked at symbolism in that framing while it started as choice to make the 4:3 frame interesting and later they needed to stick to that visual language. Almost the entire movie is with static camera. ... At first the story was so so for me, till the ending when it beautifully made conclusion. As time passes, i feel i like more and more this movie. Definitely (Michael) Haneke Style can be felt at times. If you know what i mean... :) Best Igor

What about shooting your 240fps footage of dancers, blowing smoke, shattering ice, flowing fabric, etc. with 2 sync'd cameras, one as the main, the other as reference at some offset angle and distance from main, and then using the footage from both cameras to extrapolate 3d geometry, depth maps to use for projecting your artist 24 fps footage in post? The projection would be 1 on 1 frame, with the benefits of adjusting intensity, color, falloff, etc. of the projected footage at your discretion. Best Igor

Why not Michael Bay "Transformers" style: Transformers Making of - Shia and Megan talk in Bee Camera arcs around car, car is rocked with wooden levers and somebody shines light occasionally with a moving reflector or some lighting instrument. Yes, the background does not move - it is blown white. Here is the scene in the film - LINK. I think I've seen somewhere making of the same scene where the blown white background through the window was actually a lit diffusion frame... The angle from Megan, the background behind Shia. Best Igor

In my reply in the thread on how screens in House of Cards, Social Network, Girl with Dragon Tattoo look so good i posted a VFX reel of a guy who've worked on HoC and the phone sequences show tracking of it is involved. Doing a Roto out of the tracking is also easy. However, somebody/something crossing the screen may involve less or more delicate roto time. Hair anyone? :) Best Igor

What ISO & Fstop? Regards Igor

The Social Network: B-Roll #2 And as of House of Cards, this VFX reel shows bluescreen for tv's & phones Best Igor

Check Shane Hurlbut's article on his Hurlblog: Diffusion for the Digital Age: The Use of Glass Filtration A lot of comparison examples of clean to filtered shot. Light sources in the sample frames included. :) Best Igor

Check this course: The Master Course In High-End Blocking & Staging by Hollywood Camera Work Check some sample clips it here: LINK Best Igor

3-Chip 2/3" Type FIT CCD. Not 1/2"

(W)TF?!?... Pardon my language...

In my country (Macedonia) we have invasion of Turkish TV soap operas. So the first thing that came to my mind as you started to elaborate about Turkish cinematography are those shows. :) However, Kemalettin Sert's post reminded me that movies are also produced there, which i am sure some of them show great cinematography. Sorry for being vague about the movies, it's been ages since i watched a Turkish feature, but i recall Turkey having prolific film production, and some of the pictures were critically acclaimed at well known festivals. Back to the soap operas. While i am not following them, i glance from time to time at the screen while somebody at home or in relatives or friends houses watches them. There is a broad mix of so so almost run and gun cinematography and here and there some better work can be seen. I've seen a lot camera movement for the sake of movement - as dialog runs the camera slides left to right... that might be well known "convention" for making a talk scene "interesting" but what surprises me is the use of crane or dolly for non-stop slight up and down movement. The same as slide shot but vertically. People talk, the camera raises, creeps upward and then reaches the peak and starts downward at the same tempo. No cut. It seems the instructions to the operator are "From action to cut keep moving that camera up and down" :) Beg/Enforce the director/producer to do one scene two ways - one with simple bounce on ceiling and other according to your vision. Show them both variants. For time/budgetary reasons your way might not be implemented. Try to accomplish your way faster, more resourcefully. If noting helps, just say its entertainment and enjoy the on set learning experience of all the aspects of film making. :) Or be Storaro like, walk of the set if the director wants you to shine 3 Readheads frontally at the scene. Regardless that you have wife, child, another on its way and only 50$ in you pocket... :) (from "Cinematographer Style". I might paraphrasing it but it shows his resolve to keep his integrity and have his say in the visuals of the shoot) Regards Igor

New generation Lytro light-field camera anounced: Lytro gets serious with the $1,599 Illum light-field camera I can just imagine this thing being able in the next generation to pump those light-field gathered files at our beloved film frame rates or higher... The new RAW? No worries about focus/DoF? No more focus pullers? ... Anyone new to light-filed imaging can read Lytro Founder Ren Ng’s PhD dissertation "DIGITAL LIGHT FIELD PHOTOGRAPHY" Don't be discouraged, it is not just (abstract) text and formulas, plenty of pictures and diagrams. Best Igor

This article by DP Don Starnes give an interesting perspective on storyboards: Blocking Before Coffee Best Igor

What about using stick welder/s? It seems to me they might be a bit to bluish. Just an idea. Best Igor

Check these 2 articles by Art Adams: Trusting My Meter: The Perception of Brightness and the new one: The Art Adams Zone System for HD Regards Igor