Matt Workman

I meant flash-mag..but I'm just making up names. The hard drive recording option, forget the names, thats what ACs and rental houses are for :-)

I agree, and most people who came from tape/film are still nervous about it. I've never experienced a faulty card but that would be a bummer. Hopefully testing the cards at the checkout would be a good failsafe, but I suppose on a long project something could go wrong. Yeah, I've been shooting P2 not by choice but becuase of the price point, so producers are quick to choose a HPX3000/2000 over the Varicam. Its a amazing how inexpensive rental houses let the 500/2000 out the door for. Tape stock and transfers add about $1000 even to a simple shoot. Still photography has sucessfully made the switch to digital aquisition, although they have semi-standardized. All and all I agree that digital "backup" is scary. I try to get at least two copies of the footage in different places. Big budget shoots have been doing LTO transfers. But at this point you just have to just be cautious and roll with the punches. I'm about to do a Red shoot and man do I have to roll with the punchs, there are so many little caveots to get that thing to work..IMO Best of luck. Matt Mitch: hah, thanks. Yeah its like the Cine-Mag for the D20 right? I almost did a shoot with that and I didn't want to be tethered.

OK so I was at RGH today and I talked to the guy who runs the place and they have several of the large booms. They take junior recievers and the tilt and extent are on cranks with BEEFY locks. That Parabeam is probaby the max weight capacity. Just called megabooms or something like that. Matt PS: learned there is no difference between claycoat and ultra bounce...so they say

If I may add: I've shot with the HPX2000, HVX200, etc. and the P2 workflow is A LOT better than a tape workflow. - tapes cost money...one to buy and to transfer. - tapes are bulky and you have to label them and are messy, IMO. - 5x 16GB/32GB will last you more than all day. Maybe not for live concert/but for most things - P2 you hit record and instantly you are at speed - You can watch off speed footage back instantly - In editing there is not logging capturing, its broken up by clips already - I could go on... If you have at least one AC who understands the workflow it should be fine. I've never had an issue with the workflow. The only thing is you need to know who is editing etc. because there are lots of software/driver issues that need to be addressed. Especially AVCIntra...I shoot DVCPROHD unless we have an editor that knows what they are doign with transcodes to ProRES etc. On set back up is really easy. Mac Book Pro with a Raided HD is how we usually work. I wouldn't recommend the P2 Store and NEVER use the Firestore. Film might never die but tape probably will...even though the D20/F23 still use HDCAM. RED/PHANTOM/SONY/PANASONIC are already there. IMO the tape decks on the back of the F23 looks really stupid...like really really stupid. The CineMags are a good option...but still ugly. Matt

Hey Greg, Thanks for your input. The company wouldn't be Briese USA would it? Apparently a company by that name was claiming that they were the only distributor of Briese equipment in the US and were selling/renting knock off equipment. Just wondering. If not, can you give me the name of the company and a contact number? I'd really like to start using them in NYC, especially because some clients are asking for them specifically. Thanks, Matt

Hey, I'm friends with Boris, what were you guys shooting all the way down there? :lol: Matt

I've seen LTM/Arri 4K Pars powered from an adapted Honda 6500k genie. Definitely need to be electronic, also the right voltage as the lamp seeing that you are in France. I don't know about "construction" generators...that just doesn't sound good to me.

Music video just released. Its going to be played on TV in Mexico and Spain, I hear. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...eoid=2103319922 I don't have a HD version of the video yet but the myspace one is horrendous. The editor cropped to 2.35, I didn't shoot for it, so there are some odd compositions but I think it works ok. Matt

Did a video here, also has a pre-built court room and prison for green rooms. :P http://www.gmtstudios.com/

Hey, Excuse my Zoolander quote...actually just embrace it! Ok, so I've been stalking some music video set photos and I've been encountering some pictures of people booming their keylights...usually kino wall-light, parabeam, 4x4...Also parabeams/kinos are always spiking magenta on me lately, I've been using all tungsten lately. I've been using 20' goal posts lately but this whole boom thing seems pretty decent. Here are some pictures of some. One is really big one its pretty small. How do you usually grip this? I've heard of the new MSE boom stand but I've never seen it on set so I'm hesitant to pull it out. This is different/better than the menace arms I've encountered also. Thanks, Matt PS: Going to be doing this on my next upcoming club music video, style officially bit

Hey, I have a potential feature coming up that I'd like to get a photographer I'm friends with on board as our official set photographer. This is a non-union low budget feature but decent sized indie. I was wondering what the on-set and off set responsibilities of the set photographer are. Guessing: - Shoot production stills to use for promotion of the film. i.e. website, IMDB, press kit, magazine articles, potential cover, artwork, etc. - Continuity? Probably the scripty job, but I'm not familiar... On a 4 week indie feature how frequently are they on set? I'd assume at the minimum for when the bigger stars are on set. Considering that the production company most likely owns the photos after the shoot was is a good rate for a set photographer on a $1-2 million feature? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks, Matt

ugh yeah I know continuity is a pain... My best lessons have just been to shoot and review...shoot and review... I've made a lot of mess ups that I cringe to watch, but that makes you better for the next time. If we don't have video playback...pretty much always...I've gotten in the habit of matching the camera settings with my DSLR and shooting stills of the frame. Then playing them back when thinking about the rest of the coverage to make sure it matches. Also if you storyboard and shoot the wide shot first you'll have a better intuition on "matching" for the closeups. Nothing worse than watching an edit where they background levels are dancing in every shot. I've had a script supervisor comment on background elements not matching "brightness-wise" which is a thin line, but I was ok with her telling me that. Either that or stick to one take scenes. :-) Matt

BTW DP is Maher Melah. Love the shot with the solid acting as the shadow of the "rugby/jetengine." That is some clever stuff, gotta get smarter. Or maybe the VFX supervisor recommended that. Looks like they used the actual shadow of the cutout in the final comp also. Damn clever. Also they were shooting HDRI 3D plates so a lot of the sky/background is definitely brought back in post. Cheating...in other words. I think they were going for a purposely dirty camera move feel, but it seems like it would have been easier to have CG background plates considering how much was done in post. Maybe not. Matt

So here is a VFX heavy spot for Snickers shot on the Genesis. There is a sweet behind the scenes video that shows the original plates and the comps. http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=4496 -What is the shiny board/light they are using for the talent? Haven't seen that before, seems really strong. -Looks like plates had a magenta soft/grad filter on them that was removed later. Thought they would have just used ND/Grad, or nothign seeing that the sky is replaced in every shot. - Pretty cool they just remove the dolly track for the one wide push-in. Wish I could just leave the track in and have someone remove it in "post." :lol: I'm a VFX guy at heart, I loved Transformers, so I guess this will interest like minded camrera people more than others... Have you heard of the DP before? Fun gig. Matt

Hey Adam, Very interesting break down, thanks for posting it. Why the super16mm and not 35mm? Though its discouraging to hear that the Pop videos are sounding as "organized" as the hip hop ones. :( Have you heard of a director named Luke Biggins? We are doing a job in NYC right now. He said a 400' can of 35mm is like $800 in the UK! With the foamcore under the chin, what light is bouncing into it? The Briese? Thanks, Matt

Hey Jaron, Nice to hear from you. I've been shooting a lot of music videos, I have a 35mm one tomorrow. Our steadicam op is Brandon Sumner. Could your rig have held a 435? Yeah I've been to Milk Studios who have several Brieses, I think Pier59 is part of them. Thats too bad you can't take them outside, I guess they are expensive but so is an 18k... For the 35mm music video the director is from the UK and really likes having the big Brieses and asked if I used them here. I told him in LA they are around but in NYC they are hard to come by. :( I'll check out the BronColor...where should I look, lol. I wasn't looking to buy, though bigger ones would be nice to keep my dirty laundry in. :lol: So the Aurasoft if more like a Beauty Dish huh? Aren't those used more or less like a ringlight? I guess you just mean the quality of light. Is it like a skypan? It looks like it has more kick. How is LA? Matt

Hah thanks Jon, I guess I was looking for someone to recommend a place they've used. I'll give Briese a call also. How do the Briese's compare to an Aurasoft? I know CSC and Available Light rent those and I've been meaning to try both out. thanks, Matt

Hey, Where can I rent some Briese lights in New York City? Thanks, Matt

Hmm, I don't pull out the 18mm that much, what are you guys using it for mainly? Its a little distorted for MS of people, I suppose a wide shot in a small apartment? I'm usually on the 25mm as my widest normal shooting. Just curious, I feel left out. :unsure: Matt

lol Phil

Hey, You shoot the best looking short films. :lol: Look forward to seeing the footage. I don't mean to beat a dead horse about soft lighting, or whatever but on the BTS picture I have a question, maybe for your gaffer: How would you compare a 5k bounced into ultrabounce, making a 8x8 sized source it looks like and a 5k/9fay pushed through grid. Assuming the size is the same. Is it a logistics choice? To me it seems like the bounce is "softer" more natural than pushing through grid, but I'm always hesitant to make big bounces. I just watched a BTS on No Country for Old Men and in the opening bank scene you can see a big mess of bright fabric in the corner of the room. I'm assuming he is bouncing a 6k HMI or something like you are. Is the messy/crumply nature adding a randomness to the light that is a more natural then a flat stretched out 8x8? I know this is subjective, I'm just asking your thought/philosophy on the matter. Not trying to say which way is better or worse. Also, given that you had a limited budget how did you afford a chapman dolly? I'm trying harder to get Fischer11's and sliders on my projects these days but the cost usually costs me an extra grip etc. Is it a big priority for you? Thanks, Matt

moving to LA on us?

That was a very satisfying experience. Virtual AC videos.

Just a little update, I didn't shoot this project. The "we used" was a quote from the original writer and the bit about the flares was a quick paraphrase. Also, they used a combo of tobacco and chocolate filters. There is a good 3 pages on the red forum talking about similar issues. Matt

Hey Walter, thats great you are using it. Are you using the 2k or HD? For some reason until I spoke with Max I only thought to use that camera for high speed work, but both his and your use of it has changed my view of the camera. It does interface very well with the Iridas Speed Grade, which I'm a big fan of. Previewing rough color corects of the footage is always heplful for figuring out appropriate key/fill ratios. I'd be interested to have a colorist on set just like a VFX supervisor. Matt