Chris Walters

Well said Logan, I actually worked with some Bozeman students when one of the Senior thesis projects shot in Bozeman... Beautiful location. We were actually there for spring break first week of April. They were very helpful and knew there stuff. Never complained and worked very hard. Film school is definitely an option I'm getting my B.A. along with the film school. I would never go to just a film school because one its a waste of money and you really should get degree in something no matter what you want to do. If you want to learn about film work on sets or in a production office. You will learn more in an hour then you will in a semester at film school. Don't get me wrong you learn a lot, but hands on experience is key. Contacts and networking is the most important!!! Why pay a fortune for contacts when you can get it for free with a PA job that teaches you more anyway. So be careful with you decision cause its a lot of passion and commitment to get into this industry not to mention a little luck ;) Good luck and never lose sight of your dreams and passions Chris

Hey guys I just finished shooting my first 3 projects as a DP and was wondering what people want to see in a DP's reel that really separates one from the other. Should I match the music to the style of film because one is drama and the other two are horror. Also is it bothersome if some of it is film and other is digital. Is there is time restriction I should follow? Another thing I want to work on is a website.. is there a a particular template or things that are a must to be added to it besides contact info and portfolio work. I have a bunch of different genres that I've worked on should I separate them by the genre or combine them. I have other credits as well such as gaffer and director, should I have separate websites for each or just break it up in to different links on my main page? Thank you for any advice you can give and if you have and personal examples i'd love to see them to get an idea. Thank you again Chris

Yeah I think your right that could have been it. I had another light in the kitchen some 15 ft away but the whole place was white walled. Thank you David. Chris

Does anyone know a web page that discusses the characteristics of different lenses. Primes Zooms, Primo's Zeiss, Cookie, anamorphic... what have you I'd like to learn the different characteristics and quality of each. Thank you Also I was wondering if any of you DPs have some one studying under you. I've done a lot of electric grip, gaffer and a little DP my self, but I would love to work right under a DP and learn everything I can from them with out missing anything by putting up lights away from set. Its hard to get across what I'm saying cause I don't mean to say I want to learn with out putting in the work of an electrician or anything, because I love doing that. However, I would love to be side by side with a DP and figure out why he put a light here or used this diffusion vs. that one. Obviously not when he/she is busy on the set trying to configure a shot. What would be the best position I could fill that would help me learn as much about the the how and why a DP lights and shoots? Thank you very much for responding and I hope it didn't make the second paragraph too confusing. ;) Thank you Chris

I shot a short for a class project on super 16 7218 and there is one particular scene where the right side of the actress' face is slightly red. I keyed her from left side with a 150 fresnel. She has redish brown hair and I'm wondering if its just a reflection of her hair back on to her face and if there was something I could have done about that. Could it maybe have been make up as well or is 7218 more responsive to red ? Chris

Well since everyone else is promoting their school I figured I promote mine too. I go to Cal State Northridge, which is extremely cheap compared to SC, Chapman, NYU and the like. 1600 a semester compared to 38000. Yeah theres an extra 0 ;) We are also compared to SC not better but come very close. We put the technical people in the industry more than SC does and we don't come out with snobbish attitudes. No offence to SC grads but thats the reputation from the whole school. and I'm a Bruin fan, but I digress. I think you would enjoy northridge because not only do u get a film education but a normal college education as well. We have great professors and really nice facilities. We have one of the best internship programs in the State if not the country and are better located in the heart of the industry. The Statement you get what you pay for doesn't really hold true. You get an extremely great hands on film school like CSUN for very cheap with out having to pay the loans of SC for the rest of u're life. MAKE THAT FIRST PAYCHECK COUNT! Good luck with your decision. Chris Walters Student Cinematographer LA P.S. I like SC people and don't mean to rag on your school, but you are our rivals ;)

It really sounds like you have a problem with composing and being skilled enough to light the entire scene. I'm not pro, but I know any good cinematographer should be able to work with whatever format, location and lights to create a beautiful image. I believe most digital filmmakers are trying to create the cine look and choose to shoot 16X9 for that reason. The only reason I would shoot 4X3 is artistic choice not because I couldn't get the framing to work. I just finished a 20 min short on a 400 dollar budget and only had two lights. 650 fresnels to be specific and it looks like any other digital short i've made with numerous lights. Instead of arguing with David I think you need to rethink your argument and realize budget or any other kind of restrictions shouldn't changed your artistic choices. You just need to find a different and sometimes better route of accomplishing your look. Chris Walters Student Cinematographer CSUN

I eventually want to be a professional cinematographer, but I'm trying to come up with the best way of getting to that point. I've done many gigs as a electrician and best boy, but don't know if it would be the best route to join local 728 and then move up the ranks to gaffer and eventually DP in Local 600. Or should I work on smaller projects as a DP and build a base to sell my self around. I have already DP'd several projects for film school and outside of CSUN, but feel I could sustain myself if I joined 728 as opposed to finding jobs as a DP. I don't want to be stuck pulling cable all my life either. Any one have any advice or personal stories to share that will help me make this decision. Chris Walters Student Cinematographer LA

I keep hearing from several DPs that its best to overexpose the negative because there is more detail in the shadows. They also suggest rating 500T at 320T to achieve less apparent grain and richer colors, but do I develop and print it normally? Pull it 1/2 stop and print normally? ( I know 500 to 320 is 2/3 but the lab only does 1/2 increments) Or do I develop it normally and print down? Are there different effects for both ways? My situation is I'm shooting a super16 film and was looking at 7218 and rating it at 320 to get less grain and richer colors. I'm shooting a horror film so i'm not sure if thats the best way to achieve the dark blacks since i'm increasing shadow detail. Would it be smarter to get less grain and richer colors to just shoot on 200T? Or just shoot develop and print 500T normally but just underexpose what I want black. I don't have the budget to shoot 35. I'm all ears to any suggestions. Chris Walters Cinematographer in the making

I'm a freshman film major at Cal-State Northridge and I've grown past my digital is better than film stage and was wondering if anyone has any excercises with film stock, lenses, still photography or what ever has helped you become better film makers. I know the best education is through trial and error so whatever ideas you got send them my way. I've worked on several small time commercials, student shorts, a few Dr. Phil specials and several more as a grip/electrician/gaffer/DP and have been catching on to stuff quickly, but of course thats all digital. So let me know everything that will advance my "FILM" skills! Thanks a bunch Chris Walters Student CSUN