G McMahon

The best thing someone told me was, "you are creating an illusion". That means, you can light whatever way you want, as long as you feel that it is congruent with the story. And that is subjective too. I just shot some scenes where I wanted the look of night to be like when you wake up in the middle of the night, and no sources illuminate what you see. So I went day for night. Do not restrict yourself to how it should look by eye, or in reality. You will find yourself very frustrated, or worse, may not be called back again. Audiences have become use to things not looking entirely like they should.

The type that you place 100 w bulbs in? Forgot to attach photos. Thanks

Hello all, About to undertake a short on16mm. The night exterior is set in a rather dense garden. To be congruent to the story at that particular time I would like to achieve an overall, omnipresent, soft low-key light. So it doesn?t appear to come from only a few sources, or hard back edges. I am racking my brain to try and achieve this, and besides tying old bed sheets high up in the trees and bouncing sources into them I am at a loss. I do not have the luxury of a crane holding a silk over the main areas. I am looking at shooting on 7217(200T). I may be thinking of grabbing a couple of rolls of faster stock, but I am concerned that the lack of strong contrast will give the image too much grain. The nature of this shoot enables access to any lens package or filters I want. Filters I am thinking Promist white or smoque or fog, I do not think I could contain any artificial smoke (fog) I put in there. The lighting package, I am tinkering with at present. I am hoping to get my hands on 2 x 2.5k and a 6k HMI. They were mainly for the day exteriors. I suppose I could grab numerous redheads, but having the HMI?s sitting around doing nothing is such a waste. If was to string the redheads high up, flooded, I would not get the evenness. Thank you all, hopefully the still shot can give you an idea of what I am dealing with.

Hello all, I have used the Arri website for determine fc required and lamps required. I am about to undertake a largely exterior shoot on 16mm, allot like a gentleman mentioned a couple of threads down, am more comfortable on Night and interior shoots than I am during the day. The location is terrible, thick jungle like garden and some paths that get hit with strong Queensland (Australian) sun. I cannot find room, nor enough light to fully utilise reflectors, and I do not want a sourcey HMI look. I am thinking of building an ultrabouce over the main action area and bashing a HMI into it, I just want to give some subtle form to the otherwise flat lighting where the pond is. Is there a rule of thumb for determining how much light is lost through bounced light? I know you use "x" stops of light when you put 250 or muslin in front of a light source. Has the Arri website changed their fc calculator, it used to be better, or was that another site? Thanks, Graeme

Hello all, I am seeking medium budget commercial and medium to high budget corporate work. It is one thing to have my daily rate, but what do I charge for any pre, scouting, testing or any post work? Or at this level, I should not rock the boat with such expenses? IS it a percentage of your daily rate? Do you charge fuel if travelling over a certain distance? Thanks,

Hello, I was told by a gent that has done alot of hair. Use the biggest source, hard light frontal. Long end of a lens. Don't use back light (it picks out the stray hairs). Soft side lights, reflections. Try to use someone with fairer hair colours than dark hair , get the most stunning looking women you can get. He also mentioned that they treated the hair for several days (including diet) prior to the shoot. I don't understand some of your terminology. "I will have one as a hair light, 2 as kickers on each side and 2 more as half lights." What do you mean by half lights? Why would strobes be used? To give you the output you need without the heat? Thanks,

Does the rig weigh much? How did you plan on suspending it? This refers to the the compact tube set up you talked about earlier. The compact tube you refer to, is that those house hold bulb looking things? I might do some back searches on this covered wagon. Cheers, shots look nice.

I am not sure by what you mean. Are you shooting into a car at actors and you have your bg behind them, or you have a camera mounted on a car shooting away at objects passing by? What fuzziness are you referring too? Out of focus? Surely thats not effected by the speed.

With no money, equipment, or crew, and they ask you to work faster. But down the track they may decide whether you get that paid gig or not, or, some industry person hears you we're difficult to work with, not from this student, but someone who heard from them. I think people forget the favour your doing for them, and sometimes that act of generosity is more damaging then saying no straight up. In fact, students could be watching me right now. Must go

I like your moving light on the air con.

www.dvxuser.com or www.DVXuser.com

I am armed with a new reel (doesn't contain my last five projects, but I can't keep waiting), new covers printed, business cards, I am looking to branch out more within the corporate realm, low to medium budget commercials and corporates. Do I cold call companies and set up interviews to show my reel? It has been suggested to me to call up and arrange to have a coffee and leave my reel with them so they don?t have to watch in my presence. Is that a better idea? Should I discuss the benefits of working with me? Do I discuss that I am better in a contrived shooting style then that of an ENG nature. Do I discuss specifics that I will only work for this rate, or not without this equipment or crew? Two technical concerns. 1). Some of my footage, especially the earlier stuff, suffers from compression and generation loss. I now know how to help this for future footage, but is this giving a bad impression? Or will they be sharp enough to look beyond that at my compositions, etc? 2). I am also concerned that my reel might not play on some DVD players or computers. Is there a way around it? Thanks all

Thanks, that?s good advice. To piggy back on this forum (if no replies I will start my own thread). I am armed with a new reel (doesn't contain my last five projects, but I can't keep waiting), new covers printed, business cards, I am looking to branch out more within the corporate realm, low to medium budget commercials and corporates. Do I cold call companies and set up interviews to show my reel? It has been suggested to me to call up and arrange to have a coffee and leave my reel with them so they don?t have to watch in my presence. Is that a better idea? Should I discuss the benefits of working with me? Do I discuss that I am better in a contrived shooting style then that of an ENG nature. Do I discuss specifics that I will only work for this rate, or not without this equipment or crew? Two technical concerns. 1). Some of my footage, especially the earlier stuff, suffers from compression and generation loss. I now know how to help this for future footage, but is this giving a bad impression? Or will they be sharp enough to look beyond that at my compositions, etc? 2). I am also concerned that my reel might not play on some DVD players or computers. Is there a way around it? Thanks all,

Where to start. Firstly, all the bond films have different looks, especially the latter ones, besides from changes in stocks etc over the years. What I do know is that it tends to be more unobtrusive, static camera, on sticks shooting. More classic compositions, and minimal camera moves, I don't even think they go tighter then a medium close up, unless it is of JB's watch. The lighting, also unobtrusive, isn't too stylistic. The earlier films, allot of hard lights, fresnels, the latter, softer fills with some hard sources. But that all differs in the latter films, from film to film. You can be surprised, some good looking people don't look good on camera, and some ordinary people look spectacular. The women in Bond film are stunning, but they have the properties, good facial structure, feminine lines and posture, from domino in thunderball to Halle Berry. Do tests. There is allot to say about the production design, you can't polish a turd. Good to see you?re chasing good locations. Also the costumes. I am concerned for a director that you are getting to involved in the procedure of actually lighting. It may be taking time and effort away from what you need to be doing in pre. Another concern or what is confusing me, is the silhouette shot. If the FG is the actors and there dark, and you want only to see detail outside the window, then you do not need to light them at all. Infact, just expose for exterior. If needed, have some practicles in the BG, inside the room. Consider the fact the windows may be tinted, that can stuff things around.

I can't open links, forbidden M's orders.

Early bond or late bond?

Hello there, I have seen you on the forums and you look pretty cute. Only kidding, I live in Bris myself, I have never seen you around. You care to catch up for a beer or coffee. I have just finished shooting a scene at the Bowerey bar. May be able to help you. Also, I like shooting good looking women.

Hello all, Emotion and feel. It?s probably more innate, but where can I get a better understanding that the use of colour, light, movement and framing I am using is appropriate for the piece I am shooting? I am finding that sometimes I might be looking at the shot, not the entire piece, and composing/ lighting a frame that may not be apt. Also, it is one thing to say you have captured a certain scene pictorially, how do you flow to the next scene that is in the narrative not as emotion etc. without making a visual jar to the audience? Is it a precedence you may have already established? Still haven't had responses about questions to department heads. Shooting and lighting is about getting skin off your knees, a question like mine regarding talking to department heads should be of great interest to all, regardless experience (unless already covered). Thanks in advance,

Hello all, I was able to intern/ work experience on a feature in Australia (US feature shot in Australia). Same situation, but I was able to obtain liability cover from some insurance company. I just called different companies till one could offer me a type of work experience cover. That should get the production off your back. Just remember pick the right moments to ask questions. Hope it helps, Graeme

Hello all. Is there a correlation between foot candles and foot lamberts. It may seem archaic, but I am getting used to the idea of using foot candles (I find it handy lighting video), but that doesn?t help me when it comes to spot metering. Does it work like foot candles too, 4FC is half the light of 8FC? Thanks,

Hello all, Would like to know what sought of questions or discussions you may have with the following heads in pre production. Regardless of how trivial it may seem. I am trying to find out whether the tail wags the dog, that sought of thing. Director First AD Designer Editor Producer Gaffer A side thing, I shot a short recently, inexperienced 1st AD. After the first day , when things didn?t go so smoothly, I gave her a list of how a production moves on set from "moving on", to "final checks". I found out at the wrap drinks that she was upset by my gesture for improving her knowledge, why? A month earlier, I took no offence from a senior stunt guy offering me advice with shooting with stunts. Why do I constantly feel like a bad guy for offering knowledge to people less experienced then me. I should not have to say at the beginning of a production to some fresh uni student that I have worked as a loader on this and that, nor should I, have to tell the producer problems, only for them to turn around and tell the person. I believe a problem should be dealt with head on. I would be upset if someone had a problem with me and could not feel comfortable coming straight to me, but going through channels. Should I turn up wit a CV printed on my T shirt so people know what I have done? It eems that everyone can be sensitive except me (poor me, I know). Thank you,

Hello all, Is it possible to use haze in a unit which you can't turn off smoke alarms? Would hate to get the fire trucks turning up. Thanks,

Hello all, How do I achieve good solid highlights frontally? Soft lighting on a face seems to give the hit side an even, soft look, and if I push the exposure the hit side uniformly get brighter. Hard lighting with a fresnel, I basically get the same results except the shadows are darker. I can get some highlights with back/ ¾ lights and also when fake sweat is added. I have experimented with combinations of soft with underexposed hard lights with interesting results but what I not been able to achieve is a face with good frontal highlights. I cannot think of any references at hand, except a lot of cosmetic magazine ads which lends me to think it is something added in post. Is it that the make up has dulled the sheen, is it a post thing, is it a knee thing? What am I missing? Thanks all

Hello all, Looking at shooting on 16mm on city night exteriors. Lots of head lights passing frame. From knowledge, if you shoot wide open, is that when you get a mirror image of highlights through frame (if you can recall, city driving shots in the movie swingers have a pair of head lights mirrored in the scene). I also been told by using mattes on a matte box at night can act as a secong iris, is that true? Am I better off getting the fastest lens that budget can provide and stop down one? Thanks all,

OK, from what I read now. It?s an over shoulder walking shot of the actor shuffling cards. Can't you have him riding the dolly as well, staging a shoulder swagger, with the camera up high booming over his shoulder so a dirty BG of moving ground is seen? What's important about the shot, the hands shuffling?