chris kempinski

I agree, The "fix it in post" metality I think is a preference to some, but not for me. Color and image quality is what cinematography is all about. Using gel on your lights and filters on your lens will give you a truer image in the end. Cheers Chris

We usually park our equiptment truck between our set and the gennie when we can't get far from set. Chris

I would love to see some samples of 200T or 500T transfered. If anyone has a sample and could post it on line...... Flying Spot in Seattle told me the transfer to MiniDv was comparable to 16....... I love super8 and if this is the case I would love to use it more. As I light for money and shoot for fun, this is my slower season and money is tight, I don't have the funds to just go out and shoot for fun right now. :( Chris

Stanley is using an arri 2C. It's a 35mm MOS camera. I would love to hear more people's accounts on shooting with super8 negative. I have about 6 exposed cartridges in my fridge, but I have to travel to Seattle for processing and transfer. Has anyone done a poorman's transfer off a white wall projected and captured with a 3chip camera then use final cut to make the positive flip?? cheers chris.

I own some keyless sockets for making covered wagons and some china balls, and a couple of small car plug inverters. They work wonders for indie no-budget shoots.

I like Evan's idea with the blackwrap. I would only add the idea of using controlled lights like liekos,dedos and snoots on smaller sources. Keep your sources high, pointed down and off the wall. Perhaps look at getting a wall spreader or two. there's my two cents. good luck Chris

Hey, I know only a couple things about stainless steel. Usually try and use large soft sources, or a row of kino with diffusion so as to make a continuous "flare" across the entire surface that looks even and from one single source. We shoot the same commercial for a restaurant and the DP always uses the steel, blasts hard light, 3 stops over and blues up the background sources. Oh, and a couple of black flops with a lens pointing out between usually works for reflection. again, best of luck. Chris

I will pass on any info that I can. As for now I am looking for extra mags, perhaps 2, and a decent video assist without spending all the cash. I am probably going to put it all on hold until I can make a bit of money with the camera. If I can make money with it. A lot of the shows I am working on start talking film and end up shooting HD or DV. Going blue in the face and stomping my feet shouting "HD is the new Beta" only gets me blank stares in return. Then we shoot HD. For now my GISMO is just a wicked little toy. HD is the new Beta.

One of my favorite car PMPs was in Million Dollar Baby. Very subtle, not predictable and worth a look. It's funny I just worked with Tom Stern on Things we Lost in the Fire and I didn't get a chance to ask him about it.

Try to hide your smaller hmi's up stairways or down halls that aren't seen. Take time to light and make sure they block everything well so there are no Surprises once they shoot. Forget about the 12X12 and just pound the 12K's straight in if they are backlights anyways. There's is nothing wrong with mixing hmi's and kino. It's done every day. Most DP's have a preference, I prefer a 1200 or 575 bounce rather than a 4X4 kino, that's me. Have your Gaffer hand hold a small kino or pocket par chimera behind and off to one side a bit of the steady cam. A battery belt and a bit of creativity can keep cables and op out of the way of each other. This will give a nice eye light and fill while running through an entire house. It sounds fun, it's a music video so don't be afraid to take some risks. Good luck and be safe. Chris Oh and Andrew is right it sounds like you need man-lifts to get that high.

I would agree with Mark with the inverter idea and would just add perhaps a couple of 40W bulbs in small china balls on dimmers (ikea cheap). Good Luck and have fun at school. Chris

It does look like a quarter CTS on the key and perhaps a Cyan CAL15 on the fill and background. Perhaps a quarter Green quarter Blue combined instead of the Cyan. :unsure:

Kodak used to produce a pretty good DVD educational series. Not sure how to get it though. :blink: .

I've always been interested in trying the KinoFlo 6'x6' "Blanket-light" but have never been able to keep it on the list because it's the first thing I can live without so it always gets cut. The "Blanket-light" is a nice and large soft source but from a technician's side.... a crazy pain to set up and tear down, or move around in tight quarters. No offence David or to Kino but you may be better off with a fresnel behind a 5X5 soft frame. Cheers Chris

I sympathize greatly, I have been looking for CP core adapters for a while now without spending 50 bucks per adapter. Christopher, that's a great idea about the labs. Thanks for the idea. Such a little thing, but it's what I love about this site.

I think you are very right on all accounts. My copy of the American Cinematographer's handbook has only the very basics on it, and finding info or upgrades seems harder to find than most. I heard that it was just thrown together by CP to answer the SR. So far so good for me though. I like it, it's quiet, easy to load, light, and a pretty steady picture. Thanks for the reply!!

I guess it's an OK camera after all. I am shooting a music video and a musical in the coming months and will keep things posted on how it works out. I think I am going to use a 50D and 100T and shoot 235 although I am 4:3 right now. Cheers and Happy shooting to you all. Chris Oh and if anyone knows where I can get a cheap eyepiece video assist and could let me know a website or something.......

It's funny, I just bought a 16mm CP GSMO. I have run a few hundred feet through it and think it's a great little camera, so far. Though, when I tell some of the cinematographers I work with about my camera I seem to get a smirk and/or a roll of the eyes. Does any one have any advice on what to look out for, or any quirks that this camera may have? Before I go investing in upgrading it I would like to hear some opinions. One thing to note is that I do have the new modified board that used to be so troublesome. Thanks Chris

Super good to know Thanks

my suggestion, if you can only do it with the 2500. Take out the lens and full spot. You will gain about another stop.

phil, that's brilliant. My suggestion would be to full and half CTO the head lights of the car, flag off the spill and have someone waive their hands in front of the light, creatively.

oh and what I meant by highlight rather than key light is..... you don't have a lot of lights so it's film school 101, block, light, shoot while you are rehearsing, notice where the natural light of the bar is coming from, then once you have your camera frame in place, bring your sources, bounce, china ball what have you from the same direction as the natural source, to enhance it, not to force your light from a direction that's not natural. that's all

China balls are great for over all ambiance, and soft is what you need. Ikea has lanterns like that for super cheap but the wattage (not too sure) won't hold that much, perhaps 100W. Definitely diffuse anything that hits an actor. That is what the bounce is for. again a dimmer would be ideal on the end so you can control how much. buy yourself either 4X8 white corro-plast or syrofoam, point your worklight away from your subject and directly at the card, and the card towards the scene. hand hold it and have someone waive it around. you will see where the right angle is and either hollywood it (have someone hold it there) or use a stand to hold it in place. you understood correctly about the snoot. and black wrap is pricey. the bounce card is probably more in your price range and better for the lights you have. and try both, one bulb then two. see what you need, and what looks real. cheers

Wow. Sounds like you don't have much to work with. Here's my suggestion, take it or leave it. A work light is a big open faced splooge of a light source. I would recomend biting the bullet and buying some blackwrap (it's expensive but worth it) and making snoots for your lights. That way you would have something more directional. Kinda like having 4 500W par cans rather than 4 giant splooge thingys that will just light the whole room. Leave space between sources and try and use as much of the natural ambiance as possible. Just use your lights to highlight rather than key light. For the hotel go with "the documentary look. A 3/4 4X4 bounce camera right, and a 3/4 backlight 4X4 bounce camera left. Perhaps if there is a practical in the room put it on a dimmer so you can control your background. Again this is all one mans opinion. Have fun Chris

I would have to say an ultra bounce to bring up your subject and a polarizer would do the trick. assuming you can get your hands on a 12X or 20X frame. if not the ultra bounce, mirror boards through silk work as well as an 18K on a sunny day. Good luck.