Jim Feldspar

Errr, what is the print destruction unit? Sounds scary.

Great. Also, the t.v. is likely going to be in a couple of shots only and even then a small part of the frame except for maybe two quick shots. Thanks.

An interactive throw/beam size/footcandles calculator is at: http://www.etcconnect.com/minisite/sourcefour/metrics.html I just checked out that calculator. It's fantastic.

Couldn't ask for more. Thanks!

I have a shoot coming up that takes place in a room about 20' long by 12' wide. The ceilings are low, about 8'. For the second scene, I'd like to have a window pattern of some kind with a warm light on all on one end wall. Usually, I make a pattern with gaffers tape and Foam Core but I may not be able to get a sharp enough pattern. Could I put a Source 4 on a stand all the way back with a window gobo and say a 1/4 CTO? For a higher angle, there's a possibility that I could put the light about halfway down a staircase leading into the room but it would be about 14' from the intended wall as opposed to going 18' feet away, although lower than 8', from the back of the room. I've never used Source 4s before. Thanks. It's low/no budget but we might be able to borrow a single Source 4 from one of the crwe members jobs.

I'll keep searching but all that turned up was ways to simulate the flicker from an offscreen t.v.. Searches like correcting for or eliminating flicker, etc. didn't turn up anything. Sounds good. It will be interesting to see if/ how the 24P at 1/48th look is affected but it probably depends on how much of a change is required. Thanks.

I got to use an HVX-200 for an hour yesterday to shoot some tests on location of a scene for an unpcoming project. We're going to shoot HD but yesterday I didn't have a P2 card so I shot 480 24P which still was helpful with the 16x9 frame. However, there are two HD televisions in the scene that will be in some shots. I was told that one is 1080i and that one looked okay. The other, probably 1080 but don't know yet, had the same lines that you see in old shows where t.v.s were shot on film. I want to shoot 720P. When I go there, will being in 720 make a difference as to whether the second monitor still has those bars? At 24P, the shutter speed is 1/24. Should I change that or what can I do?

People make a lot of good points on here as to why the ship may have already sailed on your idea being realized but I want to congratulate you on showing some visionary thinking. Look at the price difference in (used admittedly) 16 BLs and 16 SRs and even 16Ss. I know people that are getting good 16 BLs with a zoom lens and mags for the price of a prosumer video camera. Yes, it's the cost of shooting film , as opposed to shooting a bunch of tapes, that can break a budget but if you could get a new 16 mm sync sound camera for a good price, I bet that you'd find work for it. I had my fun with Bolexes but I'd want something at least as sophisticated as a 16 BL and preferably with better ergonomics, although even with that big shoulder brace pod, I sure did get acceptable hand held shots. Also, I'd rather shoot film and edit on an NLE. We need you crazy people with your crazy ideas. (kidding about crazy)

What is the right angle for the flip screen to get the most accurate monitoring? Is it straight out (which is hard to do most of the time) or flipped up slighty (which seems to look right to me and also is easier because usually that fits the way that I'm shooting.) Also, you mentioned fixing the Kino pulsing in camera. Would that be a shutter speed adjustment?

If you can make it to Boston, Emerson College has always been referred as a place where therev are extensive back issues of AC. However, as Satsuki found, libraries reorganize. Still, you could call and your student i.d. might get you in if you were coming to Boston anyway or if you know anybody who goes there, you might at least be able to get specific classic articles photocopied and sent to you.

"For me, it's nice to be able to show the director what I have in mind for composition," Is there a way you can use a digital still camera to show your intended composition in different aspect ratios or do you have to use the a.r. of the still camera (and what is that?)

"But this may beg a broader question, specifically, if I choose to frame for a 16:9 image and it turns out I still use the full regular 16mm 4:3 ratio, won't it look a little funny to have massive space between the actor's head and the top of the frame? So, basically, once I choose to frame for 16:9, scoth tape or no scotch tape, I'm committed to it, right?"

Yeah, that makes sense. What's going on here, something's not right! It must have been fun to do that shot. I can hear the D.P. laughing and saying "Look at this flicker! I need...more flicker!"

That's fantastic. Thank you.I just talked to a friend who uses this particular transfer place. I may have to go with the cement splices for them. It's a two person shop and evidently that's what they prefer but I'm going to check out the Kodak and Hervic tape splices for my own quick editing of multiple reels. Also, thank you immensely for not only all the info. here but also for your examples of reverse masters in the master shot thread. I quoted and replied to that but somehow mangled it pretty good while attempting to reply point by point (which I have done before successfully.) I had trouble really visualizing that whole reverse master idea until I saw the shots you posted.

I believe it. They have a job which is providing a kind of insurance and may not be confident in a rule breaking director even if he or she knows exactly how the scene will work. I read a story once in which a director, working with a seasoned Hollywood crew, told Orson Welles how he wanted certain scenes to be lighted in an unconventional way and the crew (or D.P. and crew I guess but the story said the crew) rebelled and wouldn't do it because the lighting wouldn't have been justified by the apparent sources and their reputations would have been hurt, or so they felt. The director was shooting the next day and wondered what he could do to get the lighting that he wanted. Orson Welles told him that he should just answer their opposition by saying that the scene was in a dream and reportedly that worked. I had some difficulty in quoting and replying in this post above and attempted to edit so apologies if there's any confusion as to who said what, since some of my replies are in the light blue shaded quote area.

I have a bunch of Super 8 footage on different reels. I need some but not all of it transferred to video for editing but it's a lot cheaper to have transferred only what I need, of course, and cheaper still if it's on one reel. What should I use for splices, splicing blocks, etc? Haven't done it much and don't know the right/good brands. Thanks.

I just caught the scene from "Matchstick Men" in which Nicolas Cage comes out of his "hospital room" and as he looks around in confusion, the fluorescents overhead are flickering like crazy! Crazy like the building is shaking. Do you think that this is a dramtic device or something else?

David, I think that it was you who mentioned recently in a post how Akira Kurosawa liked to cut to master shots that were 180 degrees reversed from the original master. I think that you also mentioned it influencing Clint Eastwood and somebody else. I've been keeping an eye out for such instances. Do you ever do that? Also, we learned the 180 degree rule and I've seen how it can be broken and be totally jarring and confusing, i.e. two people looking at each other and talking seem to be looking in the same direction when cutting from close-up to close-up. However, I'm amazed at how often some shows cut across the line (like all the time on "24") and it works. Is this a new style?

I'll check out BH photo.Where do you get reflective silvered mirror tape? A specialty store of some kind? I have a Lee Filters swatch book here and in it is Lee mirror silver 271 which "produces hard reflection". What do you think of that? I am careful and also have electrician friends who help me and sometimes do things for me if they think that I don't have the skills yet. I consult with them before wiring something that I haven't done before. Thanks.

I just watched the special edition DVD of "Rocky" and Garret Brown is one of the voices on the commentary track. He talks about running up te steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum and some other pretty cool stuff. There are a lot of other people talking, so you may not hear as much as you'd like from him, but it's well worth it I think for what you do hear and also for what the others have to say. Sylvester Stallone does a separate commentary that is also interesting and for you Super 8 enthusiasts, director John Avildsen shows his Super 8 films of how they developed the fights. Off-topic but I started the thread so I'm allowed (see below) Cinematography.com rule 117,section z: None shall stray from the topic appointeth save he or she who starteth the thread lest the original thread be forsaken and all train of thought be lost like a calf to the wolves.

Thanks. I've been doing some window shopping and it seems like the various elements such as high frequency ballasts are available from various places. With your homemade equipment, did you mount to a stand and if so, how? What did you use for a backing surface/reflector? I understand that Kinos have cables that allow the lights to go up to 75 feet away from the ballasts. Would there be any special considerations here for homemade units other than simply more wire?

That's helpful. I'll be interested in experimenting with 24P at different lengths. Thanks.

Good advice. I need to edit so that I can take all my selected takes from different reels and put them on one so that the transfer will cost less. Thanks for the specific recommendation. Just out of curiosity though, all those families who watched their home movies again and again; do ypu think that was an erosive process to have their films sliding over plastic or metal like that, or is that the important emulsion side doesn't touch?

I want a Super 8 projector for viewing footage once or twice and determining what to transfer to Mini-DV for editing. The Moviedeck is easy to use and I like it. I mentioned to a friend "but the film has so much contact with plastic" and he said "as opposed to metal?" What wears the film more, do you think, metal rollers on other projectors or the plastic surfaces of the Moviedeck? Thanks.

When fluorescents break, I hold my breath and sweep fast! Thanks.