Daniel Smith

Without any doubt. But you must have at some point come across the people who go for 'one or the other'. I've come across so many people that all say digital is rubbish and that film is the way to go. However, I'm going to a video exhibition during February and I can almost guess that they will all say that video is much better and that video is the way to go. Only difference is, it's very rare that you hear opinions biased towards video. I just can't stand the way people talk about film or video like they are 10 times better than the other. The quality of HD and 35mm surpasses the skill of most DP's. So I don't know why so many people complain.

Because 35mm lovers would suddenly run out of excuses to slag off digital. Funny how it's only the film lovers that are always trying to prove things... you would think they feel threatened or something, but they've never said anything about it. Strange...

In all honesty, my best guess was an Office. But then came up the questions like, 'How did you get permission to clear it, and more importantly, how did you get it' e.t.c. I personally think it looks great, and I'm really impressed by the HDV, I never thought it looked that good. The action sequence very much reminds me of an episode of 'Ultimate Force', from a recent series. (Not the first few)

Well, it's hard to tell, obviously because it was a trailer, I'd need to watch the entire episode to get a good picture of them. But if you want my 100% true honest feelings about them so far, the girl didn't seem right for the part, the anger coming from the man didn't seem all that convincing and he didn't seem like a very good 'physical' actor when he lost his temper and tried smashing the shelf. BUT, just remember that I'm comparing this to programmes like Buffy e.t.c. The girls just aren't safe around you are they David... give the single guys like me a chance.

I think he means people of your age. 15 year old teenagers, tend to love this kind of stuff.

Yeh, it opens up with Quicktime no bother.

Out of interest, where do you actually buy these spacelights from? I've seen them being used on various film sets, yet I've never seen them for sale anywhere. Thanks.

I thought the cinematography had a suitable, claustrophobic feel to it. Especially with the shadows of wire meshing on the walls. The only things I wasn't so keen on about the 'trailer' was the text, seemed too clean. And no offence but the actors seemed pretty shocking... Overall it seemed very 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' style. (Which isn't a bad thing.)

Imagine several of these 'pixels'. Now that would be a break through. A full-framed CCD full of these little things.

Forget it... it won't sell... People want as many megapixels as possible! Because the more megapixels the better the quality! (My impression of a Jessops customer, before you start getting worried) No, single pixel. Sensors are built up of many pixels, but this camera uses the one pixel to capture lots more information.

No, this was just a general message to everyone that's poking fun at it.

'DV' can technically be HD. Sorry, but to find those paragraphs funny and mock them is actually quite sad...

That's pretty impressive stuff for your first shoot... Out of interest, where did you the shoot it? (Not the office scene, the action sequence) Dan.

Ok thanks Oren. How much difference in quality is there between the compressed HDV and the DV recordings? What I'm saying is, will it be worth recording uncompressed directly into an SDI card or will some JVC HDV tapes be fine. Are we talking a visible difference, or does it just all come down to overhead for grading during post. (less latitude e.t.c.) Cheers. (This question applying to the JVC HDV models mostly)

Hi. Some time ago I went to an interview for a position as camera operator, which I didn't get. If there's one thing I remember about the interview, it's that I didn't know what to say or what to ask. What exactly would you say, and ask at these interviews? I felt like they were trying to test my experience by asking me if I had any questions, and the fact that I could barely come up with many probably showed that I was inexperienced. Any tips and suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

Sorry if this has been answered, I searched in this place and elsewhere but couldn't find anything. What exactly DOES the 'F' mode do? The best I can think it does is deinterlace only the moving pixels. Like a smart deinterlace. Thanks.

Made my first film at 7, with a black and white video camera plugged into VCR, and after that I got a position as P.A on a short film at 15.

Argghgh I hate these damned 'anti-digital' threads. As if they're being rebellious and going against what everyone else is doing. Film, IS, the mainstream, format. I'd consider the digital cinematographers more daring, rebellious and experimental. I get it all the time where I work. Customers are going on about the quality of digital and how it no where near compares to their 35mm compacts. I have never said this to one of them, yet, but I certainly feel like it, "That's your photography, mate."

Well, it turned out to be a bit of a ballsup, but that's what happens you're not in control, and rush things. I learnt a lot from this shoot without a doubt. I produced, directed, DP'd, edited the footage and created/mixed the sound for it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIJvl39cmE0 There was meant to be voice over from the main character, explaining what happened, but it was never completed, the two key sentences were, 'The game must be finished', and right at the end, 'check mate'.

What I wouldn't mind knowing about all these 'digital adjustments' is how they get these alterations to look consistent throughout the shot. What I mean is, I've only ever tried altering video like this once, in Photoshop with film strips, and one frame after another you could see how the alterations differed ever so slightly, sure the impurities were completely gone, but in the altered area, it just 'flickered' to some degree. Is there some kind of secret to this in using after effects instead of Photoshop (which is primarily designed for stills) Or is it just a case of practice, making sure the alterations in each and every frame match, so it looks fluent throughout the shot. Thanks.

This is a common mis-understanding amateurs make in film. Dark scenes are not necessarily, dark. I just shot a film that included a very dark scene, yet it had 3x red heads lights on it. (2400watts of power) When you walk into your living room, you think it's lit fairly bright. Ok. Now setup a single 800watt studio light in it and you will realise how dark it is.

Oops I meant GL2, the American version. (Not XM2) About $1800 brand new.

Ok thanks guys. Definatelly some good advice there, we would have just ran straight into these problems. To be honest, I don't think we can afford to start renting good camera kit out, so for now, I think we'll just create a 3D/live action film, but a much more simpler one. We'll knock something up and post it here, mainly as a tester, since as neither of us have done anything like this before. Cheers. (Random note, happy b-day Keith, enjoy it man.)

Canon XM2 is a nice piece of kit.

Hi. So. An experienced 3D artist and myself have decided to make, a short, 'Dinosaur' film. Some of the 3D Designers Work It's probably going to be shot this summer on the XL1s. We have no solid storyline at the moment, but I imagine it will be heavily influenced by 'Dog Soldiers'. (We'll have some army costumes and some replica guns) It will be joint directed, but I'm the DP. What I really need to know is, what tips and tricks can you post here as to shooting a film with live action and 3D elements? Getting the live elements to react with the t-rex e.t.c. We both have a basic understanding of tracking markers, but if there's anything else you can add about them, please do. And as a DP I have a basic understanding of how to shoot these kinds of films, BUT, any tricks you know of could really come in handy. Do you think it is realistic to start mixing 3D elements in with footage shot from an XL1s? Thanks. (We don't expect this film to come out amazing... but we're gonna give it a shot anyway)