Greg Kowal

ok i`m new to all this cinematography, i only have some experience with photography, so please don`t get angry at me for posting this, but WHY does one need a 35mm adapter for H1 if it is interchangeable lens camera... I would figure that those type of cameras have good lenses what can achieve some shallow DOF.. I understand A1 doesn`t have interchageable lens so it probably does require one to get that adapter to get a nice shallow film like DOF, but H1???? does it mean that it makes no sense to pay twice the amount of money for H1 because it still doesn`t have that nice film like DOF since i still need an adapter?? Damn i rather spend half a price and get A1 and then use the adapter to achieve that film like DOF.... please explaing to me... thanks guys... I`m trying to save some money to get my first camera.. i am looking at canon a1- under $5000 canon h1- interchangeable lenses( but if it makes no difference in picture then i`ll just get A1) sony hvr-v1u - 1080p 24p i really want a camera where i can get as close film like colors as possible.. i`ve been reading reviews watching samples but it is hard to decide....

personaly (and i have never directed a movie yet) i think this scene would have more impact to me if it was a night scene, or at least almost night... I`m not sure how you have it in a script, but i didn`t like this VERY BRIGHT LIGHT coming through the windows... but its just me, like i know less then anybody here on this forum.. :) but i do like the camera movement and stuff... and that girl needs to learn how to act a bit more :)

thanks a lot!! can`t wait to see something shot in 24 p and good lighting....

if you get to play around with it can you tell me what you think? How's the picture? low light? colors?

hey Joshua i will, i just ordered the DVD.. :) thanks a lot...

thank you guys all for all this information! I would love to see somebody editing a movie I need to make some friends!! :) Anybody wants to be my friend? haha.. No but seriously I saw want to see all of this editing thing before i invest my money in a new computer , software and camera... :) I`ve been so wanting to make movies for a long time but was always under impression one needs millions of dollars to make something, thanks to cheaper cameras these days that can create nice widescreen 24p pictures i started to believe i might be able to follow my dreams... :) Anyone of you living in NEW YORK and wants to make friends with somebody pretty creative? lol well i`m talking about me... haha , i might not have as much knowledge but i`m very passionate about what i do so i`ll spend nights and days thinking how to solve a problem and make it work.. :) Editing sounds really cool, i believe i could be good with it since i do have a pretty good visualization in my head.. i can visualize anything with details, but i can`t draw.... haha.. once again guys thanks for help and if you have more tips keep them coming!! :)

thanks TROY ! i cant wait for the demo they are promising... I want to see how this camera performs because i so want to get it... :)

Hey guys i never went to film school nor i`m planning on going to school unless somebody pays for it or i win some lottery :) the reason for that type of thinking is because i already have my student loans i have to pay for(business degree). I`ve been interested in film for a some time now and i`m reading all those books and watching dvd trying to pay attention to all the cinematography aspects. But after watching many indie movies i realized plenty of them are edited in a wrong way.... what i mean is that many of them are just cuts jumping from one to another scene without any rhythm. Its basicaly unwatchable, so since ive never edited a movie but i want to one day i wonder if i`ll have the same problem and how does one fix it? Does a director basically have to create everything in the head? kind of imagining one shot and how long it has to be till another shot is introduced? im kind of lost... It seems to me like 1 sec to early or 1 sec to late from one shot to another could disturb a rhythm so how does one fit everything so well? Thanks guys i hope one of you can explain it to me... I do have a general idea of editing and shooting movies... but i`m afraid i`m not fully understanding how to create that movie flow from shot to shot, is it all planed to a second before filming or its all done in editing room(since every take is longer then the actual cut that ends up in the movie...

i just saw your post right now, but if i was the one writing the screenplay i would kind of made it hidden to as of what the old man is taking... buying drugs would be shown as a paper bag with something inside.... him getting high would be a shot from behind or his legs or hands becoming relaxed maybe a couple of shots at some photographs around the house of his ( dead wife for example) , but i see you are done with the movie so forget about it :) i wanted to see your movie but the link isn`t working

ok i don`t know where my head was last night but i must have been very tired to spell WATER - wather and watter... hahaha

funny just finished watching the "SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION" directors commentary and there was a part where he explains he used potato flakes as well and an area in shade to create that dark winter look.. and it did look like real snow..

is the actor laying down on the back seat or sitting up? I was thinking that maybe what you can do is lay down leather( same material that is being used as the seat in the car) on the wather and have the actor lay his head down on it , then once the head starts pushing on the leather it will all sink in the watter and it should create this sinking in effect (actor still having his eyes closed )( which gives you the ability of the close up )... then as you were saying that shoot from underwater looking into interior of the car or whatever you think matches your movie...have some sweat on the face or something...

im very new to filmmaking.. actually the only movies i have ever made were 8mm stupid family filming with lots of shaking and zooming in ... :) but i`ve been interested in movies for a long time and only recently have been trying to learn some cinematography. Got some books , read a lot on many forums, and watch bunch of dvd movies to understand angles, framing, movements of camera and all that stuff. I`m planing on buying my camera.. sony hvr-v1u (the reason i chose this camera is 24p and true 1080 picture) I can`t wait to get it and start shooting.. :) (and btw. I would also love to meet some people in New York who are into cinematography as well..)

what is your budget by the way? If you have money then why do you want to go to Chernobyl? create a set or use digital graphics... it really makes no sense to go there... there has been few documentries about Chernobyl and all of them were filmed at the location of the nuclear plant. I didn`t see any fog in the movie. But why risk going there and being exposed to radiation if todays computer graphics can recreate Chernobyl with no problems...

thanks Michael, i`m very much interested in getting the new Sony Camera HVR-V1U so i`m planning on shooting 1080 24p, i hope that this computer will be enough...