Marty Hamrick
-
Posts
544 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by Marty Hamrick
-
-
Hi,
If your interest is not just features, there are many other camera-related jobs you can make a successful career out of, from an ENG (news) cameraman, where you have overall responsibility for everything to do with the camera yourself, through documentary and TV drama work to being a studio camera operator on live TV shows. These are all very different jobs, and actually most of them involve more individual responsibility than feature film work (for example, the only place people have a person to control focus for them is feature films and big budget TV).
So the answer, as so often in the field, is "it depends".
Phil
Not sure where you are Tim,but Phil here is right.A lot just depends on what you find creatively satisfying AND can make a living.If you're not in LA or NY,you may consider one of these other avenues.
I ended up shooting news for TV,not what I originally set out to do but I can honestly say I get alot of satisfaction out of handling a good bit of the whole production.Conversely it can be a real pain in the butt doing independent commercial and industrial work because the clients expect you to be producer/director/writer at the same time.It's tough sometimes to find that balance .
-
Well, that's fine -- but it's like one out of dozens (if not a hundred) of ways to light a close-up. Sounds like something you'd use to make a female actress look younger (or to shoot an interview), but it may be too artificial-looking for a movie aiming for a more naturalistic look.
I mean, what if there's no motivation for the backlight? Or the frontal key? What if you wanted your close-up to look more like a Vermeer or Rembrandt painting, with a very soft side key as if from a big window? What if the scene took place in a gas station restroom? In moonlight? Firelight? A car at night?
David,you had some really neat close ups in Northfork.I was particularly impressed with the extreme closeups of the flame on the gas stove and tea pot in the sequences where Nick Nolte's character is making tea for the sick child.Mind sharing a few techniques on how you lit those?
-
I used to work in a small multiplex as a projectionist. Every thursday when friday's releases came in 3 projectionist had to work almost all night to splice reels together, remove old trailers, splice in new ones, change the commercials and so on. Often on over 20 prints with the matinee's. That was a lot of work and cost the exhibitor a lot of money.
Somehow I think the exhibitors and the producers have to share on this one - because they both gain from getting away from using film prints.
I'm a projectionist as well.I'm not sure if any money will be saved on labor here.Especially in places where they use non union projectionists.Most theaters in my state use ushers, concession stand people and managers to operate the projectors and build up and break down.
You would still need projectionist/engineers to run the new digital booths.Fewer people but since these are engineers they would be paid more.
I pretty sure we're seeing the death knoll for film projection.Prints are currently shipped out on the really flimsy break apart plastic reels and there are no projection booth standards anymore.I'm hoping digital projection will bring back some quality control.
I get a little pissed if I pay 10 bucks to see a scratched print that hops in the gate.
-
Thanks John,
When I read that I thought the same thing. A red and a green filter kind of comes out to be a black filter, pretty much blocking everything. Maybe if you used a really light red and a really light green filter, you would get some light through.
Luckily I will not have any people in the shots I am working on, so the red 25 should work well. They are just B-Roll shots to play under the opening and closing credits, so dark dramatic lapping waves and a dark sky with dramatic clouds will be perfect.
Thanks all,
-Tim
I have red about cinematographers in the 30's using a combo filter pack on the old BW stocks.One story I read concerned a director and cinematographer getting into a very heated argument until the cinematographer reluctantly agreed to try it.The results was a dramatic day for night shot they were looking for at the time.Interesting when you consider stocks of the day were around ASA 6.
OK suppose you needed to intercut shots with actors and you still wanted the dramatic skies and the normal flesh tones?
-
Hi,
I don't think that many DP's could risk having LASIK. If you go blind what then? The surgeon talked me out of it, he said I would loose 'Dynamic Range' and would need reading glasses in any case within 5 years.
You can get NIGHT TIME contact lenses if you want, and thats not a joke!
What dynamic range would you be losing?I've been told that they're working on getting it perfected to correct astigmatism to beyond 20/20 or "pilot's vision".I know once you get past 40,regardless of how nearsighted you may be,you'll need reading glasses.I have to take my glasses or contacts off if I have to read or do something close up.Is that what you're talking about?
-
Who makes the best cameras? Is the Bolex Rex 5, Beaulieu R-16, Arri 16 BL or Canon Scoopic any good? Which manufacturer still services their older models? Which camera has tons of accessories available in the secondary market at an affordable price?
Bolex Rex V :Excellent camera to start with.The camera can grow with you.You can start with basic and later add electric motors,intervalometers,4oo foot mags,longer zoom lenses.It also easily converts to super 16.Disadvantages are,it's awkward for handholding and noisy.
Beaulieu R-16:Shot with this camera for years,owned one.Loved the portability and it had great stability for image.Shot multi pass animation with it,it was that steady.It can be fiddly to load and when you do load it at the gate,you have to make sure the gate is seated or your film will breathe.Can't put 400 footers on it without a modification,but the 200 foot mags can be some advantage.They don't require a separate torque motor. This is also a noisy camera.I've shot sync with it and I found it harder to silence because it makes a high pitched whine as opposed to the low grumble of a Bolex or Arri S.
Arri BL:Great sync sound camera as long as you have the blimped lens on it.Designed for news/doc type work.400 foot mags and with the offset viewfinder you can shoulder shoot with it ENG style.Generally good as a sync sound camera only.Not good for much else (animation,time lapse,slow motion).
Canon Scoopic:Easy to use,auto loading,light and designed for handheld news and sports type stuff.Nice zoom lens with macro BUT,it's fixed to the camera and it's the only lens you can use.Higher end models have single frame and one model has sound on film capability.Like you really need that these days.
I think Bolexes can still be serviced by the company,don't know about the others but there are some technicians throughout the world that still service these cameras.
-
i've seen some people shoot bw/red25a and come back with some unuseable stuff, especially when shooting in direct sunlight with caucasion actors.
hope this helps,
jaan
I've seen this too,had some really strange results with skin tones in some of my early black and white stills.What are the effects of these filters on skin tones and what would any of you recommend to balance between getting the desired dramatic effects AND normal skin tones?
-
Over the years I've dealt with shooting with an astigmatism in different ways.When it was the mostly film days,I shot sans glasses and adjusted the eyepiece diopter.Of course on alot of those shoots then I had the luxury of tape measured distance focus but I lost that when I started shooting news/doc type stuff.
These days the majority of the stuff I shoot is video or stills so it's not an issue,yet when I do some of my side gigs where the occasional film project comes up,I'm subject to be shooting with anything from a ground glass viewfinder to a split image.Been awhile since I've shot with these things and my eyesight has changed over the years.
I would love to hear from other cinematographers with less than perfect eyesight how you deal with it.I'm considering the corrective surgery at some point.
Marty Hamrick
WJXT TV
Jax.,Fl.
-
I haven't seen any comments on this film so I'll start it.Delightful documentary.Breathtaking artic wasteland scenes as well as a tight story,you felt for the penguins,not just a spectator like a lot of docs.
The underwater shots were obviously video some used a camera mounted on a penguin's head as well as the submarine that followed the hungry seal sequence.
From looking at the behind the scenes shots during the credits,it looked like Aaton 35's were used,although I can't be sure since they were covered in artic protection gear.
Who's covered some articles on this?
Marty
-
I thought they did an excellent job establishing a sense of forboding right from the beginning.Drab,almost monochrome look to it.The shot looking through the hole in the window when Tom Cruise and son were playing catch.You know you're going to see that shot again,typical Spielberg signature shot.The camcorder dropped to ground where you see what's on the monitor,another Spielberg signature.
I didn't find the ending objectionable at all,not sure what all the complaints were about.It stayed pretty true to the original story.
Marty
-
Hello Marty,
Click on Glidecam camera stabilizers, Icon to right hand of forum page.
Glidecam Smooth Shooter
I am a
true John Cassavetes follower, so I have to shoot my first film with an Arri S.
I love the Arri S myself and have one (or access to one anyway).What do use for a video assist?
Marty
-
all my moviechrome 40 and 160 footage from the early 80s have emulsion fungus, k40 from the same era is perfect. A friends collection of films from the mid 80s that were originated on agfa and dixons film stocks have gone the same way. Be very carefull not to record something that cannot easily be re-shot on your moviechrome stock. I would put the cost of processing towards glorious kodachrome instead and bin the moviechrome 40. Andy
I had that very same problem with some footage I shot from that era.There was very little color and you could see the fungus in spots in the lighter areas.Processing will be expensive as I doubt it's an E-6.They will probably have to special process it in a separate run from everthing else and change the chemistry after they run it due to the fungus.
-
What's out there that some of you have experience with for some of the prosumer DV cameras as well and some of the smaller film cameras such as as Eclair ACL with a small lens and 200 foot mag?I've seen some ads for some that double also as a small jib that fits on a tripod.
Also what are some thoughts on the board dolly kits?
Marty Hamrick
WJXT TV
Jax.,Fl
-
I don't begrudge the actors for what they make,but I do think the salaries are waaaaay out of proportion.
I don't know about the feature film biz as much as I do the TV news biz,but I can tell you that even though the salaries are just as lopsided,the corporate heads look to save money on talent too.As the economy goes further south,they start to look from the top down (while protecting their own big salaries of course).I know some top anchors on the downhill side of their careers settling for smaller salaries simply because it's harder for them to have a bargaining chip as they get older.
I look at the figures and shake my head.It can't keep going on like this at some point it seems the well will run dry and the companies say enough is enough.The higher salaries have to translate to higher ticket prices,higher cable and sattlelite and DVD/VCR and pay per view prices.The average consumer who is working a regular job will eventually reach a point where they say enough is enough too.
Something has to give somewhere.Isn't that a movie title?
Marty Hamrick
Jax,Florida
-
Edit:
Looking at the picture of that Wilcom, I'd also guess it has some sort of reflex viewing system. Whether it uses a mirrored shutter or a prism is your guess.
I thought about that too.Can't tell what kind of VF that is,if it's fully orientable or just out to the side.Wilcam was famous for conversions.They had a super 8 SOF newsfilm camera that took single strand roll film.They also did 35mm VistaVision cameras.
I often wonder about the value of these things to collectors.Some of these things were like Edsels only a few models made.Remember Beckman and Whitley?
-
I saw one of these on ebay.It looks like it will go cheap.It looks like a Frezzolini or CP 16 R.Anyone know what lens mount it takes?It says a bayonet type mount but not which type of mount.It looks like it's in great shape except it has no lens.
-
You could strip down a Super-16 camera package to something nearly as small as a pro video camera package. The only real difference would be the additional mags needed with Super-16, and an external zoom motor if needed. Otherwise, video monitors, follow-focus, tripods, support rods, matteboxes, etc. are all applicable to either format.
David's quite right,I used to shoot news on 16mm and the CP-16 package I used to shoot with was no more or less bulky than the Betacam SX package I currently shoot news with.
I've also done commercial shoots on video that required the same amount,if not more than what you described in the SR package.
-
Use each format for what it does. Use Super-8 for a Super-8 look. Use 24P DV for a 24P DV look. Use 24P HD for a 24P HD look. Use color reversal for a color reversal look.
There are always limits to how far you can force one format to resemble another.
If you like the Super-8 look, use Super-8. If you don't, don't use it.
I fully agree.Certain looks for music videos and insert scenes can only be done with super 8.I've experimented with it for commercials and TV news promos with super 8,16mm and all video formats from Hi 8 to DVCAM (haven't worked yet with 24PHD but I'm looking forward to that).I think I've pushed video as far as it will go to make it look like film and it's always come up short.That's why my station's promotion department is looking te resurrect an old Canon Scoopic.Been down the video road.
-
They are screening a DVD copy. Not sure what the projection equipment is but it's a pretty big festival so I assume it's alright. Not sure on screen size either but I believe it is a big auditorium so screen must be a decent size. Unfortunately I cannot make it to the screenings so I may never know.
Rick
Any of these festivals use super 8 projection?I wish they had named the widened super 8 format something else like "Ultra super 8" or something Super Duper 8 just sounds....as my teenager would say.....gay.
-
I've been running this movie at the drive in the last week and I was afraid the movie's dark look would be lost on the drive in screen the way Star Wars was.Star Wars was a definite waste at the drive in imo,however Batman Begins fared well.It's a three screen drive in and we've got it on the screen with the shortest throw which I'm sure made a big difference.I was pleasantly surpised at how well it worked at the drive in compared with other dark movies.
I enjoyed the background plot,however I do agree they went overboard with the car chase.I'm not a big fan of chase scenes anyway.
Am I to understand the whole process was photochemical,no DI?What stocks were used?The blacks were definitely there and I noticed some really nice detail in shadow areas that I was afraid would be lost on the drive in screen (which is not only pushing it for a dark print,but our screen is in bad need of painting)..Thoroughly enjoyable movie,I'm hoping our IMAX theater gets it.
-
Thanks for the reply Steven,
After all that, I actually wound up with a Rex-5 :P
Good choice imo.You can grow with the Rex V as you can afford motors,mags,lenses and such.The EBM cannot do single frame to my knowledge,unless someone here knows something I don't.All of the spring wound Bolexes can.To me,single frame is almost an essential feature in a non blimped,multi speed camera.
-
-
When my pistol grip battery bit the dust on my Beaulieu R-16,I built a battery pack with,if memory serves me correctly,10 D cells.A few weeks ago,one of the engineers at the station I work for dug up an old Canon Scoopic from an old office cabinet.The battery is long dead,but other than that the thing looks hardly used.It has a "TV 4 Sports" logo on it,so I know the thing got a lot less use/abuse than had it been a news camera.They're talking about using it to shoot some promo type stuff,anchor head turn glamour shots,that kind of thing.Thinking about making a battery pack for it.Anyone have any experience with this?How many cells,where to get the proper cables and such.Many thanks.
Marty
-
I've used the Arri S off and on for many projects for MOS work.It's my favorite of the older 16mm MOS cameras.Very easy to operate and built like a tank.Not exactly comfortable for hand held work (I preferred such as the Beaulieu R-16 for handheld MOS run and gun stuff),but off the sticks they're fine.Relatively low cost for a pin registered film camera.I like the ability to go between 100 foot loads and 400 foot mags.Sometimes you need the small size.
Reversal Print Film Stocks
in Film Stocks & Processing
Posted
Color or black and white?