robert duke

As to pros and cons it first starts with the DP's personal likes. that is paramount.

A ring like give you light from above and below the lens, the lens becomes the flattest light possible, and imagine the reflection on a gloss black globe and that is the ring light as an eye light. the reflection creates a ring that resembles an iris. so with an eyeball it highlights the eye color and can really make the eye pop. (makeup advertising was one of the first big commercial pushes for the use of the ring light.)

a hot shoe light only has one direction, where it is mounted so the eye highlight takes the shape of the light. imagine the gloss black ball. the light will look very conventional and be a small point source 9 depending on the camera /light distance. the hot shoe light is flat but still can create shadows with crows feet and other age wrinkles.

you can camera test these using a 8 ball. great teaching tool.

they are best at close ups but can give a camera eyelight from further away. personally i feel they arent worth much after 8 or so feet. I have known people who have used them up to 15 to 20 but... to each his own.

Ive been waiting on a project to use EL wire and get crazy. Ive got some ideas, might just do a portrait series for fun. I have strung x mas lights on an empty 2x3 frame for a fun effect.

Respectfully, Brian and Richard, you both need to get some work going. Too much jaw flapping and to little work happening. Seriously though. you are both right and wrong. it would take a month of line by line post response to untangle the full truth here.

Brian, its not just the tax incentives that movies run out of LA to shoot, Its a big one but not the only one. The rates can be half of LA rates in places like michigan and louisiana. location fees are so much less. and there are locations you just cant duplicate.

Richard, Its f%&^$#k cold in canada. It snows A LOT. LA is a bastion of filmmaking because the equipment is so plentiful and the city is almost engineered for it. The climate makes it so easy to shoot (90% of the time). People are readily accepting of filming in LA. you rarely run out of people with the ability and talent you need.

as to NAFTA and FTA. Stop shopping a Walmart, costco, and other big box stores. start reading the labels and shopping responsibly, Locally grown is so much better for the economy and the world. yes sometimes kumquats are out of season. it is especially easy in LA. Shop artisan for your clothes and other items, buy USA made. doing that is the only way to bring back jobs and factories and movies. If you boycott movies made outside your state and country they will take notice, eventually. But change starts with you.

I am not a hippy, I am not a socialist, I am not an Obama lover. Politics in the US is fu&* up. We stopped electing people who actually write the laws. Laws are written by lobbyists. Congressmen are just messengers for the lobbys they are convinced by. We need to change our lobbying laws. we need to change our campaign finance laws. the last 6 presidential races these were topics of debate and nothing has changed other than corporations can now spend unlimited funds to advertise for their chosen politician. Our system is flawed. but all systems are flawed. Including Canada.

you wanna stop production in canada start imposing a tariff on imported products, and include movies. BUT HERE IS WHAT WILL SHAKE CANADA AND THE US. Europe, Asia, Africa, and South america are also wanting in on the movie game. look at the young filmmakers that subscribe to THIS website. in the last 4 years the international members have increased. and they will continue to increase. All of these members want to tell stories, and they will. these will be the competitors in our industry. as the standard of living in each country increases and the expendable $ increases so will the number of films shot in those regions.

films are being shot in Mexico, a lot in fact. mexican filmmakers have crossed the border and have made major impacts on our Hollywood. South america is just a step behind them. and that is what NAFTA wanted. once you level the international playing field everyone becomes equal.

We all see only what we want to see and hear in this argument.

Richard makes Moderately low budget films and they fill a niche or he wouldnt continue. Brian you shoot BTS. Neither of your paths would cross with out this site or some intervention. you both have different and respectfully valid opinions. but really you both spend far too much time on here bickering.

Attack me all you want. I know who I am and what I am not. I am happy with that.

what you saw was called a ringlight. It gives a smooth softening light to the subject and a nice eyelight. It is frequently used on aging actresses and beauty shots where you really want to enhance the face. there are several manufacturers from Kino flo to Litepanels to Gekko. you can make your own as many gaffers have done.

make it simple with a piece of foamcore and x mas lights, or complex with aluminum and leds. we used to use plywood and 16 55w bulbs.

Some reality shows use them in their "private" interviews.

My favorite are the creative ring lights. 6x6 with 4ft kino tubes making crazy shapes and stuff, or colored xmas lights creating a pulsing ring etc.

ring lights are another tool for dp's and gaffers to use. they have their place.

Hi folks I do a lot of shooting from a Condor and have been shooting off sticks. I am tired of dancing around with the legs in that confined area and also would like to put the camera out over the edge of the basket about a foot. Trying to figure out the most fail safe and fastest setup that you can think of. Will be shooting off a 150 bowl. Also about 75 pound combined camera and fluid head load. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Best

Mike McEntire

Mack Dawg Productions

Hostess tray,

or speed rail construct in similar fashion.

or bazooka with 150 bowl adapter

or ...

Phil.

lead dont follow, in that I feel you need to get right with the script. let it tell you how to light it. Blade runner had so many different looks to it. lots of negative fill etc, big soft lights etc. its been done. do something new.

I am wondering if it takes tungsten bulbs (mogul bulbs and household bulbs) some time after they have been turned on to display accurate color temperature.

 

I am using a color meter to measure the Kelvin of these bulbs. I bought all of these bulbs at film tools. Here are the findings of my tests:

 

500 watts (USHIO JT120V-500WB Globe) test bulb A

Bare bulb - 2880-2810 (2850) Bare bulb is off by 350K.

 

I added some diffusion with the chimera video pro small size.

chimera single interior screen (interior baffle) - 2780-2750 (2760)

chimera single interior screen and outer screen screen - 2730-2690 (2700)

chimera single interior screen, outer screen with CTB - 4450-4300 (4400) (1G CC) some magenta

 

Ushio PH-212 150W Bulb (for china ball, household socket)

 

Bare bulb - 2850-2740 (2800) advertised as 3050. - bare bulb is off by 250 K.

 

Ushio JT120V 1000WB - supposed to be 3050L.

 

 

you might meter your power, you make be under powering the lamps.

 

Bare bulb 2850 - 2790 (2830) - Off by 230K.

 

 

These bulbs have seen some moderate use - I shot a short film using these bulbs, but they should still have some life to them. Do these bulbs get warmer over use? And do they dramatically shift color temperature like that? Like 200-300 degrees K?

 

Also, maybe I am doing the test wrong and I should let the bulbs be on for like around 10 minutes and then meter it. What do you think? If I leave the bulb on for about 10-15 minutes will they have cooled down in degrees Kelvin? What is your expeerience?

Yes there are ways to clip a second, third, fourth net onto a c-stand. Either a gag gobo head, #1 pony clips, or even tape for those who are challenged. They do make a Third stop net, and if you ask any recover/sewing shop they will happily make you in any variation.

Grips use the nets and electricians use the wire. each has their own place. wire scrims dim a light overall without a color temp change. nets can dim a specific area without changing color temp. Diffusion will also do this (soft siders, etc). A black silk 18x24 will dim a light by 3-4 stops.

There is always a way.

whats the difference between a sound guy and a puppy?

eventually the puppy quits whining

B&H

or just call modern studio supply and seno will make one for you.

a wall spreader may be another option. I assume you can't SCREW into the ceiling. but a wall spreader can be assembled and used without screwing into wall or ceiling and with the weight of a china ball it is overkill.

My way might still work if you ditch the nyloc nut and use a plain one. Grip the thread gently with pliers while you tighten the nut. Then when there is some thread protruding below the nut, hang on to that. Perhaps you can reduce the friction with some oil. A star washer on top of the nut might help it bite.

mark,

your way risks gumming up the threads for future repairs, and turning a Nylock nut esp. one that large is a LOT of torque. More than what you could hold with pliers one handed on a sliver of thread.

yes you need a long socket extension to get at the bolt head.

I also think you would be ok with the sidearm. You probably have to worry more about the speedrail flexing from the torque than the steel sidearm bending. You could slide a fitting onto the speedrail a couple feet above the sidearm and use a ratchet strap to take some of the weight from the sidearm if the flex is obvious.

 

Alternatively, I have rigged a section of speedrail straight down and put a speedrail to junior reciever adapter on the end. Either drill one of the set screw holes into the speedrail (so the screw goes into the speedrail instead of just pressing against it) or again use a ratchet strap to ensure the fitting does not slide off.

 

Of course, snug safety cables on everything.

what about steel pipe for the floor to ceiling bit and using a speed rail cross and bit of speed rail to Junior clamp? that take all worries out of the weight bearing as the steel and speed rail are far more than rated for it.

the double net serves as a wind block without acting as a negative fill. it assists the steadicam op in keeping control of the balance in the wind.

I am considering buying one of these, but I wanted to find out from others on their opinion of it. It's not cheap, priced at $85 at Filmtools. It does seem like it would be better than just going with the wire setup, so the bulb doesn't swing around loosely, plus I will mount it on a c-stand. What do you all think about these things? Is it worth the price or should I just go with the traditional China ball setup? Also, I have tried the Chimera china balls. They are fantastic but is not what I want to go for at this time.

 

Also, I am hearing about a lot of people booming china balls. What kind of pole would they use to boom them? I am hoping not a traditional sound boom pole?

the lantern locks are fantastic. no complaints at all. china ball boom poles are frequently a painters pole or something similar. you might use a robust sound boom pole but...

My son has been working in films for a few years now, mainly grip / electric/ best boy and some gaffing. More and more of his jobs have involved rigging on high lift equipment and he needs a safety harness. I would like to give him one as a birthday gift but when I search saftey equipment on the web, there are a million options for different occupations and I have no idea what would be best/most comfortable for him when working with scissor lifts, condors, lift buckets and boom arms. He's 6'5" with a 32" waist so when I check for sizes his height tends to fall into XL categories but his waist size is M.

 

I'm sure the easiest thing would be to send him into a store to try something on but for some strange reason, all the work wear stores are only open during working hours....(Mon-Fri 9-5...go figure, right?)and he's actually been working on consecutive projects /long days so no chance right now for personal shopping.

 

I would appreciate any advice on this, especially from someone who's worked in this equipment- Thanks

Any harness from Miller or safeways is great. Federal law say you shouldnt have to provide safety equipment such as a harness. That being said, youe son is lucky to have a loving mother such as you. you can find them on Amazon pretty cheap, the Miller Revolution series is definitly cadillac. Any 5 point harness for fall protection is great.

Harness should be inspected before each use and inspected each year by a professional. Great care should be given to the storage and care of a harness. exposure to heat (like in a car), chemicals, and abrasion can severely limit the life of a harness. make sure your son understands the fitting and use of the specific harness.

I recommend reading OSHA rules and regulations for any fall protection system and fall protection devices. In the film industry we use almost all the systems including fall restraint systems.

again any 5 point harness from miller, safewayz, DBI/sala, or other major manufacturer will do. I have the DBI exofit and love it.

Attachment wouldn't upload...One of these:

no, a baby big bite is different.

In the center photo you can kind of see a big bite.

http://www.newyorkfilmgear.com/gearinaction.aspx

its jaws are like a cardellini bit are hinged. the pin is movable in 2 positions. they are great clamps.

Mafers and cardellinis have similar intended functions, except it seems to me that cardellinis do more and can do it better. I think everyone that I've worked with will go to a cardellini over a mafer in most situations. Actually, the only times I can recall seeing mafers used is if we've run out of cardellinis, or clamped on the end of dolly track because we don't want to waste a cardellini for a non-critical application. So my question is whether cardellinis have made mafers obsolete, or is there some specific niche that mafers fill that I have failed to come up with?

Mafers are great in department stores holding signs. they are fantastic for that photo studio at the mall, you know the one with glamour in its name. they are great for those guys who wont spend the extra $15 for a cardellini.

I have a music video shoot coming up and would like to use a light similar to the one that is seen in the reflection of the glasses in this video. Here is the link:

 

 

Is this a custom rig or can you purchase something similar?

 

If I were to build it, where can I get the conectors that power Kino Flo bulbs?

 

Thanks,

 

Josh

Its a custom build, its easy. rent as many kino single tube fixture as you need. take a 6x6 frame and put chicken wire on it. zip tie the lamps without the housings to the wire in what ever shape you want. you can also do this with rope light. cut a hole in the wire for the lens and BAM there you go.

Whats your Market? As a crane is a huge investment. Not only are you buying a crane, but a trailer to store it and a truck or heave duty van to tow it. depending on what you do it might make more since to buy a job arm. There are pros and cons to every crane out there. You should so some careful research on your market, and what the DP's and productions want. Call around to some crane owners and get there advice. If you want a ride able the Panther Pegasus Crane System is very popular but you should also look into getting a power pod as more and more productions want a remote head as its safer then people riding cranes. If you are thinking about a techocrane, you need to think about the size you want as the back end on the longer ones makes it hard to use in confide spaces. Either way you really should do more research for you market and see if you can make money on the crane as in some areas there is not enough of a demand to warrent a $100,000.00+ investment.

I am looking at a whole package, with remote head. yes people still ride cranes. The Nashville market is a Music VIdeo market and while the markets are changing, I still see a demand for cranes, even ridable. I also work a lot in the features world so cranes are frequently called for there. As a gear owner, I have a diesel to pull it and a lot to store it.

any thoughts on the pegasus crane? Ridable and remote?

I am in the market for a camera crane. Anyone care to give a lean to any make or model? Any input is desirable. I am taking a leap and headed down a path. Any input is input.

this is the SECOND hardest thing about filmmaking. The first being away from family, home, and friends. The jobs come and go, some better than others some worse. Each adds its own take on your life. Its hard but follow your heart. I have found that following your heart always leads to the best choice. I have made sacrifices for work wished I hadnt. I have passed on jobs that I really shouldnt have. Indies are great, studio stuff can be filled with the corporate doldrums. series can be nice or brutal. It is all how you want to go.

As my wife said "forget the money, be happy we'll make it work."

1. Clove hitch: simple easy and quick weight bearing knot. good for tying to a rail or truck side.

2. Bowline: simple easy quick weight bearing knot. Good for making a loop to safety a camera off to.

3. Trucker's hitch: good for tying carts off with when caught without a ratchet strap.

4. figure 8: good fast knot for securing things to the end of a rope.

5. monkey fist> good to sell to comrades as a key chain. takes an afternoon to learn.

Mouth Shut, Head down, do what you are told.

Best advice for a young and hungry, Love steel, love sand, show your love by being the first to grab a stand and the first to grab some sand.