robert duke

junior stand is equal to combo stand. (and this is where I get crucified) a combo stand has a pop-up baby pin on it and a junior or reflector stand does not. Both are JR receiver stands. MENACE ARM: A boom arm made from speed rail. It utilizes any size speed rail you like up to 20ft. mounts onto a Combo stand with a 4.5 head. Some people cobble their own out of a couple cardellini's and a 20x ear. some manufacturers ( modern studio) make a kit with a stabilizer.

JD is right however, scotchbrite pads also come in different grades. I find that unless there is sever pitting of the chrome the Kitchen grade attached to a sponge found at the local grocery is sufficient. It isn't too abrasive but takes off any gunk. If you have sever pitting go for steel wool or the industrial scotchbtrite. Once pitting has begun there is no going back.

A Baby stand is not the right tool for the job. you could do it with the baby stand but you'd probably have to buy a new stand. Kino's are light but still heavy enough to mess up a baby stand.if it has to be done use a combo stand. or build a field goal or menace arm.

Overtime pay is not a "bonus" for working the long hours, it is a deterrent/penalty, As are meal penalties. we as union workers dont want long days. We want to make a living, go home to our wives and children and ensure we are around to see our children grow up. Film days were getting worse and have in many cases begun to shorten. when I started in the industry a 18hr day was almost the norm. now I rarely see a 14hr. I can count on one hand the days in the last 2 years of 16+hrs. The Union doesnt want to work long hours, thats why we charge OT. Now do I appreaciate the extra cash in my check. heck yeah. do I wish I was able to spent that time at home instead Heck yeah. There was a push a couple years back for a moritorium on 14+hr days. It was started when a camera Assistant was killed driving home. I havent heard much in the last couple years about it. I have actually fallen asleep on the 101 after a long night shoot. Phil, your friend should have insisted on production paying for safe transport or lodging. Sometimes the work isnt worth the risk to yourself and other.

There is a cheap way, it can be frustrating to do. Take a pair of squeezers ( in line dimmers) the cheaper the better and plug them in line with one another. adjust the two and voila. You can "find" a sweet spot. It burns up the dimmers in the long run, so use cheap.

everybody has their own "formula" From chrome polish to w-d40 to simple green. I like to use a synthetic scrubbie (like for dishes) with simple green, then chrome polish, then disassemble the heads, clean, and lubricate the head with white lithium grease in a tube ( more control over where it goes). This seems to keep the stands nice and smooth.

I think this is a Great Idea. I love this kind of stuff. I think this is a great experiment. The only thing I would advise is that corrugated steel feels like it might be too diffused as a bounce. Give it a try. A flat bounce may be better because it is more directional. Experiment!

Shooting in the south all the time. We shoot rain or shine. and at least once on every movie. I dont have a problem wiping my gear down, but the producers do. stainless is heavier and needs special care with cleaning. but its longevity is great.

Valerie, Dont you work for Matthews? I seem to remember getting an email from you. I like matthews but they are Very proud of their gear. Their prices are 10-20% higher than modern and American.

' I tend to like Modern stands and American 2.5" heads and arms. spend the extra dollar and get thrust bearings for all the heads.

I have found that being self aware of your mistakes is a good thing. It allows you to strive for better and work harder at being better. There is nothing perfect. The romans used to make a mistake on purpose to show the gods they could not achieve the perfection of gods. I am a grip. In my heart of hearts there is nothing I would rather do in life. I feel a sense of art in what I do, not the final product but in every flag I set, every mount I make, every dolly push. I make art no one will ever see, except those people around me. when I f up I will be the first to admit it. I will make that next flag better set, I will strive for better artistry in what I do. I have to. I love it. I fear the day I have to give it up. My mentors have started to retire, and pass on. To see them stop breaks my heart. I want to give them a cstand to set in their living room and cut the shadows of the sun for fun. I know each mistake I make shows the gods of film I am not perfect and cannot achieve perfection. I can only strive to make better art. on the Next moment. People are critics. I tend to not trust people who shower praise. I tend not to trust people who are critics either. Critics see more wrong than good. you know good in yourself. who cares what they say, as long as you see how you could have made it better.

" I am sorry I lost my house, my car, my wife has left me. I had to take my kids out of college. I am living in a rental house with some guy I don't know in a field with cows. I am declaring bankruptcy. I had a couple jobs come up but had to use someone else because I owe you so much money. I have been working on this great internet site though maybe I will be able to sell it, I have some meetings."

GAM has a new effects thingy, I saw it in the new LSA issue, check it out on their website. http://www.gamonline.com/catalog/filmfx/index.php http://www.gamonline.com/catalog/sx4/fx_loops.php http://www.gamonline.com/catalog/scenemachine/index.php They have some really cool stuff its been years since I was on their website.

LED's seem pretty quick, I havent used them in that fashion but you might try.

Shipping these lights might also be a pain in the ***. I vote rent them there.

first I wouldnt Make a light water proof unless you want to MAKE your way to a funeral. There are underwater lights available. Try either pond lights but make sure they are safe, before using. I have heard and you should research this that some KINOs can go in the water safely. Look up here on the forum as this has been discussed. you might also try bouncing a light into the water to make the water glow.

The old skool scene machine from GAM was my fave. The gobo rotator is good go for the double gobo rotator. experiment with a couple different gobos. you might even try the glass effects, alternatly you might go even older skool and use a projector/overhead projector with oil on the glass.

Without light it is just a radio show. Light drives the story sometimes. light can interfere/acentuate with the mood and emotional response the audience has to a story. I know DP's that have taken six hours to light a shot, and it still looks like crap. I know DP's that can light a masterpiece in 15min. It is all about how the Dp can visualize the shot and has the mastery of the tools at hand. The audience may or may not be able to see and understand why they are responding because of lighting just as music and sound can enhance a film. Look at movies like "the cooler", "21 grams" "Schindler's list". These movies use lighting to affect the characters and the mood. Some hit the audience over the head with a look/design some in deftly subtle ways inperceivable to most audiences. A half T stop yeah maybe, but if you are already at the end of a lens or the bottom of the lattitude of the film stock you can definitely notice the appearance of grain and noise. Light is another tool a cinematographer has to visually tell a story. that is why they are sometimes called Directors of Photography. They direct the visual media that tells the story. Imagine a brightly lit horror film. Or a dark and moody romantic comedy. Or a dark scene that the reverses are lit brightly. the audience will notice. They may not be able to tell you what was wrong but they will notice. Just like crossing the line (camera direction) It can make a scene look funky and awkward, but an audience member may not be able to tell you what was wrong. I recently worked with a young DP and a Young gaffer, we were shooting on the red. They lit one scene with HMI and the next with tungsten. the two scenes led into one another directly as part of a single timeline scene. they looked fine at the moment it was shot, but once edited it was too weird and money had to be spent in CC. The audience would definitely have caught that. As to budget/time. Some people are very on top of being quick to keep budgets cutailed but also that falls on the First Assistant Directors shoulders to keep the DP abreast of time and schedules. The AD should know roughly how much time it takes to light a scene and be able to schedule accordingly. I always get annoyed at AD's asking me "how long is this shot going to take to light?" The AD should be experienced enough to see how a DP works and relate the time it will take to light it. If it is a rig I will tell you, how much time it takes. The AD should be forward thinking enough to schedule and adapt a days work around a difficult shot or longer relight. These are conversations the AD, The Director, and the DP should have in advance of production during that time called PRE production. This is where money is saved, by having these conversations. Too many times preproduction is nixed or foregone at the cost of previsualization. This is also where a savy producer should be on set at all times and have the balls to wrangle a DP, Director or Department from making a bad situation worse. I could go on and on with examples.

The impact sandbags are not that sturdy. I have a DP friend who bought a case and has had to replace them with light usage in under a year. IF you want flyaways or refillable bags buy from a reputable dealer/manufacturer. Matthews Modern Norms Avenger Advantage lowing, etc. the refillables are as expensive as a regular filled bag because they use more time and material to make. If you are in the south give me a PM as I have a line on a regional manufacturer. Refillable bags also tend to not last as long as regular bags B/C there are more seams and parts to fail than a normal bag.

I ve seen a hole cut in the table just smaller than the glass and up lighting the beer from slightly away from camera.

Sprinter vans are pretty cool, Diesel, spacey, and a real work horse.

Try Industrial Metal supply. It is used for aircraft structural members. It is VERY EXPENSIVE. some times IMS has a short end for sale cheap. You might also go by a airport repair shop and see if they have any leftovers or a local supplier. The stuff is SUPER delicate, even just the pressure from finger tips dents it severely. IF you are bored PM me for an alternative, works well with low temp lights, KINOS etc.

your first idea was better, I think. you could go with doubled 20' pipe and be totally out of the frame. The Menace arm is more likely to wobble in the wind and vibration of the waves. I know slo mo, but the field goal approach is a little more stable.

- The Client bounced his check, so I cant afford to pay. - If you dont get it in 90 days give me a call back. - I don't think we did that job. Remember Small Claims Court is actually pretty easy.

save your time and money. These are NOT good quality. The holes are Not standard sizes, and there are not holes small enough to utilize a flag in the head.