giap vu

[bouncing the pars with VNSP bulbs into a foamcore

my gaffer called for this one time and it burned a hole very quickly into the 4x foamcore. be careful! I'm only saying...

I worked for an "art house" film director last year, and scoured the net for every film school and film festival of relevance so he could do a grand tour of them. During my research it seemed like every "film school" was using high end Canon or SONY prosumer video gear. I'm sure a few school have 16mm gear, but I wonder how much use it gets.

 

Other than USC or UCLA, what other schools have a Panavision Elaine? (since this is a Panavision thread)

UNLV: elaine and g2

hello,

thanks for the replies. No, I haven't tried to use other lens' yet - financial reason and all. So I suppose I'll need to take it in for inspection and possible service. Can these test be done on my own? thx again.

Hi,

Finally got a lens - angenieux zoom type 10-12 B no. 1423333 - for my eclair acl and I have a couple of problems. First, the focus is only good at 120mm. Does this sound like only a lens issue or could it be a camera issue as well? Secondly, the lens zooms automatically from 40mm to 120mm. Does this sound weird?

thx

you may want to try this method - used it on a number of features I've worked on: 650 or 1k on a beaver board with 1/2 or 3/4 cto bounced into a bouncing (grip doing the gag) pop-up green screen but shiny side (silver side), or show card. works from wide to ECU.

Ah!! I should have paid more attention. You are in L.A. which I guess could make daylight exteriors expensive! I don't know enough about that but I get the impression it is the exact opposite of New York and that it is an expensive hastle to shoot anywhere in L.A. Maybe I am wrong. One of the major advantages of being here in the UK is you can sort of just shoot anywhere as long as it isn't somewhere they can pretend you are a terrorist (yes I know, a bit far fetched but people like to do that kind of thing, it makes their lives more exciting and exercises their imaginations). Theres no film industry here, so you are either having fun with a camera, work for ITV/BBC etc or are a terrorist. If they think you work for the BBC you are allowed to do what you like even more! :)

 

If you can really get hold of a decent red setup for free however I think that could be an argument against shooting it on film. Having said that, watch out for the hidden costs of shooting on red, you need to work out your workflow and stuff. How much is post going to cost?

 

OTOH L.A. potentially means super cheap short ends and re-cans, not to mention the possibility of making deals on cheap processing and the cheap telecine over there.

 

One possibility might be to shoot all your exteriors on film and all your interiors on Red. They used to do that here in the old days (for TV ) when video cameras were too big to move out the studio. I've never heard of anyone shooting that specific combination either so it could even end up as a marketing angle for your film. You might have to be careful about it however. I've never seen it done except with older TV programs and you would need to avoid jarring jumps from one look to the other.

 

One thing I would recommend however, is that if you really have free access to the red, then shoot some tests on it first. What I would suggest is that you write a tiny little short. Something set in the same world as your film maybe. Be sure to make sure it only requires stuff you have free access to such as your apartment maybe, or your garden or whatever. Get hold of a few of the actors who will appear in your film, if they are people you are pals with, and just shoot a little thing for free with whatever kind of practicals you have and lighting you own. See how that works out. This isn't a waste of time because apart from the value of having tried out the camera and worked out the workflow, you should have something you could throw as a freebie onto the dvd. Doesn't have to be great, it's a test and an added extra.

 

Lastly, and this is a big one. No major actors? How are you going to market this film? It's a really important thing to consider. Is this for fun and art or is this something you want to try and sell or something? If it's more of a creative type thing, then I have to question perhaps both film or RED! It's an awful lot of money to spend on a creative project that may not have much commercial value. I know thats a hard thing to say but it's something to face up to. If you have a marketing angle that can work in spite of the no-name actors then that could work but its something you need to consider. There is a glut of stuff out there.

 

You need to make a spreadsheet up and swap out the numbers and see how they affect the bottom line. Would this film be cheaper to make if it was shot on neither RED or Film but maybe an ex1 or something? Will shooting daylight ext on re-cans/short ends make a big difference to the bottom line. Are the daylight ext complicated shots.

 

Honestly, if shooting on Red or even that cheap DV camera you own will free up money to allow you to hire some name actor/actress, then you should definitely consider it. You might even be able to get more than one such person just for a day here or a day there.

 

Theres a lot of questions because it is all so script dependant, probably a lot of what I'm saying may or may not be relevant. I'm just throwing things out there for you to think about

 

love

 

Freya

hi, thx again for this well thought out advice. the spread sheet sounds like the perfect tool to get more organized which interestingly enough I didn't think of. I have the prob of depending on my memory to keep me posted and on schedule which makes everything less efficient. Also, the RED int. film ext. sounds interesting also. Any opinions on this?

i've witnessed shooting on short ends a nightmare at times because of time consumption.

now, in order to get a fairly well-known actor - i use the term actor to be gender neutral - you're paying at least 5,000 a day - so most likely the budget has to go up, but i figure this can be considered later as we would only need the headliner for a day or two - for marketing purposes.

actually, in my experience, shooting in LA - especially in this economy - isn't so bad. permits seem to be less of a hassle and gorilla'n'it happens with much impunity.

Thumbs up that man!

 

YES!!

 

It really depends what the film is. I mean if the film is set in the present day and is basically a bunch of people talking with a lot of daylight exteriors then film could really be something that would add a lot of production value to the film! OTOH if it means not getting an important actor or actress to make it happen you might want to think twice.

 

On the other hand if your movie is some weird sci-fi thing then you don't want to be fighting the other things you need to shoot on film. It really depends on what you are up to and where the money needs to go.

 

love

 

Freya

hi,

I guess; contemporary, urban and gritty with a North by Northwest premise would best describe the setting, look, feel of this LA story. The actors are going to be unknowns (not for long hopefully). Also, ext. are going to play a major part but not exclusively. Thanks again for everyones help.

I like film. If you want to shoot on film, I think it would be worth really checking it out. Go get the quotes from the labs and camera rental houses. You might be shocked at the deals that can be had that might make film possible. 35mm 2 and 3 perf change the game somewhat as well. 35mm recans and short ends are still plentiful and cust costs dramatically.

 

Just a thought.

 

Bruce Taylor

www.indi35.com

thx for the info. i haven't given up yet so i'll do a little more investigating to try and make the 16 or 35 happen.

My feeling at that level is that if you choose to shoot film, you'll be robbing one department to pay another - your entire budget will go through the camera, leaving nothing for anyone else.

 

This is alarmingly common at all but the highest levels and produces a film that's effectively very high resolution, very high dynamic range dullness.

 

P

I think I understand what you mean. The productions I've worked on with budgets from 150,000 (HD) or less, because of the budget, seem to suffer from robbing all key departments from unavailable investment. I see it now in the final product and it's depressing. So, I guess I'll - we'll have to go with the RED, which can get for free.

Hi everyone,

I have a feature in development with a budget from $75,000 to 90,000 and was wondering if on this budget one could shoot on 16mm or 35mm: raw stock, processing, and telecine? Thx in advance!

-Giap Vu

Hi!

 

I'm new to LA and just starting my film career. I am interested in working electric. I've been a PA on some sets and know that is one way to go about getting in. I mainly want to learn more now so that I can be more useful on set. I heard that Mole-Richardson will teach basics if you go there. Does anyone know if this is true or not? Thanks for the help!

yep it's true. just don't come out of mole with a funny know-it-all u know what. rumor is it'd be the standard there.

I see the complicated kitchen lighting setups, and the comment someone made about how the grip set ups are art in themselves reminds me of something Gordon Willis said.

 

"people get so caught up in the process and really forget it is a means to an end"

 

I agree that people, it seems are so caught up in the equipment to make the film rather than the film itself. I think as cinematographer we should never get more caught up in the tools and forget about what we are really there to accomplish.

 

That’s just my two cents, I don’t mean to offend.

i guess we could consider the sad fact that most of what we creatively put our signatures on, i.e. rigging/ lighting, ends up inconsequential after final edit and delivery of something far inferior from the whole process; which is all that is pure and worth mentioning compared to an end product that is, for the most part, disappointing and often times depressing if it weren't for the relationships cultivated and introduced

Thank you PHIshizzle! Our key grip figured a variac could solve the problem but the best boy elec begged to differ. another problem we were having was lamps blowing. Both our 250 inbetweenies blew out. We were running power off a 400 amp generator and again no one could figure out why this was happening. The gaffer suggested it was the end of the bulbs life but it seemed too much of a coincidence. Any theories?

Hi,

Wondering if anyone can explain why when par cans are dimmed there is humming/buzzing in the audio? The reason for ask is because I'm working on a feature and Sound was complaining about this problem.

Thx

Is there an email where we can reach you?

18yearoldv@gmail.com

Hello all cinematographers! In need of an experienced cinematographer for an ultra low budget feature for 13 day shoot in Los Angeles starting sept. 13 - 25th. Will be shooting with the F900. Pay is low - $100 a day - but will have major distribution. :o

I must relate this scary incident i experienced on the way to view a potential rental. I was on the 10 west bound and needed to exit Vermont ave - I always try to drive 3 to 5 seconds behind the car in front of me for safety sake - so, as I exit, the car in front of me decides to stop where she or he shouldn't have stopped because in doing so the potential for a catastrophe is highly probable - in this situation the car in front of me should have merged into flowing traffic, a simple act that I found difficult for drivers in Hawaii but I heard a virtue shared among the southern California citizenry. Needless to say, as I saw my life flash bye bye (while going the customary 80mph slowing to a safe 70 - 60ish as i exit) the car in front of me quickly slows to a stop, I slam on the brakes, swerve on to the dirt, begin to fishtale and something tells me if I don't do something spectacular soon then it's over. So, I put the pedal to the metal and miraculously right my 07 Honda civic and am humbly here to relate this incident.

To be honest, while this was going down my life didn't flash before my eyes but what did happen was a sense of fear and panic of not being able to fulfill my passion of becoming a filmmaker. So, paying extra attention while driving and being lucky were the first lessons I learned while venturing into La La Land; the only place I know of where one can surf, ski, or shoot a movie all within a half an hour of each other.

Michael, I'm paying 500 for two weeks 5 miles from Hollywood in what I can only describe as rundown but with potential. Also, I felt the same way about the kindness I experienced.

Well.. due to the absolute 'LACK' of any response to the Cinematography.com party at Cozy's Bar & Grille, this event has been cancelled... or never planned..

Soooooo.. Giap.. I will put you and 5 friends on the guest list when you are ready... just let me know if/ when you want to go... look at this as the Welcome Wagon ;)

 

www.CozysBlues.com

 

Welcome to LA LA Land!!!!!

 

Best of luck... keep your nose clean... get out as soon as you can!!!!

Thanks for the offer big D - didn't know if you were serious and still don't but if you are then will be happy to take u up on it; but as for keeping my nose clean, that shouldn't be a problem. Did my fatalistic partying earlier in life. Now, I see myself as an objective lens weaving his way through the canopy, occasionally partaking in something communal - yabba dabba doo...

thx,

Giap Vu

So, while browsing craigslist I found a cheap temp place for two weeks while I look for something decent. What I found is pretty run down, the elderly land lady has a maid and about ten dogs and cats running around her house while I'll be in a private studio room with my dog enjoying the puppy and kitty aroma emanating through the Victorian walls. It's in koreatown - although there aren't any Koreans on my block or down the street - about five miles from Sunset & La Brea. She's a character and the neighborhood will be good fodder for some creative tinkering.

I would have to say that appreciating something of quality is to the degree of almost innate - be it light beer, fruit, or boyz n the hood. when you know its good, you just know it. Anything of quality transcends time, culture, and sex. For instance, my wife who hardly speaks English being that she's only been in the United States for about 2 1/2 years - who's only experience for the first 30 years of her life were water buffalo, bicycles, and sowing machines - can sit in a movie theater with me and only understand 25% of the dialogue but know amazingly by the first act if she's in for a wonderful ride or horrible mistake. Then again she can watch a Vietnamese or Chinese movie on the internet and not notice the bad directing, bad cinematography, and possibly bad acting that makes me go down stairs and turn on the TV. It is my argument that the consumer wants quality, but will settle for mediocrity because they are not fully aware of their choices. Mediocrity is not necessarily bad, but the choice of only good or ok isn't enough for some of us - like myself. With the advent of the internet, corporate America has learned smartly, to the detriment of us, what the consumer wants or what they can get away with giving the majority of us who will settle for less, because less is what's to be expected. From dreams not fully fulfilled, we as a society are victims of the so called American dream not coming true. Read The Working Poor by David Shipler and you may learn that what we're experiencing is not exactly evolution but frighteningly the opposite.

Hello and thx for all the enlightening replies! Now, would anyone like or be willing to reflect on their experiences, what they went through or how long it took to land their first paying gig? I'm hoping that I'll be able to support myself financially as soon as possible - not rich but have an overflowing reservoir of passion.

Also, is the Hollywood (downtown?) a dangerous urban nightmare crawling with artistic eclectic types? Because, if this is the case then i think I've found home. Only is it expensive relatively speaking?

thx again

Giap Vu

Hi Everyone,

So, I just graduated from UNLV with an emphasis in cinematography and have decided to take the plunge and move to LA LA land and was hoping if anyone out there can give some advise on a good sensible location to rent an apartment - I want to be able to jump and be ready to jam when I get the call and with traffic I hear that a ten mile trip can turn into an hour ordeal. I PA gripped on a feature in Pasadena over the summer and it seemed like a nice place, although a little slow. What do you guys and gals think?

Thx,

Giap Vu

so, i got the battery you suggested but it doesn't have the same type of 4 pin xlr that the stock eclair acl has - which is a jagger. Would this Y adapter solve my problem - especially since I dont have the eclair power cable?

 

thx.

ok scratch that. i ordered one somewhere else. cost me $90 but it's all G.

B&H seems to be working on their website over the past few weekends. I had the same thing happen to me two weekends ago.

 

My battery is working out great. I actually got a Y adapter and I use it to power the camera, my video assist and LCD monitor - all three at the same time. The one battery lasted for an entire 12 hour shoot without having to recharge.

so, i got the battery you suggested but it doesn't have the same type of 4 pin xlr that the stock eclair acl has - which is a jagger. Would this Y adapter solve my problem - especially since I dont have the eclair power cable?

thx.

their not there