DavidSloan

He's really good...here are a few more for you:

I feel you, Ben...I'm in a similar boat. I've also taken the oath of shooting! I'm not interested in being someone's AC or some G&E cat. We all know that in New York once you're known as G&E no one is gonna call you to shoot. The only people who see you as a DP are your friends from school so make sure you DP your butt off in school and make solid connects, because these are the people who will call you to DP their 1st feature, not the established nyc film crowd. Make friends with as many directors as possible and keep pushing your reel. hopefully one of these directors will get something going and take you on. Otherwise G&E, and AC is nice to pay bills but gets you no where if you want to shoot.

Hahaha, I guess you've got it figured out! :lol:

I watched 12 Angry Men, this morning. That was probably a NIGHTMARE to edit!

Hey: Sure I use it when people look off camera...when do people look right into the camera on a CU? The B-Board is elevated behind the camera with a C-stand and the tweenie is going through a 4'by of 216 and hitting the b-board which is bouncing that light back into the subject's face. The tweenie is aimed AWAY from the subject! I wish I could draw a diagram...but it's so simple!

More smiley thingies! :D

From what I know regarding black silks they are used to diffuse light but not to create a huge soft source. I'd be interested to know how the DP approached the use of black silk, here. I'm not sure if I'm right, but do the units seem too close to the silk?

Is this a new Polish brothers production? I'm wondering if those guys are working on anything lately.

Where did you find that book...I've been looking all over for that thing?

Greg: it's got nothing to do with age, it's all about passion. If you eat, sleep, breathe light, which it seems like you do, you'll catch up in no time. :)

You have a very poetic lighting style, David...I love it. When appropriate a rain shaodw pattern is always gorgeous, too. Are you a fan of the book light?

5218 is hands down the most widely used stock, for everything. Today, considering the sophistication of DI, most DPs choose the stock with the best specs .i.e., latitude, grain, etc... in order to "capture the information." Later, during the post process, they will refine the "look." Personally I've never done any DI, but I will be soon (finally!). So I tend to choose stocks for their unique properties rather then just the best specs on the market.

Gee...I have a somewhat similiar problem. I've always wanted to be a tennis player, BUT I HATE racquets! What should I do?!?!?!?

This is complete rubbish! Editing sets the tone and pace for the film, and creates all the gentle subtleties that can really make a film. Watch a film like Schindler's List and you will see how powerful the editing is. From the opening scene of Schindler fixing himself to the scene where the kid jumps into the latrine. Check out a Hitchcock film...suspense and horror genres are all about editing. Give 10 editors a film, and you will have 10 different films! Think about it, you have a master shot plus coverage from about 4 or 5 different angles, plus 4 or 5 inserts...the scene is about a woman who just revealed to her husband that she's in love with someone else. How do you go with it? Do you leave it on her face to create the sense of intimacy? Do you keep it on the wide shot for the distancing effect?...do you cut to the photograph of the kids as she reveals this information?...do you stay on her the whole time, or do we cut to him as she reveals the information? Maybe we stay on him and just hear her?! :blink:

Hey Greg: I'm 26 years old...I took 1 "advanced cinematography" class in school, and took a few basic production classes. All school can give you is the absolutely bare minimum. There is no substitution for real world experience. I remember being like a 3rd electric on my first music video and seeing a Panavision camera on a technocrane and saying to myself "They didn't teach me this!!!" lol

Hey I'd thought we'd do one of our own little Reflection books...why don't we each post a favorite lighting setup that we love to use over and over again. For lighting faces: Setup a 4' 4 bank Kinoflo, directly underneath the camera, pointed up towards subject's face. Behind the camera and about 4' above get a tweenie going through a 4' by of 216, hitting a white b-board which is filling the subject. To either side of the subject's face are two 8' by solids creating nice modeling by subtley shading the temples and jaw line. the result is a clean, and sweetly modeled CU that can make most anyone look good. Now your turn..can be any kind of setup-night ext, high key int, CU, etc... "Film is light"-Fellini

Merry X-Mas and a happy new years to all the members. :)

I have been lucky to know a few experienced DPs who gave me some pointers. You'd be surprised at how many DPs don't like to talk lighting, though.

Did you start working in a big city or somewhere else, David? It's a good thing you starting shooting right away...I'm attempting to do the same. I know some great people who got into something else for a while to pay bills and got pigeonholed as that, and could never really get over it. New York has a very closed knit film crowd...once people know you as an AC or Grip no one is gonna call you to shoot.

Why didn't you shoot 1.85 to begin with...couldn't afford to rent a S16 camera, or did you feel 1.33 is better for the story? I say if you composed for 1.33 and never even considered going wider until you discovered a "neat trick" in fcp then stay on 1.33. But, if you wanted a wider look to begin and composed with a wider aspect ration in mind, then maybe you should go wide in fcp.

Stills are my hobby and I do own a few nice camera and lenses. What I mean about owning your own gear is that there is a risk, if you work outthere, to be pigeonholed as the DP who comes with the camera package. Before you know it, people will be calling you to save money on their projects, not becase of your lighting.

I'd love to hear what some of our more experienced feature DPs have to say about this. And as far as I know, Daviau's been shooting since he was 16 yo, and has worked at Technicolor before he was a big time DP. Mr.Mullin: I would love to hear how you rose in the ranks of cinematography...did you AC, Gaff, work at a lab, etc..before you got a chance to shoot features?

I believe that going to the next level of greatness requires a mentor. It just doesn't seem possible to learn the higher more esoteric level of the craft alone, or through books. Read bios of DPs...no one just comes up.

I have a philosophy on being a DP who owns camera gear...don't. lol