DavidSloan

Hey Ben, can you provide more info on this workshop? I'm definitely down!

Bet it all in a hand of poker! :D J/k How much is the Z1? you should look into that camera.

Rolfe, your stuff is fantastic! I love your version of saturated, high con, glamour. We have similar lighting tastes, I believe.

Can you post an image as a reference...I'm not quite sure what you're talking about.

Hunger is one of my favorite lit films, of all time. Uber stylized, but so cool, and slick. Fashion photography meets noir. I've been watching this film for the lighting for the past few years, which is why I got so excited when I saw Mr.Goldblatt in my hood! lol

Personally, I really like shooting for a director who has an intense personal vision, and knows exactly what he or she wants at all times. Everything from camera position, to how a scene should be lit...i.e., low key, high key, colors, etc...To me that is a sign of passion, and I like being around passionate people. The worst thing is working for some Joe Blow that has no vision and just wants you to shoot some master shots and OTSs. I also really love working with someone who is a cinema freak, because I am. A director that knows his film history, and theory, and spews plenty of Truffaut, and Godard, quotes :D That's when I suspect I might be working on something good. I think I've only shot 2 watchable films, directorially.

For CUs try a 2k through a 6x silk on 1 side, and a 6x solid on the other.

The whole thing with shooting available/practical light is that it takes a lot of experience to understand how to manipulate such light to make it look good. Just because a 250 watt bulb will give you an exposure doesn't mean it will give you an aesthetic image. Considering that you are a beginer, you're probably better off using traditional movie lamps to simulate practicals. Wait until you have trained your eye before you show up on set with a bare bulb and a b-board.

To Brent and Phil: I wasn't suggesting to jump around, screaming like a little girl. I wanted to politely introduce myself and express my appreciation of his work. I don't see any famous DP getting upset if someone just wants to say hello. It's not like DPs get hounded by tons of fans...they might even appreciate a fan here and there. As for the UK-there are no real shoots there, anyway...whose shoot should I hang around, yours? I saw your, out of focus, 16mm stuff, not likely.

@Nash: I had a meeting with the director today. I told her I was researching ways to minimize flicker from the arcade machines, and her response was basically the same as yours: "forget it, flicker is desirable."

Look into different types of lens filtration...maybe a gold diffusion would get you closer to what you're looking for.

Last night I went out for beers with my buddies and we bumped into the set again. This time they lit up a big city block with molefays on a crane. They also had about 5 snow machines going, and a few 5ks lighting up trees. To either side of the camera were 2 20x muslins with 2 molefays bounced off them. Lot's of christmas lights on the sides of buildings, too. Again I tried to speak with Mr. Goldblatt but he was on a 20ft ladder, looking through a director's view finder, the entire time.

So I'm strolling home from a composer friend's place, and I see an entire block shut down with Panavison NY trucks! Of course I immediately get a hard-on and rush to see who is shooting what?! On the corner I am stopped by a PA that asks me to hold until they call-"cut." So I hold, and finally I hear "CUT," and I ask him "who is the DP," he tells me "Rosario Dawson," and I say "excuse me?!" He's like "what?" "I asked who is the DP!" "Oh, the DP...hold on let me check my call sheet...Um Steven Goldblatt?" My eyes pop out of my head...Steven Goldblatt aka the man who shot Lethal Weapon 1 & 2, The Pelican Brief, Closer, and The Hunger! "Can I have his Email?" Immediately he snatches the call sheet back into his pocket-lol Then I see a guy running down the block with a cellphone, and I ask him who it is, and he says "Chris Columbus!" I'm like wtf is going on here...so I finally convinced him to let me enter the set and stroll around. I got to check out one Technocrane shot and see Mr. Goldblatt direct his crew on rigging a 20x20 muslin with a 12K HMI bounced off it. Unfortunately I couldn't get near Mr.Goldblatt, as he was surrounded by an army of PAs, ADs and grips...maybe next time! I might go lookout for that shoot, tomorrow. Inspiring. PS. the movie is: Rent.

Film school is a great way to learn about the craft, to totally immerse yourself in the craft, and to be surrounded by like minded individuals. You can also progress in your craft quickly, when you're in film school. You also get to trash the school's equipment...I'd rather drop a school's 2k, then drop a 2k, for the 1st time, on a set, over an actor's head! There is no job guarantee, but you will be a qualified person by the time you complete the program. I'm 100% satisfied that I attended a film program. It's pretty rare to find someone who didn't go to film school...one of the things people usually ask you, when they meet you is: "what school did you go to." I wouldn't miss out on the college experience, it's a great place to mature and learn.

Click on the link in my previous post, and welcome to the board. :)

You actually paid $90 for a 28 min video...wanna buy a piece of the Brooklyn bridge? :lol:

Thanks a lot, Bob! The cine check meter, it is.

Is it the same deal as with TV?

Shite, I'm really becoming an equipment snob! I'm losing my street cred lol Trust me guys I've had, and still have, my fair share of what my AC calls: "ghetto techniques." Try using a milk crate for a hi-hat! :lol: @ED: I think I mentioned in another post, I'm really into diffusing the hell out of the DVX...I feel like it reduces the harshness of the video look, and produces a nice stylish effect. I'm big on 1/2 double fog, white promist, and stuff like antique suede, tobacco, and chocolate. I also like to do fun stuff like placing ND grads vertically. Whatever works...I usually will take the camera to the rental house and just stack filters until I find something hot. Take care, bro. Peace.

Thanks a lot, Ben. That was EXTREMELY informative. Seeing as we're both New Yorkers, I'll probably bump into you on some set, eventually. :) Peace.

I seriously recomend you check out Israel. The most incredible landscape Terry Malick could only dream about. :) I know there are issues of safety, but if you stick with a tour group you will have no problems. Other amazing places to check out are Greece, Mexico, The Carribean, and Mongolia. Have fun!

I'm shooting a 35mm music video next month, which takes place in an arcade. I was wondering if there will be issues with flicker, roll bar, etc...when shooting the arcade screens? Camera:435 ES Stock: 5218 Lenses: cooke s primes Finishing on tape via telecine. Thanks.

That was a good article and not very pessimistic at all; it talks about how the language of film can be applied in new industries. Good news for us youngins. I like how you just chose to cut and paste the negative part. ;)

I'm tired of hearing how incredibly hard those films were to make-to you, yes. But to a few hundred professionals who have been in the business for many, many years and with 100 million dollar budgets?? Is it really that insane? It's not like they had a shortage of resources and qualified personel. I've read all the books, in H.S, and I found this to be an extremely watered down version of the text. These films may satisfy the appetite of those average Joes who go to the movies to see big fireworks extravaganzas, but to people who eat, breath, sleep, poop, live cinema this is hardly a light snack. IMO, of course ;)

What can I say, I have a real "hard-on" for fashion photography. I'm obsessed with Max Cardelli's work at the moment and wanted to share some images. If anyone has any info on him, do share. Images: Cardelli