Rolfe Klement

Thanks for the feedback. It is great. So apart from the usual suspects (ND etc) people don't usually have "almost always used filters" like 81E's etc Any recommendations for Floro correction apart from the usual - does anyone add a 81 as well? More a case of get what you need for the scene. thanks Rolfe

Not sure if any one out there has a VFX background but Discreet (Autodesk Media) are about to release Toxik No such thing as a perfect product but it is a step in the right direction FX Guide to Toxik and Discreet (Autodesk Media) - Toxik thanks Rolfe

I did a search and got 21 pages back - I searched through them briefly but anyway... I am thinking of getting or already have a pola (Skies, reflections), ND's (T2 in bright light), Promist 1 and 2 (beauty), Grad ND's(Landscape), 85's(Daylight and Tungsten issues) So I am looking for advice on some subtle warming | Cooling filters and some subtle colour shift and some funky others - I cannot find that wonderful link on filter comparisons Which ones do you always use and why? thanks Rolfe

VFG are gone as of 2 weeks - partly for that reason. No specific answer from me but people will always do deals. I just got a VFX quote down from £350/hr to a set fee at about at max 30% of hourly rate. But be careful cause if the deal is too good and too many people hear about it then the hire companies suffer and go bankrupt (VFG - last month) It is also about building relationships - if you always go to the same guys they will help you out - in lieu try and force the UPM into using your hire company in future when projects with money come along If if is a self financed project there is a lot more flexibilty - the hire compaines need to be on guard against producers trying to squeeze more profit My advice is a trip to see them and negotiate and look hungry :) thanks Rolfe

Does anyone know do MVPA release a DVD of the directors cuts for each year thanks Rolfe

Thank you for the very good advice. I got the first 2 in the mail on the weekend and I see what you mean thanks Rolfe

if you shoot with daylight stock and your HMIs are stable and clean - you should be fine. Make sure you don't get flicker from the HMIs - either run at safe fps or get a flicker free ballast - which might be more expensive You might want to get a grad filter to bring more detail into the sky - if you have locked off shots You might want to warm the image with either putting some gels on the lights or shooting through a warming filter on camera Putting the sun in frame is tricky - try this experiment> go into the garden and look in the direction of the sun - block the sun from your eyes - and notice how because there is such a strong backlight the lighting ratio is quite high - you can get around it by using big mirrors on stands - or pumping huge amounts of light into the scene Use diffusion if you want to to soften bright sunlight - it is more flattering to talent I would avoid shooting into the sun unless you have to - try practice with still film to see the issue thanks Rolfe

I shot a test on film end of last year Breise Light tests My advice (more film based) is to use all the kit you mentioned. I was able to rent a generator for less than £100 for the weekend with cables etc so it might be an option... especially if you are trying to maintain a look (lighting ratio). And a 2k close up can throw quite a bit of punch in CU As with all locations make sure you get there early, make sure talent are ready first thing (even if it means 4am call times) Make sure you shoot the wides first - all in one go - cause it is easier to fake looks in Close Ups - later in the day The biggest problem was getting permission to bring cars and generators into the forest. Use promists for beauty - but remember "you can't polish sh1t" so make sure make up and talent look amazing to the eye before filming. Use overhead diffusion for CU beauty shots Be careful about using negative fill - because it is tough to create in a wide shot in a forest I would spend as much time in the area as you can before the shoot - so you know the light, shadows, wind, noise issues etc I wound up shooting on a cloudy day at about 8am - even though I planned a sunrise with snow! So don't panic if the weather changes - look closely at the water fight scenes in HERO - the weather is all over the place thanks Rolfe

Does anyone have an idea of Rental | Sale price (USD or GBP) I might also look into getting a LED engineer student to build something up - does anyone know any forums for LED engineers - do they even exist? thanks Rolfe

You can flag them as well to create "slightly" controllable soft light - but make sure you use fire resistant material They are very useful - you can connect them to the camera and mount around the lens thanks Rolfe

Can you scan them into PDfs or do you have them digitally. I also spoke to Arri GB and Munich about getting what they have - then I can host it - or give it to the manual section in the library here thanks Rolfe

I agree - save the prod money and get a 2C. Every gram will add up after an hour or two. Get a PA to act like a steadicam assist and take the cam from you the second you stop rolling - share the load! If you have to go with the 35 III - I have seen it put on a base plate with some foam taped to it - but it is heavy and uncomfortable. Make sure you have an assistant to give and take cam - so you spend the least amount of time with the unit. thanks Rolfe

I am thinking of getting about 4 of these. Has anyone any advice. They seem to come in 2 sizes. I would like to get them in my car not sure how small the big one goes down to. I would use them for mounting lights but mainly to 6x6 or 8x8 frames indoors. I saw a unit which might allow me to mount the cloth straight to the unit without using my frames. The seem light and clean and failry cheap about £70 a unit thanks Rolfe

Depends how many accessories you have. Depends how well you know a 2C (can you spot a chipped shutter :) ) - cause then you can put an advert in the trade papers or speak to people and buy from an individual. Speak to Arri GB and Munich - they might be able to put you in contact with someone If you have none then it is better to go physically to the company and bargain. The reason being they might sell a complete kit cheaper than you buying the camera and then over 2 years buying all the accessories seperately. Being there also gives you the advantage of testing the kit, running one model | company against another. Having said that VP are excellent, friendly and helpful. Arri GB (Allan F) have nothing but praise for them as well - so they are good! Decide which you need Camera Motor Mags Batteries Video Assist Base (CE or Cine60 or Roma) Cables Lenses Ground glasses Matte Box Base plates Risers Rods Tools (arri tool set) Maintenance materials (Oil, Arri grease, fuses etc) My advice would be go to LA - stay somewhere cheap and go to all the major companies and bargain. Otto Nemenz, Alan Gordon, etc etc - and with the weak U$D it is in your advantage. And VP will ship to LA. I would also take a DV cam and get the camera tech to explain every single part - which you DV film - eg how to take the mag mech apart to clean chips out etc. You will come away feeling much better about it. And soon learn who knows about the camera thanks Rolfe

The trusty old Arri. Saw the behind the scene pictures. Fantastic that you are making it happen! Tell us more - stage lighting is always difficult (David Mullen's looks great for Akela and the Bee - but the budget!) how did you do yours? Ahhhh! Trying to get low - wide angle shots on an Arri - My neck muscles always panic when they hear about that shot... but they look good. How are you doing sound or is it all ADR - since I don't see any blimps. The stills look great for a one light - nice DOF (I am in love with T2 - as is everyone else) - filters, beauty lights etc If you don't mind me asking how much is the budget, what is the film length, shooting ratio, etc. thanks Rolfe

I kow this has been addressed before but does anyone have any manuals or any documentation on the Arri 2C or 3C - the crystal motor handgrips. A user guide, images, repair manuals etc etc Then we can post it up here or host it on my site thanks Rolfe

All over the place but The art direction and costume design of R Crowe in the opening germanic battle sequence of "Galdiator" The Opening eye ECU shot after the explosion in "Black Hawk down" The steadicam sequence in "Man on Fire" when we track around Denzel when the Dakota comes out of the music lesson - and "Eyes wide shut" in the "Temple" The "horse race" shot in Gerry - of the 2 walking from the side - in fact lots of shots in Gerry "Seven Samurai" the circular fight sequence in the rain The hyper reality of "Requiem for a dream" both in the ECUs, Sound design and Edit Benecio in "21 Grams" in the desert - pushed film and ND'ed down on and on thanks Rolfe

If you have a PL mount front - then the cheapest option is to get a Arri Lightweight MB that clips onto the lens (as long as you are using lightweight lenses (most Primes are OK) There was a company on eBay selling a unit that allowed you to connect rods to a pistol grip 2C (I think) - here is the link for one that was sold Arri Support Some of the 2C's have a support rod on the top right of the camera body - there is an adaptor available to allow you to connect a single rod there - which could be used to mount some support or accessories. If you have the standard ari mount then that top rod is designed to allow you to support the MB for those lenses The motors - you pay for what you get. CE base is best but a Cine60 base with crystal handgrip does the job. thanks Rolfe

To bring this post back to life... I can imagine the stress at Dailies if there were any inexperienced producers in the audience - saying "umm - is it supposed to look like this?" :) I just watched the DVD a couple of times. I think it is very inspired by the shooting style of "PowderKeg" one of the BMW short films - not the one that Paul Cameron shot. All handheld crash zooms etc. They even used the same song at the end. I thought the lighting, exposure was fantastic (one of the best in a long time.) The operating was technically fantastic but sometimes detracted from beautiful performances by Denzel, Christopher and the young girl I have some questions for anyone who knows about it - it looks like Company3 did loads of Inferno work on the film. And I was wondering if anyone knew what was done in camera and what in FX. I am aware of Pauls love of push and Fuji. Has anyone a list of things done in camera. It looks like handcranked in some places, intentional eyepiece fogging, some focus stuff which might even be mounting the lens into the body while filming (unless it is an inferno FX) , Cut (EDL'ed) to keep in flashes Lots of grads on the lens - or once again maybe TK or Inferno FX, Neg Scratching, Off the point - Some very nice ADR work (in the car with Chris Walken) Focus pulling must have been a nightmare - did they use Cinetape? Lots of handheld on long lenses and ND'ed right down - looks like T2ish on 85 or 100mm's. Did the op pull focus for themselves - as is the case with some doco DOPs What did everyone else think and any detailed information would be great. I would like to do a test and shoot something similar for a music video I am doing in April - so any feedback would be well appreciated! thanks Rolfe

Kino lights with a Kino power supply are flicker free - but if you go over 10000 fps you might have issues :) thanks Rolfe

I would question why you want to do this? Depends what you are trying to do. Depends on your final output. I would agree and I sometimes do the same thing but only for one frame and only for presentation on a web site or print format. BUT only after a neg cut and only one frame - I would take the one frame and get it scanned at 10bit high res @ any high street photo shop. Then you get amazing images - that look like what you see at the cinema. There are always junior and assistant TK ops who will do anything to get experience on film. The big loss of quailty is not the scan to Digibeta - but rather to conversion from Digibeta to DV or QT then the screen dump. So if you can output a Tiff or Targa file from a digibeta you are half way to a great image. I am not an expert at the difference between 8 or 10 or floating bit scan color differences of the big TK machines ITK, Spirit etc IMHO focus more on getting great shots so that TK guys will work with you for free - originating on film is half the job. I am guilty of trying to produce and operate at the same time so I feel your issue thanks Rolfe

Very nice. Congratulations! A quick question for both you and David (whose work is fantastic as well), how much say do you like to have over actor performance? Do you publically or privately confer with the director and say "good, bad, needs more" or do you distance your self from the performance aspect and focus more on the technical frame , focus issues. I suppose my question would be if the director had the reverse reaction to a shot(you thought it good, he thought it bad) thanks Rolfe

exactly. And it forces me to really have to think about GG and framing each time :) thanks Rolfe

The groundglass is weird - Otto Nemenz altered mine so it can hold S35 glass thanks Rolfe

Thank you very much. I try keep it simple and push process. Most of my stuff is 18 pushed 1, 1.5 or 2 stops - I hate to say it but that is it. I saw a nice simple setup recently - basically a china or muzball through a net - as a softlight - either static or mounted on a dolly - you might even be able to use it for Steadicam I am paying far more attention to "make up" then I used to. and eyelights...And getting better looking talent :) Because it really can add that final "x" factor - apart from the story, story and story And Fotokem and Soho Images are great as well once again thank you Rolfe