Gregory Irwin

I just watched INTERSTELLAR again in a different theater. I must say, there are no significant focus issues and the contrast, blacks, etc were amazing. Beautiful work. As for the Michael Caine death scene, there is a moment where he tips his head within minimum focus but for almost the entire shot, his far eye in the light is sharp. I believe that the depth is so extremely shallow that we see more softness than sharpness in the overall frame. There were also a couple of quick buzzes on the imax close ups of Matthew where we were photographing him with a +3 diopter in order to achieve the desired image size. All and all, it's amazing work and quite the artistic and technical achievement. G

No worries John. All good!

All I can say is that the camera operator was the DP and all of us were doing our jobs. Everyone knew at the time the situation and only one person - Chris - made the decision to move on.

It's been very interesting reading all of these posts. I believe David's insight was correct. We built all of the anamorphic lenses custom for the movie as well as the two "hero" IMAX lenses - 50mm and 80mm. All of the lenses were T2 and 2 to 2.5 foot minimum focus. My anamorphic 65mm focused down to 16 inches. We shot almost the entire picture at a T2 and at minimum focus while hand held or on a remote head. Every shot was focused by a Preston FIZ. As for the Michael Caine death close up, that was the 65mm anamorphic at a T2. We slowly pushed into minimum focus and when Michael tilted his head, we were unfortunately inside of that minimum limit. The depth was incredibly shallow. For many of the IMAX close ups, I was remotely focusing the 80mm at minimum focus (T2) with a plus 3 diopter. That made life very tricky. I'm actually very proud of the movie as well as all of our work on the camera side of things. It was and is an amazing accomplishment. G

This whole discussion is so geeky! Just enjoy the picture. It's going to be a fun and cerebral ride. G

Bartechs are ok. I owned several at one time years ago. I couldn't get the range I needed out of them and there wasn't a zoom option at the time. Now I own several Prestons and am much more confident with them in my hands. As for breakdowns, that's an unfortunate byproduct of technology. Everything breaks at some point and will require some TLC. Greg

I've tried a few different wireless focus/iris/zoom systems out there and the only one that truly delivers is the Preston FIZ III. Not cheap but you get what you pay for. Greg

Crap! I thought I was onto something good! :)

Could it be set for Super 35 vs. Standard 35 or the other way around? Greg

Let's not leave out California State University at Long Beach. Top notch program, very difficult to get into and much more affordable than good ol' USC. FIGHT ON! :)

Unfortunately, most of these "trade schools" are very good with taking your money but don't offer a substantial curriculum. There are way too many of these ripoffs out there. I believe that you would have a very different and fulfilling experience at the university level but even there you must be selective to where you go. The top university film schools are not only tough to get into but even harder to stay in for the full term. The attrition rate is unbelievable. I started as a freshman in a class of 350 undergrads or so and graduated with 50! And we learned a lot. The experience toughened us up for the future and made us responsible. The latter being a very important attribute. Greg

Sounds to me like you chose the wrong film schools. What was the name of the 2nd school? Greg

I completely agree with you. And that barrier was once what union membership represented. It still does to a degree but it's much easier to get in now than it used to be. Back in the 1980s when I got into the Los Angeles Guild, it was nearly impossible to join and I remember having to take written and practical exams to receive my card in New York. I wish we still required that. Greg

I began film school as a freshman in high school and have never had an adult job away from the movie industry. It's my life. I love the business, the people and the life's experiences that I've enjoyed due to it. It has traveled me all over the world many times over and that has led to life long friendships that I highly value. The freelance nature of the job allows me to be my own boss and schedule work as I want. I doubt Office Max would allow that. Bottom line: it works for me. G

But George, you are assuming that everyone in this trade has a creative streak in them. I do not. I have no creative aspirations. I'm hired by the major studios to organize, manage and execute successful camera departments and to facilitate the technical means of the photography. I absolutely love managing the logistics and budgets of large camera crews and camera packages. For me, I put the business first. I would rather work on creative movies but if I worked on the films that I enjoy watching, I wouldn't be able to afford much. As I tell people, the movies I like to watch are not the movies I would want to work on. Greg

Ok. Let's get back on topic. I was afraid that this thread would go down this political road. There is nothing wrong with debating this but not here. Please take it to a new topic if you wish to proceed. Thanks for all of the replies. It's been an education and a good subject to share one's experiences about. Greg

Ah. Now I know who LLP is. There have been numerous attempts to organize LLP over the years and they have successfully avoided all of them. I doubt they will ever go union. Another reality. Cheers to you Royce. You sound like a man with integrity. Greg

After reading the article, this is what I take away from it. In the US, people expect to get paid for services rendered but in Canada, they are expected to provide services for free. Is that why you are reliant on government healthcare? I know, I know. I sound snarky. I wish that you and I could do a picture together Richard. We would have a blast with the sarcasm! :) Greg

My friend, you are correct in referring to our dedicated retirement community that is still going strong. It's not closing. I, however, have also referred to the other 4 medical centers that are funded by the MPTF and are for all ages. G

Royce, I think you misunderstand me. I am not a union peddler. My apologies if I came across that way. I actually have many issues with unionism. It's not perfect. What I am, however, is a businessman. That's how I have always approached my career. My questions on this topic have been honest and clear. I have never experienced the non union world and I am trying to understand it. I quite honestly don't understand what one gets from it. Growth? Advancement? Security? These are my questions and the chain of postings have led to this. I realize that success is in the eye of the beholder. I'm not all about money but I do want security for my family. That's it really. For me, all of the technical mumbo jumbo of our job is meaningless if you can't benefit from it. It's obvious that we must know the technical stuff if we are doing the job. But it's boring compared to managing a career with longevity in mind. And yes. The hours matter to maintain the benefits. I don't know the numbers but there are many in the guild who always qualify for the benefits like healthcare. Of course there are those who don't. That's reality. As for organizing jobs, the camera guild is very pro active in this. Who is LLP by the way. I don't know the answer to your question regarding LLP. In closing, joining a union isn't for everyone. Some are fearful, ignorant on the subject or just plain not interested in it. Others may not have had the opportunity to join. It comes down to whatever makes you happy. If your not happy, do something about it. Thanks Royce. Greg

Here is one of,the five locations we have courtesy of,the Motion Picture Television Fund: http://www.mptf.com/healthcare "MPTF Health Centers UCLA Health operates five MPTF health care centers in Los Angeles. These health centers are still exclusive to entertainment industry members, and conveniently located near studios and other industry locations. Now, patients will also have the addition of the UCLA Health network as a robust, health care resource and care provider. No matter which health center you visit, you will receive top quality care from a dedicated team of highly skilled physicians, nurses, and other health care practitioners." Greg

I can't believe it took you this long to respond to my previous comment! YOURE SLIPPING BODDINGTON!!! All kidding aside, I'm glad you like your healthcare. That's important. Our health plan via the camera guild called, The Motion Picture Industry Health Plan, is completely employer driven. They don't take a penny out of my check for my or my family's health care. And it's awesome care. If you live in LA, there are several Motion Picture Hospitals tailored for our member's needs. Most care at these facilities is free. Otherwise, we pay a co-payment that isn't bad at all and go where ever we want and see the doctor of our choosing. That's where Obamacare failed. A lot of people lost the doctor of their choice and have been forced to go elsewhere. Not good. Greg

I would say my comment is more related to holding people accountable - not whining. But then again, I can be quite the professional whiner! ;) So, is it possible for non union, below the line employees to grow professionally over time?

That's an interesting story Michael. Recently, I was the key 1st AC on a so called "big budget" Toyota commercial. It was with a mainstream commercial production company. The producers budgeted for 2 camera crews early on to win the bid for the job. On the day however, we grew to 4 cameras full time (5 day shoot) but the production wouldn't hire the additional crew required to staff our needs. When I lobbied for the much needed additional help, they looked at me like I was on drugs! We were scrambling around like crazy people trying to keep up with the pace we were working and feeling over run. The producing of this commercial was complete amateur hour. They were concerned with only the bottom line rather than considering the bottom line along with the production's requirements. The latter is how good producers work. In our union's contract, we have a mandatory staffing clause. This refers to the minimum crew that must be hired with reference to the work's necessities. As in, how many cameras are employed at once, etc. By design, this isn't to pad the payroll and get as many people working as we can via extortion but rather it's intended to maintain the high work standards that are expected of us. It was astonishing that our producers, who were signatory to the IATSE contract did not have a rudimentary understanding of the contract in which they agreed to. It quickly started to become contentious which is where I'll step back and allow our business agents to handle the conflict. In the end, the producer reluctantly hired who SHE wanted in order to meet the staffing requirements and then it all made sense to me. The additional hires were very young, inexperienced (but union) and eager to blindly do whatever the producer asked. The producer had no previous experience with an established, veteran camera crew who knew the rules of engagement and had a complete comprehension of the mutually agreed upon contract. I think I'm done with commercials. The myopic, narrow mindedness is too much for my heart to take. Call me old fashioned but I have the exact same expectations of my employers as they have of their employees. Greg

And then wait for care. I personally experienced that. Obamacare has ruined our medical system with waste and fraud. It's a joke. But let's not get political. Let's stay on topic.