Ben Schwartz

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Doing a rear projected poor man´s process. Tests had the following problem. Shot plates on HVX200 set at 24PN. Converted to Quicktimes in FCP. Projected using Macbook through DLP. Shot car in front of screen using HVX at 24PN. Projection looked okay to naked eye, but through the camera there were all sorts of color lags and dropouts, particularly in faster horizontal motion. Suggestions?

I'm not so sure the DIT job will disappear. Even with the move towards raw capture, you still need someone on set to manage and maintain the equipment, construct and implement LUTs, run cable, manage the signal, calibrate monitors...this stuff is all outside the realm of both video assist and the second AC. Not to mention that I find it highly unlikely that HD image capture will someday become ENTIRELY based around color correction in post. There will always be at least some people who want a finished image on tape at the time of acquisition, and that means a continued market for cameras with more complex menu structures and a need for a DIT/VC. So while I agree that the job will evolve considerably over the next few years, I do think the job is here to stay.

Other examples: Ericson Core (Invincible), Nic Roeg (Walkabout), Ermanno Olmi (Tree of Wooden Clogs), Karpo Godina (Raft of the Medusa), Fassbinder (In A Year of 13 Moons), Sven Nykvist (The Ox), Jack Green (Traveller), Chris Doyle (Away With Words).

There's an absolutely hilarious running commentary on the Blood Simple DVD, purportedly by a snooty, English-accented Coen Brothers scholar, but actually written by the Coens themselves as a feature-length jab at the whole idea of director's commentaries. The commentary is nothing but banal, unenlightening observations couched in the form of intellectual, self-important criticism. Highly recommended if you have a night to waste.

Hey Kevin, Great post. I was wondering if you could elaborate a little on the above quote...have you had many less than ideal DIT experiences?

There's a section in Blain Brown's excellent "Cinematography: Theory and Practice" devoted to The Natural if you're interested. He describes it as "a film that uses light as a metaphor and as storytelling perhaps better than any of the modern era."

Errr...not sure what you're implying here, Jason. Not sure why you put the word "search" in quotations either.

The SRW-1 is a pain to use? I don't think so. It's a field deck with a fairly simple and straightforward menu system. Now the 5000...that's another story.

Yes...it supposedly records uncompressed 4:4:4 direct from the DVX-100's A/D converter prior to processing. Their website says it allows for an output up to 1540x990! Has anyone tested this system?

Can you imagine how hot his sets must have been?!?!

To be honest, I'm always amazed to see people in this business make long-term relationships work. I've lost count of all the divorced gaffers, grips and AC's I've encountered on sets. I think a lot of people haven't been as fortunate as Mr. Mullen in finding a life partner who is fully understanding and sympathetic to the insane schedule that filmmaking demands. I myself lost my fiancee last year, due in large part to the fact that I didn't spend enough QT with her, she became closer to her friends than to me and we gradually grew apart. A story as old as the movies.

In addition to Plus8, AbelCine also has an F950 package for rent.

I'm a huge fan of "The Cranes are Flying" and "I Am Cuba" and think Kalatozov and Urusevsky were one of the great director/DP tag-teams in film history. They made a third film together in the years between Cranes and Cuba called The Letter Never Sent, which doesn't seem to available on either VHS or DVD. Has anyone seen this film or know where to get a copy?

So I just won an auction on eBay for 4 old issues of AC including one completely amazing issue: April 1985, which includes The Killing Fields, Amadeus, The Natural, Passage to India and The Terminator! The ASC website values it at 75 bucks. Total amount spent for the four issues: $4.75! Anyway, I'm currently building up a collection of AC back issues, and I was wondering if anyone cared to list their personal favorites or most prized issues in their collection.

I think "Nightstalker" on ABC is shot on the Genesis.

Photographic Composition by Tom Grill is a good one -- it's intended for still photographers, but the rules are equally applicable to cinematography.

That's Lady of the Lake.

Check out Dark Passage and Lady of the Lake for interesting uses of the subjective camera...Lady of the Lake actually sustains it for the entire film. The original Halloween is a good one also.

If anyone in LA has a spare hour and wants to make a quick 100 bucks, let me know. I am considering purchasing a used Cartoni head from Alan Gordon Enterprises, but I'm in PA and can't inspect it myself. Alan Gordon has a 20% restocking fee I'd like to avoid, so I consider this insurance. All you have to do is go look at it, test it out and give me your honest, professional opinion of it. Send me a private message if you're interested and we can talk more about it. Thanks!

You're right, the folks there are great. I'm thinking it was a negative issue...I'm gonna go check it out there as soon as I have the chance.

No...Modern in Philly. The HMIs were checked with a color meter and CC'd.

I recently shot a car dealership commercial with 8662, and encountered a curious problem. Much to my chagrin, the dealer insisted on putting a black car front and center with the talent because it was his most expensive and fancy model. Needless to say, the talent was wearing white. For a number of reasons I'll skip mentioning, I was unable to get a sufficient amount of light on to the car, and it ended up 2 1/2 to 3 stops below key. After getting the film back, the blacks in the car were milky but still okay - I had rated the film at 160. But in the specular highlights on the car, particularly the chrome bumper, there was a strong magenta cast. Has anyone experienced this before? Is it a characteristic of this particular stock or all Fuji stocks?

I guess that's the answer I was looking for. BTW, I didn't mean to imply that he ALWAYS shoots this way. He says in the current AC that he rated 5218 normally for interiors...