ian dart

there should be "test and tag" services available. in australia they are everywhere. i am not sure on u.s. standards so it may not be a legal requirement as it is here. it costs about 5 dollars an item depending on the quantity. only failed items then need to be fixed by an electrician. i have a portable appliance tester and a license and do all my own and anybody on set who needs it done, for free as a part of my gaffer services. cheers

hi matthew, i would definitely advise you to get your lights tested and tagged by an electrician (especially the chinese ones). this should include a visual test, earth continuity, insulation resistance, leakage current and polarity etc. in australia this is mandated by legislation (for my gear every 6 months or before every hire). nearly every chinese redhead i have tested has failed test (visually, polarity or earth continuity). you can do this with a multimeter yourself but you cannot tag it unless you are licensed. i would get some RCD safety switches (these also need to be tested for tripping time at test currents) and run all your lights through them. i use film editors gloves to change the globes and whenever i am mucking around in the guts of a light i always hang the cable and plug over my shoulder so i know its not plugged in. cheers

i would not recommend using any quartz globe with out a housing or wire screen they operate under very high pressure and not safe to be around when they let go. i have had several explode over the years the last was a 24v 150w dedo globe it exploded like a gunshot and destroyed the mirror in the lamp. cheers

hi tom, it may have been said in jest but if i was on set and heard anyone make a reply like that to someone expressing concerns about safety, i would approach the producer and insist on their instant dismissal. if they were not dismissed i would pack my gear back in the truck and drive away. everyone on set has the right to express concerns about safety without recrimination. cheers,

hi john, drop by the www.widescreenmuseum.com a fantastic site for an explanation of all the widescreen formats. cheers ian

no heat i was just stating a fact. rex your concerns hit the nail on the head, i have no idea how the home made ones are made or of what material and build quality and am not likely to find out until they fail, then its to late. i cant see any sense in using a thousand dollar light and putting it on an unproven $38.00 stand. cheers

well my critique would be. i am not going to put my expensive lights on a piece of gear knocked up in some cheap bastards back shed for $38.00............................. cheers

have to agree phil. as a full time gaffer if i was on set and saw the grips pull them out of the truck i would load all my gear back in my truck and drive away. with a professional stand i know from experience exactly how much they will or will not support. if you cant afford a basic item like a c stand whats your other gear like. all those threads are a worry, how can you tell if one of them is on the last bit of thread and ready to fall apart. cheers

hi bambare if you go the the manufactures website they should have a list of the gels numbers i use lee filters for the following numbers full colour temperature blue ( CTB ) FILTER NO 201 converts 3200k tungsten to 5700k daylight half ctb FILTER NO 202 converts 3200k tungsten to 4300k daylight full colour temperature orange ( CTO ) FILTER NO 204 converts daylight to 3200k tungsten half cto FILTER NO 205 converts daylight to 3800k tungsten moon is a personal choice and every dop has his own preferred recipe of gels..... i tend to go with a light blue HALF CTB plus some green........ fire effect i would use CTO party colours can be a mix of pinks and yellows etc 002 rose pink 007 pale yellow 017 suprise peach 020 medium amber 021 gold amber etc when you order the gels ask the supplier for a SWATCH BOOK which has a sample of nearly every colour they make............. they are free i dont shop online but i presume b&h would be able to supply them cheers

hi guy i am a gaffer as well and have a large kit. but still looking for the cheap alternative i made my own china lantern holders. i just used 1/4 threaded bar and some aluminium plate from the local hardware. they are adjustable to the lanterns by moving the wing nuts up and down. i use a c stand knuckle to mount them. they have a ceramic edison screw mount fitting.

hi clay, this is how i did it with two c stands and some speedrail...and a lot of clamps hot lights can cause the window glass to crack if too close. i use the rule of one metre for every 1000 watts.....so a 2k should be 2 metres from the window. cheers

you could charge $2000.00 a day and call it a hilight........

i love the way the producers interview the dp and select him for the film expect him to bring his talent, experience and passion to the set. then not fulfilling their end of the agreement by providing the resources to get the job done. resources usually means money and enough of it to get the job done. it works both ways you bring your A game, producers need to too. cheers

toll or not, thats her problem....... but she got some of the best advice possible......whether she needed it or not......

aubrey you were given some excellent advice by industry professionals on this forum and dvxuser. i am afraid with your attitude you would be better off getting a job at burger king flipping burgers than wasting your money trying to get into filmmaking. cheers

i have always felt it is all about the story, tell a good story and people will watch it. regardless of the format. i have watched (and worked on) films that have been technically flawed but have stuck with them because they told a good story well. i am in the business and when i go to the flickers i give no thought to whether it was shot on red or panavision, and used hmi's or keno's, shotgun mic or radio mic's. my bum is on the seat.....entertain me.

hi freya i dont think the target audience (kids and muppet fans) really care about the technical side, they just want to be entertained. you could shoot it on a vhs camcorder and the kids will still watch it cheers

watched the trailer, seemed alright to me you said it yourself...the kids get it....and they dont care about the cinematography cheers

its a poor copy of a blondie. i not would handle with my fingers, english so good not have been reading products description of light.

hi freddie, i am based in melbourne. cheers

in australia the majority of street lighting has been replaced with lamps that have their own individual daylight sensor to switch them off when the sun rises. this is handy for film makers because you can bash a 150 dedo onto the underside of the lamp and it switches off. have used this trick a few times to get rid of the sodium vapour orange colour temp. i then put up my own lamp to replicate the light but at a colour temp i choose.

jeez talk about flogging a dead horse................. she won the oscar...get over it. cheers

and dont get me started on helicopters..................they have killed more filmmakers than any other cause. ian

the location recce is probably where safety should start but with student and indie films this almost never happens. for night exteriors i always insist on a day recce, thats when you can see and note the hazards. power lines, water flows, traffic, terrain etc. get a rough idea where the action is and use a mark 1 eyeball to check for hazards in the air and on the ground. make a note in the little notebook you always keep in your back pocket and discus any concerns with your dop and 1st ad. i have yet to work with a professional dop who has given me grief because i cant do his setup because of safety concerns. i trust him to make great pictures and he trusts me to keep the set safe. ian

hi brian, both cases involved water....the mortal enemy of gaffa's.... one a sudden tropical downpour the other working around a swimming pool. when it comes to electricity i consider myself the final decision maker and brook no argument. if you have a setup or situation and a little voice in your head says..i am not sure about that........thats your subconscious telling you something is wrong ....you must listen to it. professional shoots are usually no problem...... a professional crew know safety comes first and if you have to pull the plug will have a contingency plan. student and indie films are another matter entirely. listen to that little voice in your head......... never be afraid of making a decision about safety. after all it is just a film................... ian