Serge Teulon

Depending on the storyline, a high key with little fill and work the highlights is also a good approach. As Sat has mentioned, there are plenty of examples in commercials and films that have a very flat frontal look. The trick is to work the environment behind and to the sides so as to generate your contrast and for it not to look FLAT. Actually I saw an advert recently which was filmed in Portugal. I think it was a Ford ad. And there's a scene where the main guy is walking to camera and he had a very flat frontal light look. The contrast was gained, not only by textures and colours, from the background but also had a very slight low key highlight on either side of his face. Not very noticeable but subtly coupled with the background work it completed the look.

Hey Nick, You could've also put a light or lights on the ceiling to suggest fixtures up on the ceiling. With, if needed, a bit of fill from behind the camera etc... Plus it would've helped with your shadows problem

I'm sorry guys but I don't think of it in the same light as you do. It is a good piece with great acting but its not amazing.....I see it as a job well done by professionals.

I really enjoyed it!

Happy new year to you all. Cheers

Hey Rod, For the UK you can try http://www.bscine.com/Agents.asp Cheers

There is nothing wrong with dark! The levels are low key on those stills and they don't look out of place. I'll even say that if you brightened those shots they would end up looking like dodgy over bright UK TV Drama (not all UK drama, just some). It is hard though to understand how it fits the story as we don't know what the story is about and what is going on at this point. However, there are 3 shots that I think you could have worked the contrast a bit more. 1) The wider of the 2 shot 2) and on the tighter 2 shot you could've just highlighted every so slightly the back of his and her head. As a suggestive natural bounce off a wall etc..from the practicals. 3) Also, the over her shoulder, looking at him. Just looks a bit flat. As you're new here it might be a good idea for you to read some diary posts from dp's, in here, of their shoots and thoughts. Also, look at G Willis' work for reference in working with shadows. Cheers

Need some sort of password to view these pics

Quality over quantity. Had an equal mix of 35 and r3d.

Would love to guys but can't. Have a good one! Cheers

Aha!!! Its your site that renders a slow donwload.... Your stuff is really nice. Your camera work has sensitivity and nice pace. Some of your lighting needed a bit more attention (like the girl in the car at the beginning....too much fill) but you also have some lovely lit moments. So all in all it's good stuff.

Hey Reinis, I tried to watch your reel but the file is so big or there is a problem with vimeo, that I gave up after 20 seconds. My broadband downloads at an average of 18mb's. However I really liked what I saw in those 20 seconds. Btw, the luminosity from the white background on your site makes it really hard to view your reel. Cheers P.S I'll try again

Hey Brian, I'm really sorry to read that you are feeling so low. There is at least solidarity amongst all of us....because if someone is not going through the same, they will have certainly done so in the past. If there is one advice that I could give to someone starting out, is to have a 2nd job that is flexible. For example, I know of a producer/director who is also an art dealer. When the film side of things are not working, then he leans on the art dealing. Not only does it keep him sane but it also allows him to pay the bills. Chin up Brian

Hey Cody, There is no right or wrong path in the ways that you've proposed. What you've seemed to have understood that it is all about WHO you know. Knowing the lingo helps but doesn't cover the cracks. I've come across plenty of people that have know the lingo but when it comes to what really matters, they've known F all. Great for a chat but not for being practical. Man, I think that if you can afford to take the "I'm a dp and I'm just going to dedicate my working efforts on doing loads of freebies" route. Then good luck to you. It's a tough road, not impossible but tough. You need to network in places where you don't know anyone, you need ALOT of patience and also need a very THICK skin. (the thick skin bit just applies whatever route you take in our industry) Otherwise, I would say that you have to juggle between being an assistant and doing (not as many) freebies. But meeting lots of assistant producers, assistant director, runners, etc on sets.....some of these guys/gals might be giving it a go as on their own projects in the future and will need a good dp. I hate this saying but its true.......It's all horses for courses! Good Luck

Hey Frank, I did a DP/Producer on a promo and the thing that really saved my bacon and allowed me to concentrate on the cinematography was to have a couple of late coming co-producers onto it. Once I'd started the ball rolling, all I had to do then was hand it over. Until after the shooting had happened. Of late I've been noticing that like us, a lot of "media" based companied, be it magazines, graphic design etc....are now incorporating filming services in their repertoire. I really believe that in the future you won't find a succesfull production company that is solely a production company. They'll publish magazines, build websites, sell cars, walk your pets, build properties etc etc.... :P Seriously though, I really think that multi tasking will be the way in the future (if not already!) for companies and us.

It looks like it was this guys. http://www.voyager360.com/360-one-shot-lens.php

This is flying around CML at the moment and has left a few ppl there scratching their heads over how it was done. Can anyone shed any light....its very interesting! http://vimeo.com/7074651

Indeed we all have....I just don't feel right about it. Sorry me ol china!

John, I don't mean to stand on a moral high horse but I'm really sorry, I just don't feel it's right to mention the film or the cinematographer. I was just trying to give an example to Andy about one of the 'somethings' in our working life that are just frustratingly inexplicable.

Andy, I saw an ol' classic from the 80's the other day on TV which was shot by, at the time, an already a fully fledged ASC member. The lighting and shots were absolutely TERRIBLE and there was no chance that was part of the look. I checked the name out on IMDB and that person has still continued to be offered lots of projects. And I must state, in all fairness that their latter work is a million times better than the o'l classic piece, which I won't mention for obvious reasons. I did however scratch my head and thought that if I ever came out with that standard of work for a client, unless they wanted me to copy it of course, I would never get work again from them. Were clients so forgiven in the 80's? Some things are just inexplicable.

But somehow Waco sounded better in that situation

Nope

That's a great photo Adrian. I really like this website for some great photos http://www.in-public.com/photographers

Its great to see a list laid out in front of you like that. So many great films! What I found interesting is that the majority of the films on that list are CGI'less. I'm not a fan of the whole (ab)use of CGI that is going on at the moment(Avatar, etc).....I hope that the big studios look at lists like this one and see that the future does not lie in a computer. Imo that technology is there as an additional tool to film making. great post, thanks David.

All of the above is great advice. When I was a trainee camera I phoned Arri (UK) and asked if I could go there and spend time with all their different cameras. They were very helpful and said yes. After the 1st visit I got on with the guys down there and they said that I was always welcome to come back. Which I did. From that experience I learn to load, blindfolded, and how put the cameras together. The latter has regretfully, completely gone. Lighting has only come through experience, watching films and reading lots and lots. I've found that there is no formula to lighting. Which is really interesting. Its all about how it makes you feel, coupled with textures and colours of surroundings.