[quote name='David Mullen
Hi David,
I've been trying to reply to item you wrote on C.M.L. about Dougie Slocombe.
I worked with Dougie on many pictures as a 1st or 2nd assistant beginning in the sixties. On no occassion did he ever use a meter and I also never recall his gaffers using one either. The only time I saw him slightly stumped was shooting a t.v. set, when he set up a pup (1k) at about 10ft and aimed it at a wall next to the set. He knew inherently how many f'cs this was and after a little sqint gave me the stop.
He was so predictable with his stops that I would automatically set t4 inside and in sun t14. I think he was generous with his stops because he shot so many anamorpic pictures that he learnt in the early days that a bit of aperture helped, particularly with the early panfocals and zooms. Even in the early eighties when eastman color doubled its speed he still used no meter and yet came up with the same stops. I'm sure he knew that if the balance was right he could be a few stops out, although I doubt he ever was.
I have to say, not proudly, but on many occassions when I had asked for a smaller stop to cover a particular split, only to be told impossible, that I nicked a stop. It was never noticed in rushes, or by the lab, so I firmly believe that you can be two stops out either way and still get the print right
Best Wishes,
Keith Blake
