Aurora Gordon

Thanks for the feedback Tom. Yeah, that dummy is actually a wedding dress stuffed with a sound blanket and the arm of a C stand. (Really. I am aware how cheapo it is. ) I've been told that some flesh tones will be composited, which will hopefully help sell it. We were going to have a jib arm, but we had to move shoot dates and lost access to it, probably would have helped as well. See what you mean about the park stuff, too. Next time hopefully I'll have some more resources :)

Howdy folks, I finally summoned the gumption to post some screen grabs from "Jane," a 20 minute short about a fallen angel and a baker. We're shooting primarily on 7205 with a little bit of 7219 (though none of the 19 is pictured here.) We've been using an Aaton A-Minima which has been a pain for two reasons: a) not a lot of folks at RIT know (or maybe desire to know?) how to load it, resulting in me having to load and assist for myself for a couple days of shooting, and b ) since it's not in high-use, it has had some maintenance issues (only one 200ft mag). Anyway, the director and I talked a lot about keeping everything very soft and natural, to hopefully compliment the human element of the story and keep the angel/demon conflict secondary to the emotional story line. One of my biggest challenges was the penultimate fight scene, which takes place by a church in a graveyard. The landscape of the park is such that the church is in kind of a natural bowl, lined with trees at the top. We had 1 575 watt HMI, and a 6'x6' silk, on a bright sunny day. Once the sun started moving, I was chasing shadows all over the place. We got some good footage, but there are a couple shots the light was moving during the take and the actors drift into underexposure. Ultimately we will have to shoot some pick ups and I'm hoping to get a cloudy day so I can just make my own damn shadows. Excuse my outrageously shitty image quality, I'm grabbing this screen shots from a low-res quicktime on a DVD (i.e. disc full of gross). I'm posting links for now because I'm having some issues with posting photos (probably just being an all thumbs gorgon) http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3243694239/ The bulk of the film takes place at a bakery where Jane (the angel) falls from heaven. That gag was practical, with a dummy in a wedding dress, though the VFX guy is adding more skin tone to it (that dummy just wouldn't go to mystic tan, despite desperate begging from the production designer.) Jane outside the bakery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3244519136/ Wide shot of the bakery interior: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3244519470 I really enjoyed this location. Sound had a nightmare with the bakery cases buzzing though... http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3244519724/ The layout of the bakery was really conducive to creating pockets of light for the actors to travel through. http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3243690749/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3243691051/ The bakery kitchen: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3243691413/ This is a scene in an ally, when Jane is following the baker. Using the same 575 watt HMI and some bounce: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3243691795/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3244521092/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3244521346/ I think I went a little bit overboard with the lighting in this one. Jane tracks down the baker's wife and kind of assaults her in this bathroom. I wanted harsher shadows and a more intense feel, but like I said, I think I missed the mark a little. One of those "one light kit, one crew person, 5 foot square room" situations. Suggestions would be appreciated: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3243689329/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3243693243/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/...in/photostream/ Final scene in another park. Baker + wife reunited, angel with wings. That white box with the red antennae is the tracker for CG wings. I don't have a link to the model or the composited shot at the moment, but I'll put it up when I get a chance. I've been really impressed with the CG stuff I've seen. http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/...in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/...in/photostream/ Wings and a plate will be behind the angel: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34952817@N04/3244515240 For the most part I've been really pleased with the footage. Had some lovely faces to work with. I'm kind of kicking myself about those re-shoots, but hopefully next time we'll have a full crew and I can concentrate on making the image the best it can be. Again, sorry for such sucky image quality! Comments would be really helpful :) Oh yeah, the trailer can be viewed here: http://cias.rit.edu/~ebk9162/jane_24ws_h264.mov

Howdy, I'm just curious if anyone can think of some good examples of pull processing. I can think of some good push processing examples, but not many films with pull process spring to mind. Also, would the amount of recommended stops to pull change between 16mm film and 35mm film? I can't think why it would, but just curious what experience other shooters have had. -Rory

Thanks for all the input, guys. I'm in Rochester, NY by the way and this is only my third paying gig aside from minor videography stuff... so I really appreciate the advice! This was definately a non-union gig with some overseas filmmakers doing a docudrama on an old cold case murder. Well, I called the producer back and said I was uncomfortable with 16 hours and also with using my car. I said I would try to find a replacement PA to split the day with as well to help them avoid the headache of finding a replacement. The response was "I thought I told you the hours were long so never mind, I'll find someone I can trust." I'm not sure if I got fired or quit! I was pretty freaked out but fortunately the guy that got me the job in the first place was totally understanding and when I called him up to explain, and actually said he was proud of me for standing up for my rights. I hope you are right, Chris, and he hires me again :) Hey, everyone needs at least one horror story, right? Anyway, hoping even the rest of the PA gigs I need to work before I can gain enough street cred to get going in the camera department go smoother than this! Aurora "Rory" Gordon

Hi there... Well, I was offered a job as a PA for a three day docudrama shoot paying 150 flat, for what I was told would be no longer than 12 hour days. Today they had me running around as per usual, but told me to go home four hours early so I could work a 16 hour day tomorrow. Also, suddenly my car is being using to tow picture cars and mentioning gas reimbursement got a pretty icy stare from the producer. Who is in the right in this situation? I am normally totally cool volunteering/working for next to nothing for the chance to watch the crew work, but as I've only had the opportunity to be on set for about two hours I feel a little exploited. Any thoughts? Am I being oversensitive here or is it really an unfair scenario? Aurora "Rory" Gordon

Hey James, If you do end up with a regular time, let me know and I'd love to stop in. I'm probably amoung the lesser experienced of you... only worked with 16mm cameras, but new faces never hurt. Aurora "Rory" Gordon

Hi all, Has anyone had any experience shooting with Fuji stocks and the A-Minima? I'd really like to use Eterna 250D, but this is the first time I've had to downspool to the 200ft daylight spools. If anyone has any knowledge of the scratching risks/if it's worth it at all, I'd greatly appreciate the feedback.