Neal Bryant

Hello everyone, I'm DPing an ultra low feature and due to lack of money were are shooting on the XHA1 with a Redrock M2. Production has insisted that the footage shot every day is captured that night, but the only version of Final Cut we have on hand is Final Cut Express 4. I am shooting in 1080i 24f, and I have done a lot of reading about the crazy Canon "F" modes, but I'm still a little confused. To add to my confusion, I can't find any info on what frame rate my sound mixer should be recording. He believes 29.97. The only HDV option I have seen in this version of Final Cut is 1080i-60i. From what I understand, Final Cut will preserve the pulldown from the camera at that setting. If our post house (we don't have one yet) wants to remove the pulldown to edit in true 24p they should be able to, right? But if so, what should my sound man record his stuff at? 24p or 29.97? I would be in hot water if his sound discs can't be synced up with the video in post. :/ Thanks in advance for your help. We have just changed to this setup and I am starting to freak out. -Neal

Just 500T, huh? And he would just use like a Wratten 85 for daylight situations?

I personally hate the way cinéma vérité, reality TV, ect. have impacted the industry. It disgusts me to see so much senseless handheld. Handheld used to be employed to create tension, now you see entire movies shot that way. Why? Because it feels ?natural?? ?Real?? Nonsense. It?s only adding to the fact that the general public simply does not care about excellent images. The average Joe sees hardly any difference now between what he watches in the theater and what he watches on Youtube. Sorry if I?m offending anyone, and I?m in a hurry so I don?t think I?m making myself clear? but, seriously folks. Get a dolly. Get a crane. Get a Steadicam. Get some sticks.

Aaah, nice. I'll have to try that. That sounds more convenient than the hairdryer. Thanks.

Thanks for the helpful replies, everyone. As far as the fogged eyepiece goes, one of the first 1st AC's I worked under told me to keep a hairdryer in my ditty bag just for that. If you're ever on set (around electricity) and the camera doesn't have an eyepiece heater, have an electric run you a stinger to keep near camera and just hit the eyepiece with the hairdryer between takes. I don't recommend it, but this same A.C. used it to defog lenses as well.

Hello, I've 2nd A.C.ed work in freezing weather, so I understand with film you must take care to juice up the camera with different lube, handle the film carefully, ect. But what about electronic ENG gear? I'm going to DP a corporate video in North Dakota next month. Everything that I've ever shot personally has been in very comfortable-to hot weather. How do I protect my electronic camera and accessories? Aside from watching out for condensation when going from cold to warm, is there anything else I can do? We shouldn't be shooting outside for more than two hours at a time, but I am still very nervous.

I work as an A.C., but when I'm not doing features I shoot local commercials and short films. Here is a reel I've compiled from things I've shoot using a variety of standard and hi-def cameras. What do you think, as far as lighting and composition go? Be brutally honest. I want to improve. http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=...ideoid=25997628