John Allen

Heck I wish I could be an intern for any pro DP. So if anybody's shooting in Iowa let me know. lol But I have alway's wanted to shadow Roger Deakins. And hopefully someday I'll get to.

Well I think the reason why a lot of DP's might have wished they did more documentarys is, well because they probably heard that mr. deakins did. lol jk No I think the reason is because documentary's, yes make you work faster. But also I think they really make you grasp how to shoot nature. Because a lot of documentary's that I see have a lot of nature shots. Then there's the low budget of documentarys, but don't get me wrong cause there are many documentary's that have big budgets, but most don't usually do. The next reason might also be because docs are usually period pieces. And the reason why that would help you, is because it helps you really learn how to light with many different techniques. For example one documentary might be on the civil war, so you'll probably light it using warmer firelight gels. Then maybe you'd shoot another documentary during WWII, so you might aproach it by shooting in b&w, which will help you become very familier with using the right amount of contrast and greytones. Anyway, that's my $0.02.

Thanks. Yeah, we shot with a canon h1. And yeah I totally agree, as long as the equipment I have does the job then everything is good. But I totally can't wait until next summer, cause we'll have a budget and the lights I will get to use will be much easier to handle. Where as the shop lights kept braking, which made it really difficult to light. But it looks the way I want so I'm happy. :)

Oh btw, just for kicks and giggles, this short film was a completely no-budget film. So, I had to light it using only shop lights, which was a real pain, but hey, it was great for learning how to shoot something that looks ok, using minimal equipment.

Great job Stephen!

By the way, I looked at some of your reels and they're very good! Great job!

The link to bigger stills is below. Also, if your asking what stop I mostly shot at, idk for certain, but I tryed to keep it low between 2-4. Oh and I'm glad you think it's dark, cause that's excactly what the director wanted, so thanks! http://www.flickr.com/photos/24116238@N05/...57607216039476/

Here's more. And sorry that they're so small, but this forum gives me hardly any space. <_<

Here's some stills from a short film I'm the DP for. Also the synopsis is below. Please let me know what ya think. Also, the last one was actually taken from my D40, cause I haven't gotten the raw footage back from my director on that scene. I'll try and add more, if this site will let me. lol "David, a sad and lonely widower, leaves his former city life behind and moves to the country. He immediately meets a traveling country man who seems warm and friendly so David allows the stranger to sleep in his new home. During the night, David hears strange noises and experiences vividly wild hallucinations--all pertaining to the man sleeping in his living room. As the dreams soon become all too real, David learns the truth behind the stranger and learns how to make the monsters go away ."

Hey great stuff Stephen. I did somethin kind of like that, except I used LED's.

Very true. And I definetly am going to watch it again. There I just put it on netflix. :)

Oh really, I didn't know that. I don't actually listen I while I shoot. I've thought about listening to my ipod, but I usually get to stressed with it in my ear, with all the noises.

Yeah, I didn't think it would look as smooth and clean if I took it all in one.

I admire what you just said. Um, I do admit that some sci-fi's are very creative, but I guess what I meant was that it seemed that once they started with one big sci-fi film, it seemed that they all wanted to make one. Also, I agree with what you said about 2001. Maybe I just, didn't get it. For the last time I saw it was when I was like 8, so I most likely didn't get it. Oh and I just want to add, pink floyd rocks. I also wanted to let you know that, I don't disrespect your opinion on any point. I just wanted to understand you a little better. So I'm sorry if you thought I was putting your opinion down.

My opinion is that the film industry was really creative up until the late 70's on into the early 90's. I think there was a slump there. Because, even tho I admit there were some very good movies made, it was really getting into the sci-fi and all that. Which, I'm sorry if I affend ppl who like sci-fi's, but personally I think they take hardly any skill at all. See the reason why is because the main focus in a sci-fi usually is to have a lot of action and cgi, which I think takes away from the story Anyway, to swerve back onto the subject, I think that we're starting to get back to creating really good creative films. I mean we've had some amazing films in the past 5 years. And here's just a little list of films that I think are really well made. The Dark Knight (in my mind is the best superhero film ever made) Pans Labyrinth The Departed No Country For Old Men Capote Finding Neverland Letters From Iwo Jima There Will Be Blood The Assasination of Jesse James Little Miss Sunshine Juno Children of Men P.S. Serge (sorry if I sound like an echo with the p.s. bit) But I agree that there were parts in Jesse James that were slow, but Roger Deakins did such an amazing job that, being a DP myself, I couldn't keep my eyes off the tv screen. Also, I respect your opinion, but I can't see how you'd like "2001 a space odyssey" and find "Jesse James" partly boring, in my opinion all of "2001..." is a very boring film.

Ok so I was sitting here thinking about a film that I am going to shoot this next summer, and when I think about lighting I like to listen to music to help inspire me. I'm not sure if any of you do this, but I really like to, because I think a cinematographer is very much like a composer of music, except in this case, a composer of light. I think that you need the right "rhythm" for the light. It needs to flow with the film. Right now your probably thinkin "Duh, everyone knows that". But I wanted to discuss this, because I think music can, and has with me at least, been a helpful tool in choosing the look I want in the film, or most importantly, what the director wants in it. When I listen to music I like to escape into my own little creative world. For example, I'm listening to "The Village" soundtrack by James Newton Howard right now, and my mindset for the film I am going to shoot is very fairytailesh. So, this music in essence helps to tell my mind whats going on in the movie, where I'm going to light it, what color tone I want, camera movement, and the composition. Obviously, I already should kind of know what style I want for the film, but music has really helped me expand everything out in my mind. Anyway, let me know what you all think, and maybe I'm just one of those crazy DP's. lol But I just bet that a lot of you do something like this.

Well, I was using a fog machine in a film I was shooting. So yesterday after the shoot I took the fog machine and a bottle and filled the bottle full of fog. Then when I took the pic, I squeezed a little of the smoke out and then took another pic of my hand. And then uno I photoshopped them together. I really was impressed with how well the fog showed up.

Here's a photo I took last night.

Oh man I am soooo stupid. The reason why a lot of movies were like that was cause my little brother set my tv's settings for 3d, so thats why it was so greenish and magenta. Anyway I actually still like it, it looks really interesting.

Arrrg, don't you just hate it when Kiera does that. She's come very close to ruining movies for me. lol I mean I have to admit that she is a very good actress, but what I can't stand is that she sounds as if she has been to far too many acting schools and then comes off too perfect in her dialect. Wow, totally off the subject, sorry about that. Anyway, yeah, I'll have to check that out. The trailer looked great(lighting wise).

I agree. I have seen camera movement all the way back to the early 30's. And it was made 1940 so that would mean that they had been moving cameras for about 5-10 years.

YES!!!! I love that film. It's one of my favorites of Tolands. It's funny cause I'm actually only 17 years old, but I am a huge classic film buff. I found the story very good. But, yes since I am a DP, so then naturally I look at a film visually, and I found the cinematography very refreshing, in a dirty way. I love the fact that Toland shot the film with a documentary point of view. He was very much trying to make it look just like the pictures taken during the depression, and I think he pulled it off superbly. One of my favorite scenes is when Henry Fonda is in and old house and he's holding a lit candle. It's a very cool scene because of the fact that the only lighting he used for it was that one lit candle. I could hardly believe it because of how slow the film they used back then. I think the highest ASA they would have back then would probably be 100. I don't think they had anything more then that, but correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoy watching that movie and would love to see that and may old films on a big screen. Btw, great topic choice!

Here's my flickr with most of my photos, but not all. Enjoy, and please leave constructive feedback. http://www.flickr.com/photos/24116238@N05/

Yes that's what I thought at first, but it just doesn't look right. See in the movie, there were areas that were green but then there were other areas that were normal. So that must mean that they obviously didn't just change the Highlight. Hmmm, I wonder, it's almost as if they lit it that way, but I'm positive it was made in DI. I also saw the greenish/magenta look in Pirates 3 and it was the same, it was in some places but not all. I don't know, it might be just cause I suck at Apple's Color software. I just got it so it still feels a little like I'm in a airplane, and staring down at all the buttons. lol

I just wondering if anyone knew how to get the same greenish/magenta color grade that bourne ultimatum has without changing the color temp. on the face. Also, if you have any links to how that might be achieved. It seems that most of the "Action" films these days are starting to like to use this DI technique.