Bruce Southerland

Thanks Much!

Is the crossover chip on a chip chart 18% grey? I'd like to run some camera tests that describe using the crossover chip--I don't have a chip chart, but I do have a grey card. Just wanted to make sure that the test would be accurate using a grey card instead of the crossover chip on a chip chart.

There's an article about this film in the August 2011 issue of American Cinematographer magazine. Here's some highlights that may answer some of your questions. The film was shot on Kodak 5218 500T & 5217 200T. 85 filter was not used-color balance done in timing. Shot in 1.85:1 for maximum resolution & low grain. Lenses were Arri/Zeiss master & ultra primes. Changes were made to some of the houses used, to add additional windows-and other alterations to allow the natural light in. They shot in three different houses that had different orientations to the sun-and the same room would be represented in three houses-meaning they could shoot the same scene at different times of the day. Negative fill was used on exteriors,provided by a black card, used to eliminate two similar sources on either side of an actor. Lubezki credits the films latitude for making this kind of shooting possible, and said "The most important rule for me is not to under expose,we want the blacks, not milky images.

The AC article says that David & the cinematographer weren't seeing eye to eye. Also says after a few weeks of shooting David decided to make a change. Also, that due to script changes, several of the sequences filmed during the first week were re-shot. So, it's not clear how much of Backar's work made it to the screen.

Kodak offers DVDs entitled Kodak Cinematography Master Class--with some top cinematographers teaching their craft.

If you could go back in time and watch one film during its original theatrical release, just to observe the audience reaction, what film would you pick & why? (sounds like a "Miss Film America" finalist question doesn't it?)

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Double Indemnity

Clint Eastwood & Jack Green not bad either!

Generally in a situation like this you would have light coming from the moon, fires, explosions, vehicle lights(if any), flares, and any light that would come from the "white house". I suggest that you use your most powerful light/lights(maybe your balloon & source 4s) to somehow simulate the ambient moon. I'm not sure how wide your shot will be, but hopefully you have enough power to cover the area in the shot with moonlight. Then use your other lights as needed for the other areas/effects that will need light. Hope this helps.

Are you looking for film scene references, or technique info?

Emmanuel Lubezki,ASC,AMC shot the majority of Children of Men with natural light. he talks about it in an article in the Dec. 2006 issue of American Cinematography.

Thanks Much!

When & why did the practice of a Cinematographer shooting only the pilot of a television series come about?

Just watched the premiere. Good looking show! Congrats. Bruce

First, I would increase the output of the practical lamps as much as safely possible. Then, for the bed shot, you can bounce light off a white card or a white sheet (may use the ceiling also)near the left corner of the room. Then you can do the same from the right side for your fill(you may want your fill to be a larger/softer source than your key). Then when you move in for your closer shots, you can change the lighting a bit to make it look more flattering, keeping the direction of the key & fill roughly the same. The shot of the door will be a bit easier, the key coming from the direction of the lamps. You will just have to balance the output of the three sources to acheive the mood you're going for. This is a start. Hope it helps.

Yes, you can have someone manipulate the light source from the front by moving light modifiers in and out of the light source, such as nets or small gobos. Some of the changes need to be subtle, representing a single shot with moving actors, and some of the changes need to be immediate, such as a cut from an interior shot to an exterior day shot. Have Fun!

I would tent off the windows so that I had room to light the scene from outside the windows, as if ambient & moonlight from outside were coming through the windows. And maybe a little fill.A scene that comes to my mind is the final scene of Rear Window, where Jimmy Stewart is sitting in the dark waiting for the villian to come in the room. I seem to remember there being catchlights in his eyes as well, though I'm not sure of that.

David, The light on the actor's faces in these "outdoor" scenes is very soft. Were you using any key lights, or just some bounce with the spacelights as fill?

Mr. Beebe DP'd Chicago 2002, Collateral 2004, & Memeoirs of a Geisha 2005, to name three of his recent works.

In 1979 I was studying for a college exam in the college library. I took a break from studying & went back in the stacks to see what kind of magazines they had. Lo & Behold there was a copy of American Cinematographer! I didn't understand all the terminology, but I was hooked! I still remember what was on the cover....Alien.