Bob Hayes

I saw a lighting diagram for the "World Poker Tour", maybe a different show, and the lighting was HUGE. 2 x 5ks, 6 x 2ks, 14 standard 1ks with Chimera, 25 lekos, 30 par cans, 10 cyc lights, and 24 high tech 575 watt lights I didn?t recognize (probably rock and roll stage stuff)

If meters are set based on 12% gray card reading why are most of the gray cards sold 18%?

I do a 10 to 20 green/blue screen shots a year both in film and tape. I?ve used every technique of lighting the screens available and have been very happy with the results. However, I have been hesitant to use green/blue screen kinos to light the back ground when I am integrating other green/blue screen elements like platforms or apple boxes that are not lit by the color corrected kinos. How are post folks able to pull mattes off of the differently lit green/blue screen objects?

Shoot multiple cameras. Let the battle run it's course and shoot it like it is real. Think longer lenses. Have the actors keep it safe so they don't get hurt or tired. Then recreate smaller more manageable areas where the drama takes place.

They work pretty hard to keep that natural soft look on Reno. I've caught the shadow of a 12x12 silk a couple of times on day exterior scenes.

bob

If you are using two 6k HMI?s it sounds like you have a bit of a budget. One approach it to get a condor and put you 2 6ks and a lamp op up about 60 feet. Use one to side light the background and the other to back light the scene. This will keep your scene looking dark and give you a lot of control. Add a 4k on the ground to add some fill. Use some small units to side fill the actors faces on close ups. Shoot most of your masters and angles where the 6k can work as a back light. Cheat the reverses enough to take advantage of the 6k that lights the back ground. Kill the back light 6k which is now to frontal and use the 4k to create a back edge moon light from the opposite side.

I own an L-558 C and it has become the only meter I use. It works great but my criticisms are as follows.

1. The auto turn off setting is set for 20 minutes if you forget to turn off the meter. This should be adjustable or set at a shorter interval. The batteries are very expensive.

2. Because it is a dual functioning meter. It is easy to think you are metering incident and you are actually reading the spot meter pointing off in the wrong direction.

3. The spot meter comes from the factory is 1/3 of a stop off. Sekonic gave me a song and dance about how there is no standard. Say what? I stumbled on this when I bought it and was comparing it to my Minolta spot on the night before my first shoot with it. You need to go into the menu and adjust the sensitivity to match the incident reading.

4. The incident reading ball must be twisted out to use it and retracted to put in your pouch.. That is a bit annoying.

Despite these criticisms I am very happy this the meter.

Bob

I am planing a direct to digital project so instead of a full negative cut I am planing to using the edit list to cut the negative down to "sellects" and then telcine to HD then do an on line.

Natural light is a blast. Don?t be turned off from shooting interiors with natural light. There are plenty of inside spaces that at the right time of day are light to perfection.

I?m currently shooting a supper 16mm feature on KODAK 7274 Vision 2 Stock. My very discerning producer just saw the first dailies and loved them. He said it had no grain and looked like 35mm. I?m not surprised. I still chose Kodak Vision 2 over any digital format.

John:

Thanks for the link. The prices are so high I think I just continue to use my two welding glasses taped together.

Bob

Also, how many stops over key does a highlight have to be before it becomes a problem in telecine.

I am constantly battling highlights that cause the telecine operator the clamp the image in telecine. This is the scenario. I have a window that is blown out and looks great. When I am doing a television show the telecine operator says he has to clamp the picture so the post guy doesn?t have problems latter. Then this great looking image turns rather muddy. When I am TCing a 35mm feature for DVD and Television the colorist says he has to clamp it so Germany will accept the shot. Once again it looses it?s ?pop?. What is the solution.

Great answers. My next question is what are the distribution hurdles facing a project shot on super 16, finished in HD, and then blown up to 35mm for limited theatrical obligations. Any idea on the costs?

Bob

I?m looking for a ?graduated? gaffer?s glass that has very little ND on one edge and the other dark enough to look at the sun. I?ve seen them. Can?t find them. Any ideas?

Bob

I?m considering shooting a feature film in super 16mm, finishing in HD and then doing a digital to 35mm blow up. My question is this. The resulting 35mm film will be a letterboxed version. There will be black above and below the image on the 35mm print. I?m fine with that but some of my distributors require a full frame 35mm print. Will countries like Germany reject a letterboxed 35mm print?

I like the Zebras set at 100 IRE. Then when I need to check exposure I have my talent hold a white card. And just barely roll the Zebra?s off of the white. If you really want to see what your camera is doing buy a chip chart and watch how the Zebras behave. I love using chip charts but they are expensive and fade after a couple of years.

I just bought a Sekonic Dualmaster L-558 Cine. It is the new combo incident and reflective meter. I replaced my Minolta Spot and Incident meters. It took me a weekend to figure out how to program it. I?m still getting used to it but I think it?s a keeper.

I'm planning on buying a Sekonic L-558 Cine Dual Master. Anyone have one? Love it? Hate it?

Bob Hayes

LADP

Dyslexics succeed because they just won?t take ?On? for an answer

Very cool!

bob hayes

DP LA

I just did a shot where we hung the camera from a pulley hooked to the ceiling. One rope straight down three at the camera to stabilize it. I pre-twisted the rope like you do a childs swing and pulled the camera up and down. I used a wide lens and pumped the stop up. We set focus where I go the maximum range of movement. Turned out great.

Glass. With the amount of cleaning resin won't last the day.

You have to be careful with Pro-Mist style filters as you can sometimes "see" the specks in you video.

I assume most people just twist the lens in on top of the stocking.

The twist the lens in thing sort of scares me. I?m not sure what you are saying. You have to be very careful applying a net to the rear element. You don?t want stray runs or fibers to screw up your image or catch in the mirror. Putting a net on the rear is really a two person job. One person stretches the net and the other person positions it and attaches it. Many folks use snot tape to stick the net on. I usually use double stick scotch tape as a base and then a small rubber band to hold it down. After carefully trimming I give it a gentle blast of air to clean off remnants. This works well with lenses that have a metal collar before the last element making it pretty easy to stretch a net over it. On lenses where the rear element is flush with the rear of the lens snot tape is a good solution. I-rings work great, I own six, but they only fit a few lenses. You can make your own by finding a plastic tube that fits over the rear element and clears the mirror. It comes down to luck and perseverance whether you find a match. 35mm still film canisters sometimes fit.

If you are looking for a fun way to spend a day spend the first half in the ladies lingerie department staring at people through ladies queen sized stockings. Then after security politely asks you to leave go to the hardware store with your lens and stand there trying to put pipe fitting on your rear element. Often times people will ask you if you need help.

Focus is really hyper critical in Anamorphic. Right eye sharp left eye out of focus problems. So stopping down helps here also. With regards to breathing I find if you can work a slight and motivated framing adjustment in conjunction with a focus shift that will sometimes hide the breathing.

Bob