Cory Lonas

this is a good point... I think Im going to buy my girlfiends moms 16 mm camera for super cheap... I think the experience will be worth it...

some of the compression rates got messed up... but I thought I would get some feedback on some of my video work to see if maybe its worth sending out for some smalltime gigs... this is what I have with bare basics camcorder and my brain... let my know what you think... http://www.vimeo.com/1199546

I also just moved to NYC, Id love to meet up with you at some point.

it basically gets you in contact with students who are about to graduate who want to pursue a career in your field... its basically for alumni to give words of advice to graduating students and help them find the most direct path to success for them... I probably sound like a CDC pamphlet by now, but if it sounds cool to you then hit them up to sign up...

Frank, I just graduated from SUNY Purchase in May. Unfortunately I was not part of the Film School, but I did have the opportunity to take a lot of film courses through the film department. Are you by any chance on the Alumni Network with Career Development?

and if I ever want to show someone that doesn't have a projector I still have to get the tape transfer... its a digital world now... so if I want to show what I've shot I still have to shell out the cash for the transfer... Im still looking forward to getting my super 8 camera and shooting a few rolls..

thats why super 8 is a much more practical solution in getting used to film,,,but one roll of super 8 for developing and the film equal about 20 bucks a roll... and if I want to edit it I still have to pay decent chunk of change for a video transfer... so in the end just to fool around with film would cost me over 50 bucks... each time I want to get 3 minutes of footage... thats a hefty chunk of change for most people...

I so wish I could shoot on film... its just so expensive.. the cost of developing film are too high for a student...I would love to get my hands on a 16 MM camera to fool around with but even then I would spend so much money on film only to experiment with in my free time... Im thinking about getting a super8 camera to fool around with... but I agree that the workflow of film gives a DP a limited scope that enhances rather than hinders creative view... I think the best way to remedy this in the digital world is to treat your video camera like a film camera... especially when working with prosumer models..

I thought that vignetting was undesirable in this kind of work... but it seems like he likes to use a lot of diffusion so I would understand if he preferred it...

If you had "pegs" on the front hub of the bike you could use a couple bars to rig up a triangle using the front fork and hang the tip side (with camera mount) on the handlebars. that way you would get a good frame from a little distance. but it would definitely throw the balance off tremendously... it might be much easier to just mount the front fork onto your dolly with the camera, that way grip dept has total control over where the bike goes, and you don't have to worry about some actor on a bike crashing your camera into the pavement because the front end weighed too much...

when I was 12 I was given the opportunity to speak with the legendary Haskell Wexler at a film forum... but I was 12 and really didn't know poop about cinematography outside of my canon camcorder... there are so many things I wish I had asked that day... might have made my goal to become a cinematographer an easier decision to make...

the HD stuff looks pretty good. but it looks like you didn't zoom in all the way with the 35 mm adapter. you got little black marks on the edges of the frame. Im certainly no pro. just wanted to give you a heads up if you already didn't notice

I know all the people in charge of the film stuff up there. along with half the writers-directors producers. so I have the in for the projects, they have been getting me in contact with the people down here in the city. It helps to have a mom who sells houses to all the film industry moving upstate...I just need the right start up here... I just moved a week ago, so I guess im a little quick to be disappointed in my job search just yet...

I need an opportunity like this in NY... anyone have any leads?

there are a lot of movies shot up there. But the producers usually import the crew from the city to shoot... there is an office to do so ... but its just not enough work to make a living up there...

Thats a great idea Adrian. I hope to save up enough money to buy either an HVX,DVX, or XL camera in the near future. I have been noticing a lot of work for cameramen with their own equipment for documentaries, web TV series, etc. but I have also been noticing a lot of them specifically wanting to shoot in HD(despite the quality loss of compressing to the internet). Its good to know that once the ball gets rolling it gets a little easier to find some work...

Thanks Michele. Luckily I have the opportunity to work on a low budget feature this summer(unpaid of course) which hopefully will lead to much schmoozing with the camera dept. I ultimately want to be a Director of Photography, it seems like the perfect blend of my technical abilities and problem solving skills with a vast amount of creativity. Working with cameras has always been a big part of my life... even though I didn't study film or photography in school I always went out of my way to take those classes for fun... unfortunately I didn't realize it was truly what I wanted my career to be until a few years ago, and by that time it was too late to start film school without needing 3 more years of school.

Im a new transplant from your summer homestead up in Woodstock. wondering if you had any good advice for a country boy in the city looking to get into this fine film industry in the greatest city in the world

how do I get a job at place like this... I need the exposure... I have so much info and research done on the equipment but I don't have hands on experience(even if it is scrubbing cases)

Hi I just graduated college last month, moved to NYC and am hoping to begin my career as in the technical film world. I just don't know where to start. I did not go to film school. the majority of my formal experience is in video editing and handling event videography, and to field I wish to enter(cinematography), seems to require a great deal of networking and technical ability.. where do I start? How do I get in with the camera crew? How do I acquire the skills needed to get a paying gig in NYC? who do I need to know? I have worked on a couple film productions as a PA but neither one allowed me to interact with the right people... I have a great knowledge base of cameras and techniques, but I just lack to formal hands on experience that people are looking for.. can someone steer me in the right direction?