Robin R Probyn
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Posts posted by Robin R Probyn
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The UK is the cradle of all great cinematography .... and the birth place of pure cinema.. by the way Martin S and Bobby D are actually also British..
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Here's an example of what I'm talking about:
I shot this on the old Red One sensor, basically put a bright bulb in the shade (probably a 100w), set the iris to the point where I liked how hot the shade looked, and her face was more or less lit by the lampshade, I just augmented it with a small amount of soft lighting from the same direction as the lamp, but most of the light her face is from the lamp, so it feels pretty natural. Yes, her face is a bit underexposed and in post, I could have brought her side of the frame up and the lampshade down.
Here's my poor Photoshop attempt at bringing up her face a bit:
Hi Dave
Really nice how you share your knowledge .. alot of DP,s would keep their tricks to themselves.. I guess you have the confidence to share them.. thanks..
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Brilliant, it's sorted....
Problem - previous owner had locked-out the main menus by activating the 'engage security' feature, to stop people fiddling with his settings. Didn't change it back before selling the camera, via a dealer. This meant when I bought the camera, I could only access the limited 'User 1' menu, despite trying all the normal variations of button pushing.
Solution, from Panasonic, via the good folk at Top-Teks.
1. Power the camera off
2. Set the 'bars' switch on the side to 'bars'
3. Hold the white balance switch on the front down into 'black balance' for 5 seconds or so
4. Power the camera back on whilst continuing to hold the black balance down. release the black balance.
5. Press the light button on the side panel and hold in whilst then pushing the 'menu' button on the front
6. The 'option' menu will then pop up, from where you select 'engage security' and set it very definitively to OFF!
Brilliant outcome, thanks Robin for concern, and hopefully here's a solution for anyone else with a similar problem.
Ah glad to hear its sorted out... what a riddle..!! shame to original owner didnt switch it off.!! glad your ready for action.I got a nanoflash for my HDX900.. not much use to begin with but now almost all corporate video stuff I use it.. and probably get Pana 3100 next year..
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Thanks for the advice again Robin,
Yes, I think the camera has a problem. I made a backup of the settings onto an SD card, and then performed a factory reset (manually, using white balance switch) which worked, but still the only menu I can access is the limited 'User 1'.
I usually have my cameras serviced at Top Teks, so called, and they came up with the following suggestions to get into the engineering menu...
1. Holding the 'hold' and 'light' button in simultaneously then turning the 'menu' button on
2. Holding the 'reset' and 'light' button in simultaneously then turning the 'menu' button on
and also, trying to access the option menu holding the 'light' button on when pushing in the menu button.
Nothing worked, the omly menu I could access was the very limited 'User 1'.
They're putting in a call to Panasonic, but I'd imagine the camera will make its way to an engineering bench in the near future. Could be a corruption of the firmware or a board that needs replacing, hopefully nothing too serious. Apart from that, it's working beautifully!
All the best,
Mark
Ok thanks.. hope it gets sorted out.. did it just happen out of the blue!! please post final solution ..!!
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No, thanks for posting Robin, all suggestions welcome,
Think I'll try backing up the settings onto an SD card and then trying a factory reset, or failing that, booking it in with an engineer.
I'll post here when I find a resolution, or more useful info,
Mark
Yes that would handy.. I have the same camera but thankfully not had that problem.. checked the Goodman guide also,and found no mention of it..
If your in the UK.. call the guys at TopTeks.. hopefully they could tell you some solution just over the phone..
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Thankyou Robin,
Naturally, this was the first thing I tried, as indicated in the manual. No, it doesn't bring up the main menu, hence the question about being locked out from it.
Does anyone have genuine experience of this?
Ah ok sorry to waste your time.. yes sounds like some locking thing.. very odd.. sounds a bad design then..
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Many thanks in advance to anyone who's able to shed some light here...
The issue I'm having is not being able to bring up the 'main' menu in the camcorder, but only the limited 'User 1', despite trying all the permutations of button-pushing! (I have the user manual).
2 clues I've picked up that might relate to this are the ability to reset the camcorder's factory settings, and also, someone on a forum I've spotted has mentioned the 'engage security' feature that might stop you from getting access to the more detailed settings, unless the camera is unlocked by an engineer.
Does anyone have any experience or suggestions as to how to get access to the main menu?
Very best wishes,
Mark T
Hold the button in for about 3 sec,s.. main menu will appear.. press again to get rid of it
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whilst we are discussing The Hurt Locker does anyone know what stock they used for the film?
Fujicolour ETERNA 500T 8673
And
2500 8663
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And the Academy award for best actor goes to... Shrek..!!!
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BEST QUOTE EVER!! hahaa
Always works for me... and I make them do the CC in the Caribbean ...and no.. I wont share the Gulfstream with management ... :lol:
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"you might want to take some advise from the old farts" - Robin R Probyn
This was my intention with my first post.. though, yes, I could be called a "young gun," I am more than very aware of the power of the Studio and Director in decision making, which is the exact reason why I posted the question..
Thank you for the constructive input from the "old farts"... hahaa.. and how it is currently working in the big time.
Being a "young gun" maybe I can be an agent for change in the process.. I put it in my contract as a starting point for negotiation and we'll see how it goes..
Thanks for the encouragement!
Cheers!
Yeah give them hell..Iam not working in the big time.. just saying you might have to eat humble pie .. before you can park your Bentley side ways in the producers and directors places.. and tell them you wont move it till you have finished your morning cappuccino. :lol:
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Well I must say you have misinterpreted my post completely Mr Boddington... and apparently this has become some sort of peeing contest...
Have a great day..
Hi Jessie
I guess your a young gun.. and its great to be that confident.. but really you might want to take some advise from the old farts.. :)
or you risk a very short career .. or at least wait till your famous..
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I think they wanted the grainier look, and the Reala is an older stock and from what I'm told pretty grainy. I liked the grainy look on the trailer, myself. I think it's a rough and gritty aesthetic kinda fitting for a warm film. I believe the DoP also shot Hurt Locker which had it's grain (though from S16mm). I'd say it's not a step in any direction, just the choice they made and we'll see how well it works in the film. I didn't really distract me in the trailer once I noticed it and went "hmm." Certainly, though doesn't look like noise to my eyes at all.
Yes same DP Barry Ackroyd BSC... he also did nearly all of the Ken Loach stuff last 10 yrs.. and United 93 (was it 93)?
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My experience matches yours, Phil. When this kind of thing happened to me, usually the DP was also flat broke and getting stiffed for their pay, too.
Even if they introduced you to the job? ofcourse there is an amount that is just unrealistic for a DP to cover.. but they should do their utmost to hassle/harass production to get it for their crew.
Ive only had to do it once,to pay a sound guy,and it wasnt even up for debate..
-- J.S.
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How can I say this... um...
Not in my experience?
Surprised to hear that really... the operator/ focus puller and loader are most often friends and or colleagues ... of the DP.. why its so hard to get into camera dept in the first place. it was always my experience that the Dp would be minding our backs.. even instructions not to hand over rushes to production :) when they though it prudent not to..
And seems this guy also felt bad and did the right thing... the DP might work for nothing as they have something to gain.. but they should look out for their department.. or risk getting a bad name I would have thought..
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So I finally got paid for "Grasslands", minus the 25 bucks that the DP did not have at the moment. Close enough. $25 seems a small price to pay to be able to finally reach some closure. Long story short, the DP ended up paying me out of his own money...so now, as he said to me tonight, it's HIS problem. Which I have to admit I feel guilty about...but on the other hand, what was I supposed to do? Anyway, he essentially handed me an envelope full of 20's and then pretty much ran across Amsterdam Ave to the car as I trailed off, "Thanks...?" behind him and stood there in disbelief on the corner. I promptly spent $20 of it on a sandwich and cough syrup and then went home and realized that I can finally wash my hands of this stupid goddamn job forever. I'm sure the DP felt incredibly awkward about the fact that he ended up paying me out of his pocket, but at least it saves my 225-pound friend a trip up to the Bronx with a Louisville Slugger.
The End
:D
Hi Annie
Ok thats good... noble act by the DP.. although TBH I think alot of DP,s would do the same.. esp if he introduced you to the job.. they are responsible for how their crew is treated.. which would explain the payment and maybe the hasty retreat.. just from embarrassment more than malice I,d say.
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Rasmussen has been noted as being kind of a "take this with a grain of salt" kind of organization, although to be fair most of the pollsters have been dodgy at one point or another. The thing with polls is that you've really got to check the methodology and the questions they're actually asking, because I've definitely seen some Rasmussen polls that asked incredibly leading questions. This particular poll seems pretty straightforward in its questioning, however, so I can't really find fault with it. And honestly, given the climate of the last few weeks, I don't find the results surprising in the least. There are a whole hell of a lot of people who are really angry about healthcare reform. The problem is that they're angry at things that aren't even part of any of the proposed bills, like "death panels," "rationing," "government takeover of healthcare," "loss of choice of doctors," etc.
Whats the quote for health care in the US...
Scandinavian tax,s ... third world service..
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It's not a fake name.
Iam not an Elephant :)
Actually sorry Karl.. I was a bit of a P*ick ... you got your rights to say what you want.. just your wrong..(only kidding)
Peace and love
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Karl... your way out of your depth here.. and its becoming embarrassing.. Iam sure your a nice guy.. I would slip quietly away from this thread if i were you..
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Likely the legit site has been hijacked.
I cant understand what they have against the British Sugar Company?
-- J.S.
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Robin,
I write every day, actually, and have been doing so in various forms since the age of 4...and I think "taking the piss" is one of the best slang phrases ever invented....!
You have a talent for it.. you should write a book about your time in the film industry... got to be good therapy at the very least..
Hang in there.. its normal to be pissed off.. spit the dummy... and throw some toys out of the pram... I remember a job where the DP was such a prick I would cry in my hotel room and really questioned if i wanted to do this modern day indentured slavery... but you,ll get over it.. the next good job..
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Hi Annie
Have you tried writing... seriously Iam not taking the piss... still a hard grind to get started... etc but your original dairy was really a great read..
Okay, a few things...
1. Freya: If you really want to help me magically change my financial situation, be my guest. I get what you're saying, but in this economy, it's a hell of a lot harder than it sounds!
2. Jon Rosenbloom: (did I get that right? I'm sorry, I suck at names) I know that what you're really saying is, "You're better than these a$$holes" but whenever people mention me being in the union with the implication of, "What the f*ck are you doing on these crappy little jobs?" I cringe and die a little inside. I have not had the best luck with union work. For all practical purposes I really should just take it out of my goddamn signature. I joined before I should have...I had the money, but all my connections were just little bullsh*t fluff schmoozes leftover from working at CSC. I've pretty much given up on trying to get work as a union loader. It's just not where I landed when I jumped into this business and if I were meant to have gone down that road, it would've happened already. I'm not being pessimistic, I'm being realistic. All those people are gonna hire who they're gonna hire, and odds are it'll either be 1) some totally green kid fresh out of Panavision who they can mold into whatever they want, or 2) someone they have worked with for years. I am in neither of these categories. Like I said, I'm being real. And in all honesty, I don't even care anymore. I refuse to waste energy on a bad decision that I made 3 years ago. I take the work that comes to me. This stupid f*cking sh*tty job, in all of its dysfunction, is what came to me. I took it. I had to...there was nothing else.
3. David Rakoczy: No poop I should've had a deal memo. And when I first started working with these guys, they paid me at the end of the work week, just as they promised...so I didn't think this would become such a massive issue.
For all of you telling me it's "just $500", I'm sorry, but are you f*cking serious? You know, not everyone is lucky enough to make that amount in ONE day on a union commercial as a loader. For me, $500 is A THIRD of my average monthly income. Like okay... I'm just gonna throw it out there: I WORK ON poop JOBS FOR poop PAY. Am I better than that? I don't even know anymore. It doesn't even matter. That's a different thread for a different time with a different amount of alcohol in my system, aka a lot. I'm really sick of having these conversations with people. If I could magically erase one single decision out of the many which I have had to make since moving to this city to work in this godforsaken business, it would be signing that stupid paperwork for the union. It has done f*ck all for me. I am out of that loop. Short of starting over, it is doubtful that I will get IN to that loop. Do I want to start over? F*ck no. Like I said, in 3 years I'll be 30 and I would rather have my eyes gouged out with a rusty fork than go back to destroying myself for 8 dollars an hour at CSC or any other rental house.
That's pretty much the bottom line. This isn't just some isolated incident of, "Oh no, look, Annie got screwed over by a bunch of sh*thead cheapskates. Such is the way of the indie film industry." This, for me, is the icing on the goddamn cake, and it has pushed me over the edge. Maybe that makes me a weak person. I don't know and at this point, I don't care anymore. In the sense of operating differently from here on out, yes, I will "learn" from this. But in the sense of letting that money slip away, no, I can't just let it slide. Deal memo or not, I don't deserve this. Union or not, I don't deserve this. I worked for them for a certain rate, for a certain number of days, and apparently in New York City, a verbal contract will stand up in court. If that's the way it goes, then I refuse to waste a goddamn minute beating myself up for not having a deal memo or for taking a job like this in the first place. I look forward to that beautiful day when I no longer have to act out of desperation just to make a f*cking living. If anyone else wants to come forth and tell me how the hell I'm supposed to be doing any better, be my guest.
You want "professional" conduct? Tell that to the producer who said he would pay me, and I quote, "when I feel like it." Tell that to the director who insisted we shoot for 12 hours in a torrential downpour on the side of a f*cking highway with no permits. You know, if this had happened on either side of tons of well-paying work with good people, that would be one thing...but instead it stretched out over the course of one of the slowest and loneliest summers that I have had in years. NOT FUN. This industry is destroying me. I can't deal with this anymore. I don't want a situation like this to be the reason that I walk away from it and do something else with my life that isn't such a f*cking grind, but man, I don't know.
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It's certainly a good idea, and I'm not disagreeing with you that one should have a contract or deal memo or whatever. But this doesn't prevent people from taking the money and running, even when it's seven figures from hundreds of people as in my example. If the people with the money want to screw you over, they're probably going to get their way, because they're the ones with the money.
Had exact the same with company going bankrupt... very little u can do... gov get their money first.. and then bank..! then company re starts.. new name.. same scum..
I think there are very few businesses that operate on such a level of trust... (see the excellent Client relationship video).. so at least once everyone in this business is going to get stung.. I wish mine had only been $500.
Only really safe way... cash for film/tapes... but in reality this is a pretty hard road to go.
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:) Preety good summary. Harsh maybe but a good summary and sometimes it's good to be harsh.
The main thing I would want to add is:
FACT 5: You are better than this, you can change what is happening. Go look for something loads more positive. Smile and wave a cheery goodbye to all this nonsense and make a fresh start, wiser, more experienced, and loads better equipped to face the future!
love
Freya
Harsh but fair..
I think Annie knows she is better than this already.. and doesnt really need the little grass hopper lectures.. or to buy crystals .. just is pissed off at the moment but will be fine after day one of the next job.. that wont be some flakey,fly by night production..
Fight the power..!!
P2 Card Prices Drop
in Panasonic
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Only get an hour on the 64GB card..at 100Mbps..?