Stephen Williams

Phil, I am sure you have plenty of ability. IMHO you need time to 'Crack Film', then more doors will open for you. Cheers Stephen

Hi, London is a very expensive place to live. Crew working on high end commercials earn a good living. However as Phil points out there is a lot of competition and its very tough lower down the scale. Good Luck Stephen

Hi, Jeff posts every day on CML www.cinematography.net if you join the kinetta forum you will be able to contact him.

Phil, I always try to help any talented crew if I can! I am a DP not a producer trying to save money! Stephen

¨ Hi, A new AC helped me with a pitch 3 weeks ago. I have got him 2 days work since then! Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com

Hi, With small tungsten lights they cool down between each cycle of the electricity, I have seen flicker from 1k's but not 5 & 10Ks.

Hi, Why not Flicker Free HMI's? If you need to light a big area you need so much light losing 5 stops with the Phorosonics, 120 Degree Shutter, Beam Splitter and 360 FPS. I have used 10K Tungsten for table top and ended up at T2.8. For Shooting a tennis player full size I ended up at a T4 using 12K par Flicker Free, in both cases using 200 ASA film. Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com

Hi, Dedo's are fantastic, the bulbs last a very long time and very cheep. IMHO the running cost of Dedo's is so low that they pay for themselves in 2 years.

Hi, I would choose DigiBeta.

Hi, You can mask the R16 to 16x9 or keep 4x3 so you can match whatever DV aspect ratio you shot.

Hi, You may be better off with 400' rolls shooting high speed. I had a Jam yesterday with a big roll on a MK II Mitchell very messy! You won't need silicon, that for the quiet cameras! The Photosonics 4ER is very slow to work with, VERY heavy, needs a technician and has to be extensively oiled every 1000' or about 45 minutes from last oiling! With a 1000' roll you can get mabe 4 takes (360 FPS)if you call action just BEFORE speed, otherwise its 1 or 2 takes a roll! In 12 hours we shot 8000 feet and 8 set ups. Not Easy.Use big lights (10K 's) as small ones may flicker , or flicker free HMI's . You will need lots of light, the shutter is 120 Degrees. Have fun, Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw com

Hi , I have just measured the belts as follows:- 400' 44cm or 17 5/16 inches by 1/8 inch 1000' 58.2cm 0r 22 7/8 inches by 1/8 inch That is undone in a straight line. Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Hi, That is sad news indeed! Hopefully by IBC that will have changed.

I've never seen the effct on telecined 35mm footage which suggests it's either to do with lenses or that the grain structure of the film minimizes the effect when telecined. Regards, Ben Rollason. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi, I have seen this with telecine, but to a much lower extent. I always ask for the noise reducer and all sharpening to be turned OFF at the start of the transfer, I prefer to see what my film stock and lens choice have produced. Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Ben, Sony have just released the DVW 970 DigiBeta. This can record progressive scan. Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Hi, If you do pull the belt out it's not a problem. Remove the drive belt unit and its easy to replace, while its out check the rolers are lubricated!

Phil, With many Panavision cameras you can change the spinning mirror for a beam splitter If you don't like the flickering. The PV cameras I have looked through have sharp and bright eyepieces. Stephen

Hi, 150 a day per lens was for Zeiss Ultra Primes. IMHO thats OK for fairly new glass. Used they would cost about USD 6000 per lens. Lenses hold their value quite well so an older set bought for 12K could turn out to be a good investment. If you rent you can choose the lenses for the project. I own a set of Zeiss Superspeeds, and a Cooke 20-100 zoom. However I will rent Cooke S4's if I have the budget! Cheers, Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Hi, I use Premiere for myself and find a rendered letterbox is very good, so I am sure AE is good. I agree with David Cox to use an ARC when in a Facility house. Cheers Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Hi, One other thing, Nikon lenses have more barrel distortion, than Zeiss /Cooke's. That won't be an issue for still life! You can pick up Nikon lenses very cheaply on E-Bay.

Hi, At higher speeds you have to oil the gate fairly often, and before every take above 100 FPS like a Mitchell Mk II or GC. Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com

Hi, I have used Nikon Lenses for over 25 years on motion control cameras with a bellows focus. They are fine for background plates and product shots. They look sharp until you do a back to back test with a modern Cooke or Zeiss lens. Then I have observed that they have more contrast but less resoloution, so the apparant sharpness is better than the reality, like crushing the black on video. The F stop can only be adjusted accurately in half stop's with a click. I would not use Nikon lenses for live action unless they were rebuilt as motion picture lenses. The cost would be so high I would recomend buying a second hand set of Zeiss lenses. Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Phil, IMHO AC's earn every penny/cent they are paid. Ever thought of charging a rate based on your ability? Stephen

A kelly's wheel or Samcine Disc has that data. If you want a PDF and just print out the lenses you need then try www.cookeoptics.com Stephen Williams Lighting Cameraman www.stephenw.com

Hi Phil, Many of whom have also worked on film. Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com