Matt Butler

Hi Tim, The Radial Rig pix are on page 1, in about the 5th row of photos down the page listed under *STUNTS,FX, GEAR + COOL RIGS* It's a motion-controlled hi-speed repeatable boom arm that is mounted in the centre of the respective vehicle and can rotate continually around the car as it drives. It is a bit of overkill for a locked off windscreen set up, but it would get the shot!

Last August we had a total lunar eclipse viewable from Sydney. I spot read the event and my notes recall the wide exposure variations from start to finish. Fully lit moon disc before commencement was T16 @1/60 100 asa. Total eclipsed moon disc with just a slight *hot* leading edge was T1.8 @ 1/2 100 asa. There was a very weak haze about that night. That is an approximate 12 stop difference. I ended up filming a timelapse sequence, ( the entire eclipse took about 3 + 1/2 hours) shooting * by twos* , ie. I frame set for the *hot* exposure and 1 frame adjusted for the weaker exposure and let the guys in post blend the final result. Hope it's not all over by the time you get this!

Check out www.crewpix.com and scroll to: Stunts, FX, Gear and Cool Rigs. Lots of photos of various vehicle rigs. (Disclaimer - My *RADIAL RIG* is listed on the site)

.... ah, freon, fabulous freon, we used to drown our umatic decks with the spray. A great cleaner, kept those helical heads spinning away. In hindsight it was a bit like the guys wandering around the site after the first A-bomb test.

I have also been "re-archiving" 3/4 umatics to mini-DV and have found the following techniques helpful as well. Holding the cassette horizontally with "window" to the top tap firmly on both the left and right edges of the cassette tape. This helps to loosen the plastic tape supply and take-up spindles which can lock up otherwise. Removing the umatic deck's cover should give you access to the spinning helical drum/head assembly and associated tape loading mechanism. Turn 240/110 power OFF. Carefully clean the recessed video heads, - I generally use a tightly wound cotton bud(not sure of US equivalent) dipped in cleaning alcohol and rub the heads gently in one direction only - NEVER BACK and FORTH. Do the same for guide rollers, rubber capstan, sound and sync. heads (if any) to remove the offending tape adhesive and other gunk. Your umatic deck could also be out of alignment .... which will edge damage your tapes ...listen for a "crinkly' sound coming from inside the deck as the tape attempts to load and play. I suggest you also contact your state library media archive curators, who probably have a few of their own techniques. I guess we will all go through all this "re-archiving" with mini-DV tapes in 20-30 years time... " oh the horror!"

Your playback deck may have 'dirty' heads. Try a proper mini-DV head cleaning kit. As a last resort load a blank tape, ie. obviously with nothing recorded on it - and in playback mode with the tape engaged over the heads, fast forward it for about 10 seconds in actual time. Do this procedure about 5 times. It sometimes works! Usual disclaimers apply.

I thought you might be interested in my "long lens" framing and critical focus set-up for a non-reflex Eyemo. I have a right angle adapter bracket for my SLR (see pix#2) that puts the lens in the same place as it would be mounted on the Eyemo. Mounting the SLR sideways gives me a close approximation of the cine frame side to side, pencil lines on the SLR ground glass shows the height limits. Both the Eyemo and the SLR have the same Manfrotto 'quick release plate' attached in a manner that gives identical lens positioning. If I'm pushed for time, then I use the monocular finder(a small sighting 'scope from a telescope) attached to the side to set shots quickly. It has a field of view of around 9 degrees - equivalent to a 135mm cine lens, I aim for the centre of frame and figure out my field of view depending on the lens I'm using. This side 'finder' has no parallax correction so a gentle tap to the left generally puts the lens in the right place! I have been climbing all over high bridges lately and this configuration works a treat. My digital friends tell me to use a hi-end digital SLR, but at least I don't have to worry about film outs. Other Eyemo photo follows in next post

A couple of left field suggestions. A film company logo for a custom run of magazines, based on Germanic runic symbols - remember the famous VW logo? Perhaps an ID mark for one of the German/nazi government agencies? A technical datum mark of some kind? Or none of the above! It's been a slow day.

Have you managed to shoot any footage with the NCS motor? Is it the time lapse only version or the realtime/time lapse combination? Any suprises or technical tips?

I remember there was a TV series called MOVIE MAGIC (GRB Entertainment/Vision Films) and volume 3 had a segment on forced perspective, explaining 'in-camera' split scale techniques and set construction. This episode included visual reference from such films as DARBY O'GILL and THE LITTLE PEOPLE, HONEY, I BLEW UP THE KID and ATTACK Of The 50 FOOT WOMAN(1993 vers.) It was released by Village Roadshow in Australia, but you may be able to access a copy in a good visual resources library. Good Luck.

Could you imagine Busby let loose with this lot? There would probably be a *regime change* overnight! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBWOEdy_-qM

I was filming one of my first 100% sync set ups with a 16mm reflex camera. This particular shot was of a meditation 'master' giving a long form lecture. He was sitting cross-legged(as you do) in a field of beautiful flowers all cross lit with an amazing late afternoon sun. About eight minutes into the roll I get this agonising cramp in my neck due to a not so smart shooting stance. I have to take my eye away from the reflex viewfinder and I am a bit slow in covering the 'finder with my other hand. As I'm way back from the rest of production on a long lens and we're shooting sound, it is difficult to let anyone know of the situation. At the end of the long take, I explain the problem to the director who takes it all very calmly...after all he is a senior practitioner of this meditation organisation. The next day we are watching the synchronised rushes (dailies) and sure enough this blinding orange flare flashes across the screen at the place where I removed my eye from the viewfinder. I sink very low into the screening room chair. I am then slapped heartily on the back by the director because by a coincidence my error happened at the exact moment when the meditation 'master' mentions the name of some significant deity and the screening room group think this is a very 'cosmic' sign. Lesson learnt!

When shooting a sunset landscape or scene with a discernible horizon line or similair that doesn't "blend" too much across your foreground action or talent, then a 2 stop soft graduated ND filter works a treat, if you are able to position the grad (up or down)to suit your framing.

Maybe you could make up a series of small double-sided laminated cards with the required filter info lists that fit discreetly in your pocket. This info is readily available in the American Cinematographer Manual, but you just have to lay it out to suit your own purposes. I have a collection of filters not in general use and an info list sure saves a lot of awkward moments. Or just keep a copy of the 'Manual in your light meter case!

No laughing please, but my time lapse Eyemo is currently run by a small heavy duty windscreen wiper motor, powered by 12v gel cell supply and controlled with a basic intervalometer.To make it go backwards I simply reverse the battery polarity! I have been thinking of fitting a spare Lynx C-50 motor to it, but that may make it a little too heavy.( also needs a minimum of 24v with serious amperage) The Canon FD range of lenses have very sharp optics and 35mm neg supplies fantastic * colour space*.

I am an "undercranker", and recently shot material with a Canon FD hard-frontrd Eyemo for a TV network promo celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Maybe I'm just lucky with the condition of the camera movement, but the footage was pretty steady when intercut with footage shot on a trusty Mitchell. This particular Eyemo has no view-finder options fitted, ie. no parallax correcting side finder or video tap etc. I had a machinist fabricate a simple tripod adapter that allows me to block a shot with a Canon SLR and selected lens in the centre of the portrait position, and I then simply swap the SLR for the Eyemo, and the lenses to film plane line up. For wider angle shots I *sight* along the lens barrel and with a rough field of view knowledge i can get the shot. As we in the time lapse fraternity deal in time, the above camera swapping set-up isn't too time consuming in the overall equation.

Thank you gentlemen for your prompt replies. Better safer than sorry, so 18 volts is the go!

After browsing through previous posts in this particular forum, I think I know the answer to my question. But.... If I was to power a 2b variable speed 16volt drop motor with a 24 volt battery pack will I cook the motor.. ie burn it out? I briefly ran it in this configuration with a couple of quick presses of the test button. By turning the rheostat to a lower setting at the base of the motor I could adjust it to run @ 24fps with a dummy load in a 200' mag. Has any one attempted this, or is it time to reconfigure a battery pack to 18 volts. Cheers, Matt Butler Specialist Cinematographer Sydney Australia

Was there a significant difference between the operation of newsreel style Eyemo's and the A-4 Bomb Spotting cameras? Were they somehow synchronised to film after the bomb bay door opened and photograph the actual bomb impacts, for later photo-intellegence analysis? Did all US bombers have them fitted, or just the 'lead' aircraft? Always been curious about their usage! Cheers, Matt Butler cinematographer Sydney, Australia

Hi Soren, The manfrotto 400 gear head conversion seemed a good idea at the time, but I have found the tilt axisis a little too exposed to the elements ( rain and dust etc.) I have to wrap it in plastic in those conditions. If I was going to fabricate a simple pan and tilt head, I'd look at mounting two small CNC rotary tables with suitable adapter plates for the two axis - pan and tilt. Some of the CNC manufacturers even supply basic programmers and software to plot your shots. A site to give you an idea of this approach and technology is www.bmumford.com They make a stand alone controller called *The Time Machine* - maybe worth a look?

Good work. A small suggestion - you may find that your tripod head could be a little unstable because of its high *centre of gravity* effect at your tripods' legs maximum extension. On my dolly I have a removable tie down ring bolted into the wooden base below the position where the tripod is normally centred. Just rope off from underneath your pan and tilt head without interfering with your pan and tilt functions, and your camera and head won't necessarily tip over.

If the crew at RED are currently reluctant to shoot and post a professional greyscale test to prove their dynamic range claims, maybe they will shoot their own redscale test instead!

This may be a little "off-topic", but has there been any info (recently) on his latest(?) project SAMARA ? OOPS! A slight malfunction between my fingers and the keyboard on the last post! Should be SAMSARA>