Miguel Angel

I like having 0 people on set other than the director and the gaffer (if needed for hand-holding a poly) so I'm quite happy about the workers restrictions on the actual set while filming. Maybe everybody will get super comfy on the chairs in the videovillage and they won't want to come to the set anymore ? Here is hope! ha!

Just as an update. There have been around 4 or 5 commercials made in Madrid, Spain, this week, very small crews (for what people are used to) and with a lot of precautions. Next week there will be another 4 or 5. ?

Good update of your website! I prefer layouts where I can see every project at a glance and don't have to scroll down much but in this case I think that your website works well. The thumbnails started to play eventually but maybe it would be better if they start to play when you place your mouse cursor over it? Have a lovely day!

"The UK government has given the green light for high-end TV and film productions to resume shooting as soon as employers have put in place coronavirus safety measures" https://deadline.com/2020/05/uk-film-tv-uk-government-coronavirus-plan-1202931107/

Great interview David!

Wonderful article by Jim McConkey about Mrs. Maisel on the Spring issue of the Society Of Camera Operators magazine! ? https://issuu.com/cameraoperators/docs/co-spring-2020/16

I can't wait to go to the cinema! Either in Dublin or London or in Spain. Theatres in Spain are scheduled to reopen on May 25th (if everything goes well). Theatres in Czech Republic will open next week. July is a really far away date in terms of what we are living through nowadays. If Nolan wants to release Tenet in July and the cinemas are open, I'll go and watch it twice! (if I still have money ?)

Ireland - 20th July according to the latest roadmap from the government, which can vary as the exit from the lockdown will be done in 5 stages with a 3 weeks difference between each.

You're right, maybe Europe works differently than Canada / States in terms of insurance? Perhaps you will have to come back to the UK Richard! ? Two of my friends will start a feature film in Spain in June 1st, the budget is under 5 Million, which is pretty independent in terms of Canada / States / Uk budgets. Valhalla (Vikings spinoff) might start shooting in August in Ireland. There is a "Spanish Netflix" called Movistar+ which will start shooting in June too. And news programs haven't stopped! If there is not another wave I think that we will see people returning to cinemas as soon as they open, I can't wait to watch Mulan with a bag of popcorn! ?

Spain is going back to shoot commercials, tv series (including Netflix ones), features and etc in May, 11th if the conditions don't get worse. Yeah!!! https://variety.com/2020/film/global/film-shoots-cinema-theater-restarts-spain-gets-tentative-dates-1234593442/

The Commercial Producers of Ireland association has created a document with guidelines about how to deal with Coronavirus shoots. http://www.commercialproducersireland.com/covid-19/

Thanks Jae, The litemats were, literally, one foot away from the window because they had a rig built which allowed for a 1 foot separation between the window and the litemats. I used diffusion on the rig as well (Don't remember which one though!) Now that I found a photo I see that there were 16 litemats per window. I use a lot of mirrors to recreate hot spots, I learnt the hard way that it is better to place a mirror with a light bouncing in it so you don't have to keep adjusting it every 2 minutes.. but sometimes you do have to use mirrors and just the sun ? These two frames are lit with mirrors and sun (and a china ball with an aladdin light) for them.

The Spanish association of commercial production companies (http://apcp.es/en/) has created a document with several guidelines in order to try reactivating shoots in Spain. https://www.eldiario.es/catalunya/Castings-telematicos-recambio-personas-contagios_0_1019098587.html Basically: - Work from home in all the preproduction stage (and post if you can) - Shoots in sound-stages or private locations are allowed - Shoots in locations which require permits from the government are not allowed (since the government has stopped giving them) - All workers must have and wear PPE at all times (but the cast when they are acting) - All locations will be cleaned before and after the shoot. - Food will be given in individual single use boxes. - Costume tests will be done on the day of shooting. - There will be a maximum of 25 crew on set and 10 cast, the rest will have to be outside the set. - All cast will wear a protective "onesie" under the costumes. - Hair & Make up department to clean and disinfect every tool after each use and if possible they will have to provide different tools for each cast member. - The set will be a "clean" space, there will be temperature controls on the day, with backups of cast and crew.

Larry Sultan's work is extraordinary. I remember seeing the exhibition with Pictures From Home and The Valley together in Madrid many many years ago and instantly go to the exhibition's shop to buy the books. Thanks for reminding me of his work! ?

Thanks for letting me know Uli! I'll have to go back to the Tate to try finding them once it reopens! ?

A new painter that I discovered through the Cooke youtube talks. John Atkinson Grimshaw https://www.johnatkinsongrimshaw.org/the-complete-works.html I tried to find a book with his paintings but apparently the one from Phaidon has the paintings in black and white! ?

Happy Easter to you too and happy easter to everybody!!! ?

My life hasn't changed much because of the coronavirus. I'm reading a lot, exercising a lot and paddleboarding in the canals near my house, which is what I usually do when I'm not working. I miss surfing though and I'd love to be in Cornwall or Lanzarote riding some waves.. but I'll do that over the summer ? Oh, I'm cutting my first reel too! Shocking!

I just read this on the American Cinematographer website and thought that it could be appropriate! https://ascmag.com/articles/filming-the-i-love-lucy-show Love the behind the scenes video on the article!

I should translate it in English ?

I have it in Spanish, bought it in a second hand store many years ago. I had always thought that being a book from Nykvist it was already translated to English, it surprises me that it is not!. It is a collection of Nykvist's memories from his childhood to his movies in Hollywood sprinkled with a lot of funny anecdotes. He also talks about the "Nordic Light" and the way he seeks simplicity yet perfection in all his work, but the simpler the better and that he is always trying to look for the real, truthful light which led him to use less lights and take advantage of the available light on the locations. It is a similar book to that of Nestor Almendros, A Man With A Camera. Alternatively you could watch the doc about Nykvist! ? https://www.amazon.com/Light-Keeps-Company-Sven-Nykvist/dp/B00I2U8YJE And you can read a bit of it in English on the following website: https://cinephiliabeyond.org/documentary-sven-nykvists-lighting-process-sacrifice/ Anyways, if you happen to understand Spanish I have it on PDF as well ? Have a lovely day.

You could also use a china ball with an Aladdin inside, black the sides and diffuse it through a thick diffusion frame as a quick setup for close ups! ? Although if you could use a blanket Litetile (I love them but they are not widely available in Ireland / Spain) the light would be softer.. and it takes, literally, 2 minutes to walk it in! https://www.litegear.com/product-category/finished-fixtures/litetile/

You're more than welcome! ? Have a lovely day!

Hi Doug, welcome to the forum! Talking about my own experience, I light environments as opposed as shots as I like giving a 270º freedom to the director. It works for me because I work with people who understand it and we block the scenes together to shoot that way and probably because I like being invisible with my lighting and I light from outside the locations (through windows or with practicals) Said that, if I go from a wide master shot to a close up I add either a diffusion frame near the talent and negative fill or a polyboard / china ball + negative fill if I have time in order to shape the face a bit. Placing a diffusion frame + negative fill for a close up usually takes 5 to 10 minutes (depending on how many crew you have). So it definitely is a practical consideration and once that makes things a bit more natural under my point of view. ? Here are some practical examples:

Hi Jon-André, I use Shot Designer on iOS and OSX: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/shot-designer/id556342711 Really good, quick and easy to master. There is also another one that I've heard of and that might be more up your alley: Lighting Designer https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lighting-designer/id511366142 Have a lovely day.