Matthew Skala

Hello, The bullet time camera array seems like your best option but also the most expensive. The only way to do it in camera would be to do a timelapse sequence with shutter angle open as far as it can go and at the slowest frame rate possible or use interval shooting. On "Domino" they shot a lot of stuff at 6 frames a second and printed it at 6 frames a second. the result was stuttered motion but with some really interesting motion blur. I am not sure what the shutter angle setting was but it was probably as far open as they could get it. And you can even do this with one still camera to get maximum amount of blur. You would have to be consistent and calculate a consistant time between each shot. The only problem though, is it will be timelapse. For example, you can take 1 picture every 30 seconds. Or you can try shooting one after another (the function where you hold the shutter down and click, click, click... ) using a slow shutter speed. This is something you would have to experiment with and of course use a tripod. Please post results. Would love to know how it goes.

Also Check out THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE, (Coen Brother's, Roger Deakins) They used the same shoot color and print on B&W technigue. There is some good info on the DVD! As far as lighting goes, I would just bring in some fill for the actors faces that will work with the available stop and bring in a back light/kick when needed. In that time frame, you wouldn't have much time for anything else.

If I remember correctly I have used an 85mm on a Arri SR2 with a B mount. I know that technicians at a rental house can change the mount on a lens, so it shouldn't be a problem. Just talk to your rental house.

There is no shutter if it is off. so I guess the translation would be 360 degrees.

That wouldn't be a very good idea. Even though it is B&W, color gels effect the lattitude and contrast of a Black & White Image. For example, if you used a dark red gel on the window you will have a very contrasty exterior. Check the likes of Home Depot & Lowes. You might be able to find some ND like material that is used for windows to keep homes cooler during the summer and to save energy. Or you could just get some curtains and cover the window. You could try a variety of transparent window dressings to knock it down, essentially acting as a scrim. Or you could also get screen material from a hardware store and apply that to the window (also like a scrim). A combination of these would work great. Good Luck!

Unless you convert it to your editing timebase, i.e. 24fps, it will look "step framed." The viewfinder should have showed it to you this way as well though. So I am a little confused. If it was converted in telecine than it should look like a timelapse and maybe that is why the "smearing" or blur effect you are referring to is no longer that apparent. When you are recording the viewfinder show's it to you in real time. it is actually showing you only 10 fps being recorded. When it is gone through the conversion process than it will be converted to the editing timebase and you will no longer see what you saw in the viewfinder. If you want the end result to be what you see in the finder than don't convert it. Sense we are talking about Varicam here, does anyone have any experience with the AJ-HD1200A. I am having problems outputting to it via firewire with FCP. It has been a nightmare trying to get this deck to do what it is supposedly capable of doing. PLEASE HELP

The standard shutter angle opening is 180 degrees. :)

In my experience, night photography is all about the location. A key issue being whether or not there is existing light at the location, and how deep into the composition those lights are. If your in the city you should be able to find a location with plenty of ambient light. If your in the forest than its all about the lights you have available to you. With existing light I find an aperture that would work without any additional lighting so that I get plenty of detail in the background (usually a 1.4 or 2.O and if we are lucky a 2.8, with 500 speed film) than we bring in our lights for the actors and set them according to that stop. Shooting at a 4.0 would result in the background dropping off. However if all you have is trees in the background and you can light them, great. And as the saying goes, "if all your going to have is a black background than why bother shooting on location." Hope this helps, peace

MINORITY REPORT, although they may have skipped for the print only. But anyhow, its a beautiful example.

JDC has a set of anamorphic lenses specifically for 16mm. They are located in London, and in North Carolina. The NC # is 910-343-1089. they specialize in anamorphic and make a lot of the lenses themselves.

There are different percentages of Skip Bleach. You can skip it completely 100% or you could skip only 75%, 50%, 25%, etc. Most labs have different options.

I have had great success with bleach bypass on 16mm. I used Fuji F400 stock to shoot a short film and Bleach Bypassed all of it. A lot of detail was retained in normal high contrast situations and the bleach bypass really punched up the blacks and gave us a really rich tone. Some of the shots did get a little too grainy but we were going for that look, so it was fine. The print was beautiful, the telecine transfer could of been better but I guess that is what happens when you cant be there to supervise it. A lot of people will tell you to underexpose for Bleach Bypass but I found with this Fuji stock that it was better to expose normally. And it was to my advantage to work with a stock that had a wide range of latitude similar to Kodaks 5229/7229.

That's sounds fun. I have been shooting with the varicam this week. More as an assistant but I have had the opportunity to experiment with the different frame rates. I shot some waterfalls at 4fps with 360 shutter. It is pretty awesome to be able to do that and see the effect through the viewfinder. I'm glad to read that you created most of your look in camera. That's one of the advantages of shooting HD, and a lot of camera men are afraid to go there. The more I shoot with the varicam, the more I like it. However I don't see it as a film replacement. I think its more like another film stock. I look forward to reading about how you handle the anamorphic format in post.

As far as the K3 goes, if I remember correctly it takes daylight spools and I think you just need an empty spool, same as the one on the feed side. You should also be able to get these at any lab. I am not sure about the other camera's you mentioned but if you use daylight loads its probably much of the same. hope this was helpful.

Re: The triangle aperture Maybe "ugly" was the wrong word. I just don't like the triangle in the flares. It looks to mechanical or something. I prefer them to be rounder which is what I used the old Canon primes for (I got them for free). I just finished a short film, I integrated flares a lot into the look of the film. Maybe its just because I am used to seeing the round aperature in flares and when the triangle popped up for the first time, it was a shock. I really enjoyed the article on ALEXANDER in AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER. You did a lot of innovative things. What is a revolution lens? It sounded like something I may need to use for a shot I have in mind for a future project. Matt

A friend of mine shot some stuff under black light. It looked really dark and freaky but the eyes did pop with white contacts. I think its just something you have to experiment with. I would try lighting the face with a big hard light and use a heavy Classic Soft filter. I think the white in the eyes will glow and really stand out if there is nothing else white in the frame. The Classic Soft works well as to not soften the image too much but really make the whites glow.

RAISING VICTOR VARGAS is a good example of a successful blow up. I honestly could not tell it was a blow up when I screened it. Also, the screen I saw it on was bigger than your typical theatre screen. I noticed you work for BARAKA POST PRODUCTION. I really want to work as a CAMERA PA or get a piad internship on MEGALOPOLIS, do you know Ron Fricke? Best of Luck, Matt

Rodrigo, I can't really help you but I am intrigued by your post. Are you the same person that shot AMORES PERROS, 21 GRAMS, etc.? I really admire the look of those films. I have used Ziess primes with that ugly triangle aperture and some old Canon primes but I have not shot on 35mm yet so I wouldn't be able to compare. I would stay away from that triangle aperture unless you think its aesthetically pleasing. Matt

Yeah, I am really poor right now though. We will see what happens.

If you really want to take advantage of the Black Pro Mist filter. I would over expose in camera rather than telecine. Highlights that are 3 or 4 stops over will look really nice, giving you a glow. How much glow depends on the strength of the filter. do some tests if you can.

Thank You :)

Well it looks like I will just have to start saving. I may go with something along the line of the $200 scanner for now. It looks like it would atleast be good enough to put some more stuff on the web. I am graduating this year from film school with a cinematography major. My background is still photography. I will be updating my website soon with my reel and some other stuff. Thanks for the responses. My website is www.skalaphotography.com

Hey all, I am looking for a professional film scanner for stills. I have always heard the Nikon coolscan is the way to go but it is way over priced. Anyone have any alternatives, recommendations, etc... Matt