jun keung cheung

I still have neg of a indie feature at iLab but cannot get in contact with Martin. Does anyone know or have any information how to recover neg? It was processed a few years ago but we haven't gotten around to finishing and now we are looking to do the DI. Thanks in advance.

Maybe- use the natural sunlight to backlight and use a mirror to reflect a frontal light on her face- then diffuse that front light with diff- 129/250. or you can do the same if you have lights- a HMI wedged (bounce off poly then diffuse). Or reflect sunlight off poly and back it way back till to get the exposure you want for her frontal- though note ratio between back and front- backlight will only be as dramatic as low as your key is. A bounced bed sheet can also work wonders... You can over expose by 2-3 stops on back sunlight and it will be fine. Unless of course she is blond... JC

At your 'stage' i would recommend shooting your own stuff and shoot stills photography. Start from basics- imagery. Take stills and compare with 'Professional' photography. Learn about a camera- digital or film- four things in ALL cameras- aperture, focal length, ISO/ASA, Shutter speed and how they relate to image you create. Next stage is to try get on a film set no matter how small as a runner ( be humble, be helpful, be proactive) and then try chat to the camera department- learn how a film set works (set etiquette- what they don't teach you in film school yet the most important thing you have to learn). Remember- at the end of the day- it is WORK. If you want to apply to film school- go to the best ones (NFT)- but this is more for contacts than anything else. If you don't, work on set for 2 years- this can be film school you never had and real life work. It is a very very difficult industry to break into (you will be poor a lot of the time) but not not worth doing if you really want to. But you have to really want to. It really is who you know- although you obviously have to have the goods to back it up. Don't worry, you have lots of time ahead of you. Director or Cinematographer- must keep shooting and producing work! And observe the everyday and travel- nothing will inform you more about image, culture, movement and life. JC

No the Gaffer doesn't have to come but it can be helpful depending if your lighting needs are out of your hands and you need to know where and how much power you need. Depends on your knowledge of electrics/grips. No you can scout whenever- though if exterior you might want to know where the sun is come shooting period and where you want to shoot from (i.e. back lit actors with house in the background)- work out your camera positions in relation to. You can always go back. JC

moreover digitally, say a 7D is more correct to 35mm motion picture frame (DOF) which is APS-C size frame. A 'full frame' 5D is to say it is full frame stills photography as 35mm stills are- not motion picture 35mm. Thus 5D has more is like shooting 35mm Anamorphic. Go online and check charts or look at a 35mm stills negative compared to a 35mm motion photography neg. JC

Bathrooms normally have one motivated source- day through window or night fluorescent or other. Bathrooms are usually small so wouldn't recommend a Fresnal as it can get very hot in there- but it can be done. A small Kino with diff on a polecat would do it. And some blackwrap to control spill. A chimera would take a lot of room. I would try to keep it simple. Hope this helps. JC

If you can get access to a camera- any camera- you can at least start shooting your own material/short films to gain experience/make own mistakes. Don't worry about the lighting yet if you do not have access to lighting- try to using natural light (which i am sure there is an abundance of in Lebanon). Terrance Malick just won the Palm Dor at Canne and 99% of The Tree Of Life was shot without artificial light. Train you eye through practice to see like a camera, two dimensional, with a lens. Look at still photography and read about it. Dont worry about the technical stuff for now. Like another post said, just shoot shoot shoot, and edit. Then shoot some more. In the real world, Cinematography has more to do with communication with a director and managing what you have- with what time you have to do it in. Get practice to help you shoot quicker and still make things look appropriate and great. It's a craft after all. JC

If you are a Journalism student what is it you want to do now? Be a camera person? Whatever it is- director/cameraperson or presenter, you most likely will have to try and get to know some people in TV and/or write to production companies to take you on as a runner/PA's. It's a crappy job but you may learn loads. I'm a freelance Cinematographer and don't really work in TV (although having worked for TV prod co.'s) but I'm pretty sure you will get somewhere if you write to all the prod. companies. And there are a lot of them and they all need runners/PA's. You can try one i have done some work for called Eyeworks based in London. Either way, you will probably have to put some time in as a runner/PA and if you're lucky, someone will let you shoot something- as you will have needed to have a decent amount of real experience and a showreel/credit list before you are allowed to be behind a camera (unless directing your own show). PA's are a dime a dozen so you have to really put yourself out there and write to people. Hope that helps. JC