Ckulakov

Please visit my blog and comment on some of my ideas and thoughts. I think its a fast, simple, and great way to express your ideas. If you get a chance make your own blog on blogger.com. cinematographythoughts.blogspot.com THANKS

Dear John, I understand what you are saying but I think that it would be very interesting to let beginner filmmakers see that even if you are shooting on a low budget you can still come up with a great project with the experiance, creativity, and dedication that Spielberg has.

Dear Karl Borowski, I would like to start out by thanking you for the intresting perspective and also clear out one thing. I was not actually making wal-mart the main point, but just trying to start a conversation about how a talented cinematographer like Janusz Kaminski would go about shooting on such a low and restricted amount of supplies like from a retail store like say 'wal-mart'. I was not asking for a financial and political status quote that you gave me here (SINCE YOU SAID THIS IS A CINEMATOGRAPHY FORUM): " I would say that's an absolutely terrible idea considering that Wal-Mart is single-handedly accounting for a sizeable portion of the United States' growing yearly trade deficit with China, and I personally only use Wal-Mart for one thing. " ALSO I have been using this forum for over a year and according to other replies I am contributing to this forum. I beleive since you are only a advanced member just like me you do not have the right to judge what other sustaining cinematographers think and feel about this post (and future posts). I have heard many discussions like these, even in the general discussion area. I would also like to ask you to please not assume or suggest things without carefully reading a post. THANKS AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MAKING THOUSANDS OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS LEAVE DUE TO MY DISTRACTING POST

When I think about the production budgets of famous directors like Steven Spielberg, I think of what it would be like to have Spielberg and his usual screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor shoot a film only using supplies from wal-mart. For example everything would have to be shot using a camera they would choose from wal-mart, the studio would be wal-mart, and everything else like lighting, production design, and props would have to be from wal-mart. I really wonder what the screenwriter, Jeff Nathanson, could come up with in such a limited location. How the cinematographer Janusz Kaminski would go about shooting with DV camera and limited lights. The project could even be entitled 'the wal-mart' movie. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

This has been bugging for a while but I have not gotten the chance to ask about it, until know. Whenever I watch the special features for a film I see the 35mm film camera's and next to them there are color monitors displaying the set in a framed shot. Is this electronic video image coming from another camera inside the film camera? OR am I totally wrong? PLEASE EXPLAIN THE PROCESS

Dear Filmmakers, With "Memoirs of Geisha" winning best cinematography this year do you believe it deserved the award or not. If not, what do you think should have one and why?

Dear Filmmakers, As far as I have read and seen, (CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG) "Lost in Translation" was shot without real movie lights. It was shot in the normal indoor/outdoor conditions and lights of Japan. It was also shot on high-speed 35mm film as far as I know. Due to the low lighting conditions the images of the film looked very grainy and shallow focus in many of the night, indoor/outdoor shots. Most of you see the grain as a bad thing but it feels good to finaly see what nightime indoor lights look like on film. You can see what the key to fill light ratio is and how the image looks and its color temp. BASICLY I love seeing natural, normal light effects captured on film, especially when you have beautiful hotel lighting the way it really looks but on film. WHAT DO YOU THINK? PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS ON MORE OF THE SHOOTING SPECS?

SOME SPECS: Used 500w photoflood 3200 degrees as a kicker/side. A reflector disk in some situations. Used some post effects Contrast/Saturation/ color temp. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK

Dear Filmmakers, Here are some shots I took. Whaty do you think about the lighting or everything in general? Which one is the best? http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Ckulakov/IMG_1065.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Ckulakov/IMG_1079.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Cku.../IMG_1079_1.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Ckulakov/IMG_1076.jpg THANK YOU

Mr. Gross Thank you very much, this is a great help. About the daisy I wrote that it would be yellow because I wanted to describe it more. I guess i should get rid of that. Here is a quick pic of the type of daisy i whant in b&w: http://creative.gettyimages.com/source/cla...kRoyaltyFree=on I will really need some serious ideas on making the daisy pop out better in that scene. Although it should show up in the shot filmed from inside the fridge.

I have just finished writting a short 5 page script for a film I will direct and photograph. it is mainly music and cinematography motivated story with no dialogue. Please read and let me know if you have any interesting suggestions on what kind of lighting setups i can use to motivate the story or a visual style that will make it look original. I will shoot B&W with a consumer DV camera that lets me control exposure, focus, shutter, and zoom, with a steady tripod. I will use some barndoored 500 and 250 watt photofloods for lighting. I will use my focus as a advantage and compose with foregraound elements that motivate the story. CLICK HERE AND SCROLL DOWN THEN CLICK "THE PHOTO" http://russianmagic.tripod.com/id11.html COMMENTS SUGGESTIONS?

SO SOME OF YOU SAY THE PLANT IS GOOD BUT SOME SAY ITS BAD... HM..... I DO THINK I CAN POSITION BETTER AMONG THE FRAME.

Dear Filmmakers, Here is something I did trying to capture steam using a digital camera. Since the rule for a good appearance of steam is backlighting I used a 500w photoflood 3,200 with black reflector to take the light off from where the steam would be seen. I also set WB at 5,200 to make the image look warm like a early morning cup of coffee. CHECK IT OUT: http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Ckulakov/IMG_0836.jpg PLEASE COMMENT. THANK YOU.

Dear filmmakers, I have recently posted my photography on my website. Please tell me what you think. Do you think I should stop adding contrast to my shots? The website is: russianmagic.tripod.com (then go to the gallery) THANK YOU

Thanks dylanmunro. IM SURE THERE ARE MOVIES WITH GOOD POOL SCENES

I just want to see some films that have well captured scenes taking place in a indoor swimming pool with light coming through windows or something close. THANK YOU

Dear Filmmakers, What are some films shot at hotel or resort with romatic and beautifull swimming pool scenes. I need to see some examples for one of my scenes. THANK YOU

Check out some of my favorite shots from The Graduate: http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Cku..._Image_0001.jpg I love the inesting foreground element it really makes ainteresting composition. http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Cku..._Image_0001.jpg Since he was talking about herseducing him this made a perfect composition for what he was saying. http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Cku..._Image_0001.jpg Another interseting shot that shows two important thing in one shot. PLEASE COMMENT. THANK YOU.

Dear Filmmakers, What do you think of the following still. I whanted something elegant romatic with a stylized highlight. I didnt whant it to look boring so i used a 500 watt photoflood backlight (3200). Then I used a gold reflector board which made the face look warmer. I balanced daylight to make it look even more warm. http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Ckulakov/IMG_0471.jpg THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT

Dear Filmmakers, In most Hollywood films is the sound recorded on the set while the film cameras are recording the image and later they are put together, OR is it later re-recorded in a studio and synced to look as thgough it was done at the same time? PLEAS EXPLAIN

I know there have been many discusions on Vanilla Sky. But why not start a new one. One thing I noticied is soft single source lighting which is probably a John Toll style. BUT, I also noticed that the light always appears very white on the faces, it had a type of a clean white highlight. He did not use lots of color. Does this have to do with the film stock, lighting or both? One thing is for sure that the acting and music is awsome.

What are your opinions on motivated and unmotivated light. AND, why would one use a shot where the camera only shows the entrance to a room but not the people in the room, BUT you still here the dialogue. Why would one keep a wide anle shot for a long time but here the dialogue.

Well to tell you the least I was AMAZED. I had never seen shots held in wide angle like that for such a long time. Everyshot was interesting and the more you observe the more you discover. PLEASE, tell what you think about the cine and what other modern movies have shots like that and why? WHAT DO YOU THINK? Thank You

Janusz Kaminski - Catch me if you can and The Terminal Gregg Toland - Citizen Cane John Toll - Vannila Sky Caleb Deschanel - The Passion and National Treasure Bojan Bazelli - Mr. and Mrs. Smith ( especially early romantic flashback) and The Ring

Dear Filmmakers, As a cliche' how would you describe the difference between modern european films and modern Western Films according to the sinematography. THANKS ALLOT