Ckulakov

I really need some basic explanation about the kino flos. As I understand they use flourecent bulbs and produce soft lighting. What I am confused about is the light output and how much light they create. One of the bulbs that it uses is 5,500 K and says it is 55 watts and is a flourecent bulb. What would be the light output compared to a 250 watt photoflood would it be the same and would there be less light? What do you usually use them for? The problem is that I am wondering if I would be able to use it with inoor daylight scenes and if there would be enough light to use it with daylight.

Sorry for another question, but what was the wattage of the mini flow you used and do you like how it works.

Oh, and for the fridge shot, it looks like you have a filter on your mattebox. What type of filter where you using? Thanks

Will this film come out on DVD because I really whant to see it after all these behind the scenes photos. When will it be available and how can I get access to it. Thanks allot this is really interesting and helpfull.

I have submitted many frame grabs without my black promist many times. I only use it on close ups not wides and mediums. And yes I have seen "open water" and I dont think it was good at all not because of the cnematography but because of the story and actors. I think the film just didnt work up to its potential. Maybe it did work but it could have been allot better story.

Actually I have been to many movies and rented hundreds of DVD's. Just my cliche for movies is mostly warm and soft not to say that I havnt seen sharp and cool movies before I just never adressed it. I seen movie rangeing from 'Bourne Supremacy' and 'Phonebooth' to 'Oceans Eleven and Vanilla sky' to 'Schindlers List' and and 'The Pianist' to the 'Minority Report' and 'AI' to 'Adrei Rublev' and many other Russian films. But for most films I have seen the cliche' is warm and soft. I mean, maybe I havnt been paying attention, but I have only been into cinematography for the last year. Sorry for "yelling" at you.

Dear Mr.Mullen, I undersatnd what you mean. - That every movie should have a 'look' that supports the story and enhances the experiance in order to get the plot to the audiance. Just in my mind movies are always soft, warm, with a blurry background. I just whant my movies to be valued more by there looks and with the cheap camera Im using I whant to hide those features. I whant my short film to look soft, and warm because this is mostly a easy going, pretty, drama with a few moody and dramatic shots. and the grabs I am posting including the "night for day test', and 'moody backlit scene' are all just test shots which I will refine based on your advice. Also I whant to watch the the film "Ronin". What do think sets it appart from the 'video look' if it has all of videos characteristics. Thanks for helping me discover something new and important I learn something new everyday from you :)

If I rented a hollywood 'film' that was full-screen, razor sharp, cool and blue-ish, had deep focus, and was contrasty and oversaturated. I WOULD VERY WELL MISTAKE FOR VIDEO AND NOT VALUE IT, as much as I will value for example "Vannila Sky" unless it has a captivating story.

I dont understand why wont 1/2 balck promist, help just look at the photos doesnt it make a differance.

Thanks for your Advice guys. MikL - I appreciate your input. I know that it doesnt look like film and it wont with any other format unless you shoot on film, but at least it will show that I tried and put some effort into something that sets it appart from the documetary style, home video "look". But you said that its better to get the colors right into the camera as opposed to doing it in post. AND I DID DO IT INTO THE CAMERA, the only thing I did in post is crush the blacks, and take away some saturation. You should have read my explanation more carefully. (AND about the colors of the shirt I think it did get mixed with colored laundry B) ) What do you mean by black look clipped what should I do to make it better I used a 1/2 balck promist. Mr. Mullen - I will probably have the shirt in a darker shade, and get farther away from the wall, I will aslo bounce a soft light on the left side. What do you guys think of the 1/2 black promist? Isn't it sopposed to help get rid of the clipped look and excessive sharpness and harshness of video? Thank You

ha ha

Yes, actually it is. Why?

Tim Yes, and more than once and also read many other articles too. I know it doesnt look exactly like it was shot on hollywood 35mm film. But compared to the first picture it obviosly looks closer to a real movie. What would you do to make it look closer to film. Thanks

Dear Tim, Thanks for your advice But what do you think about the overall color, contrast, and saturation. and how I acheived the "film look", and not the lighting and set issues. Also you mean you thought softness added to the film look or not?

The one with the film look has a little noise around the face. But I will get rid of it. PLEASE POST YOUR OPINION ANYTHING WILL HELP Thanks

Here are two grabs. The first one is straight from my camera with no adjustments. The second one is my aproach to the 'film look' by lighting with more shadows, using 1/2 black promist, and a warming filter, narrowing DOF, and a little bit of color-correction. I also letterboxed it to make it look more cinematic. Tell me what you think and what you would have done.

Yes I am Russian. I moved to the U.S. 5 years ago. I also lived in the UK and traveled over europe before I moved to America. How did you recognize that I was Russian?

Welcome, Glad you found this site. Keep on working and good luck with your K-3. Hope to hear more from you. Except there is one thing that people in these forums dont like: not using your real name. Try to create a signiture in your settings using your first and last names. Read the rules and guidlines forum if you have any other questions. Thanks allot

What are some of the most recent commercials that you think have the best cinematography? It may be lighting, the image, or camera movement. Thanks

Even though this may not be the best of my work. Or it totally has no appeal just let me know.

Too late, But Happy Birthday!

I you could pick a day and time in the evening when the sky is this dark blue, consistent, glow. You could take a direct focusable light gel a blue color to outline the actors in blue. Then take some soft sources and glaze the actors in a warm softlight. Check out my post 'moody backlit scene' if you whant it in such a extreme.

Here is something I did from one of my scenes of a backlight guy whose face is not scene clearly till the end of the movie. I used a 500w photoflood tightly barndoored, and gelled with a 1/2 CTB. I then balanced for the 1/2 CTB and put on a blue filter. I whanted the whole frame to be black except the outline of the subject. What do you think. thanks

I have heard some filmmakers say they use a ND filter to "soften the video look". But doesnt a ND filter just decrease the amount of light hitting the lens? If I use a 500w photoflood, and put a full CTB on the barndoors how many watts will be the light worth, or to what wattage will the light be compared to? I know it tells me the fstop loss but I need to know it by the wattage? Also I have a tiffen, 1/2 black promist filter. Can I use a normal 'lens wipe' to clean it or will it ruin it? thanks

And really this is a -CINEMATOGRAPHY- forum.