John David Miller

I use LA Rag House for all things involving fabrics. Large overheads, chroma screens, recovers, raw fabrics, and custom work. Good prices, nice people, quality work, and usually quick turnarounds. Speak with: Jeff Gregg (the owner) (818) 276-1130 They are located in Burbank. I don't know what your tent is currently skinned with but Jeff can skin it which any material. You may want to consider using Ultrabounce with the white side out, of course, if the tent isn't already set up that way. I hope this helps. Tell him "Putter" sent ya...

I think a lot of people confuse "neutral shots" with a line jump. The Line is only there to help keep continuity. I found that one of my favorite examples of Line crossing is in Speilberg's,"Catch Me If You Can." There is a scene in a hotel hallway between Jennifer Garner and Di Caprio in which the Line is mutilated in terms of camera position. He jumps over the Line during masters, during overs, and between singles. He does this in a way that makes perfect sense. Getting over the proper shoulder of an actor who has it against the hallway wall would've been more confusing than going over the "wrong" side. However, with all the Line jumping proper eyeline continuity is maintained which sells it. I don't know how to post screen grabs but it is a brilliant scene in terms of screen direction. As David mentioned, it is all about avoiding unwanted confusion. I love the Shining photos, such a twisted scene.

Looks like a ceiling fixture in on overhead giving the orange toplight, a ring light to his left and a window closed down to his right. He is young and takes light well.

My first reply to your OP was what I felt are the "must haves" for a dolly grip. I looked up info about you and gave a reply based on what experience level I could find about you. Some of the most credited dolly grips in film don't show up with any more tools than what I originally advised you to bring. I took time out of my day to answer your post as thoroughly as possible. I look back on my first reply and do not see how you feel spoken down to. Your response to my first reply took nothing of my advise. You asserted with your 6 years of experience and a description of an obscure use of a you and a dolly as a motion control rig that my tips and tricks were not the kind your were looking for. I responded again, I reiterated the need for rudiments/fundamentals. Told you I don't have any crazy tricks, then I listed 9 of the most valuable pieces of gear (valuable info) that a varsity dolly grip could buy. Mr. Humber told you he didn't have clever toy and Mr. Sheils told you dolly had nothing to do with tools. Out of all the valuable info I gave, you quote about some silly gimmick, call me immature, and say your taking your ball and going home? I am sorry you feel insulted, I was trying to give you and anyone wishing to push dolly some sound advise.

I misunderstood you. When I searched your name on IMDB it came up with a Zander Kroon that started in 2008 til present. He worked on nothing but short films doing every job from Gaffer, to 1st. AC, to Rigging, to Key Grip, to Dolly Grip. I apologize for making assumptions; IMDB is not very accurate when it comes to grips. You may want to change your occupation in your profile here, it says Gaffer. I'm not big on gimmicks and do not have many to share. I don't have a way for you to make a Technocrane from items at your local Home Depot. As complicated as your poor mans motion control sounds; I can assure you building a good feel that complements the rest of your team, compliments the subjects in front of the camera, and upholds the Directors vision is far more complex. Young and strong are two qualities that mean very little to a dolly grip. I can help you spend some money though. As a serious dolly grip here are a few items to buy: 4' camera slider @ $7500 110' precision dolly track (3" Cadillac) $12,500 Portaglide Dolly Troughs $1,700 Nebtek HD Monitor $1,500 Camera Bazooka $7,500 Vibration Isolator $5,000 Aero Jib $45,000 Buildable Crane (Panther Foxy) $60,000 30' SuperTechno $225,000 Unlike that piece that connects your ipod to your walkie so you can listen to music in between all that mindless chatter...all these items make RENTALS.

Freya, Please be careful taking iron vitamins. Taking too much iron can be deadly. Do not try and over compensate by taking more than the recommended dosage. A simple phone call to your GP may be in your best interest. Again, be smart with your health.

I think seeing a doctor is sound advice. I won't give you medical advise because I am a grip not a doctor. If I had those symptoms and seeing a doctor was not an option I would probably take a close look at my diet. If I was a female I would take note of my menstruation cycle and where my dizziness fits into the cycle. Many women have a hard time keeping adequate levels of iron in their body; resulting in Anemia. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/anemia/DS00321/DSECTION=symptoms Be smart about your health.

I've used this method with 4'x4' mirrors with blue and red gel taped to the mirror surface 50/50. We were shooting in color and day ext. and it looked great.

My deepest and most sincere condolences go out to the entire Scott family. They are in my prayers. I went against my Father's wishes after I graduated High School. He wanted me to go to college and I decided not to. He was a successful key grip in Hollywood, like his Father before him, and I sought to follow their paths. My Father forbid my career choice and vowed he would not help me get in the film business. I told him I would do it without him. I left home for a small movie out on location. My Father was shocked, but in hindsight, he let me leave on the low budget western, summertime ballbuster, because he thought I would come back broken. I came home with a smile and a pocket full of cash. Right about the time I started giving him pointers on how to be a better grip, he had enough. I had 3 months of non union time and I was telling a vet of 25 years the little tricks I learned. I had a knack for pressing his buttons, like any son. The following morning he woke me up at 4am., "Get your ass up! You are coming to work with me, and you are going to learn the right way." A few months later I was in the union. At that time, in Hollywood, the highest paying job a grip could get was doing a commercial with Tony Scott. Specifically commercials he was directing for a well known tobacco company. The rate for a grip 20 years ago on these jobs is still DOUBLE of what a key grip makes on a normal high paying 10 hour commercial deal today. I knew this because I worked at a equipment rental company in high school and everyone talked about it. When gear came back from a Tony Scott "tobacco" commercial it was HAMMERED. It was at this rental house I got to meet Tony Scott's key grip, Mike Popovich. Mike knew of my Father and had a mutual respect for him. I asked Mike, where this gear went to get so dirty? He smiled and said, "to hell and back kid, here is a $20, make sure my workbox is taken care of." I was making $4 a hour at the time. Needless to say Mike had my respect. I called Mike's best boy when I got in the union, I told him I would work hard for him and wanted to earn a spot on his crew. A few weeks later I got a call to do a commercial with Tony Scott. My first commercial. It was out in the desert of Baker, CA. Here is the spot: United Airlines We showed up in the desert before sunrise to setup along with other departments. I was amazed at how big of an operation was going on, people everywhere. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing. A massive amount of work was going on without panic but rather with fun. It was very clear I was working with a group that was a family. After some time passed it was announced that Tony was 15 minutes out. Everyone began working even faster for his arrival. We had cameras and lights all set up ready for our director. Actors were in costume and on set with props in hand. Out of nowhere comes a helicopter, skimming across the dunes. It made a large high banking circle around our basecamp like it was trying to avoid a surface-to-air missile. I had never seen anything like it in my life. I was in awe. The bird lightly touches down and out jumps the man in the pink cap, Tony Scott. He had his beige fishing vest on, a #2 Monte Cristo cigar in his mouth, and a bullhorn in his hand. As he cleared the blades he turned and gave the pilot a nod and off the helicopter went. He began walking towards the basecamp and was met with a wrapped plate of food by a PA. He waived off the food and handed the bullhorn to the kid while searching the pockets of his vest for a match. He pulled out a large wood match, lit his $30 cigar, grabbed his bullhorn, gave the PA a wink, and began his march straight through the basecamp to the set. There was silence as he got to set. All eyes on him. All of the department were together ready for him. His AD had meet up with him and was walking with him asking him questions. Tony's first order of business was shaking all his department heads hands or kissing cheeks of the lady's in vanities. He made a few calls about the props, asking for obscure items; "Give him some block and tackle, him a monocle and pocket watch, and give her a light blue parasol." To every request a "yes" or "you got it Tony" was replied. He made these calls without any appearance of deliberation. This was my first glimpse of a director who knew exactly what he wanted. It was clear he was trying get to the camera and kept getting sidetracked with questions. Once he got to the camera, Paul Cameron ASC, began to open it up and was pointing things out all over the camera body. I thought it was strange, it was like he was being shown how a camera worked. I asked a grip who was watching with me if Paul was showing Tony how film cameras work. The grip looked at me like the idiot I was and said, "they are using a hand cranked camera which is pretty obscure." I shook my head like I understood, but I was clueless. After a few minutes of show and tell Tony began to walk off into the dunes. 20 minutes later he has still walking and out of sight. Over the walkie the word came, "pack it all up we are starting out here." People began loading up their gear, transpo began getting the plane ready to move. Everyone worked like no crew I had ever seen before, everyone gave 100%. They worked as hard and as fast as they could, not frantic or with yelling, but fast with drive. Looking back, nobody wanted to be the person or dept. that Tony had to wait on. Everyone wanted to be part of his army and I was no different. We got moved and set up. In a flurry that is a bit of a blur in my memory but we began to roll cameras. Cameras everywhere. Tony yelling out direction with his English accent. He wasn't angry we was hilarious. Everyone behind the camera was grinning or trying not to laugh. Tony wasn't directing a comedy but rather a serious period piece. Tony would bullhorn things like, "You there with the top hat, start running up the hill! Don't look at me man just go, go, go!(quietly ask an AD the extras name)That's it Wong! Run up that hill, run. You had too much breakfast go man, go! Pretend the Motherland is on the other side." For the next few hours he used this extra to have fun with his crew and other members of the cast. "That's it, cue that pigeon! Wait it's **(obscenity removed)** up! It's afraid of Wong, Wong get out of there...your too big." Everyone thought it was humorous and perhaps happy it wasn't them in Tony's cross hairs. After Wong was no longer needed Tony called him over to the monitors, gave him one of his cherished cigars, called the still photographer over for picture together, whispered a few words in his ear, gave him a hug, and asked the crew to give him a cheer. The other extras looked on with envy. Tony called very few of his crew by their real name. He gave everyone he liked a nickname. It was sometime after lunch when I heard my name being called to set by Popovich. "Kid, grab a furnipad and come see me on set." Up until this point I stayed on a stakebed truck and ran gear out to one of Pops regular grips that would meet me just off the actual set. I ran in like Rudy when they finally let him play in a Notre Dame game. I got on set to find Pops standing next to Tony who was on the camera dolly. They were both watching as I ran in clueless, and got a little laugh out of it. I ran over to Pops and he said, "Tony wants to meet you." I shook Tony's hand and gave him my name. He gave me a strange look and said, "You look like David Bowie! But your too tall." Everyone around the camera got a little laugh. Tony came close to me and said, "Now then, Bowie, run that pad over to that pretty girl in the black dress and have her sit on it, ok, off you go." I ran out and asked her to do what Tony said. The next thing I know Tony is yelling at me on his bullhorn, "Bowie you little hooligan! No peeping up her dress! Slide her over a foot...Not that way, the other way man. Your **(obscenity removed)** up like Wang you horny devil. Slide her a bit more--a bit more; that's it there! Good Bowie, now get the **(obscenity removed)** out of there...you're too tall to be on film, go man go!" As I ran back behind camera Tony was smiling, he gave me a wink and a thumbs up then called ACTION. Almost 15 years has passed. Some say it was this commercial that got Tony started on the hand cranked signature look that Tony became known for. I went on to do several movies with Tony Scott and many, many commercials. I became Pop's best boy in that time and now a key grip out on my own. Certainly much of my work ethic is because of Tony and his army. Tony was a better leader than he was a director. I have never been around anyone who could get people to give more than what they thought they had to give than Tony Scott; he did it effortlessly. Tony was a true General that lead his army from the front lines. I feel both privileged and honored to have been part of his army. May God rest his weary soul in peace.

It's like being ridden by a bike...I mean like riding a bike.

I think the best tool you can have is a good attitude and understanding of camera movement. You are about to become part of a close team that has to work seamlessly together. Your operator will be looking through the eyepiece to follow the action, keeping it in the frame lines. Your first assistant will be looking at his monitor, the acting subjects, and your marks. You may want to either buy or rent a nice HD monitor and mounting hardware so you can see what the rest of your team is seeing. You will be able to make corrections when subjects stacked or miss a mark. You will usually want to start and stop your moves with the movements of the subjects and many times you will not be able to see past the camera, 1st AC, cam op to get a first hand view; your monitor may help with this. I am not saying that you should always watch your monitor or your marks. It's a dance that takes tempo, feel, and experience. The "old skool" guys will say they don't need one, and they are right. But you are not "old skool" and may want to exploit any advantage you can get, if this is the career you want. A nice steel tape measure(30') A chalk holder if you want to be fancy. The plastic tip of a #1 handy clamp holds a piece of chalk nicely and a plastic tip off a #2 slip fits nicely over it as a protector. A tape roll. (2" photo black paper, 1" white cloth, and 2" grey gaffers) I don't like a massive set dressers style tape roll on my dolly. Sitcoms are a different set up. The dolly mate style tool pouch is good to have. You are still a grip and when the SHTF you should be able to jump in and help your brothers instead of chatting with your cam op at crafty. Showing up with this stuff will send a clear message; you take this seriously. Good luck.

There really isn't a cookie cutter method to bagging a C-stand. I'm not a big fan of absolutes, for example "ALWAYS bag the tall leg." There are times when you can't or don't need to. If I had to come up with an absolute for you or a final word(s); "ALWAYS think about what you are doing." Don't look to the internet to find ways to be on auto-pilot at work. Pay attention to what you are doing with the sandbag and what you want to accomplish. If you do not have the common sense to keep a stand from tipping over, perhaps you should consider a job in front of the camera instead. Don't be afraid to put more than one bag on a stand...

Hi all, Salvatore Totino,ASC; http://www.imdb.com/...Cinematographer has written a very interesting short film script which he will be directing. We are shooting in Downtown Los Angeles, the NIGHTS of August 9th-12. We are currently looking for people interested in donating their time to either Grip or Set Lighting. This is a excellent opportunity for those who wish to learn OR those who are already established and wish to make new contacts. For those interested in Set Lighting this is an amazing opportunity to work along side one of the industries leading Gaffers; Michael Bauman. http://www.imdb.com/...ricalDepartment For those interested in Grip work; we will be working with a "process trailer," doing car mounts for both camera and lights, a camera crane/dolly/slider, scaffolding, and tenting. I will be leading the Grip crew and will be happy to teach and answer questions throughout the shoot. We have a limited amount of spots open and ask for a minimum commitment of one "10 hr day." Again, this job is Pro Bono...a freebie. Please message or email me with: Name Phone Email Department Days Available Experience Level I look forward to hearing from some of You. Thanks, John D. Miller Lastudiostore@yahoo.com

Hi all, Salvatore Totino,ASC; http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0869379/#Cinematographer has written a very interesting short film script which he will be directing. We are shooting in Downtown Los Angeles, the NIGHTS of August 9th-12. We are currently looking for people interested in donating their time to either Grip or Set Lighting. This is a excellent opportunity for those who wish to learn OR those who are already established and wish to make new contacts. For those interested in Set Lighting this is an amazing opportunity to work along side one of the industries leading Gaffers; Michael Bauman. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0062177/#CameraandElectricalDepartment For those interested in Grip work; we will be working with a "process trailer," doing car mounts for both camera and lights, a camera crane/dolly/slider, scaffolding, and tenting. I will be leading the Grip crew and will be happy to teach and answer questions throughout the shoot. We have a limited amount of spots open and ask for a minimum commitment of one "10 hr day." Again, this job is Pro Bono...a freebie. Please message or email me with: Name Phone Email Department Days Available Experience Level I look forward to hearing from some of You. Thanks, John D. Miller Lastudiostore@yahoo.com

There is not a standard. Part of their allure is versatility and because there is not a universal standard in the height of sets or stages a light that operates in a fixed manner becomes very situational. Normally 8' spacing is used. Budget can play a large factor in spacing. Hanging spacelights can add up quickly. We put up over 1000 of them in a hanger to film a sequence of two pirate ships fighting. I believe they were 6' spacing but they also hung at 90' in the air. They were powered by 6 CAT 1000kw generator with a 7th for backup. Some $20k was spent just in cameras to help with firewatch up in the raftors, They can get expensive real quick but they are a great light. Good Luck.

Your negative fill does NOT need to be black. I like to use a 18% day grey muslin or a 43% night grey muslin as well. I have both rags sewn together (back to back) in a few different sizes that I like to use when working with negative fill. The different greyscales allow you to control how much negative you want. Sometimes killing everything with a solid is too much. Sometimes backing off a solid to give you less is not an option. It is also useful when you want to stop contamination in a green/blue screen environment without losing all your ambient. It is cheap and effective. These muslins also double us as a neat backdrop for still photos. The night grey mimics a night sky tone and can be shot into as well. Good luck

My favorite is True Romance which hasn't even made anyone else's list. Just shows how arbitrary opinion is. I still laugh at someone who says Tony Scott is a Journeyman director.

I think calling Tony Scott a "journeyman" director is far from true. While I may not care for some of his script choices and choices of actors, his ability as a director to bring a story to the screen is masterful. In fact, there is only one director that Ridley Scott has acknowledged as far more talented than himself...and that director is Tony Scott. Just Tonys body of work on commercials alone exceeds the realm of a journeyman.

Interesting list. I am not a film critic. I have worked on several large scale 3d films. One film, was shot in 2d, and converted later in post. The majority was filmed in a massive green screen cyc. The other film was shot with vertically stacked Red cams. This film was done in harsh tropical and ocean conditions. A close friend of mine is a stereographer and has explained to me much of the process. I think it is clear why such a boom in 3d. Avatar. Avatar sold almost half as many tickets as Titanic and stayed in the theaters for less time as Titanic did. Yet Avatar managed to surpass Titanic is the top grosser of a time. $2 Billion worldwide. 3d allowed for higher ticket prices and increased profits. It is clear that it takes more than 3d to make a box office juggernaut. I think this is key to understanding why so many 3d flops have happened. It was the way that Cameron used 3d in Avatar that has been unmatched. He used 3d to raise, what I call, the level of immersion. The 3d helped immerse the viewer into any given scene. Making the audience feel "closer" to the emotion and action of the film. Making it harder for a viewer to resist emotional investment and intensifying the experience for those quickly submit to James Cameron's storytelling. Each shot was composed for 3d. I bring up my previous work because I felt that very little thought was put into the 3d on set. It was an afterthought. In fact, they didn't decide to shoot 3d until two weeks before principle started on the one film. 3D, like visual effects, can NOT drive a film. They are meant to accentuate it. my thoughts...

The difference between Union and Non-Union rates are simply that a Union rate has a higher bottom floor. The most I have made on a job was a non-union one. However, the majority of non-union jobs pay less than union rates. This is compounded when you add the benefits of pension, welfare(p/w), medical, vacation, holiday, meal penalty, mileage, force calls, etc... that comes from a union contract. On the average non union pays much less than union. Remember that union scale in only a minimum and most highly experienced craftsman make well over that minimum scale wage. Because there are no rules to non-union work, other than state and federal of course, there is more room for negotiating. Hell I've even heard of key grips getting back end points on non-union projects. I've heard of only one union key grip try and negotiate back end points, and he failed. The difference in rates between a ICG DP and a ASC DP is nothing. Just because you join the ASC does not mean your rate goes up. Perhaps in the long run ASC cameramen get higher quality jobs and thus get a higher percentage over scale. I believe all your hours must be verifiable to count. You can be brought into Local 600 as a DP you would need a to get hired on a union job, producer or director request and about $10,000 (last I checked) as an initiation rating to DP. There are other ways to get into local 600 by coming in as a camera PA or loader and working your way up. Getting into the ASC is even more difficult. You have to have a body of work. Recommendations, be a member of local 600, and about $15,000. I'm sure some of our ASC members could give more details than I. Your body of work does not have to be movies. There are several ASC members who have never made a single film. When you do a new job try and fill out Union timecards. This may help with the hours verification process. Keep ALL paystubs. I hope this helps you out a little. Good luck.

I think spacelights work nicely. I think spreading them out every 8' or so with only the silk skirt on the lamp. Run teasers around the outside perimeter. Tease all the direct light off the camera. Hang a large diffusion frame under all the spacelights if you'd like less shadows to worry about. This should give you nice even light on your cyc walls and floor. Add a backlight for your talent if you'd like. Add a topper to keep the light out of the lens and a bottom shelf off the ground of your cyc. A nice large booklight works well as a key. Perhaps an 10k into a 12x ultrabounce and finally through a 12'x 1/2 soft frost. Put a LCD on the 1/2 SF if you like. Bottom it off the ground. Depending on your taste a passive fill or even some negative should be at your disposal. Be sure they are not using high gloss white paint. Just some thoughts.

On a smaller project they really are optional. On a large scale film they are used to organize the way receipts are turned in. Generally, productions ask that all receipts are turned in taped to a white sheet of paper, the date of transaction should be written on the top corner, the total price should be circled or highlighted. Most productions ask that you turn in receipts every two weeks or sooner. No receipt should be over $300 without approval, no receipt should be paid for with ATM or Credit without approval (they don't want you getting reward points on their dime), no paying for labor, no tips, no handwritten receipts without approval, no pre-paid fuel receipts. These are just a few of the rules most productions have. You have to understand that many dishonest people have tried every trick imaginable to steal and still petty cash, on the surface, appears to be an easy way to do it. The envelopes do several things. Most importantly in gives accounting a manifest of your transactions. They take your manifest and code it. If you bought food or fuel it is coded and deducted from that allocation in the budget. If you purchased a power drill or a label maker that purchase is coded as a production asset which you will be responsible for at the end of the show. Production assets are sometimes sold at the end, returned, or sometimes warehoused for future projects. An expendable is coded and deducted from the budget. This method allows the accountants to trend and track the day to day expenses of filming. This information is very valuable to a producer. A producer needs to know what ALL his costs are. The accountants are very skilled at finding fake reciepts, or reciepts for items not used for filming, or any other funny business. There are a dozen people looking at your purchases and possibly an audit team on a major studio lot. There is nothing you can buy with petty cash that is worth your reputation. The paperwork on a film is done by a lot of people. Generally the ADs handle the call sheet, one liners, scheduling, and production report. Which is approved by the director and producer. The PAs gather all the daily timesheets and turn them into the ADs. Department heads turn in the timecards for their dept to payroll and sometimes write small Purchase Orders (POs). Payroll process all timecards and small kit/box rentals. Production Coordinators handle the issuing of large POs. They handle scheduling of equipment and deal with the vendors directly. Assistant Production Office Coordinator (APOC) Gathers the crew info, start paperwork, inter office memos, distribution of new script pages, new scheduling, or any task the producer or Production Coordinator may need. Producers approve the POs, issue the SAG bond, approve petty cash floats, negotiate rates and deal memos, negotiate rental rates, negotiate location fees, etc.. Head Accountant oversees all the accounting and the budget and reports to the producer with cost reports. Accountants split up the tasks of getting all the w9 info, opening up lines of credit, accounts payable, accounts receivable, petty cash, mileage logs, cell phone stipends, per diem, if its money it comes from them. I am a grip, so I'm sure I may have left out plenty. I think this is a broad view of what a larger movie would staff. Each of these people do a lot more than what I am explaining in a line or two.

Perhaps a pola. I'd be most concerned with who you have rigging to this car.

You can use just about anything to flare a lens. Just be careful with strong lasers and digital cameras. I have found the sun works best. You can get a flare from anything to a shiny floor to a wristwatch and in between. You can play around with different lenses to see which flares best for you. If you live in LA go to Panavision and ask to look at some older flare lenses. Adding filters or any optics will affect the flare. If you want to use something to reflect into the lens try a 1' mirror. If that is too much break it and use smaller pieces. Velcro them to a board you can manipulate in a C-Stand. Use your imagination, this is the fun part.

Try Modern Studio Equipment at (818) 764-8574 I believe it costs $90 for both sides of a 4x4, gold and silver are the same price. Or $60 just to do the leafed side.