Joachim Hedén

P.S. One other thing you sould do if you are serious about this: Spend 100 GBP on: 1.000 clear plastic A4 "pocket" thingys that go in a binder. 1.000 black A4 papers 1 bottle of spray mount A few nice strurdy binders And then, whenever you see a picture in a magazine, a paper... whereever, one that speaks to you (good AND bad) - rip it out, spray mount it to a black paper, stick it in the plastic pocket, and put it in the binder - build a reference library of images. This will take years, but it will help you really think about images, and this will be a tool for you to communicate with directors in the future. Seems silly, but this will be the best 100 GBP you will ever spend. Once again, If I have spoken out of place - sorry. Kind regards Jack

Hi, Being new to the forum, please forgive me if I speak out of place, but I know where the original poster "is comming form"... I read somewhere this really insightful quote: Film (cinematography) is the only artistic field where the artist can't afford the medium (media?). So, with a not too impressive fistful of cash, your options are really limeted. But there are things you can do, depending on what you want to accomplish. If you are: a) wanting to "get into the business" - as in "getting set time" - putting together a small but well thought out light/grip package and learning how to use it will get you days on smaller independent productions as grip/gaffer if you keep your prices low and adopt a friendly, positive and service minded attitude. A decent light/grip package can be put together for 3-4.000 GBP. Buy PROFESSIONAL (not still photo grade) second hand stuff in good condition, and make sure you get some kinos in your package (everybody and his mother has a few tungsten lights laying around, but not kinos). B) trying to persue a career as a cinematographer - buy a used 35mm still camera, fully manual no AF, no Auto exposure (you should'nt have to spend more than 100 GBP) - and buy a brand spanking new top of the line light meter (seconic 608 maybe - I've been using the 508 for many years, but I'd love to have the spot readout in the wiewfinder). Get together a minimal cheap but working light/grip kit (no flashes!!!! - go tungsten) And then - start shooting stills!!!!! And, even more important - buy a 35mm neg/slide scanner and get a copy of Photoshop and really learn what happens to the image in the digital realm. As a director, I'd be more inclined to pick a DP that can demonstrate visual litteracy and a good eye, than someone who owns a mattebox. Your total here (assuming you have a computer) should be around 2.500 GBP (about the price for a nice new matte box) c) just eager to burn some cash - well, there are a few tools you could spend money on... Get a top of the line Light meter (se option "b"), maybe get a viewfinder, if you don't have it already, get the AC manual (I think the 9th ed is the current one), get a subscription to AC Magazine and read it cover to cover - and if you still have money to spend, find and buy every back-issue of AC magazine for the last 10 years, and read those cover to cover. This should be somewhere around 1.000 GBP But, most important - build your network Once again, being new to the forum, please forgive me if I have spoken out of place. Kind regards Jack

Hi, First post... I'm swedish, so please enjoy my spelling. Looking for some real world experience/input on greenscreen as an option to process trailer. I've been looking at "man on fire" and a lot of the car interiors are shot on really long lenses... Was this done green screen? If it was, I'm assuming the long lenses and the prervailant reflections helps in hiding any inperfections in the matching of movement in the background plate...? But with the long lenses throwing elements of the car off focus "a beams" whatever, is that a big problem for the post people do deal with... (blurred edges on the green)? Like I said... anyone have real world experience to share??? Kind regards. Jack