Satsuki Murashige

Apparently, ‘Gladiator’ started production without a finished script, and went thru the daily re-write process as well. It’s one thing to do that on a small contemporary drama with a few main actors and a few locations. But when you consider the logistics required on a huge studio period film shot on location with epic battles, stunts, costumes, extras, animals, and CG integration, it’s kind of amazing what they came out with. I can’t imagine the stress Ridley Scott must have all been under on that film.

Blu-Rays, movie tickets, and streaming subscriptions are tax write-offs ?

I guess if Moviecams were good enough for these guys, then it’s good enough for the likes of me. ?

Not at all sir, you’re thinking of the Panaflex movement. The Moviecam movement is very different to a Mitchell and much smaller.

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C’mon Dom, you forgot the Austrian Moviecam!!

Nice! Glad she liked it. I thought it was compelling and well made. I want to go back and watch it again to pick up more details. I’m mostly interested in the sound design choices of when they shift in and out of Ruben’s perspective. I also like the simple but effective staging choices. I do wish there was a bit more visible film grain (1080p stream to a 50” Panasonic Plasma tv thru a 4K Firestick), but I enjoyed the celluloid look nonetheless. There’s a Kodak article about the film which was an interesting read. I’ll link back to Stephen Perera’s post on the film which has the link to the article:

I mean, that horse left the barn during the switchover to digital projection, no? That horse is probably a grandpa now...

Freelance camera folk without small children like me (and probably lots of other people here). ?

Oh, lol ok. Well that makes more sense then. ? I guess it kinda depends on the camera positions the DP wants. The hi hat method is a bit limiting unless you add some extra platforms on the boat to mount to. I would see if you can get a Cardellini Tri-hat at least, much more flexible than a standard hi-hat mounted to a board.

Indeed! Hope you’ve been well.

Aren’t suction cup mount contact surfaces supposed to be clean and dry to work properly though? Anyway, what does your key grip have to say about it?

Off topic, but... Jason! Nice to see you around these parts. ?

I have a chest freezer in my garage for film. I’ve got tons of unexposed 120, 135, and 16mm rolls sitting for years. Still have about 10 rolls of 16mm 7285 Ektachrome reversal (the original version). I probably wouldn’t keep so much stock if it was a fridge, wouldn’t last as long. The only issue is when there’s a power failure for an extended period and the ice melts. Best to have some plastic bags or buckets so the water doesn’t get in.

Ah, if you’re shooting towards the lake, then you won’t have any platform to backlight from. I thought you might be shooting from the narrow end of the beach towards the wide end. But since you’ll have the road to place your cranes, could you just do two flyswatter rigs with 20x20 frames if wind is going to be an issue with the balloons? Re: backlight You could try hiring a few boats and placing your HMIs with generators on them for your backlight from anchored positions. Hopefully the lake is pretty calm, as even double anchored boats in a moderate current will have a tendency to rotate and spin. I’ve been on a few night shoots on boats in the San Francisco Bay where the current is very strong, and it can get dangerous quickly. Was on one shoot where we lost two anchors on the picture boat and also a 4K HMI in the water when the speedboat it was strapped to hit a swell.

Maybe plywood outriggers on all four sides with speedrail mounts drilled in? Then you can build your own crossbars wherever you need them and the outriggers shouldn’t be visible unless you’re shooting high angles. You might need to add something underneath to help them float.

I don’t know. It’s not listed by name in the manual. But the plug does output 24v.

You’re very welcome, and good luck!! Please let us know how it goes. There was a SL on eBay a few months ago with a broken optical glass on the top of the body where the viewfinder block attaches - the owner was selling it for parts. If it’s still for sale, maybe they would be willing to sell you just the pressure plate?

Which direction will the cameras be facing? I think the HMI Balloon lights are a good start for ambience. I would consider placing them more towards the middle of the crowd and favoring the back 2/3, as you can light the closer 1/3 rows with a separate large key light. Also, then the Balloons will act as a soft backlight on the front rows which may look nice. It might be a good idea to also plan for an array of back/edge lights from the elevated road. Something like a row of Maxi-Brutes would give you more spread to cover the crowd than a single large HMI.

I took a tour of Toho Studios in Kyoto about seven years ago, they had a small museum with Mitchell cameras: I’m guessing that poverty in the post-war period might have kept filmmaking primarily a studio affair, and the studios just used what they already owned? According to my dad, it was a big deal for most people in the 1950s-1960s if you owned a stills camera, let alone a movie camera. When his uncle visited from the US in the 60s and brought his 8mm movie camera, it was quite the event. Also, I think by the time the Japanese economy began to improve in the mid-60s, television was already taking hold.

I think this is the best advice you will get on the matter. I spent some time today measuring out my pressure plate. Unfortunately, they are all very rough measurements because there are practically no square surfaces on it - everything is beveled or curved. I think it would be impossible to machine a new one without a CNC machine and some very specialized tools. Here are my photos and measurements just for kicks - please just be aware that they are extremely rough and shouldn’t be relied upon to make parts. FRONT BACK TOP BOTTOM LEFT SIDE RIGHT SIDE ANGLE VIEW

What, no pressure plate?!! That’s a major issue, to say the least. I’m sorry to hear that, what a bummer. I wonder if it would be possible to have a machinist make a new one based on the specs from an existing one? I’d be happy to send you measurements for mine if it helps.

*Double post.

I wouldn’t do that, better take the camera into a good technician instead! It’s not worth the risk of damaging the electronics. My XLR port is also wired differently than yours, btw: So it’s probably not a good idea to assume what the wiring is like based on another camera body.

Marian, 1. Do you have access to another VCLX or similar battery for testing? 2. Have you tried opening the camera again and reseating the power connector that connects the side panel to the camera body? It’s a small black plastic 3-pin connector at the base of the camera: Had to reseat mine a few times when it got loose and the camera stopped running. Jorge Diaz-Amador of Cinematechnic swapped it for me with the one in the side panel that was in better condition, no problems since. Don’t forget to rotate the mirror shutter out of the way if you do this. The green plastic multi-pin connector at the base of the camera is a bit fragile, be careful when reseating the side panel back on. 3. I took a look at your video and noticed that your XLR cable appears to be a fairly thin gauge. Have you tried making up a new cable with a thicker gauge?