Satsuki Murashige

Love the way these look Jon. Is the low-con look partly from how you scanned the images? Wonderful painterly images, keep 'em coming. ;)

Cooke makes black mattes for their S4s that fit over the rear element just for this purpose. Don't know where you can find them, but I saw an article about them in an AC issue maybe a year or two ago. IMO it's not necessary; most 50mm primes that you get in a Super 16 lens set cover 35mm, and those shots look no different than the wider-lensed shots in terms of contrast or exposure. But if you want the best Super 16 lenses, then Cooke makes a set of Super 16 primes called SK4s that match the 35mm S4s, I think the focal lengths are something like 8, 9.5, 12, 16mm. You'd use the 35mm S4s after that. Zeiss also makes a Super 16 primes set that complements their Ultra Primes called the Ultra 16s. However, these lenses are T1.3 and have the same modern coatings as the Master Primes. The focal lengths are: 6, 8, 9.5, 12, 14, 18, 25, 35, 50mm. IMO they are the best Super 16 lenses available today - the 6mm is especially impressive.

Actually, it might be in the main menus. We were quite rushed and I don't remember now if the whole hidden menu thing actually brought up anything useful or not. Anyway, the important bit is that the servo motor for the lens must be engaged for the back focus menu item to be selectable (I think it's called "FB adjust" or something like that). Apparently a lot of EX3s are having this back focus problem and need to be sent back to the factory, so make sure it gets checked. I know you guys start shooting this week, but if it's not too late I'd recommend getting that 2/3" mount adapter and putting a nice cine-style lens with a backfocus on the camera instead - the Canon 5.5-44 cine zoom is real nice.

Okay, that makes sense to me. Though, I still think there is a major difference between the two systems, namely that with film you have the option of using different filmstocks of varying EI, so if exposure is consistently landing on the same part of the characteristic curve across all of the stocks then a one light would still produce consistent results. It's much harder to get exposure to land on the same part of the sensor's linear gamma "curve" consistently since it's response can't really be changed, and while we overlook that fact a lot with digital cameras that use in-camera processing, I think with cameras that shoot RAW we have to think differently about how to expose. Maybe that doesn't really change anything, other than that it's lot harder now... No. I really should have, I guess. Next time... :)

I'm busier now than at this time last year, but then last year was my first full year of working professionally so that's not saying much. BTW, I hear HBO has green-lit 10 pilots, including an adaptation of George R.R. Martin's "Sopranos in Middle Earth" fantasy epic "A Song of Ice and Fire": http://www.aintitcool.com/node/39063. They're planning to shoot in the UK, and I was wondering if any DPs out there have gotten any calls for it yet.

I see what you mean about daylight becoming super-blue with the camera tungsten-balanced, never thought about this before but I know exactly what you're talking about and it makes a lot of sense. I think the BPM is helping the clip render in a more film-like way in your still, acting like an "analog" knee compression. Like I said it looks great. I don't consider clipped highlights bad cinematography at all (this is coming from a Bob Richardson fan, after all!), but I find the way that the Red clips exceptionally ugly, especially when "highlight recovery" is overused in processing stage. I guess I was trying to find out whether the sky was clipping in camera at all, since it looks so smooth. I guess one analogy to your use of the single LUT is using one filmstock for a whole film. The problem I have with that is that sensors don't behave the same way that filmstock does, not to mention the overall contrast in a low-lit scene would be lower than one lit to a high-key scene given the same lighting ratios. In that case, you may not get an accurate idea of what the scene would eventually look like when the LUT is applied to the image because the physics of light and circuitry have changed the image on you, so to speak. Of course, it's all metadata anyway so maybe this is not relevant at all. And hey, if your system works, then it works - your footage looks consistently amazing, so the proof's in the pudding I guess. Anyway, I'm very curious to see if this method will continue to be reliable for you under varied lighting conditions - if so, I hope you don't mind if I steal it. :) Hey, the Superspeeds are still good lenses. :) How do you feel about the Cooke S4's? I recently shot a 35mm test with them, projected a contact print and found them to be way too soft for the big screen for my taste. They're perfectly fine for HDTV I suppose, but man was I disappointed. I think the Superspeeds are subjectively sharper. Anyway, thanks for the insights and good luck!

Sure, if he has the time and amperage to get away with that then I agree that testing at the shooting stop is ideal. I usually don't if I'm at the rental house because they want to me out of there in a few hours and I can only use a few 1ks that they have around, so I do it the easy way. On a rented stage or in a classroom setting it's a different matter. It also depends on how well you know the lenses, if you've never used them before then it might be good to see how they hold up at different apertures.

Hi Ashley, Do you mean an over/under stock test? Basically, set up a grey card and color chart in the foreground, an actor or two with different skin tones in the mid ground, and maybe a black and white reference like some duvytene and gatorboard in the background. You can also do colors in the background or whatever else you want to see. Take notes of your meter readings so you remember later how over/under key the light and dark areas of the scene were lit. Light everything evenly to f/5.6 and shoot at T5.6. That's your normal exposure. Then change the stop on the lens and shoot at T2, T2.8, T4, T5.6, T8, T11, T16. So now you have a range of -3 stops to +3 stops. Then can out that film and tell your lab to print the roll twice - the first time, with a one-light corrected to the 1st grey card (that you shot at T5.6), and second time, with every shot corrected back to normal. That way, you can see what each under/over exposure looks like uncorrected and corrected. Here's what it should look like, roughly: http://www.flickr.com/photos/18675976@N03/3196855469/ Just light your charts better than I did! I was fighting spill from overhead skylights and some underpowered lights. Big soft lights at 45 degree angles is best.

Awesome, glad you're doing this production journal Chayse. It's great to hear specifics of the Red setup and workflow you've worked out. A few questions: - Did you test RC28 vs. RC36? In my tests, RC28 had a bit more noise but I only looked at the exported 1080p pro-res HQ files to confirm this. - What did you end up rating the camera under tungsten/daylight, and how much latitude do you find that you have? - How hot was the sky outside the window? Looks like it's holding pretty well. - I'm kinda surprised that you were able to correct the mixed color temp in your still back to neutral, background and foreground. Where did you end up setting the WB? - Are you worried at all about using one LUT for all of your scenes, day and night, interior and exterior? - What lenses are you using? The BPM filtration looks pretty good, it's a nice combo. Thanks! (Wish I could comment on the workflow, but I've only done shorts with the Red and have not needed to mess with Crimson or DPX files yet).

Nice, looks like that campfire scene is going to cut well. Did you have any problems with the tweenies reflecting in the guy's glasses?

General rule of thumb is that for stocks of the same speed Kodak has more latitude, less grain and punchier colors than Fuji, but Fuji has a softer, richer rendering of colors that some people just like better. You really have to test them side by side to see for yourself.

Oh, I see. Thanks for the info anyway, Bernie.

The HPX500 is capable of producing a very nice image when combined with a decent lens. I agree with Saul, it doesn't make much sense to shoot in SD with this camera. Shooting HD will cover you if you change your mind later on, and downcoverting from HD to SD will give you a cleaner result in the end. I'd save the downcoversion process until after you master your project.

Cool, thanks for clarifying the situation Andrew. Sounds like you'll do fine. Like I said before, I think you need a changing tent and slate. Find out what stocks they're shooting so you know what color camera tape to bring. Coordinate with the 1st AC, since he or she might have that stuff already. Here's what my general AC kit consists of: - Cooler containing cans, cores, bags, camera tape, mag label tape, changing tent - hex keys (metric and standard) - jeweler's screwdrivers of various sizes - foam q-tips - bottle of rubbing alcohol - 2" velcro - kimwipes - Kodak grey card plus - Macbeth Colorchecker chart - Siemens star chart (print it out yourself - http://www.panavision.com.au/Information/Charts.htm) - binder with camera reports, inventory forms, manuals, DoF charts - small clipboard for reports - extra ball point pens, sharpies, lumocolor pens, slate pens, mini stapler - 1" P-touch label maker (Black on White tape, for slate and cases) - 1/2" P-touch for insert slate - 25' BNC cable - assorted BNC barrels and connectors - bongo ties - eye chamois - sausage markers - insert slate - cube tap - A clamps - extra batteries (CR123, AA, AAA) - space blanket (for camera cover) - neck strap with key ring for wireless FF - Samcine Mk 3. DoF chart - green laser pointer/mini cardellini clamp - Disto rangefinder - backup lightmeter (calibrated) - magliner senior And here's what I carry on my belt: - 16' fatmax steel tape - leatherman - air can with nozzle - tape roll: 2" matte black paper tape, 1" neon colored paper tape (for marks) - AC pouch: flashlight, slate pen, ball point, sharpie, lumocolor, 50' soft tape, small scissors, stubbie screwdriver, magnifier w/ light, lens fluid If I were shooting in cold weather, I'd add hand warmers and insulated bags for batteries.

Hi Bernie, Just out of curiosity, would it be possible to install a back focus ring on the lens instead of using a shim to get the same effect? I imagine it would be a pretty expensive mod but wouldn't it be cheaper than buying a separate lens?

Not for a Red. But if you still want to get that 3 strip Techicolor camera developed, then maybe!

Agreed! (Tosses cap into the air and does cartwheels down the street).

They're for cleaning the camera gate after a good take. You remove the lens, rotate the mirror shutter out of the way, and scrape the edges of the gate with the stick to remove emulsion or hairs. We use orangewood because it's a soft wood and won't scratch the metal gate. Paper tape is basically 1" masking tape, usually matte, and comes in a variety of colors. It's used for laying down marks for actors, dolly, etc. Serge, I was trying to explain to the original poster why David and Chris were preaching responsibility and to give him a bigger overview of what could happen. I specifically said that I don't know him or the particulars of the job he was offered so I am not judging him, or attacking him, or saying that he will ruin his career, only that it COULD happen (because it HAS happened before) and that he should be very cautious if he wants to work a long time in the business. I agree, you learn more from your mistakes than from your successes, but you have to weigh the risks of those mistakes against the possible benefit. If it's your own project, then fine do whatever you want. But if you're getting paid on someone else's shoot, then you really have to be careful not to shoot yourself in the foot. I look at it as self-protection, covering your ass, really. Ultimately, I hope the OP has a great experience, learns a lot, and gets a career start out of it. To do that, he should know the pitfalls that lay under his feet.

Wow, sounds like an awesome experience Tom, congrats! I've always wanted to shoot a western too, locations look fantastic. What did you have in terms of glass? It's great when student shoots are well organized and the creative HODs can actually just concentrate on shooting the film. What a concept, right? Your stills look great, let us know when the set stills go up.

I think the Moles are fine instruments. I had a Mole louver melt and warp on me on a shoot about a month ago but other than that no problems.

I'd go with Kodak 7217 200T. It's fairly fine-grained for 16mm and has a rich, saturated color palette when combined with color saturated art direction and gelled lights. I've been happy with it rating it a 125ASA. Of course under 5500k light you'd need to use an 85 filter, so it might be too slow for your day interiors. I'm not a fan of the Fuji Vivid 160T in 16mm, it's much grainier to my eye than the 7217. I've never shot 7205 Kodak 250T or Eterna 250T so I couldn't tell you how those compare.

Oh, I just noticed that the original post was a few months ago. Ookay nevermind then, I sure feel dumb... (wanders away mumbling to self)

I guess it a lot depends on the expectations of this particular job. If this is a no-budget or low-budget type project and you've made it clear to the producers and the DP that you don't have any 1st AC experience, and they still want to hire you then I guess you might be alright. You are taking a huge career risk though. Producers and your fellow crew members have long memories, and screwing up the footage of a production by lying your way into a position that you cannot handle will ultimately come back to haunt you. You may eventually find that your name has been passed around the production circles in your area and that no one will want to hire you again. Now, I'm NOT saying that this will happen in your case since I don't know you or the particulars of the job, but just be aware that this DOES happen all the time in the film production world. Remember, YOUR NAME IS YOUR REPUTATION in this business, so protect it by always being honest about your experience level, even if it means taking a lower position or lower pay at first. Trust me, people will welcome you on their crews if you're humble, able to listen, and eager to learn even if you don't know much yet. The one thing people hate in this business is someone who behaves as if they know more than they actually do and have an attitude about it. Ordinarily, as a 1st AC you would immediately find out what camera equipment production wants to use, where they're renting it, and make sure you're 100% familiar with all the gear. You'd go to the rental house at least a week before the shoot, introduce yourself, familiarize yourself with all the gear, make sure it's all in working condition. Also, make sure you have reliable backups - extra batteries, extra magazines, an extra camera body, etc. Find out if what kind of specialized equipment they need for the shoot (steadicam, crane/jib, remote head, etc.) and make sure they are getting all the gear they need to make sure everything will work. For example, for steadicam shooting production would also need to rent a wireless follow focus system and probably a wireless video monitoring system, which may or may not be part of the steadicam op's package. You would ensure that everything that is needed is part of the package. You also would recommend a 2nd AC and a loader to production so they can be hired (or sometimes the 2nd will also be the loader). Most of the kit that you mentioned would belong to the 2nd AC (in fact, almost all of it is expendables so ideally you would make an expendables list and give it to production so that it can be approved and purchased by them for the shoot). Your 2nd or loader would certainly need a changing tent or bag if no camera truck with a darkroom is provided. Also, a slate, though these items may be rented from the camera house as well. I would highly recommend that you pick up and read the books "The Camera Assistant" by Doug Hart and/or "The Camera Assistant's Manual" by David Elkins as a starting point. These will give you a very good overview of the job you're expected to do, what kind of gear you'll need, etc. Good luck!

Fantastic, thanks for sharing Greg. The multi camera show sounds like a precision military operation.

You're using a Steadicam? Then you MUST use 35mm cine lenses that have proper lens gears that will mesh with a follow focus motor and that have calibrated witness marks. FORGET NIKON LENSES, you will not be able to pull wireless focus with them, so they're useless. You cannot pull focus from the barrel or from a standard follow focus with Steadicam or you will get jerky movement. You will also need to rent a wireless follow focus system like a Bartech or Preston and hire a very good focus puller. Otherwise you're steadicam footage will be OUT OF FOCUS. Sorry to have to tell you this, but you probably don't have enough money or experience to pull this off yet. Instead, I'd recommend looking into a handheld rig and some wide angle nikon lenses (24, 28, 35, 50, 85, 100, all at least f/2.8, and get a 50mm macro too), which won't be as smooth as a steadicam but will be much cheaper to rent and easier to focus.