Albion Hockney

what kinda resources do you have and what camera are you using? what is happening in the scene? What's the tone of the film, maybe you have some references you like? could be done a million ways, generally lighting like this is done in films with the use of construction style lifts (condors) that can get lights up very high to mimic overhead street lights or distant ambiance from the moon or far away street lights/buildings. I'm guessing that is likely something you don't have access to ... other options might be If there is a car in the scene you can use head lights to motivate light... or maybe you can just use real street light somewhere. If shooting on the right camera/fast lenses you can get pretty good images from natural standing street lamps in some cases. this all assumes you are doing wider shots, without knowing the scene it self and how you intend to shoot it it's hard to give much more.

are you going to see the ceiling in frame?

Yea I understand that if you have a low CRI source that color gel will effect it differently. the question is. Do color correction gels effect CRI. If you for example put Full CTB on a high CRI Daylight source (a new HMI lets say) effectivley moving the color temperature into a very high kelvin reading what is the CRI like.

I generally shoot stuff that is pretty much with in the bounds of reality color wise. For the first time I shot something pretty stylized recently with heavy color. I had a interesting experience using colored light sources....especially monochromatic color. Camera and my eyes did weird things! I'm curious how Gels effect CRI and how the CRI value of a source will effect the final look. For example take two options. Shoot a scene at 3200K with Daylight Balanced lights Vs Shoot at scene at 5600K with Full CTB on a daylight source. Does FULL CTB ontop of daylight lower the CRI? it must right? ....the result of shooting the 2nd way must make the light appear more monochromatic? ....what do you think the difference between these options would be in look?

I have to say I kinda disagree with Satsuki in terms of the Competition element, I guess it depends on the person, but I wouldn't really ever be concerned about someone stealing my work. There are plenty of other DP's out there anyways. Not that I am super far along and can even help peole out in anyway really, but an AC i have worked with a couple times talked to me about his own work and wanting to shoot and a Gaffer I work with as well. Honestly I just want to work with people who have similar taste and are interesting people. Of course the first priority is how well they do the job, but after that I'd rather work with friends of course. I try to cut through any faux proffessionalism and get to know people. Then again I am a pretty liberal guy, some people take proffesionalism a lot more seriously then me. At the end of the day I'd just say feel it out and hang around...put yourself out there as much as you can.

Yep, feels too artifical is my feeling. I think the right project it could work and the idea that flares arn't just a deffect to embrace but literally another tool is a new way of looking at things if that makes sense.

There is this great story written in the magazine "the beleiver" about an aspiring writer who lived next to gordon willis coincidentally. At somepoint he asks willis basically the same question...how do you get in. Willis basically just says "hang around" This is the million dollar question, I talk about it all the time with other shooter friends as we struggle to get new work with talented directors. I think Willis is right though....almost all of my work has come from hanging around cool people that I like. I have even gotten projects out of cold emails to directors I like....sometimes when I see a project from a young director that shows potentional I will just email them and try to grab a beer and that has led to friendships and on one occasion work. At the start you need to just get a decent reel together even if the projects arn't good, do good work or try to get something out of it for yourself.... even if they are student projects. Once you have something you can show people it helps I think. As an AC I would say friend all the DP's you work with as well and show them your work, Talented working DP's are busy and I know of more then one story of guy's who have gotten a lot of help from DP's who were a few steps ahead of them tossing them projects/refferals. ...and yes having a Red or Alexa package is a really nice thing to have in the back pocket. I think if you don't have that luxery its very important to find some owner/ops or rental houses that will help you out and give you a good deal with passion projects.

Video: Mixed feelings about it.

It feels kinda cheesy to me though, new technology replicating old lens problems. Or maybe its a new modern asthetic.

It might be a long while before I can afford to bring those to set, but really interesting. Seems to me though if you want flares/ghosting you probably also don't mind some resolution loss and other problems. Be interesting to see how these compare to just using Lomos or something.

Watch reels (although most are commerically oriented and not the best) and have conversations with colorists. I might get flack for putting it this way, but I think finding the right colorist is like finding the right person to cut your hair.... the process is very collaberative where they are using a bit of creativity and alot of technical ability to figure out what you want to see and making it a reality. The best technically skilled colorist isn't neceessarily going to give the results you want.... you need someone who can speak your language a bit. I've only worked with 3 different people and its been different with each. also like finding a barber/hair person w/e most people find a colorist based on referals I'd say. Ask shooters you like in your circle who they have used and how it went. even if they are just acquaintances.

Missed that you already bought the BMPCC. I say sell it and get an f35! best luck, cameras don't matter that much anyways.

I'd say get the Red. If your a young shooter and you want to learn the Red will be great. It is tottaly unpractical. You need a fast computer to transcode (so transcoding footage will be very very slow). Its heavy and you can't just pick it up and go shoot. Its uses a lot of media, and the batteries won't run all day with out several bricks (so you will want to be careful about how much you shoot). I think its the perfect camera to learn on its like shooting film first in schools. It will give you by far the best image to price point you will find and you can make high level images on it with out technical limitation (IE: you can't blame the camera) That said if this is any sort of business move I would advise against. You might also want to look into the Sony F35. Even bigger and less practical, but really great images at a similar or less price point. Almost everyone I have ever known who bought expensive cameras at a young age did well. Its a little tough with the RED MX because its now outdatted so you went get rental dollars or get hired for serious proffesional work. But, every friend will ask you to shoot there stuff because of your fancy camera...and if your good it will look best with you anyways.

I wouldn't choose a facility just on its status in the industry. most high end post houses have comprable systems. I would choose based on the colorist and how you work with them. this assumes your talking all digital here. Film Telecine equipment varies a bit more and for the transfer I'd choose based on what system you want.

to cut the film look off most people use Black Pro Mist in 1/8 and 1/4 density (a lot of people shoot everything w/ 1/8th pro mist ...its very subtle but helps alot I think) I have also heard people using Tiffen Pearlscent and I know David Mullen ASC (on this forum) likes the Schnieder Black Frost filter. most people use very light densities these days though. not full 1 or 2 ....usually 1/4 or less

no most new US circuits are 20AMP and can do 2000W. The old standard was 15AMP so you always have to look at the box before plugging in a 2k. but 2K is considered the max light you run on household power in US. hence the ARRI 1.8K

Haha, yea I'm an amatuer I feel I should know how to do this. I'm think I'm going to try to go over to a local lighting house a rent from a bunch and have them do one so I can learn.

Hey Guys, A production company I work with bought some lights and a couple of them came with out eddison plugs on them. the insulated cable just leads out and then the three wires are visible. So they are simply missing plugs. I figure this is probably not too difficult a Job to do, but was wondering if anyone could post a link to an explanation of how to do it? I'm not Gaffer, but hoping it can't be too hard

I have a MV project and was thinking about using some LED light strips to wash backgrounds and sometimes be in frame. Looking for a strong monochromatic coloring. These LED light strips seems like a great solution, I was just curious if anyone has used them and to try to get a sense of how much light they put out. Im shooting 800asa as a 2.8 mostly so I dont need a ton of light. One thing we were thinking about is hiding them under the awning of a motel and washing the whole front in a color. Will one strip running the length of the motel be enough light do you think? does anyone know where you can see photometrics....I'm sure they all vary a bit but Im basically looking at the IKEA/home improvment store variety of these lights.

^ I agree on the 35mm ish focal length. its like 50mm on full frame and its just the perfect lens. That said I use a lot of stuff and like playing with the focal lengths still. I just watched a great documentary yesterday by Sean Dunne (its on vimeo) "florida man" its shot all on a 16mm lens I beleive. sometimes the limiting of using a single focal length can do alot and aid the story ....or using a couple. I once shot a short where all the work is either 35mm handheld or static longlens from 70-400mm. The long lens reperesented this outside perspective and the 35mm handheld work was very much engrossed in the action with the charectors. Picking focal length is like picking a brush stroke or a color pallete. there are an endless amount of meanings that can be attached to focal lengths selections so in the end you do what feels right. another example is the paradise series by urlich seidel I beleive shot mostly on 19mm lens and one slightly longer lens like 25mm?

Id suggest just getting open face lights and chimera's ...it might be more expensive and bulkier, but its a much better product.

I'm sure this post has been made before, but I couldn't find a solid answer. I'm shooting a project, probably on Red ...maybe Alexa. We want to achieve the low frame rate streaking effect of early doyle work on won kar wai films. I know they acheieve the effect but shooting a low frame rate with high shutter angle and then printing duplicate frames. My question is simple because a lot of people seem to make this seems like its a complex operation on digital. Is the process not to simply shoot at 6fps and then in post double the frames to fill a 24p timeline?

your plan sounds right on for the interview/host stuff you'll probably want some diff for your 800w joker I'd put it through a 4x4 of 250/251. In your example they are getting a bit more complex you can see a 2nd subtle edge on the right side of his face and some blue source giving him a nice reflective pop as well on his right side. For the walking around shots I'd use your two daylight sources for background/foreground elements prob just through 4x4 frames to give them a little wrap around big pillars or whatever is there. and yea china balls skirted really heavily with pretty big bulbs or some other source like that will work just fine. in the example you have it looks like it could be anything, but its not a soft source like a china ball ....probably a par can or something.

I think it would work. I used this weird LED light the aadyntech. It has a built in "flash" effect that you can trigger just hitting a button on the light.

Ugh I hate Kinos for this stuff Satsuki, I always find it hard to get a nice quality of light ....I have done that exact thing though Kino through 216 and I put some diff on the kino too. In the past I have done a 2k with diff on the head and then through Full grid (Like that a lot more! ) but I hear yea tight spaces are tough....I assume he rumsfeld come down to a studio though that one looks like a big key to me.