Davon Slininger

The following is the essential contents of my ac pouch and belt that I wear on set: -Large flathead screwdriver for baseplates -multitool -insert slate (comes in handy for much more than just slating) -slate marker (dry erase) -Sharpies, Fine tips, and ball point pens -notepad -chalk -lenscloth -flashlight -can of air -tape measure (fatmax are amazing) On the camera cart nearby: -Tape roll with assorted colored 1/2" paper tape for setting marks -roll of 2" black or photoblack paper tape -couple rolls of white gaff tape (or any visible color) for labeling cameras or filters etc. -small clipboard for reports or notes -calculator -extra pens There are lots of other supplies to get but as a 2AC, in my experience, these are the items I use everyday on set, and could not get by without.

Anyone know a good site for filters that has before and after images. Google keeps giving me awful retail sites. I've been on the tiffen and lee sites. Not only are their sample images sparse, they are also very compressed and awful. Let me know if you know of any better sites, or maybe someone has samples of their own tests? thanks all!

If the photographs are of any value to you I would suggest taking them to a local professional lab. For a roll of 35mm C-41 normal processing, the costs aren't that much more than Walgreens, and the accountability is much greater. At a lab you have a processing technician and a printer both accountable for getting your negs to you properly. Most professional labs are also insured and will compensate you for any mishaps, or provide credit for future orders. Quality control is also a huge factor for them since they have clients with big commercial orders. Processing at 1hr type places such as Walgreens are staffed with employees trained at operating a machine rather than employees considerate of processing your artfully exposed negs. You run the risk of these employees being inattentive to the freshness or appropriate mixture of the processing chemicals, the buildup of abrasive sediments on rollers and gears (fixer and stopbath are corrosive), and temperature consistency among other things all vital to processing negs properly. Not to mention dust and scratches. I've had enough film ruined in the past, and have worked in enough labs that I don't even consider "1hr processing". Like I said though, if they are of any "value" then take them to a lab. If they are snapshots of random camping trips, or the air show (yes, i know, some people consider these of value too) then maybe Walgreens is appropriate enough.

Smith Victor makes a bunch of great economical photoflood lights. They are basically cranked up versions of cliplight/worklights you get at Home Depot. I know money is a huge factor for you but if you could afford just a little more than the cost of some of those worklights, these photofloods may be a good option for you. Some of the benefits would be the option of using up to a 500w photoflood bulb that you can get in various color temps. And they Also have accessories like reflectors, and umbrellas to help you sculpt the light. I'm only familiar with the Smith Victor lights, but there might be some other manufacturers with similar options. I think Lowel might make some cheap-ish lights too.

I was just browsing the Pro8mm website. They are a 8mm and 16mm specialty lab and retailer in Burbank, CA. They offer skip bleach processing on both 8mm and 16mm stocks. They will also convert any current 35mm stock to Super8. www.pro8mm.com Pretty awesome actually. A niche market i guess, in an age of ever increasing digital reproduction.

We bought insurance directly from the rental house on the last production I shot. It was something like $200-250 for the weekend if I remember right. I don't remember the coverage but it was fantastic to be able to do it right at the rental house. Ask if they have a provider that they work with, they might have an option for you. Another benefit was that they issued any other certificates that I needed too. When I went to pick up the camera I just had them fax cert's out for the lighting package, dolly, and our truck rental too. As Michael mentions, rental houses have an interest in developing a good relationship with you. They may have a provider that they work with, or may be very willing to help you find coverage.

Ok, my first mistake was not getting a written agreement before this all started. Here is the issue: About a month ago now I shot a short film for an aquaintance who called me up to DP this project for him. It was a complete indie production with about 90% of the crew donating their time, including myself. I shot XL-H1 to mini DV. We did 3 days and shot about 7 hours of tape. Since then he has been in post working on editing and I have been quietly awaiting any news on a cut before asking to capture footage of my own for my reel and personal use etc. Our agreement before entering the project was that in return for DP'ing the short, I would get a copy/ and or capture of the entire footage shot. It was verbal. I called him prior to commiting to the project to meet exclusively regarding that issue and I said "All I want for shooting this is a copy of all of the footage." He agreed entirely responding "Of course. I will provide you with a copy of everything, you are shooting it after all." Yesterday we got into an argument regarding credits and my crew in which he was very insulting. Promptly afterward, I asked for either contact info for his editor so that I could bring a hard drive for captures, or the actual tapes so that I could capture them myself, wanting to be entirely done with this whole thing. His response was that he has decided that he will not release any footage to me at all until he has completed a final cut. And even then, only the final cut will be released to me. It is completely aggrivating. I wouldn't care much about it but I feel like I did some great work on this project. All I want is to capture 7 hours of footage and walk away. Who is in the right here? Do I have the right to demand the footage? Does he have the right to withold it from me? If this ends up in a legal forum do I have the right to sue for the property? Who's property is it anyway. He purchased the tapes but creatively where does the issue of ownership lie?

lurking mostly, changed my display name and added a signature. telescreen is on, on my way to the "two minutes hate" jk, i love it here, please don't boot me.

If you are serious about shooting, which it sounds like you are since you are buying a camera, I would get a changing tent over a bag for sure. I did large format still photography before I got involved in motion picture. I always used a changing bag for 4x5 and 8x10 film holders and hated it! When I loaded my first 35mm magazine in a changing tent I cursed myself for not having invested in one sooner. I think the Harrison changing tents go from medium, to large, to jumbo in sizing. I recently bought the jumbo size and ended up exchanging it for the large. I work on commercial productions and if i'm unable to use the camera truck darkroom to load then I have to bring the tent to set somewhere and set myself up a little station. That usually means i'm working off of a table that I've bummed off the PA's that comes from a production supply house. Its almost always a 6' plastic folding table (catering style) and the jumbo tent hung off the edges and was a little too unwieldly. I ended up borrowing the 2nd's large size changing tent and it was perfect. There is one benefit however to the jumbo, you can both download, and reload a 1000' mag in the same session, shaving off a couple minutes of your load time. A couple minutes helps if you've got 3 units cranking through mags. With the large I have to download, unzip, tape it, label it, and set it in the inventory, then get the rawstock ready, put it in the tent, zip up and load the new one. I actually prefer the latter because it helps me keep the exposed film safe by just completeing that download process. I guess it all just comes down to loader preference.

I'm going to be shooting a short this weekend using the XLH1 with a mini35 adapter and am trying to figure out how to meter for this thing. Starway2001 has mentioned in this forum that they rated the XLH1 asa at 320. I can't seem to find an accurate measure of the stop loss from the mini35 on an XLH1 though. So how do I go about figuring out how to meter my scenes. I'll have the monitor of course but I would like to keep in the good habit of figuring out my ratios and setting apertures based on metering calculations. I feel like the answer is blatantly obvious but i'm just not getting it, please excuse the "noob" question. thanks all for any replies.

Starway is that 320 with the pro35 adapter? Or before the adapter, so 1.5-2 stops down from that with adapter.

Hi All, Looking for some help choosing a camera and lenses for an upcoming short I will be shooting. I would like to shoot HDV 24p. I've used the DVX100 for a project before (not HD i know) with its standard lens. I would like to get a set of primes for whatever camera I end up using so that I can get a good shallow DOF so i'll need some ideas on a lens package as well as the type of mount/converter that i'll need to be able to use them. Affordability is a bit of an issue since I have about $1700 for my total camera and lighting package. The script calls for some night exteriors as well as interiors and some car shots with dialogue. Thanks in advace for any replies. Let me know if there is any more info that you might need. cheers -davon

Hi all. Starting to put together a lighting package for a short I am shooting mid June. One of the scenes takes place outside, at night, in the desert, a female hitchhiker - car rolls up, bit of dialogue, picks her up and takes off. I'm fairly new to cinematography but come from a still photo background so i've got the basics covered but a lot to learn on lighting. I am planning on shooting HDV (Canon maybe, any suggestions?) and am trying to decide what to do for the ambience of the night. I was thinking of bouncing 3x1200w HMI's off of some kind of white bounce, and then diffused through a couple of large silks. Seems like there are so many ways to go though like maybe using kino's or even chimeras/lanters spaced out around the shot. I'm hoping to get the ambient level up in the general area around the car so that I can get a couple of wide shots with the entire actress and car in frame, but still be able to use it when I move in for the dialogue. Let me know what you think. 8 page script with 2 more exterior shots and 1 motel interior so I'll be back for more advice. Thanks all!

CamerImage is here: http://www.camerimage.pl/newsy/index.php?s=2&p=newsy

It loads for me! Thanks Alex, that's a big help.

Thanks Alex, Looking forward to seeing it. Checked out that Heineken spot. Says they shot it at 1000fps so i'm imagining 70fps won't be so supernatural looking. Thanks!

Does anyone know where I can go online to see some examples of various frame rates. I'm planning on shooting something soon with a high frame rate for a slow motion look but just how high is what I need to determine. If anyone knows of any examples I can take a look at please let me know. thanks all!