Brian Drysdale

I seem to recall the Zeiss T3 10-100 16nn zoom lens having both imperial and metric focus scales.

Under the new owners there seems to be a pace to bringing out new versions of Lightworks. They seem to have focused on remote working and improving the first impressions for new users in V2021.3 .

The first V2021.3 beta is now available for download https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=241078&Itemid=81 New features include: Browse and Import Media from Cloud Storage Providers Upload Exports Directly To Cloud Storage Providers (Lightworks Pro Only) New Startup Wizard and Improved Hints New Import Panel The ‘Local files’ library has been given a much needed makeover to look and behave similar to Bins within the project. This allows you to choose how best to view your content prior to importing it, browse using the new treeview layout, filter content and see more metadata by choosing which column headers are visible within the library. New keyboard shortcut functionality Plus other features and fixes.

The film and TV industries have always been who you know and probably nothing is going to change that. The hard part is building up your network of contacts, a process that can take years and involves getting yourself into positions where you can get noticed, combined with careful marketing of yourself. Of course, it helps if you've got relatives or other connections in the industry..

One point about longer short films is that they can drag compared to shorter, snappy films when put in a program of short films. You have to market your film with a sharp pitch, an excellent synopsis and publicity stills in order to get it accepted into a good film festival. These will encourage the viewers to view your film. These are the skills you need to get a feature film off the ground, so festivals are good practice. It's worth going to the festival because it's possible to make contacts with other filmmakers. Some festivals have more industry connections than others, so are worth going to. A local festival is a good starting point, although I know shorts that had their first screening in Australia. You won't get accepted into every festival you enter. Put in an early bird entry for festivals that charge an entry fee, rather than waiting to the last minute, Many European film festivals don't charge an entry fee, so may be worth considering. There are also others in the world that don't charge entry fees. One advantage you have is that you don't have to send 35mm film prints around the world. Unless you can view your film with an audience of strangers you can't tell how it's really working. Audience reactions can vary depending on the nature of the festival and its location.

Longer short films are more difficult to get into film festivals. The shorter the film, the better chance to get it accepted. There are longer shorts, but the filmmaker already having a profile in the industry assists them to get accepted by festivals 15 mins or even better 10 mins tends to be the best for getting into film festivals. At 25 mins, marketing it as a single TV drama may work better. TV dramas tend to be more cinematic these days.

It's listed on the Abakus web site, trying contacting them to check on availability. http://www.abakus.co.uk/Format_Converters.htm

Lightworks Version 2021.2 is now released for use on Windows Linux and Mac. https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=239387&Itemid=81 This the second major release under the new owners LWKS Software LTD and they are revealing the features in the 2021.3 Beta in the next couple of weeks. Apart from many fixes. new features in V2021.2 include: This release focuses on improvements in performance working with HEVC/H.265 media allowing you to create 1080p proxies from 4K media Sequence Export Improvements This latest release adds intelligence to the export panel allowing you to easily see what format option your sequence can be exported as, even allowing you to export if the exact sequence frame rate is not allowed/supported. Transition Appearance Improvements Lightworks now provides a clear indication that the incoming clip does not have enough media present to perform the transition (the red line and darker grey section) This indicates that playback will be incorrect over this section, giving you a clear warning that the effect needs adjustment. Subtitle Workflow Using a combination of ranged Cue Markers and BITC (Burnt in Timecode) functionality now performs a subtitle workflow Find: Clip References Improvements In Lightworks 2021.2 the ‘Jump to’ options have been restored and new search criteria has been added to make it even easier to find or create results based on these new options: Set Default Frame Rate On Import Lightworks 2021.2 allows you to set the default frame rate for any media that doesn’t have a frame rate (audio only files, EDLs, Image Sequences etc). Improved the Batch Metadata panel Flexibility has been extended even further to allow you to specify the name of another metadata field to copy text from (eg. ) within the ‘Value’ column. This is an extremely fast way of moving metadata between fields in huge chunks.

What is hoped to be the final V2021.2 beta revision is now available for download. https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=238985&Itemid=81 This latest build resolves a long standing issue with exports being incorrect with 0% audio speed within the sequence and hopefully addresses the Console connectivity issues on Mac and other fixes. Lightworks are working on a new set of video tutorials and guides. They are looking forward to sharing the latest features of 2021.3 due in Beta imminently.

The fourth V2021.2 beta is now available to download. https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=238613&Itemid=81 This latest build resolves a couple of important issues on Mac systems, to do with the Lightworks Console and media handling. There are also a number of other fixes.

Day for night is done during the day time. Usually it involves shooting without colour correction using a tungsten setting in daylight (traditionally tungsten film stock, but it work with digital) , so that the exterior goes blue.

The third Lightworks 2021.2 Beta revision 127893 is now available to download: https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=237935&Itemid=81#237935 This build resolves the issue with Boris plugins on Windows failing to display, along with some other fixes to do with audio hardware on Windows.

Have you done a test doing a day for night interior? You can ND the windows if you're using practicals inside, although using tungsten film lights may reduce the amount required. You need a daylight source outside, HMIs are the usual tool, how large will probably be limited bu your budget, but it needs to to be put through a diffusion frame, to soften the light if you're going for that effect.

The next Lightworks 2021.2 Beta revision 127742 is now available to download https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=237569&Itemid=81 This latest build resolves issues with M1 hardware on Mac and resolves the issue with AAC audio decode playback.

The new build of the v2021.1.1 beta has been renamed as V2021.2 beta and is available for download. https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=237239&Itemid=81 This has a number of fixes and has updated to the latest AVID DNxHD codec SDK. Lightworks hope for this to be the final build prior to release

The fourth V2021.1.1 beta is now available. https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=236174&Itemid=81 This latest build resolves issues reported with memory handling and HEVC media, along with a few other improvements. Lightworks are keeping changes to a minimum during this cycle and hope to be able to release within the next couple of weeks.

The third V2021.1.1 beta is now available [url]https://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=235849&Itemid=81#235849[/url] This latest build fixes several regressions that have crept in along with various improvements. Lightworks are still keeping changes to a minimum during this cycle and hope to be able to release within the next couple of weeks. Additions include: Improvements to the export panel to be more intelligent about available/unavailable formats Export formats are now allowed if they can't handle the exact sequence frame-rate Export formats that cannot generate files with the same aspect-ratio as the sequence are shown with red suffixes Export formats with a red suffix now show an explanatory message if such a format is selected Option to the "Timeline->Settings" menu to configure whether or not tabbing stops at transition mid-points The ability to rename Custom Formats on the project card and to generate 1080p proxies from larger file types (4K etc).

Commonly, it's the colour temperature of the ambient light is a deciding factor. Alternately, if you wish to create a colour effect, eg a moonlight effect or a sunset effect. There are also colour temperatures in between tungsten and daylight, which can be found on various fluorescent lights, It's worth experimenting, because the most interesting lighting for a scene may not be a straight tungsten or daylight white balance.

This has the feeling that it's going to go around in circles. Cinemas are deigned for projecting the 1'85: aspect ratio, because that's the historical standard in the film industry. You can project your 16:9 film on the same screen, but it won't go to the full width, assuming that both formats are projected at the same height. Will the audience jump up and point at the edge of the screen? They haven't at any screenings of films I know that have been shot on video. If you screen a 1.85:1 film on a 16:9 TV or video monitor and maintain the full height, the picture will be slightly cropped on either side. However, this may be no more than you'd get in some theatres that have tabs on the curtains, which give you a sharp edge to the screen, rather than seeing the projector's gate. You get more grain on film, which may become a factor as you reduce the area being used on the negative. It depends on the nature of the story. If you're looking for a definitive technical reason why feature films are shot in 18.5:1, you're probably unlikely to get one.

2.00:1 was used by one process in the 1950s, but it never took off. Traditionally, cinemas have curtains (or tabs) that opened to the 1.85:1 aspect ration, and than opened out wider to the 2.39::aspect ratio. some could also do 1.33:1 and 1.66:1. These days many multiplexes just have a large screen and the scope films are projected with not much difference in width compared to 1.85:1 films. The way to think about is that !,85:1 is the cinema standard and 16:9 is the broadcast and video standard. I seem to recall the manufacturing the CRT TVs was also a factor in deciding the latter aspect ratio. In the end, it's the same as the US Navy and the USAF having different ways of doing things. Cinema continued using !.85:1 because they were shooting on film and the digital projection system had to follow that standard as do 2k and 4k digital files.

Doing some quick maths, it's more or less 2.35 + 1.33 divided by 2 which is 1.84 or 1.85 if rounded up.

Cinemas are set up for 1.85:1 projection, as is the workflow and the cameras designed for cinema productions. 16:9 can have slight pillars on either side if you're going through the full 2k DCP workflow,. If you don't want to shoot 1.85, no one is stopping you shooting 16:9, many low budget films are shot using that aspect ratio.

No one will stop people shooting 2.00:1, it's easier with digital projection than with film projection. Traditions still occur, especially since some directors like to shoot on film, rather than digital formats.

!.85 is the established cinema aspect ratio, there's only need to use it if you're shooting films for theatrical release. When you're shooting 1.85 you are aware that it's "wider" than !6:9 when composing shots Can project 16:9 films in a cinema, but they don't feel quite as "wide". A number of productions I've worked on have been projected 16:9, it's not unusual at festivals or special screenings. Cinemas these days commonly just project on the same size screen, so 2.35 films tend to look less impressive these days, compared to when the tabs opened up to the full width and scope films were projected onto a much larger screen.

The ideal head is a Ronford F7, which I gather was originally designed for the NPR. The downsides are that even used ones are expensive and they''re pretty heavy.