Daniel D. Teoli Jr.

I sometimes feel sorry for the camera people that have to shoot some of these projects. It is a ton of work shooting a film. Do you accept them because of the $$ or pass on them? What keeps you going to do great work other than $$ if you feel the film is not going anywhere or story / actors / direction is subpar?

If so, what is a good gimble to buy? I've read reviews on them and seems they have trouble with setups that weigh a few pounds. Thanks

This is the debate that never ends...is it the camera or photographer? Some equipment has benefits over others. But just having a sharp pencil does not make you a great writer. All my gear is old. But if I come into some $$ I may upgrade. And if I don't I produce fine with what I got. Sometimes the new is not as good as the old. Take touch screens on the cam. Sometimes you just blow on them and you settings get screwed up. Hate em. Amazing how the old timers produced such iconic work with just a few manual controls.

OK, the high class digital cine' camera look intimidating with all the bells and whistles. But from my basic work needs, digital is pretty simple.

Yes, I know. The movies tend to be more of the invisible HDR, but it seems to be kinda contrasty from what I've seen. And in reality, I can't say for sure if they were HDR, they just seem to be in that direction. But maybe they were just victims of turning up the contrast and saturation. They have invisible HDR in still photos as well. Invisible in the respect that it does not thumb its nose at you as much as the more extreme HDR. How do all you feel about HDR in filmmaking? I've never used it. Only because my simpleton cameras don't offer it. And can't do it with my video software. I've only used HDR in still work. And it is generally single image HDR that is done in post not in the camera / scanner. Are there any films out there that have been shot in HDR that you are enamored with?

https://www.redsharknews.com/production/item/6795-netflix-now-requires-its-films-to-be-made-in-hdr I knew it would just be a matter of time before HDR was mainstream. But where does that leave film? Will HDR film scans be good enough for them? Faces of Gentrification - D.D.Teoli Jr. (low res image) I guess Netflix wants invisible HDR. I wonder how a film done in painterly or grunge HDR would look?

I've got a pretty big pile of DVD's and CD's I've been building up over the years. The problem is it is not in a pile, but spread out. I tried some plastic boxes from Walmart and Staples but they are not very good. Bought some archival boxes from BH that hold about 55 thin cased jewel cases and will try that method. Now need to figure a inventory method for finding things. How do your organize / inventory your data - footage DVD's?

I don't like chemicals, so go with water. They got some systems on Amazon with proprietary non disclosed chemicals. Who knows what it is they use?

That is helpful advice. I will look into it. Yes water is filthy nowadays. Here are the water test photos from around the country. Also are photos of test results from water filters. https://danielteolijr.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/6035/ I never gave much thought to water on the records. But if you want the best, then distilled is cleanest. They do sound better once they are cleaned for cracking and popping noises.

I just got a copyright claims notice from YouTube on some ancient country songs. 1930s - 1940's.

Never seen or handled them. Only 8mm and 16mm reels. This one is from eBay. Last reel from Devil in Miss Jones. I'd like to see the 70mm reels. They must be monsters! Photo: eBay

After cleaning records I get lots of static. I've been using the Robert Crumb method of washing records with clean water on a damp cotton rag and drying with soft rag. Although Crumb uses lots of soap on his records as well as water. (as shown in a vintage video of him.) After cleaning I touch the edge of the record to the refrigerator handle a few times until it stops sparking. Seemed to help greatly reducing dust magnet syndrome.The anti anti-static brush does very little as far as I can tell to remove static. (other than finish dusting after the static is removed.) The brush must be designed to not add more static. I test removing more static when flipping the record and brushing, but have not found any buildup from playing and brushing once static is previously discharged. You got any static removing tricks? Lets hear them.

Yes, that. But didn't know they were so pricey. Thanks for the help.

B-W filters are very hard to clean. The advanced lens coating makes them murder to get clean. I sometimes have to finish them up with some breath fog and lens tissue. But with the filthy places I shoot, I can humbly say I am very experienced in lens cleaning. I sometimes would get doused with soda and could hardly get a lens clean. Every time I would clean it, more soda would ooze out of lens joint where it was mounted to the ring. It was just a little, but enough to foul the edge of the lens. It was a full-frame fisheye so could not use a filter. I've tried many, many brands of lens cleaning liquids and lens tissue. Like most everything BH had to offer. The tissue varies. Some leave lint. But Kimwipes are the best from my tests as well as ese of use. Alcohol wipes are the best and beat out all other lens cleaning fluids. I can't say what effect they have on the lens coating over 20 years. I've been using for 6 or 7 years. No effect on coating from my limited use. The lens discussed above got ruined pretty much from the soda treatment. The elements were OK inside, but the focus ring was almost frozen. Very hard to turn. Camera also got messed up. On-off switch was hard to use and shutter button sticky. But you test it all out for yourself, try all the other options, then give alcohol wipes, Kimwipes, a Rocket blower and soft Giottos retractable lens brush a try. If you can use a skylight / UV filter that keeps the actual lens cleaning to a minimum. Although I like the build of B-W filters, I use Tiffen filters. They clean easy and are inexpeisnive. The B-W filters, as mentioned above, are very tough to clean perfect due to the coating. If I ever get a junk camera ready to trash I will experiment cleaning a sensor. As I've said and said again...I never clean the sensor. Never have had to and try to not ever have to with safe sensor practices.

If so, what would be an affordable video screen to buy? Thanks