Josh Gallegos

I know it’s funny, but I’m just going to use these lights https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-1000-Lumen-LED-Portable-Work-Light/1000706048?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lit-_-google-_-lia-_-143-_-safetyandsecuritylighting-_-1000706048-_-0&placeholder=null&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi4CD_OWg7AIVjJ6zCh12PgH8EAQYBSABEgIDv_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I’m  buying three of them and then returning them back when I’m finished. I was going to tape on tracing paper to soften it a little more. It’s going to be in b&w so the color temperature won’t matter. It feels awkward filming in a hotel, feels like I’m doing a porno, it’s the last time I shoot in one. 

I just read the Canon RP only shot at 30fps but 24fps was later added through the firmware. The rental house rents cameras pretty cheap, they even added a BMPC 4K, which I think is the equivalent of super-16mm? I know that I read if you shoot in 4K, you get a cropped image and it uses 4x the storage data. I’ve never used a BMPC before, but then I’d have to get lens adapters to fit certain lenses and a monitor, I’d have to build up the camera which would cost more money. 

https://www.photorentalsource.com/Blackmagic-4K-Pocket-Cinema-Camera_p_490.html 

So I could set it at 8fps with 1/16 shutter speed and then convert it to 24fps 1/48 in post? I haven’t bought a camera yet but I am renting the Canon RP for two days, this way I can get familiar with it before I shoot. 

Actually I just looked through the script and it's not what I thought it was. I'm making revisions to it.

Does anyone know how to create a ghosting effect?

I know it has to do with the shutter speed. 

the effects in 11:08

I showed my script around on a Reddit subforum and all of a sudden everyone turned against me, including a young local actress, everyone keeps telling me that it's not a "story" or that it feels "incomplete", but I wanted the characters to stand for an idea, it's actually a reduced version of a feature length screenplay that I wrote,  Sadie Thompson. The whole concept was about resisting temptation and being punished for it, it's about being boxed in. I think this one is about being stuck with yourself, how to live with the guilt and persecution. I even thought about shooting in Academy Ratio 1.37, I've felt like a prisoner in my own body, it's an awful feeling, and I realized that is what the idea was about. I really didn't care about the dialogue, but the embodiment of an idea. I realize that taking on this endeavor you discover that there will be lots of people against you, it's almost like they are offended when you think differently, no one experiments with the craft. Everyone's trying to write the same "feel good" story, and I understand that there's good and bad craftsmanship, but I think the rules of cinema can be bent beyond the literature. Maybe you don't really need a screenplay to make a movie, especially a short film, there' doesn't need to be a beginning, middle, or end.... 

I decided to rent a Canon RP mirrorless. I'm going to use a 22mm lens, I just think I'm a little tired of conventional filmmaking and all the rules, if it turns out awful at least I went all the way... I actually thought of using small lighting panels from Lowe's, use some tracing paper and clip them on, just to create some separation. I'm just going to jump into it and ignore what people think of it, I know I'm never going to make it, so I might as well do whatever I want. 

But in all seriousness, I think it’s really about the idea. I was watching a Jean Luc Godard short film Une Femme Coquette, and it felt like films that could be done with very little money, it’s all voice over and a good story. The more I look at Lena Dunham’s earlier work the more I like it, especially her webseries Delusional Downtown Divas, I guess the real issue doesn’t come from money, but in the ideas that you film. I think if I stick to filmmaking this time I might make something decent several years down the line. But money is important too if you have a bigger idea... 

8 minutes ago, Phil Rhodes said:

Jesus, Nolan? He's got a face like a sackful of dented bells.

He has been photographed by some good people, of course...

No, Chris Nolan is quite handsome, he looks like he has the bloodline of British royalty running through his veins. I actually saw Tenet around 7x, I was amazed the theaters opened and I went there all month long. I quite enjoyed Tenet, I feel the story is true, we never really hear about the bomb that didn’t go off. There are unnatural forces in the world that are being kept secret, things that ordinary people know nothing about. Mankind is born into slavery, if you don’t find your purpose in life and make enough money you end up in a gutter or with a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head. Capitalism is such an unforgiving, vicious machine, it’s time for socialism in America. AOC for president. 

Am I the only one who feels so restless? Rachel Morrison shot The Sound of My Voice (2011) with a Canon 7D, it’s all coming back to me, all the amazing films I saw that were made for very little money. I’m thinking a night scene in the woods could be lit with a fire, car headlights and some fluorescent lanterns. I’m thinking of writing a script about a young couple who are vloggers  and take a road trip to a remote cabin where an unsolved murder occurred, and they slowly unravel clues to a nearby cult who perpetrated the murders, or something of that nature, I think I could make something like that for about 5k dollars. I think Lena Dunham shot Creative Non Fiction for $7k.... it’s like a curse, these thoughts plague my brain. I just need to stay until I make a feature length movie. 

I just realized this post is pretty sad, sorry everyone it’s COVID madness, it’s made me so delusional. 

I think the best way to do this is to make a horror movie in the woods with a 4K Sony camcorder, before you laugh, I want you to consider Alex Ross Perry who made IMPOLEX with no money and a few friends, and he found a way to get a career. Here’s a clip of his feature.

I think I can pull of a little 70-80minute horror movie. I just have no confidence, I hate being Hispanic, I want to be something better, like a German or French filmmaker, most directors are good -looking, except for Billy Wilder, he kind of looked like Yoda. But when you think about Wes Anderson, Sofia Coppola, Christopher Nolan, they all look like GQ models, how is it that most ugly people are untalented. I live in Texas, the sun is so harsh, but when I saw IMPOLEX, I figured I could do something similar. There’s just so many rich boys throwing money at their films, they’re able to hire cinematographers who know what they’re doing, I just feel so desperate and depressed. And being Hispanic isn’t helping either, if I were on a set they’d probably mistake me for a day laborer. 

It’s good work, but I’ve seen it before, it’s just an overused theme, you see montages like this everywhere, in tv shows, movies and now in commercials. 

10 hours ago, Satsuki Murashige said:

The whole ‘art’ vs ‘ART’ argument is a whole other topic really. I suppose if you’re judging on that curve, then the number of projects that meet those lofty standards might be less than five per year. You can’t really sustain a film industry on those kinds of numbers. I think there’s enough room for all sorts of entertainment. And really, it’s films like ‘The Avengers’ and Star Wars’ that makes a project like ‘Marriage Story’ viable.

Anyway, what did you think of the ‘Mayo Clinic’ commercial? 

Most of the blockbuster films are made for China and most of the films you see in theaters are these huge Disney movies. They’re entertaining, but I think the world has changed so drastically. I enjoy watching TCM classic anniversaries on the big screen but no one really  goes to the movies anymore, everyone’s streaming or watching the newest shows on FX or HBO, especially with the COVID outbreak, most people probably bought 4K TVs and entertainment systems. I’m not sure movie theaters will fully recover, but I hope “Hollywood” movies die completely, all we ever see is Disney and Pixar movies taking up all the screens. I’d rather stream movies from indie filmmakers on Amazon or wherever they stream. 

I want to discover new artists like the next Wim Wenders or a Bergman. I’m sure they’re out there somewhere, I’m getting old, I just don’t see myself paying $10 to watch Spider-Man sling around New York City for 2 hours. I think a younger generation of filmmakers will rise up and take cinema to a different place just like Scorsese, Coppola did in the 70s. I know I’m not the only one who feels the same. And they’re remaking Ghostbusters.... AGAIN! 
 

I saw the Mayo Clinic short film, it’s just familiar. Father and son road diary, they share looks that say “I love you”, but it’s not real. In real life people are internally unhappy and afraid, there’s nothing compelling happening. 

1 hour ago, Satsuki Murashige said:

For broadcast, yes. Usually 30sec or 1min. The internet has really opened up the commercial genre in the last decade or so. But yes, I’d consider it more of a brand film than a commercial spot.

As for a waste of money, anytime you can get a large corporation to pay for something artistic on a larger scale, I’d consider that a win. It would certainly be a fun type of job to shoot, if you can land it.

The whole thing is about how they made the company more money, wouldn’t exactly call that art. Just because it looks shiny and vibrant it doesn’t necessarily make it great cinematography, it feels like something Edgar Wright would make, all flash no heart. ♥️ 

I just bought the manual yesterday on Kindle, I previously read the 4th edition. I was paging through the introduction and the job description for a cinematographer is staggering, they are described as “authors of an image”, but the things they have to oversee from beginning to end in the production of a film is what defines the look of a motion picture. When I look outside, real life is tedious, just drabness, so to really bring the world to life by manipulation of light and shadow is inspirational. I’m really beginning to understand digital differently, I think the manual does a great job in explaining the technology. I just have to read the whole thing this month. 

On 9/26/2020 at 12:11 AM, Karim D. Ghantous said:

I watched this all the way through. That's not something I would usually say about commercials, especially those which are over 5 minutes long. This is an excellent commercial not just because it made me watch it to the end, but because it was very well lit.

I really love the style here - I'd describe it as a whole bunch of small lights in the scene as opposed to just one large light. I love the mix of sources - probably because mixed lighting vaguely resembles Christmas lights. And I love the amount of (apparent) practicals, which IMHO are the most interesting and important part of lighting. I think you could almost light entirely with practicals these days. (Don't send me hate mail!).

It's obviously digital, but the image manages to remain rich nonetheless. And it's so close that some people will call it a win for digital. The post processing was very well done, and it doesn't draw attention to itself. I do not like low contrast, washed out images, which seems to be in vogue these days for some reason. Anyway, from what I'm seeing, digital hasn't caught up yet. Maybe that will change, but right now, film is still king.

The lenses that they used for interiors could have been anamorphics, but I don't know. Selective focus was used responsibly and allows the viewer to appreciate the background, instead of obscuring it in a defocused fog. There's noticeable pincushion in some shots which I would have corrected, but at least the image is pleasant and the bokeh has character which isn't too obvious. I wonder though why people spend time in the colouring suite and not actually, you know, correct stuff. At the end of the day, the image isn't clinical, which is the main thing.

I don't think that ads can make you buy something you don't already want to buy, but that doesn't matter. This ad is terrific.

 

That’s not a commercial it’s a short film. I thought the purpose of a commercial was to get an idea out in seconds, it’s a real waste of money. 

10 minutes ago, Stephen Sanchez said:

Please don't pick up Lowel lights. They're so cheaply constructed. The best of the bunch is probably the Rifa softbox and Tota because it's so compact. But the DP and omni lights... their barn doors are unusable and fragile. I broke doors on omni lights twice, by simply trying to take them off!

Used tungsten on ebay is a perfect choice on a budget. Many people are replacing their tungstens with LED fixtures, so you'll find great quality tungsten fixtures for cheap.

I recommend Ianiro Redhead lights (Ianiro, not chinese copies). It's an open-face and great for bouncing because of the superwide beam angle. They're cheaper than the Arri open face counterpart. I'd get a 650w and 1kw. Bounce them off white cloth on the wall and barn-door them to shape. A fresnel equivalent will be more expensive due to the added mechanics and lens, but they can throw longer distances.

No, I meant lights from Lowe's (laughter), I can't afford any tungsten lights at the moment. But I'd have to see the color temperature of the lights in the hotel room, don't have any LEE filters to color correct. Once I know the location I'll get a good idea of how I can make it work. I remember on my first short film I used a Kino Flo 4-bank to light the hotel at 2700k , and on the second I just bounced Lowel lights on the ceiling. This time I was looking at LADY BLUE SHANGHAI, the look of it would fit perfectly, especially at (6:13)

Thanks David, but the entire short takes place in the night time, I wanted to open the window curtains, hopefully I can get a location with a huge window that overlooks the skyline. I might shoot it in black and white in 1.85:1, I'll rent a Canon 50mm f/1.2 and EF 16-35mm f/2.8 lens to get the most from available light, as for eye light, I might look into small LED flashlighs. 

So I just wrote a script for 'Wash us In the Blood', yes it takes place in a hotel room, I'm sorry, I usually end up there when I think cheap, but I think it's a pretty good idea. It's about a pastor in his 40s who has an illicit relationship with a 20 year old woman, when he tries to break up with her she threatens to tell his wife about the relationship and humiliates him and extorts him. I'm already storyboarding it, it's only a six page script https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VHlsYs2rCMFuYF38YZ_mIlNXtGsFZ8OZ/view?usp=sharing . I'll be shooting it this month. I want to be able to think outside the box and film a short with exteriors, but audio will be an issue. I just wrote the script today so I might do some revisions when I shoot it. I think it's perfect in terms of costs, overall I might spend around $300 to make it. As for lighting, the short takes place in the night time, so I envisioned low light, maybe a few lamps on, would it be a dumb idea to use lights from Lowes, I know the color rendering index would be bad, but I want to use some kind of lighting to try and make it look good, I think lighting the actors is important, especially the eyes. I was watching Phantom Thread and it's that little glint in the eyes that makes all difference, it's mesmerizing, I want to learn how to light actors before anything else. 

That makes sense. I have decided on the Canon Rebel T7i, if I can’t do anything with that then I can’t do better on a higher end camera. 

11 hours ago, David Mullen ASC said:

Most movies are shot on Super-35 film or sensor sizes, not full-frame -- if you want less depth of field, use faster lenses. If you're trying to pull focus yourself, the slightly deeper depth of field compared to full-frame may be useful anyway, it will be hard enough.

Do you need to record and finish in 4K?

The main advantage of the Sony A7S is how extremely sensitive it is in low-light, so it all depends on just how much in the dark you want to shoot.

But you need to figure out the audio situation.

Which dslr/mirrorless camera would you recommend? I was thinking of shooting short films and maybe get work shooting weddings or events. I have very good lenses accessible from Photo Rental Source, it’s very cost effective. I know $1200 is t enough to get a professional camera like the 5D, but I know you use a Nikon stills camera. 

Well, I guess in the end it’s how you use it that counts, what you do within the frame? Seeing as I won’t be shooting in 4K I might just go with a dslr or research other cameras in the $1200 range.

I’m in a bit of a dilemma, it turns out the Sony a7 ii was on sale for a week and I missed the sale and it’s now $1,600 as opposed to the sale price of $1,100 with the kit lens included. I’m thinking of just going with the Canon Rebel T7, which is on sale for $549 with 2 kit lenses included. I’m just thinking how buying an entry level dslr might become an issue once I become more experienced, but then again I’m not a professional and the Canon price seems more economical. Should I just wait for the Sony a7ii to go on sale again or just go for the Canon T7, it only shoots 1080p, it doesn’t have a full frame sensor, and you can’t even attach external audio to the camera, it’s very limited. Don’t know when Sony will have a sale again and I feel like I need to start shooting in October. 

Okay, go it! I feel things coming back to me, must be those ten years of my life (my 20s) when I saw nothing but classic films, I remember my biggest inspiration was Turner Classic Movies, I learned so much from Robert Osborne and Roger Ebert, when he was alive. Okay, so it’s about asking the right questions like David said, and working it out. 

I’m only shooting the project for her, I’ve seen some of her stand up comedy, it’s really not that bad. Even though I’m working for free I want to do my best work, the only details that have been established is that she’s shooting on an evening, and that alone would make the shoot inconsistent since there’s an exterior scene of people drinking and listening to music. I think she’s pretty new at this too, the only details in visual style was SNL and “I Think You Should Leave”. 
 

I'm collaborating with a local comedian from Houston on a skit she wanted to film late October, she wants the video to look like an SNL skit, I offered my services for free and posted my short films and she reached out to me with her idea and script. What exactly needs to be established? I've never really spoken to another filmmaker but I agreed to do the project. It's only a 2 page script that takes place in a house party. The only things that have been agreed is that she is editing it, so I'm filming it on 1080p (16:9).... I don't own a lighting kit at all, but I suggested for her to buy practicals like Christmas lights to put up. It's a comedy....