Mario C. Jackson

I love the the fact that you are builing a soft box. I think it is great. My friend and I are designing a 4 by 4 soft that we can design in Feburary. Congratulations Mario C. Jackson

Perhaps what you could do is shoot a light through a door from the outside and just you a bounce rig to bounce it into the room. Then you could use flags to get rid of unwanted spill. The biggest thing would just be camera placement. Figuring out were to put your camera in a way that it still tells the story. Hope this helps Mario C. Jackson

One thing you have to keep in mind about film noir is the harsh shadows. Thos old movies was shot on very slow film, so it was extremely bright inside those studios. If I were you I would just do everything in camera and use all post produciton stuff for back up. Practically all of your lighting will be hard. Are you shooting video or film. If you are shooting film then what stock? Hope this helps Mario C. Jackson

Michal Thanks for your input. I have been doing alot of research on both. I have shot on film about 4 times and I have never shot on HD. I have gaffed on a HD shoot but never as DP. I am leaning more towards 16mm because I love film and its latitude. Nevertheless I have tons of more meetings with the director and my gaffer before I make my final decision. Thanks Mario C. Jackson

Hey guys for one of the films I am shooting in January the director is giving me the option of shoot on HD and then blowing up to 35mm, or shooting on Super 16. What ar the advantages and disadvantages of both. I just want some input before I make my final decision. Thanks Mario C. Jackson

I shot a music video this summer using a 1/2 Black Promist. Being that it was shot on 24p I wanted to soften the image up a bit. I ran test first before I chose the filter. So just as Chris said, don't take anyones word. Shoot test and see if the filter works for the images you are trying photograph. Hope this helps Mario C. Jackson

Thanks guys I ran some camera and lighting test last night, with a 800w red head and using cyan filters. We acheived some really nice pictures. I really do appreciate the help form all of you. Thanks Guys Mario C. Jackson

laurent It will be edited traditionally, using Avid. I really want to achieve an overall cyan wah type of look. Something that is cool but not blueish. So I am wondering what gels, or filters will help me to achieve this affect. Also is this something that the processing will do? Thanks Mario C. Jackson

Hey guys I am in preproduction for a movie I am photographing for in January. I want all the interiors to have a cyan look to them. My question is do I tell the lab to do that or do I do it in th editing room with the editor. I am probally going to shoot on Fuji film. Tne new Eterna 500T and probally some 250 D. Thanks Mario C. Jackson

Inco My first question would be what is the story about and what are you trying to achieve in your photography? What kind of look are you going for? If you can tell me that I would love to give my input. Mario C. Jackson

I would just use a filter. It would be alot quicker and will save you alot of time that you may need when you are shooting. But if you don't have the filter then I would defintley say that gelling the lights would be the next best thing. Hope this helps Mario C. Jackson

David I completley understand what you are saying David. I like the look of Aeon Flux, where the world is very detailed with high saturation, and the faces of the actors have nice contrast. That is the look I am aiming for. I don't have a Ultra Con filter but I do have a Low Con 2 fitler. Also Scott Duncan told me to tell you high. He said you should remember him from Cal Arts. Thanks Mario C. Jackson

Hey guys I am prepping to shoot another film in January. I will be shooting on 250D and 7218. The look I am going for is alot of detail and low contrast in the environment but high contrast on the face of the actors. I am thinking of using a Low Contrast filter to give detail to the background. I have never used this filter before so I would like to hear you guys input on the filter and my idea. Thanks Mario C. Jackson

Tomas and dj made very good points. i would definetley take my gaffer and/or key grip with me and scout the location. Take light reading and see where I would need to set up my lights. I would probally take the 1k and make it a soft source by shooting it through a silk or bouncing it. I would just use the other lights as fill or for some background and depth within a shot. Hope this helps Mario C. Jackson

Lighting for me is something that is almost unexplainable. Everyone has different lighting style and that alone is what makes our jobs so great. The fact that you don't understand lighting is ok. Their are dp's who don't like putting up lights and just prefer to use natural lighting and then just push in post. My advice would be to do a scene without putting up any lights and then shoot the exact same scene to where you put up lights. Then see which one you like the best. Hope this helps Mario C. Jackson

Yes, I percieve moon light as soft light. To me it is not hard. I would not shoot a HMI straight through a window, I would bounce it. To me moon light is elegant and sensual and whenever I emulate moon light i always make it soft. This is what I believe and how I percieve. Others see it as hard and thats ok. Thanks Mario C. Jackson

Melissa I see moon light as nice and soft, so I would definetley bounce the HMI throught the window, I might would even ad a 1/4 CTB to it just to make it a little cooler than normal. As for the scene in the hallway, I would probally leave the door open from where the moon light is. I would allow that spill to be a soft fill or side light on your actor. Just position in a way that it looks like the light in the room is hitting your subject. Then just pull out a 650 with 3/4 CTB and bounce it on your subject, that way it will be motivated by your moonlight coming from the room. Hope this helps Mario C. Jackson

Skot I was gaffing on a film shoot that was shot in a hospital. What me and the dp decided was to use a 2k mole zip light along with practicals and a couple of 650 watt fresnels. Everyone may not agree with what I me but I believe that you can use a soft light. What I would probally do is put 1/2 CTB on the light and maybe a net if need be. It's all up to how it looks and feels to you and the director. Hope this helps

I think the lighting is ok. If you really want to be a dp you dont have to La. I am get alot of experience in Virginia. I have been dp, gaffer, & key grip on tons of shoots. Also you have to start training your eye when it comes to lighting. Where ever I go I always study the light. Bathrooms, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, parks, etc... I try to figure out the direction and the behavior of light in all these areas. After that I usually do film test to see how well I can duplicate it. I believe that once you understand the behavior of light in different environments the better equipped you are in any situation. Mario C. Jackson

John How can overexposing increase saturation? I thought that the more you over expose the less saturation you will have. Thanks Mario C. Jackson

If he rate the filmstock at 800asa it will not produce grain it will just expose one stop. For example a 2.8 in 500T is a 4.0 in 800 ASA. So all that he will be doing is underexposing one stop. 500T has alot of latitude. I shot a film 2 weeks ago on Vision 2 500T and I got some really good images. I under exposed alot and I didn't get hardly any gain at all. Also if there is enough light then under exposing won't hurt at all. Nevertheless others may disagree but this is what I have found out by shooting on this film stock. Hope this helps Mario C. Jackson

I would definetley use the 2k and bounce it for the moon light. Just put some CTB on it. For the fill light for the campfire just bounce a 650 with CTO into a bounce card near your actors. I know I am just restating what people are saying. As far as back light just use the 2k moonlight to position your actors so it will back light them. This will save you from having to plug up a back light and will eliminate using so many stingers. Hope this helps Mario C. Jackson

Hey guys I really want to be cinematographer and shoot big shows. I have asked this question millions of times but never on cinematography.com.... But how have some of you guys become dp's? what routes did you take? and what advise can you give me? Thanks Mario C. Jackson

Chris, I will try to post some pictures, I have no idea how but I have some pretty technical friends who can help me out. Mario C. Jackson

You could get a 250w pepper and just shoot straight in her eyes. Hope this works Mario C. Jackson