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freddie bonfanti

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Everything posted by freddie bonfanti

  1. Phil, I'm incredibly sorry it didn't work out for you, i know it must be hard to deal with. But please, since you clearly DO NOT work in the film industry over here, stop talking for the rest of us. Embrace positivity: it's good for you.
  2. Phil, i understand this might look like a "Titanic" setup to you, but even for UK standards, it really isn't. Two 60' machines and a few floor lamps are very straight forward, not expensive at all, even for a low budget film. I have seen similar setups on 1m pound films here in England, back in the day, and several tv dramas. A 60ft boom would cost 200 quid to hire for a night. Stand by riggers and ipaf electricians can operate them so there are no extra costs. Please, let's not exaggerate.
  3. I reckon you should keep your money and avoid buying it. Doesn't sound right
  4. would recommend using bobbin net on them to take the edge off rather the dimming.
  5. Shermen, like any other cinematographer you would benefit by starting a relationship with a good gaffer who will 'enlighten' (see what i did there?) your way into film lighting. A gaffer will be an invaluable help for all your future projects. If you're just starting out then maybe you can find a set electrician who is willing to step up and work as a gaffer on smaller project. Film is all about collaboration. Surround yourself with good technicians. They have got all the answers you're looking for!
  6. John, the Mail is not my first choice when it comes to printed matter, however it is often rich of amusing behind the scenes gems (just like the Telegraph) when it comes to major motion pictures filmed in london. I enjoy flicking through and seeing my colleagues or myself in it from time to time. it's a funny old game Anyway, regardless of what publication it is, the gear is left exposed to the elements and not bagged properly (including the non water proof 125> 63a FDU's) and if there was no security around, which seems to be the case, all that would have been up for grabs. I'm sure the very competent rigging crew of Ep VII would have polished it all up by now
  7. Ahem, rigging crew! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2691818/The-phantom-film-set-Tantalising-glimpse-new-Star-Wars-movie-locations-crew-moves-Forest-Dean-Gloucestershire-shoot.html
  8. As much as i would love to embrace Plasma technology, it seems to me still miles away from being ready for film purposes. Led is more reliable. I recently tested the SGM Q7's, a brand new fixture used mainly for event lighting, and i was shocked how bright it was. unbelievable. I reckon if the price goes down they might just replace par cans for big studio rigs where you need a big, constant and even back light. It doesn't get as hot, it draws less power and it's just as bright.
  9. since it's sunday and i'm wasting time online i even made you up a small plan for a 'budget lighting' option. this is what i would do. hope it helps file:///Users/freddiebonfanti/Desktop/Matrix_Plot%201_image.jpg
  10. Jordan, you'll be pleased to hear the above shot was filmed in your hometown Sydney, at Fox Studios. Look up gaffer Reg Garside and ask him yourself! He's a good guy and i'm sure he'd be keen to help out. I would say if you're trying to replicate it with budget lighting then either go for David's suggestion ( i would say use 3 kinos plus you might want to add a good layer of 216 too keep things v soft) and work with lots of negative fill around the edges of frame. Personally if budget was a problem i would get hold of 2 source 4's and a long sheet of poly (8'x4'), rig it as if it was a backlight and bounce the source 4's up from the camera side. Source 4's are much cheaper than kino's and work beautifully
  11. Tom Wouldn't it work out cheaper to hire a lighting package for the whole job and a gaffer? I'm sure your DP would appreciate having somebody keeping an eye on the lighting all the way through the job? If you're not on a micro budget then it makes sense to have some sort of continuity.
  12. Well, haven't been around here for ages! Today i saw the second Gatsby trailer and i thought i'd share it here and see what you all think. I had the privilege to work on this film as main unit lighting tech, and i have to say it looks much better than i expected. Yes it's bold and crazy and very "Baz Luhrmann" but i still think it'll be a great one to watch and look forward to next year merry xmas to you all http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN183rJltNM
  13. yes, they're all being shot in London these days! Arri and Panalux London are having a cracking time!
  14. i don't know what the cage looks like or if there's any way you can rig around it, but the balloon idea suggested above sounds best. if you're REALLY keen on punchy tungsten how about a genie boom? if you can drive one in and push the arm out on top of the cage then you could rig a light box under its basket, which is basically a cube of 8x8 frames covered in B/U with a belly of diff under it. You can then fill it with spacelights or cans or nooks or what have you and punch it above the set. very effective it all depends on space and manoeuvrability obviously
  15. The best boy electrics of "Moon", Paul Starkey, is a good friend of mine and i remember he mentioned it was all mainly kino flos/fluoro practical fittings in most of the scenes. I guess the trick will be to plan things carefully with the Prod Designer, building sets and designing/creating fixtures that will make your practical lighting effective and directional. look into all types of fluorescent fittings and test them, there's so many options out there! sounds like a good project
  16. Good stuff. Sorry to say i'm not Australian, just happen to be working down here this year. Im giving sunny England a break!
  17. I'm mainly talking about features, Guy, the scenario is a fast paced, demanding and difficult job. Since LEP fixtures have such a pure and particular CT i think it would be hard and confusing to mix them on the floor with lights we already have available. I can see them at the moment being probably a great solution for Second Units, SFX units, car trailers, car scenes or smaller jobs like interviews where maybe you can't get a big gen set or much power and you need a punchy fixture. The point is that it's really too early to say. As i meantioned above i do think it's an interesting technology and im not against it by all means. People will use it, test it and if it really does wonders then im sure it will take over the industry! i'll be glad to wave HMIs goodbye, can't stand ballasts, header cables and the annoying rest of it!
  18. a series of image 80s with supergreen tubes will probably be enough
  19. Well, i think Plasma technology is definitely interesting and fascinating, i'm all up for a greener and more efficient technology, but realistically i can't see it taking over the current technology until the colour temp issues and re strike times are sorted. Regarding the bumblebee, i was wondering how easy it is to store and transport it. say you've got to rig 150 of them in a studio, how easy it is to pack all of them? thats the beauty of space lights, theyre just so easy to move, rig etc. p.s- socapex isnt heavy at all where im from! but maybe thats because we're on 240v here and our distro is much easier than yours?
  20. what's on top of the bumblebee? it looks like a ballast. The fixture looks heavy. One thing about old school space lights is that they're relative light, which makes it easier when rigging
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