Andy Sparaco SOC

This technique is more effective if you shoot B&W film

I agree with original poster 100% and urge all of the newie readers of this site to embrace the idea that skill and experience have no value in the current culture of motion picture production. That approach will serve you well in what will prove to be an unfortunately brief career.

Built by Arriflex for underwater housings. On the camera in the second picture the Apex exposure meter is pre SR1 and was also found on the Arri BL...for those who want to know!!!

For the money I think it's just easier, safer, and give the best results to buy a sheet of Lee 216 or equivalent from a place like BH photo. THis stuff is designed to be placed on lights and will last far longer than what you would buy at Wallmart for the same price in the end.

Most "Theatrical supply houses" carry all of the pro gels and diffusion and sell at lower mark up. They usually have the "pro stuff" in large sheets and rolls.

Usually have swatch books for free and give you access to the materials so you can browse.

Here is a link for folks in Chicago by way of example: http://www.designlab-chicago.com/

Well I'm wondering what kind of impact the small HD cameras are going to have.

 

Don't get me wrong, **I'd** take S16 over the HVX200 and Canon HD etc etc any day (since I like 16mm film better than an F900/HDCam !)

 

But you all know the Indie mentality, trends etc.

 

Is the next few years of S16 work gonna be based on a cost /logistical effective alternative to 35mm ?

 

Is the S16 work being done now as alternative to F900 or Varicam going to loose out to HVX200 et al ?

(IOW will it divide on film vs video lines, or on sort of gear/price thresholds ?)

-Sam

The Indie Mentality is going to hurt the Varicam Own/Ops not the S16 Own/Ops. The

Camera Manufacturers are eating their own customers. It will be more frustrating for a Varicam Owner to loose a job to a HVX200 owner then a S16 owner.

I think you have view all this in the context of distinct market segments. IF the folks who shoot with a DVX 100 are going to move up to something better they go to the HVX200 instead of the Varicam. Sure they will for the same reason they bought the DVX100--$$$$$. If they want to move up to something better do they move up to to more of the same, the varicam or S16?

It's Human nature> Wherever I am and what ever I got there is something better and I deserve it!

All of the suggestions have been good ones. Here is a simple but often overlooked one:

Get extra film cans so you can download the exposed portion of a mag if you feel there is a problem during the shoot.

Ask the lab for empty cans they should have plenty

I wouldn't say I got work solely because I had a camera but I got at least one job that I would not have even been considered for had I not had an S16 package (not no-budget student stuff either). All you need to do is look at fully paid DP positions on mandy/craigs list and almost all require your own S16 (or digital) package.

I think there has been a shift in the "buying trends". Super 16 production seems to be coming back strong. A lot of folks who have done DV features seem to aspire to move up to S16 which has become a first rate and cost effective choice via DI or Optical Blowup to 35. Also has a form factor closer to the DVX 100 and the like compared to 35mm.

It's logical since an Owner/Op is more in line with there experience hiring video shooters and does not involve the whole rental house cluster F@#$ experienced film workers have leaned to tolerate.

Hello TMM,

 

I use this and it works very well. Go to your local grocery store and get some parchment paper

it's fairly cheap and comes in a long roll. It looks like waxed paper, but parchment paper can

withstand heat up to 420 F (that's hot). It gives off a nice, soft light.

 

Mike

I was intrigued and went out and bought some . Works really nice, perfect for a three light kit. Tracing paper still works better for big sources but for broads and small fresnels the parchment paper is very heat resistent and you can take it home after the shoot and bake cookies!

Learn something new on this forum worth the price of admissision

asparaco wrote in part:

 

"To find out, in September I placed a bogus ad..."

 

Then, if I understand it, you played omnipotent observer while 140 people, including "charmingly naïve" Phillipinos and two ASC members, were stupid enough to spend their time writing honest answers to your fraudulent question.

Actually the "omnipotent" producer director with three spots to shoot in five days in LA this Feb.

Facts are every successful company "mystery shops" their competition

I don't think the cost of an email is much to ask

IF you don't understand the market you work in how can you effectively invest money in your "biness" cause that's what it is. Biness first art/craft/science second

IF you dont have a camera package don't start

If you have a 16mm package either sell it or upgrade it as R16 is dead

If you don't have an Aaton or Arri-SR camera then sell what you have

If you do have an S16 package find ways to put it to work

That is my view point as a producer doing local hires around the US/Canada/Europe

We all live under the 95/5 rule. 5% of the people working as cinematographers make 95% of the money

Same goes for Actors

How do you become one of the 5% and can owning the tools of your trade give you an edge?

I would say yes it does depending on where you are on the "career curve"

FYI all Dwaynes and K-14 are the same company

Mitch makes a coherent and logical arguement for not owning a couple of points in the flipside:

Having the camera allows you to keep up by shooting self assigned projects. With Kodaks complete update with Vision 2 film stocks having a camera allows you to shoot and stay on top of the changes in film and also transfer technology- I dare say a lot of folks who present themselves as shooting "35mm, Super16mm, HD and DV" may hardly have enough practical recent experience shooting film to make the claim.

"If you don't use it you loose it" You have to keep up and having a camera available allows you to do that when convenient in terms of time and money.

Also once you have spent the money a S16 package does not loose value-the cost of equipment has started to appreciate again -as it has become scarce-try buying a Super Speed set for anything but $$ large

In comparison to a Video package which is worth less then half its intial cost in 18 months

Having your own camera package:

1)Allows you to set up the cases in the manner that is convenient to the way you shoot- you know where everything is and you know exactly what you have and learn to work worth it. A shooter rarely gets everything they would like to have in a rental.

2) Allows you to make pickups after principal Photography is done with the same lens package. This is a selling point to a producer

3) Saves you the cost of pick-up and returns also means a few extra hours of sleep here and there. "Gosh it's getting late better go out in the garage and prep the camera package" or to the AC "come on over and prep the camera package"

4) Allows you to give away apparently valuable "gimmes" which no longer cost you out of pocket. "OK I'll throw the 30 4X5.6 filters in at no charge"

5) In smaller markets its hard to find a decent S16 pacakage- if you decline to rent you can take away jobs from folks without equipment- a very common experience. I charge a full day rate and if necessary discount the rental. If you have a strong reel producers will make the logical choice

You have to face facts there are lots of "cinematographers" any edge gives you an advantage over all the other folks you are competing against.

How much competition is out there?

To find out, in September I posted a bogus ad on Mandy.com. 5 week feature/S-16 half interior/ half exterior/

half dialogue/half action. Asked for resume, demo link, equipment list and rates- the location was in LA

Placed the ad on a Sunday night. On Monday at 4am the responses stated coming in from the europe, east coast around 6am by 12 noon the west coast. Day one got 45 responses Day two at 5pm I cut the add and ended with 95 responses.

Five where from crew folks

50 where unqualified folks from as far as the phillipines and charmingly naive.

20 Where from folks who had some film experience, some video not strong contenders

But 20 where from very qualified experienced folks with extensive feature film credits, references and very nice camera packages. Two were ASC members

Was I wrong. I don't think so, a key principal in sales and marketing to check out the marketplace and as a producer/director with commercial production in LA soon I would certainly consider these folks as a hire and have bookmarked them all.

Unless you have a personal connection or a reference by word of mouth;the average producer or "entertainment company" will total up the plus and minuses, if you have a strong reel, resume and ....a camera package it can give you a little extra that makes the difference.

We are at the end of DAT. Tascam and Fostex have both introduced Solid State Audio recorders which use CF cards.

Most audio folks are moving from the DAT machines to the Memory Card methodology. It's faster, records in the natives wav format for edit and the CF cards can be reused and are inexpensive.

DAT machines will soon find themselves with the Nagra's on the junk pile of obsolete technology. I always prefered the Nagra Sound

Fostex FR2

Tascam HD P2

I was going to say the same thing, except you will have to go to an art store (maybe OfficeMax/Staples) and they don't call it "tracing paper" much any more - mostly thanks to CAD. Bond and vellum are the original tracing papers.

A quick google search for "tracing paper" shows rolls of tracing paper 36' x 50 yard rolls at $18USD from muliple sources

Hi,

 

Tracing paper.

 

Stephen

Ditto-Cut it, frame it, score it for FX then throw it away. Available at art supplies buy it in rolls. Does not melt but will burn if left for long periods unattended.

Seen few grip trucks without a roll or two

Technicolor was an expensive process, not to mention that it required huge light levels compared to b&w photography (effective ASA of Technicolor was something around 3 to 5 ASA when it was introduced in the early 1930's and rose in sensitivity over the years to around 10 ASA by 1938 and then maybe 16 to 20 ASA by 1950 -- which was the speed of the competing Kodak color negative when it was introduced in 1950: 5247, 16 ASA Daylight.)

Maybe a typo?

If memory serves 5254 preceeded 5247 T 100ASA . "47" was the first ECN2 (hot chemistry)process neg stock introduced in the mid seventies.

You need to go to the "Omnipotent store" and buy a very large jar of persistence

"Mon Oncle" is a brilliant work and one that tickles me every time I watch it, but I recently had a chance to see Tati's "Playtime" in 70mm at NYC's Lincoln Center and it is a work on a higher level. Magnificent.

What a treat! Do you know if it will tour? Have to check the "tativille" web site.

Le Dernier combat:

This was Luc Bressons first feature film and it is indeed silent because it is a post-apoc scenario where the few survivors have lost the ability to speak. How convenient for a low budget 35mm feature! A young Jean Reno co-stars. Low budget B&W and truly wonderful- it showed the promise of Luc Bresson as a film maker that he delivered on Le Femme and The Professional.

Grab that sucker! (not "Duck You Sucker")

I would add it to "Mon Uncle" as my favorite silent films

Mon oncle (1958)

Whatever you buy-avoid hardware dedicated editors. I have garage of old mac and PC computers with lots of expensive video cards which aren't worth a dime. Luckily the software and hardware companies I did development and beta testing for supplied most of them- enough $$$ to buy a new MB 500SL. The computing horsepower is approaching the point where software only editing is a reality. If you are clever and use proxies that even goes for HD

You should better understand what the "Indy" market is about. It is about the hobby-fication of an industry.

It is about every college graduate with a degree who can't find a job in film or video attempting to pimp skilled pros and or wannabe's into working for the " love of the art" so they can make a film for nothing and get it shown at a festival--so they can get a job in the biness -instead of flippin burgers.

It is about the camera maufactuers pimping the young and stupid; that they need only scrap $3000 for a "PHD" camera to be a feature film maker. (PHD =Press Here Dummy)

It is about older film/video folks starting film festivals, award competitions with fancy trophies and web sites so they can pimp the younger film/video people.

Sort of a trickle down effect. pimps pimping pimps pimping pimps

It is not about conducting a business where people are paid properly for their contribution and treated respectfully or at least that is the exception not the rule

Muslin as a difuser is a terrible waste of light. especially when using 2k's 1k's. You are better off using spun glass or opal or any of the other difusers made by Lee or Rosco. You can also attach them to the barn doors which is more convenient and reduces stands. Tracing or drafting paper in large rolls is also a good diffuser and can be cut, shaped and slit for effect.

Thanks Andy,

 

That is the thing that always concerned me about the adapters. If the flange focal distance has to be accurate to five thousandths of a millimeter, how can you just slap a PL adapter on the lens and expect it to be right on. So what you are saying is that whatever adapter I choose, I still need to send the lens and the adapter to my lens guy (I don't have a lens projector) and he would have to adjust it?

 

Thanks for clearing that up.

-Tim

If you dont, you may think a perfectly good lens is soft. I think it is one reason why some folks don't get sharp results in Super 16. They do not pay attention to the fine details and slap any old lens on there camera. The PL lens mount really does the job interms of holding proper backfocus but only if properly adjusted and shimmed.

Make sure the PL conversion on the camera is also properly adjusted. They work as a unit

The P+S Technic PL is excellent. The Russian ones are inconsistent some oK some bad. THe Visaul Products PL mount is marginal. Cinematechnic in Miami may be making there mount again soon. It is almost identical to the P+S plus removes the Bay for a complete conversion. You cannot just slap these adaptors on you need to have the flange distance checked and adjusted with shims if necessary. That requires a lens projector.

One pass thru the carry on luggage scanners may not fog film but repeated passes thru will fog all film at all exposure indexes. That is a key point to remember