Elliot Rudmann

I was wondering what you guys thought of this deal from pro8mm.com http://pro8mm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Sc...Product_Count=2 500 ft of 16mm for $436 including processing and transfer. Has anyone here ever dealt with pro8mm before? Are they reputable? Let me know if this package deal is worth it or whether I'm better off just buying 5 100ft spools from Kodak and then getting it processed somewhere else... thanks! Elliot

I was also wondering about this too - I'm thinking of purchasing a C-mount to FD adapter to mount my 35mm Canon FD primes on my Bolex. Does anyone here know if there are consequences (image quality, focus issues) that come with using these sorts of adapters?

I was recently hired as a gaffer for a low budget 16mm project at my school, and a few days ago we did some lighting tests with an SRII to see how the V2 200T stock would react to different ratios (key+fill: fill). However, the DP and I had some slight disagreements as to how to measure for those ratios. We were lighting a subject with two lights - a key light and a gelled kicker somewhat behind him. The DP took meter readings by pointing the lumisphere toward the camera to measure the key, and then turned off the key to take a reading of the kicker, again pointing the dome toward the camera and then compared the ratio of them. I told him that it would be more accurrate to measure the key with the flat disc (pointing towards the key light) and to do the same with the kicker. I told him that pointing the meter toward the camera in such noir-type lighting conditions would result in inaccurate exposure (at least a half stop to a stop of overexposure because of how the dome averages). Not that overexposure is bad when working with 16mm, but that you should at least know an accurate reading of the key before decide to overexpose. Especially since the DP wanted to expose for the key light. What would be the best way to meter this, or in general, the best way to meter for any type of desired contrast ratio? Sorry if this sounds confusing. Any suggestions are appreciated - thanks! Elliot

Yeah, I've heard about that, but paying $3000 for them to do that is absolutely outrageous. I'll save that money, and take the money I'd get by selling my DVX to purchase the HVX.

As far as I know, Plus X and Tri X are still made for 16mm. In fact, I just bought a daylight spool of Plus X 7265 yesterday for a short 16mm project.

Here's a beginner's question for you all: I am currently working with a Bolex H16 reflex for a short film in my production class. My professor has told us that it has a 135 degree angle variable shutter and that we can use this to create in camera fade-ins and fade-outs, however, I was wondering if this particular technique (when the variable shutter knob is closed 1/4 or half way) would affect the motion blur of the image - making it more strobe-like. Or does it just cut out light? Let me know. Thanks!

yeah, we thought about that fuji stock, but we'd like to stick to kodak for it's greater sharpness in 16mm

Basically my cinematographer likes the cleaner look of 7217 over 7218, I just learned that he has not shot with 7218 at night, only during the day. I?m personally concerned that the blacks will turn out muddy and grainy. Are there better lighting/contrast ratios to use for night scenes like this? 3:1? or higher? Undercranking is definitely a possibility, and as for the forest sucking up the light, we are going to counter that with small amounts of fog in certain areas. I guess we will most likely be shooting 7218 and not correcting the tungsten film or the HMIs because we need all the light we can get.

In about 6 months, I am going to be shooting a short film on Super 16mm. The film takes place in one location outside during the night, in forest-like setting next to a cottage. The cinematographer and I have been discussing what film stock to use, and he is preferring a medium speed negative stock like Vision2 200T 7217 (or possibly 7274) because he doesn't like the grain of 500T 7218 at night. Right now, our lighting budget allows us to have two 1200w HMI fresnels and a 400w joker as a kicker. Additionally, I personally own 2 650w redheads that could be used to exaggerate practicals, however, the majority of the light in the scene will be motivated by moonlight. Because of our current light arsenal (or lack of), I am skeptical to believe that shooting 200 ISO at night will be feasible, especially for those difficult to light wide-shots. I suggested the idea of mixing stocks, 7218 and 7217 (using 500T for wide shots, and 200T for closer shots, because we could move the lights closer), but I'm not sure if that could be possible (or pleasing). I would really appreciate any suggestions as to what film stock(s) would be suitable for this project with the lights we will potentially have. Thank you! Elliot

I recently shot some 16mm footage on a Bolex H16 on a beach where the temperature was about 38 degrees fahrenheit (Lousy midwest weather!). And I noticed that the spring motor didn't sound that great (seemed like it was struggling - compared to what it sounded like indoors.) I have no doubt that it was the weather that caused the spring to lag, because I checked that the film was loaded correctly. Does anybody know (or could guess) what the consequences will be? Will I not get exactly 24fps for that footage? I only used it outside for 40 minutes. I'd like to know what you guys think. Thank you!

Wasn't sure if I should have posted this in the lighting forum, but here's my question. I was recently gaffing on a student short film where they were using a Bolex H16, however, the DP told me to read the exposures on the light meter from 1/80th shutter speed, not the normal 1/48 (for 24fps). We were shooting at 24 fps, and he told me that the camera itself doesn't shoot at 1/80 shutter, but that the mechanics of the camera cause some light loss, so it's best to expose based off a theoretical 1/80 shutter. My problem now is that I am shooting a short film with this camera, and I have a Sekonic L-558 light meter at my disposal, however, I cannot obtain a shutter speed of 1/80 in the ambient mode (can't get anything between 1/60 and 1/125). What is the most accurate way of calibrating/changing my light meter to get this 1/32 sec difference? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hi! I've posted up a link to the first four minutes (of a twenty minute film) I shot and produced this summer. This is pretty much the first "serious" film I've made. I would really appreciate any feedback/comments you guys have on the clip, especially about the night-lighting, and composition, because cinematography is my main focus of concern. I shot this with a DVX100a and edited with Final Cut Pro HD. The file was compressed to H264 format. http://www.enzymefilms.com/tolerancetrailer1.mov Please let me know what you think! Thank you! Elliot

Hello! In a few weeks I am going to be shooting a 4 minute horror film (16mm) for my film production class at school, and we have to shoot it on black and white reversal. I am relatively experienced at lighting for color negative stocks, but I am concerned about lighting/exposing for reversal, considering that it has such a narrow latitude (barely 1-1.5 stops of range - I've heard). I will be shooting on Kodak 7265 (80 ISO for tungsten lighting), and the film is all indoors during night time. Since reversal can be very "contrasty," how should I go about using (or not using) fill light on the subject and/or background? How should I go about lighting so that the subject will be seperated from the background, without letting the background fall into complete blackness? Is using hard light usually the best way to light with reversal, or is using soft light feasible? I would really appreciate any suggestions/tips on how I can best light for this film. Thanks!