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What's shooting on Penelope in 2 perf


Chris Burke

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  • 2 weeks later...
Just curious what shows or features or shorts or anything anyone might know is using the camera. Or what film is out right now or will be that I can see.

 

 

If you have to see example of 2perf 35mm, check out Sergio Leone's films, they're all 2perf. I wouldn't expect anything shot with Penelope to look much different than anything shot in 3perf and matted to 2.35 in post. I see this is as more of a "producer's camera" in that it saves film stock (money) and really doesn't affect the image quality from shooting 3perf matte to 2.35.

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If you have to see example of 2perf 35mm, check out Sergio Leone's films, they're all 2perf. I wouldn't expect anything shot with Penelope to look much different than anything shot in 3perf and matted to 2.35 in post. I see this is as more of a "producer's camera" in that it saves film stock (money) and really doesn't affect the image quality from shooting 3perf matte to 2.35.

 

 

Traditional 2-Perf neg only has an image area as wide as the Academy Aperture, whereas a 3-perf (Super 35) neg has an image area as wide as full aperture. So a 2.35 crop from a 3-Perf neg will not need to be blown up as much as a 2.35 crop from a 2-Perf neg.

 

Now maybe the Penelope is not doing the 2-Perf frame the same size it was done in the 1950's and 1960's, I don't know.

 

Best,

-Tim

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I am currently working as the loader on an independent feature shooting on 2 Perf. But it is Panaflex GII's not the Penelope.

 

That's pretty cool. If it is not classified, could you give us all a ballpark to the budget they're working with?

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So, reading between the lines, there isn't a single production at any kind of professional level utilizing the 2-perf. format.

 

I guess 2 perf is more of a producer's format in that the savings in cost are what drives a production to switch from 4 or 3 perf to 2 perf _and now also to HD and RAW video. Most DP's would rather shoot 3 or 4 perf 35mm hands down for most projects.

 

Once I was talking to a DP during a location scout. At some point I asked him what 35mm format they were shooting. To which he replied "3 perf." And I said "have you considered shooting 2 perf?" To what the executive producer (who incidentally was busily talking on his cell phone, but had been obviously following the exchange as well) countered, part in jest, "At this point I am considering shooting 1 perf."

 

I imagine one of the things most feature film DPs and directors like about shooting 3 or 4 perf is that you can cover for different aspect ratios while retaining more resolution and less grain. As we know, one can cover for different aspect ratios on 2 perf, but the frame lines are so tight that everything has to be within 2 perfs, as opposed to 3 or 4 _so grain starts showing up more. And, if there are any hairs on the to and bottom of the frame, then short of digital fixes, that is it.

 

Case in point: Last year I attended new 35mm print screenings of several spaghetti westerns shot on Techniscope 2 perf at a local art house cinema. Grain wasn't particularly bad, but I made a point of trying to count foreign objects on the bottom and top frame lines. Some were worse than others, but I know on a couple of them I counted close to 40 or so instances of dirt on the frame lines before I would just loose count and instead try to focus on the plot. ;)

Edited by Saul Rodgar
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Traditional 2-Perf neg only has an image area as wide as the Academy Aperture, whereas a 3-perf (Super 35) neg has an image area as wide as full aperture. So a 2.35 crop from a 3-Perf neg will not need to be blown up as much as a 2.35 crop from a 2-Perf neg.

 

Now maybe the Penelope is not doing the 2-Perf frame the same size it was done in the 1950's and 1960's, I don't know.

 

Best,

-Tim

 

This is true, 3 perf 2.35:1 extraction yeilds about 12-15% more film real estate (IIRC) than 2 perf 2.35:1. It uses 50% more film than 2 perf, but is more flexible.

 

I can't get the Penelope .pdf to open right now, but I recall that Penelope repositions the frame a bit into the soundtrack area unlike other incarnations of 2 perf. That doesn't really make much difference as the heigth of the frame is obviously limited by the 2 perf pulldown.

 

The old Leone westerns probably aren't a great way to look at 2 perf in today's world. Film stocks have changed drastically since he was making those films. Perhaps a better comparison would be 3 or 4 perf Super35 productions shown in 2.35 extraction.

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Just curious what shows or features or shorts or anything anyone might know is using the camera. Or what film is out right now or will be that I can see.

 

 

Probably none *with this camera*....i don't think they've started shipping yet...or if they have, they would have only just started.

 

jb

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Probably none *with this camera*....i don't think they've started shipping yet...or if they have, they would have only just started.

 

jb

 

 

I think they have shipped or are just about to. I would have thought that there would be something slated to go into production with a Penelope package. Anyone at Abel know anything?

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I think they have shipped or are just about to. I would have thought that there would be something slated to go into production with a Penelope package. Anyone at Abel know anything?

 

 

In typical Aaton fashion they have been "just about to" for the last 18 months !!!!

 

 

jb

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In typical Aaton fashion they have been "just about to" for the last 18 months !!!!

 

 

jb

 

 

Well they are on the shelves at Abelcine, or at least in their rental and sales departments. I was more curious to hear any kind of feedback from the field on how it performs and such. There doesn't seem to be any savings on rental costs. It does really seem like a producer's format, the more I think of it. But I think that it is a valid one, good for some applications.

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It does really seem like a producer's format, the more I think of it. But I think that it is a valid one, good for some applications.

 

Oh, don't get me wrong. I would love to shoot 2 perf for the right project . . .

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Oh, don't get me wrong. I would love to shoot 2 perf for the right project . . .

 

in france, some commercials were shot in 2perfs. also several tv drama (they are still shooting: "PIGALLE" produced by Canal+) and also the last documentary of Raymond Depardon (as usual he operates the camera himself.)

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The old Leone westerns probably aren't a great way to look at 2 perf in today's world. Film stocks have changed drastically since he was making those films. Perhaps a better comparison would be 3 or 4 perf Super35 productions shown in 2.35 extraction.

Bruce... I know you rent 2-perf gear. Have you found any treatments or techniques to minimize 'hairs in the gate'? (I recall having asked this question some time back, and don't recall if there was ever a response. If there was one that I missed, I apologize for asking it again.) I've found this to be one of the biggest drawbacks to an otherwise excellent format.

Thanks.

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I've found this to be one of the biggest drawbacks to an otherwise excellent format.

 

How *could* they minimize hairs in the gate? Really, that has nothing to do with the camera, it has to d with the cleanliness of the manufacturer coupled with the cleanliness of the loading environment.

 

I'd be meticulously neat with 2-perf. just as I would with 16mm.

 

It's a natural state that, the more you magnify a given negative area, the more physical imperfections like dust, hairs, and scratches are going to show up.

 

This is one of the few things I like about 35mm 4-perf. academy that is later hard or soft-matted down to 3-perf.

 

You can get a hair in the gate and it doesn't matter most of the time unless it's huge!

 

Then again, even with anamorphic, hair isn't objectionable because it is magnified.

 

If I were shooting anamorphic, and had to do FX shots from planes or helicopters, I'd honestly consider 5-perf. 65mm, because I imagine it must be a nightmare to have to stage intricate ship/plane, action shots aerially and then have to go back and reshoot them because of a friggin' hair.

 

With cameras outside of the plane/helicopter, there really isn't an easy way to check. I guess you check right when you land, but even in this instance, there could be a hair for the earlier shots that cleared for the later ones.

 

Tora Tora Tora! got bitten by hair in the gate in quite a few of their aerial shots that were left in, although, fortunately for them, it was small-enough not to be too objectionable.

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Bruce... I know you rent 2-perf gear. Have you found any treatments or techniques to minimize 'hairs in the gate'?

 

I may have responded to this before, but my only response is that I have had no complaints from clients on this subject. I haven't used any special techniques other than trying to keep everything spotless, which I assume everyone does.

 

Bruce Taylor

www.Indi35.com

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...... and also the last documentary of Raymond Depardon (as usual he operates the camera himself.)

 

 

If you mean "La Vie Moderne", I went to see that and thought it was great! Not as good as "Etre et Avoir" (although not his, its a firm favourite of mine) but nevertheless brilliant!

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I am currently working as the loader on an independent feature shooting on 2 Perf. But it is Panaflex GII's not the Penelope.

 

 

 

are you at liberty to divulge? If so, please do. love to hear about it, especially any extra troubles with hairs and such.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just waiting for my newly bought 2 perf Eclair Cameflex CM3 to arrive. Then I'll do some tests. Looking forwad to!

 

 

Two films shot on 2 perf here in Sweden are;

 

Frostbiten

 

Varg (This one is with Peter Stormare, so it's probably easier to find).

 

 

 

Can't recall I saw any hairs or spots on THX 1133. Probably the most convincing film shot on 2 perf.

 

 

In some weeks or so I'll be able to shoot some tests, so then I'll know.

 

 

Anyone got any good tip on where to find motors and spareparts for Eclair cameflex?

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Can't recall I saw any hairs or spots on THX 1133. Probably the most convincing film shot on 2 perf.

 

Anyone got any good tip on where to find motors and spareparts for Eclair cameflex?

 

Yeah, THX, Two Lane Blacktop and American Graffiti seem al very clean at the gate. As long as the AC's are on top of it, it really shouldn't matter if it is 2, 3 or 4 perf. I have noticed the hairs at the gate mostly on the Spaghetti Westerns.

 

Raf Camera I think had some Cameflex motors available some time ago.

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films shot on 2 perf here in Sweden are;

 

Frostbiten

 

Anders Banke, the director of "Frostbiten" recently completed "Newsmakers," shot in Russia. It's a big action film with lots of explosions, gunfire, etc, looks like a hoot. Lensed by Chris Maris using Anders' 2 perf Kinor and Konvas cameras with an occasional Arri.

 

DP Neil Lisk is in Nashville shooting an independent feature with my Kinor 2 perf at the moment.

 

 

Bruce Taylor

www.indi35.com

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  • 1 month later...
Just curious what shows or features or shorts or anything anyone might know is using the camera. Or what film is out right now or will be that I can see.

 

 

I found out at least on production that is, first hand. I worked on The Fighter this week. It was a boxing scene, Mickey Ward's big upset win in Liverpool against Shane Neary. THe director and DP were going for realism throughout the shoot, so for the boxing match, they shot it Digibeta with seven cameras, just like HBO did in '95 for a documentary about Mickey Ward. Then, toward the end of the day, they shot some key moments on the Penelope in 2 perf. The poor AC who I asked, was very busy, but was happy to report that they were shooting 2 perf for the entire movie, except the boxing match. Cool to see the cameras in action, I thought they were two Xteras all loaded up with gear, but were indeed Penelopes in 2 perf mode. One of the camera ops said that they were lighter than the Digibeta cams they were hefting all day long.

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