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My Super 16mm features


Prashantt Rai

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Hi there everyone, greetings!

 

Thought I will brief everyone on how super16 is still going popular with indie filmmakers and independent producers.

 

 

 

1. I shot a roadie film BOOM BOOM WALE in November last year for a director friend, is finally coming up for DI grading next week.

The film was shot on a small budget. I used china balls and some practical lights for interiors and exteriors were all shot without lights. The results are good and the director is happy.

 

2. Am currently filming SANDRA BEDS SANDEEP on super 16 using Kodak Vision 3 stocks - 50D and 200T. My producer is a young guy who comes from television background. When we were doing pre prod he was slight apprehensive of super 16 being grainy. But I showed him some results and he loved it. He ran the numbers for both digital cine cameras and film cameras with stocks and he concluded that film turns out cheaper with good looks in built in the negative. and after that he hasn't looked back.

 

What started as another shoestring film shot handheld turned into a full fledged feature. He hired studio spaces, built sets, got me lighting and grips package, generator vans, etc. He is satisfied with the results so far. almost 90% of principle photography is over.

 

3. The same producer now intends to start my second film JACKnJILL on Super 16 to be shot tentatively in Oct 2014. Earlier he was thinking of upgrading it to 35 but 16 is good he feels. It has a hell lot of character and feel.

 

 

 

 

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Aaton Super 16mm cameras were used for the Somali fishing village scenes. They then switched to 35mm once the pirates board the American shipping vessel. The C300 was only used for aerial shots.

 

Check out the November 2013 issue of American Cinematographer.

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Stocks are so good today, the 16 stuff just looked like grained 35mm stuff since they used longish lenses in the fishing village scenes. Its only when you get to wider shots and look at depth of field, where the 16mm use is apparent.

 

I would have shot the whole movie on the 416, it would have made for quite an interesting look.

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James Compton,

thanks for the info. Did they use S16 inside the lifeboat?

 

 

Prashantt,

 

According to 1st AC Oliver Driscoll, The cameras used on 'Captain Philips' were the Aaton XTR Prod 16mm, Aaton 35mm Penelope, Arri 235, 435 and ARRICAM LT. VISTAVISION 35mm was used for VFX plates. The ALEXA was used for aerial shots. GOPro cams were used for POV shots of the SEAL team parachute jump. No C300's were used on the film.

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The one critical thing about shooting 16 is to have a ultra clean and tight gate. I've had nothing but problems with worn gates on SR's. So I prefer the newer cameras because the gate, backplate and mags are practically brand new! :)

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I used 416 also for 3-4 days during the recent feature shoot. Very smooth camera. The only problem i had was once you press the button to roll, the shutter revolves once and stops, and after a pause it starts running again. I had tough time getting used to that. Why does that happen? can someone explain please.

cheers

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  • 2 weeks later...

I used 416 also for 3-4 days during the recent feature shoot. Very smooth camera. The only problem i had was once you press the button to roll, the shutter revolves once and stops, and after a pause it starts running again. I had tough time getting used to that. Why does that happen? can someone explain please.

cheers

The 416 goes through one 'phase' cycle when you press run just to ensure the perfs are properly lined up and you won't tear a perf. It takes getting used to but it is just an extra measure the camera takes for the safety of the film in the gate.

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The 416 goes through one 'phase' cycle when you press run just to ensure the perfs are properly lined up

 

Aha, its a nice feature then. Self and my assistants are used to manually pressing the Phase buttons every two-three shots depending on how much rush i was in :-) . 416 comes automatically. Mixed feelings here.

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