nofilmschool » shooting

Ridley Scott Reflects on Beginnings, Breaking Into the Industry, and Using Too Much Smoke

Dave Kendricken — Sun, 05 May 2013 03:42:50 +0000

We are fortunate enough to live in a day and age in which the words of prolific and eclectic filmmaking talents come readily and often. We’ve already heard from working cinematographers such as Roger Deakins and Blue Valentine DP Andrij Parekh, as well as friends of nofilmschool Ryan E. Walters and Timur Civan. We’ve also heard from directors such as Steven Soderberg and Ridley Scott – and all of this is just to name a few. Now, we have a few more valuable words from Sir Ridley — this time discussing everything from his breakthrough into the industry, his experience in learning how to work with actors, and honing a highly sensitive visual eye. Click through to hear these words and more from “the director who uses too much smoke!” (more…)

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Cinematographer Sam Levy on Motivation: 'It's Just a Feeling'

Micah Van Hove — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:13:16 +0000

From Wendy and Lucy to The Romantics, Sam Levy’s work as a cinematographer is marked with naturalism and attention to character blocking. Here he sits down with Craft Truck to discuss his work, how he began as an assistant and lensed his first feature film on a standard def Mini DV camera. Hit the jump to learn more and to watch the full interview: (more…)

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Opening Up 4K: Sony Expands Consumer 4K Market Compatibility with XAVC S

Dave Kendricken — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:24:36 +0000

Sony’s tight cluster of NAB 2013 4K-centric announcements featured some of the most affordably priced UHD TVs yet seen all the way over to the external recorder-enabled 4K shooting capabilities of its FS700. The latter announcement also made it clear that Sony is looking to put a wide variety of encoding and format options into the hands of shooters — and beyond, potentially. Aside from external and third-party recording expansion, Sony is opening up its efficient 4K XAVC codec — native to the F5 family — to the consumer as well as the prosumer. Read on for some details regarding these new ‘lite’ encoding/wrapper options, dubbed XAVC S. (more…)

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Watch: 'The Art of Steadicam' Pays Tribute to Film's Great Gliding Shots, Operators, and Pioneers

Dave Kendricken — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:41:47 +0000

While hand-held shooting has basically been around since there was a camera light enough to do so, it’s safe to say that the Steadicam (which is technically a Tiffen name) constitutes a cinematographical revolution all its own. Hand-holding dates back as early as 1911, but it was a long time before cinema gained the dolly’s fluidity of motion coupled with the hand-held operator’s freedom of travel. Audiences would first meet the ‘Steadicam shot’ in 1976′s Bound for Glory, and the first impressions were enough to earn the film an Academy Award for Cinematography. Larry Wright of Refocused Media recently created a supercut called The Art of Steadicam, paying homage to the ground-breaking invention and the artists who helped reshape the possibilities of cinematic movement — check it out below. (more…)

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'Frozen River' DP Reed Morano on Shooting Movies: 'It's Not for You, It's for Someone Else'

Joe Marine — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 03:15:26 +0000

There was quite a bit of back and forth regarding the role of the DP on a recent post about Andrij Parekh, much to the surprise of myself and a few others. The DP is one of the most important people on a production. The real purpose of the last post was to hear from a working professional that the cinematographer has to be a collaborator and must serve the story. Now we’ve got another Craft Truck interview from Jeff Glickman, this time with Reed Morano, the director of photography on Frozen River. In the video below, Reed talks about her process and her career, and how she’s risen up through the ranks. (more…)

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Hive Lighting Brightens Up All-Plasma Chevy Volt Ad (With Only Batteries and 60A Generator)

Dave Kendricken — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:37:48 +0000

Modern lighting technology continues to become more energy-efficient, while at the same time increasing light output. This applies to LEDs, but it also applies to plasma lighting systems, which are growing rapidly in popularity. Plasma is capable of a very naturalistic light spectrum (much closer to traditional Tungsten lights depending on the design), which is usually more difficult with LEDs. A company really pushing the boundaries of plasma technology is Hive Lighting, who recently lamped-up a 30-second Chevy ad using only batteries and a 60 amp generator — to rather impressive effect. Check out a line-item lighting breakdown of the Volt Plasma Challenge video from Hive Lighting below. (more…)

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'Blue Valentine' DP Andrij Parekh: 'People See Movies for Great Performances, Not Nice Photography'

Joe Marine — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 03:58:56 +0000

There is no question the director of photography is one of the most important jobs on set. The DP helps the director set the look of the film, and depending on their working relationship, may actually have quite a bit of influence on the final film. In the end though, the DP’s job is to help the director get the movie “in the can” at all costs, even if that means sacrificing time for lighting and camera moves. Blue Valentine director of photography Andrij Parekh sat down with Craft Truck, a website that focuses on discussions with technical storytellers from the world of film, to talk about his career and how he sees the role of the cinematographer. (more…)

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What is the 'Real' Aspect Ratio of 'On The Waterfront?' Plus, Restoring a Warped Hitchcock Classic

Dave Kendricken — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 22:05:08 +0000

The aspect ratio is one of the fundamentals determining your compositions. Even though we live in a time where displaying any aspect ratio is incredibly easy, films are still being shown incorrectly in many mediums in an attempt to make them fill the entire screen (even if that’s not the intention of the filmmaker). Interestingly enough, cinema history has actually been plagued by these kinds of issues related to aspect ratio. A visual essay by Criterion Collection illustrates how the intended aspect ratio of On The Waterfront is still in question to this day, and we also get a demonstration of the impressive restoration to Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much from a heavily warped and damaged print. (more…)

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Meet Sony's New Budget Mirrorless Camera, the NEX-3N, and a New SLT, the A58

Dave Kendricken — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:53:36 +0000

Sony isn’t about to be left behind in any facet of video technology, be it camera, console, or display. They’ve got a model at every conceivable price point for every person out there. There have been some leaks of a new budget mirrorless camera, and now we finally have our first glimpse. Sony has unveiled the A58, a digital SLT (single lens translucent mirror), and the least expensive E-mount mirrorless camera in their lineup, the NEX-3N. They’re cheap, they’re light, and they’ll render “vivid, ultra-realistic colors” on special OLED displays. Read on for some details and beauty shots. (more…)

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SnapTrack Cinerails: a Light, Portable, Easy-To-Assemble Curved Dolly Track System on Kickstarter

Dave Kendricken — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:50:44 +0000

Danny Dodge is a cameraman and cinematographer who has devised what may be the most light-weight and portable curved dolly track system you’ve ever seen. Searching for a way to build the ultimate portable dolly setup, Dodge stumbled upon the fact that a draw string could be used to arch PVC track to any degree he wished. The SnapTrack Cinerails rig was the result. Combining a simple draw string device with seven Cinerails gives you up to eight feet of curvable dolly track that seems primed for low-impact DSLR shooting, weighs under ten pounds, and breaks down/sets up in about a minute. Check out the SnapTrack Cinerails below, and some pre-ordering info if you’re interested. (more…)

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RED EPIC-Shot 'City In The World' Paints a Darkly Beautiful New York City in HDR

Dave Kendricken — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 04:18:31 +0000

I’m as captivated by striking portrayals of urban nightscapes as anyone, ranging back to the existing-light-only Nocturne, to the aerial ghost-eye-views of FIREFLY. There’s just something breathtaking about seeing the biggest centers of life and activity during the desolate, slumbering hours. Filmmaker Colby Moore has added another quieting noct-urban document to the list. City In The World lays some high dynamic range RED EPIC sights on the city that never quite gets to sleep. Check out some of New York City’s dark side below, plus some details from Colby about his non-HDRx workflow. (more…)

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Beginner's Guide to Shooting a Dialogue Scene: Camera Angles, Framing, and Rule of Thirds

Joe Marine — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 22:50:48 +0000

It’s one of the simplest and most common scenes you’ll find in a film: two people talking to each other. Just because it’s one of the most common, doesn’t mean people still don’t get it “wrong,” especially those who are just making a movie for the first time. You may even subconsciously feel like something is wrong, but it’s possible you weren’t able to put into words what felt off about the scene. Embedded below we’ve got a great tutorial to help with choosing the proper camera angles and framing, and why the rule of thirds can make for a more interesting and “cinematic” scene. (more…)

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'Battle of the Bokeh' Beauty Contest Blind-Tests Canon, Nikon, and Sigma 35mm F/1.4 Lenses

Dave Kendricken — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:04:41 +0000

When considering lens options for purchase or rental, certain criteria may stand out to you more than others. This depends on what you shoot most often, or what a project demands. Perhaps as a run-and-gun doc shooter, you simply need the extra stop you get with one 85mm lens for the same price as another that doesn’t vignette as badly. Or you gave up a contrast performance you really preferred in favor of the IS lens of greater overall value. But what if money were no object, and focal length and speed were matched? An aspect you’d find yourself evaluating closely is the way each handles its bokeh, or de-focused areas of the image. DigitalRev’s latest Battle of the Bokeh is a comparison between Canon, Nikon, and Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lenses in precisely this spirit — with some unexpected results. (more…)

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Shooting Your Way Around the 180 Degree Rule and an Introduction to Composition Basics

Dave Kendricken — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 23:45:55 +0000

As modern filmmakers, we have the benefit of hindsight in understanding what has been established in cinema, like the basics of scene coverage and shot composition. One of these shooting essentials is the 180 degree rule, which guides our coverage of a conversation between two subjects. Think of how commonly two people hold a conversation in films you’ve seen, and you’ll have a good idea of how often the rule can apply! Read on to see how scenes can be boiled down to the most powerful imaginary measuring stick at a filmmaker’s disposal, plus some more on basic shot composition and framing. (more…)

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Upcoming B&H Seminar: 'Making a Movie Without a Hollywood Budget and Big Crew'

Dave Kendricken — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:00:58 +0000

Beginning in the summer of 2010, filmmaker Gail Mooney and her daughter took a 99-day journey all over the world to create “a film about people who were making a positive difference.” Opening Our Eyes was the result. The partially Kickstarter-funded film follows eleven subjects across six continents, and went on to achieve accolades such as Best Documentary at the 2012 Orlando Film Festival. Considering the scope and scale of the project, and the budget at which it was accomplished, Opening Our Eyes is a startling achievement — and, through an upcoming B&H seminar with Mooney herself, other filmmakers can learn exactly how it was accomplished. (more…)

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Learn How to Build a DSLR Shoulder Rig for Only $100 with Parts from eBay

Dave Kendricken — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:02:59 +0000

Since the explosion of DSLRs, shoulder rigs have become almost a necessity for smooth handheld work. Some you can buy on the cheap, others you can build yourself for even cheaper, and one can even double as a portable jib solution. Name brand rigs will save you the trouble of a DIY assembly job, and should hold up well enough to use on just about any shoot, but they’ll cost you quite a bit more. Now we’ve got another how-to video, this time geared toward shooters who’d like to build their own somewhat heavy-duty shoulder rig for as little as $100. Check out the video and the full eBay items list below. (more…)

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Panasonic's Revolutionary New 'Micro Color Splitter' Sensor Filter Doubles Light Sensitivity

Dave Kendricken — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:02:38 +0000

The most common way we get color images with digital cameras is with a Bayer pattern CMOS sensor, but there are plenty of variations on that design being used today. The upcoming Aaton Penelope Delta uses a Bayer pattern over a Dalsa CCD, for example, while the RED EPIC-M Monochrome uses the MX CMOS sensor foregoing color filtration entirely. By their very nature, though, color filters of any kind cut down the amount of light transmitted to the sensor. That’s why Panasonic is developing a brand new type of color filter that will employ diffraction to split up the color spectrum, instead of filtration, and thus will be capable of doubling the light sensitivity of the sensor. (more…)

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What is a Lens? Learn All About Lenses, and Watch the Creation of a Nikon Nikkor

Dave Kendricken — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 02:22:57 +0000

Not all glass is created equal. Some is shaped into things you drink out of. Some becomes windows, windshields, and portholes. And some become the tools you use every day to create beautiful images. Something as insanely resolute as 4K (or even 8K) broadcast and stereoscopic 48fps can only look so good with a junk piece of glass placed between the medium and the image — which can also work great if that’s the type of look you’re going for. Given all this, the birds and the bees of how lenses are made — and function, down to the basics — is definitely something many of us take for granted. (more…)

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Another DIY Bullet-Time GoPro Rig (This One's Handheld!)

Dave Kendricken — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 02:10:36 +0000

We recently featured several practical but effective techniques for creating the (by now) famous Matrix-esque ‘bullet-time’ effect — accomplished, in more than one case, by using an evenly spaced array of GoPros and some post-processing elbow grease. Clearly, the availability and portability of such cameras is catching on beyond conventional ‘action cam’ uses, and inspiring creatives of nearly any budget to create shots only A-budget Hollywood productions used to be able to pull off. GoPros make sense for such arrays, because they are forgivingly frameable (and decently affordable as far as rentals go). Now, another project has demonstrated what’s possible with these simple but adaptable cameras — in this case, built into a rig that can also be handheld. (more…)

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DIY Builds: Portable Jib That Doubles as Shoulder Rig, Panoramic Head, Dirt Cheap Steadicam

Dave Kendricken — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 22:54:39 +0000

There’s a variety of rigs out there for pretty much all your mounting needs — Cinevate and of course Kessler are go-to solutions for jibs running the gamut from heavy-duty to collapsible, respectively. The same goes for shoulder rigs, with options ranging from professional solutions to lightweight prefabs all the way down to homebrew kits. Of course, something that can pull double duty as a portable jib and custom shoulder rig — which you can put together yourself for $50, to boot — may be the best of, like, three worlds. Read on to check out some details — plus info on how to build your own 360 degree panoramic head mount, plus some hardcore DIY stabilizers — all geared toward the low-to-no budget but crafty shooter. (more…)

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