Monthly Archives: July 2013
Nacho Guani Aerials in Uruguay
Nacho Guani is a powered paragliding photographer and cinematographer in Uruguay. Here’s how it works. He straps a small motor onto his back, like a backpack, runs a bit to take off, and is suspended in a seat/harness beneath the paraglider’s wing. Nacho’s paraglider flies from 15 to 45 mph at altitudes from Steadicam height to 18,000 feet. He carries… read more…
AbelCine Documentary Grant
Dancing with the Documentaries. America’s Top Docs. Doc Survivor. Whatever you want to call this competition, it could a great way to get a substantial amount of equipment rentals for your next documentary project. The 2013 AbelCine Documentary Grant gives you the chance to win one of three equipment usage grants. Create a 2-5 minute video pitch and upload it… read more…
Tags: AbelCine, documenary
Master Class in Vienna
10/18/13 – 10/20/13
IMAGO Forum in Vienna
IMAGO Cinematographers Forum INSPIRATION – MASTER CLASS for cinematographers in Vienna, Austria. Organized by AAC. October 18 – 20, 2013 A 3-day forum for professional cinematographers Featuring 3 to 4 prominent cinematographers and directors of some of the films on which they worked together. The Forum will be structured as a dialogue between the guest speakers and the audience – with… read more…
Oslo IMAGO Digital Cinema Forum
9/6/13 – 9/8/13
IMAGO/FNF Oslo Digital Cinema Conference
OSLO IMAGO DIGITAL CINEMA FORUM to be held in Oslo Norway for the 4th time. Organized by FNF. the 4th IMAGO/FNF Oslo Digital Cinema Conference September 6, 7 and 8, 2013 IMAGO and the Norwegian Society of Cinematographers in cooperation with the Norwegian Film Institute and Nordisk Film & TV Fond present 2013 Oslo Digital Cinema Conference. Preliminary program VFX/SFX… read more…
Alexa’s New SUP 8.1 gets /i
ARRI Alexa XT/XR Software Update (SUP) 8.1 enables Cooke /i lens metadata support, 90 fps Arriraw 4:3 recording onto XR Capture Drives, and other features outlined in the release notes and user manual (go to Downloads at arri.com ). Up to now, Alexa cameras recognized LDS metadata from ARRI/ZEISS equipped lenses (Ultra Primes, Master Primes, Master Anamorphics, etc). ARRI’s /i Technology… read more…
Tags: /i Technology, Alexa, ARRI Alexa, Cooke, LDS
Cinetech Italiana Dollies
I visited Cinetech Italiana s.r.l. — a couple of miles from Cinecittà Studios in Rome. Armando Grottesi is the owner and President. Over lunch at Gigi’s, his favorite restaurant (and now one of mine), I asked how the company got started. “I was an independent camera technician,” Armando explained. “One day, a long time ago, Henryk Chroscicki, Manager of Technovision (Natasza Chroscicki’s Dad),… read more…
Tags: Cinetech Italiana, Dollies
Méliès in Madrid
Retrospective of Georges Méliès (1861-1938). Obra Social la Caixa Foundation presents Georges Méliès, The Magic of Film at the CaixaForum de Madrid from July 25 – October 27. The exhibition includes films, photographs, drawings, posters, original equipment from the period, costumes, models and explanations. 21 films that will be shown, many accompanied by live music, including, of course, A Trip to the Moon (1902). The exhibition was… read more…
Panalight Rome
[new_royalslider id=”8″] Panalight s.p.a. is a major motion picture equipment rental house. Headquarters are a couple of miles from Cinecitta Studios in Rome, where they also have a branch office on the lot. Panalight was established in 1990. In 2008, offices were opened in Milan and Bucharest. In 2011 Panalight opened a branch in Malta. Panalight is an exclusive agent… read more…
Tags: Panalight
The Emperor’s New Pixels
On location in Pompeii, FDTimes uncovered a long-lost manuscript by the Emperor Titus. It contains an illuminating dialog on his push to implement IVXCVI versus MMXLVIII mosaics. (4K vs 2K) with mosaic maker Digitalus Imaginis Taciturnitas. Apologies to Mel Brooks, Zero Mostel, and my long-ago, long-suffering Latin teachers. read more…
AbelCine Open House
7/20/13
AbelCine Open House: AbelCine's Burbank Office
AbelCine opened their doors to an open house on July 20 at their 801 South Main Street, Burbank, CA office. The Open House included free seminars on Phantom Flex4K, Arri ALEXA, Sony CineAlta and Canon Cinema EOS cameras. AbelCine Technical Specialists, manufacturers, and guests answered questions and demoed equipment. There was be a silent auction, and raffles of gear donated by manufacturers,… read more…
Tags: AbelCine
Food and Digital Times – Rome
In the beginning of my career, director Mel London taught me that the reward at the end of a good day’s shoot was a fine dinner. In Rome, that included a fine lunch. Having spent the past two weeks working here, the following is a brief selection of film-friendly favorite places to squander per diems in Rome. Assunta Madre … read more…
Tags: Food and Digital Times
“The Human Voice” starring Sophia Loren – Naples Production Stills
[new_royalslider id=”7″] Here’s a slideshow of production stills from Naples, on the short film production of “The Human Voice.” Starring Sophia Loren, directed by Edoardo Ponti, cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC. From the 1930 play by Jean Cocteau, about a woman’s break-up and breakdown. Her lover calls on the telephone to announce that he is going to marry another… read more…
Tags: Canon, Sophia Loren, The Human Voice
Canon C500 vs C300
This just in from Larry Thorpe: an illuminating look at the differences between Canon C500 and C300 — with a PDF download. Perfect July 4th reading. Larry’s long title is Canon Senior Fellow Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Professional Engineering & Solutions Division. His four-letter title is “guru.” It’s a fascinating look at why shooting 2K 12-bit (or HD) on the Canon… read more…
Tags: Canon C500 vs C300, Larry Thorpe
“The Human Voice” Rome Slideshow
[new_royalslider id=”6″] At Studios International, Rome. Edoardo Ponti, Director. Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC, Cinematographer. Canon C500. Canon zooms. Cooke S4/i Primes. Codex Onboard S Plus Recorder. 2K 12-bit.
Tags: Canon C500, Codex, Cooke, Edoardo Ponti, Rodrigo Prieto
Sophia Loren, Edoardo Ponti, Rodrigo Prieto and Canon C500 in Rome
Sophia Loren stars in “Human Voice,” based on the play “La Voix Humaine” by Jean Cocteau. The 25-minute short is being directed here in Rome and Naples by Edoardo Ponti. Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC is the Cinematographer. The interesting news for FDTimes readers may be the Canon C500 cameras with Codex Onboard S Plus Recorders being used on this production. They are… read more…
Panavized F55
Here’s a nice view of the Sony F55 (ghosted) with the new Panavision modifications in plain sight: customized viewfinder with heater, leveling rod, finder arm, handles, cage around mount, PV mount, mattebox, and more. The two characters on the monitor are (l-r) Panavision’s Haluki Sadahiro, Director, Product Management for Camera Systems, and Dominick Aiello, Senior Camera Applications Engineer.
Tags: Panavision
