News
Shooting on Location without Flying There
During this pandemic, how do we shoot on location without flying there? While some of us think green screen backgrounds are about as much fun as having root canal work, what if you could use affordable, consumer electronics, large screen LED TVs and projectors to let the actors interact in real time with their backgrounds on set? You can, and Sam Nicholson ASC explains how. He and his company Stargate worked on the HBO’s new series “Run.” The story travels across the United States on a train, but production never left the studio in Toronto—except to shoot the background plates in advance. Equipment includes RED cameras, Panavision lenses, DaVinci Resolve, lots of Blackmagic Design equipment, ARRI SkyPanels, 82″ monitors and lots more. read more…
Tags: "Run" HBO Series, An Interview with Sam Nicholson ASC on real-time virtual backgrounds and production in the time of Coronavirus, ARRI SkyPanels, Blackmagic Design, DaVinci Resolve, Panavision, Panavision DXL, RED cameras, Red Monstro 8K VV, Sam Nicholson ASC, Shooting on Location without Flying There, Stargate Studios, ThruView, Virtual backgrounds
Gods of Focus: Olga Abramson
The lack of marks or rehearsals on Uncut Gems was a given from the start; it’s a part of the Safdie brothers’ directing style. Whether lining up a frenetic running shot or an over-the-shoulder close up, Cinematographer Darius Khondji ASC, AFC would suggest a 150mm lens and the brothers would revel in raising the stakes. Why not a 250mm? Or better yet, a 360mm? read more…
SIGMA fp 2.00 Update
The critics at Cahiers du Cinema espoused a new vocabulary for film students to memorize in the following years: auteur, the director as author and le caméra stylo, writing with the camera as if it were a pen. Actually, a lot of this theory was just that: theory. There was, of course, an entire crew around the camera, behind the author and the pen and the talented cinematographers who liberated the camera from its fixed tripod.
It has been said, at times ironically, that the new wave owed much to the fact that you could avoid pesky Parisian film permits by shooting without a tripod. Nevertheless, Truffaut, Godard, Decaë, Coutard and company would have wept with joy had the SIGMA fp, no larger than a pack of Gauloises, arrived 60 years earlier.
The SIGMA fp camera is the embodiment of an entirely new and liberated camera, an auteur’s stylo. SIGMA CEO Kazuto Yamaki called it “a deconstructed camera that allows for free and flexible styles that adapt to any genre. It is a camera for the next new wave.”
And now, SIGMA fp gets firmware update 2.00 —sort of like a cinematic spa rejuvenation. It is significant. Read all about it here. read more…
Tags: SIGMA fp 2.00 Update
Cooke Tour 2020 Chinese Translation
Who knew that Les Zellan and Robert Howard spoke fluent Mandarin Chinese? They don’t—but if you do, here is the FDTimes Cooke Factory Tour 2020 translated in Chinese, all 36 pages and online as a free download. Please go to the top right of our FDTimes Chinese homepage. read more…
Tags: Cooke Factory Tour, Cooke Optics
Focus Puller at Work: Din
The focuspulleratwork.com community is an engaging forum for Focus Pullers around the world. Interesting topics include “10 Best Things in your Toolbag” and “10 Things for Desert Shoots” and “10 Questions about You.” To share your story with the community, you can do so on the forum. There is also a group interview with 10 questions and every member is… read more…
Angenieux Optimo Primes on Location
Scene Two. What do the Angénieux Optimo Primes look like? To find out, let’s take a nature walk as the evening fog swirls onto Shinnecock Bay, Southampton, Long Island, New York. It’s one hour before sunset. Optimo Prime 28mm and 135mm lenses on a Sony a7R IIII with a Vocas PL to E-mount adapter, shooting 4K video and stills. read more…
Gods of Focus: Michael Burke
In this latest episode of “The Gods of Focus,” we focus on focus puller Michael Burke. Jon Fauer: You worked as First AC-Focus Puller on “Hunters” with William Rexer as DP. I understand you used RED MONSTRO 8K VV, SIGMA Primes and the Preston Light Ranger 2. Michael Burke: The studio and handheld cameras had Light Rangers on them. We… read more…
Canon EOS C300 Mark III S35 Camera
Canon’s new Super35 4K EOS C300 Mark III camera was introduced on April 20 and should ship later this year. It records Cinema RAW Light and XF-AVC internally, has electronic image stabilization, and a Dual Gain Ouput Sensor with improved dynamic range. The Dual Pixel Focus Guide eyepiece display shows whether you’re near focused or far and when you’re right on, it glows green. There’s 4K 120 fps Cinema RAW Light internal recording and HDR support for both HLG and PQ. This article is a summary of features. read more…
Jean-Marc Bouchut joins Band Pro
Jean-Marc Bouchut has joined Band Pro as Senior Product Manager – Angenieux. Widely known and respected in the industry, Jean-Marc worked at Angenieux for 30 years in R&D, service and sales. Jean-Marc Bouchut’s new position at Band Pro will involve coordinating technical matters of Angenieux EZ Zooms and Optimo Primes. He will support the sales and marketing teams at Band Pro as well as customers and clients in the Americas. read more…
Claire Mathon AFC: “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”
The Cannes Film Festival would normally be running right now. Portrait of a Lady on Fire premiered at Cannes last year. It is now streaming on Hulu. Céline Sciamma directed and Claire Mathon AFC was the cinematographer. Here is our interview, reprinted from the Feb 2020 edition of FDTimes. read more…
Denny Clairmont
Denny Clairmont passed away yesterday afternoon, May 11. He took a fall while at his home in Mill Valley, California. This is a tribute to a dear friend, mentor and icon of the film world. Denny Clairmont founded Clairmont Camera in 1976 with his brother Terry. Denny was like a father to so many of us, always there with advice and encouragement from the beginning of our careers. Denny never saw a camera or lens he didn’t want to improved or retrofit. read more…
Tags: Denny Clairmont
Chris Sieniawski, S1H, Ninja V, ProRes RAW
Panasonic and Atomos recently worked with Chris Sieniawski on a short film to demonstrate the Panasonic LUMIX S1H recording Apple ProRes RAW onto the Atomos Ninja V. The film is “Blind Love.” Dan Chung, Chief Marketing Officer of Atomos, was on a lock-down chat from London. We were joined by Krzysztof (Chris) Sieniawski in Warsaw. Here is an edited summary of our discussion. read more…
“Into The Rising Sun” with Blackmagic Cameras
Scott Wilson and Andre Dupuis started Echo Bay Media 20 years ago to focus mainly on travel documentary TV production. Recently, they co-produced a mini-series about Japan. They shot with a Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K, Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2. The Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 was our main “A” Camera. Grading and post was completed with DaVinci Resolve Studio. read more…
Australian Bigfoot and Blackmagic Camera
Attila Kaldy’s Track: Search for Australia’s Bigfoot is now streaming and on DVD. Produced by Sydney-based MoonLark Media, Attila takes us on a fascinating journey into the rugged Australian wilderness with an intrepid band of scientists and adventurers. Attila shot this documentary with the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, edited and graded in DaVinci Resolve Studio. read more…
Sony FX9 V2.0 Updates
Sony PMW-FX9 gets additional capabilities with Firmware Update V2.0. The download will be available later this year. Key features include additional Frame Rates for Full Frame and Super 35 internal recording—especially DCI 4K 4096 x 2160. 16-bit RAW Output when using a Sony XDCA-FX9 Extension Unit. Create your own 3D LUTs and import up to 16 of them from an SD card.Improved Auto Focus and Eye AF. Touchscreen focus control. Touchscreen menu settings. Base ISO-High is increased to 102,400 ISO. And more. read more…
Steve Holleran on C300 Mark III + 25-250
This article first appeared in FDTimes April 2020 Issue 101. Jon Fauer: I understand you were probably one of the first people to use both the new Canon C300 Mark III and the new 25-250 T2.95-3.95 zoom lens. How did this happen? Steve Holleran: About a month and half ago, Tim Smith from Canon approached me about pitching a… read more…
Gods of Focus: Dennis Scully
To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of Super35’s demise may have been exaggerated. God of Focus Dennis Scully discusses the new Canon EOS C300 Mark III camera, pulling focus on Steve Holleran’s Boneyard Ballet, Preston Cinema’s Light Ranger 2, his Tactical Motion Focus Wheel, Canon’s new CINE-SERVO 25-250 zoom lens, Bright Tangerine and Wooden Camera accessories, Teradek 4K wireless video, Atomos and Canon Monitors, and lots more. read more…
Tags: Atomos and Canon Monitors, Boneyard Ballet, Bright Tangerine, Bright Tangerine and Wooden Camera accessories, Canon C300 Mark III, CINE-SERVO 25-250 zoom lens, Dennis Scully, Gods of Focus, LR2, Misfit Kick Mattebox, Preston Cinema, Preston Light Ranger 2, Steve Holleran, Tactical Motion Focus Wheel, Teradek 4K wireless video
Panasonic S1H Concept + Design
Masanori Koyama: In recent years, there has been increased demand for more creative flexibility in post-production. Panasonic considered RAW recording to be an ultimate goal. Atomos has a deep understanding of Apple ProRes RAW recording. They quickly implemented Apple ProRes RAW recording via SDI with our EVA1 camera. Now, we have achieved Apple ProRes RAW recording via HDMI for the S1H as well, with the kind cooperation and innovative work of Atomos. read more…
Canon EOS C300 Mark III Report Reprint
Here is a standalone reprint of the Canon EOS C300 Mark III and CINE-SERVO 25-250 Special Report from FDTimes April 2020.
This is a free, printable 10 MB PDF download. read more…
FDTimes April 2020 Issue 101
Film and Digital Times April 2020 Issue 101 is now online.
FREE Download of Film and Digital Times April 2020 – Issue 101.
132 pages of new products and productions.
For the duration of this crisis, the current copy and the past year’s PDF editions of FDTimes can be download for free. Just click on any FDT FREE ACCESS button.
Subscribers: your login gives you access to the high rez print-at-home edition. Paper copies will ship when it’s safe and sensible and the supply chain for PPEs is assured. Until then, your subscription duration is extended. read more…
