Notes On Video

Game Changers Part 4: Planning and Shooting | Michael Murie | Filmmaker Magazine In this fourth episode of a series on the making of the low-budget independent film, Game Changers, director Rob Imbs and cinematographer Benjamin Eckstien discuss audio recording, communication between director and cinematographer, and how to plan out shooting a multi-day, multi-location project. Earlier parts consisted of an overview and then discussed fundraising, casting, camera and lighting gear. Canon Publishes Short Film Shot on the C100 | Videomaker 1. Looking at the outdoor shots, the dynamic range appears to be pretty good. That said, they're all shot under overcast skies, so it's hard to say what kind of contrast the camera is really capable of capturing based on this film alone. 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey': How Is 48 Frames Per Second? | Mike Ryan | Huffington Post Q: Is Peter Jackson right that, even if it takes some time to get used to watching a film i...

Yesterday Sony held another webchat on their new PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 . Once again, here's a transcript. I just tidied it up; moving the answers next to the questions and deleting any questions that weren't answered. You can find the full transcript on Sony's Facebook page. Admin : Hello and welcome to this Cinematographers’ webchat. In this session we will be talking with a panel with hands on experience using the PMW-F55 and the PMW-F5 and finding out how they got on. Joining us today will be Sony representatives Ainara, Porron, Lucie Wendremaire and Sebastian Leske. Lucile Hadzihalilovic, Director, and Dominique Colin, Cinematographer, join as the team behind the film “Images” shot in XAVC HD on the F5 on location in France. We are also joined by Steve Lawes, Director, and Martin Scanlan, Cinematographer, of ‘Dig’, a short film shot in 4K on the F55. Dado Valentic from MyTherapy joins to give a colourist’s perspective on working with the F55 footage. Steve Lawes:...

PRODUCT REVIEW: CANON 6D | jthorpephoto | Blog 4) Movie: It can record in all the same resolutions as the MKiii, so no difference there, I've heard of reports of Moire with the video, but I haven't seen it really. The video is a big upgrade from the MKii. Also the LCD is MUCH better than the MKii, and damn near the same as the MKiii. 5 Awesome Production and Post Production Online Newsletters | Jonny Elwyn | Premiumbeat Patrick Inhoffer’s excellent weekly newsletter is always jam packed with tons of great links to that weeks best color grading content. There’s always plenty of links to tutorials, color grading craft articles and a ton more on the business side of things, as well as a few ‘Sunday morning funnies’ too.  All enlightening and entertaining stuff.  It’s also a great place to stay on the inside track of what Patrick is up to and has got planned next. Weekend With The Sony FS700 | Robert Ruscher | YouTube I had the weekend to learn the ins an...

Canon C300 & C100 matching custom picture files | Paul Joy | Blog Here’s couple of screen grabs from my testing. I wanted to focus on the greens and yellows first as they are the trickiest to get right on the C300 so I assumed the same would be true on the C100. The C100 actually seems to be a lot closer to a natural colour balance with it’s default settings than the C300 is.  Paul has also posted a follow up: Canon C300 & C100 matching custom picture files Ive spent some time working on custom picture profiles for the Canon C100 and C300 cameras that allow both cameras to be cut together and match well. I don’t own test charts but I’ve tested these under various conditions and they match well. The following examples were shot using the built in tungsten setting on both cameras, manual white balancing or dialling in Kelvin settings on both cameras can produce non balanced results so I prefer to use the presets for two camera shoots when possible. Canon C300 Firmwar...

From Sony Professional Europe on Facebook. Sony held a webchat a few weeks back (see:  Sony "NewF" Webchat ) and now they are going to do another one on the 4th: Don't forget to sign up for a reminder to join our #TheNewF Cinematographer's Webchat on Tuesday. We'll have cinematographers and product experts who have worked with both cameras answering questions on December 4th. Get your questions ready and register for a reminder here: http://www.facebook.com/SonyProfessionalEurope/app_310432762368131 “Dig”, was written and directed by Martin Scalan and shot in 4K using the PMW-F55 by cinematographer Steve Lawes on location in Wales. “Images”, was directed by Lucile Hadzihalilovic and was shot in XAVC HD using the PMW-F5, by Dominique Colin on location in France.

The future of 4K video and the cheapest way to shoot it | Tony Reale | NextWaveDV A look at the actual -estimated - cost of some 4K options: So what’s the most cost effective option for 4K? There is one last option that we haven’t talked about. The FS700 + Sony’s 4K option gives you 16bit 4K RAW. But remember back when we talked about the AJA Ki Pro Quad? 4K 10bit for $3995. Sony has hinted that the FS700 will support third party 4K recorders. Right now the Ki Pro Quad is one of the only 4K recorders on the market. Mahout - Sony F55 CineAlta 4k Camera Demo | Stargate Studios | Vimeo Sony asked Sam Nicholson, ASC, and Stargate Studios to produce a short film to test the F55. Nicholson, along with production teams from Stargate LA and Stargate Mumbai, travelled to Sri Lanka to produce the film, hiring local talent and crew to help in the production. "Mahout" follows an orphan girl who helps a baby elephant escape an abusive owner and return to his herd in the wild. ...

SONY ANNOUNCES PRICING FOR NEW CINEALTA 4K CAMERAS | Sony As expected, Sony announced the list prices for the PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 , and as expected, I can't afford either. Actual street price might be a bit lower... PMW-F5 CineAlta 4K Camera $19,400 PMW-F55 CineAlta 4K Camera $34,900 AXR-R5 RAW Recorder $6,300 Canon C100 Review – First impressions | Paul Joy | Blog This little camera intrigues me because it's big brother the C300 produces a great image, but I can almost afford the C100 . It does have some limitations, as Paul lists in this first impressions article. If you're interested in the camera, B & H now has it in stock . The side grip on the C100 is the same as the one on the C300, other than the addition of the orange dot on the record button. As with the C300 the C100 comes with a cover that can be attached when the grip is removed to allow operation of the camera in a hassleblad type position (hands clasping the body). This is all well and go...

Sony F5 and F55 96-page Report | Jon Fauer | Film And Digital Times A free 12 MB PDF of the Film and Digital Times Sony F5 and F55 96-page Report is now ready to download. Major motion pictures shot with the F65 will be released this spring andsummer. I think everyone will be excited to see the results. But the overall price of the F65 may have been a little bit high for television production. We have always felt that prime time television is a Sony domain starting many years ago with the F900, and moving to the F23 and F35. Sony cameras were used to shoot quite a few shows. So, we wanted to get back our leadership position in that part of the market. REVIEW - Panasonic AG-AC90 Camcorder | ADAM GARSTONE | Definition Magazine For its very competitive price (around £1500 plus VAT) the AC90 is a really nicely packaged product. It’s lighter than it looks, but is made of good quality plastics and feels like it’ll stand up to the normal levels of abuse. It’s well balanced too, whet...

First Sony F55 sample movie – 4K 60fps | Andrew Reid | EOSHD Sony wasn't supposed to show these until the 28th, but once again they have leaked out early... Here it is! Shot in 4K at 60fps for slow-mo, this is a test movie from the Sony F55. Designed to compete head-on with the Arri Alexa, the camera’s major selling points are a global shutter and future proof 4K.Although YouTube streams at 4K bear in mind that there is a LOT of compression added onto the image. Canon EOS C500 – Review & short film “ALEX” | Nino Leitner | Nino Film The C500 can’t record anything different from the C300 internally – it’s the same MXF files with the same bit rate (50MBit/s at 4:2:2), even the internal high speed recording isn’t any better (it’s 720p at 60fps in NTSC mode, and 30fps in 1080p mode). An external recorder was essential, and in the beginning we had our share of troubles sourcing one for our shoot. Shooting with the Blackmagic Cinema Camera Part 2: Canon and Nikon lens tes...

On Tuesday, October 30th Sony held a webchat on "The New F"; the PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 . Below is an edited transcript; I have put the answers next to the questions and grouped them by subject. Features Q: Has the retail price for the F-5 and F-55 body been established as yet? Peter Crithary: The retail pricing for the camera systems have not been announced yet Q What is the weight of the F55 with external recorder? Peter Crithary: The dry weight of the F55 and F5 camera body is about 4.5lbs Q: Have the included modules been worked out yet? Wondering about the audio module, the TC module? Peter Crithary: The audio module and TC Genlock module are included Q: Will the camera be sold as a package or “al la carte” (where the customer specifies which modules, & viewfinder they wish to buy)? Fabien Pisano: It is of course possible to purchase module by module ; we are considering the bundle approach for later announcement Sebastian: we are considering all ...

MPC YEAR-END MEETING Wednesday, November 28th at WGBH Cocktails & Networking: 6:00-7:30 pm. Presentations: 7:30-9:00 pm. RSVP + INFO: mpc-november-meeting-wgbh Join your friends and colleagues to ring in the holidays with a great night of cocktails, presentations, and networking. 2012 MA Year In Review Highlights: Celebrating a wonderful year in film, we are excited to share a special reel of Massachusetts film, television, and commercial highlights from 2012. Speakers & Presentations: • Lisa Strout – Massachusetts Film Office • Diane Pearlman – Berkshire Film & Media Commission • Aframe: Cloud Video Production MPC SEMINAR SERIES: DISTRIBUTION Saturday, December 1st at High Output Coffee & Bagels at 9:30 AM. Seminars from 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon. RSVP + INFO: distribution-seminar-december-1st The Distribution seminar will focus on an in-depth discussion on putting film and media into the world – from Film Festivals and Ad Campaigns – to PR and so...

What difference does a lens make? | Den Lennie | F-Stop Academy Den compares Canon L lenses with some Zeiss lenses I prefer the warmth and resolution of the Zeiss lenses.  I think they manage to retain detail particularly when the image is zoomed in even at 400%.  They seem top hold more contrast also.  To be completely fair I did not put every focal length up like for like as I don’t own the full set of Canon Primes but if you are looking for a great set of affordable cine primes then the Zeiss ZF.2 will give you a lot of bang for buck.  Live 4K in Remote Sports Production Is Still a Way Off | Brandon Costa | Sports Video Group “It’s not about technology, and it’s not about equipment [in sports],” said Jerry Steinberg, SVP, field operations, Fox Sports, during a panel on the future of 4K at last week’s Content & Communications World convention. “In the television business, and I emphasize business, it’s about eyeballs. Whether it’s sub fees from homes...

BOSCPUG Screens Side By Side with Director Chris Kenneally Advance RSVP is required to attend: boscpugdec6.eventbrite.com Save the Date! On Thursday, December 6th, BOSCPUG is excited to bring you a special event exploring the digital cinema revolution as we pose the question,"Can Film survive our Digital Future?" We will begin with a private screening of the documentary SIDE BY SIDE , followed by a Q&A and reception with CHRIS KENNEALLY (Director) & guests. B & H Black Friday Deals Bryce Bayer c1929 - 2012 Known as the Bayer Filter, Bayer’s invention is still used in nearly every digital camera, video camera and camera phone on the market today. The Bayer Filter array was patented in 1976 (U.S. Patent No. 3,971,065) and features a checkerboard arrangement of red, green, blue filters that enable a single CCD or CMOS imaging sensor to capture color images. Father of the Bayer filter dies aged 83 - HD Warrior

B-Side: How a Bunch of First-Timers Made a SAG Ultra-Low Feature Without Blowing Up the Garage | Amos Posner | Filmmaker Magazine We planned to not fix anything in post. Anyone who says “Fix it in post” during production should have to donate a dollar to the crew beer fund. If you don’t plan to fix anything in post, you’ll still have lots to fix. Don’t invite more.  The Making of legendary skateboarder Danny Way documentary, Waiting for Lightning | Webinar | Adobe Thursday, December 13, 2012 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM See how the video pros behind Waiting for Lightning used high-performance Adobe post-production tools to document the life of Danny Way, one of the world’s most visionary skateboarders. This presentation will cover Bandito Brothers’ digital workflows which relied on After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, and other Adobe Creative Cloud tools to tell the story about how much abuse the body can sustain, how deep you have to dig to survive family troubles, and how ...

MATT ALLARD SHOOTS ‘THE IRON PSYCHE’ USING THE NEW KINERAW S35 CHINESE CINEMA CAMERA | Dan Chung | DSLR News Shooter The Iron Psyche was shot on the Kinefinity Kineraw camera. This camera records 2k 12bit RAW files to either Cineform or Cinema DNG. The camera used was an engineering sample and not a production model. It was edited in Adobe Premiere and the sound mix was done in pro tools. The EOSHD Blackmagic Cinema Camera Shootout | Andrew Reid | EOSHD Until now I was very satisfied with my FS100 and the DSLRs but going back to them after the Blackmagic Cinema Camera is very difficult. They look way too digital. 12bit raw is like looking out of a window. Truly film-like. The colours all look odd on the DSLRs now – compressed 8bit just doesn’t cut it any more. This is the first time DSLRS (and the FS100) are completely outclassed on image quality by a $3000 camera. Gopro3 vs 5D3 vs GH2 vs Gopro2 camera test  | TobyLoc | Vimeo Please note this test is slightly usele...