Camera Operator Fall 2016

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS . FALL 2016

SOC.ORG · FALL 2016 VOL. 25, NO.4

Sully La La Land Nocturnal Animals Manchester by the Sea Technical Achievement Awards

“GENIUS CINEMATOGRAPHER BRADFORD YOUNG’S APPROACH IS

FLUID AND BEAUTIFULLY TACTILE, using the natural world to make the story genuine.”

ROGEREBERT.COM | BRIAN TALLERICO

FOR

YOUR

CONSIDERATION

IN

ALL

CATEGORIES

INCLUDING

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY BRADFORD YOUNG, ASC

PARAMOUNTGUILDS.COM

CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

6 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 8 NEWS & NOTES

22 SULLY

SOC Holiday Parties, SOC Lifetime Achievement Awards, and more

10 ESTABLISHING SHOT

22

Twojay Dhillon, SOC

14 SMOOTH OPERATOR Chris Taylor, SOC

54 TECH TALK Technology Award Nominees for the February 11, 2017

30

38 2

64 INSIGHT Meet the Members

"Prepare for Landing” Stephen Campanelli, SOC an interview with Derek Stettler

30 LA LA LAND "Dancing on the Set” Ari Robbins, SOC

38 NOCTURNAL ANIMALS "An Artistic Approach” David Emmerich, SOC

47 MANCHESTER BY THE SEA “A Trip Worth Taking” Petr Hlinomaz an interview with Derek Stettler

60 SOC @ CREATIVO 2016 Douglas Knapp, SOC

65 SOC ROSTER 67 AD INDEX 68 SOCIAL SOC Ian S. Takahashi, SOC ON THE COVER: (L-R) Director/producer, Clint Eastwood and camera operator, Stephen Campanelli on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ drama SULLY, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Keith Bernstein

47 SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

BEST PICTURE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING

BEST DIRECTOR JEFF NICHOLS

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY ADAM STONE

“TIMELY AND TIMELESS.” Stephanie Zacharek, TIME

“Adam Stone’s wonderful photography

CATCHES PERFECT LITTLE DETAILS.” Jessica Kiang, THE PLAYLIST

Written and Directed by JEFF NICHOLS

MOTION PICTURE: © 2016 BIG BEACH, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ARTWORK: © 2016 FOCUS FEATURES LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

For more on this film, go to www.FocusFeaturesGuilds2016.com CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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Society of Camera Operators Board of Governors OFFICERS President George Billinger 1st Vice President Mitch Dubin 2nd Vice President Dan Turrett 3rd Vice President David Mahlmann Treasurer Bill McClelland Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Frediani

BOARD MEMBERS Mark August Rochelle Brown Susan Campbell Dan Coplan Eric Fletcher David Frederick David Allen Grove Frank Kay Hugh Litfin Alicia Robbins Eric Roizman David Sammons Chris Taylor Chris Tufty

COMMITTEE CHAIRS Awards (Co-Chair) Mark August Awards (Co-Chair) Bill McClelland Charities Chair Lisa Stacilauskas

Communications Twojay Dhillon East Coast SOC Rep Bruce MacCallum Historical Michael Frediani Membership (Co-Chair) Dan Turrett Membership (Co-Chair) Eric Roizman Merchandising & Promo.

(Co-Chair) Rochelle Brown Merchandising & Promo.

(Co-Chair) Brad Greenspan Publications Michael Frediani Technical Standards Eric Fletcher

Mitch Dubin, SOC David Emmerich, SOC Petr Hlinomaz Douglas Knapp, SOC Ari Robbins, SOC Derek Stettler Ian Takahashi, SOC David Roy Tandeur, SOC Chris Taylor, SOC Dave Thompson, SOC Brian Trieb, SOC Brian Young, SOC

STAFF AND CONSULTANTS

PHOTOGRAPHY

Membership Services & Operations Coordinator Madison Burgess Bookkeeper Angela Delgado Calligrapher Carrie Imai Business Consultant Kristin Petrovich Kennedy and Createasphere

CAMERA OPERATOR MAGAZINE Publishing Consultant Kristin Petrovich Kennedy Managing Editor Kate McCallum Layout & Production Stephanie Cameron VP of Advertising Matt Price

CONTRIBUTORS

Stephen Campanelli, SOC Twojay Dhillon, SOC

James Bawks Ariel Benarroch Keith Bernstein Andrew Cooper Michael DeMeritt Robert Feller Claire Folger Michael Frediani, SOC Douglas Knapp, SOC David McIlvride Gunnar Mortensen Merrick Morton Dawn Nakamura Ed Nessen Albert Ortega Michael Pessah Stefan Tarzan Dale Robinette Chris Sloan

Carter Smith Winona Wacker Barry Wetcher Brian Young, SOC Harry Zimmerman Robert Zuckerman

TRIVIA

Source imdb.com and www.uselessdaily.com/movies

TO SUBSCRIBE

or for subscription information questions: SOC.org or 818-563-9110

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Matt Price, Director of Advertising mattprice@soc.org or 310-428-8071 For digital editions and back issues: SOC.org Camera Operator is a quarterly publication, published by the Society of Camera Operators.

Is a registered trademark.

All rights reserved.

“ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY SHOT MOVIES I HAVE EVER SEEN.” -Melissa Silverstein, INDIEWIRE

“A RICH VISUAL EXPERIENCE.” -Josh Terry, DESERET NEWS

“WITH SOME OF THE MOST STUNNING CINEMATOGRAPHY YOU’LL SEE, ‘THE EAGLE HUNTRESS’ HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.” -Chris O’Falt, INDIEWIRE

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Simon Niblett

THE EAGLE HUNTRESS A film by

4

OTTO BELL

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CONSIDER THIS

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Linus Sandgren, FSF

CAMERA OPERATOR OF THE YEAR Ari Robbins, SOC

“The city has rarely looked this gorgeous in films, a credit to the director’s romantic imagination as well as to the technical expertise of cinematographer Linus Sandgren.”

TODD MCCARTHY, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

LionsgateAwards.com

5

Letter from the President Dear SOC Members and Camera Operator Readers: Many activities have taken place throughout the year, and we will continue educating and gathering members at events taking place in LA, NYC and Atlanta through the remainder of 2016.

All events are posted on the website SOC.org under events.

As we come into the final stretch of 2016, we are anticipating and excited by an illuminating and amazing awards season this year.

We have assembled an amazing team of SOC Active members to plan and produce the SOC’s Lifetime Achievement Awards show, February 11, 2017 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in the heart of Hollywood, steps away from where the Academy Awards will take place shortly after our ceremony. Some key decisions (and hard ones at times) were made about the direction of the Awards with these objectives in mind: elevate, entertain, engage, and celebrate the incredible work of our membership.

You will see these objectives demonstrated by our choice of location, format, and through industry engagement.

We’ve added a pre-reception to mix and mingle, and an after party to celebrate, post-show. The SOC will also be hosting a special VIP event for the nominees, honorees and presenters the evening prior. A “Look Who’s Attending” link has been added to the Awards site, in addition to a seating chart at the welcome table, which will allow you to find members with ease.

We hope to honor the history and legacy of the Awards, and I invite all members, and our community to support and join in the celebration of the art and craft of the camera operator and crew. We are the only awards event that does so, and it is key that you take your place in the celebration. Follow the conversation #SOCAwards.

I hope to see you at the Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Sincerely,

George Billinger, SOC Society of Camera Operators, President

Calendar

SOC.ORG CALENDAR Please log onto the home page, soc.org, and click the navigation button, Events.

DECEMBER • • • 6

December 3, 7 - 10pm West Coast Holiday Party in Los Angeles, at Jones Hollywood December 10, 7 - 10pm East Coast Holiday Party in New York City, at The Ginger Man December , 7 - 10pm Southern Holiday Party in Atlanta, at Fado Irish Pub

FEBRUARY •

February 11 Society of Camera Operators Lifetime Acheivement Awards Loew’s Hollywood Hotel, Hollywood

MARCH •

March 11, All Day SOC Drone Workshop - Save the Date for the SOC Drone Workshop, in partnership with the Society of Ariel Cinematography, on March 11, 2017. More details to come.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CONSIDER THIS

“★★★★” “★★★★” “THE BATTLE SCENES ARE BREATHLESSLY KINETIC.”

“BLUNT AND EFFECTIVE,

A PICTURE CANNILY

CRAFTED FOR

MAXIMUM EFFECT.”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY SIMON DUGGAN, ACS

CAMERA OPERATOR OF THE YEAR MARK GOELLNICHT, SOC LionsgateAwards.com

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

7

News & Notes SOC HOLIDAY PARTIES Come celebrate the holidays and look forward to the New Year with your fellow SOC members in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York City! You are welcome to bring a guest.

Hosted drinks and light refreshments will be provided.

• • •

Dec 3, West Coast Holiday Party in Los Angeles, at Jones Hollywood Dec 10, East Coast Holiday Party in New York City, at The Ginger Man Dec 11, Southern Holiday Party in Atlanta, at Fado Irish Pub

SOC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS You are cordially invited to celebrate the craft of camera operating and the accomplishments

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of your industry peers at the Society of Camera Operators Lifetime Achievement Awards, presented on February 11, 2017 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in the Hollywood Ballroom. Attendance at the Awards includes; a hosted pre-reception, a three-course sit-down dinner with wine service, and an after party.

Log on to SOCAwards.com to purchase your seat or table.

WELCOME MADISON BURGESS Please welcome, Madison Burgess, Member Services / Operations Coordinator. Many members have already had the pleasure of working with her. Madison is modeling the new SOC merchandise, with the online sort launching soon. Welcome to the SOC team Madison!

Madison Burgess, Photo by Michael Frediani

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

“a glorious artistic achievement. one of the very best films of the year.

A visual wonderland of beauty and genuine big-screen magic.

Yet another LAIKA masterpiece.”

– SCOTT MENDELSON, FORBES

for your consideration in all categories including

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE DIRECTED BY TRAVIS

KNIGHT SUTNER, p.g.a., TRAVIS KNIGHT, p.g.a.

PRODUCED BY ARIANNE

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY FRANK PASSINGHAM

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

9 For more on this extraordinary film, go to www.FocusFeaturesGuilds2016.com

©2016 FOCUS FEATURES LLC AND TWO STRINGS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

by Twojay Dhillon, SOC

Establishing Shot

Twojay drums on Steadicam. Photo by David McIlvride. Right: Luggage commercial; driving shots. Photo by Michael Pessah.

I was born in England and raised in various places in Europe. My first true love in the visual arts was still photography. I studied and practiced photography as much as a young person could, pre-internet. On an unplanned trip to my sister’s university, I happened upon a film class showing the French New Wave Cinema classic, The 400 Blows, and it was unlike anything I had ever seen. I remember being confused and delighted by the film’s apparent simplicity. As the universe would have it, I suddenly didn’t have much time or attention to dedicate to the artistic endeavors of Truffaut, Varda, and Godard, as I was inflicted with the American cinema bug, courtesy of The Goonies and Back to the Future. My father had hung up his wrench, and he and my mother opened a small grocery store in Edinburgh, Scotland, which also happened to have a tiny movie rental section. I devoured everything available and made sure I was always at the shop when the delivery person would update the catalogue. On one of these visits, he handed me a book about the making of Back to the Future (I had talked about that movie a lot!). It was through the still images and captions featured in the book that I was able to glean a small snippet of what a film set looked like. I was hooked.

My family immigrated to the United States and landed in the Bay Area. The Bay was teeming with creativity, and the majority of what I was exposed to took place in the music and fashion world. I knew a few musical artists and one of them was able to get me on set as a PA for one of his friend’s video shoots. The Bay Area is the birthplace of independent hip-hop labels and, as such, my first exposure to being on-set was a drastic departure from the big-budget sets I had seen photos of in books and magazines. Instead, this set was strippeddown and gritty. I was assisting the director and the production designer with busy work quite close to the camera when I heard the call,

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“Swinging a lens!” I saw what can only be described as the cinematic equivalent of a Formula 1 pit-stop. Suddenly, I had a matte box thrust in my direction. I grabbed it, only to have it pulled from my palms two beats later. The DP had his eye back in the eyepiece and the AC signaled that “camera” was ready. That was my first experience with camera, and the only one I needed to realize that camera functioned as a unit. And a damned tight one.

I continued with my still photography, and delved into the writing side of things, and was accepted into San Francisco State University in the Cinema Studies Program. The program at SFSU was incredibly theoretical and experimental. I, on the other hand, was a pragmatist and a massive fan of studio films, the only real departure being the ongoing affair I had with French and Italian New Wave Cinema. Since I learn more by doing, I wrote a short film that combined elements of those styles and set about assembling a cast and crew.

All was going according to plan–or so I though—until that fateful day. I had my cast, crew, and permits (thank you Oakland Film Permit Office). I even had extra PAs for the lock-off of a street which had two of the main characters walking from inside one house, across the street, into another house, and then back across the street. Up until this point, I had adhered strongly to the Robert Rodriguez school of filmmaking–operating my own camera and editing the film in my head as I went along. Enamored by the long-take, however, I had hired a Steadicam operator to pull off this crossing-the-street shot.

I was busy rehearsing with the actors when I saw that the Steadicam operator was having one hell of a time getting the rig built. I had been on enough music video sets at this point to know the cause. I gave him extra time to get things handled but it simply wasn’t happening,

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

“SEAMUS McGARVEY’S CINEMATOGRAPHY IS STRIKING.” Matt Goldberg, COLLIDER

“A TOUR DE FORCE FROM TOM FORD.” Geoffrey Macnab, THE INDEPENDENT

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING

BEST PICTURE Produced by TOM FORD, p.g.a., ROBERT SALERNO, p.g.a.

BEST DIRECTOR TOM FORD

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY SEAMUS McGARVEY, ASC BSC

WINNER

GRAND JURY PRIZE

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

11 For more on this film, go to www.FocusFeaturesGuilds2016.com

© 2016 FADE TO BLACK PRODUCTIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ARTWORK: FOCUS FEATURES LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

I ended up operating the sequence handheld. It was in expressing this frustration to one of my teachers that the moment happened—my teacher cocked their head at me and simply said that they thought I should learn Steadicam myself (what else would somebody from the Bay Area say?!).

Phil Joanou. A few weeks later, principal photography on The Veil commenced and I finally got to feed my feature-length desire. It was a physically and mentally demanding shoot—ensemble cast, almost all on location in the woods, and lots of handheld and Steadicam. I learned that those are the conditions in which I thrive.

Over the next few years, I fell in love with camera operating, and practiced and operated with a borrowed Steadicam. Having a strong background in still photography really helped me in my study of motion-picture camera operating as I knew how to compose a frame, and was aware of the effects different lenses had on their subject. I finally made the move to living in Los Angeles full-time in 2008. I only knew one person in Los Angeles, a friend from film school who had made the move a year before me. He got me a job as a set PA on a freebie PSA. It was the first time I had been on a real-deal set. There was equipment and people everywhere! It was just like the photos in that book about Back to the Future.

Steeven and Phil gave me the honor of collaborating with them and I can never thank them enough for allowing me to stretch my legs.

I spent the next four years working as a camera PA while I continued to hone my operating skills in the non-union world. I kept my operating practically a secret until one day when I was driving the camera truck on a commercial, and at night I was the Steadicam operator on a music video. The 2nd AC from the commercial was also the 1st AC on the music video. The cat was out of the bag–I was an operator.

I had amassed many days as a non-union operator, and in 2012 I turned those days in to join Local 600 as a camera operator. I was very quickly welcomed into the union commercial world, where much of my short career has taken place. Still, I yearned to help bring narrative stories to life, but was unable to feed that desire outside of day-playing, until I got a call to interview for a-camera/Steadicam operator on a union feature being shot by Steeven Pettiteville and directed by

The Steadicam shot that ends that movie was planned for an entirely different day than when it was shot, but due to a variety of reasons I was informed that we would be doing the shot shortly after lunch. In my head, I had a slew of things that needed to be taken care of before the actual filming: the gopher holes had to be filled in, I needed to coordinate with the background actors as to our relative positioning, etc. Sometimes in the film world you have to run and gun, and this day and the shot were no exceptions. After making sure the ground was okay for safety, Phil, Steeven, and I quickly came up with a Steadicam shot that hid the shortage of background actors, but still allowed Thomas Jane to perform his monologue that none of us had heard in its entirety. Over the course of the next few takes, we learned the length and timing of the monologue, and adjusted the speed and positioning of the camera to capture the performance. Phil and Steeven were just ecstatic with the shot and fought very hard in post to keep the shot as a oner.

I am incapable of losing my wonderment for story, photography, the sets upon which we combine both, and the people that show up to make that happen. Whether it is helping the DP and director push the creative envelope in the commercial world, or assisting in capturing character in the narrative world, the camera operating seat offers a staggering view of it all.

Twojay Dhillon, SOC Twojay Dhillon, SOC has been a member of the SOC for six years and is a former member of the Board of Governors.

He has assisted with The Underwater Workshop and was a co-chair of The Social Media Committee. His recent credits include the feature: Legend of The Hidden Temple, television shows; Cooper Barrett, New Girl, Cosmos, commercial clients include: Nike, Ford, GM, L’Oreal, CoverGirl, and Apple, music videos for Beyonce and Janet Jackson.

Setting up a shot with John Newby, ASC. Photo by David McIlvride.

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

13

Smooth Operator

ACTING FOR THE CAMERA: THE ART OF THE POV SHOT

Chris Taylor, SOC

Working with the Fujinon 75-400 on MURDER IN THE FIRST Season 3 TNT with dolly grip, Jamie Young. Photo by Dawn Nakamura

When I started in the business as a camera assistant on low-budget movies, I found myself often being asked (or tricked) into being in

THE BEST JOB ON THE PLANET

front of the camera from time to time—acting. Never any lines, but

So, I stayed behind the camera, and have the best job on the planet in

acting all the same. One morning I found myself “acting” as the boy-

my humble opinion—camera operator. But I didn’t give up acting en-

friend of an actress I was smitten over only mere moments earlier

tirely, because telling the story with the camera is a performance after

(hey, I was young). The director told me,“You drive up and drop her

all, just one where nobody knows I’m famous—as I like to say. We’re

off. Oh, and don’t forget to give her a peck on the cheek before she

behind the camera, dancing with the actors in harmonious storytell-

gets out.” That sort of thing happened so often, I sometimes look

ing. Our performance is as telling and important as that of first team,

back and wonder if I should have pursued acting. How crazy would

proven by the times we ask for another take and it’s granted. I may

it have been to just fall into a career some pursue for a lifetime? Peo-

not have my own trailer, but I have more assistants than first team. Ha

ple would have hated me for it and I couldn’t blame them. I have to

ha. I digress. The point is that we often have to really act behind the

believe in my heart of hearts that it could never really be that easy.

camera, especially when tasked with shooting a point-of-view shot.

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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OCON.COM 15

San Francisco unit of MURDER IN THE FIRST with poducer and director Caroline James.

Photo by Stefan Tarzan

THE ART OF THE POV SHOT

SHOOTING THE POV: TECHNIQUES

You all know this, but it has to be said that the POV shot puts the audience in the eyes of the character, usually to convey something so important, something that the audience can’t miss it. Maybe that character is the only one who sees this new information. Are they scanning a room for the first time? Reading a newspaper headline?

Spying on someone? Did they find the murder weapon? Either way, a camera operator is tasked with getting into the head of that character.

Since the camera operator pays attention to the nuances of the actor’s movement, we hopefully remember the body language that brings them to seeing the place, the words, the people, or the thing.

You see, “performing” a POV can’t really be any more subjective. That is to say that even a camera operated with motion control perfection to the actor’s movements can be seen as too slow or too fast in the eyes of the director, writer, editor, or whomever is tasked with approving the shot they need, but don’t always care too much about.

Luckily, most POV shots are MOS, but even when they aren’t, the sound is pretty much always a scratch track. I use this knowledge to my advantage and talk my way through the shot. If the character has a line, I’ll say it. But if they’re just reading a newspaper headline, I’ll say something like, “What’s this? Key witness killed in suspicious car accident. No way!” I literally say this out loud and it really helps a lot.

Prefacing with, “What’s this?” and ending with, “No way!” gives the heads and tails to the shot that everyone knows is needed, but may not have seen with the timing they saw in their heads. Giving audio cues allows us to establish a baseline that can then be made slower or faster depending on the taste of the person in charge. “Good, but he just glances at the paper real quick,” or “Really take in the words this

I honestly used to hate doing a POV shot. The actors aren’t always involved which puts all the pressure on you, the director micromanages you, it’s usually shot with a handheld camera and people really just want to get them over with; especially when they’re the last shot of a scene they want to finish or are late with. Tensions can be higher than normal. I’ve formed a technique for success and lowering tension which makes me quite enjoy shooting a POV these days.

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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17

On the set of MURDER IN THE FIRST using a slider as a bridge, hi-hat, dolly and seat.

Photo by Chris Sloan

time and do a little dramatic push in at the end.” Those are the notes I find are inspired by talking through the shot which are abundantly more helpful than, “Slower next time.” Or, “That took too long.” This brings up another reason for a POV shot—sometimes the filmmaker wants to change the timing they were given by the actor during a scene. Maybe they “made a meal” of something they saw, or did it too quickly. These shots can serve many purposes and really are very important. I want to move on just as much as the guy paying the bills, but I have a duty to do it the best I can. So if I can add clarity and get it in one take, even better for the team and the project as a whole.

ple laughed, and I received more detailed guidance from the director

THE INVISIBLE CHARACTER

truly terrified too. He was in a Porta-Potty, peering through a hole at

In my experience, the hardest POVs are where you have to follow an invisible character. You can never be right—but you can also never really be wrong. I kid, but I once had to follow a nonexistent, soonto-be CG robot flying around a skyline and was told that I was going too fast. “Tell him to fly slower,” I joked. Cheesy, I know—but peo-

circling and repeatedly ramming the tiny plastic prison. We shot the

18

about the flight path, and I like telling that story. The same exact thing would happen years later on Supergirl. Convince the director to talk you through the path of an invisible character or the Forrest Gump floating feather.

THE POV FROM HELL I saved my best story for last—the POV from hell. It was a B-movie, horror sequel where the actor was “acting” scared and I was pretty a pickup truck and the psychopathic driver who was taunting him, exterior with nobody inside, of course. That entailed the truck doing lots of dusty donuts and aggressive ramming of the bathroom, rocking it to the point of eventually tipping over. CUT TO: The actor running to safety.

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While doing the roofless overhead shot of his performance, for some reason I didn’t foresee that I would be next, me down there, shooting his POV with the stunt driver really burning out in the dirt, and really bumping the “set.” The only way I could see what was coming was through the lens, and only when it was properly aligned with the hole the art department created in the wall. Through this small window of opportunity, I was seeing a truck speed by in a cloud of dust and then suddenly staring directly into the oncoming grill. It was truly frightening. Call it method acting in this case, but the point is, it still counts as acting. Luckily the adrenaline conquered the fear, but if it hadn’t at least I was sitting in the right place. Just another day in the life of a camera operator. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Christopher “C.T.” Taylor, SOC Christopher “C.T.” Taylor, SOC was always behind a camera and knew he wanted to be involved in filmmaking. When kids were building space ships with their Legos, he made a Shotmaker camera car. He was fortunate to attend a high school that had a closed circuit TV system where they produced a weekly show called San Dieguito Live…which was taped. Having fulfilled the prerequisite classes, Chris attended Brooks Institute of Photography immediately after graduation, making him one of the youngest students there at the time. With no family in the business and a true believer in climbing the ladder, he started out as a camera assistant and began operating in 2007. He sees collaboration and diplomacy as the lifeblood of the camera operator, and his philosophy is that of a studio musician, “I’m well versed in the instrument, but I am here to make your music.” He was a proud SOC Associate before becoming an Active Member and now serves on SOC’s Board of Governors. As such, he also currently sits on Local 600’s National Executive Board and is a Convention Delegate. C.T. mainly works in television and recently finished Season 2 of TNT's Murder in the First. He has written and optioned his first feature script and is currently writing a TV pilot.

Photo by Ariel Benarroch

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Top: MURDER IN THE FIRST with DP Tim Bellen, Photo by Winona Wacker Bottom: I never wear white on set, unless it’s on a milk commercial on Halloween, then CLOCKWORK ORANGE is required. Photo by Gunnar Mortensen

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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Sully Prepare for Landing Stephen Campanelli, SOC an interview with Derek Stettler

Tom Hanks as Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger in Warner Bros.

Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' drama SULLY, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Keith Bernstein

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TRIVIA: Crash landing rescue scenes were filmed at the same Hudson River location where the actual survivors were recovered.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS ¡ SOC.ORG

Sully marks Stephen Campanelli, SOC’s 18th feature film collaboration with director Clint Eastwood (19th if you count the 1997 documentary Eastwood on Eastwood ). This latest collaboration tells the story behind the Miracle on the Hudson when pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger saved the lives of all 155 people aboard his plane when it suffered catastrophic engine failure shortly after takeoff. The film immerses viewers into the drama of the flight’s emergency landing on the chilly waters of the Hudson River and shows Sully’s experience dealing with being simultaneously celebrated as a hero by the public, while an investigation into the event called everything into question, threatening to destroy his reputation and career.

Camera Operator invited Stephen Campanelli to discuss his experience working on the film and operating with the new Alexa IMAX camera system.

CO: How and when did you get hired for this job?

It’s funny, because I had to leave American Sniper halfway through the movie to go and direct my first movie called Momentum, in South Africa. It was a very tough talk to ask Clint if I could leave and go direct. In true Clint fashion, he was so generous and encouraging, and he said, “Go and direct the movie and make me proud.” After that, I wasn’t sure if I would get called back to do Sully, but sure enough, he called me one day and said, “If you’re not too busy being a big shot director, I would love you to come back and operate for me on this movie.”

Within a second I said, “Yes, of course!”

There is no job better than working with Clint Eastwood.

CO: You have worked with Clint Eastwood many times, but was there something special about this film that was different for you and Clint besides shooting with the new ARRI IMAX camera? What was it like working with Clint on this project?

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

Working with Clint on every movie is a dream come true, and I still have to pinch myself! He is so empowering to his crew, and so generous with his actors, and leads by example…which a lot of people in Hollywood could learn from. This was also a new experience for all of us, as we were shooting in 65mm digital IMAX. The Alexa IMAX cameras were a little heavier, and longer, which made shooting in the airplane a little difficult. But the images we were getting were spectacular. Thank God, we had Tony Rivetti pulling focus, where most of the time he only had one inch of depth of field!

CO: Who were the other members of the crew that you worked closely with?

As I mentioned, Tony Rivetti was our focus puller, and Roger Wall was our 2nd AC. They both did an amazing job considering how fast Clint likes to work. I also worked very closely with our first assistant director, David Bernstein. He was amazing at this job.

CO: Please tell us more about your experience working in the IMAX format.

Except for the very shallow depth of field there wasn’t much of a difference for us, ex-

cept we had to really pay attention to all the detail that was in the frame, knowing that it was going to be on such a massive screen.

It also bought a new level of excellence to the visual effects department. They sure had their work cut out for them.

CO: Can you talk about how you captured that spectacular landing sequence?

Actually most of that was CGI, the rest was me inside the cockpit doing handheld, shaking the camera a little, twisting it around a little bit. I was mostly handheld using the full-size Alexa 65mm IMAX camera during that sequence. It was quite large and hard to move around in the cockpit. I was hoping we could have use the Alexa Mini, but it was not available at the time.

CO: What is your favorite shot and proudest moment from the film?

One of my favorite shots, which is very quick in the movie, is a scene where the ferry is coming to rescue the passengers off the wing. We tried to get a shot of the stern of the ship sweeping towards the lens, with the engine creating this massive amount of turbulence, just adding drama to the scene.

On the first take, we were too far away, and

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I wanted to get closer as I was handheld on the bow of our Zodiac. So on the second day, we ended up so close that the ferry actually hit our ship, and the handheld Alexa went flying into the air, which I managed to grab before it fell into the Hudson River! Then, all of a sudden, I heard this very loud hissing noise and I asked the captain what that was.

He said, “Well, the ferry just ripped the side of our Zodiac, and we’re losing air.” Here we were in the middle of the Hudson River sitting in a leaking Zodiac, and I said, “I think we better head to Manhattan quick!”

Another favorite shot, and I’m very proud of it, was the shot of Tom Hanks running through Times Square. We shot that at 2 o’clock in the morning without anyone knowing. We had Tom sitting in an SUV waiting for camera to be ready, I was on a rickshaw dolly with the Steadicam, and once we were in position in the middle of Times Square, the AD department alerted Tom Hanks to start running. As he did, we rolled camera and he ran towards us and

down one of the streets. We did one take and that was it.

CO: This story is a biopic of a real-life hero, played by Tom Hanks. How was it working with Tom? This was my first time working with Tom Hanks, he is the best of the best. A true professional, a true wonderful warm human being, and very funny and talented.

He fit right into the Clint Eastwood school of filmmaking: be prepared, know your lines, and do it fast.

T E C H O N S E T:

Arri Alexa 6 5 IMAX Cam era Arri/Hasselb lad Prime 6 5 Lenses Tiffen Stead icam MK-V Nexu s Sled Hydroscope Crane Hydroflex C amera Hou sing

The film was shot in New York City, on the Hudson River, in North Carolina, Atlanta, and on the Universal Backlot water tank in California.

plane with pitch and roll. It was fascinating to watch and to be a part of. The confines of the plane were tough, as we had 155 extras, and I had to squeeze the Steadicam down the main aisle and into seats, etc. It also got very hot in there when we turned off the AC.

I believe we had the largest thing they’ve ever put in that tank: an Airbus A320, fully loaded, on a gimbal where we can control the

One funny story is the actual very first shot of the film that we did the New York City, in the middle of the Hudson River, we were

CO: Where was the film shot? Any locations that were particularly challenging?

(L-R) Tom Hanks with director/producer, Clint Eastwood on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ drama SULLY, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Keith Bernstein

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

IT ALL BEGINS WITH GLASS

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GLASS FIRST CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016 © 2016 Canon U.S.A., Inc. All rights reserved. Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and may also be a registered trademark or trademark in other countries.

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told in many meetings that none of us were actually going in the water, and we will be using the Hydroflex to do that…but the first thing Clint said was, “Hey let’s get Steve into the water handheld.” So there I was in 70-degree water with a shirt and shorts on, whipping around a 65mm IMAX camera in

CO: So, what are you doing next?

After Sully, I went to North Carolina to operate on a film called Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri with Martin McDonagh as director. Ben Davis was our director of photography. What a wonderful man, and so talented. It was a great experience with a

the Hudson River while helicopters soared

great cast and a great location. I am in Cana-

overhead. But that’s what we do as camera

da right now about to direct my third movie,

operators: always be ready for anything.

it is called Indian Horse, and it is based on

the best-selling novel. I love directing just as much as camera operating. I love the whole creative process.

CO: Anything else you’d like to mention?

After 22 years working with Clint Eastwood, I have learned from the best, and I am branching out to directing myself, but will always come back to operate for Clint or anyone else that I respected. Next to directing…camera operating is the best job on set!

TRIVIA: To create the post-crash scenes in the river, the producers first shot footage of the rescue boats, surrounding a large empty space, in the Hudson River. They combined those shots with footage of retired A320 aircraft in Universal Studio's artificial lake ("Falls Lake") in southern California.

(Parts of Apollo 13 were also filmed in Falls Lake.)

TRIVIA: The aircraft used in this film is an Airbus A320-200. The production bought two retired Airbus A320s that were used.

Top left: Aaron Eckhart as Jeff Skiles and Tom Hanks as Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' drama SULLY. Top right and bottom: camera operator, tephen Campanelli on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ drama SULLY, a Warner Bros. Pictures release.. Photo by Keith Bernstein.

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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15 18 21 25 29 35

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40 50 75 100 135

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www.cw-sonderoptic.com sales@cw-sonderoptic.com 27

Stephen Campanelli, SOC Before it became an essential tool on nearly every set, Stephen Campanelli purchased a Steadicam.

Being the first to combine "A" camera operating with Steadicam, Stephen quickly become one of the most sought after Steadicam operators in the country. Then, Stephen’s work piqued the interest of his boyhood idol: Clint Eastwood. First collaborating on the Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Bridges of Madison County, Stephen has remained Clint's most trusted "camera eye" ever since. Nominated for Best Camera Operator of the Year three times, winning in 2012, and awarded the SOC’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, Stephen’s competence and depth of experience have led many of the directors he’s worked with to entrust him with crucial on-set directorial decisions. Now, Stephen has made the natural leap to director, having already helmed two feature films.

Camera operator, Stephen Campanelli (on crane) on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ drama SULLY, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Keith Bernstein

Photo by Albert Ortega “Receiving the SOC 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award was the crowning glory of my life of being a camera operator, and telling a story with my camera. It is such an incredible honor to be chosen by your peers who you respect and admire, which makes it even more special. It was so great to be surrounded by my family and great friends in the audience. But, I guess you have to put the icing on the cake, when the one and only Clint Eastwood gets up and talks about you, and how much you mean to him, and then presents you with this great award.” Stephen Campanelli, SOC

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(Far Rt) Camera operator, tephen Campanelli on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ drama SULLY, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Keith Bernstein

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

ULTRALIGHT UNCOMPRESSED REALTIME WIRELESS MONITORING

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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La La Land Dancing on the Set

by Ari Robbins, SOC

Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) in LA LA LAND. Photo by Dale Robinette

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

LA LA Land is an American musical, dramedy about a jazz pianist who falls for an aspiring actress in Los Angeles. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love and are passionate about. As they become more successful they’re faced with decisions that could endanger their love affair, and the very dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.

When I was first introduced to director and writer, Damien Chazelle, at an interview for his upcoming film La La Land, he jokingly stated, "I'm basically making a film that's one giant Steadicam reel." There was more truth in the statement then I could have imagined. 44 shooting days, and almost 60 locations later, we finally called picture wrap, the reel of my passion had been complete.

La La Land was the epitome of a filmmaker’s dream. We always speak about wanting to work on a meaningful project, with true heart and beauty, with a team that is constantly happy, driven and passionate, a project that challenges us to be our full potential. We often doubt whether those opportunities exist.

La La Land was exactly that. Unparalleled to any experience I've had as a camera operator, it defined all that we encompass as artists.

DAY ONE PRODUCTION: THE TEST Our first production day was a rehearsal for a near two minute, one-shot sequence of song and dance moving through an apartment.

I recall knowing internally, that this was it.

If I failed at all, I would be replaced. There was no room for dead weight on a project of pure love. I was the newbie, I was in the hot seat. Peter Kohn, our 1st AD, who had recently done Birdman, had mentioned earlier that he had no idea who I was, and couldn't find much about my previous experience. I knew his thoughts were similar to the rest of

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

the team. “Can this young operator handle this?” 25 perfect rehearsals later, I had earned my position and taken my first step into a journey that would change my life forever.

THE A TEAM La La Land was my first film with cinematographer, Linus Sandgren, and his incredible team; 1st AC, Jorge Sanchez, 2nd AC, Melissa Fischer, Gaffer, Brad Hezen, Dolly Grip, Troy Wade, B camera and 2nd Unit DP, Davon Sillinger, 1st AC, Jack Ellingwood, 2nd AC John Parson, Loader, Rene Treyball. and Technocrane operator, Bogden Lofciuescuescu. They were all so great to work with.

The approach to this project that I've found to be very different than most, was the amount of preparation I had as an operator.

I was present on all of the tech scouts, many dance rehearsal days, and was provided with all the information available before principal photography began. The prep was vital, as many of our sequences would be done oneshot on the Steadicam or technocrane—with the moves dictated by song and dance. Not only did this help with our shot designs, but the value of walking into every day with a clear plan allowed me to be more useful to the entire team and process. It now amazes me on other projects how little we sometimes know before we arrive on set to shoot.

THE DIRECTOR’S VISION The ability for the camera operator to be a positive conduit for communication allowed Linus the freedom of questions that could be asked of me versus taking up his time. Being able to let everyone know our angles and shots in any location on any day saved time and energy.

However, the circumstances of our film required and allowed for this approach because of Damien Chazelle's insight and crystal clear vision. For instance, at one moment I remember asking Damien about the timing of the shot we were doing during the film’s amazing opening sequence and its overall pace. He paused, looked away, and as I watched his eyes flutter, I realized he was watching the film in his mind, literally experiencing every bit. He answered with intense precision. That was the main ingredient in our film’s recipe, our chef had already finished preparing the main course before we sat down at the table.

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE Every day was a test of our ability. Each scene had complex scenarios with critical attention to detail. I recall our key grip, Tony Cady, joking throughout the film, “What company is going to tell us that’s not possible this week, and then watch us do it.” Consistently we fought timing, challenges with equip-

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ment, practicality, convenience, and every day we seemed to make it possible.

During one of our more intense scenes, we used a HydroFlex head on a 27-foot techno that would go from below eye height to ramping up speed down 30 feet of dolly track while booming up to catch a diver jumping off a one-story balcony into a pool, only to meet him at height, and then drop perfectly level with him as he hit the water. We found ourselves at take 11, debating if the move was even possible. There were forty dancers in the shot, 100 extras, late night -2:00am, long week already. We seemed to have hit our first unachievable shot. The moment got intense, perhaps this joy ride of an experience may have hit a speed bump. I remember the pit in my stomach, not from fear of my ability or the incredible skill of our crane and dolly team, but the sadness of our team’s defeat—of letting down not just our director, the actors, and producers, but the film itself. When we finished what seemed to be a perfect take, with the entire set clapping.

Damien said to me that if nothing more, the whole scene was worth it just to see my face of wonderment when I turned to him with excitement at completing the shot. That is how I operated on his film, with emotional tension, not from stress, but of passionate desire.

ON WORKING WITH TALENT An aspect I adored about making La La Land was the experience of vulnerability and interaction with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. On top of many emotional scenes and difficult sequences, several that stuck out to me are the solo songs. Ryan Gosling sings City of Stars in a single Steadicam shot, alone on a pier and Audition by Emma Stone, is a personal sequence taking place in an office. Damian first introduced me to our actors as the third cast member, and it’s that relationship that I felt the most during these scenes. I think the key moments were talking through the beats with Ryan, and establishing comfort and trust. We had great

TECH ON S

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by Pan o c u s lens avision Kod Custom ak 5207 and 5219 (m Aaton ainly) A-Min ima fo Hydrofl r fl ashbac Steadic ex with Arri ks 235 am M1 and Preston Ultra 2 Fo Oculus cus Systems 4-Axis Head

communication, and had accomplished a lot by this point in the film, but with limited rehearsal time and available sunlight, his ease made it simple to accomplish.

Audition is one of my favorite scenes, and I contribute so much of that to Emma and her level of commitment. Her manner while coordinating with us on a such a delicate oner was inspiring. I would be near

TRIVIA: This will be third movie of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. They worked together on Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) and Gangster Squad (2013).

Actor, Ryan Gosling and camera operator Arri Robbins on the set of LA LA LAND. Photo by Dale Robinette

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Over the years, Clairmont Camera’s Lens Department has always been the most supportive and innovative for my needs. They’ve modified specialty lenses as well as found me a matching set of the older style Cooke Speed Panchros to film with.

Recently they were the first to test and acquire the latest lenses I was looking for on a project. I can also say that I’ve never been at a loss with their vast filter inventory to find the right filter combination to achieve the look and style I wanted in color or in black & white. In the end, it’s not just about renting camera equipment. It's about Clairmont Camera’s commitment and involvement in tailoring the equipment to your individual needs and finding the right solution to your problem.

Ed Lachman, ASC

www.clairmont.com

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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tears by the end of each take, and along with all that she did, she’s always that sweet, passionate artist. I’ll never forget wiping away tears, smiling, while talking to Emma, Damian, and Linus about adjustments in the next take.

FOR THE LOVE OF MOVIES I could write pages upon pages and only barely account for all of the amazing moments we shared while making this film.

Moments where we replicated classical films, moments of cherishing Los Angeles, and Hollywood—the Hollywood of our dreams, not the Hollywood we sometimes look negatively upon, of true filmmaking. Of working with Panavision and the connection

they share with making these creations, of dreams, of goals, of laughs and tears, moments of celebration, moments of our story and the heartaches they cause. Nothing can encompass such an experience, we can only hope that when you watch our film, that you share with us in our journey and experience the love of movies we got to live each day.

LIVING THE DREAM For two months we worked on La La Land, but what we really did was live in our own La La Land. Where dreams came true and love surrounded us. I will always cherish the time I spent creating this film. We have a motto as members of the Society of Camera Operators, “We see it first,” but I believe the real gift of

Movie

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our passion, and the true gift of this film for me is, “We feel it first.” That was the experience of working on La La Land. The essence of love.

TRIVIA: In the begging it was Miles Teller and Emma Watson to star. Teller was dropped from the project in favor of Ryan Gosling, while Watson dropped out to pursue other projects.

Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) in LA LA LAND. Photo by Dale Robinette

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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Arri Robbins, SOC Ari Robbins was first introduced to Steadicam at the age of 18 after returning home from high-school. Knowing his future lay within the cinematic industry, he was immediately entranced by the notion of operator and equipment working together so intimately. It was a culmination of all things he was looking for—a career, a hobby, a profession, but most importantly—a passion.

Ari moved to Los Angeles and immediately began working in the lighting departments. In the fall of 2004 he signed up for a Steadicam Operators Association workshop. He searched and found his ideal rig, and on his 21st birthday, purchased his Steadicam. That same day, he rolled his first shot on set as a Steadicam operator and owner.

Ari operates with the same enthusiasm he had the first moment he strapped on his vest, with passion first and the camera second.

Photo by Dale Robinette

Top: Director, Damien Chazelle and camera operator, Arri Robbins on the set of LA LA LAND. Photo by Dale Robinette Middle: Keith (John Legend, left) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling, right) in LA LA LAND. Photo by Dale Robinette Bottom: Actress, Emma Stone and camera operator, Arri Robbins on the set of LA LA LAND. Photo by Dale Robinette

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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Nocturnal Animals An Artistic Approach

by David Emmerich, SOC

T E C H O N S E T:

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Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal portrays Tony Hastings in writer/director Tom Ford’s romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Photo by Merrick Morton/Focus Features

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Based on the Austin Wright’s 1993 novel Tony and Susan, the feature film Nocturnal Animals is the story of an art gallery owner (played by Amy Adams) who is haunted by her ex-husband’s (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a veiled threat and a symbolic revenge tale.

My IMDB page is filled predominantly with movies where people hit and shoot each other, and big things explode a lot. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a lot of fun making these movies, but every now and then I get the urge to work on something a little more intellectually challenging. So, I was very excited when Seamus McGarvey called and asked if I’d be interested in operating A camera and Steadicam on Tom Ford’s new movie, a tense psychological drama based on a novel with the innocuous title, Tony and Susan.

My excitement was tempered slightly when I learned that the actual title of the movie would be Nocturnal Animals. A better title, sure, but it implied lots of night work.

However, it was a compelling script shooting near home with people that I really like; and any chance to work with Seamus, “The Doctor,” McGarvey is not to be missed.

He’s remarkably talented and kind, and had assembled a great crew. He approaches his work in a deceptively intellectual manner.

I say deceptive because the environment on set is light-hearted, but there is a lot of thought that goes into everything Seamus does. Looking through a camera on a shoot with him is a masterclass in “doing it right.”

I had worked previously with Seamus on The Accountant, and had a great time. Yes, The Accountant did have lots of people hitting and shooting each other, but it was a wellmade action thriller with some very gutsy low-light cinematography done on film. I

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

was curious to see what Seamus would do for Nocturnal Animals, which was also shot on film with Panavision cameras and Primo spherical lenses.

A BIZARRE DAY ONE The first day was an eye-opener. It was a preshoot day with a minimal crew shooting elements for the opening titles, as well as images to be projected on large screens in a scene depicting the opening of an avant-garde exhibit at a high-end art gallery. And thus I found myself looking through a Millennium XL shooting high speed footage of naked obese women dancing in a shower of glitter. It was immediately apparent that this was not going to be like any other movie I’d worked on, and that was primarily due to our director, Tom Ford, the multi-talented fashion mogul and director of the critically acclaimed movie, A Single Man. When I expressed my surprise at what I was seeing through the camera, he was amused. It was just another creative photo shoot to him and was no more peculiar than any number of things he’s experienced in his remarkable career.

So I got on with the business of operating the camera. Returning to film after working with digital for a long time can be challenging at first. The cameras tend to be bigger and heavier, the video taps look like grainy old footage from the moon landings compared to the HD pictures we’re now used to seeing, and the fact that the operator is the

only person on set able to judge critical focus means you have to once again divert a significant amount of your attention to something that has nothing to do with the principle purpose of the operator’s job, which is putting the camera in the right place at the right time. If that sounds simplistic, think about it this way, if you have the camera in the right place at the right time, that means your composition is the best it can be for telling the story; it means you are in sync with the actors as you move about a set, it means you’re showing the DP’s lighting to best effect and not doing things like casting mattebox shadows on the talent or catching flags on the edge of frame.

So I’m not fond of watching for sharp focus, but there are definitely positives to working with a film camera. The reflex image always pulls me into the scene more than the electronic eyepiece or monitors used with digital cameras, and the fact that you’re seeing the action immediately as it happens is a huge advantage in action scenes, or just in standing someone up from a sitting position. Digital cameras have that cursed delay of anywhere from a frame to four or more, and that means you’re just that much further behind the actor when they’re moving quickly. The fight footage I’ve shot with a film camera has always been more tightly tied to the actor’s movement than when I use a digital camera.

And of course there’s the difficult-to-describe magic of the way film looks. It’s not

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the what-you-see-is-what-you-get world of digital, it’s the what-you-get-is-usually-better-than-what-you-saw wonder of celluloid.

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS Nocturnal Animals tells the story of Susan, played by Amy Adams, who has left her author husband, Edward, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. She receives a manuscript of her ex-husband’s latest novel and settles down for the night to read. The tale told in the novel is disturbing and violent, and as we twist back and forth between reality and the world of the novel, we begin to wonder if the two worlds are going to cross over with deadly consequences.

When working with a director for the first time it takes a little while to learn what is expected of you as an operator. I’ve had directors ranging from those who are looking for my input in every aspect of blocking the scene and designing the shots, to ones who

want nothing more than for me to physically operate the camera. The more I’m involved, the more intellectually stimulating the job is, and that’s what I prefer. Tom Ford is an accomplished photographer in his own right and with Seamus at his side there wasn’t much need initially for my input, creatively speaking, but I kept throwing ideas out there and bit by bit I think I earned Tom’s trust when he saw that I was definitely on the same page as he and Seamus.

Principle photography began in the Mojave Desert in the fictional world of Edward’s book, which is titled Nocturnal Animals. Tony Hastings, also played by Jake Gyllenhaal, and his wife and teenage daughter, played by Isla Fischer (with an uncanny resemblance to Amy Adams) and Ellie Bamber respectively, are run off a lonely desert road in the middle of the night by three drunken men with anything but good intentions. Tony is separated from his family and dropped alone deep in the desert. We started with daytime scenes of

Tony waking up in the middle of nowhere and trying to find his way back to civilization and his family. Wide lenses and strong compositions were the order of the day in these stark locations, and the 2.35:1 aspect ratio was the right choice to best capture the emptiness of the open desert.

THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB The budget for Nocturnal Animals was relatively low so we didn’t use a lot of fancy toys.

We did have Bogden Iofciulescu’s Scorpio crane for several of the desert locations and used it effectively to drift slowly across uneven terrain and to get high angles of Jake lost in the barren landscape.

The nighttime highway encounter with the titular nocturnal animals was staged on roads just outside the town of Mojave.

Seamus and gaffer, Chris Napolitano used three Bebee lights to light about a quarter mile of the desert and highway. Seamus had

Academy Award nominees Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon star as Tony Hastings and Bobby Andes in writer/director Tom Ford’s romantic thriller NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, a Focus Features release. Photo by Merrick Morton/Focus Features

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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wanted to use larger lights set further back from the road on taller construction cranes, but the budget didn’t allow it, which resulted in something we run into all the time: the most dramatic shots of cars racing along the highway are low and wide, which means the lights are most likely going to be in the shot. Luckily, Seamus was well aware of the limitations and he worked hard to stage events so that we spent a minimum amount of time staring at bright lights in the night sky. It helps that the Primos are reasonably forgiving when it comes to flares, and it also helps that in the world of digital post it is sometimes possible to correct things like that after the fact.

To cover the action on the highway as the two cars pass and bump each other in the most nerve-wracking scene in the movie, we used the pursuit vehicle driven by the incomparable Mike Majesky. While definitely not an inexpensive piece of equipment, it is by far the most efficient and flexible way to

shoot car-to-car footage, and is well worth the expense. Also, it’s a lot nicer sitting in a heated Porsche Cayenne than freezing on the back of an open insert car at night in the Mojave Desert.

Car interiors were shot on stage later as process shots using video rear projection with background plates shot from a dedicated vehicle equipped with cameras for every possible angle. The stage cars were built to come apart for easy access, and Seamus, the lighting department, and the grips employed various tricks to create interactive moving light effects. My job on stage was pretty easy since the camera was usually on a dolly with a little bit of track and a little bit of shaking to keep things alive.

CLASSIC VISUAL STORYTELLING The three frightening men (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Karl Glusman, and Robert Aramayo) run the Hastings family off the road and the confrontation continues. We

switched to handheld cameras in close with the actors for that sense of immediacy and intimacy that handheld inherently captures.

Seamus kept the lighting minimalistic and real. The Bebee lights provided the backlight and small units were bounced to enhance the light from the headlights. There wasn’t a lot of light so credit to focus pullers, Harry Zimmerman and Richie Masino for keeping the footage sharp.

The three hoodlums split the family up and drive off into the night. My favorite shot of the film was a high, wide crane shot at night as Jake’s character in the novel gets dumped in the desert all alone. There was little camera movement, but the composition was bold, stretching the frame in every direction, and the dust from the car angled across the frame and caught the backlight perfectly.

When Tom let that shot just roll and roll and said that he loved the idea of letting it all play out in the wide, I knew we were making an exceptional-looking movie.

TRIVIA: The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival.

On the set of NOCTURNAL ANIMALS with David Emmerich. Photo by 1st AC Harry Zimmerman

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Sneaker Dolly The Ultimate Handheld Mobility System

www.SneakerDoll y.com43 CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

Throughout the film we cut back and forth between the story being told in the novel and the story of Amy Adams’ character, Susan, reading the novel. Her world is stark in its own way, she’s a workaholic, her husband might be cheating on her, and she’s lonely. Tom chose large, open, modern spaces to shoot in, giving Susan space in which to be alone. Even the artwork she sells and collects is devoid of much color or warmth. And it was all real. We’d be setting up a camera in a huge mansion in Malibu and the location representative would warn us not to bump the nearby painting or sculpture which would turn out to be a Warhol or a Calder.

The camera was very controlled in Susan’s world. We stayed away from handheld and worked mostly off of a dolly doing more traditional moves, courtesy of dolly grip extraordinaire, Johnny “Mango” Mang, and the rest of the grip crew working under the able leadership of key grip, Herb Ault. We didn’t use much Steadicam and when we did it was to emulate a dolly as much as possible. Tom Ford wanted a refreshing number of wide shots and he often let scenes play in the wide with minimal coverage, which was a welcome break from the trend toward tighter and more frequent close-ups. It takes more time and effort to set up and light for a wide shot, and it’s more of a challenge to block the actors so they play naturally throughout the space, but the rewards are worth it. You minimize coverage if you’re brave enough not to cover every line from every angle, and you make a more interesting looking movie that is more involving for the audience. They can see where the characters are and how they interact with their environment, and that environment takes on more meaning when you have a chance to see it. With a good director, DP, production designer, and set dresser everything is there for a reason, use it all to help tell the story, and save the close-ups for when they’ll mean something.

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Hopping off my soapbox now. Anyway, Tom knew when to use a close-up, and Seamus did what he does best and the people look great, but in a real way, not an artificial glamour way. The whole film is very real, from the harsh clean world of the modern art scene to the gritty desert town of the novel. Back in the world of the novel Jake’s character, Tony, enlists the help of the local sheriff, played by Michael Shannon, to track down his wife and daughter. A simple location like a roadside motel becomes a visual treat when given the Ford/McGarvey treatment. Strong compositions, good use of color on the part of the designer, dramatic low angles, and wide lenses again add visual interest to locations most would find bland and uninteresting.

WRAPPING UP Things do not go well for Tony’s wife and daughter, to put it mildly, and the novel becomes a revenge tale as the sheriff tracks down the hoodlums and tries to get the passive and bereft Tony to stand up for himself. Aside from a few small sets and some of the car interiors, the entire film was shot in practical locations.

The confrontations between the various characters towards the end of the film were intense to shoot. The actors were worked up and really into their parts and we shot most of those scenes handheld at night with little in the way of solid marks or rehearsals, and not much in terms of f-stop either. Again the focus pullers were put to the test and did great work in very difficult circumstances.

I’m proud of what we all accomplished on Nocturnal Animals. We had a medium-sized, but very efficient and talented crew, and we didn’t work insanely long hours. The project was a pleasure from beginning to end, primarily due to the leadership, talent, and kindness of our intrepid director and director of photography. I was fortunate to have been involved. Now it’s probably time to get back to people hitting and shooting each other while things explode.

David Emmerich, SOC I’ve been fortunate enough to work with and learn from several top-notch directors. Among them are David Fincher, Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, James Cameron, Michael Bay, Tony Scott, Mike Nichols, Ron Howard, Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

Some films I have worked on where lots of things blow up: Con Air, Armageddon, Bad Boys 2, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Transformers, Smokin’ Aces, Avatar, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

And some films that were of a more intellectual nature: Seven, Nixon, The Green Mile, Catch Me If you Can, and The Accountant.

Photograph by Robert Zuckerman

TRIVIA: Focus Features paid $20 million for global distribution rights after a heavy bidding battle in Cannes. This is the highest amount ever paid for a film at a festival.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

“

I have to be ready for the unexpected, and

lately I've been all over, from a network series in New York to an indie feature in the Republic of

Trinidad and Tobago. The cameras, lenses, locations, actors all differ—but my filter kit always travels with me. And Schneider Classic Softs® and Black Frosts™

have been my go-to filters for over a decade.

On “Moving Parts”, shot in Trinidad, I used a ½ or a 1 Classic Soft®

every day to take the edge off sharp lenses and help portray this very human story about a young woman who gets tangled up in sex

trafficking. For the more mature co-star, I sandwiched on a ½ Black

Frost™, which didn’t eliminate her facial lines, but smoothed them just enough to maintain the character of her seasoned life.

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while keeping the authentic, almost documentary feel of the

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CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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SOC Lifetime Achievement Awards SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2017 Loews Hollywood Hotel, Hollywood Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees: • • • •

Camera Operator, GARRETT BROWN Mobile Camera Platform Operator, MIKE MOAD Camera Technician, BOBBY MANCUSO Still Photographer, PHIL CARUSO December 4, 2016 – December 30, 2016 Camera Operator of the Year Nomination Period open for Active Voting Members January 23, 2017 – February 1, 2017 Camera Operator of the Year Voting Period open for Active Voting Members

FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION

#SOCAwards

PURCHASE SEATS NOW: SOCAWARDS.COM 46

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Manchester by the Sea A Trip Worth Taking Petr Hlinomaz

an interview with Derek Stettler

TRIVIA: Manchester-by-the-Sea is a real town on the north shore of Massachusetts.

Casey Affleck in Kenneth Lonergan’s MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. Photo by Claire Folger

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Manchester by the Sea, the latest film from award-winning writer and director Kenneth Lonergan, is an intricately-layered and deeply moving story of familial love, community, and sacrifice. The film explores those themes through the transformation of an introverted Boston janitor (Casey Affleck) after the sudden death of his brother brings him back to the community where he was born and raised to take care of his teenage nephew. There, he is forced to deal with the truth of what drove him away from his home and separated him from his wife (Michelle Williams). With wit, humor and emotional depth, Manchester by the Sea emphasized authenticity in every area, including the cinematography.

Camera Operator reached out to Petr Hlinomaz, Manchester by the Sea’s camera operator and then later, director of photography, to share his experience capturing Lonergan’s vision.

CO: How and when did you get hired for this job?

Director of photography, Jody Lee Lipes, who I worked with on Trainwreck, asked if I would be interested in doing his next film.

For Manchester by the Sea, I would be coming on as A camera operator/2nd unit DP, with the possibility that Jody might have to leave early to have his first child, and then I would take over as DP to finish the film. I really liked the script and Kenny Lonergan's past films. I also worked well with Jody and liked his vision on Trainwreck. Regarding Manchester, to work on a great story with an excellent director and DP was a fantastic opportunity for me.

CO: What was it like working with Kenneth Lonergan on this project? Had you worked with him before?

This was my first time working with Kenny.

I, of course, had seen his prior films because he is a superb director. It was very interesting watching Kenny and the cast interact in rehearsals and while we were filming, especially Kenny and Casey. Kenny would explain the essence and approach of the scene and what he wanted Casey to do, even for situations which I felt were quite mundane. Kenny

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wanted every single moment perfect. Casey and the rest of the cast were totally into his direction, and experimented with Kenny's instruction with different emotional levels and versions as needed. Jody requested for me in preparation to watch Kenny's prior films, as well as Sidney Lumet's The Verdict.

He thought we might implement some influences from that film.

“There was a stillness to the camera work... almost as if it was a still frame.”

–Petr Hlinomaz CO: How would you describe your approach to shooting the film? What did the director, the DP, and you discuss in terms of techniques and tone?

Kenny is an incredible writer and an amazing stage director. This film is an intimate story with the primary character being a restrained individual. The way we shot the film felt like the way you view a stage play.

The coverage was very classic. In most cases, we just moved in, staying still in the same direction as the master shot. In some cases, we shot coverage that was more complementary. There was very little movement of camera, very few dolly and Steadicam shots.

There was a stillness to the camera work. We went with no adjustments for headroom, having enough space around the actor to move freely in any shot, in order to avoid distracting from the story, almost as if it was a still frame. It was mainly filmed with one

camera. For a few scenes, we had two cameras. Aside from our boat work, we did not use a crane, nor any specialty heads on the film.

The 2nd unit shots of the town of Manchester and North Shore were wide shots mainly shot at magic hour for beauty, or cloudy days to set the tone of melancholy.

CO: Where else was the film shot? Were any locations particularly challenging?

We shot the film in its entirety on the North Shore, which is the coastal area north of Boston. This region is made up of a rocky coastline, beaches and a lot of marine harbors. We shot in and around Manchester-by-the-Sea, Beverly, and Gloucester.

As in any filming, practical locations present challenges. In the interior locations, the camera found itself frequently stuffed in deep corners with various stands and equipment surrounding it due to lack of physical space. For our marine filming, the challenge of space was even more substantial. Although we did have support vessels with hair, makeup, wardrobe, etc., and a larger barge with significant equipment and a crane. These vessels had to come to the picture boat and then had to get out of frame and thus it was time consuming. Furthermore, we were trying to film for open sea so we had to position the boat so that we would never see any land mass in our frames. And finally, as an additional obstacle, weather did not always cooperate for our boat work.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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CO: The cinematographer for the film, Jody Lee Lipes, had to leave during shooting and you stepped up to replace him.

What was that like for you? How did you handle the transition and ensure the film maintained a consistent style?

Jody's first child actually did come a bit early, so I finished the film for Jody. I replaced Jody for the last week and a half. It was smooth since I knew Jody's vision, had worked with Kenny and everyone else for a while by then, and had independently shot the 2nd unit.

Kenny and the producers felt it would be the best solution. I enjoyed finishing the film for Jody and working even closer with Kenny.

My history in filmmaking started out in lighting. I joined Local 600 in 2002. In both aspects of my career, I have had the opportunity to work with incredible directors and cinematographers who have influenced me,

such as Milos Ondricek, Vilmos Zsigmond, Adam Hollander and Dariusz Wolski. Manchester by the Sea is yet another film I feel privileged to be a part of.

CO: Who were the other members of the crew that you worked closely with?

Jody knew a great focus puller, Sam Ellison, from before and he was a significant part of our team. Sam became the operator and shot some second unit when I moved over to DP. The rest of our primary camera department were local experienced guys and they were great to work with. Tom Bellotti (loader) and Mark Killian (2nd AC) were wonderful. We had some additional operators and Steadicam operators periodically who were local and brought in from NYC such as Terry Hayes, Michael Fuchs, Brent Fagan, and Kyle Rudolph. Our grip and electric depart-

T E C H O N S E T:

2 Alexa XT Plus Camera s in Open Ga te Mode wit h All Standard Accessories 2 Full Sets o f Canon K35 Primes 2 Canon K3 5 25-120 Z ooms

ments were very strong and experienced. The gaffer, Josh Dreyfus, was local and key grip Warren Weberg was local, but he works a lot in NYC as well and I had worked with him in the past.

TRIVIA: The screenplay for this film was featured in the 2014 Blacklist; a list of the “most liked” unmade scripts of the year.

Kyle Chandler and Casey Affleck in Kenneth Lonergan’s MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. Photo by Claire Folger

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

For more information: nick.ricciardi@gyross.com (530) 264-7655 www.gyrostabilizedsystems.com

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CO: What are you up to next?

I have just finished working on an interesting new television series for CBS, Braindead. I operated in NY and DP’d the units in Washington, D.C. I enjoyed filming the gorgeous monuments of our nation’s capital as the backdrop to the story. The same team of producers are starting a sequel to The Good Wife and I will be going onto that next. Fred Murphy is the DP for those series. I have a great collaborative relationship with him.

CO: Any other interesting comments, stories, trivia etc. you’d like to share?

I am very proud to be a part of this film.

To me, it is one of the most amazing films

that I have ever worked on. Casey Affleck's performance is breathtaking and unsettling. The other cast members—Kyle Chandler, Michelle Williams and the son, Lucas Hedges—their performances were all flawless. Kenny has written and directed with perfection an achingly beautiful film. And finally, my friend Jody Lee Lipes’ film work was visually impeccable.

Manchester by the Sea premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim on January 23, 2016 and is scheduled for limited release by Amazon Studios and Roadside Attractions on November 18, 2016, followed by a wider release in mid-December.

Petr Hlinomaz Petr Hlinomaz enjoys a career as both a camera operator and cinematographer and worked on projects ranging from Hollywood and independent films, to television, commercials and documentaries. Born in Prague, Czech Republic, Petr was trained at Barrandov Studios.

Upon moving to New York, he worked with revered cinematographers such as Miroslav Ondricek (Amadeus), Vilmos Zsigmond (The Deerhunter), Adam Holender (Midnight Cowboy), and Dariusz Wolski (The Martian). Some of Petr’s credits for camera operating include Trainwreck, The Amazing Spiderman 2, How to Make it in America, 22 Jump Street, Man on a Ledge, and White Collar. As cinematographer, Petr has worked on films which have been shown at the Sundance Film Festival, the Toronto Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival and premiered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo by Ed Nessen

Michelle Williams and Casey Affleck in MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. Photo by Claire Folger

Derek Stettler

Lucas Hedges and crew on the set of MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. Photo by Claire Folger

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Derek Stettler is a filmmaker and freelance writer who also writes for American Cinematographer. He has been an Associate Member of the SOC since 2015.

A lifelong lover and student of cinema, Derek discovered filmmaking as his life's passion after graduating high school in 2010, having since made a number of short films and commercials. Derek currently works as a freelance editor and camera operator, and recently worked on his first feature film as key grip and 2nd AC. Photo by Carter Smith

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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Technology Award Nominees for the February 11, 2017 Lifetime Achievement Awards

Tech Talk

The SOC recognizes outstanding technical achievement annually at our SOC Lifetime Achievement Awards. This year’s award show will take place on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel. The Technical Achievement Award is an opportunity for the production technology community to be acknowledged for excellence, and for their contributions to creating technologies that increase the safety, efficiency and ease on set and in production for the camera operators and crew.

We have received the following outstanding submissions listed below. Each of the technologies were presented to the judging committee at the SOC’s Demo Day, on Saturday November 12th at the SOC’s Burbank office. Following the formal demonstration, SOC members attending were invited to gain hands-on access to the gear being demonstrated as well. Of these submissions, the SOC technology committee voted for the technologies they thought deserved to receive this prestigious award.

Not an easy job!

Good luck to each of you and continued success with your efforts.

Here are this year’s Technical Achievement Award submissions:

BROTHER INTERNATIONAL CORP: AiRScouter The AiRScouter from Brother International Corporation is an innovative viewfinder solution that puts an HD display where it’s most convenient: right in front of your eye. The head-mounted display features an original optical design with 720p resolution and adjustable focus, and its HDMI input connects seamlessly to your existing gear. AiRScouter lets you get the shot you want with comfort and ease, and it helps you clearly see what you’re filming at any angle and in any condition, even bright sunlight. Work smarter by keeping your head in the game with AiRScouter. For more information and technical specifications, visit www.brother-usa.com/AiRScouter

CANON: ME20F-SH Multi-Purpose Camera Canon’s ME20F-SH Multi-Purpose Camera features a newly designed 2.2MP high-sensitivity Full Frame 35mm CMOS sensor that supports shooting crisp, clean high definition full-color video in extreme low light conditions. With a photosite size of 19 um2 the ME20F-SH features more than 7.5 times the surface area of the photosites on an 18 Megapixel Full Frame CMOS sensor—producing an equivalent sensitivity in excess of 4,500,000 ISO (minimum illumination of 0.0005 lux) that makes it ideal for a wide variety of challenging shooting environments. The camera’s versatile, rugged, modular design, allows multiple configurations with third party accessories. To learn more, visit www.usa.canon.com

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CLAIRMONT CAMERA: Image Shaker The Clairmont Camera Image Shaker, invented by Mike Keesling, allows the operator to create explosive and shaking effects on set, in a dynamic, organic and intuitive way. By combining unique optical materials with a robust mechanical design and an intuitive user interface, the image shaker makes the process of creating explosions and vibrations safe, silent and easy.

This ease of use is in stark contrast to the customary method of mechanically shaking the entire camera and lens assembly, and is dynamic and iterative compared to doing vibration effects in post-production.

For more information: www.clairmont.com

DJI: Inspire 1 The Inspire 1 brings professional grade aerial camera and stabilization technology to the air. With M4/3 and 4K raw imaging capabilities, users are able to quickly interchange lenses and capture cinema grade footage with ease. The 3-axis gimbal system brings unparalleled image stability to each unique shot. This aircraft is compatible with a variety of different DJI cameras, including the Zenmuse X3, X5 and X5R, to suit the unique shooting needs of any camera operator. Designed to be powerful while lightweight and flexible while providing the stability you need, the Inspire 1 is DJI’s most diverse aerial system. www.dji.com/inspire-1

DJI: Osmo The Osmo is a compact, handheld stabilized 4K camera built on DJI’s breakthrough 3-axis gimbal technology. This is one of the first times this technology is widely available in a camera you can hold with one hand, giving camera operators greater flexibility and range of motion while not limiting quality. It uses the DJI Go app as a viewfinder, to change camera settings and trigger a multitude of Smart Shooting modes from a smartphone. The Osmo supports a variety of mounts and accessories, making it a versatile and adaptable tool, without compromising its professional image quality. www.dji.com/osmo

FUJIFILM/FUJINON: Cabrio Zoom Lenses Cabrio lightweight, high-quality zoom lenses (14-300mm) has enabled productions to work faster and safer while maintaining optical integrity. Cabrios aided on-set safety in two ways. First, they allowed camera operators additional creative freedom in a smaller lightweight package. Second, they reduce lens changes which facilitates manageable days avoiding long hours that causes sleep deprivation of the crew.

With the broadcaster’s rapid change from 2/3” to 35mm, Cabrios pioneered a new class of convertible Film zooms with a detachable, self-calibrating drive. Cabrio’s traditional hand-strap drive unit is vital to the news/sports/wildlife camera operators. Other Advancements: constant lens metadata, field flange focal distance adjustment, and built in macro. www.fujifilmusa.com

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

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GTM INC. FLOTECH: CineLight® CINELIGHT ™ is a powerful line of pure white SoftLIGHT BiCOLOR DMX LED PANELS with Nebula® DIFFUSION CHAMBER TECHNOLOGY, specially designed solution for soft lighting in professional applications of broadcast, motion pictures or photography. The CINELIGHT ™ fixtures deliver homogeneous soft powerful light, perfect for interviews, portraits, stage and product shot studio and production lighting for cinema and television. They have tuneable control of the color temperature CCT from 2700K to 6600K while maintaining the exact luminous output and an exclusive stepless 0-100% dimming software HALODIM™ with no color change, CINELIGHT ™ will enable you to softly illuminate your stars and talents, achieving beautiful skin tones, vibrant colors and precise and defined soft shadows. www.fluotec.com

GTM INC. FLOTECH: VegaLux 300® StudioLED FRESNEL® 12” 300W BiCOLOR Motorized Zoom DMX Dimmable. The VEGALUX 300 is a BiColor DMX StudioLED Fresnel designed for motion picture, television and photography applications The Vegalux 300™ Fresnel includes 2 two sets of high quality, powerful White LEDs with high TLCI Index and CRI+90 that works in the 3200K-5200K CCT range with a luminous flux equivalent of an Incadescent 2000W, while using only 338W, the Nebula Diffusion Chamber Technology® system, mixes and diffuses the light rays of each LED and emit a pure white light output. www.fluotec.com

GYRO-STABALIZED SYSTEMS: c520 Gyro-Stabilized Systems was founded in 2011 to manufacture and support cinematic quality stabilized solutions by a group of innovators with 80 years of experience in the industry. GSS’ in-house engineers support our objective to be first-to-market with the latest technologies and continually roll out new customer-driven features and functionality.

The C520, like all GSS solutions, is fully upgradeable as new cameras and lenses become available and has been designed to be future-proof. The GSS team takes pride in providing the best customer service and support in the industry. For more information, go to www.gyrostabilizedsystems.com or contact nick.ricciardi@gyross.com

INOVATIV’S: Scout EVO The Scout EVO is INOVATIV’s most compact and travel ready equipment cart weighing in at 65 pounds complete and measuring 7” thick when disassembled. Constructed of aluminum, thermal-plastics, and stainless steel hardware, the Scout EVO is lightweight though capable of carrying up to 600 pounds. The Scout EVO utilizes INOVATIV’s SLAS patented technology that enables the user to assemble and disassemble the cart without the use of tools. Combined with INOVATIV’s quick-release wheel system and manual foot brakes, the Scout rolls buttery smooth and with confidence. For more information: www.inovativcarts.com

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

SHOTOVER CAMERA SYSTEMS: SHOTOVER K1 The SHOTOVER K1 is a 6-axis gyro stabilized gimbal platform that delivers unshakable stability and next generation Ultra HD image quality in 2D or 3D, with straight look down capability. Its open architecture allows the most comprehensive range of camera and lens interchanges which makes it the prefect tool for on any film set. The K1’s perfectly level horizon and rock solid performance, under the most challenging conditions, set it apart from its competition. Due to the highly engineered lightweight carbon structure, it is the only cinema system in its class that can be checked baggage. www.shotover.com/products/k1

THE ORIGINAL SLIDER: The “Original” Slider Camera Movement System Camera operators are only as good as their last shot. Many times there isn’t a take two. The “Original” Slider offers organic “ice on ice” user friendly camera movement in a timely fashion, to make everyone look good. The “Original” Slider has been sliding around Hollywood since 1998 offering dynamic camera control,.true to its name, The “Original” Slider was proudly built with a grip’s rigging, a directors concept, and a cinematographer’s vision in mind. Designed by people who use them, not just sell them. Our family of sliders range from our 22” mini-Slider to 100’ of motion capture@ 35mph. www.theslider.com

SPACECAM SYSTEMS, INC: Maximus 7 Maximus 7 with its light weight full carbon fiber design achieves a stabilized gyro head completely free of “gimbal lock”. It is able to achieve continuous 360 degree steering in all axes. Mounting orientation is available in top, bottom or cantilevered mode. Positions can be changed during the shoot resulting in never before possible shots.

One can go from a straight up to a straight down angle in one shot.

The cantilevered mounting presents a 24” package size that can be inserted through small openings, i.e, windows. Maximus 7 can achieve 240 degree per second steering speed in all axes. www.spacecam.com

THAT CAT: The Silent Cat “Camera Slider” The Silent Cat™Camera Slider’s patented design was introduced in 2006 and the motion picture industry unlocked their imagination for spontaneous camera movement. Silent Cat™ was the 1st camera slider to exhibit at the NYDCE Expo in 2006 and Cine Gear Expo in 2007 and it continues to improve its standard of excellence for being the smoothest, quietest and most versatile camera slider on set. It provides the operator resistance, soft dampening and versatility for rigging. Its Top Mount/Underslung Mitchell Mount is unsurpassed. The Silent Cat™ Camera Slider has 8 models, 2’ to 10.5’, and accessories to enable optimum use. www.thatcat.com

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TRANSVIDEO: CineMonitorHD for Steadicam As the technology drives the boundaries of how we create and deliver media content, Transvideo continues to provide valuable tools for the camera department and Steadicam world. Transvideo products exceed demands of camera technology. Since 1997 the CineMonitorHD has constantly adapted to anticipate the needs of operators working in the most extreme conditions. Its adequation with operating in high light condition or under extreme temperatures made it ideal for Steadicam™ use. One great innovation is the VirtualHorizon™, appeared around year 2005 it was the first embedded on screen horizon working with HD and SD.” For more information: www.transvideo.eu

SOC Lifetime Achievement Awards Saturday, February 11, 2017 Loews Hollywood Hotel, Hollywood PURCHASE SEATS NOW: SOCAWARDS.COM

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MPTF/AC

SOC @ Creativo SOC represented at 2016 Corto Creativo UDCI International Film Festival in Tijuana Mexico

by Douglas Knapp, SOC

(L-R) Douglas Knapp, soc; Carlos Fernando Carillo, Festival Director; Michael Garcia, soc Student Member, Lance Fisher, soc: all representing SOC at Corto Creativo Film Festival 2016. Photo by Michael DeMeritt

A four-day celebration of films and filmmakers took place from August 30 through September 3. Director of the festival, Carlos Fernando Carillo, invited SOC to participate in the opening ceremonies, two presentations, and the closing ceremonies. The festivities were centered on the Cinepolis VIP theaters plus an adjacent reception hall. In addition this year, a large exterior booth outside the main theater entrance featured SOC, the ASC and had a Star Trek interactive display for fans of the 12 Star Trek features, and the five TV series. A highlight of this year’s festival, the evening of September 1, a pre-premier screening (for Mexico) of Star Trek: Beyond.

The previous day, a presentation by Filipe Mosqueda of RED Camera, featuring their new models with up to 8K image capture, and included two camera bodies, with accessories and lenses, for the demo as well as a Q&A afterward. Filipe’s presentation was followed by an

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SOC discussion of the interactive roles of the director of photography, the camera operator and the camera assistant. SOC was represented by camera operators Douglas Knapp, SOC and Lance Fisher, SOC; plus camera assistant, Michael Garcia. Film clips shown were the 2016 SOC Awards introduction plus a video of the most recent visit with Dr. Lee at Vision Center of Childrens’ Hospital Los Angeles, including a special “thank you” to the SOC for our support and financial contributions over 30 years.

Following the Star Trek theme, on Saturday, September 3, Douglas Knapp and Michael DeMeritt did a 90-minute presentation about working on Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise. Douglas was the camera operator and 2nd unit DP, and Michael was a second, then a first assistant director on those shows. An entire episode from Voyager was shown, called The Thaw, which featured Michael McKean. This

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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was a very “non-Star Trek” Star Trek show. Among the challenges, it was Doug’s first DP assignment with Marvin Rush (the usual DP on the series), who was directing. It also used few of the standing sets, and much had to be built, lit and shot as a once-only event. Michael had challenges of having many guest actors on the show (McKean, the many background artists, including several Cirque De Soleil players) and many sets on our remote Stage 16 location.

The festival did a great job of selecting and showing many short films and some features from Mexico and around the world. The Cinepolis Theater made it feel you were at a special event, with the luxury seating, in-theater service and excellent projection and sound.

It was an honor to be invited for a second year to participate in the Corto Creativo Film Festival, as well as bring some special insight from SOC and the Star Trek world. We shared this experience with Saul Molina and Alex Lopez from American Cinematographer Magazine and several other event sponsors.

Title Card from STAR TREK VOYAGER episode THE THAW – a very unusual Star Trek show. Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

Douglas Knapp, SOC Over the past 40 years I’ve worked on major feature film and television shows. Also I’ve been part of SOC for 30 years, both as member and as publishing manager of Camera Operator magazine. I am now retired from “The Business”, but enjoy teaching camera to film students at West LA College in the Hollywood CPR program. This is my second invitation to attend and speak at Corto Creativo Film Festival in Tijuana Mexico.

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Insight BRIAN YOUNG, SOC My most challenging shot: Working in conflict zones like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Balkans which test you physically, mentally, as well as your equipment.

What is your most memorable day in the industry?

The 15 months I did on the Bush Campaign in 2000 seemed like one long day–but it was fantastic to be inside that historic election.

The person who helped you most in your career?

It may be strange, but my high school track coach—Dave Vogelgesang. He taught me how to be mentally tough and push through adversity.

Photo courtesy of Brian Young

Credits: 60 Minutes, Barbara Walters Specials, Dateline, 20/20, IndyCar

DAVID ROY TONDEUR, SOC What is your most memorable day in the industry?

When my boss Jack Cardiff asked me to operate the third camera on Thai-Pan in China.

What was one of your most challenging shot or challenging day in the industry?

The most challenging was on a commercial for a Spanish newspaper, El Paise involving the hothead on the Louma Crane.

What would be the most important improvement you would like to see in our industry?

Restore the role of camera operator on commercials shot in the USA. Credits: Stade Aus Stein (Germany) Monday Morning TV, Hollywood Project TV. Commercials: Mercedes, Dior, American Express, Levi Strauss. Channel 5, UPS.

Photo by Robert Feller

BRYAN TRIEB, SOC What was one of your most challenging shot or challenging day in the industry?

Live to Air 3.5min one take musical performance by Hedley on Canadian Idol.

The person who helped you most in your career?

Joan Tosoni and Don Weiner have been my most generous supporters and I’m eternally grateful to them.

What is the job you have yet to do but most want to do?

Live to air crane step-off into a musical act.

Photo by James Bawks

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Credits: The Voice Season 7 Finalé , 2010 Winter Olympics, Lip Sync Battle Seasons 2/3, So You Think You Can Dance Canada Seasons 1-4, A Masked Saint, Rupture

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

SOC ROSTER CHARTER MEMBER Lou Barlia Parker Bartlett Paul Basta Michael Benson Stephanie Benson Rupert Benson Jr. Bob Bergdahl Howard Block Donald R. Burch Jerry G. Callaway David Calloway Philip Caplan Mike Chevalier Bill Clark Dick Colean Steve Conant Jim Connell Rick Cosko Jack Courtland Elliot Davis Sam Drummy Joe Epperson Michael Ferra Ron Francis William Jay Gahret Jim Glennon Ray Gonzales Jerry Good Jack Green, ASC Gil Haimson Peter Hapke Lutz Hapke Bill Hines Jim Hoover Bill Howard John Huneck Wayne Kennan, ASC Bob Keys Gary Kibbe David Kurland Norm Langley Thomas Laughridge Steve Lydecker Brice Mack III Joe Marquette Jr. Owen Marsh Bob Marta Bob McBride Ed Morey Tom Munshower Fred Murphy Al Myers Lee Nakahara Jay Nefcy Rik Nervik Leigh Nicholson King Nicholson John G. Nogle Dan Norris Skip Norton David B. Nowell, ASC Wayne Orr Richard Price Ernie Reed Arnold Rich Randall Robinson Parker Roe Sam Rosen Peter Salim Lou Schwartz Chris Schwiebert Michael Scott Bob Seaman

Hal Shiffman Roger Smith Fred Smith Michael St. Hilaire Ray Stella Joe Steuben John C. Stevens Carol Sunflower Bill Swearingen Joseph F. Valentine Ron Vidor Sven Walnum

ACTIVE MEMBER

Peter Abraham Jonathan Abrams Michael Alba Bret Allen Colin Anderson Kevin Andrews Francois Archambault Joseph Arena Will Arnot Ted Ashton Jr. Mark August Andrei Austin Grayson Austin Jacob Avignone Daniel Ayers Paul Babin Christopher Baffa Lonn Bailey James Baldanza David Baldwin Jr. Jerry Banales Christopher Banting Jeff Barklage Angel Barroeta John Beattie Jonathan Beattie Tim Bellen Nils Benson Peter Berglund Corey Besteder George Bianchini George Billinger Howard Bingham Maceo Bishop Michel Bisson Bonnie Blake Jason Blount John Boyd Katie Boyum Kevin Braband Gerard Brigante Hilaire Brosio Pete Brown Garrett Brown Kenny Brown Scott Browner Neal Bryant Stephen Buckingham Robin Buerki Gary Bush Rod Calarco Stephen Campanelli J. Christopher Campbell Susan Campbell Jose Cardenas Robert Carlson Jeffrey Carolan Peter Cavaciuti Dave Chameides

CAMERA OPERATOR · FALL 2016

Lou Chanatry Joe Chess Jr. Jeffrey Clark Anthony Cobbs Steven Cohen Marcis Cole Kris Conde Andrew Conder Michael Condon Brown Cooper Dan Coplan Luke Cormack Javier Costa Richard Cottrell Tom Cox Jeff Cree Rod Crombie Richard Crow Jeff Crumbley Grant Culwell Francois Daignault Nicholas Davidoff Markus Davids Rick Davidson Richard Davis Mark Dawson Andrew Dean Michael Dean Anthony Deemer Kris Denton Kevin Descheemaeker Joel Deutsch Don Devine Kenny Dezendorf Twojay Dhillon David Diano Troy Dick Matthew Doll Rick Drapkin Scott Dropkin Mitch Dubin Simon Duggan, ACS Mark Duncan Louis Duskin Allen Easton William Eichler David Elkins Jason Ellson David Emmerichs Kevin Emmons Ramon Engle Alex Escarpanter Steve Essig Brant Fagan Diane Farrell Dianne Farrington Jesse Feldman Michael Ferris George Feucht James Firios Lance Fisher Eric Fletcher Michael Flueck Houman Forough Felix Forrest Ian Forsyth Steve Fracol Keith Francis Nick Franco Tom Fraser James Frater David Frederick Michael Frediani Michael Freeman

Brian Freesh Steven French Dan Frenkel Mick Froehlich Jeff Fry Paul Gardner David Gasperik Rusty Geller Michael Germond William Gierhart Laurie Gilbert Harvey Glen Mark Goellnicht Daniel Gold Allen Gonzales Robert Gorelick Afton Grant Bruce Greene Chad Griepentrog David Grove Robert Guernsey Pedro Guimaraes John Gunselman Chris Haarhoff Jess Haas Kevin Haggerty Geoffrey Haley John Hankammer Tim Harland Joshua Harrison Kent Harvey Chris Hayes David Haylock Nikk Hearn-Sutton Mike Heathcote Dawn Henry Alan Hereford Steven Heuer Kevin Hewitt David Hirschmann Jamie Hitchcock Abe Holtz Jerry Holway Paul Horn Casey Hotchkiss William Howell II Bradley Hruboska Colin Hudson Christian Hurley Philip Hurn Frederick Iannone Dave Isern Christophe Ivins Eugene Jackson III Francis James Alec Jarnagin Gary Jay Simon Jayes Christopher Jones Steven Jones Jacques Jouffret John Joyce David Judy Mark Jungjohann David Kanehann Mark Karavite Adam Keith Brian Kelly David Kimelman Dan Kneece Rory Knepp David Knox Robert Kositchek Bud Kremp

Kris Krosskove Per Larsson Jeff Latonero John Lazear Eric Leach Sergio Leandro da Silva Richard Leible Rachael Levine Sarah Levy Jimmy Lindsey Hugh Litfin Patrick Longman George Loomis Jessica Lopez Steve Lopez Greg Lundsgaard Kenji Luster Bruce MacCallum Rob Macey Vincent Mack Paul Magee David Mahlmann Giuseppe Malpasso Kim Marks Jared Marshall Cedric Martin Philip Martinez Daniele Massaccesi Parris Mayhew Bill McClelland Jim McConkey David McGill Ian McGlocklin Michael McGowan Christopher McGuire Aaron Medick Alan Mehlbrech Hilda Mercado Olivier Merckx Jack Messitt Mike Mickens Duane Mieliwocki Marc Miller Andrew Mitchell William Molina Raphy Molinary Machado Mitch Mommaerts Lawrence Moody K. Neil Moore Mark Moore Josh Morton Manolo Moscopulos Jeff Muhlstock Michael Mulvey Scott Mumford Sean Murray Saade Mustafa Dale Myrand Leo Napolitano Marco Naylor Robert Newcomb Julye Newlin William Nielsen, Jr. Kurt Nolen Randy Nolen Austin Nordell William O’Drobinak Mark O’Kane Michael Off Andrew Oliver John Orland Brian Osmond Georgia Packard Heather Page

Nick Paige Curtis Pair Victor Pancerev Andrew Parke Patrick Pask Christopher Paul Al “Tiko” Pavoni Paul Peddinghaus Douglas Pellegrino John Perry George Peters Matthew Petrosky Jonathan Phillips Alan Pierce Theo Pingarelli Jens Piotrowski Joseph Piscitelli Louis Puli Ryan Purcell Yavir Ramawtar Juan Ramos James Reid John Rhode Ari Robbins Alicia Robbins Peter Robertson Brooks Robinson Eric Roizman Peter Rosenfeld Dave Rutherford P. Scott Sakamoto Sanjay Sami David Sammons Joel San Juan Bry Sanders Milton Santiago Gerard Sava Martin Schaer Ron Schlaeger Mark Schlicher Mark Schmidt Vadim Schulz David Schweitzer Fabrizio Sciarra Brian Scott Brian Scott Benjamin Semanoff Barnaby Shapiro David Shawl Geoffrey Shotz Osvaldo Silvera Jr. Teddy Smith Needham Smith III Dean Smollar John Sosenko Andy Sparaco Mark Sparrough Benjamin Spek Francis Spieldenner Sandy Spooner Lisa Stacilauskas Robert Starling Thomas Stork Michael Stumpf David Svenson Ian Takahashi Gregor Tavenner Christopher Taylor Paul Taylor Peter Taylor Paige Thomas David Thompson John Toll, ASC David Tondeur

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Remi Tournois Neil Toussaint Jamie Trent Bryan Trieb Michael Tsimperopoulos Chris Tufty Dan Turrett Brian Tweedt Joseph Urbanczyk Matt Valentine Dale Vance, Jr. Paul Varrieur Ron Veto Andrew Voegeli Stefan von Bjorn Rob Vuona Bill Waldman Michael Walker Timothy Walker Gareth Ward Gretchen Warthen Raney “Bo” Webb Aiken Weiss Dale West Clay Westervelt Robert Whitaker Mande Whitaker Kit Whitmore Ken Willinger Chad Wilson David Wolf Ian Woolston-Smith Peter Xiques Santiago Yniguez Brian Young Chad Zellmer Brenda Zuniga

ASSOCIATE MEMBER

Christine Adams Brian Aichlmayr Jamie Alac Ana Amortegui Philip Anderson Andrew Ansnick Michael Artsis Scott Auerbach Ryan Baker Tyson Banks Michael Barron Matt Bell Jeffrey Bollman Peter Bonilla Jean-Paul Bonneau Massimo Bordonaro David Boyd Corey Bringas David Brooks Mary Brown Rochelle Brown Donald Brownlow Clyde Bryan Sasha Burdett Anthony Caldwell Jordan Cantu Jack Carpenter Marc Casey Quaid Cde Baca Kirsten Celo Libor Cevelik Ian Chilcote Damian Church Ricco Ricardo Clement Gregory Collier Mack Collins Gabriel Copeland Gareth Cox Richard Crudo, ASC Farhad Dehlvi

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Enrique Del Rio Galindo James DeMello William Demeritt, III Johnny Derango Ronald Deveaux Jorge Devotto Adam Dorris Orlando Duguay Adam Duke Keith Dunkerley Brian Dzyak David Eubank Allen Farst Thomas Fedak Nicholas Federoff Kristin Fieldhouse Jessica Fisher Tom Fletcher John Flinn III, ASC Mark Forman Tammy Fouts Chuck France Jerry Franck Fred Frintrup Hiroyuki Fukuda Dmitrii Fursov Benjamin Gaskell Hank Gifford Michael Goi, ASC Wayne Goldwyn Al Gonzalez Erik Goodman John Goodner Brad Greenspan Phil Gries George Griffith Josef “Joe” Gunawan Robert Guthrie W. Adam Habib Bob Hall James Hammond Tobias Harbo Anthony Hardwick James Hart John Hart Jason Hawkins Anthony Hettinger John Hill, Jr. Tammy Hineline Andrew Hoehn Scott Hoffman Chris Horvath Nichole Huenergardt Toshiyuki Imai Andrew Irvine Gregory Irwin Neeraj Jain Keith Jefferies Lacey Joy Henry Joy IV Jessica Jurges David Kane Timothy Kane Brandon Kapelow Ray Karwel Frank Kay April Kelley Alan Kelly Kevin Kemp Jeremiah Kent Alisa Khosrovachahi Mark Killian Douglas Kirkland Christian Kitscha Michael Klimchak Brian Kronenberg Robert La Bonge Laurence Langton Jose-Pablo Larrea Dr. Thomas Lee Gerardo Leon

Alan Levi Mark Levin Adrian Licciardi Ilya Jo Lie-Nielsen Eamon Long Gordon Lonsdale Jasmine Lord Christopher Lymberis Dominik Mainl Candice Marais Aaron Marquette Chris Martin Nicole Martinez Jose Martinez Jim Matlosz Nathan Maulorico Brett Mayfield Ray McCort Yusuf McCoy David McDonald Marcus McDougald Mike McEveety Sophia Meneses Jonathan Miller K. Adriana ModlinLiebrecht Kenneth Montgomery Mark Morris Matthew Mosher Jekaterina Most Hassan Nadji Navid Namazi Zach Nasits Jimmy Negron Michael Nelson Michael Nelson Benjamin Nielsen Dennis Noack Russell Nordstedt Ing. Jose Noriega C.A.S. Louis Normandin Casey Norton Crescenzo Notarile, ASC Jarrod Oswald Paul Overacker Justin Painter Larry Parker Steven Parker Florencia Perez Cardenal Lee Pēterkin Mark Petersen Jon Philion Tyler Phillips Mark Phillips W. S. Pivetta Ted Polmanski Delia Prieto Robert Primes, ASC Joe Prudente Marcia Reed Bill Reiter Claudio Rietti Ken Robings Andy Romero Tim Rook Peter Rooney Sam Rosenthal Jordi Ruiz Maso Dylan Rush Jake Russell Kish Sadhvani Danny Salazar Steve Saxon Joshua “JC” Schroder Christian Sebaldt, ASC Christopher Seehase Peter Sikkens Michael Skor Jan Sluchak Dan Smarg Robert Smith

Laurent Soriano David Speck Don Spiro Owen Stephens Derek Stettler Michael Street Aymae Sulick Jeremy Sultan Tara Summers Andy Sydney Tiffany Taira Rick Taylor Alan Thatcher Andres Turcios John Twesten Daniel Urbain Sandra Valde Thomas Valko Satya Vanii Ioana Vasile Benjamin Verhulst Marshall Victory Breanna Villani Jesse Vielleux Miguel Angel Viñas Joel Stephane Wackenheim Terry Wall W. Thomas Wall Justin Watson Thomas Weimer Alex White Tim Wu Tim Yoder Scot Zimmerman

CORPORATE

Abel Cine Adorama Rental Co. Arri, Inc. Band Pro Film & Video Brother International Corporation Canon, USA Inc. CarL Zeiss Microimaging, Inc. Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment Cineverse Codex CW Sonderoptic Filmtools Inc. Fujifilm/Fujinon Geo Film Group, Inc. Glidecam Industries Inc. History For Hire Imagecraft Productions, Inc. JL Fisher Inc. Keslow Camera Manios Digital & Film Matthews Studio Equipment Panasonic Corporation Panavision Preston Cinema Systems Sigma Sony Electronics Spacecam Systems, Inc. Teradek, LLC The Vitec Group Tiffen Wooden Camera

EDUCATOR

John M Grace Ralph Watkins

HONORARY

John Bailey, ASC Tilman Buettner

James Burrows Alexander Calzatti Trevor Coop Roger Corman Dean Cundey, ASC Bruce Doering Clint Eastwood Tom Hatten Ron Howard Gale Anne Hurd Sarah Jones Ron Kelley Kathleen KennedyMarshall Jerry Lewis Gary Lucchesi Larry McConkey A. Linn Murphree M.D. Diana Penilla Steven Spielberg Robert A. Torres George Toscas Roy H. Wagner, ASC Alfre Woodard

RETIRED MEMBER

Aldo Antonelli Gary Armstrong Tom Barron Al Bettcher James Blanford Bruce Catlin Ivan Craig Richard Cullis George Dibie, ASC Robert Feller Dick Fisher Jerry Fuller Anthony Gaudioz Wynn Hammer Ken Hilmer Gary Holt Robert Horne Douglas Knapp Michael Little Heather MacKenzie James Mann Stan McClain Michael McClary Ron McManus Mike Meinardus Emmanuel Metaxas Robert Moore Sol Negrin, ASC David Parrish Aaron Pazanti Richard Rawlings Jr., ASC Andy Romanoff Frank Ruttencutter Carl Schumacher, Sr. Chuck Schuman Philip Schwartz Guy Skinner George Stephenson Gene Talvin Joseph Tawil Adam Ward

STUDENT

Veronica Aberham Michael Acosta Jacober Ahrell Reynaldo Aquino Nathan Bachmann Melissa Baltierra Zakrey Barisione Daniela Bornstein Ziryab Brahem Jessie Brickley Richard Castaneda

Petr Cikhart Jiayao Chen Autumn Collins Meghan Cullen Sabrina Cullen William Dauel Annor Doeman David Duesterberg Michael Garcia Sean Garry Christian Hall Rita Hansen Tyler Harmon-Townsend Caleb Heller Andres Hernandez Kendra Hillman Myles Holt Carolyn Hunt Preston Jeter Crystal Kelley KC Kennicutt Daniel Klockenkemper John Lansdale Zachary Leazer Jun Li Baichuan “Igor” Li Eric Liberacki Guilherme Lima Ari Linn Deidre Locklear Jose Lora Carl Loven Po-Han Lu Mengmeng “Allen” Men Alexander Moeckler Jeff-Steven Mojica Fabian Montes James Nagel Lucien Night Lorenzo Pace Weerapat “Art” Parnitudom Orland “Allan” Penales Connor Pollard Karina Prieto Macias Matthew Psyllos Ryan Richard Tiye Rose-Hood Edgar Santamaria Emil Schonstrom Brittany Shank Kara Siebein Jennifer St. HilaireSanchez Davin Stanley Kezia Supit Grace Thomas William Torres Ivan Velazquez Tianyl “Christopher” Wang Anthony Worley Watcharawit “Koon” Ya-inta Dennis Zanatta Lucia Zavarcikova Qiaoyu “Joy” Zhang Botai Zhong Chenlu Zhu Roster

current as of October 24, 2016.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

AD INDEX AJA 49 www.aja.com ARRI 41 www.arri.com Blackmagic Design 17 www.blackmagicdesign.com Brother 63 www.brother-usa.com/airscouter Canon - 360i 25 www.canon.com 19 Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment www.chapmanleonard.com 33 Clairmont Camera www.clairmontcamera.com 8 Cinematography Electronics www.cinemaelec.com 27 CW Sonderoptic www.cw-sonderoptic.com 21 DJI www.dji.com 9 Focus Features - Kubo and the Two Strings 3 Focus Features - Loving 11 Focus Features - Nocturnal Animals focusfeaturesawards2016.com C3 Fujinon www.fujifilm.com 61 Glidecam www.glidecam.com 51 Gyro-Stabalized Systems www.gyrostabilizedsystems.com 62 Hover-Views Unlimited www.hoverviews.com

J. L. Fisher 35 www.jlfisher.com Lionsgate - Hacksaw Ridge 7 Lionsgate - La La Land (SUMMIT) 5 www.lionsgateawards.com Matthews Studio Equipment 62 www.msegrip.com Paralinx 29 www.paralinx.net Paramount - Arrival C2, 1 www.paramountguilds.com Schneider Optics 45 www.schneideroptics.com Sony Pictures - Passengers 13 www.sonypictures.com/awards Sony Pictures Classics - Eagle Huntress 4 www.sonyclassics.com/awards-information Sneaker Dolly 43 www.sneakerdolly.com Teradek Back Cover www.teradek.com That Cat Camera Support 37 www.thatcat.com The "Original" Slider 58 www.theslider.com Tiffen 53 www.tiffen.com UCLA MPTF 59 www.uclahealth.org/MPTF Vitec Videocom 15 www.vitecvideocom.com

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Social SOC

Curated by Ian S. Takahashi, SOC

A special thank you to Ian S. Takahashi, SOC for curating this new column and for his great work managing the SOC Instagram page. Ian concentrates on underwater work. His underwater credits include The Last Ship, True Detective, Scandal, Pretty Little Liars, Masters of Sex, Beyonce (Lemonade), Katy Perry, Selena Gomez, and more. Follow Ian @iantakahashi society_of_camera_operators

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2006 NY, NY. “The Devil Wears Prada”. DP: Florian Ballhaus, ASC. This photo is from the teaser trailer that I believed never aired. It may be on a VHS or DVD somewhere. It was tough shot, I have to say. It started at the end of a long hallway with a lot of verticals (hence the gyros on the steadicam) and pushes thru models and background extras doing crosses. It ends in a lock off with me cueing Meryl (yes THE MERYL STREEP) to turn and deliver her line. ARRICAM ST on the sled and with the gyros and it being an ST, it was beefy (4 black springs in the arm). But I was young back then!! Thank you to the SOC for having me host the “takeover” this week. I really enjoyed it!! I am proud to have those three letters after my name. It means a lot. As an assistant coming up thru the ranks, I was lucky to work with great people. Crew members that took the time to talk to me, mentor me, teach me, and yell at me. (Read full post on Instagram) Dave Thompson, SOC Photo by: Barry Wetcher SMPSP #bestJobEver #theSoc #cameraOperator

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(@mitchdubin ) Where’s Waldo? This image is from “War Horse.” When we shot the WWI sequences it was meant to be a visually accurate portrayal of the horrors of fighting in the trenches. I have never worked in such a wet muddy uncomfortable environment. One day we released rats for a scene. At the end of the shot we had to account for every rat. One rat was missing, so we stopped shooting for 1/2 hour while we tore apart the set looking for a muddy rat in a muddy trench. We were so wet and muddy that at the end of every day we all lined up in front of a fire hydrant and someone would spray us down, full pressure. We all wore black rain gear. At the end of the day you couldn’t recognize anyone. We were all like that wet muddy rat. In this picture I’m the wet Waldo just to Steven’s left. Janusz Kaminski was the DP. George Richmond was the UK Camera Operator. Mark Spath was the 1st AC. Dave Appleby was the UK Key Grip. (Read full post on Instagram) Mitch Dubin, SOC Photo by Andrew Cooper. #bestJobEver #thesoc #cameraOperator

Join the SOC membership on Instagram.com. See iconic photos from behind-the-scenes, on-set backstories, and images that inspire. Join in the conversation! @ Society_of_Camera_Operators 68

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