Camera Operator Winter 2016

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS

SOC.ORG 路 WINTER 2016 VOL. 25, NO. 1

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Joy House of Cards CAMERA OPERATOR 路 WINTER 2016

Fast andScandal Furious 7 The Mission Awards Review 1

2 漏 2 0 1 6 T W E N T IE T H C E NT U RY F OX

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS 路 SOC.ORG

“ THE

CINEMATOGRAPHY IS NO THING SHORT OF JAW-DROPPING.” -FROM THE BALCONY

“EMMANUEL LUBEZKI’S FLOATING, HOVERING CAMERAS HELP GIVE ‘THE REVENANT’ AN ALMOST ETHEREAL QUALITY, ELEVATING ITS HERO’S JOURNEY TO THE LEVEL OF MYTH.” -NEW REPUBLIC

ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE ®

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY A MERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHY N O M I N E E BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY EMMANUEL LUBEZKI, ASC/AMC AND

BEST PICTURE

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

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CONTENTS 16

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

6 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 8 NEWS & NOTES

16 STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

NAB CCW SOC Workshop and more

10 ESTABLISHING SHOT Michael Scott, SOC

46 TECH TALK "An Introduction to VR for Camera Operators" Axl Klive

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50 SMOOTH OPERATOR "Shooting Myself: Careening Toward Enlightenment in the Entertainment Industry" Paul Babin, SOC

60 INSIGHT Meet the Members

32 2

61 SOC ROSTER 63 AD INDEX 64 SHOOTING THE BREEZE

"An Operator's Perspective” Colin Anderson, SOC

26 JOY "Reflections from the Set” David Thompson, SOC

32 SCANDAL "Scandal Style” Katie Larsen with Steven Fracol, SOC and Jack Massitt, SOC

40 THE MISSION "360° CINEMA" Matthew Gratzner and A.J. Raitano

57 2016 LIFETIME ACHIEVENT AWARDS Honorees and Nominees

58 SOC AND THE PGA PRESENTS "The Art and Craft of the Camera Operator " Derek Stettler

38 SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS ®

BEST FILM EDITING • BEST SOUND MIXING • BEST SOUND EDITING BEST VISUAL EFFECTS • BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

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B A F TA AWA R D S N O M I N AT I O N S

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC • BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN BEST SOUND • BEST SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

CAMERA OPERATOR OF THE YEAR Colin Anderson

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

3 Visit us at WALTDISNEYSTUDIOSAWARDS.COM

©2016 & TM Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Society of Camera Operators Board of Governors OFFICERS President Mark August 1st Vice President Mitch Dubin 2nd Vice President Dan Turrett 3rd Vice President David Mahlmann Recording Secretary Twojay Dhillon Treasurer Bill McClelland Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Frediani

BOARD MEMBERS George Billinger Rochelle Brown Susan Campbell Dan Coplan Eric Fletcher David Frederick David Allen Grove Frank Kay Hugh Litfin Kenji Luster Kim Marks Georgia Packard Tyler Phillips Alicia Robbins Eric Roizman David Sammons Chris Taylor Chris Tufty

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COMMITTEE CHAIRS

CONTRIBUTORS

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) Casey Hotchkiss Membership (Co-Chair) Eric Roizman Merchandising & Promo.

(Co-Chair) Dan Turrett Merchandising & Promo.

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

Colin Anderson, SOC Paul Babin, SOC David Emmerichs, SOC Steven Fracol, SOC Michael Frediani, SOC Matthew Gratzner Alx Klive Katie Larson Jack Messitt, SOC A.J. Ritano Michael Scott, SOC Derek Stettler David Thompson, SOC Frank Zaragoza

STAFF AND CONSULTANTS

Paul Babin Steven Breckon Jeff Bridges Scott Broock Byron Cohen Heather Chabot Murray Close Michael Desmond David Emmerichs, SOC Mark Feldman John Fleenor Shannon Gans Mitch Haddad Peter Iovino David James Keith Jefferies

SOC Operations Manager Heather Ritcheson 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

PHOTOGRAPHY

Pat Johnson Michael Frediani, SOC Bruce McBroom Eric McCandless Merrick Morton Dan Mindel A.J. Raitano Dale Robinette Carter Smith Merie Weismiller Wallace Nicole Wilder

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.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

CAMERA OPERATOR 路 WINTER 2016

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Letter from President Dear SOC Members and Camera Operator Readers, As this magazine goes to print, 2015 has come to a close and oh what a year. The SOC hosted more events outside of Los Angeles than I can remember and we are working to build our community internationally. We produced the Underwater Camera Workshop, The Art, Craft and Business of the Camera Operator with the Producers Guild of America, not to mention events in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. Camera Operator magazine was distributed in both print and digitally at more trade shows and through industry partnerships than ever in the past. All this was done with the focus of better serving the production community globally.

As we forge into 2016, with a fast-paced lineup of activities and ways to become involved with the organization, I want to “stop down” to give a few special thanks.

First, I want to thank Michael Frediani, SOC for stepping up and leading this magazine forward.

Your creative vision and commitment is inspirational and the look and feel of the magazine is something for all of us to be proud of. Additionally, I want to thank the volunteer Board of Governors that guides the Society and all of the volunteers who give of their precious time throughout the year. Thank you!

I hope to see many of you at the SOC’s Lifetime Achievement Awards, February 6, 2016 at Paramount Studios. We’ll also be streaming the Awards live off of the SOC site—SOC.org. For more information—SOCAwards.com.

Sincerely, Mark August, SOC SOC President

FEBRUARY

• February 6, 2016 SOC Lifetime Achievement Awards 2016, Paramount Studios For tickets SOCAwards.com

MARCH

• March 5, 2016 @ 1:00 pm Chapman Leonard Atlanta Open House at Chapman/Leonard (Pinewood Studios) 500 Sandy Creek Road, Fayetteville, GA Register: SOCOffice@soc.org

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APRIL

• April 16-21, 2016 Save the Date, SOC at National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB) panel and party.

EVENT SUBMISSION Do you have an idea for an event that you would like Society of Camera Operators to produce? It is important to the SOC to support and allocate resources for events that are significant to the membership. Submit ideas at: soc.org/events/event-submission

Calendar SOC.ORG Calendar We are pleased to announce new activities and updated calendar events on the soc.org site. Please log onto the home page and click the navigation button, Events. A monthly listing of all SOC events are presented.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

IT ALL BEGINS WITH GLASS

The selection of a lens is the moment that can define a shoot. From Hollywood studios to exotic locations around the globe, amazing big screen content is dramatized every day through the selection of Canon cinema lenses.

The technologies behind our PL and EF mount cinema lenses ensure clear, crisp motion capture to the most demanding shoots. Canon optics empower filmmakers to bring visions to life. Throughout the more than 75 years of Canon history, it’s why we’ve always placed Glass First. glassfirst.com

GLASS FIRST CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 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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Society Holiday Parties, Coast to Coast The Society hosted holiday parties in both Los Angeles and New York City. Members gathered to celebrate the season with fellow members with Mitch Dubin, SOC and Bruce MacCallum, SOC hosting the New York party at The Ginger Man. The Los Angeles membership gathered at The Tin Horn Flats in Hollywood and enjoyed the refreshments and conversation.

News & Notes Historical Committee Honors Mole-Richardson Company SOC Historical Committee Chair, Michael Frediani, SOC has produced a video showcasing the Mole-Richardson Company. The video was created this past summer as the company was finalizing production of lighting equipment at the Hollywood location where Mole-Richardson was founded in 1927. We bring you behind-thescenes in their historic buildings and highlight the manufacturing processes which have stood the test of time, creating the iconic lighting instruments that have illuminated sets around the globe.

The company has now moved to a brand new facility in Pacoima, California where they continue to create state-of-the-art lighting. soc.org/behind-the-scenes-at-mole-richardson

How Did You Get That Shot?! In NYC Left to right: Alan Pierce, SOC, Mitch Dubin, SOC, Bruce MacCallum, SOC, Gregor Tavenner

Under Construction: What is it?

The SOC traveled to NYC to present the How Did You Get That Shot?! at the National Association of Broadcaster Show (NAB) hosted at the Javitz Center. David Thompson, SOC and Dave Chameides, SOC with Mark August, SOC President moderating the interactive panel. Following the panel, a mixer was hosted at Clyde Frazier’s Wine & Dine Panel, where members mixed with local East Coast operators, DP's and AC's.

By Michael Frediani, SOC

Answer on page 54.

Photos by Michael Frediani, SOC

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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With you every step of the way At Sony, we’re committed to providing every level of production with the best possible creative tools. That’s why all these cameras deliver the phenomenal exposure latitude and color gamut of Sony’s proprietary image sensors. Plus the power of our image processors, the efficiency of our codecs, clever ergonomics and a choice of Sony’s lenses optimized for moving pictures.

From the full-frame 4K of the α7S II to the 8K capability of the F65, we bring the science. You bring the art.

Meet them all at sony.com/4Kandbeyond.

Beyond Definition

© 2016 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Features and specifications are subject to change without notice. Sony and the Sony logo are trademarks of Sony.

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

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by Michael Scott, SOC

Establishing Shot

In my younger days. Photo Credit: Peter Iovino What makes camera operating "the best job on the set" as many seem to believe? To answer that I have to go back into my treasure chest of shapeshifting stories and sweet recollections gathered throughout a forty plus timespan. I must warn you, however, that I strictly adhere to the maxim of always letting a good memory stand in the way of the truth.

You can never forget your first "significant" shot as a camera operator. I know, it sounds a lot like sex. Mine occurred when I was still a first assistant working with Michel Hugo on a TV show, but I can't remember which one. Michel had told me that he was going to move me up to operator on his next project, and that he wanted to throw as many shots my way as possible in order to not embarrass either of us when that day rolled around. It was a simple dolly shot: a move in of about four feet and a small rise of maybe two from a medium shot of two actors on a couch into a tight two shot. I must have practiced it twenty times until the dolly grip finally said, "Michael, your either going to get it or you won't. You're driving me crazy."

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On the first take in between "Roll it!" and "Action" Michel whispers in my ear, "Don't fall off the dolly." Hmmmm. I wondered what he meant by that. Anyway there were a couple lines of dialogue and now was the time for the push in. As it turned out, all the practice I had done was for naught as sure enough, as the dolly pushed in and rose, my eye came away from the eyepiece and I almost fell of the dolly. Seriously.

After "Cut," I looked around to where Michel was sitting (there was no video village then, ah, those were the days)...and saw that he was laughing so hard I thought he was going to have a stroke.

Maybe it was the time on Mountain Men during a crackling crisp morning with the temperature in the high-30's in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I was on a Chapman with Charlton Heston standing buck naked right beside me getting ready for a scene where he goes for a swim in the numbingly cold Snake River. Just before "Roll it" was called out he turned to me and said, "I bet this isn't what you had in mind when they said that there was nudity in the show is it?" Okay, I wasn't an operator yet but I would be soon.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS 路 SOC.ORG

We have received many awards at Clairmont Camera; and the best one is having the privilege of working with you. For you bring us inspiration that fuels our dedication to our craft. Thank you! And keep it coming!

Denny Clairmont

CAMERA OPERATOR 路 WINTER 2016

www.clairmont.com

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Left: Looking for reflections. Photo Credit: Dale Robinette. Right: Cold Night on the Chapman. Photo courtesy of Michael Scott Or perhaps is was the time while on a day call, I was called upon to do a series of tight close-up whip pans on individuals sitting around a conference table. Whip pans are unique—you either get them or you don't. There's no in between. The first one went fine, so did the second one. Number three? Good! Number four also good. One more to go —was I actually going to pull this off? Okay, here goes...

Just as I came to an abrupt halt (are there any other kind in a whip pan?), my heart drops with a loud thud to my toenails as I see the right frame line is cutting unacceptably into the back of the actor's head (he was looking right to left). But in the instant that the pan finished, the actor, may God bless his heart, leans forward into a perfect frame delivering his lines.

"Michael, do you know what would make a good shot? Look at those cars over there."

"Over there" was the new I-70 about a mile or so south of our position.

A small thunderstorm had just passed through the area depositing rain on the distant Interstate. Rooster tails of brilliant, sparkly water backlit by a strong low hot afternoon sun were kicked up by the speeding cars.

"We always need montage shots," the teamster stated. "Wouldn't that be a good shot if the T-Bird were in it?"

"You're right. Why don't you go tell Ridley your idea?"

As the director yells, "Cut! Print! Let's move on!" Ken Zunder, the DP, walks over from video village. Smiling, he leans over and whispers in my ear, "You are the luckiest—camera operator in the world."

He was hesitant, so I took him over to talk with Ridley. He loved the idea saying "You guys grab another camera, get a spare Thunderbird, put the photo doubles in it, set up the shot and shoot it." Which we did, and it was good. That was one proud teamster. Dammed if I can remember if it's in the movie or not.

Possibly it was when I was working on Anger Management while doing a tight over-the-shoulder onto Jack Nicholson and he kept getting hidden behind the foreground Judge. "Jack," I asked him quietly, "could you not lean too far right? You keep lining up."

Of course there is always the dark side as, through the eyepiece of an Arri, I watched a helicopter slice sideways onto an apocalyptic exploding set indiscriminately taking the lives of three actors, two of them children. That one I would just as soon forget but can't.

"What? Oh, sure. Thanks for letting me know." Next take the same thing, so I moved his mark a couple of inches to his left. Again he is lined up; he does things his own way. So I moved the camera to the right, which is what I should have done to begin with.

And I can't possibly forget ripping open the envelope from ICG's Contract Services letting me know if I had been accepted into the first training class putting me on a path to union membership thus becoming an accepted member of the camera community. If I were to be accepted, the career door I so wanted would be wide open for me.

Then there's this image—a stunningly red-streaked sky as the sun sets over the radioactive hills west of Moab with Ridley Scott sweating over a hot grill cooking cheeseburgers and hot dogs in the front yard of a crew member's house on Thelma and Louise, the project I wished would never end.

Then it might have been when we were shooting car mounts north of Moab on old U.S. 50—also on Thelma and Louise. While waiting for a piece of equipment to materialize a teamster sidles up to me and says,

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I know it is a tired cliché to say that my hands were shaking as I opened the notification, but they were. Somehow out of over 1,500 applicants that by testing were narrowed down to 50 interviewees of whom 10 were selected I made it. Since I never graduated from college this was my diploma. I am, in fact, the luckiest camera operator in the world, which contributed a lot to making it the best job on the set. I think I'll go buy a Lotto ticket.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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I’m the one with the cap. Photo Credit: Bruce McBroom Michael Scott, SOC Michael Scott, SOC has been an active member of the SOC since its inception. He served almost two terms on the Board of Govenors, and recommends to all who wish to better the organization, run for office. The SOC BOG always needs new, innovative, insightful members with accompaning ideas who have the energies and desire to advance the organization. Those who just want to meet once a month or less in order to add the title to their resumes need not apply.

While Michael is currently retired he does miss the characters, talents, challenges, and funny experiences he encountered during his career. He does not miss the constant 16 hour days, eating in parking lots, rain dripping down the back of his neck while in a ditch at 4:00 AM in the morning knowing that there are still drive-bys to do after the sun comes up. Some of his favorite credits include Die Hard, Basic Instinct, Fast and Furious 4, Speed, Mountain Men, Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, Stuart Little 2, Carnivale, Mrs. Harris, An Early Frost, Flatliners, and Twister (2nd Unit) among many others. Probably the show he most enjoyed being a part of is Thelma and Louise. Regrets: having done only one project with Ridley Scott. He also misses Tony Kerum.

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Introducing Blackmagic URSA Mini, the lightweight Super 35 4.6K digital film camera with 15 stops of dynamic range!

Introducing URSA Mini, a handheld Super 35 digital film camera with an incredible 4.6K image sensor, global shutter and a massive 15 stops of dynamic range! The super compact and lightweight design is perfectly balanced, making it comfortable enough for all day shooting. URSA Mini lets you shoot at up to 60fps, features a 5" foldout viewfinder, dual RAW and ProRes recorders, and more!

Incredible 4.6K Sensor URSA Mini can capture images at a resolution and dynamic range that goes well beyond that of traditional motion picture film so you can shoot your own epic, cinematic masterpiece! You can capture images up to 4608 x 2592, which is larger than 4K DCI, with 15 stops of dynamic range so you get incredibly clean pictures with amazing detail in everything from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights! URSA Mini can record 4.6K at up to 60fps, or 1080 HD at up to 120fps.

Lightweight and Portable URSA Mini’s perfectly balanced body is made out of space aged magnesium alloys so it’s rugged, yet lightweight and comfortable enough to be used all day. You get a super bright 5" fold out touch screen for on-set monitoring, that can also display overlays for timecode, histograms, audio meters, focus peaking and more!

URSA Mini features full size, professional connectors, even 12G-SDI, so you don’t need custom cables, plus high quality stereo microphones and a side grip mounted on a standard rosette.

www.blackmagicdesign.com

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016 Electronic Viewfinder, lens and accessories sold separately.

Completely Customizable Blackmagic URSA Mini is completely customizable so you can create a rig that’s built specifically for your production!

Add accessories like the Blackmagic URSA Viewfinder and Blackmagic URSA Mini Shoulder Kit, or choose from hundreds of third party accessories. URSA Mini has 9 standard ¼" threaded mounting points on the top and bottom of the camera so you can mount it directly to a tripod as well as add accessories such as rails, matte boxes and more.

Non-Stop Recording You never have to stop recording because URSA Mini features two CFast 2.0 recorders! When one card is full, recording automatically continues onto the next. URSA Mini uses the latest, incredibly fast CFast 2.0 technology for recording speeds up to 350 MB/s. Wide dynamic range images are saved as 12-bit RAW files, which are perfect for high end grading and effects work, or as broadcast quality ProRes, for easy post production workflows with minimum storage requirements!

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STAR WARS:

The Force Awakens An Operator's Perspective

by Colin Anderson, SOC

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS 路 SOC.ORG

Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo (played by Harrison Ford) and his allies face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (played by Adam Driver) and his army of Stormtroopers. May the Force be with you…

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

17 2015© Luacsfilm Ltd. & TM, All Rights Reserved

Setting up a Steadicam shot with J.J. on the Jakku set, just outside Abu Dhabi.. Photo Credit: David James 2015© Luacsfilm Ltd. & TM, All Rights Reserved

Star Wars has created a dilemma for me. I have a sinking feeling that it will never get any better than what I experienced on this amazing production…where to from here?

THE DIRECTOR It is very seldom that everything falls into place so seamlessly. Starting with the man at the very top: J.J. Abrams. To say that he is an extraordinary person would be an understatement. He is ridiculously talented, humble, creative, challenging, and has a wonderful sense of humor! He is one of those unique individuals able to bring out the very best in everyone around him. I have lost count of the times, when as an operator, I'd figuratively be clinging on by my fingernails, wondering how I was going to do a shot, then as the slate is going in, he would say, "lets start by whipping on…” And when

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I've made a complete hash of it, he takes the blame for making it difficult!

COMRADES IN ARMS It's no secret that the hierarchy sets the tone on a film set, and that was certainly the case on this one. Up there with J.J. is Dan Mindel, the DP. As with J.J., I have been blessed with a long collaboration with Dan. He is a good friend, but also an operator's dream. Dan leaves a lot of the set-up to the director and the operator, so often J.J., Phil Carr-Forster, the other operator on the film, and myself would plot the shot. While we were setting up, he would have already

started lighting with Perry Evans, the gaffer.

Because of our long relationship we have developed a trust and shorthand that makes for really efficient work. Dan is also one of the most patient people on the planet. So often his resources are stretched to breaking point as we point the camera in every direction, yet he takes it all in his stride. I think that there are few DP's in our business today that use an operator as well as Dan does.

Phil and I also go way back, and if I had to describe him in one word it would be tenacious. There is no quit in him when it comes to finding a great shot and making it work.

Because J.J. knows us both so well, we sometimes resort to a leapfrog method of working

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

2015漏 Luacsfilm Ltd. & TM, All Rights Reserved

Q&A WITH DAVID JAMES, STILL PHOTOGRAPHER ON STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

How was it working alongside the camera department on the set of this extraordinary movie franchise?

"The big difference between camera and stills is 23 frames a second... they shoot 24, I shoot one at a time. Other than that we're the same. Both looking for 'the' image that tells a story. They, the camera department, can use lots of angles to tell the story, I do my best to get story in one image.

Experienced operators like Colin are very aware of this and Colin is the first who will help you get that special spot to get the best shots. So, thank you Colin. Thank you for the times you nudge over a little so that I can get that precious 'one frame', thank you again for the conspiracy that goes on between us in our chats about the best angle and the best place to be.

There is a lovely collaboration between a good operator and the crew around him, we are all there for the same reason, to make a movie and have fun doing it.

How was this set culture different from other movies you've worked on?

This film was a very special event in all our lives. When you get older youngsters will be enthralled that 'you' worked on 'THIS' Star Wars movie and you will always be grateful that you have this experience in your career history.

Photo Credit: Dian James

CAMERA OPERATOR 路 WINTER 2016

When I started in this industry big magazines like Life and Look were where you aspired to have your pictures published. On this project my first photo break was the script read-through by the whole cast, director, J.J.Abrams, and the producers. That photo went 'online' and was seen by more people around the world and in the shortest time than any picture I had ever shot in my career.

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STAR WARS TRIVIA

where I will be doing a shot while Phil is setting up for the next one.

CHALLENGES ON SET

The first film in the series, Star Wars (later subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope), was released on May 25, 1977 by 20th Century Fox and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon.

How does one measure a great 1st AC? Incredible at his job for sure, unflappable in the extreme, and possessing an extra set of experienced eyes for inattentive operators.

Serge Nofield fit the bill perfectly! To survive on a J.J. Abrams movie as a focus puller, you have to be very good. The camera never stops moving, invariably pushing into minimum, whipping around on dialogue queues, and second-guessing Steadicam operators that seldom do the same thing twice. Serge was definitely the perfect guy to have in the trenches. Simon England, "A” Camera, 2nd AC, was Serge's right-hand man who made some extraordinary sacrifices to be there—and we were all the better for it.

Principal photography started in the UAE, where we had 140-degree heat in the desert outside Abu Dhabi. Our camera package consisted of four Millennium XLs, and three MSM Imax cameras, which were only used in the desert. Panavision, at the request of Dan Mindel, anodized the camera bodies and mags black. While they looked awesome, in the desert heat you could fry an egg on them! Serge had a real struggle keeping the bodies and mags as cool as possible. He put dry ice and pieces of space blanket over parts of the camera, especially the video tap, to try and keep the temperatures down. In a nice touch, the ‘A' camera body had "Millennium Falcon” engraved

Star Wars holds a Guinness World Records title for the "Most successful film merchandising franchise."

In 2012, The Walt Disney Co. acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion and announced three new Star Wars films, with the first film, Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, released on December 18, 2015.

One of the prominent elements of Star Wars is the "Force", an omnipresent energy that can be harnessed by those with that ability, known as Force-sensitives. It is described in the first produced film as "an energy field created by all living things [that] surrounds us, penetrates us, [and] binds the galaxy together."

T E C H O N S E T:

Format amorphic n A 5 3 r e Sup k ion3 Stoc Kodak Vis Cameras ision XL2 v a n a P x 4 eras Imax Cam 3 x MSM ses elblad Len s Set of Hass hic Lense Anamorp o m ri P f Full Set o enses Series C L Full Set of ses tro C Len Set of Re mm 25mm, 30 Lenses 180mm E 135mm,

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2015© Luacsfilm Ltd. & TM, All Rights Reserved

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

on the door, and the ‘B' camera body had "Death Star” engraved on it.

GETTING THE SHOTS Lens-wise, we carried Anamorphic Primos, 135mm and 180mm E's, a full set of C's, an AWZ, an ATZ, a 11:1, a 3:1, and some Retro C's. Dan Sasaki at Panavision reworked some C's, which then became known as the Retros. As a rule of thumb we would use the Retro C's on the Resistance fighters shots, and the Primos on the First Order shots.

This created the feel of the Resistance fighters having a slightly softer, more flattering look, while the First Order had a sharper more "contrasty” look. We couldn't adhere to this theme religiously—there were times when we did a Steadicam shot of the first

order, where a Primo Anamorphic lens was too heavy for the rig, forcing us to use a C series lens. Some lenses that we carried part time were the 3:1 and a 1200mm Prime.

The 3:1, which had a built-in doubler, and the 1200mm were only used in the desert around Abu Dhabi to get those Lawrence of Arabia-type shots.

Thanks to Dan, I was lucky enough to be

TECH ON SET:

AWZ, ATZ, 11 :1, 3:1, 1200 mm, Inclining Pri sm Arri Heads O'Connor Hea ds Lambda Hea ds Dutch Head s Technocran es: 30ft an d 50ft Libra Remote Head Hot Gears Steadicam

involved in the pre-production. There was talk of referencing Lawrence of Arabia for the desert sequences, and I would like to think that we did achieve that. Our anamorphic format certainly lent itself to the environment!

DID YOU KNOW? The dialogue line, "I got a bad feeling about this," is spoken in every Star Wars movie.

Actor Denis Lawson portrayed, Wedge Antilles in Star Wars, episodes, IV, V, and VI. His nephew, actor, Ewan McGregor starred in Star Wars episodes I, II, and III. To protect secrecy when filming Return of the Jedi the working title was called, Blue Harvest, Horror Beyond Imagination.

Revenge of the Jedi, was eventually changed to, Return of the Jedi, when Lucas concluded that Jedi do not seek revenge.

Academy Award-winning writer/actor/director, Sofia Coppola graced Star Wars:The Phantom Menace, in a cameo, as one of Queen Amidala's entourage.

2015© Luacsfilm Ltd. & TM, All Rights Reserved

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

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MAINTAINING STYLE

it by hard mounting the Steadicam onto a

people inside moving it, to little people in-

bicycle dolly, which allowed us to travel up

side trashcans made to look like small aliens

Another consideration was trying to stay in touch with how the original films were shot.

We made a conscious effort not to get too gimmicky or "techy” while executing moves, and as a result had a fairly standard camera package. An example of this was when we shot the interior corridors on a freighter ship. All the corridors were suspended metal grates about 100-150 feet long. We had to come up with a way to do long tracking shots down the corridors without having the actors falling over lengths of track. We tried mounting a Libra on a dolly but the Libra couldn't deal with the high frequency vibration from rolling over the grating. We solved

and down the corridors, often at high speed, with no vibration at all. It was a fun, lowtech way to get it done.

walking about, the set really came alive. It

J.J.'S APPROACH This may sound contradictory considering the VFX-heavy films that J.J. has done, but he likes to keep it as real as possible. If he can do something in camera rather than as a visual effect he will do so—and I think that comes across in his films. All of the creatures and aliens were puppets, and I'm convinced that that is why everything appears so real. From big creatures with up to five

also goes without saying that any operator would prefer to frame on tangible things, rather than imagining something in the frame that will be added later.

It's with a great deal of humility that I look back on my experience on Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I've come to realize just how important this franchise is to so many people who were influenced by these films growing up. It's my fervent hope that we have lived up to their expectations. J.J. sets a high bar but I think once you see the film you will agree that he clears it easily.

Discussing a shot with J.J. deep in the desert, about a four hour drive from Abu Dhabi.

Photo Credit: David James 2015© Luacsfilm Ltd. & TM, All Rights Reserved

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2015© Luacsfilm Ltd. & TM, All Rights Reserved

COMMENTS FROM PHIL CARR-FORSTER, B CAMERA OPERATOR, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Any particular experience you had working with Colin on set that was challenging or interesting?

When I work with Colin there is a great benefit of a complete lack of ego between the two cameras which permits leap-frogging shots. This was an advantage in London where we worked 10 hour continuous days and consequently were able to make the most out of each day.

Any insights or observations you want to share about the film in general?

I think that working in such a relaxed atmosphere was a unique situation on a film of this size with so much at stake. As we got closer to wrapping, the number of crew members who shared the, “This is a good as it gets,” sentiment was staggering. I certainly feel very grateful to have been involved.

What it was like working with J.J. Abrams? And the DP? J.J. has an uncanny talent of coming up with great shots on an hourly basis. At the same time he is open to our input which results in a collaborative atmosphere where the crew really feels a part of the process.

J.J. also has an extraordinary eye for detail. A particular shot can evolve from one idea into a completely different shot that he feels better tells the story. It goes without saying that this keeps the focus pullers and dolly grips on their toes..

The DP, Dan Mindel's amazing ability to keep up with these last minute changes while retaining a sense of humor was and is really inspiring.

Photo Credit: David James

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Colin Anderson, SOC

Awarded to Colin Anderson

Colin Anderson, SOC has worked mainly on feature films, with notable directors such as J.J. Abrams, Paul Thomas Anderson and Ben Affleck. His collaboration with J.J. Abrams includes all five films that he has directed, including; Mission Impossible III, both Star Trek films, and the latest Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Some other films he has worked on include, There Will Be Blood, Good Night, and Good Luck, The Town, Argo, The Master, Dreamgirls, and the Martin Scorsese film Silence.

British Society of Cinematographers 2013 Nominated GBCT Operators Award Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) Society of Camera Operators 2013 Nominated Camera Operator of the Year Award Feature Film The Master (2012) 2011 Won Camera Operator of the Year Award Feature Film The Town (2010)

STAR WARS TRIVIA While visiting the set of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a worried George Lucas confided his fear to Steven Spielberg that Star Wars would flop, and Close Encounters would be more successful. An agreement was struck between them both whereby Lucas would acquire 2 1/2 percent of the Close Encounters franchise, and Spielberg then received 2 1/2 percent of Star Wars.

The second trailer for The Force Awakens holds the Guiness Book of World Records for most viewed movie trailer on YouTube in a 24 hour period, with 30.65 million views in one day when released in April 2015.

The iconic opening crawl of Star Wars was rewritten and edited for Lucas with the help of director Brian DePalma.

Photo Credit: Dan Mindel

Special thanks to Frank Zaragoza for additional trivia contributions.

2015漏 Luacsfilm Ltd. & TM, All Rights Reserved

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Find out more at· WINTER www.aja.com CAMERA OPERATOR 2016

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Jennifer Lawrence in JOY. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS 路 SOC.ORG

Joy

Reflections from the Set

by David Thompson, SOC

Joy is the wild story of a family across four generations centered on Joy, the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love, pave the road in this intense emotional and human comedy about becoming a true boss of family and enterprise facing a world of unforgiving commerce. Allies become adversaries and adversaries become allies, both inside and outside the family, as Joy's inner life and fierce imagination carry her through the storm she faces.

Source: Twentieth Century Fox

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Sometimes these articles are really easy to write because the film and the people involved and the experience itself are pretty straightforward. You can talk about lens choices, certain scenes and how they were shot, etc., but having to write about working on a David O. Russell film is a nearly impossible task because the experience is unlike any I’ve ever had. I hope I do it some justice.

GETTING THE CALL I am standing at the tailgate of the camera truck in the desert an hour outside of Albuquerque, about to start a long cold night on Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, when I get a voicemail from director, David O. Russell.

The message is, “I want to know if you’re available for something special in Boston.”

Something special, indeed.

I return the call. David explains to me the meaning of his new project, Joy, and the adventure that lay before us. Am I in? Always!

David wants to film Joy in the classic sense,

recalling films of the ‘40s and ‘50s, playing with shadow and character silhouettes, and letting the characters play the frame. David has such an infectious energy that it’s hard not to jump on the train and enjoy the ride. Having previously collaborated with him, I had an idea what was in store for me.

Long after production wraps on one of his shows, I realize how much I have learned as an operator by working with him. David is a force of nature—sticking to every rule but at the same time breaking them apart from the inside. He’s both a traditionalist and non-conformist.

It’s amazing and exhausting to work as his operator. You fight for the frame and you are rewarded with magic. Every shot is on the Steadicam. Almost every take runs the full mag (we shot film, yeah!). Your state of consciousness rises above what you see inside the four lines that make up your frame as you tune in to the vibes of some of the greatest actors working today. David’s repertory

company is astonishing: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rossellini.

As an operator, when you click into the vest and pick up the camera, you need to be “on it,” because what happens in front of the lens will make you laugh, cry and affect you long after you return to your hotel. These are lessons in filmmaking that you carry with you for a lifetime.

THE STYLE David shoots primarily on Steadicam, which allows for a process that is infinitely and instantiously adjustable. Geoff Haley did an amazing Steadicam job on David’s The Fighter. I met David on Silver Linings Playbook and his style has been evolving since then. David wanted two Steadicam operators on the show, knowing the workload would be taxing. I am grateful that camera operator, Jody Miller was there to share the experience. He was a newcomer

Filming took place in Boston, Massachusetts.

Haverhill, Massachusetts was also used for filming. In July 2015, downtown Haverhill was transformed into 1980's Dallas.

Jennifer Lawrence stars with Robert De Niro in JOY, the wild story of a family across four generations, and the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

to David’s crew and is a phenomenal operator. For many scenes we would run both Steadicams and achieve twice the coverage.

It was great fun to design shots where we both would do trade-offs of actors walking in and out of different rooms, as one camera would carry them to the door, and the other would pick up on the other side and continue the scene. Putting all the working parts in order was great fun, thanks to our terrific assistant director, Michelle Ziegler.

She is an operator’s best friend.

SPECIFIC WORLDS Each world in Joy has a color palette that reflects the main character Joy’s mindset (played by Jennifer Lawrence). Each world had its own challenges. As operators, we had fun capturing the world of commerce, set mostly at QVC headquarters and its television studio. These sets allowed for a lot of wonderful “backstage” choreography. Production designer, Judy Becker, de-

signed a rotating QVC showroom that became a character itself. We did many shots on the rotating platform for a scene where Joy is about to go on live television for the first time.

TECHNICAL NOTES Most of the film was shot on 5219 with a one stop pull process with some 5213 for day exterior work. About 600,000 feet of film was exposed on the two Steadicam cameras. Arricam LTs were the main bodies used for Steadicam for our camera. We had two STs as back-ups. We used Zeiss Ultraspeeds that were uncoated to give a bit of a period look. Most of the film was shot on the 28mm. We found that lens gave us the ability to hold wide shots and was also really nice for a medium and close up work. It was pretty flat, and didn’t give way to a lot of wide-angle distortion.

TECH ON SET:

Arricam LT 3 perf cameras 5219 and 5 213 film st ocks Arri Ultra pri mes PRO steadic am sleds/arm s/vests Below: 780 rolls of film on the A camera/S teadicam Photo court esy of Dave Thompson

Jennifer Lawrence stars with Edgar Ramirez in JOY, the wild story of a family across four generations, and the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox

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Joy Mangano first developed the Miracle Mop in 1990, the same year actress Jennifer Lawrence was born.

Under David O. Russell's direction, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, and Jennifer Lawrence have all been nominated for Academy Awards. Lawrence won for Silver Linings Playbook.

Top: Edgar Ramirez, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro in JOY. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox Bottom: Joy (Jennifer Lawrence) comforts her daughter, Christy, in JOY. Photo Credit: Merie Weismiller Wallace

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS 路 SOC.ORG

THE CREW Jody Miller was a great fit into a complex puzzle. It was a rare opportunity to work side-by-side with such a great Steadicam operator. He elevated my game, and that’s always a good thing.

Jorge Sanchez is a great focus puller—and a great second set of eyes. His B camera counterpart, Keith Davis, was often tasked with the tighter lens, and he always emerged triumphant. Film loader, Melissa Fisher deserves mention as one of the last true film loaders in the business. She did a great job with keeping up—and some days we had 50 plus mags shot! I look forward to her momentum into the AC world. Rounding out our camera cast are Andrea Crawford as the

B camera operator 2nd and Randy Stone as the A camera operator 2nd.

EMOTIONAL HIGHS Working with David O. Russell is and will always be a highlight in my career. You experience true emotions when you are behind the lens. He gives his operators the freedom and luxury to react to those emotions. The camera is actually a character in a given scene. It pushes in if the emotion calls for it or holds back and observes. David’s work will break your heart and then make you laugh. During most of the shoot, he’d be standing right behind me. As a director he is so in tune with every detail of his dialogue and story, that it would be impossible to not to be excited about what was happening in the frame.

Joy marks the fourth film Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro have starred in together. Previously, they collaborated on Limitless (2011), Silver Linings Playbook (2012), and American Hustle (2013).

Photo Credit: Murray Close David Thompson, SOC David Thompson began his career in the camera department working on on the movie Gettysburg and the TV show Homicide: Life on the Street. He's had the great opportunity to work with top directors and crews in the business on such films to date as; Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Mockingjay Part 1 & 2, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Tower Heist, Premium Rush, 27 Dresses, Silver Linings Playbook, and I Am Legend.

Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in JOY. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

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Scandal Scandal Style

by Katie Larsen with Steven Fracol, SOC and Jack Messitt, SOC

Kerry Washington and Elyse Mirto on SCANDEL - "Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Olivia is feeling more and more frustrated as she takes on "First Lady" type responsibilities at the White House. Meanwhile, Mellie proves just how powerful she can be and Jake and Huck continue the hunt for Rowan on the winter finale. Photo Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS 路 SOC.ORG

Scandal is a television show revolving around super spies and political drama. In the center of it all is political fixer Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and President Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn). In the deep Washington, D.C. underbelly, Pope fixes political scandals, deals with international murders, and in her spare time works to bring down B613, a secret black ops agency run by her father.

Olivia Pope, played by Kerry Washington, is based on Judy Smith, who was Deputy Press Secretary to President George H. W. Bush.

Kate Burton (who plays Vice President Sally Langston) is the daughter of Richard Burton, so she grew up with Elizabeth Taylor as her on-again, off-again step-mother.

While the on-screen players range from super spies to presidential mistress, there are two characters that are lesser known to the audience... They are the men behind the cameras: Steve Fracol, SOC and Jack Messitt, SOC. These men are not just proverbial flies on the wall. Their lenses are invisible characters standing in the room with the actors.

THE OPERATORS Fracol and Messitt are no strangers to hard work. With a combined history of over 40 years on set, both SOC members have the experience to show for it: Fracol (Green Lantern, Sons of Anarchy, My Boys), and Messitt (Bones, Extant, American Idol).

On a show known for its fast-paced style, the mile-a-minute dialogue is mirrored by quick moving camera work. Fracol and Messitt have become quite the dance partners with their acting counterparts in front of the camera.

And to stay in step with the actors, their cameras are always moving. More than that, both operators are given a lot of freedom with the lens. Always zooming in or wid-

CAMERA OPERATOR 路 WINTER 2016

ening out within the shot, these men shine with their ability to find the moments within each scene that tell the story.

FREEDOM TO SHOOT "I always encourage them to tell stories with the lens, even if it means breaking away from what we may have initially planned," says Tom Verica, Scandal's executive producer and producing director. "Initially, I try to communicate what I want emotionally, without getting too specific. If I have a shot in mind. I'll ask for that, but I want to set them free to interpret and tell the story of what they are seeing. They are so dialed into the style and characters, they are able to capture those unrehearsed moments that can really make a scene. And they often get a lot more than I anticipated."

"If the camera is set up in a medium shot," describes Messitt, "and I see a teardrop coming or hands brushing up against each other...I am free to go down there and catch that. It might blow the intended shot, but we are finding those genuine and spur-of-

the-moment visuals that really tell the story.

From the top down, Steve and I are encouraged to go for it. Sometimes it works great and sometimes it doesn't. But no one is afraid of a second take."

THE LOOK AND FEEL The look of Scandal is guided by two influential directors of photography: Oliver Bokelberg, ASC and Daryn Okada, ASC. They give the two operators the chance to compose their shots under certain parameters while giving them the freedom to challenge the frames. Every shot is a little different take to take. With the unique freedom to go for the subtle moments, they constantly push the envelope on how to tell the story visually.

Director of photography, Oliver Bokelberg talks about how great it is to have these two men maintain the style. "On Scandal the camera is always moving. Mostly lateral dollies. Looking in on situations. Often times we are cross shooting. I am fortunate to have such great operators, with a keen sense of composition and storytelling. I encourage

33

them to not repeat themselves on subsequent takes, but to keep it fresh. Listen to the dialogue, pan with the story. Show me what they are interested in at the moment.

That's what the audience wants to see, not my preconceived notions. And Steve and Jack are right on with their instincts."

WORKING WITH THE DP "Working with Steve Fracol and Jack Messit for the past months reaffirms the creative contribution of a great camera operator. Their talent is not just in the mechanics of framing a shot but in the attention to watching and listening as the director and cinematographer work through their process and approach to a scene. They bring a focus to the elements of the shot by collaborating with everyone on the crew. I can count on the operators to

keep the efforts of everyone moving forward with each set-up to achieve the best work on screen. That's the incredible value the best camera operators can bring to a production," adds director of photography, Daryn Okada.

"We have A and B camera labels like any

Visual freedom doesn't come without its set of obstacles. Sometimes the ability to get a great shot is hindered by any of the many possible factors: lights, space and sometimes just the camera's placement. On top of that, the two work around the hurdle of being co-operators. There is a fine balance between finding two good shots versus two average shots.

that if you're not working together."

ON TEAMWORK

"And with all the off-the-cuff camerawork,

"Jack and I really work together to make sure that both of us are getting what we need out of a set-up," says Fracol. "Neither one of us has a ego about our shots."

exclaims Messitt. "We constantly put them

show," adds Messitt, "but none of us look at it that way. We are all after the same thing, making a good looking show that captures the emotions of the moment. You can't do

"It takes the entire camera crew to pull off what we do in every shot," says Fracol.

"Honestly, our dolly grips (Rick Maxey and Gene Rivera) are operating the cameras just as much as Jack and I are—we can only compose what they offer up to us."

I have no idea how our focus pullers do it," in absolutely terrible positions: no marks, no pre-planning, and a lens pegged to 290— and they pull it off!"

Jeff Perry on SCANDAL - "You Got Served" - Olivia knows she can't handle this latest storm on her own and calls for help from an unexpected source.

Meanwhile, Mellie and Cyrus continue to pull strings from the sidelines and Jake is still occupied by a ghost from his past. Photo Credit: ABC/Byron Cohen

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

With little shorthand and more mind reading capabilities than most, Jon Zarkos and Emily Mackley are two of the best focus pullers in the business.

"When I go in to find something," says Fracol, "they don't always know what I am doing. They are constantly trying to figure it out on the spot."

"And sometimes when you're fishing for a shot," Messitt adds, "you end up stepping on each other's toes. Between takes, you hash out your ideas and try again. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but when you find those moments and everything comes together—that's when what you're capturing is magic. And we get a lot of that!"

"Our show shoots in both an objective and subjective point of view," says Verica. "So our

operators are really characters in the scene rather than just documenting it. Fracol and Messitt are experts on enhancing and TECH ON SET: making the scene better than I origi3 Alexa cam eras, SXS ca nally had imagined. They both get in rds Angenieux Zooms 24-2 there and get inside the head of the 9 0, 15-40, 28-7 6 , 4 5 -1 2 0 stories they are telling. And when Zeiss Primes 12mm, 18m m, 50mm, 8 Fracol flies the Steadicam, we hash (8mm as nee 5mm ded), Lens B aby (PL Mo it out, and I start describing about unt) Sony A7s, B olex (digita l) where the scene will go, and he will Steadicam, Ronford Ba ker F7 always improve upon the scene."

OConnor 25 75 D fluid h eads Technocran e 15'-30'-5 0'

HOW THEY DO IT

When Verica is directing, and any incoming director, the blocking of the camera is just as important as the blocking for the actors.

Whether the actors are turning, spinning or crossing a room, the camera is probably doing the equal and opposite reaction. The

working relationship between actors, director and cameramen allows for the constant building of moving parts within each shot and ultimately each scene.

Kerry Washington and Steven Fracol, SOC on set of SCANDAL - "Paris is Burning" - Olivia and Fitz face some very big consequences and Mellie brings in an old friend to make sure she gets her way. Meanwhile, Abby shows Olivia she is fully capable of handling working at the White House.

Photo Credit: ABC/Nicole Wilder

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

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interesting."

The AD team works with the operators to get the background to duck and weave through the frames. The operators have mastered the choreography needed to blend the background actors seamlessly within each scene.

As operators, Fracol and Messitt are always

PACE OF THE SHOW

"The show is very stylistic," says Messitt.

"An empty frame rarely makes the final cut, so everything is done to make sure we have something to look at, something visually

looking for visual foreground elements.

To help get foreground to the varying lens heights, the grips devised a shelf dubbed the "Messitt Board" to fill with props to fill the frame.

"On-set dresser, Steve Lauritzen, and I combed the prop warehouse for interesting things to shoot through," says Messitt.

"Glass with bevels or edges seems to work best, especially for the close-ups. They add some real texture to the shot."

But they do not stop at using just objects‌

With rapid-fire dialogue and constant action, the pacing of the show relies on the camera movement. Fast-talking, fast-walking, fast movement.

"The pace of the show is essential," says Verica. "When we have guest cameramen on our double-up days, the shorthand tends to lack. I always appreciate having Fracol and Messitt around. They can ratchet from 100 down to 20. It's important when there is a more emotional scene, and there is a need for them to move at a different pace. That is

a trick to our show. We play things at such variable speeds. There's an essential need for them to be tapped into the characters and the scene that we are shooting."

Verica is a director/producer that welcomes input and feedback. With the encouragement of collaboration, there is a unique opportunity for real teamwork.

"No scene is considered a single vision," explains Verica. "The collaboration of everyone involved is crucial to keeping the show fresh and new. If every single set up is an A to B to C day in and day out, people tend to get into a rut. On a show that runs nine months out of the year, it's important to keep people engaged and excited to come to work every day. When people feel like they are part of making the show, it appears on the screen."

Music supervisor, Alexandra Patsavas, also worked on Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, Mad Men, and The OC. Scott Foley on SCANDAL - "Dog-Whistle Politics" - Eager to get answers, Jake unexpectedly crosses paths with someone he thought he'd never see again.

Meanwhile, Huck and Quinn recruit a familiar face to help smooth over the media storm surrounding Olivia, and Fitz quickly finds out the true cost of mercy when he discovers not everyone fully supports his actions. Photo Credit: ABC/John Fleenor

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS ¡ SOC.ORG

ON THE DIRECTORS

they want from the scene, they will get it

Like many, if not all network shows, a selection of incoming directors takes over the helm of the ship every nine days. They are steering in a new direction on the same boat. The variation of fresh eyes and new storytellers in the fold opens up new ideas to come to fruition on the screen. The new directors carry the expectation that they will bring their past experiences and new elements to the table. Elements and ideas that Scandal hasn't approached yet.

it within the style of the show."

for them. They will also make sure to keep

"What is scary is when the new kid at school doesn't want to get on the bull and ride," says Verica. "It puts a lot of pressure on our DPs and operators who are the front line for the look of the show. With new directors, I try to stress that communication is key. If they share with the operators what

"With new incoming directors," adds Fracol, "you can't figure them out in one episode.

When they come back, a second or third time is when you really start to get their vision as a director."

"When we have a director that hasn't been here before, it can be a tough transition," Messitt agrees. "When they want something that is out of the scope of what we do, we do our best to give them what they are asking for and put it within the context of our show. We try to find a happy compromise.

The goal of any incoming director is to put their fingerprints on the show while fitting within an already existing world and look."

ENJOYING THE PROCESS The on-screen drama can often take on grave, dark themes, but the shooting crew does its best to strike a balance and keep things light.

While they all take their work very seriously, they try to have a good time doing it. When Verica is not directing, he makes sure to get to the set as a supportive producer.

"The feeling of being too serious each day detracts from the creativity," says Verica. "With the hours and speed, there is a tendency for people to get bogged down or stressed with the demands of a show. I feel if you're not having fun, you don't make as good of a product. The best thing about these guys is they like to have fun. They are easy going and that doesn't just help me on a day to day basis, it helps remind everyone that we have to love what we do and enjoy coming to work

There is a real Defiance County, Ohio, but their votes in 2008 and 2012 weren't as crazy tight as they were on Scandal. It's about 55% Republican, 42% Democrat there.

Kerry Washington and Terry Goldwyn on SCANDAL - "You Got Served" - Olivia knows she can't handle this latest storm on her own and calls for help from an unexpected source. Meanwhile, Mellie and Cyrus continue to pull strings from the sidelines and Jake is still occupied by a ghost from his past.

Photo Credit: ABC/Michael Desmond

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each day. While the show we make is serious, intense and dramatic, it doesn't draw away from the fact we still like to have fun."

"Something that keeps people coming back season after season is being able to come to work and have fun," says Fracol. "There is a strong feeling of family within the Scandal crew."

THE CREW "I love this crew," says Messitt. "I worked on the first few episodes of the first season before returning to the show in the third. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel lucky to be with such great people."

The camera crew is made up of 2nd ACs, Tony Schultz and Gayle Hilary, utility, George Montejano and DIT, Andy Lemon.

"We have the best crew, by far the best I have ever worked with," says Fracol. "I could be working with a lot of people I didn't like, but it's a lot more fun to come to work, laugh and

38

have fun with the same individual's day after day. Television, in general, is a tough thing to do month after month with the same people.

Scandal like most shows has long days and a lot to get accomplished each day on a tight, but constantly changing schedule."

FRACOL'S ART Fracol has been nominated twice as SOC Camera Operator of the Year for his work on Scandal.

"He's in great company," says Verica. "The nominees he's up against are great. It's a tough competitive place to be. For me as a director, I will have to strive hard to come up with more complicated, unique shots for him."

Fracol never shies away from the tough shots, which due to a difficult schedule always seem to land the first thing in the morning, or Friday night at midnight on the last scene of the evening. The scene is scripted to happen in an office. But as rehearsal

moves forward, it's clear that the scene looks and feels stagnant.

After some discussion, Verica gives a knowing smile and, without asking, Fracol heads to his Steadicam. The scene is going from something that seemed a little boring to having a life. The movement makes all the difference and the scene is changed for the better. And that change has so much to do with the fact that both of these guys understand the stories and characters.

"Fracol and Messitt are two guys who like to come to work every day," says Verica. "The Scandal crew is lucky to have them behind the cameras day in and day out. These are two operators that not only care about the shot they but also about the characters and stories inside the Scandal world. The two of them allow the audience to be a part of this super secret scandalous world. Their work here is appreciated and supremely valued.

Without them behind the lens, Scandal wouldn't be the success that it is. We are glad they are here!"

Katie Larsen

Steven Fracol, SOC

Jack Messitt, SOC

Katie spends most of her days wondering what the bad guys, dragons and ninjas would do if they had their own TV show, and how to bring those fantasies to the big screen or small screen.

She is currently an aspiring screenwriter, with years of experience within the film industry. She currently works on Scandal and has worked on Glee, Bones, and many other features and TV shows.

Photo Credit: Heather Chabot

As owner and operator of his Arriflex and Sony cameras, Steve Fracol has shot for commercial directors and producers in New York, Los Angeles, and all points in between. In 2004, Steve completed two Steadicam Operators Association Workshops which led him down a path of making movies. Over the next ten years he found himself working on a variety of Hollywood based feature films as well as multiple seasons on TV shows such as My Boys (TBS), Sons of Anarchy (FX) and Scandal (ABC). Photo Credit: Mitch Haddad

A graduate of the American Film Institute, Messitt has worked on projects in Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Belgium, Canada, Philippines and throughout the United States. His television work includes Fox's Bones and American Idol, Comedy Central's Strip Mall, DirecTV's CD-USA and Oxygen Network's Campus Ladies. His feature film credits include Irreversi, Girl With No Number and The Curiosity of Chance.

Photo Credit: Mitch Haddad

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Emotional images for modern cameras

T2.0 CW Sonderoptic GmbH Wetzlar, Germany | Los Angeles, USA CAMERA OPERATOR 路 WINTER 2016

www.cw-sonderoptic.com sales@cw-sonderoptic.com 39

The Mission 360° CINEMA

by Matthew Gratzner and A.J. Raitano

Virtual Reality, or VR is a term that is popping up everywhere as the “new technology” of entertainment. In the beginning of November, the New York Times Sunday edition sent out over a million Google Cardboards (VR viewers made of cardboard) to their subscribers.

Google Cardboard VR headset, shown assembled and with a phone (iPhone 6s) in the visor slot. Made as a cheap, open standard by Google to encourage use and development of Virtual Reality, Google Cardboard is an expensive container and plastic lenses designed to turn a phone or small tablet into a VR headset. This particular model came free with the New York Times as part of a promotion on November 8, 2015. Photo courtsey of Google Actor Tom Schanley as Captain Frank Thompson in The Mission. Photo Credit: Scott Broock

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IntroducIng

MAKErS oF tHE WorLd’S FInESt Vr cAMErA rIgS As Camera Operators, no one is better qualified to take advantage of the exploding interest in live action virtual reality than someone who’s been on the frontlines of cinematic production.

Interest in the medium is accelerating rapidly, and by bringing your smarts now, who knows where it might lead?

Contact us to speak to our Founder for a friendly chat about VR cameras, and why we believe the future of VR is incredibly bright.

Vr camera Package rentals from

$1500 / day

one-on-one in-home Vr camera training

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(310) 595-1098 www.360designs.io CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

* Choose to keep the camera for a second day for just $500 - some terms apply. Special offer for SOC members.

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Virtual Reality, or VR is a term that is popping up everywhere as the “new technology” of entertainment. In the beginning of November, the New York Times Sunday Edition sent out over a million Google Cardboards to their subscribers.

Years ago, I worked in theater as a director, actor and set designer, then I moved to Los Angeles and worked in visual effects for a number of years. Over the last four years I have also been focusing on directing and producing films. Back in May of 2014, while in post on two films I directed, I was introduced to a newly-founded virtual reality company called Jaunt. They had developed a prototype camera that was a series of twelve GoPro cameras mounted in a housing in an array that would allow them to shoot 360 degrees and in 3D. I reviewed their demos featuring; a BMX skate park and a string quartet, along with other statically photographed environments.

It was all intriguing, but while the static “you are there” environments were interesting, I

felt the technology could be extremely compelling as a new way to tell a narrative story.

Within two weeks of my initial meeting with Jaunt, they gave me the opportunity to create a VR film. Rather than a sci-fi or horror genre piece, the concept of a period piece story was more compelling to me. I felt this would also take the onus off of VR being just high-tech and would hopefully draw the viewer in with the story. I brought in two writers I consistently work with, Joe Kanarek and Ryan Gaudet to write a World War II story of a secret OSS mission and The Mission was born. My company, New Deal Studios, funded the majority of the production budget with Jaunt paying a portion, but also providing the cameras and tech support.

I heard three things about VR that were presented as the “rules” of this new technology; 1) it has to be first person, 2) you can’t do any hard cuts in editorial, and 3) you can’t move the camera. While the challenge of crafting a story with these three “rules” was exciting, I was concerned that if every VR film stuck to

these conventions then the visual medium as a whole would feel gimmicky and every VR experience would be predictable and become tiresome.

We had three and a half weeks to write and develop the script, and with our two-day shoot there wasn’t much time for R&D to understand this new way to tell a story. A quick and dirty test shoot was done in order to see what I could make work, so I reached out my friend and collaborator, camera operator, A.J. Raitano. We went up to Petaluma, California, our shoot location, and shot two hours worth of tests, from A.J. walking with a graphite tripod with Jaunt’s camera as a crude Steadicam, to shooting in both first and third person. Once I reviewed the footage it was apparent to me that third person worked quite well to convey the story with a few first person shots intercut. And the camera movement worked well and amplified the drama. The experience that hit me overwhelmingly was that when viewing the test footage it was like I was immersed in a

The battle ensues (screen grab of one of the 14 cameras). Photo Credit: AJ Raitano

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Hollywood film. There was an interactive component because I could look around in 360 degrees, but there was also a passive experience that was entertaining.

Also, the experience of both directing and watching the film was an interesting combination of a live theater experience crossed with cinema. Now that I had a direction regarding point of view, we then had to figure out how to move the camera.

In virtual reality photography the audience has the ability to look around in 360 degrees, which means the tradition equipment used to mount a camera—dolly, crane, Steadicam, cable cam, etc. all had to be rethought. There is no “behind the camera” for an operator to hide. We needed flexibility, and so we felt a Steadicam approach was the best solution. But, the operator would have to hide under the camera rather than to the side. Because Jaunt’s camera at that time was extraordinarily lightweight (six pounds) I

opted for Steadicam’s Pilot rig that’s used for mostly for videography.

We bought the Pilot rig, which I modified to correctly balance the camera, because the circular design of the housing had a center of gravity directly in the center of the camera.

Unlike traditional motion picture cameras, there wasn’t a lens cantilevered off of the front or a battery clipped to the back. Which meant most of the counter-weight would need to be directly below the post of the rig.

I machined some new post extensions to get the camera higher than A.J.’s head and fabricated some new mounts to attach the camera body to the rig’s mounting plate.

To extrapolate on the experience shooting this VR project, below is a Q&A with A.J. Raitano that covers some of the challenges in creating The Mission: How is shooting VR different than traditional film?

A.J. Raitano: Shooting VR is challenging, sharing similar obstacles to overcome. You need to embrace the constant attention to a 360 environment. There are lighting challenges and story elements that need to be addressed, and in some cases expanded upon. For the operator there are two important factors to consider; keeping the relevant story elements in perspective, AND being conscious of the viewer’s perspective of camera moves. Because—essentially, the viewer watching the film is the camera. It’s their choice where to look at any moment, so when operating in VR there really is no panning or tilting or rolling of the camera.

The movement has to be very linear without initiating any movement other than camera track or a subtle booming up or down.

What were the challenges when operating?

A.J. Raitano: For me, the constant challenge when operating VR, involves being aware of the story around me—being conscious of

Left: Director Matthew Gratzner working with the actors and DP/Operator A.J. Raitano and Jaunt Technician Andon Espeseth.

Right: DP and Operator A.J. Raitano with Jaunt camera on Stedicam Pilot rig. Photo Credits: Scott Broock

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my camera moves to accentuate the story (in 360), as well as camera moves that are not too disorientating to the viewer. One of the big challenges is keeping the camera as stable as possible throughout the move.

Any movement other than a steady track can cause nausea for the viewer. Doing your best to lock the horizon is key; however, the digital supervisor, Jeff Jasper, who’s worked on the VR projects I’ve shot with Matthew, has developed some exceptional ways in post to stabilize camera movement. A slightly “swimming” feel to a traditional Steadicam shot in a regular film can add to the drama, but in VR it’s very disorienting.

A.J. Raitano: I see the future of VR technology going in a very positive and constructive direction. In addition to taking narrative storytelling in a new direction, I see and hope for bold new avenues for education in schools and medical sciences. The future all depends upon headsets getting to the market and people downloading and buying the

content—which in turn will drive the market to create more demand and therefore the need to develop more camera technology.

Since this new technology is developing everyday, camera operators not only are presented with new experiences in storytelling, but also can contribute in the process of VR filmmaking as this new media blossoms.

What do you feel would improve the process?

A.J. Raitano: Improvements that would aid the VR process for operators, which is already in the works, is real time viewing, on a small reference monitor. A monitor that could divide the 360 environment into four quadrants that an operator could make quick reference to. Currently Nokia’s Ozo Camera System does have playback, but there’s a three second delay—fine for the director to view a take real time, but for an operator, not as practical; but that will improve with the technology. For The Mission we ended up mounting two additional forward pointing GoPros to the post of the Stedicam, just below the Jaunt camera. One camera was broadcast wirelessly to the GoPro Ap on an iPhone mounted where the monitor would normally be for my viewing on the rig; and the other GoPro was wirelessly sending its image to an iPad Matthew had. This worked great for the one, forward camera view… however we were in a remote location with very poor reception, so inevitably, as soon as Matthew called “Action” the screens would black out. Basically we shot the entire film blind, then watched the playback of the witness camera after the take.

Where do you see the future going with the technology and how it effects camera production?

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

Matthew Gratzner @MatthewGratzner

A.J. Raitano @aj_raitano

Matthew Gratzner is a triple-threat talent who balances directing, design and technology fluidly when creating content.

Matthew has a pioneering spirit and is always willing to create with new tools while remaining grounded in story and character.

A.J. Raitano has been working in the film industry for over 20 years. He started his career working with the visual effects crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Working through the camera ranks, A.J.’s career spans feature projects, television shows, music videos, commercials, motion capture and virtual reality projects. (VFX 1st assistant camera) The Fifth Element, Armageddon, (VFX Camera OP) The Aviator, Avatar, (VFX DP) Leverage, (VFX 1st AC) The Dark Knight Rises, (VFX Camera OP) Ender’s Game, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, and recently wrapped Jon Favreau’s, Jungle Book.

Best known for his visual effects work over the last decade on such big feature films as; Alien: Resurrection, Iron Man, and Hugo to name a few, Matthew is a visual effects supervisor, co-founder of New Deal Studios, and is also an accomplished director. He has two feature films in post, several commercials, huge VFX sequences, digital shorts and is now pioneering cinematic VR content. He was the first to direct a cinematic live action VR short called The Mission. He's directed live sports VR for the NHL, and his music video for the Galvanized Souls' song, “New Generation,” has been hugely popular. His latest work is VR short Mutiny for Nokia and their OZO camera.

In 2003, using his film experience and resources, A.J. began to forge a career as a cinematographer. A.J. is also a freelance camera operator interested in shooting independent, agency, and studio projects.

Matthew Gratzner, Photo Credit: Shannon Gans A.J. Raitano, Photo Credit: Scott Broock

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Tech Talk An Introduction to VR for Camera Operators

by Alx Klive

Left: iZugar Z2XC twin GoPro rig w/ 194 degree Entaniya Lenses, Courtesy: iZugar Right: EYE™ VR Camera, Courtesy: 360 Designs

In just the last few months, interest in VR (Virtual Reality) has skyrocketed, and announcements such as the recently introduced support for 360° video on Facebook, and earlier in the year with YouTube, has lit a touch paper under the live-action side of VR. Even those on the gaming side are now looking enviously towards our side of the table, where just a few months ago, gaming was all anyone talked about.

It’s exciting times for sure, and the danger is somehow equating VR with the disappointments of 3D. 3D was simply too tricky for people to do at home it turns out, and not compelling enough of an experience for consumers to make the effort. On the contrary, anyone one can put on a VR headset, and the experience elicits wows from consumers. It’s new, its fun, it’s not your grandad’s tech!

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CREATING CONTENT FOR VR As camera operators, we’re used to making immersive experiences for people already. There’s a reason someone comes out of a movie theater thinking they’re in the movie. Compelling storytelling and incredible cinematography ‘pull you in’, notwithstanding the 60 degree FOV. With VR we now have 360 FOV. It’s no less of a development for our industry than the introduction of sound or color, and requires new methods of working, although storytelling remains as important as ever.

Currently there is huge demand from brands to create live-action VR experiences. Everyone is experimenting in this nascent medium, from live 360 streaming of sports and concerts, to 360 music videos, short films, documentaries, current affairs and hybrids of CG and live action.

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The jury is still out whether consumers will watch long-form cinematic content in VR, as some people experience nausea after prolonged exposure, and turning your head constantly can literally be a pain in the neck. It also tends to go against the fundamentally passive nature of film and television, where we let content flow over us. But being aware of this issue is the first step towards creating content that works.

For additional POVs, and for uniquely small spaces, there’s a ton of options if you don’t mind using GoPro’s. Another camera (Sphericam 2) is looking a likely candidate when it ships in January.

RETHINKING OUR ROLE AS CAMERA OPERATORS

GoPro’s don’t sync obviously and heat/data issues make reliability a pain, but people are getting around this by using high frame rates to fix in post, and jerry-rigging fans, or even using a fridge nearby to keep them cool (seriously). One company that has been leading the way with GoPro rigs is Freedom 360, who make excellent kits.

To film in VR means rethinking a lot of what we’re used to as camera operators. We’re used to literally being behind the camera all the time, but that’s not possible with VR. We’re used to spending a lot of time thinking about camera angles, depth of field and lenses, whereas with VR these factors are far less relevant.

Allowing people to see literally anywhere, means hiding the crew while shooting, and finding creative ways to focus the viewer where you would ideally like them to look. Sound, lighting, and talent cues, which direct the viewer in subtle ways, are all techniques that have been used successfully to date.

PROFESSIONAL VR CAMERA EQUIPMENT The options for professional VR cameras have been thin on the ground until recently. Progress had been previously driven mainly by technology companies, who don’t seem to necessarily grasp the needs of professional camera operators.

All-in-one cameras from the likes of Jaunt, GoPro and Nokia, which are being touted as professional cameras, have fixed lenses and little in the way of manual control. While they have their uses, they leave a lot to be desired for professionals.

It’s this reason that has led a few within the industry to design their own 360 VR rigs, typically around Red Dragon Epic’s, Codex action cams, Sony A7S II and others. One company that has been active here has been Radiant Images, another is my company 360 Designs.

We’re making use for example of the new Blackmagic Micro Cameras, which offer excellent control and synching abilities.

3D printed rigs are readily available, typically combining six GoPro’s for a mono rig, although you can get away with just two cameras back to back, using wider than 180 lenses, such as those from Etaniya.

Selecting a camera means giving careful thought to whether the output is 2D or stereoscopic, and which kind of stitching software you are likely to use.

STITCHING OPTIONS Traditional Stitching is tried, tested and well understood – it’s the ‘matching up images’ approach. Software from the likes of Kolor, the Foundry, Videostitch and Dashwood, can all do an amazing job of stitching mono, and even stereo single-axis VR this way.

The challenge for live action VR long term is finding a way to do ‘full’ stereo 3D VR, i.e. in all three axes of head movement, which is the experience readily offered by CG. Unfortunately, for video it’s a highly technical challenge to solve, and all we can do as camera operators at this stage is to capture as much visual data as possible, for future stitching and presentation methods that are yet to be released. Our company has patents pending here, but a market ready solution requires integrations between multiple parts of the food chain, and faster display devices, so is likely a couple years away at least.

One step along the path is computational photography (CP) stitching, which offers a new approach to stitching 360 video, and significant advantages. By employing more camera heads, with greater overlap, it’s possible to essentially remove all traces of the stitching using clever image analysis and interpolation techniques (similar to time slicing), to essentially recreate the entire 360 scene by calculating depth and other cues from every available bit of pixel data.

For stereo the system can generate left and right eye views that lie in-between camera positions - you don’t need left and right eye cameras – and this provides a much improved stereo result. Again, stereo is not possible in 3-axes now, but if you use a spherical rig with many camera heads, your content will be future proofed for 3-axis stereo later. Parallax issues are significantly reduced too with CP stitching, and the same camera can be used for both mono and stereo - no toe-in required.

The only company that has publicly announced CP stitching software

Sphericam 2 Camera, Courtesy: Sphericam

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

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is Google, although other companies are working on it too. Most VR cameras are not designed for CP stitching and will not be compatible when Google and others launch their solutions in the months ahead (ours is - fyi), so do be aware of this.

The requirements for CP stitching directly affect the layout of the cameras in a VR rig, and the choice of lenses. At its simplest, and as a rule of thumb, you need each point in a 360 scene captured by at least two cameras, not just a simple 10-20% overlap. Resolution is also important here, much higher is better, as it gives the software more to grab onto.

SUMMARY If you have any interest in VR filmmaking, now is a great time to start getting involved. You can perhaps use cameras you already have to play around with, and demo software from the stitching companies as a starting point. If you want an off-the-shelf solution, I’d recommend the F360 rig from Freedom 360, or you could simply duct tape a twin GoPro rig using Etaniya lenses. If you have access to a 3D printer at home, this can be an option too for printing rigs, or cheese plates of course.

LIGHT FIELD CAPTURE Jumping into our sci-fi future, light field capture (aka plenoptic capture) offers the ability to capture more than just color and luminance. Plenoptic sensors capture the direction of light rays as they hit the sensor, which offers potential advantages over purely optical capture. For one thing you can refocus after the fact (perhaps less relevant when everything is in focus), and some level of six degrees of freedom becomes possible, depending on the camera’s size (although this is also possible with multi-camera-head rigs).

The data rates for doing so all this are insane, but a camera announced from Lytro promises just this. It requires a refrigerator sized box dragged around with you, to handle the many terabytes of data!

If you like the sound of computational photography stitching, which is definitely the future, follow our company’s progress, or plan to reconfigure those GoPro’s in future… You’ll also need a really big pipe to the Internet!

See you in VR!

Alx Klive

Custom RED Dragon VR Rig by The Diamond Bros.

Photo Credit: Steven Breckon

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Alx Klive begged his first Super 8 at the age of 7, his first computer at the age of 10, and has been enthralled by cameras and computers ever since. He worked as a camera operator in the 1990’s (for Bravo! and CNBC), was founder of the Millennium Photo Project—a crowdsourced effort to document the entire world in a single day, and established the create-yourown TV station platform WorldTV.com. He’s now Founder and Chief Architect at 360 Designs—a San Francisco based VR company, making the EYE™ VR camera and live VR streaming solutions. Photo Credit: Pat Johnson

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Smooth Operator

SHOOTING MYSELF: CAREENING TOWARD ENLIGHTENMENT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

by Paul Babin, SOC

Director of Photography, Allen Daviau, 1st Assistant Camera, Reggie Newkirk, and Camera Operator, Paul Babin on location near Bakersfield, California for the airliner crash aftermath in Fearless. Photo Credit: Merrick Morton In 1992, I was hired to be the camera operator on movie that would change my life, and would forever shift how I looked at the unique, collaborative, creation process we call filmmaking. I would compare every director and production experience to the standard that film set.

After it, I found myself passing on what I’d learned to anyone who would listen.

But before I go into that, a little back story…

I GET A PREVIEW OF MY CAREER (IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS) I was like a deer in the headlights after I left USC film school and began knocking on doors in Hollywood. My goal—to become a director of photography. My desire—to be seen. My self-esteem—paper thin.

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Early in the process, I encountered one of my heroes on the street.

John Alonzo was a director of photography best known for photographing the movie Chinatown. Meeting him was a real thrill. I told him how much his work inspired me. I described how I had succeeded in getting into NABET, but at the same time I was frustrated by my inability to get into IATSE local 659, the camera union having jurisdiction over features.

Alonzo was a handsome, magnetic, masculine guy. He listened patiently, looked me right in the eye, acknowledged me to my core, and with genuine sincerity said, "Paul, here's what you're going to do; you're going to make an appointment to see Dick Barlow at Warner Bros., he hires camera assistants there. And you're going to tell him I sent you."

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This was a profound moment of being seen. I floated home on a cloud of rapture and called Dick Barlow, "Mr. Barlow, John Alonzo suggested I call you. He said I should come in and introduce myself?" A gravelly voice on the other end of the line said, "I get to work at 6:00 AM." And before I knew it, the call was over.

Forty years ago, there were no metal detectors at the studio gates.

There were barely gates. If you walked with authority and an attitude of ‘I'm supposed to be here,’ it was possible to walk right onto a studio lot unchallenged. And that's what I did the following morning at 5:50 AM. I entered the office of Dick Barlow at 6:00 AM. The receptionist hadn't arrived yet. Down the hall through an open doorway I could see feet propped up on a desk. I meekly walked toward them and into the office Dick Barlow.

Mr. Barlow was reading a newspaper. For an instant, his attention shifted away from the newspaper as I introduced myself and sat down in a chair opposite his desk. I launched into describing my desires and limited experience. Mr. Barlow continued to read the newspaper— the sports section. I vividly remember that it was the sports section because he never put the newspaper down. With only a page of box scores to look at, I delivered my soliloquy and ran out of steam after about five minutes. Two minutes of really uncomfortable silence followed after which I stood, thanked him for his time, and left.

Dick Barlow was not interested in seeing me.

This encounter with two veterans of the industry set a pattern I would experience throughout my career. Of course people who related to me like Alonzo would encourage and inspire me to new heights. Those who put up a wall and shut me out like Barlow would not; in fact, as I grew in confidence and experience, my resentment would occasionally prompt me to "set fire to the sports section" just to make a point.

THE DESIRE

when this need is met we come alive. We are creative and available on a whole new level.

"I'M HERE TO BE SEEN, I SEE YOU" In the Zulu culture of South Africa, this basic need and the power of acknowledging it is built into the words people exchange when they meet. Two guys run into each other on the street it's not,"Hey, dude, wassup?" "Oh, nuthin'."

Rather, it goes like this; the first person says, "sikhona", which means “I'm here to be seen.” The second person responds with, “sawubona,’ which means “I see you.” Then it reverses as the second says, “I am here to be seen,” and the first says, "I see you."

Try this with someone. Make eye contact. Resist the urge say anything other than, "I'm here to be seen. I see you." Speak slowly.

Notice how these eight words cut through pretense and call on the "real me" to show himself to the "real you," and recognize that we are both more than our screen credits, job title, the car we drive, or who we're dating.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED The production experience that so rocked my world in 1992 was Fearless, starring Jeff Bridges and Rosie Perez. Fearless was directed

by Peter Weir, an Australian filmmaker whose work at that point included; Witness and Dead Poets Society, both powerful movies.

I knew Peter was a great storyteller. What I didn't realize as I arrived in San Francisco to begin filming, was that I was about to experience a style of leadership that encouraged both cast and crew to be vulnerable, to see one another as equals, to bring out the best in each other, and to participate fully in the making of the film.

Though he never said the words, "I'm here to be seen. I see you," Peter Weir showed up every day with that attitude. In the way he said,

And what was the point?

Well, have you noticed that all of us, regardless of whether we're an extra hammer or an executive producer, share a common experience?

It goes like this; we work on a project and devote our time, attention, blood, sweat, and tears to it. Then we go to the cast and crew screening, or sit in our neighborhood theater, and our work comes up on the screen and we have this emotional experience of: I did that! It's like, if we could, we'd stand in front of the screen, point to ourselves, and announce, "I did that!"

All artists have this. Every human being, at some level, has it: The desire to be seen The desire to be seen is a basic human need. And here's the point;

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

Babin and Director, Peter Weir in Saint Peter and Paul Church, San Francisco, California. Photo Credit: Merrick Morton

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"Good morning," and paused to connect, and in the way he listened without an agenda. One day, honest-to-God truth, I went to get a cup of coffee. Peter was discussing the film with the craft service guy, listening to his ideas with the same focus he gave to his cast.

Another way Peter shaped the collective energy was through music.

"For me, music is probably the most primary tool I use in script, shoot and cut. I play it against dailies. I play it against cuts where I turn the sound down. I make up CD's for use on the set."

Jeff Bridges put it simply, "Peter valued everyone. (It was) was empowering."

In 1992, is was a cassette tape in a boom box with a playlist of about ten pieces of instrumental music that ranged from Heinrich Gorecki's Symphony No. 3 to a Phillip Glass/Ravi Shankar collaboration. (Note to readers under 30: A "boom box" was like an iPhone except you couldn't text with it, and there was no search engine. The only app in it was the sound it made when the cassette tape broke and it spun freely: app, app, app). Peter would play one of the selections during rehearsal. He'd switch it off while the crew set up the shot, or leave and return with his boom box a few minutes before the cast arrived and start the music again. The actors would rehearse to music. We'd roll. Peter would typically be next to camera. He'd say, "And…fade out the music—action." The sensation I experienced in that moment, as I pushed my eye up against the chamois and cradled the wheels, can only be described as one of connection, of being divinely in sync—with the actors, the scene, my assistant and dolly grip—with a source of creativity that roared through the sacred space around camera.

Peter had an expression he uttered many times and always with a twinkle in his eye, "Expect the Unexpected!" In a 2010 interview he said, "I like positive energy on the set—mixed with a kind of recklessness, a bit of danger. The danger being—we might change things altogether.

We might do something unexpected. We might make up a new scene.

Or we might shoot the whole thing in one shot. We're not locked. The day has a reality to it."

What so profoundly affected me on Fearless, and has became clearer over time is this, Peter Weir understood that the most valuable resource he had was the people around him. He understood that a crew can impact the creative process in a way that goes far beyond setting C-stands and choosing lenses. He understood the importance of nurturing the collective energy, or vibe, or the mood of his cast and crew. "I'm here to be seen, I see you," or Peter's version of it is what accomplished this.

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Just for the record, I had seven years of sobriety at this point.

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WHEN THE LOVE-IN GOES SOUTH Toward the end of production on Fearless, Jeff and Peter's relationship was tested.

Jeff described it recently, "We were filming the plane crash. It was one of those 14 hour days, and for one reason or another we filmed all of the passengers in the plane before we got to me.

(All) that day I had felt tons of adrenaline going through my system.

When they finally got to my close-up, I was wiped out. I had shot my wad. And I remember Peter is down on the floor with all you guys, and he was exhausted. Everybody was exhausted, and I'm acting, 'Ah, fu*k, were going down…!'

And after the first take (of my close-up), Peter says, ‘Don't open your mouth like that, because the light is going in there and it's not good, you know.’

So then I said, 'Well, I can go like this,' and I made a face like I'm blowing a kiss. 'Or I can go like this...!' and I made a face like I was smiling. I was being petulant, way over the top.

After doing that for a minute or so, Peter looked at me and said (with a sense of resignation and disappointment), 'Yeah, do it like that.'

And I said to myself, ‘Ah shit, what have I done to my director?’ I just felt terrible because we got along so well, and I felt like I had sabotaged the day's work.

The next day before work, Peter came to my trailer and he said, 'What was that all about?' And I found myself getting very deep, talking about the material we use as actors to do our work. I got very emotional. I was crying and weeping. Feeling like I'd disrespected my director who I loved so much.

Then, Peter expressed all of his vulnerabilities and concerns, and how much he counted on me, and how when I did that, it hurt him. For about half an hour we really got down to it. We had the chance to express our fears and pain, and what that was all about.

When I went to the set, I got the attention of the cast and crew, and I apologized for being disrespectful to my director. I said, 'I love our movie. Let's take it to the next level.”

That's what can happen when you address some of this fear and pain that we all go through. When you can share that you can reveal whole new levels of com-

Photos from the set of Fearless by Jeff Bridges All photos on pages 52 - 53 © (1992) Jeff Bridges All Rights Reserved

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

53

munication and creativity. You got to let the shit rip." (The Dude's way of saying, "I'm here to be seen, I see you.")

BEING SEEN AND SEEING—FEARLESSLY I'm not suggesting that you go out and do the "I'm here to be seen. I see you." on the next job. Unless you want to blow some minds. But you can bring that attitude to the set.

If you're on the crew you'll be a better contributor and collaborator.

You'll have more fun. People will hire you because they'll like being around you.

If you're a department head, director, or producer, it will make you a stronger leader. You'll find it a powerful, creative tool in the production of your film.

L to R: Producer, Paula Weinsten, Weir, Daviau, Babin, and Newkirk on location in Pasadena, CA. Photo Credit: Merrick Morton

One caveat—another word for the concept of "I'm here to be seen" is “vulnerable,” so if you try this, it will call on you to be fearless.

Jeff Bridges gets the last word on this one, "The truth is, we are all very vulnerable and we are all very sensitive. And that's a gift. That's a wonderful thing. Fear may drive you to your knees; it may break you right down, but that's not a bad thing. It's what you do with it."

L to R: 2nd Assistant Director, John Rusk, Electrician, Russell Reilly, Gaffer, Larry Wallace, Babin, Daviau, (foreground) Dolly Grip, Jim Shelton, (back) Weir, Key Grip, Michael Kenner. Kenner and Shelton created this suspended dolly rig for shots on board the plane mock up. Photo Credit: Merrick Morton

Paul Babin, SOC This is excerpted from Paul's forthcoming book: Shooting Myself: Careening Toward Enlightenment in the Entertainment Industry. Paul Babin, SOC, is a camera operator, a life coach, and an adjunct professor at USC School of Cinematic Arts.

He was recipient of the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Camera Operators. He is a painter, sculptor and singer-songwriter. Photo Credit: Paul Babin

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION ANSWER: (photo on page 8) Centipede Wheels offer smooth dolly track shots for camera dollies.

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CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

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SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

Society of Camera Operators

And the Honorees and Nominees Are…

2016 Lifetime Achievment Awards

SOC Mobile Camera Platform Operator Lifetime Achievement Award Jack Glenn

Saturday, February 6, 2016 Paramount Studios, Hollywood

SOC Still Photographer Lifetime Achievement Award Murray Close

SOC Camera Operator Lifetime Achievement Award Stephen Campanelli, SOC

SOC Camera Technician Lifetime Achievement Award Gregory Irwin, SOC SOC Technical Achievement Award Cartoni’s Lambda Head SOC President’s Award Bruce Doering, National Executive Director (Retired), International Cinematographers Guild

SOC Governors Award Gary Lucchesi, President of Lakeshore Entertainment & Co-President of the Producers Guild of America

SOC Distinguished Service Award Steven Manios, Sr., Former Owner & President of Century Precision Optics

Nominees SOC Camera Operator of the Year FEATURE FILM Colin Anderson, SOC Star Wars: The Force Awakens Mitch Dubin, SOC - Bridge of Spies Ian Fox, SOC - Jurassic World Geoff Haley, SOC - Steve Jobs P. Scott Sakamoto, SOC - The Revenant TELEVISION Andrei Austin, associate BSC, ACO - Outlander Steve Fracol, SOC - Scandal Mark Karavite, SOC - Mozart in the Jungle Bud Kremp, SOC - The Last Ship CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

Geoff Shotz - Vampire Diaries

57

SOC and the PGA Presents The Art and Craft of the Camera Operator

by Derek Stettler

Left: Gary Lucchesi, Co-President, Producers Guild of America. Right (L to R): Stephen Campanelli, SOC, Tom Verica, Stan Wlodkowski, John Toll, ASC, Debra Kaufman. Photo Credit: Keith Jefferies At the American Film Institute one warm and sunny Saturday this past December, the Society of Camera Operators in partnership with the Producers Guild of America presented a superb educational workshop titled The Art, Craft and Business of the Camera Operator. To launch the first of what we hope to be many continued collaborations between the PGA and the SOC, PGA Co-President, Gary Lucchesi introduced the half-day workshop with a personal story about producing Million Dollar Baby. On the set, he experiencing the value of a close collaboration between director and camera operator when he witnessed the extraordinary efficiency created through the partnership between director Clint Eastwood and one of the panelists about to step on stage, Stephen Campanelli, SOC. “The camera is still the most essential tool of our trade and it always will be. The man or woman operating the camera literally holds the entire film in their hands.” –Gary Lucchesi, PGA With the tone set by Gary Lucchesi, Stephen Campanelli, SOC (Million Dollar Baby, American Sniper, Gran Torino) and Steve Fracol, SOC (Scandal, Sons of Anarchy, Green Lantern, Land of the Lost) were wel-

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comed on stage to kick off the first session of the day—"How Did You Get That Shot?" Moderated by respected tech and entertainment industry journalist, Debra Kaufman, the session began with a discussion on what it really is that a camera operator does and the immense value they bring to a production. As the workshop’s title suggests, there is an art, craft, and business to being a successful camera operator; and while the art and craft aspects are familiar to anyone who’s so much as seen a film, as readers of Camera Operator are surely aware, there’s a business side as well. Fracol spoke to the fact that the business of being a camera operator is really “the nuts and bolts of what we do,” and goes beyond the business of negotiating rates and schedules, to the real business of set politics. A camera operator essentially has two bosses on set, both likely to whisper something different into each ear, so navigating the role of camera operator as intermediary between director and cinematographer is a skill that takes as much understanding of politics and psychology as it takes finesse to maintain the frame during a handheld whip-pan. Following this, the session presented some compelling television and film clips shot by Fracol and Campanelli, respectively, both revealing behind-the-scenes techniques and anecdotes afterward.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

“Our job is to take those words and put them up on the screen cinematically.” –Stephen Campanelli, SOC The next session, entitled "The Role of the Operator and the Cinematographer," invited the iconic John Toll, ASC (Braveheart, The Thin Red Line, The Last Samurai, Iron Man 3) and Daryn Okada, ASC (Mean Girls, Castle, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Let’s Be Cops) on stage. As top working cinematographers with combined experience on every level of production from the smallest short to the biggest blockbuster, the two cinematographers brought an immense well of knowledge to the discussion. Toll began his career as a camera assistant before becoming an operator himself, and it was through those experiences that he really learned the value of set efficiency, and the contributions of the camera operator in creating that efficiency. One of his favorite expressions is, “Everybody on set should be working on the same movie.” An obvious, yet surprisingly often-ignored piece of advice essential to keeping a set efficient, and therefore a film on time and within budget. Okada addressed a belief that camera operators are “inessential” and that producers can get away with not having an operator in order to save money. Amazingly, in the United States, the position of dedicated camera operator is not currently a mandatory budgetary line item. Okada stressed the vital importance of a dedicated camera operator with a bit of humor, “It’s like saying, okay, we have this band, but we don’t really need the drummer, plus it’s too tough to carry all his shit around!”

On a more serious note, Okada shared how important the relationship between operator and DP is, especially since in the world of television, “Operators are sometimes more important than the DP… While I’m over at the monitor making sure the look of the show is where it needs to be, I trust my operators to get the shot.”

The third and final session of the day was "Valuable Insights from Producers, Directors and Assistant Directors" with producer, Daniel Lupi (There Will Be Blood, The Master, Bridge of Spies), actor, producer and director, Tom Verica (How to Get Away with Murder, Scandal, The Closer), and producer, Stan Wlodkowski (Rome, Now You See Me, Focus) joining the stage to discuss the relationship dynamics between these key crew members, and the lessons they’ve learned during their careers. Naturally, the conversation quickly leaped to the role of camera operator, with Tom Verica making a clear observation, “In television, it’s unconscionable to think that we could operate without an operator.” There seems to be a somewhat common feeling that any good cinematographer is a good operator, but as Daniel Lupi points out, “Many DP’s come up through lighting, not camera. What does a gaffer know about operating a camera? Zero.” Stan Wlodkowski chimed in, “For me, I always put in a line item for a separate camera operator rather than to look for a cinematographer who also operates.” All the panelists agreed that although it’s not a required position, at the end of the day, having a dedicated operator saves more money than it costs. Not to mention it makes the film that much better. As Lupi argues, “The whole movie is in the framing. So I wouldn’t go after the operator—I’d cut another department!”

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

Following the final session, all the panelists were welcomed to the stage for a Q&A session, including special surprise guest Colin Anderson, SOC, referred to as “the best camera operator that ever walked the planet” by Steve Fracol. His most recent film is Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Questions touched on several topics, from how to stay in peak physical form for the job (“As an operator, your body is your tool,” said Stephen Campanelli) and what format is best to view Star Wars in (2D IMAX according to Anderson), to the best film to study for great camera operating (both Anderson and Toll suggested Children of Men), future tech, immersive 360 cinematography and where each panelist sees themselves and the industry in five years.

Daniel Lupi responded with an exciting vision for the near future: soon footage will be beamed straight from the camera to the editing room and backed up in real time, no downloading required. Certainly all of us look forward to that day! We at the SOC would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the PGA for partnering with us to present this wonderful workshop and to AFI for graciously hosting us.

L to R: Steve Fracol, SOC, Stephen Campanelli, SOC and Debra Kauffman. Photo Credit: Keith Jefferies Derek Stettler Associate Member

Derek Stettler joined the SOC as an Associate Member in 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 Credit: Carter Smith

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Insight PETER ABRAHAM, SOC What is your most challenging day in the industry?

The Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics. Wore the Steadicam without docking for 2 hours 30 minutes, had over 250 carefully designed shots during this live event. 12 days of rehearsal, one night of live shots. Many moves planned as counters to existing dancers. Most gratifying part: as I did this night of work, my mentor and friend Garrett Brown was watching from high up in the stands as he commanded the SkyCam work. Highlight: Running with Evander Holyfield holding the Olympic Torch in the stadium.

Photo by Gavin Macrine

Job I have yet to do but wish to: The title sequence of a feature film.

Credits: Olympics Opening Ceremony, Pope Francis in Washington, D.C., Sex and The City, The Sopranos, Good Morning America

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

Filming a national ad campaign for Amtrak where I shot Steadicam on a speeding train as I moved up and down the aisles carrying actors to their marks. Even though we removed seats and tables as needed, it was still tight quarters that rocked and rolled. Forget sea legs, this was train legs!

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

Looking forward to working on a great TV series for an entire run.

Credits: History's Texas Rising promos, Warren Miller: No Turning Back, History's Mountain Men show open, The Bold and The Beautiful, Dear Eleanor feature film

Photo courtesy of Kevin Andrews

BONNIE BLAKE, SOC What was one of your most memorable day in the industry?

Among many memorable days; Dirty, Sexy, Money with Dan Rather playing himself alongside Donald Sutherland and Jill Clayburgh with DP, Jeff Jur, the 2009 TED India conference in Mysore, India, and the Monk television episodes with John Turturro playing Tony Shalloub's brother.

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

To work on a project that deals with humanistic and social justice Photo courtesy of Bonnie Blake

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issues like Selma, 12 Years a Slave, Maria Full of Grace, or City of God. Credits: Being Mary Jane, Monk, Dirty Sexy Money, Hawthorne, and The Agency

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS 路 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 S. Abrams Bret Allen Colin Anderson Kevin W. Andrews Francois Archambault Joseph Arena Will Arnot Ted Ashton Jr. Mark August Grayson Grant Austin Daniel Ayers Paul Babin Christopher Baffa Lonn Bailey James Baldanza David Baldwin Jr. Jerry Banales Christopher Banting Jeff Barklage Angel Barroeta John James Beattie Jonathan Beattie Tim Bellen Nils Benson Corey D. Besteder George M. Bianchini George Billinger Howard H. Bingham Maceo Bishop Michel Bisson Bonnie S. Blake Jason Blount John Boyd Katie Boyum Kevin D. Braband Gerard Brigante Hilaire Brosio Garrett Brown Kenny Brown Pete Brown Scott Browner Stephen Buckingham Robin Buerki Gary Bush Stephen S. Campanelli

CAMERA OPERATOR 路 WINTER 2016

J. Christopher Campbell Stephen Campbell Susan A. Campbell Jose A. Cardenas Peter Cavaciuti Dave Chameides Lou Chanatry Joe Chess Jr. Jeffrey R. Clark Anthony Cobbs Steven Cohen Marcis Cole Kris A. Conde Andrew Glenn Conder Michael Condon Brown Cooper Dan Coplan Luke Cormack Javier A. Costa Richard J. Cottrell Tom Cox Jeff Cree Rod Crombie Caleb Crosby White Richard Crow Jeff L. Crumbley Grant Culwell Nicholas Davidoff Markus Davids Rick Davidson Richard W. Davis Mark G. Dawson Andrew A. Dean Michael S. Dean Kris Andrew Denton Kevin Descheemaeker Joel Deutsch Don Devine Kenny Dezendorf Twojay Dhillon David E. Diano Troy Dick Alfeo Dixon Matthew I. Doll Rick Drapkin Scott C. Dropkin Mitch Dubin Simon Duggan, ACS Louis R. Duskin Allen D. Easton William Eichler David E. Elkins Jason Ellson David Emmerichs Kevin J. Emmons Ramon Engle Steve Essig Brant S. Fagan Diane L. Farrell Dianne Teresa Farrington Jesse Michael Feldman Michael Ferris George Feucht James Anthony Firios Lance Fisher Aaron Fitzgerald Eric Fletcher Michael Flueck

Houman Forough Felix Forrest Ian Forsyth Steve G. Fracol Keith Francis Nick Franco Tom "Frisby" Fraser David J. Frederick Michael Frediani Michael A. Freeman Brian Freesh Steven French Dan Frenkel Mick Froehlich Jeff Fry Paul M. Gardner David Gasperik Rusty Geller Michael Germond William Gierhart Laurie K. Gilbert Harvey Glen Mark Goellnicht Daniel Gold David Enrique Goldman Allen Gonzales Robert Gorelick Afton M. Grant Bruce Alan Greene Chad Griepentrog David Allen Grove Robert Guernsey Pedro Guimaraes John C. Gunselman Chris C. Haarhoff Jess Haas Kevin M. Haggerty Geoffrey K. Haley John Hankammer Tim Harland Joshua Harrison Kent Harvey Chris Hayes David Haylock Nikk Hearn-Sutton Dawn J. Henry Alan Hereford Steven F. Heuer Kevin Hewitt David Hirschmann Jamie Hitchcock Abe Holtz Jerry Holway Paul Horn Casey Hotchkiss William Stephen Howell II Colin Hudson Jeffrey G. Hunt Philip Hurn Frederick Iannone Dave Isern Christopher Ivins Eugene W. Jackson III Francis G. James Alec Jarnagin Gary Jay Simon Jayes Christopher D. Jones

Steven Jones Jacques Jouffret John H. Joyce David Judy Mark Jungjohann David C. Kanehann Mark Karavite Adam T. Keith Brian Kelly David Kimelman Dan Kneece Rory Robert Knepp David T. Knox Robert Kositchek Bud Kremp Kris Krosskove Per Larsson Jeff Latonero Eric Leach Sergio Leandro da Silva Richard Leible Sarah Levy Jimmy W. Lindsey Abigail Linne Hugh C. Litfin Patrick Longman George Loomis Jessica L. Lopez Steve Lopez David Luckenbach Greg Lundsgaard Kenji Luster Bruce MacCallum Rob Macey Vincent C. Mack Paul S. Magee David Mahlmann Giuseppe Malpasso Kim Marks Jared G. Marshall Cedric Martin Johnny Martin Philip J. Martinez Parris Mayhew Bill McClelland Jim McConkey David B. McGill Michael P. McGowan Christopher T.J. McGuire Aaron Medick Alan Mehlbrech Hilda Mercado Olivier Merckx Jack Messitt Mike Mickens Duane Mieliwocki Marc A. Miller Andrew Mitchell William Molina Raphy Molinary Machado Lawrence P. Moody Mark Emery Moore Josh Morton Manolo Rojas Moscopulos Jeff Muhlstock Michael James Mulvey Scott T. Mumford Sean Murray

Saade A. Mustafa Dale Myrand Leo J. Napolitano Marco Naylor Robert Newcomb Julye Newlin William R. Nielsen, Jr. Kurt Nolen Randy Nolen Austin Nordell William O'Drobinak Mark D. O'Kane Michael D. Off Andrew William Oliver John Orland Rafael Ortiz-Guzman Brian Osmond Georgia Tornai Packard Heather Page Nick Paige Curtis E. Pair Victor J. Pancerev Andrew Parke Patrick J. Pask Christopher T Paul Paul C. Peddinghaus Douglas Pellegrino John Perry George Peters Matthew A. Petrosky Jonathan F. Phillips Alan Pierce Theo Pingarelli Jens Piotrowski Joseph Piscitelli Louis Puli Ryan Purcell Elizabeth Radley Yavir Ramawtar Juan M. Ramos James B. Reid Ari Robbins Alicia Robbins Peter Robertson Brooks Robinson Eric Roizman Peter Rosenfeld Dave Rutherford P. Scott Sakamoto Sanjay Sami David M. Sammons Joel San Juan Bry Thomas Sanders Milton A Santiago Martin Schaer Ron Schlaeger Mark Schlicher Mark Schmidt Vadim Schulz David Jean Schweitzer Fabrizio Sciarra Brian Scott Brian David Scott Benjamin Semanoff Barnaby Shapiro David Shawl Osvaldo Silvera Jr. Jamie Silverstein

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Teddy Smith Needham B. Smith III Dean Robert Smollar John Sosenko Mark Sparrough Benjamin Xavier Spek Sandy Spooner Lisa L. Stacilauskas Robert Starling Meagan Stockemer Thomas N Stork Michael R. Stumpf David L. Svenson Ian S. Takahashi Christopher Taylor Paul Taylor Peter Taylor Paige Thomas David James Thompson John Toll, ASC David Roy Tondeur Remi Tournois Neil C. Toussaint Jamie Trent Bryan Trieb Michael Tsimperopoulos Chris Tufty Dan Turrett Brian Tweedt Joseph Urbanczyk Matt Valentine Dale Vance, Jr. Paul D. Varrieur Ron Veto Andrew Voegeli Stefan von Bjorn Rob Vuona Bill Waldman Michael J. Walker Timothy N. Walker Adam S. Ward Gareth Ward Gretchen Warthen Aiken Weiss Dale A West Clay Westervelt Mande Whitaker Robert Whitaker Kit Whitmore Ken Willinger Chad Wilson Dana D. Winseman David A. Wolf Ian D. Woolston-Smith Peter C. Xiques Santiago Yniguez Brian Young Chad Zellmer Brenda Zuniga

ASSOCIATE MEMBER Christine Adams David S. Adelstein Ana M. Amortegui Philip Anderson Andrew B. Ansnick Jillian H. Arnold Scott Auerbach Ryan Vogel Baker Tyson Banks Stephen Blanor Jeffrey D. Bollman

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Peter Bonilla Jean-Paul Bonneau Massimo Bordonaro David Boyd Corey Bringas Mary Brown Rochelle Brown Donald Brownlow Clyde E. Bryan Neal Bryant Sasha D. Burdett Anthony Q. Caldwell Jordan Cantu Bruce Cardozo Jack Carpenter Marc Casey Kirsten A Celo Damian Church Gregory Paul Collier Mack Collins Gabriel Paul Copeland Gareth Paul Cox Richard P. Crudo, ASC Anthony Deemer Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi Enrique Xavier Del Rio Galindo William B. Demeritt, III Johnny Derango Ronald E. Deveaux Jorge Devotto Adam R. Dorris Orlando Duguay Keith Dunkerley Brian James Dzyak Christopher Ekstein David T. Eubank Allen Farst Thomas Fedak Nicholas A. Federoff Kristin Fieldhouse John C. Flinn III, ASC Mark Forman Tammy Fouts Jerry Franck Fred M. Frintrup Hiroyuki Fukuda Hank Gifford Michael Goi, ASC Wayne Goldwyn Al Gonzalez Erik Goodman John M. Goodner Brad Greenspan David V. Gregory Phil Gries George Eric Griffith Robert Guthrie W. Adam Habib Bob Hall James Hammond Anthony Hardwick James W. Hart John Hart Jason Hawkins Anthony P. Hettinger John M. Hill, Jr. Andrew H. Hoehn Scott Hoffman Chris Horvath Rachel A. Hudson Toshiyuki Imai Andrew A. Irvine Gregory Irwin Keith Jefferies Lacey Joy Henry Bourne Joy IV Jessica S. Jurges David Kane

Timothy Kane Brandon Kapelow Ray Karwel Frank Kay Alan Kelly Kevin N. Kemp Jeremiah I. Kent Alisa Khosrovachahi Mark H. Killian Douglas Kirkland Adam Kirschhoffer Robert La Bonge Laurence Langton Jose-Pablo Larrea Dr. Thomas Lee Alan J Levi Mark Levin Adrian Licciardi Ilya Jo Lie-Nielsen Eamon Long Gordon Lonsdale Jasmine Lord Christopher Lymberis Dominik Mainl Candice T. Marais Jose del Carmen Martinez Nicole Jannai Martinez Jim R. Matlosz Yusuf A. McCoy Colin P. McDonald David W. McDonald Marcus Allen McDougald Mike McEveety Jonathan Miller K. Adriana Modlin-Liebrecht Kenneth R. Montgomery Matthew C. Mosher Jekaterina Most Hassan Nadji Navid John Namazi Zach Nasits Jimmy Negron Michael Nelson Michael David Nelson Benjamin Kirk Nielsen Dennis Noack Russell C. Nordstedt Casey Burke Norton Crescenzo G.P. Notarile, ASC Bonnie Osborne Jarrod Oswald Paul Overacker Justin Painter Kim Palmer Larry Mole Parker Steven D. Parker Michael J Perez Florencia Perez Cardenal Lee Pēterkin Mark W. Petersen Jon Philion Tyler Phillips W. S. Pivetta Ted Polmanski Robert Primes, ASC Joe Prudente Delia Quinonez Richard Rawlings Jr., ASC Marcia Reed Bill Reiter Ken Robings Andy Romero Tim Rook Peter J. Rooney Sam Rosenthal Jordi Ruiz Maso Dylan Rush Kish Sadhvani

Danny Salazar Steve Saxon Christian Sebaldt, ASC Christopher Seehase Stephen Silberkraus Charles A. Simons Michael Skor Jan Sluchak Dan Smarg Robert F. Smith Laurent Soriano Don Spiro Owen Stephens Derek Stettler Michael Street Aymae Sulick Jeremy Sultan Tara Summers Andy Sydney Tiffany Taira Rick Taylor John Twesten Daniel Urbain Sandra Valde Thomas Valko Satya Vanii Ioana Vasile Benjamin Verhulst Breanna Villani Miguel Angel Viñas Joel Stephane Wackenheim W. Thomas Wall Justin Watson Robert Weigand Alex White Tim Wu Tim Yoder Scot Zimmerman Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC

CORPORATE Able Cine Adorama Rental Co. AJA Video Systems Inc. ARRI Inc. Band Pro Film & Video Bertone Visuals LLC Birns & Sawyer, Inc. Canon, USA Inc. Carl Zeiss Microimaging, Inc. Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment Cineverse Clairmont Camera Codex CW Sonderoptic Filmtools Inc. Fujifilm/Fujinon Geo Film Group, Inc. Glidecam Industries Inc. History For Hire JL Fisher Inc. Keslow Camera Manios Digital & Film Mark Bender and Associates Matthews Studio Equipment Panasonic Corporation Panavision Schneider Optics Sony Electronics Teradek, LLC Thales Angenieux The Vitec Group Tiffen

EDUCATOR John M Grace Ralph Watkins

HONORARY John Bailey, ASC Tilman Buettner James Burrows Alexander Calzatti Trevor Coop Roger Corman Dean Cundey, ASC Clint Eastwood Tom Hatten Ron Howard Gale Anne Hurd Ron Kelley Kathleen KennedyMarshall Jerry Lewis 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 Olyn Armstrong Tom Barron Al Bettcher James Blanford Bruce Catlin Ivan Craig Richard A. Cullis George Spiro Dibie, ASC Robert M. Feller Dick Fisher Jerry Fuller Anthony Gaudioz Wynn Hammer Ken Hilmer Gary Holt Robert C. Horne Douglas H. Knapp Heather MacKenzie James Mann Stan McClain Michael McClary Ron McManus Mike Meinardus Emmanuel Metaxas Robert "Bob" Moore Sol Negrin, ASC David L. Parrish Aaron Pazanti Andy Romanoff Frank Ruttencutter Carl Martin Schumacher, Sr. Chuck Schuman Philip D. Schwartz Guy Skinner George B. Stephenson Joseph N. Tawil

Reynaldo Aquino Nathan James Bachmann Melissa Baltierra Zakrey Barisione Daniela Bornstein Ziryab Ben Brahem Jessie Estella Brickley Stewart Cantrell Richard Castaneda Quaid Cde Baca Petr Cikhart Autumn J. Collins Pascal Combes-Knoke Grace Craig Sabrina Cullen Annor Doeman Timothy James Dolan David Duesterberg Rollin B. Fisher III Michael A. Garcia Jonathan Goldberg Christian T. Hall Kiyana Hancock Rita Hansen Tobias Winde Harbo Tyler Harmon-Townsend Caleb Heller Andres Hernandez Kendra Hillman Myles Anthony Holt Carolyn Scott Hunt Preston Lane Jeter Crystal Kelley Daniel Klockenkemper John P Lansdale Zachary Leazer Jun Li Ari Linn Deidre Charlene Locklear Matt Maio Sophie Meneses Alexander L. Moeckler Jeff-Steven Arevalo Mojica Donald R. Monroe Fabian Montes Moira Morel James Nagel George Ohan Lorenzo Pace Connor Pollard Karina Prieto Macias Matthew Psyllos Ryan Richard Tiye Rose-Hood Edgar J. Santamaria Emil Schonstrom Alexandra Schwartz Kara Siebein Davin Swade Stanley Kezia A. Supit Jesse Vielleux Naeem Washington Jenise Louise Whitehead Anthony Worley Roana Alyssa Wullinger Dennis Zanatta Qiaoyu "Joy" Zhang Botai Zhong Chenlu Zhu

STUDENT Veronica Aberham Jacober Ahrell Bandar Almutairi

Roster current as of January 6, 2015.

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG

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CW Sonderoptic www.cw-sonderoptic.com

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Sony www.sony.com/4kandbeyond

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Teradek www.teradek.com

Michael Frediani, SOC

Disney www.waltdisneystudioawards.com/#/star-wars

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Edited by Michael Frediani, SOC

Shooting the Breeze

In 1977, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope was

The first film to make over

$300,000,000.

ON LOCATION, 1977

While George Lucas was filming on location in Tunisia, the Libyan government became worried about a massive military vehicle parked near the Libyan border.

Consequently, the Tunisian government, receiving threats of military mobilization, politely asked Lucas to move his Jawa sandcrawler farther away from the border.

DID YOU KNOW?

When Obi-Wan is giving a short history of the Jedi Order and Luke's father in his hut on Tatooine, a patch can be seen on the right shoulder of his robe. It is explained in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) how this robe got burnt.

According to an interview with George Lucas, originally Luke was a girl, Han Solo was an alien, the Wookiees were called Jawas, and R2-D2 and C-3PO were called A-2 and C-3.

James Earl Jones and David Prowse, who play the voice and body of Darth Vader respectively, have never met.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens set the following U.S. box office records: was the highest grossing film ever at $764 million, fastest to become the highest-grossing film of all time in 20 days, and hit the 1977 record of $300 million in just 5 days.

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Special thanks to Frank Zaragoza for additional trivia contributions.

“

It’s hard to believe I haven’t shot under 4K in five years.

Format-wise S35 and FF35/VistaVision capture, is where I’ve

found my creative voice. That’s why Schneider Kreuznach Xenon FF-Primes are my workhorse lenses. They provide me flexibility for both narrative and commercial filming and have a natural, pleasing lens character while still being cost-effective.

Their feature set covers the fundamentals with consistent color matched optics and precisely measured T-stops—a must for lenses you use day in and day out. Pulling focus is smooth with minimal breathing.

Each lens offers a similar size, weight, gear placement and I even make use of the 95mm thread for front filters when rigging lightweight. Their robust lens body design is nice and compact while remaining relatively slender.

That really helps when building a rig.

At the end it comes down to the look of a lens for me.

I’ve found the Xenon FF-Primes to have a pseudo-modern and classical look. They have a smooth draw while still extracting the detail you want. They’ve become my standard speeds for these modern times.

With larger sensors coming over the horizon and my preference of format sizes, they are so very forward thinking. I'll be shooting with them for years to come.

”

HOLLAND GETS MORE K WITH FF-PRIMES Phil Holland is known for his work as a Digital Colorist, Digital

Woods, Angels and Demons and Yogi Bear. He has just completed

Imaging Specialist, and DP/Director. As a DIS, he worked on

an international cross platform project for the world’s top

dozens of films including: Life of Pi, X-Men: First Class, Cabin in the

technology/media company.

www.schneideroptics.com

CAMERA OPERATOR · WINTER 2016

Phone: 818-766-3715 • 800-228-1254 • email: info@schneideroptics.com

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