British Cinematographer - Issue 18

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#28: CAMERA CREATIVE THE MYSTERY AND CHEMISTRY BETWEEN KEN LOACH AND BARRY ACKROYD BSC

INSIDE … #18: SPECIAL GUEST – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE LEGENDARY VILMOS ZSIGMOND ASC #24: SHOOTING THE FUTURE – WHAT’S HOT AT IBC AND CINEC 2006 #30: ALL TIME GREATS – THE ENDURING ALAN HULME BSC RRP: £3.50

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CONTENTS Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire SL0 0NH, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1753 650101 Fax: +44 (0) 1753 650111

>> CONTENTS

EDITOR Ron Prince Email: ronny@dircon.co.uk

UK

PUBLISHERS Alan Lowne Tel: +44 (0) 1753 650101 Stuart Walters Tel: +44 (0) 121 608 2300

DESIGN Paul Roebuck, Open Box Publishing Ltd, info@openboxpublishing.co.uk contact: Stuart Walters Tel: +44 (0) 121 608 2300

USA

SALES Alan Lowne Tel: +44 (0) 1753 650101 Email: alanlowne@britishcinematrographer.co.uk Stuart Walters Tel: +44 (0) 121 608 2300 Email: stuartwalters@britishcinematrographer.co.uk

BRITISH CINEMATROGRAPHER covering International Cinematography is part of Laws Publishing Ltd, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire SL0 0NH, UK The publishers wish to emphasise that the opinions expressed in BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER are not representative of Laws Publishing Ltd but the responsibility of the individual contributors.

Cover Photograph: Image from Wind That Shakes The Barley

EUROPE

PUBLICATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Alex Thomson, Tony Spratling, Joe Dunton MBE, Mike Fox, Simon Mills, Alan Lowne, Stuart Walters, Ron Prince

P03 P05 P06 P07 P10 P12

Presidents’ Perspectives: from Gavin Finney BSC, President BSC Presidents’ Perspectives: from Trevor Coop GBCT, Chairman Letters to the Editor: BSC statement on bullying, and Ealing Studios Production News: the latest cinematrography and filmaking news Who’s Shooting Who: regular round up of DPs in action Close-ups: Chris Seager BSC on Stormbreaker, Paul Sarossy CSC, BSC on The Wicker Man, Seamus McGarvey BSC on World Trade Center

P14 P15 P16 P18

Letter from America: from Richard Crudo ASC F-Stop Hollywood: update from the West Coast Cine Gear: Cine Gear Expo review Guest Interview: An illuminating conversation with Vilmos Zsigmond ASC

P21 P24 P26 P28 P30 P32 P35 P36

IMAGO News: what’s going on in Europe?

Shooting the Future: IBC and Cinec previews BCS Summer Lunch: Camera Creative: When Barry met Ken All Time Greats: Enduring Love with Alan Hulme BSC Post and Techno News: news from around the business GBCT: news Book Review:

British Society of Cinematrographers – Board Members: President, Gavin Finney. Immediate Past President, Phil Méheux. Vice Presidents, Joe Dunton MBE, Alec Mills, Sue Gibson. Governors, John de Borman, Harvey Harrison, Chris Howard, Tony Imi, Nina Kellgren, Chris Seager, Tony Spratling, Mike Southon, Derek Suter, Alex Thomson, Robin Vidgeon, Nigel Walters. Secretary/Treasurer, Frances Russell.

Guild of British Camera Technicians – Board Members: Trevor Coop (Chairman), Steve Brooke-Smith (Vice Chairman), John Keedwell (Vice Chairman), Jacob Barrie, Suzanne Clegg McGeachan, Mike Fox, Jamie Harcourt, Peter Hughes, Walter Kennedy, Keith Mead, Darren Miller, Barney Piercy, Tim Potter, Caroline Sax.

>> Editorial Team #01 Carolyn Giardina: is senior editor of post production at SHOOT newsweekly in the US; she previously served as editor of monthly Film & Video. Carolyn’s work has also appeared in The IBC Daily News, Digital Cinema, Post, Below The Line, and in the second edition of the book The Guide to Digital Television. #02 Madelyn Most: is an experienced camerawoman, filmmaker and journalist who writes about production and cinematography for a variety of European and US magazines. #03 Kevin Hilton: is a freelance journaist who writes about technology in film and broadcasting and contributes film reviews and interviews to a variety of publications. #04 Ian White: is a journallist who has specialised in film and television production and post-production for over 20 years. Now based in Bath, he is a regular contributor to leading television trade magazines. #05 John Keedwell: the GBCT’s Eyepiece Editor, is a documentary and commercials cameraman who has worked on many productions over all the world’s continents. He crosses over in both film and tape productions and has great knowledge of the new formats and their methods of production. #06 Ron Prince: has many years experience working in the film, TV, CGI and visual effects industries. He is the editor of British Cinematographer magazine and runs an international communications company (www.princepr.com).

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Digit-all “It's all been pretty boring until the last couple of years. Don't you agree?” Well, that's the view of at least one digital manufacturer I spoke to this summer, who genuinely believes the production and post-production industries had been going through a rather stagnant time, innovation-wise. Until digital capabilities in the shape of High Definition and Digital Intermediate technologies and processes came of age, that is.

Looking through the pages of this magazine, digits are everywhere and innovation is exponential – from the filters on the lens to the screen you watch the content on, and in every nook and cranny in between.

There are all sorts of advances from major names and newcomers alike, with products that have the power to change the way content is produced, posted, distributed and viewed in ways we have not imagined before.

Our Cine Gear show review and IBC/Cinec previews illuminate perfectly new trends and technologies that are shaping the business. David Tattersall BSC's salient remarks about Techicolor's Digital Printer Light system that, “It's like bringing the lab to the set… it creates the way of the future… and is another way of adding more control at the shooting stage,” reveal how developments in DI are impacting on set.

The subtext to cinematographers working today, and wanting to work tomorrow is embrace, or at least learn more about, digital now. And whilst Richard Crudo ASC suggests in his column that you beware the hype, and be more demanding of digital manufacturers, there's no getting away from the power that digits can bring. Whether you like it of not, we are all being engulfed by digits to an even greater degree then we perhaps ever imagined.

But film isn't dead. Far from it. We'll examine more of this and look into the longevity of celluloid in our next editions.

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presidents’ perspectives

Bring on the Stand-in So, after four years of writing his always informative and interesting President’s Perspective column, Phil Méheux is taking a well-earned rest and has passed the baton on to me. There is a temptation, when given space to write what one likes, to have a bit of a moan ‘about the current state of things’ something I’m going to try and avoid as much as possible, because I really am still very upbeat and excited about working in this business. I think it’s a privilege to do this job, and new technologies are bringing great rewards as well as great challenges. However, in the rush to cut costs wherever possible, it is not just the camera, lighting and grip departments that are feeling the heat.

Stand-in: ‘An individual with the same physical characteristics as a major performer who replaces the actor or actress while the lights are set and camera position and movement are established. The stand-in permits the lead performer to rest, rehearse or go about other business’ The Complete Film Dictionary ‘…The stand-in may occasionally be used to substitute for the star in long shots or crowd scenes that require no acting.’ The Macmillan International Film Encyclopaedia You are on set with the director and operator, rehearsing a scene with your principal actors. Having worked out a shot list, an order of shooting and an idea of how to light the scene, the actors are sent back to costume and make up for their finishing touches whilst you and your camera and lighting teams make ready. The request, “Could we bring on the stand-ins please?” Is met with an embarrassed silence and much looking at feet. Eventually a trainee runner is called back from his/her run to get the director’s / actor’s super skinny latte-cino confection, and hustled reluctantly in front of the camera clutching a walkie-talkie and a mobile. Of course, they’re dressed in khaki shorts and a bright yellow T-shirt (the scene is set at a funeral in the 19th century).

They haven’t a clue what the scene is or what the actors did; how they moved, where they moved to, where they looked. The operator, grip and focus puller have to choreograph a complex move with no reference to what they will ultimately be framing, and the DP is meant to light…what? Thin air?

Subtle sidelight on the face, a gentle backlight that just wraps around the shadow side without back lighting the nose. Not possible with no one there, nigh on impossible with a runner the wrong height, colouring and often, sex, who doesn’t know what to do.

The actors are bought back on and are very keen to go straight into a take, (the director, still waiting for his cappuccino and now pressed for time wants to ‘shoot the rehearsal’) but it’s a shambles because the operator, grip and focus puller must now refine and rehearse their moves and marks with the principal cast whilst the DP whispers urgently to the gaffer to, “Move that pup three feet to the right”, so that it actually reaches where the actor is now standing. Said actor goes off in a huff because he’s gone “off the boil” and, “Why was he called to set when we weren’t ready for him?”

All fair comments and all because the original request for a miserly two utility stand-ins was met with an incredulous snort, as though one had asked for an Airstream trailer and a personal chef. “I’m not paying people for standing around”, was one inexperienced production manager’s response.

Gavin Finney BSC President BSC

what the actors will be wearing in a particular scene and bought along with them appropriately hued articles to wear, some would even bring wigs along to match the actors hair. They know a bit about acting and will have watched the rehearsal, memorising what the actors did and where they stood so they could reproduce the mechanics of the scene for the camera and lighting teams to work with.

In this way, the set really is ready when the actors return and shooting the rehearsal is a usable possibility. Some time ago, hard-pressed AD departments began requesting the use of stand-ins as extra help when they were no longer required for a scene. This began to happen increasingly until the runner side grew and the stand-in side diminished to the point where the job just hardly exists anymore. This is a terribly shortsighted way of saving money (where so much is wasted) and one which seriously affects the efficiency of the day, and the quality of performance by both the actors and the camera and lighting crews.

Let us help maintain this important grade by insisting upon stand-ins at the very start of pre-production and, if necessary, explaining to producers / line producers what the job actually entails.

There. Did I say I wouldn’t moan in this column? Oops.

Gavin Finney BSC President British Society of Cinematographers

Let us help maintain this i m p o r t a n t g ra d e b y i n s i st i n g u p o n st a n d - i n s a t t h e ve r y st a r t o f p re - p ro d u c t i o n a n d , i f n e ce s s a r y , e x p l a i n i n g t o p ro d u ce rs / l i n e p ro d u ce rs w h a t t h e j o b a c t u a l ly e n t a i l s .

Good stand-ins are increasingly rare these days. By good stand-ins I mean someone who has taken the trouble to find out from the costume department

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presidents’ perspectives

Mission critical One single group of people, collectively, by a million light years, are my worst bête-noire. Mmmmh! I hear you muse, producers?

Production managers? DPs who do their own operating? Not a bit of it, I love them all. No, the clique I speak of, that band of predominantly uneducated (in terms of cinema), pompous, arrogant, opinionated parasites, the mere mention of whom makes me want to vomit (I temper my language for fear of libel suits, but you get my drift), who at the stroke of a pen can launch the careers of idiots and bury those of geniuses; I refer, of course, to film critics!

But joy, upon rapturous joy, 2006 saw their collective comeuppance with a bang as big as the start of our universe. Concerning two of the most important films of the year they were collectively, unanimously, totally, unequivocally and without exception (that I could find) WRONG!! Even the East Lothian ex-railway porters’ film club bi-annual gazette could not muster a scant word of praise.

The two productions I site are firstly The Da Vinci Code, unanimously panned in all departments although admittedly one or two said this rubbish but might just get its money back. They should certainly still be tarred, but maybe with a slightly smaller brush. The film is possibly not quite the masterpiece that might be expected from the combined talents of Dan Browne, Ron Howard and Tom Hanks, but as always the proof of the pudding is… .

The cinema going public these days is very knowledgeable and very demanding. I don’t have any statistics in front of me but $700,000,000 in its first six weeks worldwide must be some sort of record and does not suggest gross discontent from the customer and, by anybody’s standards, it is a fairly large portion of dessert and nobody has even put the cream on yet.

The second film is Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes The Barley, unlikely to match the box office triumphs of Ron Howard, but has none the less received the most prestigious and coveted award in the entire world of the film festival year, the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Yet once again panned unanimously.

Trevor Coop Chairman, GBCT

Bond, but that doesn’t stop 100,000,000 or so people checking out his exploits every couple of years.

Both pieces are works of fiction, whether your measure of success is big box office or the critical acclaim of your peers one of these must surely appeal to you, unless of course, you are a film critic. You may not agree with the convictions of their creators, but a good film will always be a good film, whatever your personal criteria. Who among the literary greats would ever have considered spoiling a good story with the truth?

If you want facts watch a documentary on the history channel.

Trevor Coop Chairman GBCT

O n e s i n g le g ro u p o f p e o p le , co l le c t i ve ly , b y a m i l l i o n l i g h t ye a rs , a re m y w o rst

I keep reading about a director or writer’s political or religious persuasions. If you wrote a book or made a film it would reflect your biases too. Most people would not be able to reconcile their own moral values with those of James

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b ê t e - n o i re . . . f i l m c r i t i c s !

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letters

letters to the editor

Bully beef To understand the nature of “bullying” in the film industry it is important to realise the element of fear which permeates our short-term working.

The problem is how to evaluate the unwritten and often unspoken threats, which are a mental form of bullying. This is felt from the heads of department down to the gofers on a unit.

Although from time to time we have all suffered the wrath of stressed directors there is little evidence of direct bullying. Our fears are more subtle and difficult to prove.

The deterioration in conditions of work over the last decade has been considerable. Buyout deals over pay and hours, combined with the influx of too many people chasing too few jobs have resulted in bullying by implication. The implication being that unless the employee or prospective employee accepts the conditions demanded by an employer future work may not be forthcoming.

One cause of the declining situation has been the misuse of their power by executive producers who often, to retain control over their productions, appoint weak and inexperienced producers. An experienced producer realises the value of the team concept in filming, particularly the importance of the fundamental relationship of the director and director of photography.

The progression to producer is increasingly through script departments and the new appointees are beholden to the executives for advice in appointing staff and maximising profits. These producers are themselves open to bullying as they will realise failure to comply with wishes from above could mean their last employment with that company, and possible “blacklisting” from employment with others. A fear shared by all from top to bottom.

When setting up a production it is sensible for a producer to take into consideration the desire of the director as to their choice of head of department. In

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previous times they would use their judgement for the good of the production. It is becoming more common for the executives to bully both producer and director to accept heads of department with whom they have no working relationship.

Both know that to refuse could mean not working for that company again. With the consolidation of commissioning companies involved in film production, the outlets for employment have contracted and the power of the executives has increased. This is particularly true in the independent television sector.

As with any industry, the team dynamic in film production is vitally important. A head of department, such as a director of photography, will know which key assistants, operator, focus puller, grip and gaffer, will work well, both together and with the director and producer to ensure the smooth running of the camera department, and to achieve the best results on screen for the production. This is a concept which should concern executives.

Skilled technicians are not simply interchangeable parts of a machine; filmmaking has never been simply a technical process. In this industry anyone who stands up for basic principles may be regarded as a troublemaker and find the mortgage difficult to pay in the future.

Since the demise of the controlled and regulated employment of technicians by responsible companies mental ‘bullying” has been the easiest way to control the workforce.

Statement from the British Society of Cinematographers on 31 May 2006, in response to the University of Ulster’s investigation into workplace bullying in the media industry in the UK.

Ealing the oldest In your last edition, an article in the Imago News section made reference to Denmark having the oldest film studio in the world, opened in 1909.

We would like to point out that Ealing Studios is famed as the oldest working studios in the world, operating since 1902, with many of the world’s finest cameramen and technicians having filmed their pictures here, close to central London.

Ealing continues to go from strength to strength. We are currently in production on I Want Candy. The film is one of many pictures produced by Ealing Studios in recent years including Fade to Black, Imagine Me and You which opened on June 16th, Alien Autopsy, and the 2004 CGI animation Valiant.

Ealing Studios continues to provide a home to many other independent and studio productions including Death Defying Acts, the recent Frank Oz film Death at a Funeral, with Woody Allen returning for his 2006 summer project after the successes of Match Point and Scoop.

Jeremy Pelzer Studio Director, Ealing Studios

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production news

BSC clubhouse HD theatre

Camerimage to honour Samuelson

The installation of the new HD digital theatre at the BSC’s clubhouse at Pinewood Studios was completed earlier this summer.

Helping to make this happen were Alan Roser MD of Simm 2 UK, who provided the three-chip HD projectors, Roger Batchelor of Denon UK who made a gift to the BSC of a Pro DVD player and a Pro Cinema amplifier. Jeff Paynter of Projectors-Are-Us provided advice Illuminating: BSC clubhouse digital theatre and introductions about the various systems that were available, whilst Phil Beck was responsible for the installation. Joe Dunton designed the screen and supplied the Bose surround-sound speaker system. Terry Ackland-Snow oversaw the work and did all the extra decorations, with Karl Kelly on hand to provide engineering knowledge.

Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, which takes place in Lodz, Poland from 25th November to 3rd December, will for the first time honour the people who, within their work, support cinematographers with technical equipment and technologies, thereby helping to make DPs artistic visions become real. The inaugural Special Camerimage Award for Innovative Achievements in Motion Pictures will be granted to David Samuelson, double Oscar-winner for the engineering and development of the Louma Camera Crane and remote control system for motion picture production in 1981 and in 2005.

Pinewood, Fuji, Cooke, Panavision, ARRI GB and Lee Filters donated most of the cost of the projector, but the BSC is asking members for additional donations to pay the final amount. Contact Frances Russell. The facility is available to all BSC members, at any time.

Also new at the show, now in its fourteenth year, is the organizers’ decision to offer all visitors the opportunity to purchase tickets to visit the exhibition stands and attend live presentations from a range of international companies who this year include ARRI, Kodak Panavision, Avid, Sachtler, Panther, P+S Technik, Cinevation and Zeiss. UK filter manufacturer Formatt Filters is planning “Filter Wonderland”, a masterclass and opportunity for attendees to experiment with its range of standard and HD glass filters.

Marek Zydowicz, Camerimage festival director, has just became an honorary member of German Cinematographers Association (BVK). Film school students can still enter their work for competition at Camerimage until 13th of October. Contact tomek@camerimage.pl for more information.

Cine Gear launches East Coast show

New BSC Board The British Society of Cinematographers, recently announced its new board for 2006-7, and elected a new president, Gavin Finney BSC, who takes over from Phil Méheux BSC. Finney trained at Manchester Polytechnic from 1984 to 1987, where he won a BA in film and TV studies, before spending two years at the National Film and TV School. His recent TV and film credits include Hogfather, The Flying Scotsman, These Foolish Things, Keeping Mum and Colditz.

President Gavin Finney Immediate Past President Phil Méheux Vice Presidents Joe Dunton Alec Mills Sue Gibson

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Governors John de Borman Harvey Harrison Chris Howard Tony Imi Nina Kellgren Chris Seager Tony Spratling

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

Gavin Finney BSC Mike Southon Derek Suter Alex Thomson Robin Vidgeon Nigel Walters Secretary/Treasurer Frances Russell

On November 10th and 11th 2006, Cine Gear Expo will launch Cine Gear Expo Miami. Focusing on the large production community in Miami and the surrounding areas, one of the goals of Cine Gear Expo Miami is to offer both attendees and exhibitors the opportunity to explore and connect with the expanding Latin American and Central American markets.

Exhibitors include Bron Kobald USA, Cine Video Tech Inc., MQ Power, Matthews Studio Equipment, Panasonic and Technocrane. Seminars and panel discussions will be hosted by leading members of the American Society of Cinematographers.

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production news

Daryn Okada elected president of ASC He earned his first credit for Nomad Riders in 1981. Okada has subsequently compiled more than 40 credits, including Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken, My Father The Hero, Anna Karenina, Lake Placid, Dr. Dolittle 2, Joe Somebody, Cradle 2 The Grave, Mean Girls, Paparazzi, Just Like Heaven, and Stick It. His work on the miniseries In A Child’s Name (1991) earned him an ASC Outstanding Achievement Award nomination. Okada is currently shooting the independent feature Sex And Death 101.

“It was a magical experience when my dad let me buy a splicer and I could edit my own shots.”

After leaving high-school at the age of 16, Okada found work as a projectionist. Unable to enrol at film school due to over capacity and cost, he volunteered to work on student films and soon found work as a gaffer, grip and occasionally as a camera operator on ultra-low budget films while photographing small commercials.

Okada, new ASC president Daryn Okada ASC was elected president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) in June 2006, taking over from out-going president Richard Crudo ASC. Okada was born and raised in Los Angeles. He got his first camera and began taking black-and-white still photographs when he was six, and began making Super 8 movies when he was nine. “I was always the kid with the camera,” Okada said.

Woodward and Brown visit Pinewood On Tuesday 20th June, Shaun Woodward MP, minister of creative industries and tourism visited the sets of Casino Royale, the latest Bond movie, and Stardust, starring Robert de Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, as he toured Pinewood Studios with chief executive, Ivan Dunleavy. The visit follows an earlier one by Chancellor Gordon Brown who opened Pinewood’s new underwater stage in May.

Rick Mietkowski – visual effects cameraman It came as a great shock to anybody in the film industry when they learnt of Rick Mietkowski’s sudden death in his sleep at an unreasonably young age of 51, because he was one of the fittest people we knew, going for a run each day along the banks of the Thames. Amongst the close-knit group of UK technicians that specialise in the area of visual effects, the news of his death at the end of June 2006 was met with initial disbelief.

I first knew Rick when he joined the Magic Camera Company at Shepperton Studios in the late 1980s, bringing his rostrum camera and animation experience from the West End. It was as a rostrum cameraman that he had met his wife Anne-Marie, a talented animator in her own right, photographing her work for BBC children’s TV. Rick became part of the last generation of technicians that the great Derek Meddings assembled – a group of us that learnt so much together under Derek’s encouragement.

Rick naturally seemed to put his animation experience to learning motion control, a logical step from compterised rostrums. Photographing our own small set-ups or elements,

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taking on crazy commissions, working all-hours, sometimes on tasks it might have been wiser to walk away from, but somehow he would achieve the shot.

There was a period, from mid-1994, when I worked with him daily for the best part of 18 months as we tackled the 35mm motion-control model unit on Gerry Anderson’s Space Precinct and shot sequences over a three-month period for Goldeneye the Mig jets colliding, the deadly satellites orbiting Earth and the white plane Bond somehow controls at the last minute. It was a time of great happiness and a huge learning curve.

Rick operated the motion control for me when we worked on such pictures as Hamlet, Mission: Impossible 2, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Entrapment. He ran the motion control on the demanding Event Horizon, which includes the stunning spacestation sequence, of which he was rightly very proud. His other feature film credits include Lost in Space and The Fifth Element amongst other well-known titles.

Rick then made the decision to go freelance as a visual effects Director of Photography in his own right and over the recent

few years his reputation and CV were becoming impressive: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Da Vinci Code and the well-received short Dolls, on which the renowned cinematographer Alex Thomson, BSC commented, “I think this work is extraordinary in it’s inventiveness and economy of light.

The lighting evokes the mood perfectly.”

Rick was always a pleasure to work with. He had an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of visual effects and would charm visiting American technicians with a better awareness of their careers than they seemed to have.

I know that many people in the industry felt that Rick was on his way to achieving an exciting catalogue of photographic work and one wonders just what else he could have achieved given more time. Rick was about to start on the latest Bond film out in Prague. He is survived by his wife Anne Marie and their two children, Tad and Sky. Nigel Stone BSC

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production news

An Oil Flick Films No.2 LLP, UK Film Council, Sixteen Films Ltd, Element Films Ltd, EMC GmbH, BIM Distribuzione and Tornasol Films S.A. production

© 2006 Universal Pictures International

UK

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Ambush begins in The Wind that Shakes the Barley.

Photo: Joss Barratt

Cannes Film Festival review The 59th edition of the Cannes Film Festival was a great year for the UK film industry. Ken Loach’s Wind that Shakes the Barley, lensed by Barry Ackroyd BSC, took the most coveted Palme d’Or and Andrea Arnold’s Red Road won the Jury Prize, an incredible feat for a debut feature. Paul Greengrass’ ‘Out of Competition’ film, United 93 that was also lensed by Ackroyd, received exultant reviews and was declared “magnificent” by the public.

Cannes is a festival for auteur cinema; it seeks out singular voices from different cultures and rewards quality film direction. The festival emphasizes “Cinema as Art”.

The opening night film succeeded as a marketing exercise.

Over a thousand photographers crowded Cannes’ dusty SNCF station for the first ever Eurostar from London carrying Da Vinci Code dignitaries – Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ron Howard, Ian McKellen and others – but the film then bombed at the Palais screening.

The 20 feature films in competition were: Spain’s Pedro Almodovar returning to his roots in his most accomplished Volver; Andrea Arnold’s Red Road; Lucas Belvaux’s The Right

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Pictured: From left - Verne the Turtle, Hammy the Squirrel, Stella the Skunk, Penny and Lou the Porcupines, and Heather and Ozzie the Possum in a scene from DreamWorks Animation's computer-animated comedy Over The Hedge.

of the Weakest; Rachid Bouchareb’s Days of Glory; Israel Adrian Caetano’s Cronica de una Fuga; Turkey’s Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Climates; Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette which got booed; Pedro Costa’s Collosal Youth; Mexico’s Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth that buzzed; Bruno Dumont’s wellreceived Flanders; Nicole Garcia’s Charlie Says; Xavier Giannoli’s, The Singer; Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Babel, that caused heated debates among critics; Finland’s Aki Kaurismaki’s Lights in the Dusk; Richard Kelly’s Southland Tales pronounced “ridiculous and embarrassing”; Richard Linklater’s disappointing Fast Food Nation; Ken Loach’s magnificent Wind that Shakes the Barley; China’s Lou Ye’s Summer Palace, that defied censorship regulations with explicit sex and politics; Nanni Moretti’s portrayal of Berlusconi in The Caiman; and Paolo Sorrentino’s The Family Friend.

And the winners were …

The feature film jury president was Chinese director, Wong Kar Wai; his Jury members were actors, Monica Bellucci from Italy, Helena Bonham Carter from Great Britain, Zhang Ziyi from China, and Samuel L. Jackson from the US, and directors, Lucrecia Martel from Argentina, Patrice Leconte from France, Tim Roth from England, and Elia Suleiman from Palestine.

Best Screenplay – Pedro Almodovar for Volver (DP José Luis Alcaine) “Volver is a story about a family of women…I was surrounded by my sisters who reminded me of all those childhood memories of La Mancha that I had forgotten.”

The ‘Certain Regard’ category presents more offbeat, quirky offerings, and opened with the terrific Paris, Je T’aime – a compilation of 18, five-minute stories about love in different arrondissements, featuring a galaxy of actors and directors.

Some other memorable films were: Ten Canoes, Hamaca Paraguaya, Bled Number One, Taxidermia, La Tourneuse de Pages, Murderers, Serambi, A Scanner Darkly, The Violin, and To Get To Heaven First You Have To Die.

Almodovar back with passion in Volver

©TM and (c) 2006 Dreamworks Animation L.L.C

Passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 prepare to fight back against their hijackers in the unflinching drama United 93 from writer/director/producer Paul Greengrass.

‘Out of Competition’ films of note included: An Inconvenient Truth, Zidane - A Portrait of the 21st Century, Boffo!

Tinseltown’s Bombs and Blockbusters, Sketches of Frank Gehry, Transylvania, Requiem for Billy the Kid, The Water Diary, Over the Hedge, and X-Men: The Last Stand.

(and the statements they made) Palme D’Or – Wind that Shakes the Barley by Ken Loach (DP Barry Ackroyd BSC) “We hope that our film represents a small step in the relationship which the British have with their imperial past. If we dare to tell the truth about the past, perhaps we shall dare tell the truth about the present...”

Grand Prize – Flanders by Bruno Dumont (DP Yves Cape) “I make films which take risks… I accept this prize as an encouragement for all those who think that we can make a different cinema, without necessarily repeating what the industry tells us.”

Best Director – Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu for Babel (DP Rodrigo Prieto) “Six years ago I came with the first part of my trilogy, Amores Perros. 21 Grams is the second part, and finally now Babel. I dedicate it to my children who travelled with me and became gypsies just like me. It is children who enable us to feel alive.”

Best Actor – Jamel Debbouze, Samy Naceri, Roschdy Zem, Sami Bouajila, Bernard Blancan for Indigenes (DP Patrick Blossier) Best Actress – Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Duesas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo, Chus Lampreave for Volver (DP José Luis Alcaine) Jury Prize – Red Road by Andrea Arnold (DP Robbie Ryan)

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Photo by Anna Bogacz

WHO’S SHOOTING WHO?

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Splish Splosh: ICM's Simon Coull on location in South Africa

Oliver Stapleton BSC wrote in with a brief note about his experiences Down Under. “I am currently in New Zealand shooting The Water Horse. The main character of this film (a tale of the Loch Ness Monster set during the second world war) will be a creation of Weta who did Lord of The Rings and King Kong. It’s quite bizarre for the actors and the amount of blue screen work is more than I would like. Nevertheless, a tremendous opportunity for me to work with a top-notch VFX house. The cast, including Emily Watson and Ben Chaplin, are a real pleasure. I seem to have Peter Jackson’s entire crew: they are a great bunch of people and a lot more used to this type of work than I am!”

Sam Care, a 21 year old cinematographer just embarking on his career, also wrote in and sent images. Sam graduated from Westminster Film School with a 1st class honours degree in film and television production. Armed with a full complement of kit from ARRI and a range of Kodak stocks, he is lensing Changing Faces in Nigeria, a feature film directed and co-produced by Faruk Lasaki. It’s an English language film aimed European and African audiences, based on a local belief system that when two people have a sexual encounter, there is an exchange of spirit. The story teaches morals to a modern African society in which the issue of sex outside of marriage is being discouraged because of sexually transmitted diseases and its religious implications.

Berlin Associates’ Neve Cunningham is currently working with Rollem Productions in Leeds on a new ITV drama series called Strictly Confidential about a female sex therapist.

Big Fish Management’s Geoff Boyle has been at Shepperton and the Isle of Man shooting Mutant Chronicles using the Viper HD camera. It’s a 23rd century sci-fi action thriller, directed by Simon Hunter, with John Malkovich and Thomas Jane in the lead roles, with lots of bluescreen. Geoff will be involved in the DI. Casarotto’s Remi Adefarasin BSC just wrapped The Golden Age where he worked once more with director Shekhar Kapur. This is the follow-up to the hugely successful Elizabeth. Sean Bobbitt, who became a member of the BSC in July, is currently prepping on Mrs Ratlyffe’s Revolution with director Billie Eltringham. Henry Braham BSC has just started The Golden Compass with Chris Weitz, the first of the fabulous trilogy His Dark Materials. Natasha Braier is lensing Ine Sylvia’s City with Spanish director Luis Guerin. Benoit

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Starting out: 21-year old DP Sam Care on the set of his first film, Changing Faces in Nigeria

Delhomme is shooting 1408 for the Weinstein Co., and Baz Irvine has finished French Bean for Working Title and Steve Bendalak. David Katznelson shot Shoot the Messenger directed by Ngozi Onwurah for BBC Films, and Driving Lessons directed by Jeremy Brock - both screened at the Edinburgh Festival. Seamus McGarvey BSC is currently shooting Atonement with Joe Wright for Working Title. Chris Menges BSC is prepping on Kimberley Peirce’s as yet untitled new film for Paramount about a US soldier, back home in Texas after fighting in Iraq, who refuses to return to battle despite a government mandate. James Welland is shooting Trial & Retribution with director Alex Pillai, before shooting Magicians, to be directed by first-time features director Andrew O’Connor for Intermedia.

Creative Media Management’s Toby Moore recently lit his first HD feature, a contemporary thriller Wish You Were Here for director Darren Welch. He follows this up with horror flick Timber Falls in Romania on 35mm for US-based commercials director Tony Guglio. Colin Munn was approached to light series ten of Bentley Productions’ popular drama Midsomer Murders, having also lit the previous three series for producer Brian True-May. John Rhodes is on Sally Wainwright’s new series for ITV, Bonkers, a dark, quirky sixpart drama described as Desperate Housewives on speed.

Mike Southon BSC is currently attached to light My Dog Has Fleas, a comedy with music for UK director Mark Crowdy.

Mike recently lit the Canadian shoot of The Mermaid Chair, a feature for television starring Kim Bassinger. After lighting a dramatic Holby City standalone episode, Gavin Struthers has gone on to light series four of Company Pictures’ hit drama Shameless. Duncan Telford recently finished lighting his second HD feature this year, Rendition, a tough and gritty portrayal of a moderate British Muslim’s radicalization.

The Dench Arnold DPs have been up to the following…Jonathan Bloom is currently shooting a Bollywood feature on location in London called Namaste London. David Johnson has just finished Resident Evil: Extinction for Russell Mulcahy on location in Mexico, with Milla Jovovich starring. Nic Knowland BSC was voted Winner of Best Cinematography at Kodak/ BAFTA short film showcase for a short film called Vagabond Shoes for director Jackie Oudney. He has just done Celebration, an adaptation of a Pinter play. Tony Miller is shooting Oliver Parker’s new feature I Hate My Job over at 3 Mills Studios. Apparently, he started off using a well known brand of HD camera, but it

would not work successfully in log mode and he abandoned it the day before shooting and went to 35mm. Gyula Pados has just started shooting Evening for director Lajos Koltai on location in Rhode Island. The cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, Toni Collette and Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy. Peter Sinclair is on location in Tunisia filming The Roman Mysteries, based on a well-known series of children’s books, with director Paul Marcus. Adam Suschitzky went straight from shooting PrimaEvil for Impossible Pictures / Granada to Shadow in the North (part of the Sally Lockhart Mysteries) at the BBC. Nigel Walters BSC is shooting Trial & Retribution on Super 16 for director Tristram Powell. Their relationship spans 30 years.

Over at Dinedor DP Florian Hoffmeister is cutting a swathe through UK TV drama, filming the new series of Cracker directed by Antonia Bird for Granada, starring Robbie Coltrane, and Five Days for BBC/HBO directed by Otho Bathurst.

The news from ICM is that since completing Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or winning film The Wind That Shakes The Barley and the well-received United 93 with Paul Greengrass, Barry Ackroyd BSC has been concentrating on commercials including ads for Fosters and Cancer Research. Ulf Brantas is on David Attwood’s new project, Stuart – a Life Backwards, a contemporary TV film, based on a well-known novel that tells the story of a homeless man’s life in reverse, starting with his death. Dominic Clemence is lensing Kingdom, a six x one-hour series starring Stephen Fry as a Norfolk-based solicitor.

Simon Coull recently finished a Samsung shoot with Howard Greenhalgh of Home Corp. in Barcelona and is about to embark on a complicated shoot for Redbee Media for new BBC i-dents before dashing off to start prep on his second feature film. Sandwiched between commercials for Wella, The Halifax and Max Factor, Oliver Curtis BSC recently worked on Death At A Funeral, the $12million feature directed

by Frank Oz. John Daly BSC has just completed work on The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, directed by Declan Lowney, starring Jane Horrocks, a comedy drama about an ordinary women who becomes Prime Minister. You can read all about Ben Davis BSC and his work on the $50million Stardust in this edition. Most recently Seamus Deasy completed John Boorman’s The Tiger’s Tale, a €6 black comedy set in modern day Dublin, starring Brendan Gleeson and Kim Cattrall,

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and did the DI at Framestore in London. Lawrence Gardner shot Slings & Arrows, with Metin Huseyin, part of the Comedy Playhouse season, a Tiger Aspect show for BBC1.Cinders Forshaw BSC completed Victoria Wood’s Housewife 49 for Granada, and is now lensing Dracula , a two-hour single produced by Trevor Hopkins, directed by Bill Eagles. She has also shot a Belle & Sebastian promo with US director Michael Palmieri on location in Glasgow through Method Films, and Jonathan Glazer spot for Sony.

Jess Hall is filming Son of Rambow with Hitch Hikers Guide director Garth Jennings, about two 13-yr old boys who forge an unlikely friendship as they do their own remake of Rambo for an amateur film competition. John Ignatius just completed the John Henderson feature, Tales of the Riverbank, produced by Peter Watson-Woods. Martin Kenzie spent the majority of the summer shooting the World Cup in Germany for Goal 3 – the Italians’ lap of honour in the final was “electric” – and is going on to shoot the second season of Rome in Italy. Darius Khondji ASC, AFC is lensing My Blueberry Nights with director Wong Kar Wai, a road movie across America staring Rachel Weisz, and is then off to Funny Games, a $15m film directed by Michael Haneke and starring Naomi Watts.

John Mathieson BSC has been frantic recently having completed back-to-back commercials. He’s now on the title sequence for 007 Casino Royale with Daniel Kleinman at Rattling Stick. David Odd has begun Jane Austen’s Persuasion in Bath, a Clerkenwell Films show for ITV, directed

by Adrian Shergold, with David Snodin producing. Dick Pope BSC has been in New York doing digital grading for Man of the Year a film he shot earlier this year for Barry Levinson. Whilst there he crewed for a film he is shooting for John Sayles in Alabama this autumn called Honeydrippers. Ben Seresin has been busy completing commercials for Hyundai and Virgin Trains. Ben Smithard is on the two-part TV thriller Hunger, produced by Paul Frift, with Terry McDonough directing, a Tightrope Pictures show for ITV. Mark Waters has just finished Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood a BBC Wales show or BBC3. Meanshile Ed Wild recently worked with Type2Error at Crossroads on two promos Hope Of The States’ “Sing it Out” and most recently for Captain’s “Glorious”.

Here’s what McKinney Mcarteney’s clients have been up… Balazs Bolygo has been very busy working on Stan for BBC3 and the second series of the hugely popular Life on

Bangs for your bucks: Chris Seager BSC’s work on Stormbreaker is going down well with audiences Mars. Stan, directed by Jon Sen for BBC3, tells the story of the end of Laurel and Hardy’s friendship as Stan Laurel visits a dying Oliver Hardy for the last time. Ben Butler, Mick Coulter and Denis Crossan have all been busy on commercials. John de Borman BSC returned from Thailand where he shot Kudos Television’s Tsunami - The Aftermath (working title) for Bharat Nalluri, set for TX on the BBC this autumn.

Gavin Finney BSC, the newly elected president of the BSC, completed work at 3 Mills Studios on the long-awaited adaptation of The Hogfather, which airs on Sky One at Christmas – perfect twisted Terry Pratchett mayhem for the holiday season. Graham Frake BSC joined up with the Merry Men for BBC’s new primetime show Robin Hood, the latest in a long line of adaptations about the popular folk hero. Sue Gibson BSC is shooting Miss Marple for LWT with Geraldine McKewan as the eponymous mystery-solving detective in the popular ITV series. Richard Greatrex BSC has completed work with Michael Radford on diamond heist flick Flawless starring Demi Moore and Michael Caine.

Nina Kellgren BSC is shooting an exciting new project for Tiger Aspect, Buzz on the Moon, a televised opera recounting the story of the moon landing of 1969, in which Buzz Aldrin is not happy at being the second man on the moon. Phil Méheux BSC’s work on the latest James Bond Casino Royale for Martin Campbell has finally wrapped, and John Pardue has just lensed commercials for Sharp and Special K. Tony Pierce-Roberts BSC has returned from shooting Samuel L Jackson and Christina Ricci in Irwin Winkler’s Gulf war drama Home of the Brave.

Jake Polonsky has finished ITV’s drama Primaeval, that involves time-travel, dinosaurs, and adventure for the whole

Dressed to thrill: with 9 cameras shooting, the only place for Wickerman DP Paul Sarossy to take a light reading was in-shot, in a dress!

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family. Fresh from picking up his second BAFTA award for Girl in the Café, Chris Seager BSC has been on The Walker for the legendary Paul Schrader. Woody Harrelson, Kristin Scott Thomas and the iconic Lauren Bacall star in a high-society murder mystery. Katie Swain has shot a pilot for a new comedy show for the BBC called Bearded Ladies from the ladies who brought us Green Wing and Smack the Pony.

Having completed Lee Tamahori’s Next, David Tattersall BSC is on Richard Shepard’s comic thriller Springbreak in Bosnia about a pair of journalists who decide to catch a war criminal but are mistaken for CIA assassins and find themselves pursued by him. Clive Tickner BSC and Darran Tiernan have both been abroad on commercials. Ian Wilson will be filming Primo for veteran actor Richard Wilson in the adaptation of Anthony Sher’s hit stage play.

Wizzo’s Peter Hannan BSC ACS completed work as 2nd Unit Cameraman and 2nd Unit director on The Children of Men for Spanish director Alphonso Cuaron.

Donal Gilligan is shooting a feature for director Kieran Walsh in Dublin called Kitchen and just before that shot episodes of Spooks for Kudos. Jan Richter-Friis recently shot Muddle Earth episodes on HD for director Nick Willing at BBC/ Jackanory. Rob Hardy recently lit two short films for Cinema Extreme; one being Miranda Bowen’s Honeymoon through 2am Films and the other Gaelle Denis’s After The Rain through Passion Pictures. Recent signings to Wizzo drama department are Kjell Lageroos from Finland who has won many awards for his cinematography in features and has lit six films to date in Scandinavia; and also Shane Daly who is about to start on UK feature Friends and Enemies for BBC producer Denis Wray.has been shooting the feature documentary on Joe Strummer for Julian Temple and the feature documentary The Man Upstairs for director Nigel Cole.

David Tattersall BSC: currently on Richard Shepard's comic thriller Springbreak in Bosnia

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Above and below: A battle between light and dark for Semus McGarvey BSC on Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center

DP Seamus McGarvey

World Trade Center Released across the US by Paramount this August, World Trade Center, has surprised both critics and fans of its director Oliver Stone. There’s no conspiracy theory and no political agenda, just a true story, brilliantly told, about how two New York Port Authority cops, Will Jimeno (Michael Penna) and John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage) survived 9/11.

“Oliver is a maverick and a rebel but he’s taken an ascetic approach with this film,” says DP Seamus McGarvey BSC. “He was genuinely affected by the script and the human aspect of this project. He saw something in this about the human will to survive in extremis – it’s something he has always done well in films such as Salvador and Platoon which this closely resembles. He talked to me about wanting a spartan approach in which the emotion of the film isn’t crowded with artifice or photographic flights of fancy. It really fitted with the memorial nature of the project.”

In a recent press conference Stone told reporters, “To me, the story had to be told through the lighting. I hired Seamus McGarvey to be my director of photography because I liked that he mixed three different time periods in The Hours. I saw the differences and I felt they were not hokey, which they could easily have been.

So we worked together on the concept of light and dark, because the whole movie is about the battle between the two.” McGarvey describes his first meeting with Stone as…

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“one of the most inspiring I have ever had with a filmmaker. I could sense from the first moment that he’s a very visceral, passionate and extraordinary man. When he’s making a film, he shows fallibility. It’s not an easy ride but I learned so much from him. He invited me into the edit room and every night we’d work on the dailies and he’d select his favourite takes.

He goes through them with a fine tooth comb to find little moments.”

Trade Center, makes three films he has shot back-to-back.

Now there’s just a commercial for Chanel standing between him and a long-awaited break.

Ascetic the approach may have been, but there are still some big, powerful and moving scenes, McGarvey recalls one in particular.

“We did a 50ft crane shot of Nicolas Cage , as McLoughin, being pulled off the wreckage on the set of Ground Zero (built on a stage in Los Angeles). It goes over the whole site where we had some 400 extras, including real fireman and policeman, many of whom had been involved in the real rescue.

The difficulty and effort required to set up the shot preoccupied us but, when it all went quiet and the shot happened, everyone was nearly in tears. Similarly, a slow pan across the extras for a shot from McLoughin’s POV revealed faces which were fused with memories of the day. It was incredibly moving.”

As we go to press, Seamus McGarvey has just completed work on Atonement which, with Charlotte’s Web and World

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D P Pa u l S a ro s s y C S C , B S C

The Wicker Man Thirty-three years after the launch of The Wicker Man, September saw the UK release of the re-made cult classic with some notable changes. This latest version, directed by Neil La Bute and shot by Paul Sarossy CSC, BSC, has moved the setting from an island off Scotland to an island off Vancouver, and added a swarm of killer bees. But if the pagan gods were displeased, they didn’t show it.

“We filmed in one of the rainiest regions of Canada for 43 days and only suffered rain for 10 minutes,” says Sarossy. “For a film where 80 per cent of the shoot was day exterior, that’s miraculous.”

Sarossy shot The Wicker Man in Panavision Super 35 with two Panaflex Millennium cameras, Primo primes and zoom lenses.

“When the B camera wasn’t needed, it was sent out with Nicolas Cage (the leading actor)’s double for shots of him exploring the island. Nick Roeg’s Don’t Look Now was an enormous reference and the camera is privy to things that the viewers are not certain they’ve seen clearly.

“David Crone, on A camera, is one of the best Steadicam operators in Vancouver – he practically lives in his rig and we enjoyed keeping the camera in motion as much as possible.

We used a lovely arm invented by our grip, David Cameron (sic), to shoot a number of travelling scenes involving bicycles and motorcycles. Called the Telejib, this manually extendable jib arm, coupled with a stabilised Scorpio head, allowed the camera to travel freely around the actor while riding.”

Somewhat bigger rigs used included a 70ft barge, built to accommodate the entire unit for dockside scenes, and a GF-16 crane, which was used mostly in its 50ft configuration.

DP Chris Seager BSC

Stormbreaker, an intense experience for Chris Seager BSC Chris Seager BSC describes his 12 weeks as DP on Stormbreaker last summer as “wonderful”, “intense” and “interesting”. The most wonderful part came one early Sunday morning when Piccadilly Circus was closed down to allow him and his colleagues to shoot a chase scene involving seven cameras, 50 cars, three buses, 12 taxis and 20 members of the Household Cavalry.

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Paul Sarossy CSC, BSC had nine cameras rolling to capture the burning effigy in Wickerman “It’s a beautiful machine,” says Sarossy, “and at that length with a 10mm lens, the shots appeared to fly, first rushing along at ground level then ascending dramatically to full height – they looked like Steadicam shots which became airborne.

For the final scene in which a 50ft human effigy made of wicker is burnt, Sarossy had nine cameras rolling. “We had to shoot it all in one take and leave it to the gods,” he says. And again, the gods smiled. “It ended up going off perfectly.”

Stormbreaker “I think it was a first,” he says. “Stunts have been done in London before but not on that magnitude. “It went round Hyde Park Corner, then we came down through Rotten Row to Piccadilly and on to Piccadilly Circus…” But there’s more. The chase continued on to Holborn Viaduct and through Paternoster Square before ending up in Leadenhall Street.

filming to sort out problems – we were all working our socks off. The stage wasn’t big enough to build the set for the MI6 building so we made it underground and did a CGI build of the lift shaft. For the circular interior, we built a quadrant of it and made the other 270 degrees blue screen.

It made for a much more viable and lightable set and the designers really made it come alive.

“We were heavily reliant upon the stunt co-ordinator, Lee Sherwood, and his merry men,” says Seager. And, of course, this ambitious chase sequence required the permission of countless London authorities – congratulations to Film London for its coordination and powers of persuasion.

Another Stormbreaker project was the rigging and lighting of a huge tank of water one night in order for it to be spectacularly blown up the next day.

About the “intense” and “interesting” aspects of Stormbreaker, Seager says, “Although this was a £20 million budget, it was always tight and we did a lot of hard work in a very short time. We had to shoot 50 per cent of the film on stages and locations in the Isle of Man. The locations were meant to be Cornwall and they were great but the stages were not up to those of Pinewood. In the last three weeks, my gaffer, rigging gaffer and the lighting designer were meeting every day at lunchtimes and after

One8six, which provided much of the equipment for the production including cameras, grips and video equipment, supplied underwater cameras and Seager liked the way he was able to use the underwater lights as part of the set.

“When we fired the explosives to blow the tank, tonnes of water cascaded all over stage C at Pinewood,” with just a hint of schoolboy enthusiasm. “Every day was a challenge but that’s what I loved about it. You read the script and thought ‘how the hell am I going to do this?’” And then he did it.

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Richard P. Crudo says it’s more important than ever for cinematographers to ask digital manufacturers the hard questions – and to be more demanding of the answers they give.

Richard P. Crudo ASC

Question Time Right now, attention is being paid in the U.S. to a certain privately developed, professional-grade digital motion picture camera.

It was introduced at this spring’s National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas, where its representatives gleefully extolled its virtues to a hungry clientele. Among these virtues were claims of a Super 35-sized 4K chip with 11.4 million pixels spread across a CMOS sensor. Then there was the “raw” recording capability of up to 60fps and the choice of 4:4:4 or 4:2:2 colour sampling. Which is not to forget the greater than 66db signal-to-noise ratio, modular and expandable design, light-weight magnesium alloy construction and – get this – a purchase price of only $17,500.

This magical new device made such an impression on NAB’s brilliant and highly informed attendees that they overwhelmingly voted to give it this year’s Award For Innovation in Media (Content Creation category, of course).

Now if any of this sounds a bit far fetched, you wouldn’t be mistaken. The fact of the matter is that despite this camera’s list of exciting attributes (which came directly from the company’s website, by the way), despite the feverish word-ofmouth on the convention floor, and despite those who lined up to pay $1,000 in order to reserve their very own unit – no working prototype was demonstrated at NAB. Instead, what was shown was an entirely inert conceptual model of the camera. For all it mattered, it may as well have been made of wood.

That sort of thing doesn’t seem to bother too many people anymore though, especially when they’re of the type who automatically equate “new” with “better”. Let’s face it; the marketing and journalistic coverage of digital technologies has been predominantly fraudulent from the very beginning.

Corporate salesmen – shills and hucksters that they are – can’t be blamed for doing their jobs. But judging from the flood of false perceptions and utopian expectations they’ve managed to etch in stone, they need to be blamed for doing their jobs too well.

I d i o c y i n t h e m a i n st re a m m e d i a w i t h re g a rd t o t h i n g s t h a t a re i m p o r t a n t t o u s i s t o b e e x p e c t e d … j o u r n a l i st s s e e m t o h a ve re a c h e d a st a g n a t i o n p o i n t i n t h e i r i r ra t i o n a l n e e d t o re c a st t h e t o o l s o f o u r a r t .

A particularly nasty scorn however must be reserved – Ha!, and why is this not surprising? – for members of the press. Idiocy in the mainstream media with regard to things that are important to us is to be expected. Sadly, industry publications usually go one better. Apart from what you see in this publication or in American Cinematographer magazine, when was the last time you read, saw or heard anything remotely objective about digital technologies? Indeed, healthy scepticism is a thing of the past, just as the in-depth questioning and referencing of unbiased experts have become a wilfully discarded aspect of the reporter’s craft.

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Certainly, ego has a lot to do with this – the drive to be the firstest with the mostest. Combine that with generous doses of laziness, ignorance and ineptitude and you’ve got the recipe for our present situation. Rather than upping the ante though, journalists seem to have reached a stagnation point in their irrational need to recast the tools of our art. One would hope this indicates some optimism, but it doesn’t. Lately, all a manufacturer has to do is go public with outrageous contentions, then sit back and watch the puppets dance. That those in the know might react with a yawn is irrelevant to them. A shameless bravado seems to goad them on, which is a fascinating dynamic to witness, providing you’re in on the joke.

T h e re ’s a n e n o r m o u s g a p w a s b e t w e e n w h a t c i n e m a t o g ra p h e rs w a n t f ro m their equipment and what m a n u fa c t u re rs t h i n k w e w a n t .

The irony of all this is that in the long run these practices ultimately do damage to the very cause they’re trying to promote. Case in point: I recently attended a Hollywood test screening organized by one of the major digital camera companies to tout their latest 4K innovation.

The audience was made up primarily of ASC members, with a smattering of studio technologists along for the ride. Similar to many other occasions, an enormous gap was revealed between what cinematographers want from their equipment and what manufacturers think we want. This manifested itself most clearly in the party-line chatter of our host, who insisted we were seeing a certain level of quality onscreen when it wasn’t there at all. The shoddiness of the tester’s methodology and inferior nature of their results were disappointing enough. But their obliviousness to the truth about what they were trying to sell was appalling, especially in light of who they were addressing. I guarantee someone somewhere will write about this device as if it were the second coming. Pity.

Understand that this is not a film vs. digital issue. For the informed cinematographer, that has been moot from the start. It is an issue of whether or not one embraces clarity, and as such it has become more important than ever for us to ask the hard questions of our digital manufacturers – and to be more demanding of the answers they give us.

So a certain camera manufacturer promises the sun and the moon, then unveils a fake. As I recall, cinematographers used wooden cameras over a hundred years ago...and many of those that have survived will still work today.

Somehow, I don’t think this latest one is quite up to that level yet.

Richard P. Crudo ASC

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D i g i t a l d a i l i e s – o n e o f t h e s u b j e c t s t h a t j u st m i g h t s e n d a q u i ve r t h ro u g h m o st c i n e m a t o g ra p h e rs . B u t t h e re ’s a s o l u t i o n o n t h e We st C o a st t h a t p rov i d e s t h e a b i l i t y t o e m u l a t e i n t h e d i g i t a l re a l m e x a c t ly w h a t a re le a s e p r i n t w o u l d lo o k l i k e a t g i ve n p r i n t e r l i g h t s s e t t i n g s i n a f i l m l a b , w r i t e s C a ro ly n G i a rd i n a .

>>

© Touchstone Pictures and Kaltenbach Pictures GmbH & Co. KG, all rights reserved

As digital technology increasingly becomes a part of the language of cinematography, one element that some are saying is sorely needed is a sort of equivalent to Hazeltine printer lights – in other words, precise, universally-recognised settings, “This is one of the most important issues today,” said Richard Crudo ASC, who recently completed his third term as ASC president. “We need to be able to assign a value to our work, so for once electronic dailies will have a direct correlation to what the print will look like…It is the only way to facilitate precise, consistent, repeatable communication.”

Hearing this message, Technicolor Content Services (TCS) is beginning to offer for select projects Digital Printer Lights, which offers the ability to emulate in the digital realm exactly what a release print would look like at given printer lights settings in a film lab.

The architect of the Digital Printer Lights, Technicolor Digital Intermediates (TDI) VP of Imaging Joshua Pines, explains that the system’s GUI is used to input printer light settings, and applying the setting involves the creation and application of a series of Look-Up Tables (LUTs). With proper colour space conversion, the system emulates exactly what a release print would look like at those settings, but on an HD monitor.

“This is bringing the co n t ro l b a c k t o t h e d i re c t o rs o f p h o t o g ra p h y. I t a l s o re - e st a b l i s h e s a ve r n a c u l a r a l re a d y u s e d b y d i re c t o rs o f p h o t o g ra p h y. ” J o s h u a P i n e s , Te c h n i co lo r D i g i t a l Intermediates (TDI) VP of Imaging, a rc h i t e c t o f t h e D i g i t a l P r i n t e r L i g h t s s y st e m This capability has applications from on-set monitoring, to the creation of dailies and DI/colour correction. It also tackles communication and colour management, as the numbers are a consistent method of communicating information to post production.

“This is bringing the control back to the directors of photography,” says Pines, who is vice chair of the ASC Technology Committee’s DI subcommittee and is a member of AMPAS. “It also re-establishes a vernacular already used by directors of photography.”

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Jeff Bridges and the cast on Stick It, lensed by Daryn Okada ASC, one of the first productions to use Technicolor’s Digital Printer Lights system

Well-received Thus far, this new development has been extraordinarily well received. The system was first used by newly-named ASC president Daryn Okada on Buena Vista’s Stick It, directed by Jessica Bendinger. It was used to communicate information to the post house in the creation of the digital dailies; it was also used as a starting point for the DI. “There’s a magic about being able to communicate finally about doing HD dailies,” says Okada. “Saying ‘three points’ is exact; you can’t get that anywhere else.” Since then, it was used for onset monitoring by David Stump, ASC on independent film What Love Is; and more recently, by David Daryn Okada, ASC Tattersall, BSC, on director Lee Tamahori’s Next, which he recently lensed on location in Los Angeles and other locations in the Western U.S..

Next was rendered using Panavision’s Genesis digital cinematography camera, recording to Sony’s HDCAM SR format. For on-set monitoring, Tattersall relates that the production team assembled what he called a “Digi Tent”, a black tent that housed a 24-inch monitor, portable waveform monitor, Thomson’s Grass Valley LUTher box, and the Digital Printer Lights system with a GUI controller on a Mac. Tattersall spoke highly of the Digital Printer Lights experience.

“It’s like bringing the lab to the set,” he says. “You can try out looks without affecting the raw Panalog.”

The full range of data was recorded, but the printer light settings were communicated to the post house for the creation of the dailies. “The look will be carried through without compromising the integrity of what was captured,” Tattersall says. “And it will be a starting point for the DI [which will be accomplished at Technicolor Digital Intermediates in Los Angeles].”

The Digital Printer Lights system started with the ability to adjust colour; Tattersall explained that he asked Technicolor if one more control could be added to adjust contrast, which Pines quickly developed and incorporated into the system. On Next, Tattersall for the first time used the Digital Printer Lights GUI as a controller to adjust both colour and contrast.

Tested by Tattersall Tattersall says he sees the Digital Printer Lights system as a significant development, commenting “it creates the way of the future … It’s another way of adding more control at the shooting stage.” He added that he also had a very good

“ I t ’s l i k e b r i n g i n g t h e lab to the set… it c re a t e s t h e w a y o f t h e f u t u re … a n d i s a n o t h e r w a y o f a d d i n g m o re co n t ro l a t t h e s h o o t i n g st a g e . ” D a v i d Ta t t e rs a l l B S C

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f-stop hollywood

Cinematographer style A 90-minute documentary titled Cinematographer Style premiered at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in Los Angeles. The film weaves a collage of commentaries by 110 cinematographers from 15 countries into a story about the universal art of telling stories with moving images. Jon Fauer, ASC produced, directed and photographed some 200 hours of dialogues with cinematographers who work in diverse sectors of the industry, including narrative films for television and the cinema, documentaries, music videos and commercials.

Gabriel Beristain, BSC, ASC

Roger Deakins, BSC, ASC

experience during his first outing with the Genesis. “I had 68 trouble–free days,” he commented. At press time, Tattersall was heading for Croatia to begin pre-prod on his next feature Spring Break in Bosnia, directed by Richard Shepard and featuring Richard Gere.

Back in Los Angeles, Pines continues development of the Digital Printer Lights system. Operation of the system is being shifted from a laptop to a new control panel that looks and feels like one that would be found in a colour grading suite – and is more robust than a laptop for use on set. The system’s software would run on a standard LUTher box.

A set of options allows the user to select a digital cinematography camera model, launching a version of the printer lights system that is designed specifically for the individual characteristics of the selected camera.

William Fraker, BSC, ASC

Separately, but simultaneously, the ASC Technology Committee’s DI subcommittee has been developing what it calls an ASC “Colour Decision List” (CDL) – an open method of making colour correction data interchangeable between systems made by different manufacturers. ASC CDL support will be added to the Digital Printer Lights system.

“The intended purpose of the CDL was to be able to set a look at one point in the production process and have that look be transmitted easily and effortlessly to postproduction without baking the look into the image itself,” Pines explains, adding that the Digital Printer Lights would exist as a sort of subset of the CDL. Pines is also working on a method of embedding the printer lights settings directly in a dual link video stream as metadata. This feature would ensure that information would stay with camera footage as it moves from dailies to postproduction.

Among the cinematographers featured in the film are Remi Adefarasin, BSC; Gabriel Beristain, BSC, ASC; Oliver Curtis, BSC; Roger Deakins, BSC, ASC; William Fraker, BSC, ASC; Stephen Goldblatt, BSC, ASC; Anthony Richmond, BSC; and Michael Seresin, BSC. The concept for Cinematographer Style originated more than three years ago when ARRI president Volker Bahnemann (who served as executive producer of the film) suggested that Fauer film interviews with cinematographers for a 10-minute DVD to augment a book he was updating.

In the end, the project became a massive team effort. ARRI agreed to provide funding and equipment, Kodak volunteered to supply the film, and Technicolor offered lab and telecine services. Various other companies and individuals offered their support to the project, including JDC, which offered cameras, logistics and support for interviews conducted in London.

Cine Gear Turns Ten In its 10th A n g e le s – co m m u n i t y p ro d u c t i o n

ye a r , t h e a n n u a l C i n e G e a r E x p o – w h i c h w a s h e l d J u n e 2 3 - 2 4 i n L o s w a s o n ce a g a i n a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l g a t h e r i n g p l a ce fo r t h e p ro d u c t i o n w i t h i t s va st o u t d o o r ve n u e fe a t u r i n g t h e l a t e st i n f i l m a n d d i g i t a l t e c h n o lo g y , w r i t e s C a ro ly n G i a rd i n a .

The event drew an estimated 6,500, and the show’s Juliane Grosso Kresser reported that this year featured “the largest UK contingent yet”, with exhibitors including JDC, AFM Lighting, and JWC. It was moved from a studio lot in the Valley portion of Los Angeles, to a new venue that was closer to Santa Monica and the beach. This generated mixed reviews. For instance, recalling the heat at last year’s event, some were pleased that the proximity to the beach resulted in a cooler temperature, although others were disappointed with the layout, saying the event lacked a nucleus of activity, in that is was more spread out than in the former location.

Still, the beer was flowing at the welcome reception and the popular Cine Gear is an important “international networking event,” to use the words of AFM Lighting’s marketing director Ian Sherborn, who supported his colleagues with a stand and discussed recent projects, including of course that AFM supplied the lighting for the highly anticipated Casino Royale.

“It’s nice, relaxed; you get the right people here,” agreed Mark Blaker, sales director at Millennium Crane Systems, who was promoting the company’s new 24-foot telescoping crane.

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Cine Gear review

Cine Gear Expo 2006 photographer: Gary Quart

Digital cameras and workflows New digital camera technology and related workflows were a big focus at Cine Gear this year. Panavision promoted cinematographers that used its Genesis digital cinematography camera on recent feature productions. This included Thomas Newton Sigel, ASC, (Superman Returns); Henry Braham, BSC (Flyboys); David Tattersall, BSC (Next); and Dean Seamler, ASC, ACS (Click). Panavision also highlighted the now available XL2 camera, as well as the Genesis Gamma Box. The Gamma Box is a tool that can be used for shaping a look, as it can input a cinematographer’s choice of 2D or 3D look-up tables (LUTs).

Dalsa brought the workflow to its stand. The company featured a demonstration that began with its Origin Digital Cinematography camera, recording to the Codex Digital 4k/2k digital media recording system. From there the footage from the Codex recorder was being grabbed and manipulated by a number of systems on the stand, including Root6’s ContentAgent and Iridas’DI/colour correction system; it was also used to project dailies.

Representatives from Dalsa, along with Panavision, ARRI and others, participated in a masterclass on workflow, which was chaired by Curtis Clark, ASC. The populated session included clips from some of the aforementioned Panavision Genesis films, with emphasis on Flyboys; it also featured a clip of a spec Michelob commercial directed and lensed by Clark, who used two Dalsa Origin 4k camera, recording to two Codex systems arranged as A and B camera recorders, set at 24fps and 36fps respectively. The Codex system provided videoassist, instant show review and comparison, and additionally output of AVI files to a networked laptop.

which includes a new gimbal control that allows the operator to go in and out of stabilization during shots via a control situated on the gimbal handle. Smith reported that V1 of the AR system has been used on such recent productions as The Da Vinci Code.

Kodak showed version 2.1 of its Kodak Look Management Systems (KLMS), while providing information on its film stocks. Fuji promoted its newest colour negative films, including the Eterna 250 E.I. 250 tungsten-type and Eterna 250D daylight-type E.I. 250. The new Eterna250 and 250D films incorporate Fujifilm’s proprietary Super Nano-structured Grain Technology, producing expanded latitude and shadow detail. At Cine Gear, the company reported that the new 250 was used on Michel Gondry’s next feature The Science of Sleep and 250D stock on United 93.

Mole Richardson showed its 5,000 watt tungsten par – that will have a new 250 volt bulb available this summer – and previewed a prototype 10,000 watt tungsten par that is expected to be available toward the end of the year. And Power Gems’ general manager Chip Harley was representing the company’s line of location lighting ballasts.

ZGC/Cooke Optics showed the new SK4 6mm prime lens, its latest offering for Super 16 mm formats. Cooke also previewed added “intelligence” via a prototype /i dataLink box that records metadata about a project. It is expected to be available by IBC in September.

JDC reported that it is providing cameras, cranes and grip equipment to the production of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which is also using JDC’s on set previz system.

The previz system, demoed at the JDC stand, reads

information from the lens, etc. and places CG versions of characters in the viewfinder; it can also be used with bluescreen to preview background on set.

Jackson Woodburn Controls showed its Revolver gear heads intended to essentially transform a standard camera unit into a motion control system. The Revolver gives the operator a range of gear ratios, from 99:1 down, to 1:30 up, in 0.1 steps, with soft and hard limits on pan and tilt. Kees Van Oostrum, ASC recently used the system on a film about the US’s Mount Vernon, reported JWC’s Ben Bannister.

Also in the UK Pavilion portion of the exhibition site, Kontrol Freax was on hand with the Mo-Sys lightweight portable motion control rig, which was in use on The Nanny Diaries, according to the company’s Stephen Scammell.

The Filter Gallery and South London Filters exhibited their range of filters and lens accessories, include the Kamio Ring Light with an integrated 2-stage matte box and the Spintec’s rain deflector. It also had a range of filters from companies including Formatt Filters, Harrison, Schneider and Tiffen.

Formatt Filters – also represented on the Bogen stand – had a new range of ultra high-quality glass lens filters designed specifically for HD cinematography on display. The result of extensive R&D over the last three years, company director David Stamp said that the range had been developed to meet industry demand for improved HD image quality during acquisition, giving cinematographers new creative options as they shoot with HD cameras. The initial offering includes HD Soft, HD Neutral Density, HD Clear UV, HD Soft Gold and Supersoft Gold, plus HD linear and circular polarisers, which may be used with all types of HD cameras.

Also during this session, held in a DI theatre at Laser Pacific, director of photography Paul Cameron made a surprise appearance and screened some of the dailies from his upcoming Deja Vu, directed by Tony Scott.

ARRI had one of the larger event stands, which generated continued talk about its Arriflex D-20 digital cinematography camera, with outputs either through an HDTV signal in HD Mode or via raw sensor information in a new Data Mode.

ARRI’s Bill Lovell discussed the D-20 during the masterclass.

Another stand featured a non-working prototype of the developing Red digital cinematography camera, which was announced with much fanfare at the recent National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention.

Hot picks of the show MK-V and its managing director Howard Smith had a busy stand, with seemingly constant demonstrations and “test drives” of the production model of its MK-V AR V2 system,

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interview

An illuminating conversation with Vilmos Zsigmond ASC

Portrait: of the artist by Douglas Kirkland

His Master’s Voice

W i t h V i l m o s Z s i g m o n d A S C i n L o n d o n d u r i n g t h e s u m m e r o f 2 0 0 6 s h o o t i n g Wo o d y A l le n ’s l a t e st fe a t u re , w e j u st h a d t o g e t a n i n t e r v i e w t h e le g e n d a r y c i n e m a t o g ra p h e r. We h a d h o p e d t o g e t t h e i n s i d e t ra c k o n B l a c k D a h l i a , b u t V i l m o s h a d fa r m o re i m p o r t a n t m a t t e rs t o d i s c u s s , a s h e t o l d M a d e ly n M o st i n t h i s e xc l u s i ve Q & A .

Vilmos Zsigmond spent the summer living in London while filming Woody Allen’s Untitled Summer Project of 2006. His fourth collaboration with Brian De Palma, Black Dahlia, opened this year’s Venice Film Festival on August 30th and will be released in film and digital cinemas, and on DVD formats in September. Based on James Ellroy’s novel of the 1947 murder of an aspiring actress in Los Angeles, Black Dahlia was photographed in Bulgaria where Zsigmond lit the movie “in the best black and white film noir style”. For the first time he used a Super 35 format in 2.4:1 aspect ratio shooting three-perf 35mm film, so that cost savings would guarantee him a digital intermediate timing.

“ P ro d u ce rs m a ke m ov i e s t o d a y b y b u d g e t i n g t o wo r k t h e c rew t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t o f h o u rs p e r d a y i n t h e fewe st a m o u n t o f d a y s ” To date, Zsigmond has lensed over 75 dramatic feature films. Nominated three times for an Academy Award, he won the Oscar in 1978 for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the British Academy Award in 1981 for The Deer Hunter, an Emmy for the TV film Stalin, and has received five Lifetime Achievement Awards.

He was born and raised in Szeged, Hungary in 1930 and studied at the National Film School in Budapest. After filming resistance uprisings against Soviet occupying troops in 1956, he and fellow film student Laszlo Kovacs emigrated as political refugees to the United States.

What’s your view of Hollywood today?

Zsigmond: “The major problem in Hollywood is that producers can make movies cheaper in Canada, Australia and Eastern Europe, so many skilled professionals are leaving the business because there isn’t enough work, producers are not

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paying the right wages, and they cannot maintain their living standards. We no longer have the skilled people to make movies the way we used to. I don’t know if the movie industry will ever come back. Producers make movies today by budgeting to work the crew the maximum amount of hours per day in the fewest amount of days. The actors get such high fees; it is cheaper to pay the crew’s overtime than to pay the actors more days to shoot a reasonable schedule. This is hurting us all physically and artistically because we are expected to make the same quality movies in less time.”

Do you think the day will come when they won’t build sets anymore and the actors will work against a blue screen?

Zsigmond: “That is so ridiculous – just try to get any professional actor to work in a place where there is no environment. I remember with Robert DeNiro on Deer Hunter when we were up in the mountains, I needed to get a good light on him for his close up, so I surrounded him with these big 8 x 4ft. polystyrene boards.

After 6 or 7 takes, he called me over and said, “Vilmos, do you really need those big white things in front of me?” I said I wanted to make him look good and he said, “Yeah, I understand, but I want to see the mountains and the snow on the mountains... I cannot act otherwise “. How right he was…actors need to work in an environment where they are able to feel emotion and say their lines. Theatre actors live in their character for 2-3 hours, on films they live it for ten seconds.

You cut and do it again, and again, and it is shot all out of sequence. If you take away their surroundings and put them against a blue screen, they won’t be able to act.”

Do you like living in London?

Zsigmond: “I love London, going to the theatre, the beautiful parks, the people, the crews. In 1980 on Heaven’s Gate, we shot for a week in Oxford, but I never shot a movie in London before. I live in Venice, California but spend most of my time in Big Sur. I do a lot of photography with my stills cameras. Recently I gave in and bought a digital Nikon camera that I also use on the set. I love the digital revolution for photography, but I don’t love it yet for movies.”

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Teaching: Vilmos with students in Rockport, Maine, 1970

Up and away: Vilmos on a crane on The River, 1988

What do you think about cinematographers grading their rushes on their computer in the evenings?

Zsigmond: “I think it is rubbish. It shows where the film industry is going. Woody Allen shoots movies the old fashioned way and we screen film dailies every night in a projection theatre. I considered doing the Kodak Look Manager system, but I don’t have the time to do it, and I don’t think I have to take the time, because there is still the laboratory and the timers who do excellent work, who make it look it exactly how I want.

I don’t have to do my own printing and send it to the lab. That’s for people who don’t know what they want – or don’t know how to get what they want.”

How did you watch dailies on Black Dahlia in Bulgaria?

Zsigmond: “We shot some exteriors in LA for 2 weeks, but 90% of the movie was on sets in Bulgaria where we used local labs before switching to Italy. Brian De Palma insisted on printing up one shot from every scene because he wants to see what everything looks like and says he can’t tell what he is shooting from DVD dailies. By viewing one printed shot, I know the whole sequence is perfectly good because the lab technician can match things. The DVD dailies they sent us were unwatchable. When I do commercials, I see everything digitally on a big screen, and I can do a good job from a DVD, but when we get dailies transferred from the Avid, they are awful. I watch it on my computer, the only thing you can see is the framing. If producers want to go the digital direction, they will have to give us High Definition dailies on a high definition screen, but that costs money (they don’t want to spend) to do it right.

“The nice thing about Black Dahlia was that we shot it in the film noir style. I needed to make the blacks really black. You have to create lit areas and shadow areas and the shadows are more important than the lights. With the digital intermediate (DI), I could get everything almost perfect. I could make the look more contrasty, I could desaturate the colours, enhance the shadows, make subtle changes to the skin tones, and diminish the difference between sunny and overcast footage. The DI allowed me to do practically anything”.

“ I f t h e m ov i e i s p h o t o g ra p h e d r i g h t i n t h e beginning, the digital intermediate can be a s h o r t p ro ce s s ” And on this film?

Zsigmond: “I would love to do a digital grade but it’s a cost factor and Woody refuses. A digital intermediate can cost anywhere between $100,000 and half a million dollars depending on the variables. Woody’s movie is simple and he

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Collaborating: with Mark Rydell shooting The River, 1988

“ Wo o d y w i l l sta g e a w h o le s ce n e i n o n e s h o t … a n d i t i s b r i l l i a n t . O n ly g re a t d i re c t o rs c a n d o t h a t ” has a certain specific colour preference anyway, so a DI wouldn’t help him – it would help ME! I have to correct things on the set, whereas I could do a faster job correcting it later on – this is a six week movie with a low budget and a fast schedule.”

In this day and age when you are doing a DI, does the original film stock matter?

Zsigmond: “Yes, it does absolutely. I have always shot on Eastman Kodak film, there is no reason for me to change because I am used to it and can make it look anyway I like. The Kodak Vision 2 5218 (500ASA) is a terrific stock because I can shoot on one stock from early morning to late at night. If I want a different look, I will light it differently, or I can push the film.

I used to flash the film,” (Vilmos flashed the negative on McCabe and Mrs. Miller to desaturate colours, he used the Technicolor dye–transfer process on Deliverance, and used Technicolor’s ENR process on his later movies) “...but I don’t have to do that anymore, especially with a digital intermediate.

With the chemical development, we had to invent things like flashing, pushing, pulling, bleach bypass, ENR to manipulate the film. Now we can do that in post-production. As we still watch projected film – only some theatres have digital projection – everything still goes back to film and at the moment, it is still better than what I see on a digital projection.

If you made the digital intermediate with 4K, and then go into digital projection, then it almost would look like film, but that is costly and they don’t want to spend the money to do it correctly. The cost factor is pushing everybody in the industry to accept a 2K resolution, and that is wrong. Film stock photographed and developed right, then printed on film, has more than 6K resolution… obviously, it will look so much better.”

What about a director of photography not grading their movie?

Zsigmond: “It is really very sad that some producers, directors, or editors think they can do the post production themselves.

They have no idea how the cinematographers lit a scene or what kind of mood was created. Therefore, the cinematographers are the only ones who know how to grade the movies. A lot of the quality gets lost when the cinematographer is not involved, but they don’t want to pay us for the extra time. It can turn into a comedy with a director, producer, and editor all working on it – it can go on forever and become very costly. Brian De Palma insisted that I do the digital intermediate first myself. I completed it in eight days, but because we needed an intermediate that worked with digital projection systems in the digital theatres, I had to do it over again. Because we knew the process and knew what wanted, we did it all in five days, which was very quick. Brian then came to look at the work I did, made some changes in a

few hours, and he was happy. I think if the movie is photographed right in the beginning, the DI can be a short process.”

As we are in England, what are your views on operating?

Zsigmond: “I understood the ‘English system’ was where the camera operator is very strong and deals with the director regarding composition and camera moves, and the DP is basically a glorified gaffer. I still like the American system where the DP is in charge of the composition and the operating. When I came from Hungary, I was so involved with every aspect of making the image, I could not even think about giving the camera to an operator. The unions forced me to, so we sometimes cheated – just paid an operator and I operated myself. Either system works, but I insist that the operator works for me, not the director. On this film, Woody comes to me and all three of us work out the shot together. George Richmond is a very good operator, he sometimes comes up with a good suggestion and Woody and I will take it. Woody hates ‘coverage’ on scenes. Most of the time, he will stage a whole scene in one shot, doing one master shot that starts with a wide shot and finishes with a two shot or a close-up.

When it all comes together, he shoots it several times until it’s perfect, and then prints it. It’s almost like the experience in the theatre where the characters can act in one continuous time, and it is brilliant. Only great directors can do that.”

Winner: Vilmos picking up Oscar from Jon Voight and Goldie Hawn for Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1978

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<< Bank Ban was a Hungarian opera turned into a film that Vilmos shot in Hungary. The first film he shot back there since leaving in 1956. ... he received the ASC Lifetime Achievement award in 1999. ... and then finally on the set of his upcoming film "The Black Dahlia".

What advice would you give to young people coming up in the industry today?

Zsigmond: “This business demands so much of you. Long hours and prolonged periods away is bad for families – there are lots of divorces. I think people who want to go into this profession should be artists who will have to sacrifice their personal life. Those coming from film schools are being taught digital photography, they are not working on film and they are not learning how to light.

With digital photography, they look at a video screen and try to correct everything on it. That’s no way to learn lighting!

Film used to be an art form; the silent films and early black and white films were made by artists. Even ‘B’ movie producers wanted to say something, but today all they want to do is make money.

In schools, I think we have to start teaching film as a visual art. They should learn what filmmaking is about, along with art and literature and music. You still have to light a film, you still have to create moods and atmospheres, and you still have to make artistic images.

If you don’t do that, film will cease to be an art form.”

V i l m o s Z s i g m o n d A S C – S e le c t e d F i l m o g ra p h y Untitled Woody Allen Summer Project Torn from the Flag The Black Dahlia Melinda and Melinda Medicine Chest Jersey Girl Life as a House The Body Bánk Bán Playing by Heart The Ghost and the Darkness Assassins The Crossing Guard Maverick Intersection Sliver

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(2007) (2006) (2006) (2004) (2004) (2004) (2001) (2001) (2001) (1998) (1996) (1995) (1995) (1994) (1994) (1993)

Stalin (TV) (1992) The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990) The Two Jakes (1990) Fat Man and Little Boy (1989) Journey to Spirit Island (1988) The Witches of Eastwick (1987) Real Genius (1985) The River (1984) No Small Affair (1984) Table for Five (1983) Jinxed!

(1982) Blow Out (1981) Heaven’s Gate (1980) The Rose (1979) Winter Kills (1979) The Deer Hunter (1978) Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Obsession Death Riders Sweet Revenge The Girl from Petrovka The Sugarland Express Cinderella Liberty Scarecrow The Long Goodbye Deliverance McCabe & Mrs. Miller Red Sky at Morning Five Bloody Graves Futz!

The Monitors The Picasso Summer The Name of the Game Is Kill Jennie: Wife/Child

(1976) (1976) (1976) (1974) (1974) (1973) (1973) (1973) (1972) (1971) (1971) (1970) (1969) 1969) (1969) (1968) (1968)

Prelude Mondo Mod The Road to Nashville Rat Fink Deadwood ‘76 Psycho a Go-Go Summer Children Tales of a Salesman The Nasty Rabbit The Time Travelers What’s Up Front!

Living Between Two Worlds The Sadist Hajnal elött

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(1968) (1967) (1967) (1965) (1965) (1965) (1965) (1965) (1964) (1964) (1964) (1963) (1963) (1955)

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EUROPE

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IMAGO

Purgatory To n y C o st a lo o k s b e h i n d t h e s ce n e s o f a n e w f i l m b y p o r t u g u e s e d i re c t o r J o a q u i m L e i t ã o w i t h c i n e m a t o g ra p h y J o s é A n t ó n i o L o u re i ro A I P. Portugal was at war against independent guerrillas in African from 1961 to 1974. It was the last of the European colonialists to grant independence in Africa, having been involved in war on three fronts; Angola, Guine-Bissau and Mozambique. The political conditions in Portugal changed with the military coup of 1974 that removed the dictatorship that lasted for 43 years. The result of the coup was that independence was granted and Portuguese troops left Africa.

It is around this period of time where the story of the film develops. Purgatory the latest film by Portuguese director Joaquim Leitão, takes place on one day – Christmas Eve, 1969, in a Portuguese military camp in North Mozambique.

Although, in the film the camp seems like it is in the middle of the African savanna, in reality the location is just a few minutes from Lisbon. The whole place was recreated in Alcochete on the outskirts of the city.

“It was not feasible to go to Africa, as it posed too many problems like logistics, crew, military equipment of that period of time, as well as with the cast,” says Tino Navarro producer and co-writer, speaking about the decision not to shoot on location in Mozambique.

“The location we found in Portugal is perfect,” says cinematographer José António Loureiro AIP, joking, “we can capture great sunsets and sun rises here, as good as in Africa.

Much of the film takes place during night. “For day time shots I try to warm the picture as much as I can. I even use tungsten for key lighting to help me to get that African look. For the night scenes I correct lights a little bit. I cool them down a bit.”

in a great number of characters, and at the other I really enjoy the close ups. You can fit two actors side by side in close up, and that is fantastic for my style of filming. As it was my first time I thought that I might have some problems to cover scenes like I normally do, but with the experience of José Antóniowho is doing a marvellous job, I have overcome any fears that I might had before.”

“ I t i s b e t t e r fo r t h e c re w a n d t h e c a st . T h e c re w d o n ’ t g e t s o t i re d a n d t w o d a y s o f re st m a k e q u i t e a d i f fe re n ce The total budget of the film is only Euros 1.3million. “Even though it’s a good budget by Portuguese standards, it is clearly not enough for this type of film,” says Leitão. “I have concluded that using this format slows down the shooting schedule a lot. It demands a much bigger crew to handle it.”

Cinematographer José António Loureiro says, “We have to work with a small crew and with the tools we have. We could not have much more light than we are using. Joaquim would like to use often longer lenses but it is not possible. We haven’t got a stop for it.

It is not common to use the scope format in Portuguese cinema, and very few films have ever been shot on that format. But Joaquim Leitão decided to use the wide format, his first, for Purgatory and is enjoying the experience.

Despite the need of a better means to shoot Loureiro says, “It is not every day you have a chance to shoot a Portuguese production in Anamorphic format. I accepted the job even though I knew it would be much more difficult and hard to perform. I like challenges and this one was worth doing.”

“For a film like this, with many war scenes and lots of action, it’s the perfect format. And one end of the scale, you can fit

Another interesting aspect of the production, especially in Portugal, is that the working week is five days instead of the

Scene from the film "Purgatory"- Soldier aims in defence. Actor Quimbé.

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Cinematographer José António Loureiro aip shot on primo anamorphic lenses from Panavision and used Fujifilm.

José António Loureiro aip - cinematographer.

normal six. For producer Tino Navarro, it is the second time he has implemented this time schedule on a production. He explains his reasons.

“It is better for the crew and the cast. The crew don’t get so tired and two days of rest make quite a difference.

Productivity is much higher, and it also allows the director and other departments to watch the rushes of the week and work together to plan the following week.”

For any other production, working five days a week instead of six means certainly an increase in costs. “I don’t mind paying the rental company for an extra week. You can get good deals with location houses. On the other hand we producers need to make technicians understand that the cost of the week must be reduced to five days. To have an extra day of rest is a benefit for both sides.”

Purgatory , still a working title, is scheduled for screening in December 2006.

Production Company – MGN Filmes Producer- Tino Navarro Director – Joaquim Leitão Cinematographer – José António Loureiro aip.

Second Unit Operator – Tony Costa Focus Pullers – Miguel Malheiros and Sílvia Diogo Assistants- David Valadão, Nuno Silva, João Tomé

Actor Lourenço Henriques as the soldier Montemor-o-velho.

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IMAGO

John Graham Secretary General European Digital Cinema Forum

The IMAGO Digital Cinema Forum in Oslo This May, IMAGO, the European Federation of Cinematographers, held the first IMAGO Digital Conference in Oslo, Norway, organised by Paul René Roestad, FNF, IMAGO General Secretary. The gathering brought together around 200 cinematographers from across Europe at the Norwegian Film Institute, the main sponsor of the conference.

The well-attended event proved a really lively arena for a wide range of debates, discussions, screenings and presentations covering the whole spectrum of the moving digital image – from pre-production and production to post-production and archiving.

The conference gave the attendees a terrific opportunity to learn more about digital cinematography, to listen to the real life experiences of cinematographers who have shot with the HD medium, and to enjoy presentations from many leading manufacturers including Sony, Panasonic, Cinevator, Thompson (with the Viper camera) and ARRI (with their Arriflex).

If anything, the conference marked a significant turning point. The diversity of film and digital tools now available allow for new concepts of filmmaking, enabling new styles of cinematography and new artistic forms of storytelling. There is nothing that we didn’t know before technology-wise, but for cinematographers it is a turning point. They have realised that now, more than ever before, they need to retain control of the production of film and digitally generated images.

Cinematographers working today and into the future now have to acquire the knowledge and experience of digital, and balance this with their knowledge of film, as they asses which format is going to suit the scripts coming along in the future.

Digital image quality no longer needs to be discussed – it has come of age. It is a reality and not a future, and as such is one more tool for cinematographers to work with. There is no need really to compare digital to film. Both are accepted on their own merits and specifications. The main point, though, is that each format will be chosen according to the creative team on the project and the subsequent distribution requirements.

However, that’s not to say there isn’t still some scepticism amongst cinematographers about using digital as a production format. To a certain extent cinematographers are right to complain about the poor and limited range of accessories, the problems with viewfinders and having to judge images on a monitor in bright daylight. The manufacturers who came to Oslo must have realised this during the conference – well, we hope they did.

Digital cameras need to be developed so they are suitable for feature films like film cameras are today. To do this, the digital manufacturing community must talk to filmmakers and cinematographers much more, to find out what we need to shoot feature films. Also, the actual format of the cameras is mostly based on television camera ergonomics. This type of camera is not suitable for feature films at the moment. And, there are many problems that need to be resolved regarding accessories, manoeuvring and camera movement, environment conditions, viewfinder, focus systems, the range of interchangeable lenses, never mind the noise of the camera cooling systems that cause problems for the sound department.

Manufacturers must also take a close look at how they collaborate with each other to find common ground to solve these problems. The involvement of IMAGO with the European Digital Cinema Forum (EDCF) is an important initiative that will help lead us all in the same direction.

Aspect of the audience during the Conference at the Norwegian Film Institute wrongly advised, believe they can have smaller camera crews and less lighting equipment to reduce their budgets. For the cinematographer, there is nothing more dangerous than to let misplaced ideas like this become common practice. The camera crew and the list of equipment must be redefined to meet the needs of whether you are shooting film or digital.

At the Oslo forum we concluded that IMAGO has a number of objectives:

There’s also a feeling that the speed of creation of new technologies that manufacturers bring to market must slow down in order for digital to earn credibility amongst filmmakers and investors. No one is going to invest in a digital project if the technology they are using today is going to get superseded with new formats and systems tomorrow.

• To define the composition of the camera crew and its duties • To work with camera manufacturers to improve accessories to fit with feature productions • To approach those making digital productions in order to defend and protect professional principles as they are in film production • To extend the authorship rights for cinematographers into postproduction

For cinematographers one thing is already certain. Digital cinema has become just another tool to work with according to production needs. However, cinematographers must protect their working rights and the quality of the work being done. The idea that digital is cheaper than film is incorrect. Many producers,

The subject of authorship rights for cinematographers in the digital age, and the nature of their work in post production, are matters that need to be looked at very closely. We all should take a few moments to think about them.

Tony Costa, IMAGO vice-president

AAC celebrates its 30th Anniversary conditions. Their booklet Film und Filmschaffende in Österreich published in 1977 described, for the first time, the situation of the Austrian film industry from the filmmaker’s point of view.

The main demand was national film funding, and this was finally implemented in 1980, based on AAC´s original suggestions.

Since then the AAC has fought and won a wide range of issues including film funding, collective agreements, minimum salary and binding contracts between producers and filmmakers.

Andreas Fischer-Hansen giving the documentary Golden Frame Prize to the son of Wolfgang Thaler, (Wolfgang was in the US shooting). The producer looks very pleased. Tibor Vagyózky in the background.

The Austrian Association of Cinematographers celebrated its 30-year anniversary this June in Vienna, writes Andreas Fischer-Hansen DFF, president of IMAGO. Founded in 1976, the AAC has been a champion of the Austrian cinematographer’s working life, and began with a remit to establish general valid working

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HSC, and Casper Høyberg represented DFF. Two “Golden Frame” Awards were awarded: the best camerawork in a feature award went to Christian Berger for Caché, with Wolfgang Thaler receiving the best camerawork in a documentary for Working Man’s Death. The festivities finished at around 4am, a worthy celebration for the innovative, pioneering effort of an important cinematographers association within European film.

The AAC also worked out regulations to unite other professional filmmaking associations – directors, editors and film architects. During the 1980s the AAC worked intensively over the problems of authorship and suggested the installation of a collecting society. Today the AAC still takes care of further development and continued education in fields of new technologies and artistic creation.

The AAC invited guests from the IMAGO federation to join the 30-year celebrations, including John and Chris French representing BSC, Peter Dubovitz and Virgil Szilagy representing

International guests partied until 4am at the AAC’s 30th celebration in Vienna

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SMPTE introduces IMAGO frame rate proposals At the last annual Cinema Expo conference and trade show in Amsterdam, where many meetings about digital cinema usually take place, Kommer Kleijn SBC, representing IMAGO within the technical module of the European Digital Cinema Forum (www.edcf.net ) reports on the following progress concerning IMAGOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital cinema frame rate proposals.

During the SMPTEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DC28.0 meeting held 28 July, it was decided to start a study group on the subject of frame rates and evaluate these proposals for eventual inclusion into the DC28 standard draft.

This is an important step. It means that the IMAGO frame rate proposals are now officially introduced into the SMPTE working process. Although this does not guarantee their inclusion into the future standard for digital cinema, it does mean that work has started, and it also shows the willingness and openness of the SMPTE to consider and study these important questions. Many members present at the meeting, both European and from overseas, volunteered to participate in the study group.

IMAGO acquires a seat in the EDCF board Belgian VFX cinematographer Kommer Kleijn SBC has been elected to the board of the European Digital Cinema Forum, representing IMAGO. The term of the EDCF board membership is two years. (www.kommer.com)

IMAGO Frame Rate Proposal The establishment of a new standard for the future digital cinema projection copy has been delegated to the SMPTE DC-28 commission. Both DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) and EDCF-T (European Digital Cinema Forum - Technical Module) are input bodies towards SMPTE DC28. Recently, DCI, which represents seven Hollywood studios, has published its recommendations.

1.Request for the support of 60fps frame rate. The DCI specification document allows for a frame rate above 24fps. However, it allows for 48fps only. We do not recommend the introduction of 48fps and would rather propose 60fps for the following reasons. Although 48fps is quite good performance-wise, damage will happen to material shot at 48fps when transferred to video for TV and home entertainment distribution after the cinema run. Indeed, frame rate conversions do cause considerable damage to moving images. A frame rate of 60fps would yield an even better quality than 48fps and interface better with the subsequent TV and home entertainment life of the movie.

It will only require 25% more bandwidth, which is marginal. Also, since 60fps is already an established frame rate in daily use in the moving image industry, we would recommend it would be supported anyhow. With so much 60fps material in existence and in daily production, risks may be so high that proprietary systems might emerge if 60fps is not included from the start into the standard. Additionally, 48fps introduces a new frame rate into the moving image industry. An industry that already suffers from too many different frame rates. We would prefer to see a reduction of the number of commonly used frame rates in the industry, given that frame-rate conversions do a lot of damage to moving imagery. In the actual industry we already have to deal with 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60fps presentation speeds, let us please not add one more.

2. Request to support full resolution, even at higher frame rates. Even if technology and economics may limit bandwidth for some time to come, we feel it is not a good idea for a standard to impose such limits. This may conduct to proprietary versions once the technology and economics will allow for higher resolution at high frame rates. That would be regrettable and contrary to the goal of a standard. We propose the standard will include an evolution path for that future.

3. Proposal to allow for frame rate change during the show. Frame rate changes during the movie will allow higher frame rates to be used more economically at the beginning (by limiting the higher frame rates to specific scenes within the movie). This should be possible without visible joins. The use of frame rate changes will then probably disappear later on when the higher frame rates become more economical, and entire movies can be shot and run at the higher speed at acceptable costs. Till then, frame rate changes will allow for a significantly better quality cinema experience.

4. Proposal for other common existing and legacy film projection frame rates (8, 12, 16, 18, 20, 22, 30, 60fps) to be supported. This should be easy to implement (especially the lower ones) and would be a real practical advantage of digital cinema projection equipment over film projection equipment. Additionally, 25, 50 and 60 fps would allow for material distributed in cinemas, but originally shot for TV, to be shown in better quality, again avoiding the need of damaging frame rate conversions.

5. Proposal to standardise how to represent stereoscopic 3D imagery, to avoid the emergence of proprietary versions. We have learned that an SMPTE working group has been started on the subject, which we think is very good news for IMAGO. Kommer Kleijn SBC is a VFX cinematographer, based in Brussels, with expertise in motion control, stereography, digital imaging and large format.

Visit http://www.kommer.com for more information.

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shooting the future

IBC and Cinec 2006 Previews Revolver Screen detail and control panel of Quantel's new Revolver secondary colour corrector

from Matthews Studio Equipment is Road Flags, two frames, a single scrim, silk diffusion and a solid flag to recreate full studio illumination in any setting, including on location. There will also be the Roundy-Round Doorway Dolly for tight turning circles.

Other hardware includes acres of robotic camera control, from the likes of FX Motion, new Arrows fluid head by Miller Camera Support, fluid heads for HD by O’Connor and new accessories for JL Fisher’s models 10 and 11 dollies.

Filters and other in-camera devices continue to thrive at both shows so don’t forget the likes of Formatt Filters with is new HD range (at IBC and Cinec) or Schneider, or to wear comfortable shoes as you enjoy touring round the halls.

What’s hot at Cinec Two big shows fall during September – one international, the other moving in that direction, writes Kevin Hilton. Respectively, the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam and Cinec in Munich boast some of the same exhibitors and offer a dazzling array of cameras, lenses, lights, hardware and accessories.

At IBC cameras come in all varieties. Sony will show all its camera formats but concentrate on XDcam to demonstrate

high definition workflow, incorporating Sony Media Software’s new Vegas 7 for video editing and production.

Digital cameras continue to develop and the Red Digital Camera Company says it will give free presentations during the show of the first footage shot at 4k on its camera. On the P+S Technik stand, at both IBC and Cinec, there will be the Weisscam HS-1 high digital speed camera, developed by DP Stefan Weiss, together with P+S’s Skater snorkel lens systems, image converters and accessories for the Skater mini dolly.

The Arriflex D-20 is among the more established digital cameras and will be seen in two configurations: HD Mode, with mounted FlashMag; and Data Mode, linked to the dxQ recorder and processor developed by Quantel and ARRI’s R&D department.

Hitachi will introduce at IBC a 14-bit 2/3-inch portable camera, a POV box camera and the PT-TSC-2 Eagle touchscreen for PT, camera and lens. Ikegami is showing its digital processing cameras and a new station for the Editcam, plus a HD radio camera and a HDTV wireless transmission system.

RoadFlags and Case The RoadFlags screen set from Matthews Studio Equipment for full studio illumination in any situation

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HD is increasingly a priority for lens manufacturers and Fujinon will show the cost-effective X series, with 13 and 17 times magnification optics. Band Pro is exhibiting a high-profile portfolio of innovative HD digital cinematography tools for 4:4:4 RGB acquisition. Band Pro will also debut the Zeiss DigiZoom 17-112mm lens and is sharing its stand with 16X9, which will show its own 0.7X wide-angle converter and ZFinder extension and the Chrosziel mattebox/sunshade system. Cooke Optics launches the CXX 15-40mm zoom lens, with S4/i motion picture intelligence system, giving information on settings, focusing distance, aperture and depth of field.

Illumination comes from Lowel Fluo-Tec and CinePower, which will show high-tech daylight lighting for video and portable film applications. The latest location lighting control system

Three French companies are making Cinec debuts this year, which the organisers see as significant given France’s status as Europe’s top film producer. Aaton, also exhibiting at IBC, will show the Penelope 432, 4Perf, 3Perf, 2Perf 35mm lightweight handheld instant magazine 35mm camera, the XTRProd II Super16 with HD steady mechanism and the AMinima “distant eye” viewfinder.

K5600 Lighting is set to introduce the Alpha 18KW, featuring an exclusive reflector material and design, and the Black Jack 800, an 800W version of the Black Jack 400. Aerial photography specialist ACS France will use its first Cinec to demonstrate camera systems and stabilisation mounts fitted to helicopters and blimps.

Other newcomers to Cinec are two crane manufacturers; the Dutch Keywest with its Jix ultra-light mini-crane and PMP of Austria with the Lightflex. A significant debutant is Phylion Battery, the first Chinese company to exhibit at the show.

Around the show Piumworld has the new Maxigyrohead, Minigyrohead and the Power dolly, while the German contingent ranges from AF Marcotec with its Glidecam stabilising system to local boys Gecko-Cam and the Gecko DF35 handheld director/DP’s finder. Rental companies and distributors in attendance include RTS dollies, Panther and JSC Optika.

Image is everything DPs now need more than ever before to know about post and image manipulation and there’s plenty of that at IBC. Assimilate is teaming up with Cobalt 3-D to demonstrate a potentially ground-breaking stereoscopic workflow for 3-D films with its Scratch system – ground-breaking in sense that it will trim significant time and money from the post schedule and budget on 3D films. From da Vinci there is the Splice server-based virtual telecine, while Cintel will show diTTo, an auto-calibrated 2 and 4k data scanning system. Pandora has Revolution really real-time software-based colour correction, which the company says does away with rendering, FilmLight

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shooting the future

diTTO door open Cintel's diTTo auto-calibrated 2k and 4k data scanner

will show The Northlight 2 film scanner and Quantel moves further into colour grading with the Revolver secondary colour corrector for Pablo. Autodesk goes all Windows-like with Autodesk Lustre 2007, featuring GPU-accelerated colour grading, enhanced collaboration with Autodesk systems products, a range of video-related features and Lustre HD Station, a new, costeffective configuration of Autodesk’s digital colour grading software.

Codex Digital A newbie in Hall 7 at IBC, likely to cause a ripple amongst cinematographers shooting HD will be Codex Digtal – a Soho-based manufacturer with a new media production recorder/server of the same name. The company’s portable on-set box not only captures moving images and sound from HD digital motion picture cameras (in a variety of formats from HD video, 2K ‘digital film’ to full 4K), its virtual file system can also then deliver that recorded material, securely by network, to whoever on the production might need it, such as the DP, editor or DI house, and in the format they request. Codex Digital is also touting its new device, which has natty touchscreen controls, as an efficient media/metadata transfer and management system for post-production. Expect to see demonstrations with the Origin camera from Dalsa.

ARRI ARRI has a high profile at IBC but dominates Cinec and has a raft of new products for both shows. The D-20 will attract interest, but the company continues to invest in conventional film cameras with the ARRIFLEX 416, a lightweight Super 16 with a 35-style viewfinder, low sound levels and variable speeds from 1 to 75 fps.

New lights include the ARRIMAX 18/12, a HMI combining the variable beam spread of a Fresnel and the light output of a PAR. The ARRI X Ceramic 250 and Studio Ceramic 250 use either the Philips ST 250 HR discharge lamp, giving a 3200K Tungsten quality light, or the Philips MSR 250 HR daylight lamp, which produces 5600K. Lenses always feature and ARRI has a set of high speed, wide angle lenses for Super 16mm filmmaking and 12 Master Primes of its own, plus joint developments with Zeiss. The latter include the T2.6 Lightweight Zoom LWZ-1 and three achromatic diopters Master Diopters for high quality close ups.

In post-production the ARRISCAN now features a dust, scratch and blemish remover based on technology developed by Eastman Kodak that operates on the infrared channel of the scanner.

New accessories include the MaxMover automated stirrup, a heated eyecup to prevent film fogging, a 6.5-inch transflective on-board monitor and a Wireless Auxiliary Unit for the ARRI Wireless Remote System.

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summer lunch

Left to right: Peter Hannon BSC, Alex Thomason BSC, Douglas Slocombe BSC

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summer lunch

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camera creative

Ladybird

Wind That Shakes The Barley

Carla’s Song

My name is Joe

When Barry met Ken A st o r y o f i n t u i t i o n a n d t r u st b e t w e e n d i re c t o r K e n L o a c h a n d h i s lo n g - t i m e c i n e m a t o g ra p h e r B a r r y A c k roy d B S C , b y M a d e ly n M o st Since 1962 Ken Loach has made over 40 films that have won international acclaim and numerous awards – two Cannes Jury Prizes, Cannes and Berlin Critics Prizes, two Berlin Film Festival Prizes, two European Film of the Year awards, two Venice Film Festival awards, plus a BAFTA Craft Award, British Independent Film Award, and Best British Independent Film of the Year, just to name a few.

This year he won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for The Wind that Shakes the Barley. In Europe, where historical and political films are most enthusiastically received,

“ I n c i n e m a t o g ra p h y , I a m a l l fo r c h a n ce a n d a cc i d e n t – trying to do things that s h o u l d n ’ t b e p o s s i b le o r d o i n g t h e m t h e w ro n g w a y a ro u n d s o i t co m e s o u t d i f fe re n t ly. ” B a r r y A c k roy d B S C

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Loach’s films regularly appear in cinemas and on TV, used in history and political science classes at universities, and are found in libraries and video outlets. While 300 French language prints were made of The Wind, 110 were made in English – 30 for Britain and 80 for Ireland.

A dozen collaborations so far Since 1989, Ken Loach and cinematographer Barry Ackroyd BSC have collaborated on 12 films: View from the Woodpile, Riff-Raff, Raining Stones, Ladybird Ladybird, Land and Freedom, Carla’s Song, My Name is Joe, Bread and Roses, The Navigators, Sweet Sixteen, Ae Fond Kiss, Wind that Shakes the Barley, and the next one that starts in October.

They have their own way of making films together: Loach does not know or see what Ackroyd is shooting and they do not watch rushes to see what was shot. Their relationship is based on intuition and trust.

The setting of Wind that Shakes the Barley is 1920’s Ballyvourney, West Cork, the most militant area of Irish nationalist resistance to British rule at the beginnings of the very brutal war for independence and the subsequent civil war which divided families and pitted brother against brother. The film shows the hated Black and Tans, former British soldiers who had fought in the first World War, carrying out counterinsurgency operations in Ireland, as well as other occupying forces. Documents show that 8,800 British troops, 1,150

Black and Tans, and 540 Auxiliaries fought in Ireland, while IRA recruits did not exceed 350.

Loach used non-actors (as well as actors) from this region to play the characters in the film who, at the Cannes press conference, recounted stories of their uncles, cousins, and grandparents who were involved in this struggle. Excerpts of the conference were broadcast on French television, and people watching in cafés and restaurants spoke of how moved they were by these stories. Clutching the Golden Palme, Loach said, “We hope this film represents a small step in the relationship which the British have with their imperialist past. If we dare to tell the truth about the past, perhaps we shall dare to tell the truth about the present.”

Ackroyd says it all started one day when the phone rang…”This is Ken Loach, you are probably very busy and don’t want to work with me anyway, but…” While shooting a sequence for a documentary Loach fed Ackroyd a few ideas – “shots should have beginnings and ends”, “be patient and wait for it to happen”, and “don’t worry about the filmstock.”

Very long ago and one of the few times they ever watched rushes together, Loach critiqued Ackroyd’s framing and composition with “you need a little more headroom there”, or “you panned a little too far”, “maybe the door could be a third down the frame”, but that is where the tutoring ended.

Intuition These days they don’t discuss things very much. Loach doesn’t like video playback on the set so there is no image except for a small monitor on the camera to check focus, and they don’t watch rushes, ever! Ackroyd says he usually knows what Loach expects and intuitively knows where to put the

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camera creative

explains. “When an emotional highpoint arises, all of us on the crew are ready, we are there to capture whatever it is will happen. That first reaction is the absolute key to what we are trying to get and we have prepared the whole film for that moment.” For the actors, to whom this could be quite scary, it is really a matter of trust. “I have never finished a film with Ken where the actors haven’t said, “acting in one of these films has been the most incredible experience,” he adds.

Chance and accident

Riff Raff

Sweet Sixteen

camera. “During a take, Ken watches the actors, he knows what has happened, so there is often just a little look between us afterwards, then we’ll do another take until everything is covered, then we move on.”

Ackroyd is well known for both lighting and operating. “That is what I do, I couldn’t imagine it any other way”, he says. His virtuosity can be seen in another remarkable film that is claiming audiences’ attentions around the globe because it’s photographic style has so enhanced the dramatic impact of the story - Paul Greengrass’ United 93.

“ I fe e l ve r y p a s s i o n a t e a b o u t K e n ’s f i l m s … I s e e t h e i n f l u e n ce h i s f i l m s h a ve h a d o n t h e w o r l d . H i s a u d i e n ce re a l ly u n d e rst a n d s t h e i m p o r t a n ce o f lo o k i n g a g a i n a t h i st o r i c a l eve n t s a n d k e e p i n g h i st o r y a l i ve . ” B a r r y A c k roy d B S C Ken Loach’s philosophy is not to chase the action, just let it happen in front of you – the camera – which remains at eye level on a tripod in the background of the scene. Ackroyd says he questions himself throughout the take if he is on the right person, on the right size shot, if he moved to the right person at the right time, etc.. I asked Ackroyd if, because they don’t watch dailies, do they ever have to re- shoot scenes and he replied “Over the years I think we did, once or twice.”

Political kit choices Lens size is a political decision for Loach. He maintains that wide lenses dehumanize people by making them smaller objects than they are, and making them seem further away than they really are, so he’ll only use lenses that are no wider than our field of vision which, on a 35mm camera, is a 40 or 50mm lens. Ackroyd says their equipment package is very simple, they use “the smallest, quietest, most adaptable camera we can get – the Moviecam, around 5 or 6 prime lenses, and a fluid head. The political act is to aim it at the right person and capture the right moments,” Ackroyd adds.

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BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

Because the idea is to get as close to the reality as possible, Loach only shoots in real locations. He wants the people to think they are that character, not that they are acting on a set.

After these locations are dressed by the designer, Ackroyd decides on the look, which he says depends on where the light is coming from. When journalists quite often state incorrectly that Loach’s films are shot in available light, he says very calmly, “These films are all carefully lit. Even when it is real light coming through the window, it’s the choice of exposure, the choice of camera position in relation to the subject, the choice of lens that is as much lighting as shooting in a studio using kilowatts of light. Choices in lighting are not only switching electricity on – it is about switching things off. It is where the camera is placed in relation to the light and the subject,” he says.

Often shooting in tiny rooms with Ken and the actors, there are also Ackroyd, the camera, the script supervisor and focus puller. “We have to be as discreet, as invisible as possible. We never break the atmosphere when we are in an intense scene, we go from one take to the next so that the actors are still in their thoughts and can go on. The whole purpose is to give the actors the space to tell the story, and it all just flows from one thing to the next,” he explains.

Chronological order What is unusual these days, but part of keeping it organic and simpatico, respecting the actor and not breaking the flow of the action, is Ken Loach’s method of shooting every scene of the script in chronological order. For the crew, shooting in sequence can be a nightmare, dragging all the equipment in and out of high-rise tenements or pubs and then coming back three days later, but THAT is how it is done. That is how Ken Loach works.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of Loach’s technique is that the actors are not given the entire script. “They have this fantastic journey to travel but they don’t know where they are going,” Ackroyd continues, “they don’t know the end of the film.”

On each film, in the beginning, the actors are given about 20 pages of the complete 90-page script (written by Loach’s longtime collaborator, Paul Laverty). Then, each day they’ll be given a few more pages. They may get part of the script or the whole day’s work, while another actor will only be told half of what is going to happen on that day.

“The other half is what we hope to catch on film,” Ackroyd

The actors are given complete freedom to move anywhere around the room so Ackroyd’s work is to create lighting for 360 degrees, making it difficult to hide lights. They sometimes shoot scenes with two cameras to capture the spontaneity of the moment, ensuring it matches in the cutting room. “We follow them around, we don’t give marks, and when it gets messed up, it feels real. In cinematography, I am all for chance and accident – trying to do things that shouldn’t be possible or doing them the wrong way around so it comes out differently.

As a cinematographer, the best work you do is with a director who has confidence in what you are doing, the ones who say, let’s do more, go further, do it a little radically. That’s what I strive for.”

“I feel very passionate about Ken’s films… I see the influence his films have had on the world. His audience really understands the importance of looking again at historical events and keeping history alive. Perhaps the reason why Wind That Shakes the Barley is so relevant to Irish people is because it is still an open debate. People are still asking the questions. Where did we stand in 1922? Why were those decisions made? Were they the right decisions?”

Barry Ackroyd BSC – Filmography The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) United 93 (2006) Love + Hate (2005) Ae Fond Kiss (2004) Sweet Sixteen (2002) The Navigators (2001) Dust (2001) Very Annie Mary (2001) Bread and Roses (2000) Mauvaise passe (1999) Beautiful People (1999) The Lost Son (1999) Amazing Grace (1998) My Name Is Joe (1998) Under the Skin (1997) Hillsborough (TV) (1996) Stella Does Tricks (1996) Carla’s Song (1996) Land and Freedom (1995) Tracking Down Maggie: The Unofficial Biography of Margaret Thatcher (1994) Ladybird Ladybird (1994) Merrihill Millionaires (TV) (1993) Raining Stones (1993) Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992) The Leader, His Driver and the Driver’s Wife (1991) Hunters and Bombers (1990) Riff-Raff (1990) The View from the Woodpile

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all time greats

“ I t ’s a w o n d e r f u l b u s i n e s s a s yo u g e t t o t ra ve l , i f yo u ’ re l u c k y , a n d i t ’s w e l l p a i d , a l t h o u g h t h e re c a n b e lo n g p e r i o d s w i t h o u t w o r k . I f yo u ’ re g o o d a t w h a t yo u d o yo u ’ l l g e t t h e b re a k s b u t yo u ’ ve g o t t o g i ve b a c k i n e f fo r t a n d a b i l i t y. ” DP had been offered a big location film and Peter and Gerald asked if I felt competent enough to take over,” Hume recalls.

“Of course I said ‘yes’.”

Hume made the position his own for the next two years but there was some doubt when preparations were made for the first colour Carry On, Carry on Cruising, for which Rogers and Thomas considered bringing in another DP. “I told them I wasn’t lying when I said working in colour was easier than black and white,” Hume says. “With black and white you have to think about separations and shadows but colour separates itself. The first week went well and then I was on the road.”

Enduring Love – Alan Hume BSC Keen-eyed filmgoers will know Alan Hume’s name from the saucy opening titles of no few than 21 Carry On films, the series that laid the foundation for his career as a director of photography, writes Kevin Hilton. He has also been associated with two other movie franchises, the Bond films and the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as many other notable British and international films. But for a chance encounter the young Alan Hume could have continued working for London Underground, like his train driver father.

The future cinematographer was born in London on 16th October 1924. By his mid-teens he was working as a storesboy for LU at Acton but through a casual acquaintance on the daily commute heard about jobs at Olympic Film Labs. Hume applied and became a gofer, picking up rushes from the studios to the west of London. Later, while waiting at Denham Studios one day, he learned that a member of the camera department had been called up; another conversation got him a job as a clapper loader.

Wonderful Lean and Green After 13 months with the slate he was given the chance to take over from the focus puller, who had been called up.

“Focus pulling is quite tricky because you’ve got to know about lenses and depth-of-field,” he says, “and fortunately I made good.” Hume spent two years as a focus puller at Denham and, briefly, at Ealing, before receiving his own callup papers. His film background got him into the photographic unit of the Fleet Air Arm but as a stills photographer. Despite that, Hume says he learned more in four months with the Navy than he had in two years at film studios.

Another influential colleague was Wilkie Cooper, for whom Hume pulled focus on The Pickwick Papers. Cooper promoted Hume to camera operator for their next film together, Our Girl Friday. In his new role Hume worked on a wide variety of productions, among them Geordie, The Green Man and Three Men in a Boat.

A right Carry On A move to Beaconsfield Studios began a ten-year working relationship with producer Peter Rogers and director Gerald Thomas, all based on a handshake contract. It also led to 21 Carry On films, beginning with the first of the series, Carry On Sergeant, and later saw a move to Pinewood. When Hume was not working on their films Thomas and Rogers hired him out to other productions.

Hume has obvious affection and respect for Rogers and Thomas but has no illusions about how they did business.

“They were very tight-fisted,” he says, “and were renowned for not paying very well. It wasn’t too bad for me but when I started going to other studios when I wasn’t working on their films I found the travelling was costing me a lot so they raised my salary from £50 a week to £75.”

“I was very found of Kenny,” he says of Kenneth Williams. “He was a fantastic actor and could get belly laughs but was also very good at straight roles.” Williams’ lonely death and regret at being typecast saddened Hume. Being typecast as someone who worked on comedies was a concern for Hume himself, but as he progressed his growing skill ensured that other types of film came his way.

Hume had already worked with Lean; while on leave from the Navy he had been second unit focus puller on Lean’s Great Expectations. For Oliver Twist Hume pulled focus and had the opportunity to observe Lean and the director of photographer, Guy Green, both of whom he describes as “wonderful”.

All through his early productions Hume had his eyes set on becoming a director of photography. “You had to work your way up so I would stand by the DP and watch how the lighting was done,” he says. The opportunity to move up came with a non-Carry On Rogers-Thomas film, No Kidding. “The regular

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International break Hume’s big international break came with The Spy Who Loved Me, the first of his four Bond films. Then came Star Wars, Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, although George Lucas apparently had initial doubts but watched some of Hume’s films and gave the go-ahead. There was still a clash of philosophies after a desert shoot. The producers dismissed the crew but as Hume and his team were packing away the wind blew up. “Stuff was flying all over the place - it looked fantastic,” Hume says. So he got the camera running and shot about 200 feet of film. “It looked great but the producers said it would cost overtime and they hadn’t given permission. But when we saw the finished film some of that footage was used - no one said any more about it.”

Many of Hume’s international films have a European sensibility, despite any American money involved. Runaway Train had a Russian director, Andrei Konchalovsky, an American cast and crew and, of course, an English cameraman. Sight and Sound praised the film’s “immaculate, metallic camerawork”. Lifeforce, based on a novel by Colin Wilson and directed by American Tobe Hooper, was an insane piece of science fiction hokum. “It was a good-looking movie,” says Hume, “but audiences thought it was a load of rubbish.

You’ve got to please the audience.”

A Fish Called Wanda saw Hume working with Ealing legend Charles Crichton, some 44 years after his brief stint at the studio. “Charlie Crichton was a lovely man and a very good editor, which made him a good director,” he says. “The best

Rogers and Thomas’ commercial meanness is a recurring theme in The Kenneth Williams Diaries. Among the few to escape the acid of those pages is Hume: the 17th August 1964 entry has Williams musing that in the rushes of Carry on Cleo his appearance has improved. “The face is... better than it was a few years ago. Either that or Alan is getting much cleverer at lighting me.”

On demob Denham had no vacancies, but as Ealing had been the last place Hume had worked that studio was obliged to take him on, which he says it did grudgingly. After six months a call came through from Denham. As J Arthur Rank had taken over the studio there was a crossover of talent between there and Pinewood, where David Lean was to shoot Oliver Twist.

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From the mid-1960s onwards Hume was not short of work or variety. Many of the films Hume worked on during that period were of a type but he says his style changed from production to production. “They were all quite different in terms of schedules and locations,” he observes. “I tried to do my best within the restrictions of each film.” Hume says he did not favour any particular camera or equipment but did like Cinemascope: “It was a nice format and when used properly was a very good ratio, although shooting close-ups was a little tricky.”

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all time greats

“ T h e b e st d i re c t o rs w e re e d i t o rs b e fo re , l i k e C h a r l i e a n d D a v i d L e a n , b e c a u s e t h ey k n e w h o w t o p u t a f i l m t o g e t h e r. R e a l ly a f i l m i s m a d e i n t h e c u t t i n g ro o m . M y j o b w a s t o m a k e t h e fo o t a g e lo o k g o o d . ” directors were editors before, like Charlie and David Lean, because they knew how to put a film together. Really a film is made in the cutting room. My job was to make the footage look good.”

Hume is critical of the current trend in films where people do not work their way up to the important creative positions.

While saying there are many marvellous cinematographers

currently working, Hume reserves his highest praise for older names, such as Ossie Morris and Guy Green. Without deliberately encouraging them Hume’s children now work in the film business; sons Martin and Simon are camera operator and focus puller respectively and daughter Pauline is a titles designer. The bug has even got to the third generation as Simon’s son Lewis is a camera assistant.

“People follow their fathers into a business, whether it’s onto the buses or being an MP,” Hume says pragmatically. “My children followed me into the film industry. It’s a wonderful business as you get to travel, if you’re lucky, and it’s well paid, although there can be long periods without work. If you’re good at what you do you’ll get the breaks but you’ve got to give back in effort and ability.” Alan Hume’s long filmography shows he has practised what he now preaches.

A l a n H u m e – F i l m o g ra p h y ( a s c i n e m a t o g ra p h e r ) No Kidding Raising the Wind In the Doghouse Carry on Regardless Twice Round the Daffodils The Iron Maiden Carry on Cruising This is My Street Nurse on Wheels Carry on Cabby The Kiss of the Vampire Carry on Spying Carry on Jack Carry on Cleo The Avengers (TV series) Three Hats for Lisa Carry on Cowboy Dr Terror’s House of Horrors Finders Keepers Carry on Screaming!

Follow That Camel Don’t Lose Your Head Carry on Doctor The Bofors Gun

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1960 1961 1961 1961 1962 1962 1962 1963 1963 1963 1963 1964 1964 1964 1965 1065 1965 1965 1966 1966 1967 1967 1968 1968

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

Father Dear Father Mister Jericho (TV) Captain Nemo and the Underwater City Perfect Friday The Last Grenade Shirley’s World (TV series) Zeppelin Carry on Henry For the Love of Ada Carry on Abroad Bless This House Not Now Darling From Beyond the Grave Carry on Girls The Legend of Hell House Confessions of a Pop Performer Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold The Land that Time Forgot Trial by Combat At the Earth’s Core Wombling Free Chequered Flag for Crash

1972 1969 1969 1970 1970 1971 1971 1971 1972 1972 1972 1973 1973 1973 1973 1975 1975 1975 1976 1976 1977 1977

The People that Time Forgot 1977 The Amsterdam Kill 1977 The Spy Who Loved Me (DoP second unit) 1977 Carry on Emmanuelle 1978 Warlords of Atlantis 1978 Arabian Adventure 1979 Birth of the Beatles 1979 The Watcher in the Woods 1980 Caveman 1981 For Your Eyes Only 1981 Eye of the Needle 1981 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (TV) 1982 Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi 1983 Octopussy 1983 Supergirl 1984 Runaway Train 1985 John and Yoko: A Love Story (TV) 1985 A View to a Kill 1985 Lifeforce 1985 The Second Victory 1986 Hearts of Fire 1987

Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story (TV) 1987 A Fish Called Wanda 1988 Without a Clue 1988 Jack the Ripper (TV) 1988 The Tenth Man (TV) 1988 Shirley Valentine 1989 Till We Meet Again (TV mini series) 1989 Secret Weapon (TV) 1990 Eve of Destruction 1991 Stepping Out 1991 Just Like a Woman 1992 Carry on Columbus 1992 Covington Close (TV series) 1992 Acapulco H.E.A.T. (TV series) 1993 Space Precinct (TV series) 1994 The Return of the Native (TV) 1994 Annie: A Royal Adventure (TV) 1995 Tales from Crypt (TV series) 1996 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (TV) 1997 Autobiography: A Life Through the Lens, published by McFarland

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post and techno news

Filmgear lights up Europe Chinese equipment manufacturer Filmgear has opened in London, with Nick Shapley heading up the new operation that is focussing on the service, sales and marketing of Filmgear products across European. Filmgear’s range of products include HMI Par, daylights, flicker-free ballasts and conventional ballasts, tungsten fresnels and tungsten spacelights, as well as fluorescents

The Eastman Kodak Company recently announced that it will consolidate the processing of Kodachrome film for North America and Europe at a Kodak-certified third party facility in the United States. Effective as from September 30, 2006, Kodak will discontinue all Kodachrome processing activities at its photo processing lab in Renens, Switzerland.

Kodachrome Super 8 film must be received by Kodak’s lab in Renens, Switzerland by September 25, 2006 in order for that film to obtain Kodak-certified processing. No Kodak-certified processing for Super 8 film will be available after that date.

For 16mm customers who have paid for processing within the purchase price of their Kodachrome film, Kodak will continue to offer processing by shipping orders to Dwayne’s Photo of Parsons, Kansas until December 31, 2006. After that date, Kodachrome16mm film processing costs, as well as the responsibility for shipping that product to Dwayne’s, must be borne by the customer.

Filmgear is not a newcomer to the industry, having earlier activities in OEM lighting manufacturing for large motion picture and video equipment companies for years. The company has been sited at The Metropolitan Centre, Greenford, to take advantage of the transport links to the major studios “Nick has done a great job introducing the Filmgear product into the European market over the last three years. The time is now right for us to take the next step forward which is to develop this new business focusing on our impressive and emerging range of lighting equipment,” said Simon Yeung, Chairman of Filmgear.

Kodak announces end dates for Kodachrome

Kodak also announced that the manufacture of Kodachrome 16mm film has been discontinued. Sales of the Europeanbased Kodachrome 16mm film with processing costs included were discontinued earlier this year.

Kim Snyder, general manager and vice president for image capture products, Entertainment Imaging at Eastman Kodak Company, “Sales of Kodachrome motion picture film have declined significantly over the past few years. However, Kodak remains committed to its motion picture film portfolio, and to providing its customers a range of products and creative choices.”

Filmgear's Simon Yeung congratulates Nick Shapley

Kodak now offers the new Kodak Ektachrome Film 64T (film code 7280) in Super 8 format, as well as Kodak Ektachrome 100D as an alternative to Kodachrome 16mm.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT

P&S Technik PRO 35 Adapter This device allows broadcast videographers and digital filmmakers to attach any PL mount 35mm film lens to their high definition (HD) or standard definition (SD) 2/3” video camera to obtain the threedimensional quality and extreme shallow depth of field of a 35mm film camera on videotape.

choices that up to now were the exclusive realm of 35mm filmmakers. By offering the three-dimensional quality of film, the PRO35 Digital Image Converter dramatically expands the look, the feel and the versatility of both HD and standard definition 2/3” format video.

No longer restricted by a limited number of traditional ENG/EFP video lens options, a 2/3” video camera operator can now get creative with hundreds of lens

Look on the internet and you will find al sorts of offers for PRO35 kits prime lenses, bridge-plates, rails, mounts, matte-boxes and follow-focus rigs.

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P&S 35mm Adaptor in use with a Panasonic camera

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THIS ADVERT IS BEING SENT DIRECTORY TO ELLIE AT BUXTON PRESS

BY FUJINON

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post and techno news

Fujifilm’s Eterna stocks prove well at Cannes Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes The Barley, which opened in the UK on June 23, and scooped the prestigious Palme d’Or at this years Cannes Film Festival, was shot entirely shot on the new 35mm Eterna 500T 8573 and Eterna 250D 8563 motion picture negative film stocks. Long-time Fuji user, DP Barry Ackroyd BSC worked alongside Loach to achieve the look of 1920’s Ireland.

Ackroyd was also cinematographer on United 93, writer-director Paul Greengrass’s account of the fourth hijacked plane on that infamous date, September 11, 2001. The film appeared out of competition in Cannes and was shot on Fujifilm’s Eterna 500T 8573.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley was the first British film in ten years to win the Palme d’Or. Mike Leigh’s Secrets And Lies won the top prize in 1996, which was also shot on Fujifilm motion picture film by Dick Pope BSC. Fuji Photo Film (UK) Ltd has promoted Colin Ricardo to business development manager for motion picture products in the UK. He will be responsible for motion picture negative film sales to commercials, promos and TV dramas, from Fuji’s offices at Swiss Cottage, London. He will work alongside Rachel Baker, sales manager for features and short films.

Fuji stocks popular with Barry and Ken

News Shorts: Panther will be at IBC and Cinec with several new products. The company has developed the EvoPlus, the successor of the popular Evolution dolly, the new Foxy Advanced compact crane that can reach 13m / 43ft and an increased payload, and the Trixy three-axis remote head.

Panther has also opened new US premises on Main Street, in Burbank.

Fujinon supplied more than 100 lenses to the mobile truck companies covering the 2006 World Cup in High Definition.

Among the OB truck companies being deployed to the event which took place across Germany, were Studio Berlin Adlershof (SBS) Germany; WIGE TV Germany; Visual TV France; and Media Pro Spain.

Cinesite created all of the digital effects and provided visual effects supervision for the Fox remake of the original Fox classic Omen 666 released on 06/06/06. Cinesite’s visual effects included a decapitation, impalement, attacking dogs, violent gorillas, menacing atmospherics and the creation of series of sinister co-incidences.

Gamma & Density is scheduled to present demonstrations of its 3cP, Cinematographers Color Correction Program, to BSC members at ARRI Media Group in Uxbridge on September 2223. The demo will show how ARRI’s D20 camera and a 3cP workstation are set up on a movie set, and the whole process of data acquisition – from the camera to 3cP, plus a complete on-set colour correction process.

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Glidecam Industries has introduced the new Glidecam V-25 system, a professional body-mounted camera stabilization system designed for cameras weighing from 10 to 25 pounds. The Glidecam V-25 System incorporates advanced engineering and precision machining, which it’s makers claim make it “the most sophisticated system in its price range.”

Innovision Optics has introduced the Birdy Pan & Tilt head and Bird’s Eye Camera Support Column. Birdy is a lightweight remote-controlled 360 degree pan and tilt head that accommodates cameras weighing up to 3kg (10 lbs). The new Bird’s Eye lightweight, portable camera support column is designed for overhead elevated camera positions. Weighing under 50lbs and constructed of sturdy galvanized steel, its 4stage telescoping centre column elongates to a height of 4.9m (16 ft).

Sony has opened its UK Technology Centre at Pencoed in Wales, dedicated to the development of thenext generation of HD cameras and camera systems.

LipSync deploys first iQ Pablo in UK Soho’s LipSync Post recently become the first company in London to install Pablo, Quantel’s next generation colour correction system. The company opted for a 4k Pablo model complete with Quantel’s TimeMagic technology, which is designed to speed up rendering.

The choice for the equipment was led by head of post Kevin Phelan and senior producer Alasdair MacCuish.

“This was going to be up against the coal face; which is us and our clients chipping away doing a grade or a conform, using some of the compositing tools as well, and also doing title sequences and end rollers,” said Phelan.

With its one-stop-shop ethos, LipSync will be using its new iQ to produce film and HD deliverables as well as conforming and grading. “It makes a lot of sense both technically and financially,” Phelan added, “We’ve even made deliverables for other facilities.”

Quantel has now published the second edition of its comprehensive guide to Digital Intermediate. The first edition, published in 2003, established itself as a reliable reference guide to the then new world of DI, with more than 10,000 copies distributed globally.

The new edition has been completely revised to take account of the rapid technology and application advances in DI since the first edition was published, and is available now either as a download from the Quantel website or on CD.

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GBCT news

Exhibitions & Demonstrations The Society of Television Lighting Directors (STLD) recently held a Generic Lighting Shootout and Sponsors Exhibition at Pinewood Studios. The event focussed on comparing the latest profile spots, fresnels, softlights, cyc lights and follow spots side by side in a TV studio environment. The big question was can LED units be used to replace the traditional Cyc Lights and Groundrows?

The performances of the displayed products were viewed on camera, and a panel of expert lighting directors were on the lookout for the best products in a number of categories throughout the day. The proceedings at the event and the comparisons will be reported in Television Lighting, the journal of the STLD which is published three time a year.

Dimmers and power distribution, as well as LED units, were on display. As well as the display products many manufacturers were showing other interesting items. Unlike usual commercial exhibitions, different manufacturers products were being displayed side by side for direct comparison of performance and features.

The event also featured 8 x 15 minute presentations by the key exhibitors at the event, and followed by breaks to examine the products on display. There was very large interest in LED lighting with the many advantages becoming apparent to both filmmakers and TV productions.

The obvious advantages are low heat generation, low power input for a significant light output, and the compact nature of the fixtures.

They were also showing some green and bluescreen flying wires which makes their digital removal much easier. This consists of flying harness wires covered in a durable plastic coat in either green or blue. A simple yet effective idea. More from Rosco at www.rosco.com Amongst the other interesting lamps on display with a series of coloured RGB LEDS in a small par lamp housing. This from AFM, the lamps colour output could be varied and the intensity altered almost infinitely. More information from www.afmlighting.com

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING To advertise in this section please contact: Stuart Walters Tel: +44 (0) 121 608 2300 or email: stuartwalters@britishcinematographer.co.uk

Two items caught my eye by Rosco (not a name normally involved in lighting fixtures, more for lighting gels and filters) who were showing a flat LED panel approx 5mm thick, that can be provided in various shapes and different sizes. The item on view was basically a prototype, although it worked extremely well, throwing a beautiful soft light forwards from a very thin panel. The light output was very soft and even, and would suit situations where large lighting fixtures are not practical.

UK Film Fans Get Ready For Cinema Revolution Film fans from St Ives to Inverness are about to experience unprecedented film choice at the cinema thanks to the roll-out of the world’s most advanced Digital Screen Network, the UK Film Council has announced.

The first 50 cinemas in the network - largely in the North West, Yorkshire and West End of London - have completed a successful pilot phase during which the network was thoroughly road-tested. Now the roll-out is going UK-wide and installations currently stand at 70.

The Digital Screen Network is a £12 million scheme, funded by the National Lottery, through the UK Film Council. It will see 240 screens in 210 cinemas equipped with state of the art digital projection facilities by spring 2007. As a result, cinema-goers will be able to enjoy a far wider range of films at their local cinema and facilities for people with hearing or sight impairments will be greatly expanded.

In return for the new technology, cinemas will show more specialised films including British films such as A Cock and Bull Story and The Proposition; critically acclaimed independent films such as Transamerica; classics including Brief Encounter; and the best of world cinema such as Hidden (Caché).

In 2005, around £300 million was spent on distributing and marketing all cinema releases in the UK but only £18 million, or 6%, was spent on specialised films. The introduction of digital distribution will mean that films such as these will reach around 30 million people throughout the UK with an increase in specialised film screenings of up to 75,000 in the first year alone, rising to 165,000 in four years from now.

John Woodward, Chief Executive Officer of the UK Film Council said: “For the first time ever, film fans right across the UK will get more choice at the cinema. The public will have better access to a wider range of films on the big screen; from all time classics like Black Narcissus to Michel Gondry’s The Science of Sleep rather than having to travel miles to the see the film or waiting for the DVD. “Digital technology allows independent films to be distributed beyond the big cities and into cinemas across the country. That’s fantastic news for audiences and good news for the UK film industry.”

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FEATURE

book review

Book Reviews

by John Keedwell

Cinematographers and camera crews working today need to be a great deal more computer-literate, and have a wider knowledge of modern shooting techniques, high-end post production processes and techniques, than ever before. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, many new methods of distribution of films and TV programmes are now being considered, such as mobile phones where there is serious potential for a great deal of video and other media content.

Whilst this may horrify the majority of camera crews when they are striving to produce the best possible image they can, with the very

best tools they have available, it is nonetheless a major new outlet for visual media, which cannot be ignored. An understanding of the potential is crucial if the business is to adapt to the new outlets.

British Cinematographer magazine sees many diverse and varied areas of submitted articles, and this variety of knowledge ably demonstrates the wide-ranging skills and diverse nature of the moving picture business, as it currently demands now. It is with all of this in mind that some books with very different subject matter have been chosen for review in this issue.

Digital Compositing for Film and Video by Steve Wright, Focal Press This weighty volume is now in a second edition print, and includes a DVD with a great deal of material for the reader to experiment with. At over 400 pages long it is a comprehensive manual written by a digital effects supervisor with 20 years experience in over 60 feature films and 70 commercials, whose film credits include Ray, Air Force One, Traffic, Batman and Robin.

therefore delve quickly into areas without needing to explain the simpler terms. Whilst some areas are specifically aimed at specialist compositors, it is nonetheless a very good book to have many areas of technical knowledge explained in a colourful and practical way. A vital book in the current technological age we now live and work in.

Digital Compositing is described as a method to take images from a variety of sources and combine them in such a way that they appear to have been shot at the same time under the same lighting conditions with the same camera.

Obviously for the cinematographers and their camera crews it is essential to know how the processes work after the film negative/ videotape or other form of digital input has left their immediate control. To ensure the blue or green screen, or other footage, is able to be used with no problems when it gets to the final compositing stages is obviously one of many vital skills to fully understand.

To encapsulate the complexities of such a book in so few words is incredibly difficult, so a brief rundown of the contents may give a good idea for now: How different mattes work, Refining mattes, and garbage mattes, Despill artefacts, Refining the composite, Blend operations, Lighting (including subjects such as visible light, filters, The behaviour of light, reflections, the Inverse Square Law). The camera (including matching focus, film grain, lens flare) Motion tracking, Gamma, Video, Film and the DI, Bit depth and much more.

This book is mainly aimed at people who have an advanced level of understanding of many elements of filmmaking, lighting, digital terms and many other technical aspects. Whilst is it suitable for beginners, it presumes a previous knowledge of many digital terms and can

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FEATURE

book review

Hands on Guide to Video Blogging & Podcasting

by Lionel Felix & Damien Stolarz, Focal Press This book is aimed at the opposite end of the scale of production values, and is about relatively new phenomena called audio and video blogging. Whilst video streaming over the Internet is not a new concept, and is as old as the net itself, online video has never seriously challenged TV. Until now that is.

available for hundreds of pounds rather than thousands. Obviously the video blogger is not currently able to compete in quality terms with a film projection at the Empire Leicester Square, however the possibilities for mass communication of an idea has never been more real.

Podcasts and video blog technology are now used in business/corporate, education, customer communications and entertainment. With new high-speed computers, improved software and massive fast data storage at ridiculously low prices, it was only a matter of time before television as we know it would be threatened.

This book is primarily aimed at the enthusiast who wants to change culture, get a point of view across which may not have previously had an outlet, and the writers describe in relatively simple language how this can be done on a very tight budget. It makes the language accessible and inspires the reader to go ahead and try it themselves. We ignore the implications of these phenomena at our peril.

Traditional streaming media requires servers and specialist skills. Audio and video blogging requires very little of that. Whilst some equipment and know-how is clearly required, the vast majority is

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