British Cinematographer - Issue 22

ISSUE

22

JULY 2007

NOT THE STEREOTYPE #26: CAMERA CREATIVE WITH HIS WORK ON MISS POTTER AND THIS SUMMER’S HOT ROD, ANDREW DUNN ASC, BSC SHOWS HE’S A CINEMATOGRAPHER WHO CAN’T BE EASILY PIGEONHOLED

INSIDE ... #08: PRODUCTION NEWS – THE LATEST NEWS FROM AROUND THE FILMMAKING INDUSTRY #18: SHOOTING THE FUTURE – REVIEW OF NAB 2007 PLUS THE LATEST FROM THIS YEAR'S CINEGEAR EXPO

#22: ON THE JOB – EVERY MOVEMENT TELLS A STORY - THE ART, CRAFT AND EQUIPMENT INVOLVED IN MOVING THE CAMERA #28: ALL TIME GREATS – WE MEET HASKELL WEXLER WHO HAS SPENT A LIFETIME MAKING CONTROVERSIAL FILMS AND DOCUMENTARIES

#20: CLOSE-UPS – JAKE POLONSKY ON PRIMEVAL, DANIEL LANDIN ON BMW, TIM PALMER ON TRUE DARE KISS, AND GREIG FRASER ON JANE CAMPION'S THE WATER DIARY…

RRP: £3.50

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire SL0 0NH, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1753 650101 Fax: +44 (0) 1753 650111 PUBLISHERS Alan Lowne Tel: +44 (0) 1753 650101 Stuart Walters Tel: +44 (0) 121 608 2300 EDITOR Ron Prince Email: ronny@dircon.co.uk SALES Alan Lowne Tel: +44 (0) 1753 650101 Email: alanlowne@britishcinematographer.co.uk Stuart Walters Tel: +44 (0) 121 608 2300 Email: stuartwalters@britishcinematographer.co.uk DESIGN Paul Roebuck, Open Box Publishing Ltd, info@openboxpublishing.co.uk contact: Stuart Walters Tel: +44 (0) 121 608 2300 THE PUBLICATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE comprises of Board members from the BSC and GBCT as well as the Publishers 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.

>> C O N T E N T S UK P05 P07 P08 P14 P20 P22 P34 P39

President's Perspective: Gavin Finney BSC Letters: the digital divident – HD may not be free-to-air!

Production/Post & Techno News: the latest worldwide news concerning DPs Who's Shooting Who?: discover who's attached to which project this summer Close-Ups: we go inside TV series, commercials and a serious UN film On The Job: the art, craft and equipment involved in moving the camera GBCT News: chairman’s statement, and the Guild’s 30th birthday celebrations Tribute to Alex Thomson BSC: the great man meant so much to so many

USA P17 P18

F-Stop NAB: hot camera technologies at this year’s techno-fest in Las Vagas Shooting The Future: the latest news from Cinegear Expo 2007

EUROPE P30 P31

Imago News: IMAGO General Assembly Guest Profile: Luciano Tovoli AIC, ASC – IMAGO catalyst and cinematographer extraordinaire

FEATURES Cover Photograph: A shot from Miss Potter, lensed by Andrew Dunn ASC, BSC

P26 P28 P32

Camera Creative: Andrew Dunn ASC, BSC – won’ t be, can’t be … stereotyped All Time Greats: meet the colossal and controversial figure that is Haskell Wexler Innovation UK: South London Filter Ltd (SLF) this year celebrates its 15th year

sent courtesy of Momentum Pictures.

All rights reserved.

>> Editorial Team 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).

Carolyn Giardina: is the technology reporter at Hollywood Reporter in the US. She previously served as editor of Film & Video and as senior editor of postproduction at SHOOT. Her work has also appeared in IBC Daily News, Digital Cinema, Post and Below The Line

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.

His Master’s Voice

Madelyn Most: is an experienced camerawoman, filmmaker and journalist who writes about production and cinematography for a variety of European and US magazines.

Dear Readers …

Kevin Hilton: is a freelance journaist who writes about technology and personalities in film and broadcasting and contributes film reviews and interviews to a variety of publications.

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.

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.

Pauline Rogers has published over 1,200 articles on the technical side of the movie-making process. She is a staff writer for ICG Magazine, and freelances for various venues. Her fourth book, The Essential Camera Operator, will be published in early 2008

Sadly, the great Alex Thomson passed away on 14th June 2007. A family man, he was admired and revered by his colleagues and peers around the world for his skills as a cinematographer, his wit, generosity of spirit, and a seemingly boundless enthusiasm for the business he loved.

Indeed, he was working until the very last.

Alex delivered the September version of the BSC Newsletter (so there is more of him to come), and even managed to note down these words the night before he passed away…

Please Ask Permission Before Entering. (This was the card on the curtains of the cubicles in the hospital, and was a source of amusement to Alex.)

"The doctor has just told me I'm about to die. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm thinking of my wife Diana, my daughter Chyna and my family.

I have no regrets. I've loved my life in the business and I loved

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

my fellow cameramen; not in a prurient sense, of course… there were a few directors I would have screwed, however!

I could not thank everyone… there's no time, but they know who they are, as Fearless Fred said.

I love you all. As the lady said: 'Thanks for having me. It was nice of you to come!'

Farewell my dear friends, and have a 'tumble down the sink' with me after the funeral.

Love… Alex" Over 350 people attended Alex's funeral and a short memorial service took place in British Pavilion at Cine Gear Expo in Los Angeles to coincide with that solemn occasion.

We, and the BSC, have received many tributes to the great man himself, and you will find these published on our Back Page. A great man indeed, and an inspiration to us all.

page

3

UK

president’s perspective

Talent will out Weren't machines supposed to make our lives simpler? LUTs, anti-LUTs, HDCam SR, raw data, 4:4:4, 2k linear, 4k log, baked-in metadata, gamma, black-stretch, flash drive, RGB waveform, histogram, bigger, smaller, better… What on earth is going on? Well, if you don't know, the forthcoming 'BSC Film, Digital and HD Day' is for you. The forum aims to be, 'a comprehensive and unbiased guide from budget to post for industry professionals' and will be hosted by The British Society of Cinematographers.

The BSC Film, Digital and HD D a y a i m s t o ex p l a i n a n d demonstrate in as un-technical and informative a manner possible, all the available choices for broadcast and t h e a t r i c a l i m a g e - m a k i n g.

Most of the new technology / HD forums to date have been 'in association with'…one or more of the manufacturers, and this is where some of the confusion has been generated. Manufacturers don't sell talent, they sell kit. And if you've already got some kit, they want to sell you more. To do this, they have to persuade you that the kit you bought / rented last year has now been superseded by better kit, and not only better kit than the last kit you used, but better kit than the other guy's kit. Their job is to convince you that if you only had this new kit, then your bad ideas would become good ones, your bad pictures infinitely improvable. The 'BSC Film, Digital and HD day' will not promote one format over another, we will not tell you which is the best camera for your production; we will leave that for you to decide.

ISSUE 22

Gavin Finney BSC President BSC

tools and encouraged to define and create looks, but with no mention of the cinematographer. CGI compositing programmes that once cost tens of thousands of pounds can now be bought for the price of a word processor and run on a laptop, and broadcast quality cameras can be bought on the high street.

It has never been a more exc i t i n g o r c h a l l e n g i n g t i m e t o b e a c i n e m a t o g r a p h e r. T h e r e i s such a vast array of tools at our command, providing us with an unprecedented palette at our disposal to unleash upon a visually sophisticated audience.

The 'BSC Film, Digital and HD day' aims to explain and demonstrate in as untechnical and informative a manner possible, all the available choices for broadcast and theatrical image making. We will cover what is and what is not considered HD, and why even this definition will soon change. We will touch on what is beyond HD in terms of theatrical image capture and most importantly, we will concentrate on the aesthetic and budgetary differences between formats so that producers, directors, production companies as well as DoPs and other HoDs can separate the fact from the hype, and make their own creative decisions on how best to shoot their production.

But the world is not coming to an end; talent and expertise will always win out.

Remember, not everyone with a word processor can write a novel, and despite almost every household in the UK having at least one stills camera, professional photographers can still earn a pretty decent living.

From a technical point of view it has never been a more exciting or challenging time to be a cinematographer. There is such a vast array of tools at our command, from the classic film emulsions to the bewildering array of digital formats, providing us with an unprecedented palette at our disposal to unleash upon a visually sophisticated audience.

I have Final Cut Pro and Shake on my computer, but I certainly don't have the skill to cut a feature or assemble a complex CGI sequence. So let's relax a little: no one can take away your talent, and as I mentioned earlier, no one can sell you talent either. Keeping up with and understanding new technology can, however, give you an edge - and that's what we aim to do. Visit www.BSCine.com for details.

Some, however, are grumbling that all this new technology is threatening to blur the boundaries between jobs. It is true that editors are now sold colour-grading

Gavin Finney BSC President, British Society of Cinematographers

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

page

5

UK

letters

The digital dividend Why, you may ask, should DPs be concerned with the Digital Dividend and the switch from analogue to digital, or indeed the allocation of UHF frequency for HD terrestrial transmission?

The regulator OFCOM (www.ofcom.org.uk) has been conducting a consultation on the possible auction of the freed up analogue UHF spectrum after the digital switchover is complete by 2012.

In OFCOM's early research is said HD was a “luxury”, and the public had no appetite for it. This however came before Sky broadcast HD and before the BBC HD trial. This also came before the retail trade announced how many HDready TVs had been sold in 2006, and the expectation for sales in 2007 with ten million predicted by 2008.

The public believe that HD-ready TVs mean HD is coming as part of t h e d i g i t a l s w i t c h - o v e r, a n d a s p a r t o f Fr e e v i e w. C u r r e n t l y, t h i s i s f a r from certain.

With prices constantly falling of HD-ready TVs, and the public expectation of HD to come, how can our regulators be so out of touch with the public and the market?

How can a leading MP, chairing a committee at the DCMS, also pronounce the same comment that it is a luxury? So far Sky has shifted nearly 245,000 HD boxes, its fastest take-up of a new technology in ten months!

Sky, through the Murdoch clan, wants the spectrum to be auctioned because it knows the BBC cannot afford to pay the prices, neither the struggling ITV nor two other terrestrial networks in the face of their resources, nor that of the mobile telecoms providers. Therefore Sky can continue to charge yet

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

another premium on top of the premium you pay to get its services, which will preclude thousands of people getting HD transmission.

However, unless OFCOM is politically influenced, the replies from the public, excluding those from the industry, must compel them to revisit their earlier statement, as the majority want free-to-air HD on the Freeview DTT platform, and expect to get it, after funding through their licence fee BBC HD programming. Many state that the spectrum belongs to the public, not the government or OFCOM, and that to sell it to the highest bidders for a one-off windfall, like with the 3G licence, is an insult and against the public interest.

OFCOM owes its existence to the public and should be representing their views. If in doing so we get free-to-air HD, then the quality DPs strive to achieve every day will be better realised to the public at large and push the importance of good cinematography, composition and storytelling on the highest quality capture. The BBC controversially said Super 16mm was not good enough for HD transmission, but it is not saying the same about 35mm film, or 35mm sensor HD cameras, both of which give outstanding broadcast HD. Moreover, as leaders in the past do we want to subject our largest broadcasters to second-class providers when HD is a reality in broadcast now?

The public, via the retail trade, set manufacturers and the misled government digital switch-over campaign, believe that HD-ready TVs mean HD is coming as part of the digital switch-over, and as part of Freeview. Currently, this is far from certain, and it is partly up to professionals like us to make sure OFCOM doesn't just sell to the highest bidder and leave it to market forces, as the net result will be far fewer people seeing the finished product in its best broadcast format.

Currently, the BBC Trust is conducting a “public value test” (PVT) into the BBC HD channel, and OFCOM is conducting a “market impact assessment” (MIA), which invites companies to respond to questions they have posed with supporting evidence. They are also researching public opinion again. The PVT / MIA had to be completed by 19th June. After further consultation the results should be published by 21st November 2007.

Jeff Allen, Managing Director Panavision Europe Ltd

page

7

UK

production news

Cannes 2007 Diary

by the Deluxe team in Cannes, followed by the Brits gathering for the game on a big screen at the Hostellerie du Golf.

MPC throw open their villa, pool and tennis courts and royally entertain everyone from 2pm till late, and Screen East launch their new production fund in the evening.

Sunday, 20th May: Meetings take up most of my day, but there are several events like the Prime Focus/Mike Fraser traditional Sunday BBQ at a very nice villa. Ascent Media give their usual nice lunch at Gray d'Albion beach. Pinewood Shepperton Group host a cocktail party aboard the Five Angels yacht in the old port that is so well-attended that there has to be a limit on people on board at any one time! There is a very exclusive dinner party on board Ron Perelma’n super-yacht from 8pm til late, with Panavision, Deluxe and Lee Lighting execs all on board from around the world. And at 10 pm till the early hours Ealing Studios hold their beach party for their St Trinians' film, with some of the stars flown in especially for the event.

Côte d'Azur: films are in abundance every May, but what about sprouts?

Here's a question…what is the connection between Brussels sprouts, Camerimage in Lodz, Poland and the Cannes Film Festival 2007?, writes Alan Lowne. All will be revealed, so read on!

Friday, 18th May: Check in at Heathrow for the BA 344. All goes smoothly and greeted over coffee at the Bridge Bar by prominent film director John Hough, who is on the same flight to Nice.

We are greeted at the airport in Nice by François, our host and manager at the hotel.

Friday evening dinner starts our Cannes Festival well, as in same restaurant in La Napoule are John and Anna Lee, a Deluxe contingent of Terry Lansbury, Ian Robinson and Clive Noakes, and Quantel's Martin Mulligan.

Saturday, 19th May: Early AM starts, with a delivery of the British Cinematographer to the UK Film Centre, as well as the American Pavilion, and all major hotels along the Croisette.

I was sworn to secrecy over the Accreditation goes remarkably c o n t e n t s o f S t Tr i n i a n s ' - s u f f i c e t o smoothly, and then I visit the Ealing Studios' suite and view say I was impressed. the trailer for their upcoming film of St Trinians', but am sworn to secrecy over its contents - suffice to say I was impressed. I see Colin Brown, Laurie Hayward and Sue Hayes at the Grand When safely on board find I am sitting next to Colin Ricardo Hotel reception given by the UK Film Council. There is a very from FujiFilm on his way to link up with his team of Rachel nice pre-Cup Final lunch at the Rado Plage restaurant hosted Baker, Millie morrow and Simon Baxter at the festival.

page

8

Monday, 21st May: Another eventful day! Kodak's Monday lunch in their pavilion is so crowded again they will have to move to a bigger site next year! Deluxe have organised their annual Monday evening football match USA vs. Europe, which Europe won this year. Scottish Screen give a villa party in the evening, but the hit of Cannes yet again was the Quantel, FujiFilm, JDC-Hat Factory party at the Hostellerie du Golf, which once again saw the great and the good networking and having a great time!

Tuesday, 23rd May: This belongs to Technicolor and their renowned lunch at the Carlton Hotel - always a winner with such superb food.

Now back to the question of sprouts and all. I was asking everyone about the shortage of Brussels, which they all laughed at, and thought I had gone round the bend. We went to Cameraimage in Poland and could not find any sprouts.

There weren't any in Cannes either (nor incidentally were there any at NAB in Las Vegas, IBC in Amsterdam, nor the slightest trace of the little green marvels at the Berlin Film festival).

I get on to the return flight at Nice, open BA's Business Life magazine, and the editor has written an article entitled…

“Save Our Sprouts”. What I discover is that sprouts have now disappeared from shopping baskets in the UK, having been very popular over the last 60 years. Make sure you get your sprouts while you can. Here's to next year's Cannes.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

UK

production news

60th Cannes Film Festival is a rare vintage

Framestore does DI

Death at a Funeral gets a DI To make its digital grading facilities more widely known, London's Framestore CFC has released details of DI projects in its pipeline during 2007. They include Death at a Funeral (DP Oliver Curtis BSC), Stardust (DP Ben Davis), The Killing of John Lennon (DP Roger Eaton), 1408 (DP Benoît Delhomme), Poitin (DP Seamus Deasy), Love in the Time of Cholera (DP Affonso Beato) and Killshot (DP Caleb Deschanel).

Who's doing DI? Ocean's 13: blockbusters and gritty dramas shared the limelight in Cannes A gritty Romanian drama set near the end of the Communist era won the Cannes Film Festival's top honour, the Palme d'Or. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, directed by Cristian Mungiu, was the critics' favourite during the build up to a glittering redcarpet ceremony that ended the 12-day movie marathon. It is the grim story of young student friends Otilia and Gabita, who are ruthlessly exploited when one seeks an illegal abortion.

Despite being set in the pitiless and colorless landscape of socialist Romania, the story underlines the lengths to which friends will go to help each other.

The competition line-up… was one of the strongest in recent years… while many stories were dark… they portrayed great humanity "I hope this award, that I am getting tonight, is going to be good news for small filmmakers from small countries, because it looks like you don't necessarily need a big budget and a lot of stars," said Mungiu.

4 Months…was one of 22 films in competition, and beat a series of highly acclaimed pictures for the top prize as the world's biggest film festival celebrated its 60th birthday.

They included Alexandra, by Russian art-house director Alexander Sokurov, and three US entries; No Country For Old Men directed by the Coen Brothers, Zodiac directed by David Fincher, and Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

Critics praised the Cannes selectors for a competition line-up, which they said was one of the strongest in recent years.

There were few outright duds, and, while many stories were dark, if not depressing, they also portrayed great humanity.

The nine-member jury awarded the runner-up Grand Prix prize to The Mourning Forest, a lyrical Japanese movie about grief directed by Naomi Kawase. Best director was Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, based on the true story of French journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby, who suffered a stroke and was paralyzed yet managed to write a book using one eyelid to communicate.

The prize for best screenplay was awarded to German-Turkish director and writer Fatih Akin for The Edge of Heaven, a crossborder story of love and reconciliation. Best actor was Konstantin Lavronenko, who played the male lead in Russian filmmaker Andrei Zvyagintsev's The Banishment, another gloomy film featuring abortion. Best actress was Jeon Doyeon for South Korean competition entry Secret Sunshine, an emotional drama about a woman overwhelmed by loss. The Camera d'Or for first film went to Jellyfish, an Israeli-French production by Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen As always, the limelight was frequently taken by films and stars outside the main competition. Angelina Jolie was praised for her role in A Mighty Heart, about the kidnapping and beheading of reporter Daniel Pearl by Islamic militants, and Michael Moore, winner of the Palme d'Or in 2004, brought his provocative Sicko documentary to the French Riviera George Clooney and Brad Pitt were on the red carpet to promote blockbuster Ocean's 13, Irish rockers U2 performed for a large crowd to promote their forthcoming U2 3D stereoscopic film, while Kylie Minogue, Elton John, Sharon Stone and Naomi Campbell worked the non-stop party circuit.

The following should have been listed in our directory of companies offering Digital Intermediate services in the UK, in Edition 21…

Axis Post 47 Shepperton Studios, Middlesex, TW17 0QD 01932 592 244 www.axisfilms.co.uk Kit: 18ft screen-based DI grading room with Quantel 4K Pablo DI system. Avid DS/Nitris, Maya, Avis Express, FCP, HDcam SR, DigiBeta, Panasonic VTRs. Digital cameras including CineAlta, VariCam and Viper.

Recent credits: Credo, Forgetting Is So Long, Tovarish, I Am Not Dead, Cake

Pablo Post Facilities Suite 245, Shepperton Studios, Middlesex, TW17 0QD 01932 593 447 www.pablopost.co.uk Kit: Quantel Pablo for HD /2K /4K, Eyon Fusion, Avid, FCP Recent credits: Snow Flake, Counterpoint, Four Conversations About Love, i Sight

Oops A quick correction regarding the article about Haris Zambarloukos (From Haris With Love) in BC21. Haris was invited by Paul Sarossy BSC to be the cinematographer on Mr In-Between (2001) directed by Sarossy, after the two were introduced by Alex Thomson BSC at Camerimage 2000. Haris became a member of the BSC this July.

page

9

UK

production news

Legendary: new digital technology lured legendary director Andy Morahan back into the suites at Smoke & Mirrors for the new Biffy Clyro promo.

Smoke & Mirrors in major HD expansion Soho headquartered facility Smoke & Mirrors has made a £2.2million investment in new HD infrastructure and editing technologies for its London and New York sites, enabling the company to offer an HD dual stream 4:4:4 environment.

The investment has doubled capacity at the facility to ten Flames composting systems and five Smoke editing suites.

These are all HD 4:4:4 compatible, run the latest software versions and plug-in effects from companies such as The Foundry. The suites each have 15 hours of storage at SD.

Smoke & Mirrors has also installed 70 TB of centralised on-line clustered storage, plus a fully integrated InfiniBand network with HD 4:4:4 matrix for faster than real-time, transfer speeds between suites. New Sony HDSR 4:4:4 and HDcam decks, and Panasonic D5 decks, have also been bought.

“We were the first to pioneer open architecture systems with Discreet Logic's Flame 11 years ago, so it's fantastic to implement emerging technologies, create new workflows and continue to re-think the facility model,” said CEO Penny Verbe.

Smoke & Mirrors recently post produced a promo for legendary director Andy Morahan, his first for 15 years, through Bikini Films for Biffy Clyro, called Living is a Problem.

The DP was August Jacobsen, who utilized different digital HD formats including Viper Film Stream, Weisscam and Panasonic Vari cameras, at frame rates varying between 251,200 frames per second. Smoke & Mirrors' Gary Szabo was responsible for the grading.

Formatt HD filters now shipping

Formatt's new filters designed to cure HD horrors for actors and presenters. From L to R - no filter, HD Soft filter, HD Supersoft filter and Supersoft Gold filter.

British manufacturer Formatt Filters is now shipping its expanded collection of the HD diffusion, refraction and enhancing lens filters announced at NAB 2007. The new HD Soft Tone, Blender and Neutral Density (ND) ranges were designed specifically for HD picture acquisition, to give cinematographers new creative options as they shoot with HD cameras, and provide peace-of-mind to actors and presenters the when working in front of high-resolution cameras that can pick up the most minute blemishes.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

“High definition cameras highlight far more detail, quite harshly at times, and there's a necessity for an enhancing range of filters for facial close-ups,” said David Stamp, managing director of Formatt Filters. “Many presenters and actors have found that their most minute facial blemishes are being highlighted on screen. With these new filters we offer cinematographers the widest choice in image enhancement for both HD and film.”

Formatt has also launched a range of new Graduated Blender filters. Standard graduated filters affect the top part of the image, leaving the bottom undisturbed, and are most commonly used with skylines. The graduated filters are available in soft or hard-edged varieties. The blender is the same as a graduated filter, but with the transition taking place gradually over the whole length of the filter rather than in the middle. They are available in all colours in which Formatt manufacture graduated filters, including NDs.

page

11

UK

production news

Men From Mars expands

Men-from-Mars, the Ealing-based VFX company, has been recruiting in 2007 to meet the demands of veteran producer Ed Pressman's VFX-laden feature Mutant Chronicles (DP Geoff Boyle) directed by Simon Hunter, as well as a slate of independent UK productions films including Run Fat Boy Run and Mr Lonely. Phil Ashton formerly head colour timer at Technicolor has joined the company's DI department. Tom Horton, who has held senior

Kodak Digital Cinema at The Hospital The Hospital, a private members club for creative professionals, has installed a Kodak Content Player JMN3000 in its 30-screen cinema in London. The player will be used for digital cinema presentations to members and other audiences attending the club. The Kodak Content Player handles JPEG and MPEG-compressed movies, including 3D MPEG features, automatically, and is the first player to include Kodak Image Science. The

screening room in The Hospital will be used to show a diversity of motion picture content.

"Our members and audiences expect us to keep pace with the latest technology, to be able to screen mainstream features as well as other independent movies,” said David Marrinan-Hayes, marketing communications manager for The Hospital. “Much of that work is now available in digital form.”

management and VFX positions at several large post-production facilities in London, Singapore and Australia, joins the management team in a senior VFX producing role. Paul Beard, in the production department for over two years has been appointed head of production to allow company director Simon Frame to work more closely with Horton.

UK Post becomes UK Screen Association UK Post & Services, the independent trade body that represents the film and broadcast service industry, has changed its name to the UK Screen Association. The new name was chosen to reflect recent changes in both the organisation and the industry it represents.

The change of name highlights the broadened remit the association adopted last year to encompass all services for the film and TV industries including post-production, audio, visual and special effects, DVD, camera, lighting and equipment hire, outside broadcast and studios. The name also points to the diversity in content delivery today, to many different types of screens - television, cinema, computer and mobile.

Gaynor Davenport, chief executive of UK Screen

"While the name may change, the content stays the same, and we will continue to support and promote the commercial interests of all the companies involved at a government and industry level,” said Gaynor Davenport, chief executive of UK Screen.

The new website for the association can be found at www.ukscreenassociation.co.uk.

BSC Film, Digital & HD Day The British Society of Cinematographers is to present the BSC Film, Digital and HD Day on Friday 21st September 2007, when a specialist panel will explore, educate and demonstrate the evolving world of high definition from budget to post production.

The event will take place at the National Film Theatre 1, Southbank, London SE1, from 11am until 4pm, with free admission.

As BSC president Gavin Finney explains in his leader in this edition, “From a technical point of view, it has never been a more exciting or challenging time to be a cinematographer.

page

12

The aim of the event is to explain and demonstrate, in as un-technical and informative a manner possible, all the available choices for broadcast and theatrical image-making. Most importantly, we will concentrate on the aesthetic and budgetary differences between formats so that producers, directors, production companies as well as DPs and other HoDs, can separate the fact from the hype.”

Further information and registration details can be found at www.BSCine.com

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

UK

production news

Cirro Lite offers LightingFX Tools

Flicker: new LFXHub offers a wide range of lighting effects A lighting flicker and effects generator from manufacturer movie-intercom, renowned for creating realistic results, is now available from kit supplier Cirro Lite. The LFXHub is a 3.6K dimmer with multi-programmable effects. It can also control, via DMX or analogue, any number of dimmers to create variations of shadow and direction. Effects pre-loaded in the LFXHub can be limitlessly modified and can all have their top and bottom levels

trimmed on the fly. They include, fire (candles, fireplace, welding), TV (feature film, news, video clip), pulses (neon 1 + 2, saw tooth, construction and symmetric flashes, turn indicator), plus an optional lightning strike control unit, combined with dimmershutters.

The LFXHub can be activated by sensors, so that real-time effects happen with live action, such as switching lights on and off, or the blowing out of candles. A lighting sensor with optical detection, or a power sensor with electrical detection, can be connected to the control input of the LFXHub to trigger every lighting effect generated by system.

Fuji's new stocks

Revolutionary: Fuji's new RDI and CI stocks address the changing needs of the motion picture industry.

Fujifilm recently launched what it claims are two “revolutionary� film stocks, the EternaRDI, designed exclusively for digital film recorders, and the Eterna-CI, a colour intermediate film used to duplicate motion pictures.

Fuji has launched the ETERNA-RDI to meet the increasing use of high-definition digital images at the 4K level. The new stock offers substantially increased image sharpness, with reduced colour mixing, and wider latitude and linearity. The ETERNA-CI, a

ISSUE 22

colour intermediate film for producing master positives and duplicate negatives, uses the technology employed in the RDI stock for increased image sharpness, which is essential to intermediate film, and features improved colour reproduction characteristics that are true to the original.

The motion picture team of Fujifilm recently relocated to new offices in Poland Street, in London's Soho district, from where it can more easily service broadcast and commercials clients.

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

page

13

UK

who’s shooting who?

Who’s Shooting Who? Milan Chadima

We were pleased to learn that Cira Felina Bolla was an Emmy nominee, at the 33nd Annual Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards, for her work on the first episode of Stories from the Sharpe Experience a documentary that

chronicles the lives of Sharpe Medical Patients to recovery and their triumphant spirits.

Former BSC president Mike Southon BSC is about to start on the $60m The Nutcracker, a 60-day shoot in and around Budapest for director Andrei Konchalovsky and producer Paul Lowin. The film stars Elle Fanning, Nathan Lane and John Turturro. Konchalovsky and Chris Solimine wrote Mike Southon BSC the script. Lyrics are by Tim Rice, the choreography from Stuart Hopps, with Kevin Phipps handling the production design.

Conceptually, during Christmas-time in 1920s Austria, Mary receives a magical nutcracker - really a 12-year-old prince and enters a fantastic world where all of her beloved toys are alive. The Nutcracker needs Mary and her brother Fritz's help to defeat the evil Rat King, who plans to turn all the city's toys into firewood. Producer Paul Lowin is financing the film through a combination of Russian and UK venture capital.

Mike's role is to deliver a glorious retelling of a classic tale with stunning production values that appeal to a modern day audience - Batman meets Moulin Rouge. Mike was co-repped on the deal by Lenhoff & Lenhoff in Hollywood, Jacqui Fincham at CMM in London, and Barbara Bird at Characters in Vancouver. Lenhoff & Lenhoff's Milan Chadima is shooting Narnia: Prince Caspian in Prague as 2nd Unit Director Of Photography. Budgeted at $250 million, the film's 2nd Unit is massive and is running concurrently with the main unit, shooting from April to August.

DP Tobias Dodt wrote in to say, “I am back shooting back in the UK where I was also trained as a cinematographer at the NFTS by Ossie Morris BSC and Billy Willaims BSC. I have been on a fiction-short in Yorkshire called Nettie Carlisle and Iron Hands for Kettle Black Films. It is a fantasy about a woman who discovers the strands of a map growing in her hair and must make friends with a reclusive weaver in order to make sense of it. Alasdair Beckett King is writer/director and the

page

14

Camera operator Mike Ritchie, writer/ director: Alasdair Beckett-King (in background, red hair) and DoP Tobias Dodt (in green jacket) on location in York.

Pre-lighting in a mill in Hackness, cinematographer Tobias Dodt at work. producer is Karen Latto. The production was funded 75% by the Yorkshire Screen Fund, so it is a real British production and more than just a student's shoot. The production designer was Hannah Bungard, camera operator Mike Ritchie, with Matt Howard the 1st AC. Electrical crew were John Lockward and Hannah Cuncliffe.”

Over at Dinedor… Peter Field has finished Doomsday and moved on to City Of Ember as 'A' camera operator. Florian Hoffmeister has wrapped A Number for Rainmark Films, and is on Between Two Rivers - both for BBC/HBO. Meanwhile.

Grant Scott Cameron has teamed up with Taggart, and

Mike Fox BSC has illuminated Stephen Fry Night. Andrew Johnson has been shooting DVD extras for 28 Weeks Later, whilst Trevor Forrest made the grade on feature Bombil and Beatrice for its market place screening at Cannes. Tom Townend has completed Jennifer Saunders' The Vivienne Vyle Show, and is deluged by numerous commercials and music videos, and for the third year in a row was nominated for Best Cinematography at the Music Week CADs, this time twice, for Kasabian's Empire and for The Horrors' Gloves.

Adam Frisch FSF has shot videos for The Dragonettes, Rockafella and Rufus Wainwright among others, and spots for Adidas, National Geographic, Chinese Olympics, and Deal or No Deal. Garry Turnbull has been on commercials for Bosch and Oreo Cookies, whilst David Raedeker has got his feet stuck into Adidas and Daktarin. Ben Filby shot for Peroni, and a documentary on Lord of the Rings - The Musical, whilst David Rom returned from both Sundance and Cannes where short Oates Valor made the official selections, to shoot three virals for Jack Wills, one for Cancer Research, and hi-speed trailer for The Apprentice.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

UK

who’s shooting who?

Between The Eyes in France, Italy and the UK, plus Badly Drawn Boy promo and a Bloc Party promo with directors One In Three at Colonel Blimp. He has also shot a BNL spot with Lee Donaldson through The Family in Italy.

McKinney Macartney Management's… Balazs Bolygo has been working with director SJ Clarkson on a six-part drama for BBC, Mistresses, which tells the tale of a group of friends who have each a different experience of love and infidelity. Balazs is then leaping on to the new period drama for BBC Lark Rise to Candleford, the adaptation of Flora Thompson's classic series of books, a semi-autobiographical account of life in the English countryside at the start of the 20th century. Ben Butler has been working on commercials for directors, Trevor Melvin, Pete Salmi, Dominic Brigstocke and Jim Weedon. Since finishing Baker Street Mick Coulter BSC has been busy working with Gerard de Thame on commercials such as Mercedes and Mitsubishi. Denis Crossan has worked on the Irish Road Safety campaign with Syd Macartney, he has also shot commercials with Anthea Benton at Believe, Mick Rudman through Therapy, Ramon & Pedro through Partizan and a Live Earth project with Patrick Cadell at Partizan.

Commercial eyes: David Ungaro has been busy on advertising work

ICM's DP's currently working or about to start on jobs…

Gonzalo Amat has joined ICM, and is keen to shoot more in London and Europe again, having been working mostly in the US for the last few years. Dominic Clemence has just started shooting the second series of the popular ITV drama Kingdom in Norfolk, with Andrew Grieve directing block one.

Simon Coull has been busy in London working on a variety of projects with directors Peter Darley Miller, Howard Greenhalgh, Andy Margetson, Phil Griffin and Olivier Venturini.

John Daly BSC is lensing Kudos'/Red Planet's innovative new 12 x 30min drama for ITV1, Echo Beach, with Howard Burch producing. Cinders Forshaw BSC has just completed the single 60-minute dark comedy, The Dinner Party, for BBC, with writer/director Tony Grounds and producer Sally Stokes.

John Ignatius is just about to wrap on the second series of Baby Cow's comedy Saxondale starring Steve Coogan, directed by John Henderson. Ryszard Lenczewski is in Poland on the Polish feature Spring 1941. John Mathieson BSC has completed shooting on Baillie Walsh's feature, Flashbacks Of A Fool, which Lene Bausager is producing.

Mattias Montero has had an exciting couple of months shooting a Davidoff commercial in the middle of nowhere in South America, before going on to collaborate with Luke Scott on a stunning ENI commercial, followed by a Bat For Lashes promo with Dougal Wilson at Blink. After lensing Festival Film and Television's Half Broken Things at the end of June, David Odd BSC is now prepping Ecosse's two-hour drama for ITV My Boy Jack, produced by Michael Casey, and directed by Brian Kirk. Mark Patten has also joined ICM, and took part in the lung-busting, muscle-straining Fireflies bike ride (Geneva to Cannes). Once recovered, he will be available again for commercials.

Also at ICM…Barry Ackroyd BSC is working on Kathryn Bigelow's Hurt Locker. Set in Iraq it is the story of an elite army bomb disposal unit and the troubles they face. Oliver Curtis BSC is busy shooting commercials for Pantene, Deutsche Post, Clairol and Eon in the UK, Berlin, Palma and Prague. Ben Davis BSC just completed Sharon Macguire's Incendiary, the story of a woman who looses her husband and young baby

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

when Al Quaeda bombs the Arsenal stadium. Anthony Dod Mantle BSC has been working on two Zentropa Films Productions: Just Like Home directed by Lone Scherfig; and My Black Little Heart directed by Claire Angelique.

Jess Hall is on Julian Jarrold's Brideshead Revisited, a film remake of the classic TV series. Martin Kenzie BSC has been doing some work on Olly Parker's St Trinian's, a modern take on the classic naughty schoolgirl fun. Darius Khondji ASC, AFC is in Australia shooting The Ruins for Dreamworks, directed by Carter Smith. Dan Landin is lensing Dreamworks' A Tale of Two Sisters shooting in Vancouver over the summer.

The directors are Tom & Charlie Guard. Having just finished Neil Marshall's futuristic thriller Doomsday, Sam Mccurdy is now moving on to a Wire in the Blood special, which Declan O'Dwyer will direct, set in Texas.

Dick Pope BSC is currently working on the next untitled Mike Leigh feature, and Christopher Ross is prepping James Watkins Eaden Lake (formally known as Little Terrors), an intelligent horror/thriller about a city couple terrorized by feral children. Ashley Rowe BSC is lighting John Irvin's Garden of Eden, an adaptation of Ernest Hemingway book of the same name. Oliver Stapleton BSC is on How To Lose Friends and Alienate People, directed by Robert Weide. As you might guess, it's a comedy of humiliation based on the book by Toby Young about his own experiences as a journalist in New York at Vanity Fair. Nigel Willoughby BSC has completed Box TV's Last Enemy in Romania, directed by Iain B Macdonald. It's a five-part political thriller set in the immediate future looking at the effect that increased security measures have on our civil liberties. David Ungaro has been on a Max Factor commercial in Spain with HSI and most recently shot in London with Philippe Andre on the latest Ford Focus commercial with lots of balloons. Having just got back from Spain shooting a Nike spot with Traktor, Joost Van Gelder has been busy with Mattias Van Heijningen shooting a spot for Centraal Beheer, and is dashing off to Madrid to shoot a 5 day Orange commercial. He has also been working with Werner Damen at Bonkers and Mike Maguire at Independent.

Ed Wild recently shot a Nike spot with Eran Creevy for

Gavin Finney BSC will be shooting Vadim Jean's adaptation of the second Terry Pratchett novel The Colour of Magic. Gavin was BAFTA nominated for the previous Sky One adaptation The Hogfather, and the success of the show has led to the Mob Film Co. being commissioned to continue their exploration of Pratchett's hugely popular and magical worlds.

Nina Kellgren BSC has been working with artist Isaac Julien on his latest project Small Boats, the final tale of journeys across continents and cultures, evoking the experiences of travellers escaping towards a better life. Nina has also worked on commercials with Dominic Brigstocke and Phil Lihou.

John Lynch has been to Italy to shoot Lexus commercial with Daniel Barber through Knucklehead, and has also been working with Mick McGee for Red Bee Media and Dom & Nic through Outsider. Phil Meheux BSC is flying off to Mexico where he'll be shooting Raja Gosnell's South of the Border for Disney. This family film has a lost, pampered Beverley Hills Chihuahua, teaming up with a Mexican guard dog as they try and get her out of Mexico and back home. Phil picked up a BSC nomination for his much-praised work on Casino Royale.

Sebastian Milaszewski, John Pardue and Darran Tiernan have all been trekking around the planet on Tv commercials. Tony Pierce-Roberts BSC is continuing with director Paul Weiland on Made of Honor, a comedy about a man trying to convince his soon-to-be-married friend that he is the one for her, whilst maintaining his duties as her maid of

Tropical: Joost van Gelder and crew on the other side of the fish tank

page

15

UK

who’s shooting who?

The news from PFD is‌Robert Alazraki AFC is currently shooting Tu Peux Garder Un Secret, for director Alexandre Arcady in France. Tony Slater-Ling has just finished on Adrian Shergold's Clapham Junction and is now lighting Catwalk Dogs directed by Tim Sullivan - further projects are lining up for him. Haris Zambarloukos BSC continues prep on Mamma Mia!, which starts shooting soon in Greece and Pinewood, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan. As we mentioned in the last issue, Marcel Zyskind is working on both Lukas Moodyson's film Mammoth and Michael Winterbottom' Genova. Genova shoots in Italy with Colin Firth and Mammoth, which is prepping now and shooting in October, will be shooting in locations around the world including the Philippines, Thailand and New York. Alan Almond BSC has a busy summer ahead of him working as 2nd Unit DP on Paul Weiland's Made of Honor, before embarking on IWC's new adaptation of A Room With A View which will shoot in London and Florence with director Nick Renton at the helm. Danny Cohen has just completed grading on Tiger Aspect's Coming Down The Mountain and is now in Hungary photographing HBO's new drama John Adams for director Tom Hooper. Andrew Dunn BSC was recently in New York grading Akiva Schaffer's Hot Rod which is due to be released in August. Andrew is now shooting the feature Good based on the Tony Award-wining stage play by CP Taylor, with Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, A History of Violence) in the lead role of John Halder. Good examines the life of 'everyman' John Halder (Mortensen), a 'good' and decent individual with family problems: a neurotic wife, two demanding children and a mother suffering from senile dementia. Lukas Strebel has finally wrapped on the ITV drama Whistleblowers and is enjoying a well-earned break.

Ouch! Ed Wild travelling across Europe on ads and music videos honour. Having just shot Justin Timberlake's latest promo for Robert Hales through HSI, Jake Polonsky is now in LA filming Morrissey Live at the Superbowl. Jake has shot promos with Tim Pope and Scott Lyon. In Dublin he worked on a Lucozade commercial for Michael Geoghegan at Scorpio Films and Ballyfree for Rory Robinson at Russell Curran, and in Buenos Aires he shot Coke Light for Ben Ib through Blink.

Chris Seager BSC is shooting the comedy Wild Child for director Nick Moore. Starring Emma Roberts as the eponymous American heroine who is shipped off to an English boarding school when her teenage mischief lands her in more trouble than her father can deal with, she lands in with a group of English girls who aren't used to girls like her at all.

Katie Swain has just completed a SpecSavers commercial with Gerald McMorrow through Streetlight. David Tattersall BSC is spending his summer shooting the Wachowski's

page

16

Speed Racer, which is a live-action update of the hugely successful Japanese cartoon starring Emile Hirsch and Matthew Fox as competing drivers in the world's most popular car race. The production is being shot using the new Sony F23 cameras into the new field recorders from Codex Digital.

Clive Tickner BSC has just completed a Fairy commercial with Ben Sedley at Production International. Clive has also been working Ibuyeco, and Origin commercials for Mitch Walker, Aviva and Kingsmill for John Lloyd and BBC Idents for Matt Lassosso. Brian Tufano BSC is working with Rainmark Films on their adaptation of David Hare's play My Zinc Bed directed by Anthony Page about a young poet, an internet mogul and addictions. Michael Wood had just completed a Jackpot Joy commercial for Rory Rooney through Mustard and is now in Turkey shooting a Tekstilbank commercial with Levent Onan.

Daniel Bronks is lighting Tony Hickox's feature Knife Edge in the UK and Tat Radcliffe is shooting Belle de Jour for TV with director Yann Demange. On commercials Alwin Kuchler BSC recently shot a Heineken commercial with Danny Kleinman at Rattlingstick and has just worked on a JC Penny commercial with Dougal Wilson at Blink Productions. Mik Allen has just completed a Typhoo Tea commercial in India with David Lodge at Outsider, whilst Brendan Galvin also found himself in India shooting an HSBC spot for Prasoon Pandey through Independent Films. Peter Suschitzky BSC has also been busy with commercials, working on San Miguel with Jake Nava in Seville through Independent Films.

Meanwhile Alex Barber has recently shot the new Sony ad with Pleix through Blink Productions and a Fosters commercial in Palma with Nick Livesey at RSA London. Simon Chaudoir has worked again with directors Dom and Nic at Outsider for a DVLA spot and with director Sam Brown at Rogue for an Amplafon commercial shooting in Spain whilst Simon Richards was also in Spain lighting for Kirk Jones on a new Mulina Bianco spot through Tomboy Films / BRW Milan.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

USA

shooting the future

F-Stop NAB A lively 2007 National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB) held April 14-19 in Las Vegas, placed attention on 4k cinematography, driven in large part by Red, which unveiled the prototype Red One 4k digital cinematography camera; and Dalsa Digital Cinema, which announced development of its Evolution 4k camera, portable recorder, and the industry's first 4k anamorphic lenses, writes Carolyn Giardina.

The subject of the Red camera was almost unavoidable at NAB. Enthusiasts and skeptics alike flocked to see the anticipated first Red prototypes, as well as a new Peter Jackson-directed short, Crossing The Line, lensed with two Red prototypes.

Richard Bluck, who served as second unit DP on Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong, served as director of photography on Crossing The Line. He was a guest at the Red tent, talking with visitors and "reservation holders"-which according to Red stood at roughly 1,500 at the start of NAB and includes Jackson's Wingnut.

Enthusiasts and s ke p t i c s a l i ke f l o c ke d t o s e e t h e anticipated first Red prototypes, as well a s a n e w Pe t e r Jackson-directed short Crossing The Line Bluck spoke favourably of the camera for production of Crossing The Line, which was shot with two of the exhibited Red prototype cameras with Cooke lenses, and recorded in "Red Code" raw to a hard drive. It was edited on Final Cut Pro, was digitally colour graded, and mastered in 4k, with Quantel's iQ. The new Dalsa Evolution camera was built to be more lightweight than the company's Origin 4k camera, therefore addressing hand-held or Steadicam shot requirements.

Features include a new live HD/SDI output feature for on-set monitoring. The 4k anamorphic lens is designed by lens design veteran Dan Sasaki, to enable cinematographers to shoot anamorphic widescreen digitally using the full resolution capability of Dalsa's image sensor. Dalsa commissioned A&S Precision in Valencia, which Sasazi recently joined, to build the lenses.

Dalsa's new technologies excited directors of photography including Stephen Burum, ASC and Richard Crudo, ASC. The technology offers, “the opportunity to shoot digitally at 4k resolution at 16-bit, uncompressed, untethered, using the highest-quality anamorphic lenses designed by the legendary

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

Dan Sasaki," summed up Rob Hummel, president of Dalsa Digital Cinema L.A. “This will be the first time that a CinemaScope 2.40 composition will be captured using the entire sensor area of a digital camera.” The Evolution and Flashmag recorder are scheduled for availability in 2008; the target for the lens is late 2007.

"Codex says its upgraded media recorder/server can fully support a 3D movie on a single machine"

Sony F23 Sony also made notable camera news with the launch of its F23, the newest member of its CineAlta line of digital 24p cameras, which supports 4:4:4 1920 x 1080 RGB imaging.

Development of this camera, which was exhibited on the Sony stand, was first announced last autumn.

Apple said offers, “uncompressed HD-quality at SD file sizes” with “lossless compression”. Final Cut Studio 2 also offers Motion 3, Soundtrack Pro 2, Compressor 3, and DVD Studio Pro 4.2.

4k projection

Sony reported that the camera body is compatible with a variety of film camera accessories, including bridge plates and matte boxes that can be attached to the unit without modification. The F23 has also been built with a harder material for its B4 lens mount.

Sony's line of 4k projectors were generating a buzz, and were easily found around the show floor, used for demos including the aforementioned Red presentation as well as by companies such as FilmLight, which was demoing its Baselight colour grading software.

Sony related that with its SRW-1 VTR, the F23 could capture and record variable speed images from 1p to 60p (1p to 30 fps at 4:4:4 and 1p to 60 fps at 4:2:2) at the full HD resolution of 1920 by 1080. The F23 is scheduled for delivery in Europe in early summer.

FilmLight was one of many colour grading software developers that were touting tools with 4k support, as well as the aim to support the developing ASC CDL, a tool to accurately communicate colour information between devices from different manufacturers.

Meanwhile, Panasonic extended its P2 digital camera system line with a new 16-GB P2 card, scheduled for availability in May. The P2 system was a highlight of Panasonic's NAB stand.

The ASC CDL development is being led by the ASC Technology Committee's DI sub committee, which was initiating a series of tests of the system during NAB. DI sub committee chair Lou Levinson, who is senior colourist at Post Logic Studios in the US, presented an ASC CDL update during an “ASC Blueprint” session at the NAB Digital Cinema Summit.

FilmLight, DVS, da Vinci, Digital Vision and Autodesk are among the companies said to be working on support for this development.

The UK's Codex Digital launched an upgraded version of its HD, 2K, 4K media recorder/server. The new system can capture over 1GigaByte/sec (8GigaBits/sec) of raw data, enough bandwidth to handle the uncompressed output of any existing or announced production camera, even at high frame rates. It also offers dual independent 4:4:4 camera inputs.

Coupled with the extreme bandwidth, it can capture uncompressed footage at up to 60fps from two cameras simultaneously, which the company pointed out would be ideal for the burgeoning 3D stereoscopic production market.

An NAB exhibitor that should not go without mention is Apple.

The company made big news as NAB opened with the unveiling Final Cut Studio 2, a $1,299 US dollars software package that includes a new version of Final Cut Pro and a color correction tool called Color. The announcement was made before several thousand customers, partners, and journalists.

Color is based on the Silicon Color technology acquired by Apple. Final Cut Pro 6 debuts ProRes 422, a new format that

In memory The NAB Digital Cinema Summit concluded with a touching tribute to Charles Swartz, a respected and cherished member of the digital cinema and filmmaking community, who passed away in February. Until the summer of 2006, he served as the executive director and CEO of the University of Southern California's Entertainment Technology Center. He was also the editor of the text book “Understanding Digital Cinema.”

As a tribute, the group screened a special video that was created last summer for Swartz's retirement. It featured fond reflections and thanks from prominent members of the community, including directors James Cameron and Michael Mann, as well as a large number of friends and colleagues from all sectors of the industry.

page

17

USA

shooting the future

F-Stop Cine Gear Expo 2007 Joe Dunton, BSC, was the recipient of Cine Gear Expo's 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award. As well, anniversary honors went to Mole Richardson Company, recognizing its 80th anniversary; as well as Location Sound and LTM, both celebrating 30 years, writes Carolyn Giardina from Los Angeles.

Dunton received his award during a VIP reception at the 11th annual Cine Gear Expo, held Jun 21-24, during a sunny spring weekend at Wadsworth Theatre and Grounds in West Los Angeles.

“I was very honoured to receive an award in America,” he said. “It's also nice if somebody thinks of you, especially in our group of people.”

“This show is a particularly great show,” he said of Cine Gear.

“And it's becoming bigger.”

Offering his perspective on the direction that the industry is taking, Dunton said, “It's a really exciting time for the cinema industry. The industry is open wide to new people. Because of the technology, it means that people that have only dreamt of making a film can now make a film. That's exciting. The difficult thing that I see is actually getting people to show their films in cinemas… There's where I think the bottleneck is going to be.”

This was an appropriate year for Dunton's recognition, as Cine Gear president Karl Kresser reported that the international attendance has continued to grow, and now sits at around 10 percent of the estimated 6,000 attendees.

The largest international contingent came from England, which helmed its popular UK pavilion. Exhibitors in this area included the BSC, British Cinematographer, A+C, Axis, Cine Power, IMP, Kontrol Freax, Power Gems, Mark Roberts Motion Control, MK-V, and Ronford Baker/Alpha Grip.

It addition to these exhibitors, a bar area was set up in the Pavilion, which worked out well until Saturday afternoon. “(Security) confiscated our beer,” Dunton lamented.

Not far from the bar, Kontrol Freax was on hand with its MoSys motion control system. Reflecting growing interest in the clever system, it is now available in the US, thanks to a recently opened Southern California locale. Battery operated and weighing in at under 350 pounds, the technology has seven-axis of operation: pan, tilt, track, jib, focus, iris and zoom.

Julianne Grosso, Karl Kresser of Cinegear Expo presenting Life Time Achievement Award to Joe Dunton BSC/MBE. you have time to really talk and discuss industry concern, and being able to meet your American counterparts.”

Activity temporarily ceased around midday on Saturday, when the British Pavilion hosted a remembrance of Alex Thomson BSC. Russell spoke during the gathering, and attendees signed a condolences book that will be delivered to Thomson's family.

Exhibition As Cine Gear opened, Kino Flo announced a strategic partnership with Element Labs, whose business is based in LED technology. The companies said the partnership is designed "to bring intelligent LED lighting into the professional lighting industry." Per the agreement, Element Labs' Kelvin Technology Series LED-based lighting system will be available for rent through Kino Flo beginning in September.

"By combining Element Labs' advancement in LED technology with Kino Flo's industry experience we look forward to developing tools that will further advance the art of filmmaking," said Frieder Hochheim, president and founder of Kino Flo. Around the exhibition, Band Pro caused a stir with its presentation of Sony's new F-23 digital cinematography

camera, which is being used on Speed Racer in conjunction with Codex Digital field recorders, currently in production in Berlin with David Tattersall BSC in charge of the cinematography.

ARRI showcased its range of film and digital cameras. ARRI's Franz Weiser reported that the company's first 40mm master prime is currently in use by Roger Deakins BSC, ASC. “Cine Gear is a very pleasant environment and a wonderful networking event,” he said of the show.

Reflecting a desire from the industry for more compact digital recording options, Codex Digital introduced the Codex Portable, a compact, high-resolution field recorder designed for recording HD to 4K resolution images from various digital cameras. Scheduled to ship in late 2007, the system currently weighs roughly 9 lbs., and is powered by standard camera batteries. Recording is made to hot-swappable RAID diskpacks, which would be plugged into a Codex Transfer Station that would copy them, back them up, and delivers the material and metadata.

Also in recorder news, S.two Corp. showed the DFR4K, a new 4K recorder based on the D.MAG digital film magazine. This was first announced at NAB 07, and can be used with Dalsa 4k camera systems.

Power Gems MD Paul Tipple discussed how its new ballast technology can be integrated into lighting fixtures, which he estimates can reduce costs by about 30-40 percent, as well as save space.

Also around the Pavilion, MK-V was busy with demonstrations of its camera stabilization technology; Ronford Baker showed its Atlas fluid heads, and exhibits included IMP's DMCL5, a two-channel video assist playback/recorder.

“It's brilliant,” said the BSC's Francis Russell of the activity at the UK Pavilion. “The advantages are twofold. (You are) meeting your own industry collages at a environment where

page

18

No larger than a toaster, the new Codex portable could actually record an epic

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

USA

shooting the future

featured its range of P2-based camera systems. Servicevision focused on its Scorpio stablised head.

Dalsa had one of the largest exhibits. It showed its 4K Evolution and Origin II digital-cinematography camera and portable recorder along with its first 4K anamorphic lenses. A complete set of anamorphic lenses is anticipated by the end of September. Dalsa also had a tent with a presentation screen, showing 4K imagery, and promoting the advantages of the format.

Germany-based Move-n-Shoot introduced its Motorig motion controlled camera rig that is mounted to the undercarriage of the picture car. “It moves around the car… and you can preprogramme it,” explained company owner Olaf Jablonski. The motorig received a Cinec Award for innovation.

Major names Fuji Film highlighted its latest Eterna Vivid 160 tungsten motion picture color negative film. Kodak meanwhile offered information its line of Vision2 colour negative films.

Mole Richardson celebrated its 80th anniversary with an exhibit that featured its 12.18 DayLight Par, the newest addition to its HMI line; and recent extensions to the Mole line including the 10K Tungsten par. Finnlight introduced its new Space Bag accessory that attaches to the Toplight. This pushes the light out of the sides and bottom, creating what Steve Finn described as a “lantern” look.

JL Fisher has a range of its latest tools, including skateboard wheels, designed to move through curves as easily as on a straight track. Jimmy Fisher observed the international feel of Cine Gear. “In the first hour I have met people from India, France and England, as well as local (visitors),” he said.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

Mike and Lary Parker, owners of Mole Richardson company, accepting award for services to the industry Chapman/Leonard highlights included its waterproof telescoping hydrascope crane, which can be used for shooting in the rain; and vertical vibration isolator, enabling a dolly to be used to get smooth shots without a track. It also showcased the waterproof Amphibian remote head.

The Cooke and P&S Technik exhibit featured P&S's Skater Mini Dolly with some new accessories including the tilt module, explained Skater developer Sebastian Cramer. “The tile module allows you to upgrade the standard Skater with the tilt platform, and you can adjust the lens height up to 80mm,” Cramer said. The Skater also now has a control unit that contributes to smooth camera moves. Cooke meanwhile discussed its i Technology, including the Cooke i datalink that records focus, zoom and iris settings for each take.

Canon's exhibit included HD electronic cinema prime lenses and HD eletronic cinematography zoom lenses. Panasonic

Sunscreens and hats were in demand for those walking through the exhibits under the hot Los Angeles sun. Straw hats from Matthews were a particularly popular accessory.

Matthews introduced its new reversible blue/green screen, a clever innovation that Matthews' Ed Phillips explained is opaque, and therefore light will not bleed through. The company also showed LiteLimo, a new concept in mobile light that can raise an 18/12kW HMI light fixture to a height of 15ft, and Quik Corners a new, patented system for overhead frames and butterflies, which had an excellent response.

Cine Gear also focused on future talent. It hosted a new film series and student film competition this year. As well, the London Film School celebrated its 50th Anniversary at Cine Gear, with a screening of student work and a luncheon.

“It's fantastic,” said Kate Hughes, the school's head of marketing. “We have (graduates) Ueli Stiger, Michael Mann, Steven Goldblatt, and Curtis Clark. And we have up and comers. They enjoy meeting their colleagues.”

The American Society of Cinematographers, International Cinematographers Guild, Society of Camera Operators, and International Documentary Association all hosted panels during Cine Gear. Speaker William Fraker BSC, ASC said of the event, “I love talking to people who are interested in film, especially the young people who are just beginning in this business.” On the final evening in Los Angeles, visitors from the BSC and British Cinematographer attended a barbeque at the ASC headquarters, where they mingled with ASC members and guests.

page

19

UK

close-ups

DP Greig Fraser

The Water Diary There are few degrees of separation between Australian cinematographer Greg Fraser and the Cannes Film Festival. He shot the 2004 Palme d'Or winning short film Crackerbag, directed by Glendyn Ivin, and the 2005 Director's Fortnight screening Jewboy, directed by Tony Krawitz. As part of this year's festival's 60th anniversary celebrations, he filmed a three-minute short film for Jane Campion, director of the 1993 Palme d'Or winning The Piano.

The festival's idea was to reunite 33 directors from around the world - including Wim Wenders, Roman Polanski, Gus Van Sant, Lars von Trier, Wong Kar Wai, Zhang Yimou and Jane Campion, to reflect upon Cannes and cinema at large.

“I found Crackerbag so atmospheric and beautifully structured on many levels,” says Campion. “So for The Water Diary, we thought, 'Let's work with someone who might be excited by it. So we started connecting, looking at images together'.”

Fraser shot Campion's new short on the Sony/Panavision Genesis, a departure from his preference for shooting on film, such as on Campion's 17-minuter The Water Diary two years ago for the UN film project 8, which he shot on the ARRI ST camera, with a combination of Kodak 50D and 250D stock.

Though he is renowned for being an instinctive cinematographer with a freeform shooting technique, Fraser says, “I'm very pro-active with the way that I like to present my ideas to a director.”

It was the innate aesthetic of Fraser's work that appealed to Campion in matching the cinematographer to the UN project.

Having originally studied commercial photography at Melbourne's RMIT, he says he and Campion spoke about

Primeval

Needless to say it was recommissioned, but what DP Jake Polonsky (who has shared the workload with DP Adam Suschitzky) was really pleased about are that the inevitable comparisons with Dr Who and Torchwood began to dwindle as soon as Primeval got into its stride.

“Each 46-minute episode contains eight or nine minutes of CGI and that has to be carefully planned and storyboarded,”

page

20

“Jane is quite methodical and really well thought-out. And yet she's still intuitive. She's had so much experience, she can instantly say 'No, that's better'. And she's totally right.”

Still just 31, Fraser has just completed filming a commercial for Wim Wenders and NZ feature 1, directed by Rob Sarkies, and is rumoured to be shooting 2nd Unit on Baz Luhrmann's new epic Australia, with DP Mandy Walker.

passes and lighting passes and that slowed us down, but at least we didn't keep having to carry screens around with us.

DP Jake Polonsky

When Dr Who returned to the small screen to the nearhysterical delight of television audiences both young and middle-aged, ITV executives realised they would need to splash out on a Saturday night rival. The result was, Primeval, a good-looking, six-part action drama in which a good-looking team of scientists chases creatures in and out of time-holes called 'anomalies'. It was done well, pulling in some seven million viewers and selling all over the world.

photography, painting, poetry, “because a poem involves writing”, to get a visual sense of what Campion was seeing.

“Right from the beginning, Christian stated his preference for Super 16 (rather than HD), because of its better dynamic range. He sat down with executive producer Tim Haines and showed him the difference between an image originated on Super 16 and one on HD.” It made a difference in practical terms too.

he says. “To achieve that in the small amount of time that Framestore CFC had was tight because scripts were changing slightly in pre-production. And, we were having to move to different locations all the time because we never found a place to base the show.

“I spent a lot of time with Christian Manz (VFX supervisor) and Matt Fox (VFX producer) and the way we designed a lot of the sequences was good, in that we didn't have to do masses of blue or greenscreen. We did have to do a lot of interactive

“We started shooting in March last year at Black Park (next door to Pinewood) and it rained every day. Every single piece of video equipment we had broke down, but the cameras kept working. If we'd been working on any digital format, it would have just killed us. It's one of those factors that seems to get overlooked in the rush to bin Super 16.”

Crew: Director (first 3 episodes) DP/2nd camera operator Camera operator VFX supervisor VFX producer

ISSUE 22

Cilla Ware Jake Polonsky Xandy Sahla Christian Manz Matt Fox

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

UK

close-ups

DP Daniel Landin

DP Tim Palmer

BMW Commercial

True Dare Kiss grateful that we have a producer (Marcus Wilson) who had the confidence to persuade the BBC to let us shoot on film. It would have been harder and slower otherwise. It comes down to the ergonomics of the equipment.

HD takes up so much space and time with all the cables and the monitors. The other problem with HD is that every camera, or camera chip at least, is different - you can't line them up. I saw that on Robin Hood. Some chips are warmer and more contrasty.

Tim Palmer recently finished a 16-week shoot as DP on a new BBC six-part drama series called True Dare Kiss. “It's a psycho thriller with a slightly gothic feel to it,” he says. “It's set in a big Victorian house and we've gone for a sombre colour palette. It feels heavy with long corridors which recede away into the dark, although we do brighten it up in the grade and there is always light on actors' faces.”

From David Bowie videos to Levi's commercials, DP Daniel Landin seems to specialise in the exciting, dramatic and spectacular. His work on this BMW commercial is no exception. Ad agency WCRS asked directors Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton-Jones of Wanted Films to adapt their highly stylised 'light painting' photography techniques for the 60-second spot. The brief was to dazzle and delight viewers with a beautiful symphony of light and music and then leave them with the copyline, 'See how it feels'.

And so, to a modern re-working of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, all manner of lighting effects dance and bounce around the contours of a BMW. It's all beautifully choreographed and reminiscent of Walt Disney's 1940s classic Fantasia.

True Dare Kiss features a big cast led by Dervla Kirwen, Lorraine Ashbourne and Paul McGann. The directors are Jeremy Webb (episodes 1,2,3) and Declan O'Dwyer (episodes 4,5,6).

“We shot on Kodak 7218 (night) and 200T using two SR3 cameras,” says Palmer. “I'm

“One of the characters has a lot of flashbacks and I used 7285 Ectachrome and crossprocessed it to distort the colours - it's very interesting. I used Super 8 for another character's flashbacks.

“On the first block with Jeremy, I operated as well, as it felt more intimate but, on the second block with Declan, I used an operator as the scenes were bigger. The whole point of having two directors on a serial is to try to bring something else on board.”

Crew: Directors Jeremy Webb, Declan O'Dwyer DP Tim Palmer 2nd AD Jo Morris Camera op Darren Miller

There are so many techniques employed on the 60second spot, it's hard to know where to start. The biggest piece of equipment used was a turntable with a rolling road on loan from Vickers. Coming in a close second was a time-slice rig driving some 80 cameras with delayed exposure in sequence. Then there were lasers, Mac 2000 programmable lights, a 30 squarefoot bank of LEDs, miles of different fabrics and gauzes and, of course, the BMWs. “It was shot on a large stage at Black Island Studios,” says Landin, “we sub-divided it into a series of smaller stages so that we could prepare sets with lasers. We used several cars in different tones - some we painted for different effects. We had one painted matt grey so that it would absorb the light more than reflect it. Another car was painted matt black and one was entirely covered with glitter - it looked very pimped up. We had to clean them all up afterwards.

“I got on with Warren and Nick immediately. They had quite a free hand in the creative process and Chris, the laser artist, was a great contributor. It was important that we weren't restricted as this is interesting new territory. There were times when we had to sync the laser's scanning speed (for sheet effects) with the 35mm camera's shutter speed. The whole technique is an imprecise science and the difficulty is in understanding what an effect will be at the point of shooting rather than the next day when the dailies come in but we got over those hurdles early on.”

Crew: Directors DP Laser artist Post-production

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

Warren Du Preez, Nick Thornton-Jones Daniel Landin Chris Levine Glassworks

page

21

UK

camera motion

Movement to thrill: Spielberg and Hitchcock used camera movement to create fear and suspense in movies like Jaws and Vertigo

Camera movement Kevin Hilton explores the companies and equipment out there for moving the camera. Here's what he found‌ The moving camera can thrill, it can stir emotions and create tension and suspense. In many ways it is the essence of cinema - sometimes extravagant for dramatic effect, at others barely perceptible, but still moving the viewer in ways that can be hard to explain. A moving camera not only brings drama and animation to a scene it also gives a threedimensional quality to the cinema or television picture.

The moving camera might be thought of as a relatively modern device, but it goes back to the early days of silent films. Sound initially rooted the camera to the spot inside a sound proof cabinet. But once the problem of camera noise had been solved movement could be combined with sound and dramatic editing to create atmospheric and unsettling images.

Alfred Hitchcock used a moving camera to drive the narrative of Rope, which was shot in continuous takes. His later Vertigo featured the first use of the contra-zoom for when James Stewart looks down the bell tower (in reality a miniature). By tracking in and zooming out at the same time the perspective stretches, conveying a giddying sense of a character's emotions.

Contra-zoooooms

manufactures fluid heads. This camera mount has liquid forced between its moving parts to make camera movement effortless.

Other major makers of fluid head include O'Connor, Miller Camera Support and Ronford Baker, whose range includes the Atlas and the new Atlas 30. The company also manufactures a jib, currently used on Inkheart, and a slider, allowing horizontal moves, which features in both Mamma Mia! (DP Haris Zambarloukos BSC) and The Golden Compass (DP Henry Braham BSC)

Hello dolly A common but still useful move is the tracking or travelling shot, which relies on the trolley-mounted support known as a dolly. Martin Scorsese has long been an exponent of the moving camera and for The Departed, DP Michael Ballhaus used a Panther Evolution dolly on several key scenes.

sense of flight or speed and even higher rise shots can be achieved from helicopters and vertical mounts like the Commotion Vortex.

Microdolly Hollywood, Matthews and Vinten are other prominent producers of dollies, while A&C produces a variation on the theme with its Track-Pod 100 system. The company designs remote controlled moving camera heads in various configurations; the Track-Pod runs on a suspended track to achieve an effect similar to dollying.

Back on the ground, what many directors and cinematographers wanted was for the camera to move smoothly like a person walking. Hand-held cameras came close to that but tend to give a more documentary feel to a scene. The breakthrough came with the development of harnesses worn by the camera operator. These contain gimbals that keep the camera steady but can be moved in most directions.

Steven Spielberg and DP Bill Butler made the contra-zoom iconic in the scene in Jaws in which Roy Scheider sits on the beach and realises that the shark is approaching some swimmers. Since then it has become something of a clichĂŠ, but an effective recent example is Jude Law's first appearance in Road to Perdition (DP Conrad Hall)

A further version of the dolly shot is to mount the camera on a moving vehicle to track faster moving action. The high-rise equivalent of the dolly is the crane, a big camera trolley fitted with an extending arm or boom, sometimes with a platform large enough for the camera and crew.

The basic pan and tilt of a camera on its pedestal gives restricted but still effective movement, following and tracking a character or the action. Among the best-known pedestals are produced by Vinten and Sachtler, which also

The first crane for movie-making was reputedly developed for the 1929 film Broadway. JL Fisher, Super Technocranes and Technocrane are among the leading suppliers to the film business. Cameras have been mounted on wires to give a

page

22

The moving camera might be thought of as a relatively modern device, but it goes back to the early day of silent films

Walking around

The pioneering example of what became known as the fluid camera was John Carpenter's Halloween, which used the Panaglide stabilisation system. The Steadicam superseded this and, although it is largely associated with the horror genre, it can used for any type of subjective angle.

The Steadicam range has grown over the years to accommodate cameras of different sizes and weights, down

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

UK

camera motion

to DV camcorders. Rival systems have appeared, including the HandyMan from ABC Products, which also produces cranes and dollies. Director Mike Figgis is noted for his use of DV and wanted a camcorder support that allowed greater movement.

Figgis contacted industrial designer Ben Wilson, who had already built helmet camera supports for making skater films, and the result was the Fig Rig. Wilson says the intention was for the Fig Rig, which is produced commercially by Manfrotto, not to be a "junior Steadicam".

Technology has given cameras even greater movement and in recent years much of that has come from computer-driven hardware known as motion control. A camera is mounted on a remote controlled pedestal running on tracks, which can be programmed to repeat pre-set movements. This is especially useful for scenes to feature visual effects but the technology is also used to create seamless moving camera shots.

Control (MRMC), Kuper and Mo-Sys. MRMC systems appeared in the 1980s and the range now includes motioncontrolled cameras, cranes and dollies. The Milo system is in everyday use on the sets of commercials and feature films.

so that they generate the moco move. Conventional head and camera equipment is utilised to provide up to eight axes of motion, including tracking on standard curved and straight sections."

Kuper is an American software developer and its programs are used by its UK and Europe representative Tech Mechs FX, which offers a range of motion control packages, often in conjunction with General Lift booms, arms and supports. MoSys was developed to perform its task without detracting from everything else going on in a production. The company has approximately ten motion control units in Hollywood right now.

Our thoughts are that this gives a better overall picture of what the system is about, i.e. a different type of moco to the more conventional systems.

Controlled motion

Motion control systems require additions, such as booms and head controllers. MK-V, founded by Steadicam operator Howard J Smith, manufacturers camera support systems and the Revolution, a gimbal device, in a number of models, which can work in conjunction with motion controllers.

The first motion control systems developed during the 1970s.

Among the leading exponents today are Mark Roberts Motion

"RevolveR, from Jackson Woodburn, allows the DOP and focus-puller to remain in control of the camera, head and lens,

A leading exponent of the technology is the Visual Effects Company, formerly known as The Mill Motion Control. Its stock of equipment includes MRMC systems, among them a large Cyclops rig, two portable Milos, a Juno system, plus a new small motion control rig called SPROG. This is based in Mount Pleasant studios in London and allows motion control moves to be recorded by pushing the rig just like a normal dolly.

Whatever the equipment and whatever the film the moving camera shot will continue to move and excite audiences.

A&C, Manufacturers of Remote Systems For Film & TV POWER-POD, PEE-POD & now TRACK-POD 100 Servo Dolly with Integral Remote Head Curved & Straight Track Mounted on Floor or Under-Slung Gear Rack Drive in Track Programmable For Film or TV Cable Free Option

TRACK-POD 100

www.powerpod.co.uk

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

page

23

UK

camera motion

The Cinematographer’s POV on Three leading cinematographers talk about camera movement, how they use it, what sequences have impressed or influenced them, and how technology is helping make moves better and easier.

Mike Southon BSC Filmmakers have always tried to move the camera, says Mike Southon, regardless that it was cumbersome and the support gear was not ideal. A prime example for him is I Am Cuba, the 1964 Russian film with a continuous opening shot in which the camera was passed from person to person.

Busby Berkley knew about the power of the moving camera, as did Max Ophuls. "Their thinking was they'd rather move the camera than not," Southon observes, "and that can give a visceral quality." Which is what Dick Bush's lurking camera did for Jonathan Miller's version of MR James' Whistle and I'll Come to You. Southon has never been afraid to move his own camera. In RKO 281, the story of the making of Citizen Kane, Southon was not only paying homage to Gregg Toland's work but also driving the story of Orson Welles' battle with the Hearst empire. "Welles and Toland are important figures and what they did was not gratuitous, like the rising shot above the opera singer." He also created his own shots, including craning across a table to end on Melanie Griffith.

An ideal film for a moving camera was Bernard Rose's intelligent horror, Paperhouse. When Charlotte Burke first wakes, in her self-created world, the camera rises to reveal the house of the title. And the heart-wrenching climax, filmed at Beachy Head with a helicopter, is, says Southon, all about letting go.

"I love camera movement," Southon concludes, "but you always have to ask yourself 'Do I need to do it?'."

Henry Braham BSC Like most cinematographers Henry Braham sees the moving camera as integral to filmmaking today. On his current project, The Golden Compass, the camera is "moving all the time" to follow the actors and in specially choreographed sequences.

He's using just about every piece of hardware available - from Technocranes to sliders - but he says the amount of camera movement in today's films is less to do with what the camera is mounted on and more to do with what it is shot on.

"In early colour photography the cameras were massive to accommodate the three strips of film," Braham observes. "But look at the work that someone like Busby Berkley was doing and consider the technology he had. Look at the placing of it all it's remarkable."

A breakthrough came with Eastman Color, with only one strip of film through the camera. "Film stocks got faster and faster, there was more location shooting and in a film like Taxi Driver the camera is moving all over the place." And the next liberating step, Braham believes, is digital, with cameras like the Genesis.

page

24

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

UK

camera motion

Camera Movement Any tool that moves a camera is useful, says Braham, be it a dolly, a Steadicam or a helicopter.

Helicopters feature in his work: Flyboys used a Bob Netmann system with a sophisticated stabilized head; The Golden Compass will feature a sequence using a helicopter as a crane.

And if there isn't a tool that moves the camera how you want, says Braham, most grips will be able to build something. "It comes down to the idea.

And camera moves don't have to be huge - they can be almost imperceptible to the audience but they're great from a story point of view."

Of his own work Curtis picks the BBC production of Vanity Fair; as well as Steadicam work there is a move and zoom onto Becky Sharp at the far end of a room. His second feature, Love and Death on Long Island, has a move illustrating how camera movement has to work with editing. It starts on a Porsche, moves to a postman, who posts the mail through a door, which becomes a door in London, pulling back to reveal the new setting.

"Getting the timing right, the exposure, is all important. And the director has to believe that movement is a necessary part of telling the story."

Oliver Curtis BSC A camera move should never be for the sake of it, says Oliver Curtis. "What you do with the camera depends on the script and the demands of a scene," adding that keeping the camera still can be as effective as anything.

And camera movement does not have to be perfectly executed or performed with the highest tech equipment. "My favourite camera move is the final shot of Andrei Tarkovsky's Mirror. It may not be the most sophisticated of moves, but it is in-synch with the director's highly personalized vision."

Similarly, he says, the famous contra-zoom in Jaws is not seamless, but it works because it is perfectly timed with the unfolding drama. A small but effective move is in The Conversation; as Gene Hackman and a woman talk at a party the camera moves in an arc three times, starting from the same place, conveying how they are not really communicating.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

page

25

FEATURE

camera creative

Opposites attract talent: films such as Hot Rod and Miss Potter are at different ends of the spectrum, but both were lensed by Dunn

Typecasting…

not the Dunn thing Quirky British independent vs. major Hollywood studio picture? Pauline Rogers discovers that Andrew Dunn ASC, BSC is comfortable with both as he talks about his experiences on Miss Potter and Hot Rod. In the world of movie-making, people tend to be myopic.

Artists are typecast, whether it's an actor who, “can only do comedy”, or a director who is “more interested in stunts than story.”

When it comes to picking a cinematographer, it's the same.

They go through the “list” and it's often; “Like his work but he can only do…” Then they get to someone like Andrew Dunn BSC and, no matter how hard “they” try, this cinematographer can't be typecast.

Just take a look at the range of his recent pictures. There is the wonderfully dramatic British independent Miss Potter, and at the opposite end of the spectrum Hot Rod, the irreverent tale of stuntman Rod Kimble's quest to raise enough money for his abusive father's operation.

“For me, it's about finding a visual language to support the story, no matter what genre,” says Dunn, who moves easily between independent features, where artists are basically allowed to create, knowing they need to produce with limited resources, and big studio productions where unlimited resources are available, but with that comes the “system”.

“Miss Potter was a wonderful experience. Developing a relationship with the director, Chris Noonan (Babe), was a joy.

This early relationship with a director is the foundation so necessary for me for the intense journey to come,” he says.

“Our challenge was to recreate a somewhat 'classic' moody

page

26

style, to draw the audience into the early 1900s and the world of an extremely creative, lonely, woman. She (unknowingly) looks for, and finds briefly, happiness outside of the 'inner' world. She uses this inner turmoil to strike a chord in the imagination and bring happiness to millions - something that we attempt every day while making films.”

Radically different take for Hot Rod. “Hot Rod was a very different big studio picture, and a way to use another set of creative resources,” he exclaims. “Firsttime director Akiva Schaffer and his partners, Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone, have known each other since sixth grade, and have worked closely together on YouTube and Saturday Night Live projects. When we met in Vancouver to talk about this Pythonesque comedy, there was an immediate language and understanding, the same feeling I had when I met Chris Noonan.

story, “communicating” with the whole crew and “finding” the best tools to bring everything together for each sequence.

Take the point in Miss Potter when Norman has almost proposed to her. It is Christmas, and she has pulled him away from the party and up to her “studio” at the top of the house, intent on giving him a painting as a gift. Her mother interrupts the moment and he doesn't propose. Later, after the guests leave, she rushes back upstairs to wave from her window to her departing love.

“This attic sequence combines a great deal of skills from all of the filmmakers. Beatrix waves to Norman from a window. We used the Panavision camera with anamorphic lenses, Fuji

“Akiva wanted this picture to have the feeling that it was shot with three-chip video, as if they did it themselves. But, it shouldn't look as though were trying too hard. They had to maintain the 'street cred' they had built up with their audience, yet do a 'studio system' picture. This was to look like here and now, off-the-cuff, and casually observed. I got a kick out of this change of gear, working in unknown environments, with people I have never met before. It keeps me on my toes,” says Dunn.

Comedy or drama, there is still a strict philosophy behind whatever Andrew Dunn does, and it starts with “getting” the

Considered: Andrew Dunn lines up the next shot

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

FEATURE

camera creative

Eterna film stock and delicate filtration from a version of the Schneider Black Frost - made by my 'filter guru' Stan Wallace in New York, by the way. Her point-of-view was shot weeks earlier in Hammersmith. She then returns into the room and plays the music box he had played to her earlier, dancing with her imaginary lover.

“Renee Zellweger was asked to stand on a platform attached to the dolly, (made by Malcolm Huse the key grip), and then, while pretending to dance, create the most fantastically complicated range of emotions imaginable. This to me is the coming together of all of the departments, and all of the experience, understanding, knowledge and skills, to convey through artifice and the consummate acting abilities of a very talented actor.

“We had to light the very low-ceilinged set to be able to shoot 360º, and that did create quite a challenge for David Smith (the gaffer), for me and his team. A small Litepanel was invaluable to us, plus a series of low and high lights; we used some 'covered wagons' on dimmers, with some practicals, space lights set at a very low level, and two soft boxes (lights I learnt to use from a gaffer in Toronto) - one set in a doorway, and one behind a chair. There was a 'hot splash' or two with different colored gels, to liven up the background, together with a sense of light from the snowy street outside using Kinoflos. Renee only sustained this for one take”, he adds.

Discussions are vital “I had worked with Martin Childs, the production designer, many years before when he worked with Ken Adam on Madness of King George. Working together on this film again, we tried to make the best we could of limited resources and the extreme limitations of the 'cowsheds' we were obliged to shoot in on the Isle of Man.

Dunn: “For me, it’s about finding a visual language to support the story, no matter what the genre” market and shot with a slightly skewed and irreverent mentality in mind.

“With Miss Potter it was more about playing the emotions, the drama,” he says. “With Hot Rod, it was comedy, with a human twist.

YouTube visuals “What was interesting for me is what it took for all of us to bring about Akiva's concept of YouTube visuals, knowing we had a 'studio' behind us. We had major resources, a different talent pool, and a few different layers to work through.

Don't ask Andrew Dunn which “style” of picture he prefers quirky British independent vs major Hollywood studio picture.

He's obviously comfortable with both. “Each has its pluses and minuses,” he admits.

“The production designer Stephen Altman and I worked together on Gosford Park, so we had a great trust and understanding,” he says. “For this film I opted to shoot widescreen (again), but Super 35mm with Panavision Primo Lenses, on Eastman Kodak film stock, with a light Harrison Black Diffusion for filtration.

“In the end, it's really still all about finding a way to support the story, with the resources, the creativity, the challenges you have. You don't think about 'big comedy' or 'small drama'.

It's all about saying something.”

A sequence which conveys the 'poles apart' nature of the two films from the cinematographer's POV comes quite early on, when Rod is attempting one of his terrible stunts.

Dunn explains, “It is an exterior, bright day scene with all the players at the pool. We had to shoot from dawn to dusk and create a continuity of look as we introduce our zany characters to the audience, ending with a hilarious stunt. Rod tries to jump over the pool from a ramp, built by his friends, on a moped.

In the blood: Dunn never wants to give up cinematography “These discussions are very important, to make sure that we are all on the same course to create the world that we are inviting the audience to believe in. We had to build the interior (and to give the impression) of a very large, grand Victorian house, once again combining all of our experiences, skills and knowledge. We had to maximize the set-build in the small space, often too close to the windows and front door incidentally, which was also where all the equipment was stored. And then shooting an exterior snow scene in this same area, spending hours afterwards clearing up the drifts in the house. It is what we do to make this kind of picture.”

Practically on the other side of the world, is this year's broad comedy in Hot Rod, which Dunn helped style for the teenage

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

rather desultory , viewpoint. There are a series of outrageous stunts in this picture, all building up to the final stunt sequence where he jumps over 15 school buses. This final one was shot over a period of nine days, some days with eight cameras, which was (from many aspects) quite an operation.

And quite different from Miss Potter, but a lot of fun and extremely enervating.”

“It was all handled simply, deftly, as though observed by the casual onlooker. The stunt itself was covered with multiple cameras, (for safety), but knowing we would only want one,

With these two pictures in release, Dunn has now turned to other projects. At the time of writing he was in Budapest, teaming-up again with operator Gerry Vasbenter, shooting an adaptation of the stage play Good. Dunn is also developing scripts and producing three pictures for his Pocket Watch Films, one of which will begin shooting soon.

“It is a wonderful, original story of a woman, music (opera) driven, set in England and USA at the beginning of the 20th century.

“I will never give up, or stop being a cinematographer,” he says. “It is in my veins; my very lifeblood. I look forward to all the challenges in the future, producing, shooting - small pictures or big studio extravaganzas. As long as there is an interesting story, I'm there.”

Andrew Dunn BSC - Filmography Helen Stanley (pre-production) (2008) Sweet Home Alabama (2002) The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) Good (2008) (filming) Gosford Park (2001) Hot Rod (2007) Monkeybone (2001) Miss Potter (2006) Liam (2000) The History Boys (2006) Ordinary Decent Criminal (2000) Mrs Henderson Presents (2005) Practical Magic (1998) Hitch (2005) Ever After (1998) Stage Beauty (2004) Hush (1998) Piccadilly Jim (2004) Addicted to Love (1997) The Company (2003) The Crucible (1996) The Boy David Story (2003) The Grotesque (1995) What a Girl Wants (2003)

The Madness of King George (1994) A Simple Twist of Fate (1994) Clean Slate (1994) The Hawk (1993) The Bodyguard (1992) Blame It on the Bellboy (1992) L.A. Story (1991) Chattahoochee (1989) Strapless (1989) Andrina (1981)

page

27

FEATURE

all time greats

The Journeyman Arrives Now 85 years old, with over 60 years spent in the business of making films and documentaries, Haskell Wexler spoke to Madelyn Most about his long and often controversial career.

“The journey is the destination,” says Haskell Wexler. “So much of our lives are spent working on films, and what counts most is the friendship - the camaraderie, the teamwork, the respect we have for each other. Certainly we want to work on films that reflect something decent, something good, that expose something wrong. We think of ourselves as artists.

But most of the time we are doing routine things and sharpening our skills.

“We are not finding a cure for cancer, we are making entertainment movies. I tried to concentrate on communicating in images. It is a responsibility to society and a responsibility to yourself. What is meaningful in life, what lasts is not something you can see on a clip reel, it's not what you can read on a resumé. Making a successful film is not the destination, getting an award is not a destination. What's important are your personal priorities.”

workers rights. Producers say they have a right to keep a list of people who are troublemakers and the union cooperates with them by giving them all kinds of personal information people's descriptions, their ages, social security numbers, their work history. The producers want a compliant workforce and the union delivers this to them. At Sundance last year when I presented my film, someone said, 'Oh, Wexler, that guy is litigious'. They said Who Needs Sleep is 'industry unfriendly'.

“So I would say. Do the best you can. Know your technology.

Enjoy and respect your friends. Try not to make pictures that are anti-personal, that are violent, that challenge what it means to be civilized and decent. Understand that in your journey you have to think about a life outside of work. Your time and your life does not belong to any producer or any company. It belongs to you only, so make it worthwhile.”

Beginnings

I tried to concentrate on communicating in images. It is a responsibility to society and a responsibility to y o u r s e l f. W h a t ' s important are your personal priorities.

“I was blacklisted in the 1950s and they took my passport away. They used the blacklist to get rid of militant union people then. With the Freedom of Information Act, I received the 500-page file the FBI kept on me, so I can see exactly what I was doing when, even what books I was reading. But it is disgraceful that today, in 2007, the union has a blacklist resolution and they won't take it out. The blacklists the motion picture producers have are not about communists anymore; it's about people who make trouble, meaning they defend

page

28

Haskell Wexler was born in 1922 into a privileged Chicago family. As a boy, he worked with a stills photographer covering the trade union movement, and made home movies of family holidays in Europe with their 16mm Bell+Howell camera.

Wexler ran away from private school at age17 and travelled around the country hitchhiking, jumping boxcars, and living in hobo camps.

He enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was unjustly expelled for political activity. At the time, Wexler was too young to join the Abraham Lincoln brigade to fight against Franco's army in Spain, so instead he earned his seaman's papers and joined the merchant marine, the ships that kept supplies moving to America's allies during WWII. There, he met fellow seaman Woody Guthrie. Wexler worked on different tankers that ran the North Sea gauntlet to Murmansk, Russia and twice survived torpedo attacks. (In 1998 he received a medal from Boris Yeltsin for defending Murmansk).

It was on Friday, November 13, 1942 off the coast of Madagascar, when the Excelo was torpedoed by a German submarine; Wexler, along with 18 others, survived on a lifeboat for 14 days. They reached the shores of South Africa and lived for a month in a tribal village. He was 19.

“In my life when shrapnel or bullets could have hit me, I would never think I might have been killed. I just felt that my life was a mission and nobody's going to fuck with me. Probably good parents give you that feeling when they fill you with selfassurance, positive vibes. The whole idea that you're born to be a good person,” he adds.

Do the best you can. Know your technology…

Understand that in your journey you have to think about a life outside of work… your life does not belong to any producer or any c o m p a n y.

Potentially dangerous Returning from the war, Wexler worked at the family business, Allied Radio Company, before persuading his father to rent an old Armory building in rural Illinois which he fitted out with lighting and camera equipment, setting himself up as a production studio. Admitting to making all the obvious mistakes when one is young and naïve,” he says emphatically, "you learn by doing.”

To get into the movie industry, Wexler shot documentaries and worked as an assistant on newsreels for Paramount News and Fox Movietone. To get into Hollywood, he used the name of Mark Jeffrey and co-financed with Roger Corman, Irwin Kershner's debut film Stakeout on Dope Street and shot it with his own Éclair camera. In 1955, Wexler worked on Picnic as an assistant with James Wong Howe, and shot impressive 2nd unit material out of a helicopter, sitting on 2” x 4” wooden planks with ropes tied around his waist.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

FEATURE

all time greats

When shrapnel or bullets could have hit me, I would never think I might have been killed. I felt that my life was a mission and nobody's going to fuck with me. transport and in 2005, Who Needs Sleep?, about the damaging effects of working excessive hours which has become a disturbing aspect of American movie productions.

During the McCarthy era, Hollywood wouldn't employ Wexler so he filmed football games for TV. The FBI began keeping files on him since he was 14 years old, and according to a memo signed by FBI director Clarence Kelly, the organization considered him, “potentially dangerous because of background, emotional instability, or activity in groups engaged in activities inimical to the United States.” The file labels Wexler as a 'premature anti-fascist'.

In the early 1950s Wexler helped Herbert Biberman, one of the blacklisted directors known as the 'Hollywood Ten' with his film, Salt of the Earth. Wexler recalls, “The union and the government worked hand in hand to suppress anything that could be perceived as having a 'red tint'. No lab would process the film footage, so we smuggled it into a Chicago lab where we knew people and developed it and printed it ourselves.”

Documentaries Alongside his illustrious feature film career, Wexler continued to make social and political documentaries. In 1963, he made The Bus, freedom marchers travelling to Washington DC when Martin Luther King made his “I have a dream…” speech, Interviews with My Lai Veterans came in 1970, Brazil: A Report on Torture, Interview with President Salvador Allende in 1971, Introduction to the Enemy in 1974 with Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden, a film about the Weather Underground, and No Nukes in 1980.

Before the Iran-Contra scandal would be touched by the official media, in 1983 with Saul Landau, Wexler made Target Nicaragua: Inside a Covert War (and later feature film Latino in 1985). In 1999, with a digital camera he filmed The Bus Riders Union, about the ordeal of workers in Los Angeles using public

Medium Cool in 1969 was the first feature film that Wexler wrote, produced, directed and photographed (and for which he was never paid). Paramount Pictures refused to release it for almost a year, even though he had won the Oscar for Cinematography on Mike Nichols' Virginia Woolf. The MPAA gave it an X-rating, largely for its political content and the studio promptly withdrew the film from US screens, even though it received outstanding critical reviews.

Making movies In 1973, Wexler shot American Graffiti in 28 nights on a miniscule budget for his friend George Lucas. When Lucas sent him the script of Star Wars, originally titled Luke Skywalker, Wexler (not one to mince his words) said, “George, this is a piece of shit- What is this R2D2?”

(Remember that Wexler helped accomplish THX1138 in 1971when Lucas was a film student at USC).

In 1975 'complicated politics' influenced the relationship between Wexler and Milos Forman on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which was nominated for the Oscar; his lesstalented son Mark Wexler, (friend of Dubya with political leanings right of center), laboriously re-examines the controversy in his film portrait of his father, Tell Them Who You Are. In 1976 Wexler won his second Oscar for Hal Ashby's biographical film about Woody Guthrie, Bound for Glory. In 1978, he was responsible for the very significant additional photography on Days of Heaven, which earned Nestor Almendros the cinematography Oscar.

At this time, Wexler and Conrad Hall were partners in a commercials company, Haskell shot hundreds of spots including the famous Marlborough Country cowboys. “Yeah, I shot those Marlborough commercials when everyone knew cigarettes were harmful, but I put the money into the Institute

for Cinema Studies and from that I made films- good things happened,” he replies.

In the '80s Wexler earned two more Oscar nominations for Matewan and Blaze. In 1982, he photographed in the IMAX format, Hail Columbia, the maiden space shuttle flight and in 1991 shot the then longest-ever IMAX film, At the Max, a 50minute Rolling Stones-on-tour movie. During the 1990s Wexler shot The Babe, Canadian Bacon, Mulholland Falls, The Secret of Roan Inish, Rich Man' s Wife, and Limbo. In 2004 he joined John Sayles for a forth time with Silver City and photographed Billy Crystal's directorial debut, HBO 61.

Poignantly perhaps, Wexler says, “Last summer Barry Ackroyd asked me to come up to Vancouver to appear in Battle of Seattle. I was so excited to be in the movie, but I also shot. I was playing a cameraman in a riot and getting pepper-gassed.

I think my acting was OK, but they raved about my shots. Just the spirit and the attitude of that kind of filmmaking is part of the journey, and at this point in my life, I look at that as 'arriving'”.

Haskell Wexler Awards 1967 1975 1976 1988 1990 1990 1993 1995 1996 1996 1996 2006 2007

Academy Award Oscar for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Academy Award nomination shared for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Academy Award Oscar for Bound for Glory Academy Award nomination for Matewan also Winner of Independent Spirit Award Oscar nomination for Blaze ASC Award for Cinematography for Blaze ASC Lifetime Achievement Award Camerimage Golden Frog for The Secret of Roan Inish Camerimage Lifetime Achievement Award Motion Picture Academy Lifetime Achievement Award Star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame International Documentary Association Career Achievement Award Society of Operating Cameramen Lifetime Achievement Award

Haskell Wexler Filmography A Half Century with Cotton (industrial film) The Living City (short film, also directed) Look to the Land Picnic 1955 Stakeout on Dope Street (also co-produced) Five Bold Women Wild River The Savage Eye Studs Lonigan The Hoodlum Priest Angel Baby Jangadero A Face in the Rain T is for Tumbleweed A Face in the Rain America, America The Best Man The Loved One Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

ISSUE 22

1952 1953 1959 1959 1959 1960 1965 1961 1961 1961 1962 1962 1963 1963 1963 1965 1966

In the Heat of the Night 1967 The Thomas Crown Affair 1968 THX 1138 1969 Medium Cool (co-produced, wrote, directed) 1969 Interviews with My Lai Veterans 1970 Brazil: A Report on Torture (co-produced and co-directed) 1971 Interview with President Allende (co-produced, co-directed) 1971 Trial of the Catonsville Nine 1972 The Conversation (partial photography) 1973 American Graffiti 1973 Introduction to the Enemy 1974 Underground 1975 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1975 War Without Winners 1975 The Swine Flu Caper (co-directed) 1975 Hail Columbia 1976 Paul Jacobs and the Nuclear Gang 1977

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

Bound for Glory Land of Our Birth Coming Home Days of Heaven No Nukes The CIA Case Officer Land of Our Birth Second Hand Hearts Lookin to Get Out Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip Quest for Power (co-directed) Enhanced Radiation Quest for Power: Sketches of the American New Right (co-director) The Man Who Loved Women The Black Stallion Returns Target Nicaragua: Inside a Secret War (also co-directed) Bus II

1978 1978 1978 1978 1978 1978 1978 1981 1982 1982 1982 1982 1982 1983 1983 1983 1983

(Latino 1985 Director) Matewan Colors Uncle Meat Three Fugitives Blaze Rolling Stones At the Max Other People's Money The Babe Canadian Bacon Mulholland Falls The Secret of Roan Inish Rich Man's Wife Bus Rider's Union Limbo Bread and Roses (2nd camera) HBO 61 Silver City Who Needs Sleep (also co-directed)

1986 1987 1987 1989 1989 1990 1991 1992 1992 1991 1993 1993 1998 1999 1999 2000 2003 2005

page

29

EUROPE

IMAGO

IMAGO Annual General Assembly

The last meeting of the IMAGO Annual General Assembly took place in February in Lisbon, Portugal, writes Tony Costa. It was attended by 23 nations from all over Europe, and Mexico was presented too. The BSC was represented by John French BSC and Nigel Walters BSC, who informed the gathering about the BBC's decision to drop 16mm film as a production format for its HD channel.

The Assembly took place at ESTC (Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema), a film school supporteed by sereval orgainisations involved with filmamking. These included ICAM , the Portuguese Film Institute, Contra-Campo, a light and grip rental company , camera rental house EPC Visão de Lisboa, Lisbon City Hall, and Mfilm catering.

During the Assembly it was unanimously voted that Luciano Tovoli AIC, a founder of IMAGO, should become its first honorary member.

Speaking about the foundation of IMAGO Tovoli said, “I had the precise sensation that a new opening was coming, that we were all together initiating something really important… able to

communicate at a different level, inside and outside our national societies, in the interest not only of our profession but also in the interest of the art of filmmaking, in the interest of the culture and by that in the interest of the quality of our life.”

The Assembly agreed to establish permanent committees to discuss a range of important subjects in detail. The model contract for cinematographers was one of the committees created. IMAGO is preparing to present a model contract that can be used as a guideline for future contracts, covering pre-production, production and post production.

The aim of the new Technical committee is to debate and discuss new technologies. The future lies entirely in the digital world and cinematographers need to dominate and control all aspects of the making of moving pictures.

An educational committee, the Master Class committee, was also established which will work closely with film schools on a programme of high level, high quality seminars and workshops about cinematography. The Ukrainian and Serbian societies were welcomed to become new members of IMAGO. On Sunday, during the afternoon several presentations were held to show Panavision's Genesis digital camera to local technicians. After the closing of the international meeting, there was a special screening of Cinematographer Style, by Jon Fauer ASC, followed by a presentation made by Kodak about Digital Intermediate workflow.

Diagonale - the Festival of Austrian film Every year towards the end of March, observers of the Austrian film business notice a movement of local filmmakers, a sort of a migration, to the south of the country, writes Astrid Heubrandtner AAC. As in past years Diagonale, the festival of Austrian Film, took pace yet again in the small and pleasant town of Graz, where the tenth annual review of Austrian films, were screened and some of them awarded.

Again, two awards were bestowed by the Austrian Association of Cinematographers AAC: Best Cinematography Feature Film and Best Cinematography Documentary. The nominations were all featurelength Austrian films or documentaries. The juries of the Diagonale Award (feature film) and the Main Diagonale Award (documentary) also selected the recipients for the best camerawork.

This year the jury of the Diagonale Award (feature film) consisted of Florian Flicker (director, AUT), Florian Koerner (producer, GER) and Linda Soeffker (curator Berlinale, GER).

page

30

The award for best cinematography in a feature film during 2006/07 went to Bernhard Keller and the film Fallen from Barbara Albert, for “excitingly etched images and lighting that fits the mood. The camera is close enough but at the right distance,” said the judging panel.

Martina Kudlácek (filmmaker, AUT), Micha Schiwow (Swiss Films, CH) and Gudrun Sommer (Duisburger Filmwoche, GER) were in the jury of the Main Diagonale Award (documentary), which gave the prize to Jo Molitoris for It Happened Just Before from Anja Salomonowitz, giving special praise for the camerawork, which helped to visualise a subtle filmic concept using framing and colours.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

EUROPE

IMAGO

Luciano Tovoli AIC, ASC IMAGO proudly presents a review of Luciano Tovoli's career. First of all, because having done extraordinary films he is an important reference for cinematographers; secondly, because IMAGO owes its existence to him, writes Diana Soeiro.

An institution like IMAGO was on Tovoli's mind long before it actually happened: in 1981, along with Gabriele Lucci and Nestor Almendros, he created the International Festival of Cinematographers in L'Aquila, Italy. This was Tovoli's first attempt to bring cinematography under the spotlight and make this artform visible to an audience.

Eleven years later, in 1992, Tovoli decided to dedicate his energy to creating the European Federation of National Cinematographers Associations. During a Cinematographers reunion in Rome, December 1992, he actually succeeded in doing so and the AIC (Italy), AFC (France), BSC (UK) and BVK (Germany) were the first founding IMAGO members. Since then he has organized the Cinematographer's Day at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Creating IMAGO was important as it not only bonded European cinematographers' associations together, but also the European film industry itself. By creating IMAGO, Tovoli grasped and predicted a concept that only now is starting to become important: the demands of film and media in the European market stress not only the existence of national institution, but also of European institutions able to defend and promote their interests in an European context. IMAGO was Tovoli's groundbreaking idea, and it is IMAGO's mission to make the best of it.

Today, we gladly assert that IMAGO is an active and growing association, working to face the profound changes that are now taking place in European film market.

Luciano Tovoli was born in 1936, in Tuscany, Italy, and first studied foreign languages at the Università di Pisa before completed his degree at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia between 1956-58.

The '60s and '70s In 1960, aged 27, he shot his first long feature Banditi a Orgosolo/ Bandits of Orgosolo, with Vittorio De Seta (b. 1923, Italy) as both director and main DP. (De Seta was a cinematographer, writer and director. After shooting Banditi a Orgosolo he dedicated himself completely to writing and directing). This film was an important first work for it won Best B&W Cinematography, awarded by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists (1962), and also Best First Work award by Venice Film Festival (1961).

Again in 1969, he collaborated once more with Vittorio De Seta on L' Invitata/ The Uninvited (1969), a film co-written by legendary Tonino Guerra. This time, Tovoli was solely responsible for the cinematography, working with colour for the first time.

Several Italian and French production collaborations followed including collaborations with directors Franco Brusati (Pane e

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

cioccolata/ Bread and Chocolate (1973)), Dino Risi (Mordi e fuggi/ Dirty Weekend (1973)) and Michelangelo Antonioni.

Antonioni and Tovoli had their first collaboration for a television documentary on China, Chung Kuo - Cina (1972), shot shortly after Antonioni's Oscar nomination for his highly acclaimed and awarded film, Blow Up (1966). In 1975 their first film collaboration took place with Professione: reporter/ The Passenger (1975) featuring Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider. The film won several awards and nominations in Italy, France, Spain and Denmark, including Tovoli's first career award given by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists.

During the 1970s, Tovoli also worked with directors Peter Fleischmann, Juan Luis Buñuel (son of Luis Buñuel), Luigi Comencini, Marco Ferreri, Valerio Zurlini (Il Deserto dei Tartari/ The Desert of the Tartars (1976)), Walerian Borowczyk having also his first collaboration with Dario Argento in Suspiria (1977).

The '80s Opening the 1980s, Tovoli worked again with Michelangelo Antonioni on a film adaptation of a Jean Cocteau's play Il Mistero di Oberwald/ The Oberwald Mystery (1981). The following year, another collaboration with director Dario Argento took place on Tenebre (1982).

In 1983 Tovoli was the cinematographer on an interesting and unusual biographical television documentary Tempo di viaggio/ Voyage in Time (1983), featuring both legendary screenwriter Tonino Guerra and director Andrei Tarkovsky. The documentary was filmed during scouting locations for Tarkovsky's film Nostalghia (1983), and features both talented men, making it a rare film piece.

In 1983 Tovoli directed his own project, sharing the cinematography with Giuseppe Tinelli in film title Il Generale dell'armata morte/ The General of the Dead Army, adapted from an Ismail Kadare's novel. Writing credits belong to Tovoli, to the respected and experienced screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière and also to awarded and legendary Italian actor Michel Piccoli (also featuring the film).

During this decade Tovoli also worked with other directors like Carlo Verdone, Maurice Pialat, Francis Veber, Nanni Moretti (Bianca (1984)) and Georges Lautner (La Cage aux Folles 3 'Elles' se marient, La/ Cage aux Folles 3: The Wedding) (1985).

Closing the decade he collaborated for the first time with highlyawarded Italian director Ettore Scola, first on Splendor (1989) and then again on Che ora è?/ What Time Is It? (1989). For Splendor he won his second career award by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists (1989); and for What Time Is It?, out of a total of four wins and one nomination total, one of them is Tovoli's third award from the Venice Film Festival (1989).

The '90s The 1990s were the beginning of a lasting collaboration between Tovoli and American director Barbet Schroeder, first in Reversal of Fortune (1990), followed by Tovoli's first allAmerican production Single White Female (1992) and then again in Kiss of Death (1995), Before and After (1996) and Desperate Measures (1998).

Ettore Scola also continued to be a presence in Tovoli's career with Il Viaggio di Capitan Fracassa/ The Voyage of Captain Fracassa (1990), a film that had four wins and two nominations, including, once again, the best cinematography award for Tovoli from the David di Donatello Awards (Italy), 1991. A second collaboration between Scola and Tovoli followed in film title Mario, Maria e Mario (1993), directed and written by Scola.

Further collaborations happened with Italian directos Franco Amurri and Francis Veber, and at the end of the decade, the 'Da Vinci' Award award was granted to Tovoli by Palm Springs IFF (2001) for his collaboration in Hollywood production Titus (1999) directed by Julie Taymor.

Since 2000 Tovoli has kept up his partenership with French director Francis Veber (1986, 1996, 1998) with Le Placard/ The Closet (2001) and Tais-toi!/ Ruby & Quentin (2003), and also with American director Barbet Schroeder: Murder by Numbers (2002).

Back in Italy he collaborated with directors Claudia Florio (Regina degli scacchi/ Check and Mate (2001)), Francisco Josè Fernandez (Ti voglio bene Eugenio/ I Love You Eugenio (2002)), Piero Livi (Maria si (2004)) and Carlo Marcucci (Vicino al fiume (2004)). This last film title directed by debutant Carlo Marcucci saw Tovoli also as co-writer. He was awarded by Montecatini Filmvideo - International Short Film Festival, in 2004, with a career award.

In 2007, Tovoli has completed his most recent film title L'Amour caché / Madre e ossa (2007) by Alessandro Capone. The film is an Italian production, spoken in French language, featuring Isabelle Huppert.

Cinematographer Lucian Tovoli is an acclaimed professional and a ground-breaking personality in film industry. Besides having done more than 60 films during his 44 years career as a cinematographer, he conceived and implemented IMAGO's concept and most recently created Cinematographer's Day an event-concept.

Tovoli was IMAGO's first honorary member and is currently an member of the AIC (Italy) and ASC (USA). Recently he was made Honorary Member of the FSF (Föreningen Sveriges Filmfotografer/ The Swedish Society of Cinematographers).

Once a president of the AIC (Italian Society of Cinematographers), he is now dedicated to his own film development company, Blue Sky Sviluppo s.r.l., founded in 2005 with offices in Rome and Palm Springs. He is also head of the Cinematographer's Day Organizing Committee and, as always, a working cinematographer

page

31

FEATURE

innovation UK

Celebrating its 15th year

The MOVIEtube ST & LT, for instance, are a departure from previous mini 35mm DoF adaptors, due to a patented “film screen”, which is a static intermediate technology, not available in any other system. It has the unique universal ability (without retro fitting) to fix to any 1/3” chip camera with a fixed lens. The MOVIEtube is a purely optical system, power is only required on the ST to run a viewfinder and breakout box, which has industry standard BNC and 12v auxiliary power sockets for industry standard remote follow focus and monitor plugs.

South London Filter Ltd (SLF) this year celebrates its 15th year under the guidance of managing director Carey Duffy. During this time the company has continued to supply camera filters in the rental and sales market, developed bespoke optical filter solutions, and advises DPs daily about the everincreasing filter and matte box usage in the changing world of image acquisition today motion picture and broadcast prodiuction.

SLF is not only renowned as a camera filter supplier, but also used as a technical reference point by DPs, broadcast cameramen, camera assistants, students and camera rental facilities.

“Our unique range and knowledge of filters, added to our dedication in educating clients, means that we are happy to supply any size production or personal request,” declares

Carey Duffy. “Keeping as much of a shooter's personal look incamera by the use of filters is paramount to us and our client's success. With the ever-increasing reliance on post, keeping faith with the tools that have affected the physics of image acquisition, since the start of photography, is as important and fundamental to our clients today as it ever was.”

However, the move into post-production filtration is not lost on SLF, “Ten years ago we were at the forefront of introducing filters into telecine transfer, and still get the odd request,” says Duffy. “This year we are looking forward to the introduction and launch of Tiffen's DFX software. It's their first independent step into the post filtration market, and is basically a plug-in for Adobe, Final Cut Pro and other software packages. It will not herald the end of filtration; it's a way of adding as an after-thought, there is no substitute to actually effecting light!”

Kinomatik

Later to come to the market its unique ergonomic design is another feature that makes it stand out. “The point of our current and future endeavours is not always to be first to market, but considered for market,” adds Duffy.

This approach earned Kinomatik the top Gold “Innovatiospreis des Dutschen Films 2005” award, for new technologies in the Motion Picture and Broadcast Industry, annually awarded to German companies manufacturing new and enterprising equipment.

At this year's 2006 BAFTA's awards the MOVIE tube, which was developed for lower-budget indie features, commercials, corporate, i-dents and pop promos was used on the best short film awarded to Scotland, Tracks. In December of 2006 the MOVIEtube was tested at BBC

Other recent innovations SLF's stable of products and services has been the incorporation of Kinomatik Ltd. Kinomatik is the collaboration of Kinomatik Gbr & SLF. Kinomatik Ltd has been incorporated to bridge a new way of developing both company's talent's and attributes.

For the past two years SLF has lead the way in introducing Kinomatik Gbr's revolutionary MOVIEtube ST & LT mini 35mm digital video camera system. Kinomatik Ltd consists of Carey Duffy, Jurgen Killenberger (business development director) and Frank Wurster (R&D director). By pooling resources it aims to develop new tools and systems for today's developing technologies.

page

32

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

FEATURE

innovation UK

Kingswood Warren HD research and development facility, for resolution quality. The outcome of the BBC's test was that the MOVIEtube, when used with either a Sony HVR Z1 or Panasonic HVX200, had “no loss of resolution”.

“With no loss of resolution confirmed we are eagerly awaiting Reel-Stream's HYDRA, a Panasonic HVX200 conversion giving you; uncompressed full bandwidth RGB (4:4:4) RAW recording, up to 14 bit linear colour, 2K HD native resolution. Their current working system called Andromeda is a converted Panasonic DVX-100A capable of 4:4:4 10bit RGB Uncompressed output, plus the new Sony XDCAM EX, due out later this year. The beauty is that the cameras keep changing but the MOVIEtube is constant.”

MOVIEtube projects Currently Kinomatik Ltd is working on several projects, due for release in the autumn; the MOVIEtube “JR” will be the first to come to market. Built on the same solid engineering principles of both the MOVIEtube ST & LT, and using the new “HS Film Screen”, though aimed at the lower cost price end of the market, MOVIEtube "JR" will only accept 35mm SLR photographic lenses, including Canon EOS EF lenses. MOVIEtube ST & LT allow the use of 35mm PL, Panavision, BNCR, Canon FD, Canon EOS EF, Minolta MD, Nikon, Pentax K, Pentax M42 Screw, Leica-R, Zeiss Contax, Yassica and Olympus OM lenses.

On other fronts Kinomatik Ltd is also currently working on VLANscape (wireless video networking), a LAN based, point-to-point video / audio transmission system with intercom, and talk-back functions. The system will work on internal building LAN's infrastructure or wireless, plus has point-to-oint wireless transmission over several miles when in line of sight. This product is also set to come to market in the autumn.

As with most small companies it is the drive, determination and enthusiasm of the directors that pushes Kinomatik forward. With Abel Cine Tech in the UA (the largest Panasonic camera reseller in the US) and IDX Technology (Japan) as just two of the companies major distributors and resellers in foreign markets, Kinomatik's other leading principles of marrying German engineering and design ability with that of UK marketing and world-renowned trading knowhow, are hopefully set to produce a truly young, new and innovative European working company.

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

page

33

UK

gbct

Trevor Coop, Chairman, GBCT

Over, but not out Sadly, this will be my last chairman's comment. I have served four and a bit years of my two-year tenure of the chair, and it is time for somebody else to shoulder the mantle.

I still have many groups of people to verbally abuse, and many more to verbally applaud, so I may have to sneak in the odd immediate past chairman's comment before you finally hear the last from my quest to right all the wrongs in our industry.

The changes in technology during my life in film are nothing short of phenomenal, but has it made a difference? As a child in the '50s going to the Saturday morning cinema, I was totally mesmerized by Buster Crabbe as Flash Gordon (originally shot in the '30s) flying around the universe in a craft straight out of an early Blue Peter programme - nothing more than a washing-up liquid bottle covered in sticky-backed plastic with a sparkler poking out of the end as a rocket motor. Mind you in those days I don't think sticky-backed plastic had been invented, nor washing up liquid, come to that, so it was probably cardboard, brown paper and fish glue. But as a six or seven year old, it had me hooked.

To d a y t h e c a p a b i l i t i e s o f t h e computer to generate images beyond our imagination are quite mind b o g g l i n g ‌ b u t t h e ex p e c t a t i o n s o f the young cinemagoer are growing higher with every generation.

Today the capabilities of the computer to generate images beyond our imagination are quite mind boggling, but the expectations of the young cinemagoer are growing higher with every generation, so however amazing those images may be, unless the basic story behind them is captivating, you have lost your audience before you even start.

page

34

The same applies to grown-ups; cinema has never been anything more than a visual interpretation of a piece of fiction. If that fiction is found to be wanting, then the finished product will be just as much a failure, regardless of how good the imagery is. That is not to say that we should do anything but continue to strive for perfection in the image-gathering department!

What I am trying to say is we should not be frightened by new technology, lenses have improved, but not really changed; cameras have more knobs and buttons; media we record on have become more consistent and versatile; methods of exhibition have become more diverse; but we are still only telling a story. It's just that we have moved on from the pencil and paper!

At the time of writing we are only days after the GBCT's 30th birthday party and first independent awards ceremony. What a night, if you weren't there you missed something that will be talked about for many years to come! What a resounding high to go out on?

Now as ex-chairman, my days off and weekends will be freeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

No more running around like a headless chicken. Free to‌ paint the shed, decorate the study, clear the gutters, hoover the cat‌ Maybe that strutting and clucking wasn't so stressful after all!

Trevor Coop, Chairman GBCT

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

UK

gbct

A Night to Remember working in the area, and employ many hundreds of people who all have to spend their money somewhere which keeps other businesses working.

The awards The evening continued with video clips of the nominations preceding the awards being given to the recipients.

The first award of the evening The CTV-OB/GBCT Live Event Camera Operator Award went to Alf Tramontin for his work on Steadicam touchline coverage of premiership matches for Sky. Martin Hammond received the award on Alf's behalf.

Most cinematographers would consider their gaffer to be their right hand and then some. The GBCT award for Best gaffer 2006/7 was awarded to Peter Bloor to great cheers from the audience The Chapman-Leonard/GBCT best Grip award was introduced by Dennis Fraser MBE.

Saturday 2nd June 2007 saw the lavish celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Guild of British Camera Technicians in an evening that gathered the best from throughout the British film and television industry in "A Night to Remember". It was also the first independent awards ceremony the GBCT had ever held, so it was a big night for all concerned.

The sumptuous Nine Kings Suite of the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, was the venue for a glittering Awards ceremony to honour the outstanding work produced by the unsung heroes employed behind the camera lens. The sparkling evening included contributions from the Guild's trustees, members, friends and colleagues along with a plethora of key industry leaders who supported the event, and who mingled with familiar faces from the world of British film and television.

The evening was designed to gather the best from throughout the British film industry and celebrate the British camera technicians who produce outstanding work and who largely go un-noticed when the main awards ceremonies are handing out the various awards. The DPs and the directors often scoop up the main BAFTA and Academy Awards of course, and as some DPs operate the cameras themselves it can leave little scope for the camera technicians to shine and stand out above the crowd. Whilst I am certain most technicians don't work on the films for the awards, it is good to recognise talent whenever possible. Good technicians have a passion for films and they work on them because they like to make a mark on cinema history, and of course to be paid, of course! Who wouldn't have liked to work on such great British films as Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, the James Bond films, 2001 A Space Odyssey, or indeed Raiders of the Lost Ark, Superman and many more, of course. Yes, all British films shot with British camera crews.

Training, training, training The GBCT prides itself on quality of personnel and the finest training for film technicians, and this concern for the future of the business was essentially the catalyst that drew the initial four camera technicians together. They were (in alphabetical order) John Deaton (1AC), Terry Cole (1AC), Mike Fox (camera operator), and Geoff Glover (camera operator). They initially met inside a Winnebago on the Pinewood backlot whilst filming the

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

first Superman film 30 years ago, and they felt passionately that they wanted to create an organisation that primarily catered more for the interests of technicians whose skills were being overlooked, and whose training and expertise were being gradually eroded.

The much spoken-of 'society' was then agreed to be formed by a unanimous vote, with David Lenham (1AC) voted as the 'acting' chairman. The title chosen was the British Society of Camera Technicians, the BSCT, but this was changed within a few weeks when the BSC complained that our new name was too close to theirs. Out of courtesy the organization became the GBCT.

Dennis mentioned that a Grip is another grade that puzzles the lay cinema goer, but ask any operator and you will almost certainly be told that a bad one can bury you and a good one can sometimes save your bacon! The nominees were David Appleby for Casino Royale and Gary Hymns for Notes on a Scandal. The winner of the Chapman-Leonard award was David Appleby for Casino Royale.

Phil Méheux BSC was on hand and able to accept the award on behalf of David Appleby.

The fourth award was the Panavision/GBCT 'Focus Pullers Knob'.

This is traditionally presented to a career 1st Assistant Cameraman - someone who has decided, for whatever reason, not to progress to operator or DP, but to suffer what must be the most thankless task in the business. Almost everything in our industry is open to artistic interpretation, but not focus pulling,

“A Night to Remember” evening opened with TV presenter Nina Nannar presenting Alec Mills BSC who was the first president of the GBCT. The opening series of film clips from Superman established the credentials of the people involved, and as Alec worked as operator on many of the James Bond film, there was a definite James Bond element to the evening.

Sir Sydney Samuelson, a long-standing patron and very close friend of the GBCT came up to speak and his words were enthusiastically greeted by the whole audience. He mentioned a story about Alfred Hitchcock, when asked what makes a good film, said “Script , script, script”. To that Sir Sydney said the GBCT mantra would be similar, and would be training, training, training.

He mentioned the GBCT is non-political organisation, yet with the largest membership of any of the cine guilds in the UK, the GBCT can now influence government thinking and move matters in the direction it should be going. The GBCT has now grown up with an international respect for the camera technician, and that should continue with electronic imaging, and many future developments in film making techniques and equipment. The membership has now grown to have a large contingent that is now all based over the UK whereas before it was mainly Southern England centric.

The GBCT continues to expand the membership, especially in the North of England where there is certainly a rich pool of talent and many productions to employ many people.

Sir Sydney also touched on other areas such as earning revenue for the nation; bringing more $100 million movies here to shoot adds to the revenue and can keep a rich tapestry of businesses

page

35

UK

gbct

there are no grey areas, it is sharp or soft, no in-betweens! To present this year's winner managing director of Panavision UK Jeff Allen and Uri Geller. The Panavision 'Focus pullers Knob' 2006 was accepted personally by Rawdon Hayne.

The winner of the Camera Revolution/GBCT best Cinematography was personally accepted by to Dick Pope for The Illusionist. Dick looked genuinely stunned on receiving the award, and was extremely generous to his camera crew and also the other nominees who were nominated for the award.

Managing Director of ARRI Media Renos Louka introduced the nominees for the ARRI/GBCT Camera Operator of the year 2006/7 award.

The most excellent Dennis Fraser

The nominations for the ARRI/GBCT Camera Operator were: Roger Pearce for Casino Royale, Philip Sindall for Mr. Bean's Holiday, and George Richmond for Children of Men. The ARRI best Operator 2006/7 went to Roger Pearce for Casino Royale.

David Lenham was one of the Guild's founder members and was a huge driving force during the early years as the GBCT tried to establish itself. When he died tragically young it seemed only fitting to call what, by any other name is our fellowship, after him.

Trevor Coop, chairman of the GBCT presented the award.

The Camera Revolution/GBCT award for Best Cinematography was up next, and was presented by Thomas Raft & Ian Speed of Camera Revolution who sponsored the award.

The nominations for best Cinematography were Alwin Kuchler for Sunshine, Dick Pope for The Illusionist, Phil Méheux for Casino Royale.

Trevor said, “This award has inscribed on it just two words: 'For Excellence' and is given to somebody whose contribution to film and television in this country over an entire career, has left a mark which will live on well after their working days are done. Tonight's recipient started in 1953 at British National Studios, moving quickly on to MGM where after a few years as a stagehand became what we all came to know him as, a grip. Not just any grip but one of the most respected in this country and around the world.

Thames TV Big band, who were marvellous with a variety of music styles to suit all, and dancing went on well into the night.

The evening also raised much needed support for two very deserving charities - Unicef and the Cinema & Television Benevolent Fund, providing support for those in need. CTBF is the industry charity of the film, cinema, commercial television and affiliated industries. It exists to relieve hardship and suffering and assist those in need.

If you would like to assist either of these worthy causes after the event then please do so via: www.ctbf.co.uk and www.unicef.org With the generous support of Panavision, ARRI, CTV-OB, Kodak, Technicolor, Fuji, JDC, Pepper, Angelic Films, Float Cam Pro , and many more, in a fabulous night like no other the Guild will present an exhibition of the very best in film and television over the last thirty years.

“Tonight's recipient carried on working as a grip until Pearl Harbour in 2001. But by no means retired, he just changed his focus to something very dear to my heart, training. Over the last few years he has worked tirelessly to get training for grips to be the norm not the exception. His document on crane safety is now accepted practice by the Health and Safety authorities in this industry. His achievements have been recognized in and out of this business. In the early '90s he received an MBE from Her Majesty the Queen, more recently has been made an Honorary Friend of the BSC and an Honorary member of the GBCT. Tonight we accord him our highest honour. The David Lenham award for excellence, this year sponsored by AFM. I'm sure you all know by now who I am talking about. Dennis Fraser.”

The audience erupted with genuine vigorous applause, and Dennis walked up to accept the coveted David Lenham Award.

Dennis said few words, obviously very unassuming in his passion for the grips in this country. Dennis later said how passionate he is about the grips standards in this country, and was genuinely honoured to receive the award.

The crowning glory of the evening was undoubtedly the introduction of Sir Roger Moore, who delighted the whole audience with his rendition of a poem for the ladies. Sir Roger went on to mention that the camera crews are his friends on the set, and he has close friendships to the British crews who make the filming process that much easier. Seven times a James Bond star, Sir Roger Moore announced the winner of the EON/GBCT Life time achievement for Script Supervision that went to June Randall. June rattled off several humorous anecdotes of her long career that everyone could relate to in the audience.

The evening finished off into the early hours accompanied by the

page

36

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

UK

gbct

Freelancing world Who would like to be a freelancer in the camera department in today's fast-moving rollercoaster climate? Well, many would, it would seem, as the benefits can sometimes outweigh the downside. I will now take a look at many of the pros and cons of working from film to film, and also look to the future of the film business to see where the business is likely to be going, and where we can possibly aspire to be in a few years time. It is not all doom and gloom, although it could be said the golden age has possibly passed, although there is plenty of opportunity to alter the course and get back to an age when many more films are made here in the UK and employing many well-trained camera technicians.

the films are often being trampled underfoot. Whilst a big budget film doesn't always have much slack in the budget, surely it has to come to a point where this cannot go on for ever.

Clearly, the nature of the film and TV business now means quite a fragmented entity of talented people working on the various productions. The business has always been based on a temporary workforce who are hired for each production then disbanded at the end, for them all to go their separate ways. Clearly many crews who like to work with each other will stick together wherever possible, and go from one film to another as a team.

The challenges arise when a film is posted abroad, and the DP is hired, but is often not allowed to take their key crew members with them on the shoot. This is often a team of people that can almost second guess the other people's thoughts if they know each other well, and breaking up the team is potentially fraught with problems.

Some productions even go over budget, of course, and some even go bust for various reasons. Whilst movies have this eventuality covered to a degree, the television drama can be a problem area. It was reported in the trade press recently about a BBC children's series that went ÂŁ2million over budget. When the programme first aired the staff and suppliers were left almost ÂŁ1 million out of pocket. The row continues on that particular episode in BBC history, although being paid for work done can become a challenge, and similar stories are not uncommon.

With many productions shooting in Europe and other places, this can be a problem to keep a regular enough continuity of work, and the film could potentially suffer as a result. The days of many foreign locations and international travel for many crews is now over, and that is a great shame, as one of the great perks that made the business interesting was often travelling and experiencing new cultures.

Of course the bean-counters have always had their hands firmly on the budget, and of course they need to keep a tight ship when ten of millions of dollars are invested in a film production.

However, when the stars are getting larger fees for their part, it seems the camera crews are being squeezed until it hurts sometimes.

Many working in the business are making the same daily rate as they were making 10-15 years ago, often with longer hours and less breaks. I was talking with a highly respected camera department person a few weeks ago who worked on a huge multi million dollar motion picture, and they said the payment and working hours they were asked to work on the film was so tightly controlled and negotiated down that it they felt it was unbelievable pressure. When producers take million dollar bonuses to get the film under budget it seems the people making

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

Also, the investment in the future is often not being made in new people starting out. To get a trainee on a film, even with a major budget is now potentially quite difficult, and the GBCT trainee scheme can often assist new people wanting to get their feet on the ladder, and who want to work up through the camera department. The GBCT works hard to place people on films for work experience, and sees the future of the people more brightly than some producers sometimes can see.

Another area in which films have changed in more recent times has been in the lack of available time to shoot principal photography. Some major films are shot in as little as 40 days, and then the post production schedule is started. Whilst this is good for the producers not having to pay for camera crews, it means the continuity of work is not upheld for crews, and more films need to be worked on to make a living. Often the DoP is not scheduled in to be paid for the post production element of the film in the grading and final approval. I have often heard DoP's say they do the post production without charging any fee. The grading of a film should be an integral part of the process, and producers can often utilise the good will of the dedicated technician/ DoP and manipulate this to save money.

Money. Ah yes, you have to take care of your own books and do tax returns, of course. Maybe you are registered for VAT and can claim back some running expenses there too. It does mean keeping good accurate records, of course, and maybe paying for an accountant to keep you informed of the legislation that changes each year.

You may be forgiven in thinking at this point that the freelance world is a place you may wish to avoid. In some ways it is impossible to work in any other way in the film industry, as it has been for many years. That is the way the business is structured, and it will be like this for the foreseeable future. There are definite advantages in the freelance world over a person in fulltime employment, however.

Firstly, you can generally choose who you want to work with, and if you have a good working relationship that is the best situation, as you are working with people you like and also respect. That is worth a lot, I can assure you. I am sure we have all worked with someone we don't like, for whatever reason, and the chemistry is not there. Now you can choose.

When you are in between the bigger projects you may have time to do other things, and develop in other areas away from the business. The world of film making when it is happening is intense and can be totally exhausting, and you tend to live the film from day to day, without having much time to do anything else. To get away somewhere whilst others are commuting in the rush hour traffic is a great escape. Ideally you have a partner who is able to do the same, of course!

On the other side of the coin to Income tax and VAT is the fact that your tax allowances are more generous, and the cost of any equipment that is bought specifically for work use is able to be offset against income, so you may possibly pay less tax after this is taken into consideration.

Thirdly, and most importantly perhaps, you are able to be part of a crew that produces images that may last for many hundreds of years, and be watched by many people who truly appreciate your work. If that's not a reason to be proud of the profession, I really don't know what is!

All in all, if you keep a thirst for knowledge and don't be scared of new technology by keeping your training up, and you also go to trade shows and take an active interest in the whole world of cameras, dollies, cranes, lenses, photography and cinema in general, then you will have a rich and rewarding career that will enrich and reward in countless ways. It can take a lot of effort and time to be good at anything, and this cannot be underestimated.

If you stay still you will actually go backwards.

In the ever rapidly changing business where new technology is altering methods of working and even the style of film being shot for entertainment, it is more vital than ever to keep ahead of the technology and learn about new ways of doing things. However, at the end of the day, as Alfred Hithcock said ( as mentioned elsewhere in this magazine) the secret to a good film is script, script, script, and any manner of technology will not save a bad story. Remember, we are simply telling stories in a visual way, as Trevor Coop mentions in the GBCT presidents column, yet in the most exciting visual way possible.

The GBCT section is written and compiled by John Keedwell GBCT.

page

37

UK

tribute

Tribute to Alex Thomson BSC Alex started in the business in 1946, working as a clapper loader on The Mark of Cain, moving up through the ranks to cinematographer. He shot his last film, Der Letzte Flug, (2004) at the age of 75.

During his lengthy career, he worked on a huge number of films, with leading directors, actors and crew, and made many friends. Right up to his passing, he was an active member of the BSC and assiduously compiled and edited BSC Newsletter. Here just some of the many tributes to the great man…

The passing of an era… – Susi and Peter Parks BSC

Alex was everything the BSC stands for. God bless him. – Chris Seager BSC

I shall always remember Alex with great fondness, for his witty comments at board meetings and his fantastic newsletters for the BSC. The contribution he made to our society was immense, and the legacy of his photograph collection will remind me of him forever. Not to mention his inspirational films of course. God bless him. – Sue Gibson BSC, BSC Governor I am greatly saddened to learn about Alex - we had known each other ever since he and I were "apprentices" at Denham Studios. (That's a long time ago) – Michael Johns, editor and BSC Friend Our unforgettable colleague and friend… – János Kende and Tibor Vagyóczky, IMAGO A gent with a wicked sense of humour, and a great DoP. – Tony Covell My son was born just after I'd completed a picture with Alex.

I had only one name I wanted to call my boy… ALEX! That's how much this charismatic, true professional meant to me.

When I was in dire straits Alex was the only one to help me out, for that itself I shall never forget him. By the way, he was also one of the world's top cameramen. There will never be another Al. – Keith Blake GBCT I had a great respect and liking for Alex, as a technician when we worked together over the years, and as a pal when we hung all his marvellous photographs together in the North Lodge. – Malcolm Stone BFDG What a tragic loss for Alex's family and for the BSC. How will we ever fill the void? – Larry Smith BSC

THE SICILIAN Sicily 1987 – Alex's favourite photographic achievement. When the script was given to Gore Vidal for a final polish he said 'This script doesn't need a polish it needs a trip to Lourdes'. L to R: Michael Stevenson (2nd AD), Brian Cooke (1st AD), Michael Cimino's black stetson (Dir), Alex (DoP/ Operator), Christoper Lambert (actor).

page

38

As members of the great family of cinematographers, it is with deep sorrow that we have learned the sad news of our colleague Alex Thomson. Every three months, we read with curiosity and interest the life of BSC members, through “his” Newsletter. Please convey all AFC members' thoughts to those close to the “sorely missed” Alex Thomson as he wrote it once in the newsletter.

LEVIATHAN Cinecitta 1989 – L to R: Ceri Evans-Cooper (Cont), George Cosmatos (Dir), Alex (DoP/Operator), Chyna Thomson (2nd AC), Nic Milner (1st AC). A deep sea diving picture in the studio.

Such a lovely, funny and hugely talented man. – Oliver Curtis BSC My deep respects to this great cinematographer – Anthony Dod Mantle Dff BSC Lovely man. – Roger Pratt BSC Great cinematographer and a nice man. – Alan Trow BSC My heart goes out to Diana and his family. When we were at the BKSTS awards back in October I remember the whole family being there on a table together all laughing and smiling.

– Susie Allwork, Aerial Camera Systems

Jean-Noël Ferragut, AFC General Secretary – French Cinematographers Society I, along with everyone at the ASC, send our deepest condolences with regard to Alex. I was just thinking of him this morning as I read the latest BSC Newsletter. So sad...we're losing all the great ones. – Richard P. Crudo ASC A truly great and talented man... I will fill the retirement tankard he kindly gave to me and toast his life and of course offer my condolences to Diana and Chyna. – Bob Crowdey (ex Technicolor and Friend of the BSC) Such a delightful, wonderful man and brilliant DP. – Nina Kellgren BSC, BSC Governor A fine man gone. A sad, sad loss to his family, his friends, his industry and his society. – Simon Kossoff BSC

Alex Thomson BSC - Filmography Letzte Flug, Der Listening A Shot at Glory Love's Labour's Lost The Troop The Man Who Couldn't Open Doors Hamlet Executive Decision The Scarlet Letter Black Beauty Demolition Man Cliffhanger Alien3 Mr. Destiny The Krays Wings of Fame The Rachel Papers

(2004) (2003) (2000) (2000) (1999) (1998) (1996) (1996) (1995) (1994) (1993) (1993) (1992) (1990) (1990) (1990) (1989)

Leviathan High Spirits Track 29 Date with an Angel The Sicilian Duet for One Labyrinth Raw Deal Legend Year of the Dragon Eureka Electric Dreams The Keep Bullshot Excalibur The Cat and the Canary A Game for Vultures Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse

(1989) (1988) (1988) (1987) (1987) (1986) (1986) (1986 (1985) (1985) (1984) (1984) (1983) (1983) (1981) (1979) (1979) (1978)

The Class of Miss MacMichael (1978) Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972) LHR (1972) Fear Is the Key (1972) Death Line (1972) The Night Digger (1971) The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970) Alfred the Great (1969) The Best House in London (1969) I Start Counting (1969) The Strange Affair (1968) Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (1967) Ervinka (1967)

ISSUE 22

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER

CLASSIFIED

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

Talent & Literary Agency Representing Cinematographers around the globe

830 Palm Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069 Tele (310) 855-2411 www.lenhoff.com

>> Subcribe to

BRITISHCINEMATOGRAPHER

WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE YOU WILL RECEIVE AN UNRIVALLED INSIGHT INTO UK FILM PRODUCTION • Each issue will carry HEADLINE INTERVIEWS with key industry players. The film business is a people business – meet them here.

• COMPREHENSIVE ROUND-UPS of INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION NEWS and informed comment from industry bodies.

• SPECIAL FEATURES will review key areas of the production industry. We will examine post-production and visual effects, H/D shooting, studios and locations, distribution and exhibitions, production companies, film lawyers and finance.

YES! I would like to subscribe to British Cinematographer for:

• THE GREAT DEBATE. Read the opinions of the industry’s movers and shakers as we tackle the key issues and most contentious subjects head on.

• CAMERA CREATIVE. The UK boasts some of the top creative talent in the world. Readers get a unique chance to learn from them and examine exactly what makes them tick.

• POST and TECHNO NEWS. Equipment, skills, stock and film technology.

• NEWS, NEWS and NEWS. From around the regions, from Europe and F Stop Hollywood. We will bring you up to speed with all the relevant news that affects your business.

6 editions for just £32.00

PLEASE RETURN TO: Name ......................................................................................................................... Title ...................................................................................

(Cheques made payable to Laws Publishing Ltd)

Company ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER Subscriptions Open Box Publishing 32-35 Hall Street Jewellery Quarter Birmingham B18 6BS

Address ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .......................................................................................................................... Post code ..................................................................................

Telephone ................................................................................................................ Email ..................................................................................

Cheque enclosed for £ ................................ made payable to

Laws Publishing Ltd

Email: stuartwalters@britishcinematographer.co.uk

Published 6 times a year, you can receive the magazine posted to your home or office for just – UK: £32.00 • Europe: €58 • USA: $69 – all prices include post and packaging

ISSUE 21

BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER