Canadian Society of Cinematographers Magazine April 2012

Canadian Society of Cinematographers

$4 April 2012 awww.csc.ca

Ronald Plante csc

Monsieur Lazhar

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In Memoriam: Herbert Alpert csc, ASC IMAGO Conference Roundup • Digital Cinema Capture

THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS PRESENTS THE 55th ANNUAL CSC AWARDS NOMINEES STUDENT CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD Sponsored by Panavision Canada

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS:

Heather Cameron • There Was Light • York University Yann-Manuel Hernandez • de quel sommeil reviendrons-nous?

• University of Montreal Dustin Rivers • Nirmal • Sheridan College

ROBERT BROOKS AWARD FOR DOCUMENTARY CINEMATOGRAPHY

SHOOTERS AWARDS:

René Jean Collins • Lost Years: A People’s Struggle for Justice John Minh Tran • Standing Wave Nahanni National Park Reserve Stephen Whitehead • A People Uncounted

THE ROY TASH AWARD FOR SPOT NEWS CINEMATOGRAPHY Dave Copeland • Bodies Discovered, CTV News Andrew Lawson • George St. Fire, CTV News Peter Szperling • Stage Collapse, CTV News

THE STAN CLINTON FOR NEWS ESSAY CINEMATOGRAPHY Dave Branco • Aquaponics, CKPG News Allan Leader csc • Rookie Driver, Discovery Channel, “Daily Planet” Peter Szperling • Lost Villages, CTV Ottawa, “Regional Contact”

CORPORATE/EDUCATIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY Roland Echavarria • Backrack Sarorn Sim • A New Day Sarorn Sim • From Four Thousand Feet

LIFESTYLE/REALITY CINEMATOGRAPHY Stuart Cameron • Deals From the Dark Side “The Axe Head” Allan Leader csc • Mighty Ships: “Le Boréal” Steven Tsushima • Holmes Inspection “Moisture Madness”

SPECIAL HONOUREES: THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD

Sponsored by Vistek

MUSIC VIDEO/PERFORMANCE CINEMATOGRAPHY Sponsored by Dazmo Digital

Samy Inayeh csc • Hedley Invincible Samy Inayeh csc • Jakalope Magnolia Adam Marsden csc • City and Colour Fragile Bird

DRAMATIC SHORT CINEMATOGRAPHY D. Gregor Hagey csc • Artist Unknown D. Gregor Hagey csc • Call of Duty: Operation Kingfish Matthew J. Lloyd csc • Rodarte Curve of Forgotten Things C. Kim Miles csc • Mortal Kombat Legacy

FRITZ SPIESS AWARD FOR COMMERCIAL CINEMATOGRAPHY Todd M. Duym • Obakki Fashion Fall/Winter Pierre Gill csc • Le Lait Hiver Christopher Mably • IKEA Couch Fort Adam Marsden csc • GS Jewelry

TV DRAMA CINEMATOGRAPHY Sponsored by Sim Video Productions Ltd.

Pierre Gill csc • Cyberbully David Moxness csc • The Kennedys “Moral Issues and Inner Turmoil” Michael Storey csc • John A: Birth of A Country

Paul Bronfman, Chairman and CEO, William F. White International Inc. “For outstanding service to the Canadian Society of Cinematographers.”

TV SERIES CINEMATOGRAPHY

THE CAMERA ASSISTANT AWARD OF MERIT

David Greene csc • Lost Girl “Barometz, Trick, Pressure” David Greene csc • XIII “Ep. 101” Glen Keenan csc • Nikita “Partners” Rene Ohashi csc, asc • Nikita “Echoes”

Dean ej Friss “For excellence and outstanding professionalism in the performance of the AC duties and responsibilities.”

THE BILL HILSON AWARD Denny Clairmont, President, Clairmont Camera “For outstanding service contributing to the development of the motion picture industry in Canada.”

THE KODAK NEW CENTURY AWARD Ousama Rawi csc, Bsc “For outstanding contribution to the art of cinematography.”

Sponsored by Technicolor Toronto

THEATRICAL FEATURE CINEMATOGRAPHY Sponsored by Deluxe

David Greene csc • The Entitled Jon Joffin • Daydream Nation Ronald Plante csc • Funky Town Ronald Plante csc • Monsieur Lazhar

A publication of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers The Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC) was founded in 1957 by a group of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa cameramen.

Since then over 800 cinematographers and persons in associated occupations have joined the organization.

The purpose of the CSC is to promote the art and craft of cinematography in Canada and to provide tangible recognition of the common bonds that link film and video professionals, from the aspiring student and camera assistant to the news veteran and senior director of photography.

We facilitate the dissemination and exchange of technical information and endeavor to advance the knowledge and status of our members within the industry. As an organization dedicated to furthering technical assistance, we maintain contact with non-partisan groups in our industry but have no political or union affiliation.

CORPORATE SPONSORS All Axis Remote Camera Systems Applied Electronics Arri Canada Ltd. Canon Canada Inc. CinequipWhite Inc. Clairmont Camera Cooke Optics Ltd. Dazmo Digital Deluxe Toronto FUJIFILM North America Corporation FUJIFILM, Optical Devices Division Image Media Farm Kingsway Motion Picture Ltd. Kino Flo Kodak Canada Inc. Lee Filters Mole-Richardson Osram Sylvania Ltd./Ltée PS Production Services Panasonic Canada Panavision Canada REDLABdigital Rosco Canada Sharp’s Broadcast Sim Video Sony of Canada Ltd. Technicolor The Source Shop Vistek Camera Ltd. William F. White International Inc. ZGC Inc. ZTV

FEATURES – volume 4, No. 1 APRIL 2012

Ronald Plante csc on Monsieur Lazhar

6

By Fanen Chiahemen

Digital Cinema Capture: The Nuts and Bolts

12

By Guy Godfree

Behind the Scenes with Gaffer Bob McAdam

20

By Fanen Chiahemen

Columns & Departments

2 From the President

3 In the News

15 CSC Digital Camera Assistants Course

16 IMAGO Roundup 18 Tech Column

23 Camera Classified

24 Productions Notes / Calendar Cover: Ronald Plante csc (standing) and director Philippe Falardeau in the classroom.

Photo Credit: Vero Boncompagni

Canadian Cinematographer April 2012 Vol. 4, No. 1 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joan Hutton csc EDITOR EMERITUS Donald Angus EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Susan Saranchuk admin@csc.ca EDITOR Fanen Chiahemen editor@csc.ca COPY EDITOR Karen Longland Editorial Intern Kayla-Jane Barrie ART DIRECTION Berkeley Stat House WEBSITE CONSULTANT

From The PRESIDENT Joan Hutton csc

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recently attended, as the CSC representative, the IMAGO 2012 annual general assembly (IAGA) in Paris, France. It was a highly informative affair and a chance for the CSC to interact with other cinematographer societies from the world over. I would like to thank IMAGO and the French Association of Cinematographers for their hospitality and goodwill during my Parisian stay, especially IMAGO president Nigel Waters bsc, Vice President Richard Andry AFC, Louis Philippe Capelle sbc and Philippe Ros AFC, to name a few of many.

Nikos Evdemon csc www.csc.ca ADVERTISING SALES Guido Kondruss gkondruss@rogers.com CSC OFFICE / MEMBERSHIP 131–3007 Kingston Road Toronto, Canada M1M 1P1 Tel: 416-266-0591; Fax: 416-266-3996 Email: admin@csc.ca CSC Subscription Dept.

131–3007 Kingston Road Toronto, Canada M1M 1P1 Tel: 416-266-0591; Fax: 416-266-3996 Email: subscription@csc.ca

Canadian Cinematographer makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes; however, it cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the publisher.

The opinions expressed within the magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily of the publisher.

Upon publication, Canadian Cinematographer acquires Canadian Serial Rights; copyright reverts to the writer after publication.

Canadian Cinematographer is printed by Winnipeg Sun Commercial Print and is published 10 times a year.

One-year subscriptions are available in Canada for $40.00 for individuals and $80.00 for institutions, including HST. In U.S. rates are $45.00 and $90.00 for institutions in U.S. funds. International subscriptions are $50.00 for individuals and $100.00 for institutions.

Subscribe online at www.csc.ca.

ISSN 1918-8781 Canadian Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40013776 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses 131–3007 Kingston Road Toronto M1M 1P1

2 • Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012

One of the main initiatives by IMAGO is to further the principle of authorship rights for cinematographers over the images they shoot. This concept puts cinematographers on the same footings as producers, directors and writers as originators of a production and opens the door to residual payments. There are at least 15 European countries that have some form of authorship rights. Canada has no such laws and for good reason. The Canadian film and television industry is far too intertwined with that of our neighbours south of the border. Authorship rights would need to take hold in the United States before it could make any headway in Canada. For us to go alone would present a major roadblock for any U.S. production work coming to Canada. That would greatly diminish our industry if not kill off “Hollywood North” outright. While the CSC supports authorship rights, we also recognize the reality of our situation here in North America. This is a hot button issue for our industry, and I’d very much like to hear your thoughts on it. So, please drop me a line to let me know what you’re thinking.

What I discovered during my conversations with other society reps in Paris was that no matter where one lives, cinematographers share many of the same concerns and problems. This is particularly highlighted in IMAGO’s recently released survey, Living and Working Conditions of Cinematographers. With 344 cinematographers from around the world participating, the survey provides us with a most comprehensive picture of our profession to date and is well worth reading. Most poignant in the survey are the comments by the cinematographers themselves. While these heartfelt comments address dark issues that ail our modern industry and craft, interestingly, 66 per cent said despite the hardships, that if they had to do it all over again, they’d choose cinematography. If nothing else, we are a dedicated lot!

Selected statistics and where one can find the entire survey are in the article I’ve written on the IMAGO meeting for this issue.

To all our readers of Canadian Cinematographer: good shooting!

In The News Photo Courtesy of Dattner Dispoto and Associates

David Moxness csc

Michael Balfry csc

CSC Members Among ASC Award Nominees The American Society of Cinematographers held its 26th Annual ASC Awards Gala on February 12 in Los Angeles. Among the nominees were David Moxness csc in the Television Movie/Mini-

Anton/Bauer Introduces Gold Mount for New Canon EOS C300 Anton/Bauer, which provides batteries, chargers, lighting and other mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, video and film industries, introduced its QRC-CA940 Gold Mount solution for the new Canon EOS C300 camera. To help streamline battery management for Canon EOS C300 users, Anton/Bauer will simultaneously introduce the QRC-CA940, a Gold Mount that provides 7.2V power to the camera via a DC connector and 14.4V on PowerTap connectors.

series category for the historical miniseries The Kennedys (“Moral Issues and Inner Turmoil”), and Michael Balfry csc for The Hub’s R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour (“Brush with Madness”) in the Half-Hour Television Episodic Series/Pilot Category. The awards went to Martin Ruhe (Page Eight) and Michael Weaver asc (Californication, “Suicide Solution”) respectively.

Monsieur Lazhar Wins Big at the 2012 Genie Awards Best Feature Best Director Best Editing

Best Adapted Screenplay Best Actor Best Supporting Actress

Best supporting actress: Monsieur Lazhar, Sophie Nélisse.

Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012 •

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In The News

Production Resource Group Acquires Paskal Lighting Production Resource Group, a supplier of entertainment and event technology, in February announced that it had acquired Paskal Lighting, a US-based lighting, grip and expendables company. Paskal Lighting will operate under its own brand name, as a full member company of the PRG group, with Evan Green continuing in his role as President.

Sony Pictures Imageworks Expands Vancouver Visual Effects and Animation Studio Sony Pictures Imageworks recently announced the expansion of its Vancouver capacity by opening an additional 16,000 square feet of space in the Yaletown area for work on the current productions Men in Black 3, The Amazing Spider-man, Oz The Great and Powerful and Sony Pictures Animation’s Hotel Transylvania now underway. Imageworks’ growing presence builds on the Vancouver studio’s experience with The Smurfs production for Sony Pictures Animation and the successful integration of the Canadian

team with Imageworks’ Culver City workforce and infrastructure. The new office effectively doubles the floor space. The two Vancouver locations, two blocks apart, are fully connected to Imageworks’ Culver City data center. Imageworks Canada was set to occupy a total of 32,000 square feet of office space when the new location came online in March.

FUJIFILM Receives Academy Award for its Contribution to Motion Pictures The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented FUJIFILM Corporation with an Academy Award for scientific and technical achievement at a special awards dinner held in Los Angeles in February. The Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards honour the men, women and companies whose discoveries and innovations have contributed in significant, outstanding and lasting ways to motion pictures. FUJIFILM was recognized with a 2011 Scientific and Engineering Award for the development of the black and white recording film ETERNA-RDS for digital separation of motion picture films.

Strong Showing at 10th Annual February Freeze at WFW

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undreds of industry professionals and students packed the William F. White Centre in Toronto for the February Freeze, an annual showcase that brings together production professionals with the latest innovations and technologies. This year more than 25 of the industry’s top manufacturers participated in the event. “We’re very fortunate that our suppliers, mostly manufacturers or agents, all make it their business to be here,” said WFW Chairman/CEO Paul Bronfman, who hosted the event, along with Larry Lavoie, General Manager of CinequipWhite. “A lot of them schlepp out from Los Angeles in the middle of February, and we have Canadian suppliers here too,” Bronfman added. This year – besides being the 10th anniversary – marks the first year the showcase was held at the new WFW facility. Also, the event attracted more students than ever, according to Lowell Schrieder, director of marketing and communications. “They’re really engaged this time around, especially with our new education training programme.

And there were seminars offered for a variety of skill levels. From student to pro, there’s something for everybody,” Schrieder said.

Some of the event’s highlights included: Steadicam Tips and Tricks by Tiffen; Understanding AVC-HD by Panasonic; and a showcase of Kino Flo’s new products. This year also saw the return of the popular “flea market zone,” a place to buy and sell used gear.

Asked about his outlook for Canadian production, Bronfman was upbeat, saying, “I think [this year’s] going to bring more Canadian productions, specifically television, and more high quality bigger budget Canadian shows that will play in the international markets.

And production levels for American productions will remain strong in Toronto and throughout the country.”

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Photo Courtesy of eOne Films

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n Monsieur Lazhar, the most recent feature by Quebec director Philippe Falardeau, a Montreal elementary school is rocked by the dramatic suicide of one of its most beloved teachers.

The titular character is a 55-year-old Algerian refugee who takes over the deceased teacher’s class. The film follows as he tries to simultaneously educate the children and shepherd them through their grief, while struggling with his own tragic past. This latest offering by Falardeau, whose films include Congorama and C’est pas moi, je le jure! (It’s not me, I swear!), is an intelligently nuanced and moving film that has gained momentum on the festival and

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awards circuit – it was named the best Canadian Feature Film at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival; it won six 2012 Genie Awards, including best feature, and was nominated for Ronald Plante csc’s cinematography; and it was among this year’s five nominees for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards.

The film’s popularity with audiences despite its heavy subject matter is thanks in part to Falardeau’s vision for the cinematography, which he says he did not want to indulge in the story’s

Ronald Plante csc on

Monsieur Lazhar

By Fanen Chiahemen

Falardeau referenced contemporary French and Belgian cinema.

“I looked at a film by Laurent Cantet called L’emploi du temps and a beautiful film by Julie Bertuccelli called Depuis qu’Otar est parti.

Small films that had a more documentary look than anything else.” Such films employ a cinematic style that Plante has affection for. “I call it un-lighting,” says the director of photography, who also shot last year’s popular feature Funkytown. “You never see the lighting intentions, and I really like that. I almost never put any lights in the rooms. I’m a very big fan of the cinematographer Harris Savides. His lighting philosophy is you light the room, you don’t light the people. And usually when you light the room, the lighting falls very well on the people. And it gives the director and the actors an enormous amount of liberty as far as camera movement and actors’ movements.”

As most of the action in Monsieur Lazhar develops in the classroom, the room virtually becomes another character in the film.

“We had to have three seasons in the classroom – spring, autumn and winter,” Plante explains. “And everything was done in July.

So that was the biggest challenge.” Falardeau selected a classroom with a lot of windows, some of which were tinted “to give a nice warm feeling to the light,” he says. “Basically I wanted naturalistic light, and I wanted at the beginning of the film the light to be a little colder because it was winter, and as the story progressed and time progressed, the light could become just a little warmer.”

dark themes. “Because of the traumatic premise of the film you try to bring it to the light, to make the film luminous visually so it doesn’t drown at the bottom of the ocean,” the director says.

“So I asked Ronald to try to use mainly natural light. I wanted a natural feeling. We could have flooded the class with electric light from outside. But I didn’t want that, I wanted the light to be really the light from the daytime, the real daytime. The last thing I wanted to do was make an aesthetic statement with the film.”

The resulting look is more Europe than Hollywood, and in fact,

Plante requested a west-facing classroom so the sun would be backlit most of the time. “I put the main camera angles facing towards the windows, because the lighting was nicer. And to do that we used Rosco polarizing filters in the window and on the camera. That was the perfect tool because whenever the light changed outside, I just had to turn the polarizer on the camera, and the windows wouldn’t look burned out,” he says. “In the classroom we had the neons. Outside I had six 4Ks hanging from the roof on a grid. So there were never any lights in the shot, there was no crane. The same frame structure for the lights we used as a base to lay down a 20x20, either black or white, to cut the direct sunlight, because we didn’t want any direct sunlight, and that would help us control the sun.”

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Plante says one of his favourite tools to use, the JOKER-BUG 800 lighting kit, had particular practical advantages on Monsieur Lazhar. “I would take the tungsten light out of a Leko and take the JOKER-BUG and put that in the light itself so that the JOKER-BUG becomes a Leko. So it’s a light that’s already flagged. When you shoot you need lights and then you need flags to control the light. And that takes a lot of stages in a classroom.

So basically if the lens is inside the lamp, the light that it throws is very, very sharp. You can control the lighting from inside the fixture itself. It’s like theatre lighting. Because in theatre you can’t fix the light on the stage, you have to control it from the grid.

So that device helps me a lot to do lighting without too much intrusion on the set. You can throw the light exactly where you need it, and I use it a lot as a bounce. Instead of putting a light up on the ceiling or on the roof or behind the people, I just put the light on the frame and bounce it where I would want it exactly.

It’s very handy and doesn’t take any space and it’s so quick. It’s like residual lighting, it’s always residual lighting.”

Plante employed almost no lighting for the day exteriors shot in the school playground and in the streets. “If I can do it without any lighting, even inside, I’ll do it. There’s nothing more beautiful than real light. In French films they rarely light outside. Technically sometimes we have to control it; I’ll do bounce. But if you don’t have to touch it, it’s way better. Because we’re human, we’re not very good at creating a sun,” he says.

For night interiors, Plante likes to place a regular bare household bulb on a lighting stand and then set a lampshade over it. “When you go to a room in a house and the lighting is warm and welldesigned it’s usually through lamps that are well placed. I always like the quality of the light because the quality of the light in a lampshade is always nice and warm and very soft. It’s a very beautiful light,” he says. “I usually use the lampshade to light people because the lighting is nice, and if for some reason in a reflection, or even if I pan and I hit the lamp, you see a lampshade, and it’s a lampshade, it’s not cinema lighting.”

Plante also works with the art department for efficient lighting.

“I want to be able to do a wide shot, pan, tilt up, and I don’t want to have lights hanging and then people say, ‘It’s cinema lighting.’

So I always work with the art department so that the lighting is rightly placed. So I work closely with them and say, ‘Let’s put it there and there.’ I want to be able to see the whole set.” In fact, he adds, laughing, “I say to the art director, ‘You’re the gaffer.’

Because lighting that is built in the set will be useful for me 95 per cent of the time.”

Although the director and DOP had not previously worked together, Falardeau selected Plante – who has worked for over a decade in television – because of his ability to maximise time, which was essential on Monsieur Lazhar with many of the children acting in a film for the first time. “We thought of him because he works very fast,” Falardeau says. “And if we needed additional lighting because the light was too low outside, I didn’t want that to take too much time because of the children. You don’t want to tire the children, you want to work with them and make them the priority and not the camera or the lighting.”

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“In TV you have to go very fast, and you have to find ways of shooting fast and being happy at the same time. Because I don’t want to be a frustrated DOP, I want to be a happy DOP,” Plante says, laughing. “So my lighting technique has to make a nice picture but still very fast.” According to Plante, when it comes time to shoot he is always last in position. “I arrive after the actor and director. We wait for the scene changes and makeup, not for lighting. I’ve always worked like that. And been happy as well, not frustrated, having a good time.”

Although almost all of Falardeau’s previous projects were shot on film, the director wanted minimal interruption for the children, so Plante employed the RED ONE M-X. For lenses, he opted for the Cooke S4. “I really like them because they’re soft. There’s a danger that when you go from digital to postproduction it’s very sharp. I used the S4 because they’re not super sharp; they’re nice on the skins. Kids’ skins are heaven for a DOP,” he adds. “Kids with perfect skin, it’s a dream. So that was very easy. No zooms, just a series of regular S4s, no filtration whatsoever.”

Plante notes that he believes it is a common misconception that skin colours have to be lit differently, and the range of skin tones the ethnically diverse class of children comprised posed no particular challenge. “I don’t do anything special for black people and white people. I light them, and they turn out black and white. I find that so silly. The cameras are so good. The equipment is better than us. The human is very lazy and very slow, and he’s always doing the things he’s used to doing. I always challenge the pre-conceptions. I say, ‘Why do we do that? We can do it differently.’ We always do things because that’s the way it was done. And I hate that. We have to think outside the box all the time.”

Plante defies convention in other ways. For example, he says, “I usually don’t like having marks on the floor for the actors and all that. I like it very free floating.” He also does all the camera settings himself, leaving the focus pulling to first assistant cameraman Filippo Viola, who on Monsieur Lazhar used a hand-held laser distance meter to measure the distance between objects in the room before each scene. “I point at the object [with the meter], and there’s a screen on the laser that tells me the distance between the laser tape in my hand and the object. In my head I memorise the distance so I have a good idea when we’re shooting where we are in terms of focus pulling,” Viola explains.

“It’s tough,” says the first AC of focus pulling without marks.

“With Ronald I need to have more confidence in myself.” But Viola appreciates Plante’s methods and has been working with the DOP for 15 years, along with gaffer Marcel Breton and key grip Franck Develey. “I like it even though it’s really hard, because he works fast,” says Viola. “It’s good to work with him because any time we do something, it’s always beautiful. What you lose in technical perfection you’re going to have in the spontaneity of the actor. The actors have more liberty; they won’t search for their marks.”

When it comes to pre-production, Plante abhors over-planning.

“I hate storyboards,” he says. “I don’t believe in them. How is it

Photo Courtesy of eOne Films

Director Philippe Falardeau in the classroom.

possible to know what will happen? I’m more like, ‘Let’s figure it out and we’ll do it. I’m fast, I have a good crew, and we’ll do it.”

All this stems from his philosophy that “a film is a life,” he says. “I truly believe a film is actually a living thing. I lose something every time I do a film. My own flesh and blood is given to the film. You cannot know where the film will go because it has a life of its own.

The film went in every direction, which is good. You have to be open to that. If you fight that, you’re dead. You have to respect the life of the film. Same with the look. How can I do look-up tables before I shoot the film? The film will add its own look while we’re doing it. I always discover the look of the film at the end.”

According to Falardeau, Plante’s intuitive nature makes him a powerful collaborator on set. “He is an instinctive and I’m a cerebral,” the director posits. “So I thought it was complementary that he would use more his gut and his instinct.” Falardeau recalls an early conversation with the cinematographer. “One of the first things he said to me was, ‘I think you should shoot [the film] in 2:35 ratio.’ And I disagreed. I wanted to use the normal ratio for cinema, because I thought it was more documentary-like, and he said, ‘No, I think you should use the other one.’ And I said, ‘Why? Explain to me why, give me some arguments.’ And he couldn’t, but he said, ‘I feel that it’s the right movie for that.’

So when we were making camera tests in the class and experimenting with the different lens formats, I tried the CinemaScope format, kneeling down at the level of the children, where they would be sitting at their desks, and I understood that [2:35] was the perfect format because you would have the sense that you

have more children in the frame and less unnecessary view of the ceiling for instance, so I had this horizontal view of the children sitting down at their desks. So he was right. And when I look at the film now I think it was beautiful shot that way, so it was definitely the right decision.”

To further illustrate how intuitively Plante works, Falardeau says, “Many [DOPs] will take, for instance, five, six measurements of the lights before shooting just to make sure. Ronald eyeballs the light. He doesn’t need his equipment to see what aperture or what filters, he can eyeball all that. That’s an amazing gift. He’s quite impressive when you see him working. He’s like a guy who’s going to war.”

Of working with Falardeau, Plante says, “It was great. Philippe Falardeau is a very witty and intelligent person. He knows what he wants and what he doesn’t want, and he’s amazing with the kids.” For the cinematographer, Monsieur Lazhar was special long before the accolades began rolling in. “I did the film with my wife, who’s the boom operator, and she was pregnant at the time, so it’s like we did the film, the three of us,” he says, chuckling.

“We had a good time. It was very laid back. I would ride my bicycle to the set. It was like summer camp. And that’s the beauty of cinema. Had you said we would go to the Oscars when we shot it, nobody would have believed it. We were not doing an Oscar film; we were just doing a good little film with kids and a good story. So the film is a critical success and a box office hit. What more do you want?”

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In Memoriam

Herb Alpert csc, asc 1918-2012

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erbert Alpert’s membership number was 00001, befitting the man who first suggested a Canadian Society of Cinematographers and who worked hard to achieve the dream. The Society was conceived in the lobby of a film studio at Woodbine and Danforth in east-end Toronto, a former movie theatre which was common ground for several cameramen who came to believe in the need for a distinctive organization dedicated to their special craft.

That was in 1957, and the idea quickly caught on. Alpert, an American born Nov. 26, 1918, in New Haven, Conn., was appointed the first pro-tem president. Forty years later, in 1997, he was presented the Fuji Award (now the President’s Award) in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the Society.

He told the CSC on the occasion of the Society’s 50th anniversary that “when I first came to Canada in 1955 on a freelance assignment from the highly competitive world of New York City, two important events occurred. I met my wife, and secondly I observed the early stirring of a film industry. It seemed obvious to me that there would be a need for a professional organization to educate and promote the interest of the cinematographer.

“So, in 1957, with the help of some others, the CSC took root and began its journey. The purpose of this non-profit professional and fraternal organization is to promote cinematography in Canada, to develop the mutual interest of professional cinematographers and to provide the membership with technical information to enable the improvement of their professional status.

Alpert passed away at his Toronto home on Feb. 20, 2012, at the age of 93. His earliest experiences with the movies were the black-and-white silent flicks of the 1920s, which led him into the film industry as the “talkies” and colour film production caught on. His film career spanned almost every era and technological advance of the medium, from sound to 3D to digital video.

“It is most gratifying to see the present state of the CSC with its vigorous programs and outstanding membership, but no organization can stand on its laurels. It must continue to adapt, take risks and anticipate in order to move forward into the 21st century with confidence and know-how. I am very confident that the challenges of the future will be met with exciting and innovative programs and ideas.”

One of his best-known films as director of photography was the 1961 3D Canadian horror/thriller The Mask.

Alpert was granted membership in the American Society of Cinematographers in 1964.

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Film. No Compromise.

Š Kodak, 2012. Kodak is a trademark.

Film Matters. Tell the world why at www.kodak.com/go/filmm atters

DOP NOTES

Digital Cinema Capture:

The Nuts and Bolts I n early 2011, I attended a seminar about DSLR cameras and techniques in Los Angeles. We got onto the topic of the ALEXA camera, and I asked the instructor of the seminar—the founder of a company that specializes in DSLR news and information— whether or not he knew if the sensor in the ALEXA was Bayer pattern. His response was something along the lines of, “I’m sure it is. Doesn’t Bayer manufacture the best sensor?” A red flag went up, as well as a few eyebrows around the room. Bryce E. Bayer was an inventor who developed a particular method of using a colour fixed array in 1976, not a manufacturer of camera sensors. It was clear our chosen DSLR guru was a little short on details about the products he came to inform us about.

This lack of understanding isn’t isolated to the industry news types or marketers; it’s alive and well among producers, directors and camera people. When it comes to choosing a format or system to use on a project, it can turn into a big discussion and battle about one system over another. Too often, that discussion and decision process is not based on actual tests and results, but on misinformation, hearsay or simply a misunderstanding of marvelous sounding specs.

Photo Courtesy of Bob Primes asc

“Two of the most common misconceptions about digital imaging specs have to do with confusion about Bayer pixels versus RGB pixels and bit-depth versus latitude,” says cinematographer Steve Yedlin (Brothers Bloom, Brick). The reason that there is so much misinformation and misunderstanding is that often people don’t have time to be experts on the subject and rely on quick information. Yedlin says, “But, the real information is complex and subtle and is betrayed by a brief gloss.”

Bob Primes asc and the Single Chip Camera Evaluation 12 • Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012

By Guy Godfree

Special to Canadian Cinematographer

And there is a lot to take in. From sensor technology, colour science, compression algorithms, to resolving powers and Nyquist theories – today’s digital cinema imaging technology is incredibly complex. All of these aspects in a given capture system can have an effect on the images created, although the differences may be difficult to see.

What becomes important is an understanding of how a camera sensor captures images and being able to use that knowledge to create robust images that will hold up through post and onto the screen the way you intend them to be. Simple factors, like the sensor’s native colour temperature (be it daylight or tungsten) can be a determining factor in getting cleaner, less noisy images. Other times it might just be an understanding of the limitations in a camera’s processor and compression scheme.

Recently there has been a lot of attention paid to large resolution.

4K became a common point of interest. Images made on a 4K sensor feel big and look great mostly because the size of the imaging area can create a depth of field only seen before on 35 mm or larger film. But this look and feel are not directly related to the number of pixels, nor does 4K resolution equal sharper or better images.

Undoubtedly a high pixel count is important for large images, but there is a point where pixel count can become redundant in terms of increasing image sharpness or image quality.

“I think the most prominent gap is between specs and perceived image quality,” states Bob Primes asc, who has seen the progression of digital cinema from the earliest HD cameras to the most recent innovations. Primes, who is also an instructor at the American Film Institute, recently led the Single Chip Camera Evaluation (SCCE)

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arly last year, Bob Primes asc, at the behest of camera accessory manufacturer Zacuto, administered a comprehensive test of the the 35 mm Kodak 5213 & 5219 film stock, ARRI ALEXA, RED ONE M-X, Weisscam HS-2, Phantom Flex, Sony F-35, Sony F3, Panasonic AG-AF100, Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 7D, Canon 1D Mark IV and Nikon D7000. The Single Chip Camera Evaluation (SCCE) involved almost 800 people, and each camera was used to shoot several live-action clips to compare sharpness, light sensitivity, exposure latitude, colour, compression, skin tones and motion artifacts. While in Toronto for the December meeting of the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE), Primes shared his thoughts on the test with Canadian Cinematographer.

CC: What did you conclude from the test?

Primes: We don’t draw conclusions. These are things that can be measured in numbers or listed on a bar graph. The things that are just judgments, like what do you think skin colour should look like? What do you think the colour of this flower should

in Los Angeles—an impartial series of camera tests that compared 12 digital cameras in a number of settings, including a variety of real on-set challenges.

According to Primes, the marketing is a numbers game, and it doesn’t always add up. After testing the ALEXA, the camera came up low at around 590 lines pairs per image height, while the RED tested numerically much higher. “Then when we took the images and blew them up and looked at them, the RED didn’t look any sharper than the ALEXA,” he says. “So the specs don’t correlate to what your eye sees.”

Further discussion about why the ALEXA tested lower than expected prompted Primes to talk to its manufacturers at ARRI. Stephan Ukas Bradley, manager of technical services, explained that they purposefully softened the image because people felt that it helped make it feel more film-like. This decision wasn’t something that could be gleaned from reading the specifications alone.

On the SCCE, Primes evaluated perceived sharpness without separating out resolution from contrast. Resolution and contrast are inextricably related as far as perceived sharpness is concerned. It gets complicated to quantify sharpness when a low contrast image with incredible resolution doesn’t look as sharp as a lower resolution image with higher contrast.

“So boiling things down to perceived sharpness is essential. That is the bottom line,” Primes says. He adds that this eliminates just relying on a company’s marketing statement of “look how many lines of resolution we have,” which takes advantage of tech hype just in order to have statistical bragging rights. It is not just as simple as bigger is better, but more so about information accuracy and efficiency.

RGB value of each pixel in its location in the output image. This process is called interpolation.

In the case of the Bayer pattern sensor, the colour filter array consists of alternating rows of red-green and green-blue filtered photo sites. As the green channel is linked to luminance, more photo sites are assigned for that purpose. The colour information for red and blue is essentially sub sampled and then through an interpolation process, the full colour image is created.

On top of that, the amount of information gathered at each photo site becomes important to the quality to the final image and the information it can reproduce. Too much attention is often given to the finest detail resolvable, but subtle tonal gradations are also important.

In most single sensor cameras, the economical and practical way to record the primary colours is by placing coloured filters over each individual photo site and by breaking up the sensor into a variety of red, blue and green filtered photo sites. This creates what is called a colour filter array. By using the colour information from surrounding photo sites, a generally accurate guess can be made as to the

This is where bit depth becomes an important factor. Getting good tonal representation means finer sampling. One common misconception is that bit depth equals dynamic range. This is not accurate. Images sampled with higher bit depths can reproduce more shades or colours between the darkest black to the brightest white. For example, 8 bit is 256 different shades or steps from black to white; 10 bit increases these steps to 1024 different shades.

This results in smoother gradations and less chance of banding or

be? Things like that we just show you, and you decide for yourself. We were absolutely non-judgmental about it. We wanted to make it a document that you could see. So that if you’re judging what camera to get or use, it simply gives you the images and the data so you have a source independent of the manufacturers’ marketing.

CC: After doing the test, how do you think cinematographers should approach camera selection?

Primes: Cinematographers are artists and cameras are instruments. A technician with nothing to say may record images but they are not going to move you or inspire you. I teach at AFI [the American Film Institute] and at the beginning of the term, we ask all our new cinematographers to dig deep and look for their core values, what they, as artists, have to say. If you’re going to be given the persuasive power of the art form and these powerful high tech tools, you better have something to say. Ultimately, the relationship between artists and their instruments is more important that the instruments themselves. Some of our greatest

film artists have never shot digital, and digital is certainly different. For a producer to try to make the decision and say, “I like this camera, here’s the camera you use” is folly because even though the camera may have been used successfully, it hasn’t been used by that artist on that specific picture. But it is great if the producer is knowledgeable and can intelligently converse about image quality and production efficiency. And cinematographers must also hold up their end of the deal and attempt to understand as much as possible. We are ethically obliged to create our images as efficiently as possible and if it can look just as good using a camera that needs only a quarter the light, that’s a big factor.

Ultimately, within the constraints of the budget and workflow, it should be the cinematographers’ call because they will be held responsible for both the images and the cost of creating them.

CC: So the test is not just useful for cinematographers?

Primes: We made the SCCE as much for producers as anyone else. We wanted the producers to know that judging image quality is a complex undertaking, and it’s neither easy nor trivial.

Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012 •

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rounding errors. Yedlin simplifies it to, “Latitude is a measure of how much range of light intensity a sensor can see whereas bitdepth is a measure of how precisely it registers data within that range.”

Every digital camera sensor works on a linear sample of this bit depth information. From there, some cameras then convert that into a logarithmic sample, which allocates more of the sample steps in the darker parts of the image and less steps in the bright end. This helps use the sampling information more efficiently. The human eye detects smaller changes in the darker parts of the image. On the other hand, changes in the brighter parts are not perceived as easily.

For example, a 14 bit linear sample from the sensor can become a 10 bit log sample in the file—with more of the bits allocated to the darker parts of the image and less allocated to the brighter parts.

This allows for the same amount of perceived information from the linear 14 bit sample to be retained in the 10 bit log sample.

But one has to be careful over the confusion over bit depth and latitude. Yedlin clarifies, “these two attributes which are often confused with one another are actually nearly opposites. Bit-depth is intensive whereas latitude is extensive.”

Now, Bayer pattern interpolation and sensor bit depth reallocation are not necessarily bad things: these are sophisticated algorithms and computations. But understanding that these processes are going on is important. Having a 4K sensor doesn’t necessarily mean Despite some fantastic marketing campaigns, if you really want to judge image quality there are steps you’ve got to go through.

We tried to define the aspects of image quality and actually explain them to the less geeky amongst us.

CC: What can cinematographers take from the test?

Primes: What a cinematographer will get out of this is a very fair, very unbiased, very rigorous side-by-side comparison of different cameras all with the same subject and lens and each comparison designed to reveal a particular aspect of image quality. Many times what the instrument will tell you and what your eye will tell you are different. So we show the quantitative values in a graph and then directly compare the real world images. Cinematographers would normally have to make their own tests, which can be costly and time-consuming. And they generally won’t test as many cameras. But the SCCE can give them a start. They know they can trust this. If a cinematographer says, “I was intrigued by this or that and I want to go further,” great. They can continue with their own test. Any one of the cameras we tested might be the best camera for some particular job.

CC: What is the future of these kinds of camera tests?

Primes: Every time you do a camera test in this day and age, it’s guaranteed that within a few months it will be becoming out of date. In the days of film it was much simpler. I believe there should be a standing set where you can test every aspect that you want to test on that set under perfectly repeatable conditions.

If you’ve got new cameras or revised cameras, you use the same lens, the same lighting, the same subjects at the same distance, all at the same measurements so that you can compare the new cameras with the old on a perfectly equal playing field. I believe

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more information. And how the bit depth information from the sensor is being allocated plays a big role in the amount of information captured by the camera.

With all the aspects of digital capture improving rapidly, the technology is changing and “overall sensitivity and latitude are the areas that I think really count most,” says Primes. He continues, excited about the low light capabilities of recent cameras, “With that kind of sensitivity and increased latitude, the possibilities are really changing the way we shoot.

Justin Lovell, an associate CSC member and founder of Frame Discreet Transfers in Toronto, likens evaluating digital cameras to evaluating film stocks. Comparatively, each digital system or film stock has its advantages or disadvantages for a given situation, he says. Or the artist might simply just be familiar with how a digital camera or film stock behaves and that familiarity or experience leads them to choose that system.

In the end, the key is to evaluate the footage in the display venue intended for any given project. A side-by-side comparison is more valuable than charts or numbers. As Primes says, “It’s not that [the specifications] don’t at all correlate; it’s just that they don’t correlate very well.”

Originally from Nova Scotia, Guy Godfree is a cinematographer based in New York and Los Angeles. you must see resolution, low-end and high-end latitude, sensitivity to low light, colour characteristics, compression and motion artifacts. I believe this set of parameters is sufficient to define image quality without having to see specific images of cats, cars or Casaba melons. If you can accept that premise, I think we can build all the things you need to test image quality within a room that could be standing at the ready for the next new camera.

CC: What about testing flesh tones?

Primes: I think there’s a solution to that. I am working with one of the top make-up artists in Hollywood, the first governor of the makeup branch of the motion picture academy, Leonard Engelman, and he’s doing research. I personally believe it’ll be possible to have replicas manufactured with pores and colour so accurate that they are photographically identical to actual people. Of course they couldn’t get up and walk around the room. It would be great if we could make them blink or twitch or move their eyes. I am becoming more and more enthusiastic about a permanent site that can become an industry reference, and when a new or revised camera appears, it can be quickly and easily given the standard battery of tests. Interested parties can then ask for specific images and results from specific cameras in a specific order and know that the results are accurate, impartial and up to date.

That may well be only the beginning of more specific tests, but it will certainly be a useful and practical tool.

The SCCE tests were screened at the 2011 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show. It is hoped that what has been learned by conducting these tests will help establish a permanent, repeatable industry test site.

CSC Digital Camera Assistants Course

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ARRI 535, ARRI 435, Platinum, Canon 5D, 7D, Digibeta SP, F-900, Genesis, Panasonic 100A, Panasonic AJ HPX3 100G, AG-Af100, Phantom, RED, SI-2K, Sony F-35, and Sony EX3.

The course was made possible thanks to the generous support of Bling, Clairmont Camera, Dazmo Digital, Kodak Canada, Panasonic Canada, Panavision Canada, PS Production Services, RedLab Digital, Sim Video, Sony Canada, Technicolor and Vistek.

Photo Credits: Ernie Kestler

he CSC Digital Camera Assistants Course ran from February 25 to March 4 in Toronto with instructors Daniel Abboud, Mike Dawson, Nicholas Fournier, Pete Janes, Ernie Kestler, John Lindsay, Sarah Moffat, Doug Nelson, Marc Pierce, Gottfried Pflugbeil, Ernest Spiteri, Paul Taylor, Michelle Veza and Brian Young. Coursework covered such topics as duties of first and second assistant, building the camera from the ground up, tripods and heads, assisting for Steadicam, as well as testing cameras and lenses. Cameras covered were ARRI SR3,

Above: Nicholas Fournier (Camera Technician) demonstrates 3D rig at Dazmo.

Right: Participant Janek Lowe with instructor Michelle Veza in Matte Box. Below: Participants Janek Lowe and Sam Perrin at Clairmont.

Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012 •

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IMAGORoundup Paris, France

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By Joan Hutton csc were societies in attendance from Japan, the Philippines, Australia, Israel, Argentina, Brazil and of course Canada.

Photo Credits: Joan Hutton csc

eing in the City of Light is always fascinating and intriguing and one of my favourite places in the world. However, my visit to Paris, France, in February had a bit more meaning and historical importance attached to it. I was in town for IMAGO’s annual general assembly (IAGA) and the organization’s 20th anniversary. Established in 1992 as a European

One informal and impromptu discussion that arose during the IAGA was over structure. Interestingly, many societies only allow for full membership in their respective organizations. The CSC’s four-level system of affiliate, associate, full and honourary/ lifetime memberships raised a number of eyebrows and sparked questions over why we have multi-tier membership, and in doing so, was the CSC not diluting the exclusiveness and integrity of our society? While everyone understood full membership, it was the three other CSC categories that were at issue. I explained that the CSC is an inclusive organization that welcomes everyone.

Associate members were cinematographers usually still honing their skills and who have been working for years in our industry.

While some may never be full CSC members, they are still a part of our craft and should be recognized as such. An affiliate member could be a student, a camera assistant, a shooter just starting their career, or simply a person who is a cinematography aficionado. We have found that being an open society, involved with our entire community, strengthens us as an organization and furthers our goals to promote cinematography. Even lifetime/honourary memberships are inclusive by keeping retired cinematographers within our fold and bringing in those who have made unusual but substantial Femis Film School located at the old Pathé Studios. contributions to cinematography such as Roberta federation of cinematographer societies, IMAGO Bondar (honorary memhas grown into an international organization enber) for the achievement compassing 47 societies that represent over 3,000 of handholding an IMAX cinematographers worldwide. The CSC has been a in space. What other member since 2008. society can boast an astronaut as a member?

Besides the 20th anniversary, the IAGA signaled the Judging from the many end of an era for IMAGO and the beginning of a pensive looks and acnew one. Their headquarters in Paris was formally IMAGO President Nigel Walters bsc knowledging head nods shut down and is moving to Brussels, where IMAonce I finished, the CSC GO will be closer to the European Union seat of may have given other sopower and where IMAGO is a registered cinematographers’ lobby. cieties something to mull over with their own society models.

IMAGO has always been very active in furthering the rights of cinematographers, especially when it concerns working conditions and image authorship rights. To press home these concerns, IMAGO conducted a survey dealing with several issues ranging from royalties to working unscheduled overtime. I’ve presented a few of the results in this issue. The survey questionnaire was sent to CSC members last year. Full and detailed survey results can be found on the IMAGO website: www.imago.org.

In all, there were 49 delegates attending the IAGA, representing 38 cinematography societies from around the world.

Granted, the representation was Europe centric, however, there

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In the formal presentations there was a discussion about standardized frame rates. For the past eight years IMAGO has been instrumental in helping develop standardized frame rates to reflect our new digital age. It culminated last December with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) publishing that in addition to the primary frame rates of 24fps and 48fps, four digital frame rates of 25, 30, 50 and 60fps have been defined to “ensure that the artistic intent of the content producer can be maintained at the point of delivery.” Just as 24fps is the norm for shooting film, IMAGO is pushing for 60fps to be adopted as the worldwide standard production rate for all HiDef and 3D productions. Besides resolving compatibility issues, this rate also

allows for a high temporal resolution, virtually eliminating all stroboscopic artefacts.

A fascinating presentation was delivered by the Association of Czech Cinematographers delegate, Marek Jicha ACK, who is proposing a unique system for verifying the integrity of digitally restored and archived old films. The National Film Archive in Prague has one of the largest film archives in the world. Under Czech copyright law, the visual image of a cinematographer is considered artwork and as such cannot be altered or changed. In the case of film restoration, it would not only require a professional restoration artist, but also the author of the film, meaning the cinematographer or a designated representative such as the director or the producer and the archivists who would collaborate, as to how and what can be changed in order to preserve a film’s original appearance and sound. So, essentially there are three people strictly monitoring the restoration and archiving process. Once all the technical criteria has been met and all three parties agree to the veracity of the restoration and archiving process, the film is given a DRA (Digitally Restored Authorizate) as an authorized original movie. Initiatives such as this proposal by the Association of Czech Cinematographers are definitely needed now more than ever. We’ve all seen modified or colourized versions of older films heralded as so called “improvements” to the original. IMAGO hopes that more societies press the case for defined restoration and archiving for our films. After all it is a matter of preserving our culture and cinematic history.

As a part of the IAGA, all delegates were treated to an afternoon at the Micro Salon de L’image 2012, an annual trade show and forum produced by the French Association of Cinematographers.

About 2,500 people attended the two-day event which was held at the legendary La Fémis film school located in the former Pathé Film Studios in Montmartre. As I walked around the Micro Salon, I could literally feel the cinematic history gushing from the walls. One would swear that Charles Pathé was peering down on the proceedings with a smile.

Two notable screenings I attended at the Micro Salon were by Aaton, the camera manufacturer out of Grenoble, France, and a presentation by honourary CSC member Philippe Ros AFC. Aaton showed images shot with its new totally digital Penelope Delta camera. First designed with interchangeable film/digital mags, Aaton went back to the drawing board and redesigned it into a single digital camera. While the Penelope images were impressive, the prototype camera itself was not demonstrated at the screening and will not be available to the public until the end of the year.

Word on the Parisian streets has it that Sony’s F65 will probably be picking up most of the high-end work in Europe this year.

Philippe Ros AFC presented a very comprehensive review on digital negatives. While it takes more space and is an added step, Ros’ test film convincingly endorsed the use of digital negatives in the image acquisition process. Even to the naked eye, the colours were more vibrant, the darks were richer, and whites contained more detailed information. Simply put, the dynamic range and latitude were basically better.

IMAGO has made some great strides during its 20 years of existence. Many of their goals and initiatives are closely in line with the philosophies of the CSC. We fully endorse IMAGO, which gives cinematographers a much need global footprint.

The First IMAGO Survey on Living and Working Conditions of Cinematographers Imago Survey Snapshot What is the single longest period you’ve gone without work as a cinematographer?

58 % - Months 10 % - No answer 27 % - Weeks 5 % - Don’t Know What is your gross personal income comparison between 2010 and 2011?

47 % - Maintained the level of 80 to 100% 8 % - Maintained the level of 60 to 79% 8 % - Maintained the level of 30 to 59% 11 % - Maintained the level of 1 to 29% Are you paid for postproduction grading?

23 % - Sometimes 14 % - No answer 21 % - Generally not 13 % - Never 20 % - Generally paid 9 % - Always How do you assess your financial security in your older years?

40 % - With some difficulties 12 % - With Great Difficulty 18 % - With difficulty 2 % - No problem at all 16 % - Fairly Easily How often do you work more than 48 hours per week?

28 % - Always 13 % - No answer 25 % - Often 10 % - Rarely 22 % - Sometimes 1% - Never Do you take responsibility for the working hours and conditions of your camera crew, including gaffer and grip?

28 % - Always 13 % - No answer 25 % - Often 10 % - Rarely 22 % - Sometimes 1% - Never Have you suffered stress symptoms?

41 % - Yes 39 % - No Find the full survey ar www.imago.org/pdfs/a7322139c8a3a5180c1108d265a14533.pdf

Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012 •

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Green Screen Without the Green Screen?

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e all know that chroma keying is a technique for compositing, or layering, two images together. It is more commonly referred to as green screen or blue screen, wherein a colour range is made transparent, revealing another image behind. Lighting chroma key has always required light for the screen and the subject separately, while watching out for green or blue spill onto the subject and an even spread of light across the background. This can prove to be tricky depending on the tools and space you have to light. That is until Reflecmedia thought up a reverse approach.

Chromatte and LiteRing will change the way you handle chroma key shots forever. Think bicycle reflector tape. Now think of a giant piece of it. That is what Chromatte looks like. Chromatte is a fabric designed specifically for use as a background for chroma key production. To the eye, Chromatte is silvery grey, and when you move around a Chromatte curtain you see the reflective surface shift with ambient light from wherever your angle of view is, it’s really interesting, actually. LiteRing is the counterpart to Chromatte, it is an LED ring light, in green or blue, that sits on the end of the lens. The fabric contains millions of tiny glass beads that act as reflectors so when the directional light from the LiteRing hits the fabric, it is returned on the same path back into the camera’s lens. This retro-reflective process means the camera “sees” the apparently grey fabric as a perfectly even blue or green background.

The fabric is cotton-based and has around 70,000 beads per square inch! The glass beads are back coated with aluminium to give them their reflectivity. This also means the camera lens angle of view does not have to be straight on at the curtain. It can be at any angle and the beads still reflect back evenly to the lens.

I had a very successful and simple shoot using this technology. The kit is so small and easy to set up. It came with two stands and a partitioned rod for an 8x8 Chromatte curtain, LiteRing with various sized lens adaptors, and the light controller. I had it set up in five minutes! I caught myself starting to set light the curtain, as if it were a green screen – it was a default in my head. Remembering that I no longer had to light the background, I got to focus solely on the subject. It was very refreshing, in fact.

Lining up the still life subject about 3 feet off the curtain and pushing the camera lens with LiteRing as close to the subject as possible, I wanted to get a sense of what the limitations were, such as how close the LiteRing could be before it would cast onto the subject.

I was pleasantly surprised. The lens was about a foot away from the subject with

18 • Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012

By Sarah Moffat

no cast from the LED. To help me achieve this, I used the LiteRing controller which acts just like a dimmer switch. It is powered off with any 12V AC or battery power supply, and runs from power to dimmer to ring. Controlling the intensity of the LEDs does two things: 1) It pulls back cast light on the subject if in close proximity; and 2) It intensifies the appearance of the “green” screen effect on the curtain. I found that in far, wide shots bringing up the LEDs on the dimmer made for an overall bright “green,” even background.

While on close-ups, dimming down allowed me to get the lens right in there for macros, and hand-held shots on live actions, where the lens saw less of the curtain/background and therefore “green” intensity could be sacrificed. Also, the obvious upside is that you are using fewer lights overall – save rental money, electricity, the planet, and it doesn’t get as hot on set. Makes sense to me. I am not sure of the large-scale application of this as I haven’t shot the next Matrix yet, but there is a challenge for anyone in chroma key feature land.

A quick note on reflection in the eye - I also shot a person in frame for a test. At about 3 to 4 feet away from the subject’s face no visible green ring light reflection appeared in the eye. When freezing a frame in post and zooming into the face, I could see a tiny green speck at the edge of the pupil, however the dominant light reflection was that of the key light. A suggestion would be to pull further back, dim the LEDs, and use a longer lens to avoid any potential green ring light reflection in the eye.

Now, the real part of the test was in post— how well does it actually key? Amazingly well, fast and clean! Jim Hardie, an industry expert in post, says it’s the best key he has ever seen. I used FCP, a Chroma Keyer tool. Using the eye dropper, I grabbed only one spot of the green background, tweaked the range of options – greens, luminance, etc., and presto! The key was complete and clean. Edges of the subject were perfect. I was doubly impressed as the still life subject I shot was a fresh bloom of orchids, which have green parts to the buds, and stems. Yet despite the close proximity of the green LED while shooting, using the LiteRing dimmer and a bit of countering light source on the orchids, there were absolutely no issues in post of trying to separate only the green background from the green tones on the flowers. It truly was a snap!

A great example of the literal flexibility of this technology is in the first Harry Potter film. Remember Harry Potter’s “invisibility cloak”? Well, that was the early development of Chromatte and LiteRing. The technology itself has been around since the mid1990s and stemmed from an idea created by the BBC and developed by Reflec, a UK company. Reflecmedia was set up in 2001 to bring Chromatte to the mass market. Technically Yours Inc. (TY) has been the exclusive Canadian representative since 2009. You can contact Jennifer Mallette there for use of Reflecmedia products, and yes, there are even more tools!

Sarah Moffat’s camera experience includes motion picture and still photography. She has worked in drama, documentary and live broadcast.

Photo Credit: Sarah Moffat

Tech Column

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BEHIND THE SCENES

Gaffer Bob McAdam

By Fanen Chiahemen

Photo Credit: Julie Kilbreath

position is a creative one as well as a technical one,” he says. “I still enjoy the challenge of going out and creating something in conjunction with a lot of different people. I still feel like I have creative input and can make any project I work on better. For example, if the DP decides he would like a morning look, sometimes you would decide what kind of gels to put on lights to get that morning effect.

A lot of times the boss won’t tell you what fixtures to put in the lights, you decide. So the translation between what he says to you and how it looks has a lot to do with you.” It’s when he’s doing things like shooting a scene at City Hall and trying to figure out how to light the round tables from over the top, “That’s where you pull on your experiences,” he says. “What’s the best light source to use and how are we going to do it?”

Bob McAdam

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oronto gaffer Bob McAdam has been lighting sets for more than 25 years. Still, “It’s a dogfight to get those positions at the top,” he says. “The competition for key positions within the union is very high.”

Like all good gaffers, McAdam values solid relationships with directors of photography that can translate into reputable and consistent work. On a set, he says, “There has to be some mutual understanding as to what the goal is. The DOP is the boss, and I’m there to facilitate what he needs. And hopefully he’s able to put his trust in me and allow me to do my job. Because I’m there to further his vision.”

As the head of lighting on a set, McAdam is one of the most valuable crewmembers to the cinematographer. “The cinematographer communicates to his keys as to what he’s looking for. The DP will say to me, ‘I want a source coming through the window,’ or, ‘I want a daylight effect,’ and we’ll go from there. I make notes as to the best way to get what he’s asking me for and I implement that.” Being in charge of the technical procedures necessary to achieve the desired lighting, gaffers use generators, lights and cables, as well as their assistants, known as best boys. Mastery of which colour gels to put on lights or windows to create effects is also a gaffer’s craft.

For McAdam, the highs of bringing his vision to a project may well outweigh the challenges of trying to land projects. “My

20 • Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012

Just how much he can flex his creative muscle frequently correlates with his rapport with the DOP, McAdam says. “For example, I’ve worked with [former CSC Vice President] George Willis [csc, sasc] for 15 years, and we got to the point where we had an excellent relationship as far as my knowing what he was looking for. He didn’t even have to say much, and I knew what he was thinking already.” McAdam has a particularly high regard for Willis, who he says is deferential to his crew. “We’ve done docudramas, mini-films, usually two or three weeks long .

And the experiences on those were very fulfilling for me because we worked together as a team. He didn’t consider me an underling. I believe that to be a good DP, you have to lean heavily on your keys. The experiences I had with George would be the ones I remember the most.”

Having worked in the industry for an extended period of time, McAdam remembers when lighting used to be a much more cumbersome business. “As technology has marched on,” he says, “the logistics of lighting have changed for the better for the technician. Everything has been scaled down as far as weight goes, and they’ve made lighting fixtures hundreds of times more powerful, more economical and efficient. So the logistics of lighting scenes are a lot easier because you’re able to get things higher, to string cables easier, lights don’t weigh as much. So you’re able to have more of everything. Having the right piece of equipment with you is an integral part of shooting film.”

In addition to docudramas and television films, McAdam says

Michael Condon, SOC VP Digital Division

Andree Martin VP Technical Services

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he has worked on a multitude of commercials, which is “good because you work with different people all the time. If you just work with one guy, you just learn his tricks, you learn how he works; it’s a one-dimensional thing. [On commercials] you get to work with different DPs and see all their different styles and amalgamate their styles into yours. I find that very helpful,” he says.

Even though McAdam has worked with many cinematographers, they have almost all imparted the same lesson, which is to never over-light. “A lot of times when a gaffer upgrades to 1 12-01-06 10:23 words, AM a DPCSC_Ad_Outlines.pdf he becomes an over-lighter.

In other he’s afraid to

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22 • Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012

take chances with lighting. There’s light everywhere. There’s no shadow,” he says.

But the most important thing he’s taken away from years of working on sets is, “You should treat people with respect,” he says. Once again McAdam invokes Willis, saying the cinematographer always led by example. “The way I saw him treat the people who were working for him was a good lesson to learn. He would go up to each person on his crew and thank them for their hard work after a long day of shooting. You want to treat people the way you want to be treated.”

That maxim is perhaps never more apparent for McAdam in situations where he has to stick to his guns against all odds.

“There are times when you have to say it’s not safe. For example, I was doing a kids’ show in the ‘90s,” he recalls. “And it was a production company that hadn’t really shot a lot of live action; they were more an animation team. So we’re on location, and I’ve got lights on cranes, and a thunderstorm comes in, and immediately I know – and everybody who’s ever worked a day on a set knows – that you cut the power until it blows over.

And I had the production manager and producer almost insisting that we start shooting again right away. And at that point I said, ‘No, you should get on the phone and talk to people about this. It’s a safety issue and we’re not doing it.’ Sometimes you’ve got to stick up for yourself and your crew, and that can be a challenge.”

But the biggest challenge is always getting the job, McAdam reiterates. “To convince people that you’d be an asset to the production. That’s the hardest thing. It’s cracking into the inner circle of producers, production managers and out-of-town DPs.”

It all becomes worth it, however, when he sees his work on screen.

“Most satisfying is when you see the movie, and you see all the scenes that you help to light. There are so many things that you are responsible for. That’s one of the main reasons I stayed in the business. I always got a lot of satisfaction watching my work on screen or television. It is a privilege to work in the film business and it is important not to take it for granted and to appreciate the people and projects you get to work on be they big or small,” he says.

Used Leica Geo System Disto Laser Measurement Devices Attention crew technicians interested in selling used Leica Disto Laser Measurement devices for cash to upgrade to newer models. Contact: Alan J. Crimi, Panavision Canada Corp. at 416-2587239, shipping, receiving and client services at 416-444-7000 or alan.crimi@panavision. com. www.panavision.com.

Wanted: 35mm and 16mm prints. I have recently acquired a 35mm projector and would like to have a print library on hand. If you have or know of any film prints gathering dust and in need of a caring home, contact Christopher at 902 644 3604 or HYPERLINK “mailto:cbifilms@eastlink.ca” cbifilms@eastlink.ca Short-Term Accommodation for Rent Visiting Vancouver for a shoot? One-bedroom condo in Kitsilano on English Bay with secure underground parking, $350 per week. Contact: Peter Benison at 604-229-0861, 416-698-4482 or peter@peterbenison.com.

Looking for a home in the GTA area while shooting a project? Kelly Mason, cinematographer, is renting her fully-furnished home in Mississauga. It is modern, renovated, open concept, fireplaces (2), hardwood floors. Walking distance to all amenities, Go Train, restaurants, Metro, Starbucks, Homesense, Dollarama, and more. 2500/mth + utilities; 3 bedroom, 3 bath. 4-6 month lease starting January 5, 2012. No Smokers and no pets please. Contact Kelly at 647.993.6183; HYPERLINK “mailto:kelly@kellymason.com” kelly@kellymason.com.

Equipment for Sale OWN A PIECE OF CINEMA HISTORY: selling a vintage Bell & Howell 2709 camera with mags. THE film camera of the 1920s and ‘30s; assorted other goodies. Contact: dkoch198@hotmail.com.

Lighting Kit: 3 - 400/600W. ColorTran Mini Pros c/w stands, scrims, gels, dichroic filters, spare bulbs, case $ 225.00.

ProSine 1000 inverter. Input: 12V, Output: 120 Vac - True 60 Cycle Sine Wave, will drive small HMI c/w shipping case $ 200.00.

Monitor Shipping Case c/w Monitor tripod stand $ 60.00 Hard Shell Shipping Case $50.00

Nikon Still Camera - D200 c/w 24-120 mm Zoom Lens Extra charger & battery Mint Condition $ 400.00

condition, as new, 61hours drum time, $7,000. All cameras with porta-brace covers. All owned by me and serviced by Sony Hong Kong. Sony Beta SP/SX player/recorders, DNWA25P X2, PAL & NTSC, 500 & 644hours drum time, $6,000; Satchler 575 HMI, open-face, mint condition with spare bulb, $2,500 & case. The lot for $20,000. Contact: François Bisson at blitzvideo@mac.com.

Sony BVW-400a Betacam SP Camcorder camera used by professional cinematographer (one owner), never rented out. Comes complete with Fujinon A15x8BEVM-28 lens, Petroff matte box with 4x4 and 4x5.6 filter holders, remote zoom and focus control for lens, six Cadnica NP-1 batteries, Sony BC-1WD battery charger, Porta-Brace fitted cover with rain jacket (like new) and Sony factory hard shipping case and manuals. Lens and camera professionally maintained by factory technicians. Usage hours are: A – 1,918 hours; B – 1,489 hours; C – 4,286 hours, $10,000.00 obo. Contact: Craig Wrobleski csc at 403-995-4202.

Aaton XTR Super 16 package including body, video relay optics, extension eyepiece, three magazines, Cooke 10.5-mm–60-mm S-16 zoom lens, Zeiss 9.5 prime lens, 4x4 matte box, 4x4 filters (85,85N6, polarizer, ND6, clear), follow focus and cases $12,000.

Nikon 50–300-mm F4-5 E.D. lens with support, $1,000. Kinoptik 9–8-mm 35-mm format lens c/with sunshade. Contact: stringercam@shaw.ca or mike@imagegearinc.com.

New Video Camera Rain Covers. Custom rain covers for sale. New design that fits and protects most Sony PMW EX3, Canon XHHDV, Panasonic VX200 cameras with the viewfinder extending toward the rear of the camera, $200. Noiseless rain cover for the external camera microphone, $30. Onboard Monitor rain cover, camera assistants can see the focus during the shot. No more hassles in the rain, $60. Custom Red One camera covers available upon request. Also can sew various types of heavy-duty material.

Repairs and zipper replacement on equipment and ditty bags. Contact: Lori Longstaff at 416-452-9247 or llong@rogers.com.

Camera Classifieds

Equipment Wanted

Betacam SP Camera package including BVP550 Betacam SP camera with BVV5 recorder, complete with Fuijinon 15x8 broadcast zoom lens, “Red Eye” wide-angle adapter, 6 IDX Li-Ion batteries, IDX quick charger with AC adapter, flight case, soft carry case, Sony monitor and 10 fresh Beta SP tapes ($140 value), $2,500. Contact: Christian at 416459-4895.

Fujinon XA17X7.6 BERM-M48 HD Lens in new condition, bought and mounted but never used. As new in box (camera is sold), $7,900. Panasonic Digital AV mixer WJMX50 (missing a few knobs from the lower right corner on the audio mixer), $400.

JVC TN-9U 9-inich colour monitor, $60. Photos available for everything. Contact: johnbanovich@gmail.com or 604-726-5646.

For Sale

Contact Jim Mercer csc: jim.mercer@rogers.com (Cell) 416-930-3485 Selling a Super 16 Modified SBM Bolex Camera Body. This Comes with:All original screws; Rewind Crank; Original Leather Strap; Bayonet Mount & Cap; Viewfinder; Rubber Eyepiece. This body has been super 16 modified, it was a rex-5 body professionally converted to bayonet mount. This body has been professional serviced in the summer of 2011, professional tightened and oiled. This body has also been professional re-calibrated for precision 24 f.p.s This viewfinder has been professional re-adjusted for the comfort of super 16 view. Leather is is pristine condition, has been properly conditioned. This camera is perfect working condition and still the cosmetics still look amazing for today.

Other accessories available (MST, MM Motor, Bolex Battery Pack, Magazines, H16 nonreflex, etc). To further inquire, e-mail: andrewglennmiller@gmail.com

28-Foot Black Camera Trailer with new brakes and tires, 20-foot awning, dark room, viewing lounge, two countertops with lots of storage space, heating and air conditioned, side windows and three access doors. Contact: jwestenbrink@rogers.com.

Camera Classified is a free service provided for CSC members.

For all others, there is a one-time $25 (plus GST) insertion fee. Your ad will appear here and on the CSC’s website, www.csc.ca. If you have items you would like to buy, sell or rent, please email your information to editor@csc.ca.

Sony DXC-D30 3 Camera Live Production Package includes three DXCD30 cameras/camera backs/ CCUs and multicore camera cables; Panasonic WJ-MX70 8 input switcher; full camera and switcher monitoring package and waveform/vectorscope; equipment rack for camera monitors & CCUs. Wired and operational. $19,500. Contact Ted Mitchener at ZTV Broadcast Services for complete list of equipment: 905-290-4430 or HYPERLINK “mailto:ted@ztvbroadcast.com” ted@ztvbroadcast.com.

Portable Gel Bin great for studio or location use, holds 24 Rosco or Lee colour correction, diffusion, reflective, scrim, etc., rolls outer dimensions measure 17.5x24x 63 inches, not including wheels and sturdy wooden construction, painted black, bottom and back wheels, side handles hinged front & top, locks for added safety, handy reference chart, $300 obo; Darkroom Safety Lights popular Model D type, accepts 10x12 inches safelight filters (possibly included, depending which kind you’re looking for), takes 7½-, 15- or 25-watt bulb, excellent condition, $50 each. Contact: Andrew at dp@andrewwatt.com.

Sony Beta SP DXC-D30WSP/PVV3P, PAL, 262hours drum time, $ 2,500; Sony Beta SP DXC-D30WS/PVV3, NTSC, 251hours drum time, $2,500; Sony BetaCam SX DNW-7, NTSC, 257hours drum time, $5,000; and IKEGAMI DV-CAM HL-DV7-AW, NTSC, mint

VANCOUVER

CALGARY

604-527-7262 403-246-7267 VANCOUVER CALGARY

604-527-7262

403-246-7267

TORONTO

416-444-7000 TORONTO

HALIFAX

HALIFAX

902-404-3630

416-444-7000

Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012 •

902-404-3630

23

PRODUCTIONS & CALENDAR

Production Notes Christmas Story II (feature); DOP Jan Kiesser csc, asc; to April 4, Vancouver The Colony (feature); DOP Pierre Gill csc; OP Candide Franklyn; to April 11, Toronto Copper (series); DOP Paul Sarossy csc, bsc; OP Mark Willis; to May 28, Toronto Defiance (pilot); DOP Attila Szalay csc, hsc; to May 24, Toronto The Firm (series); DOP Miroslaw Baszak; OP J.P. Locherer csc; to May 18, Mississauga Flashpoint V (series); DOP Mathias Herndl & Stephen Reizes csc (alternating episodes); to June 27, Toronto Fringe IV (series); DOP David Geddes csc, Michael Wale csc & David Moxness csc (alternating episodes); OP Chris Tammaro; to April 10, Vancouver The Haunting Hour III (series); DOP Michael Balfry csc; to May 17, Burnaby Killing II (series); DOP Gregory Middleton csc; OP Marty McInally; to April 20, Burnaby Nikita II (series); DOP Glen Keenan csc & Rene Ohashi csc, asc (alternating episodes); OP Roger Finlay; to April 10, Toronto Saving Hope (series); DOP Steve Danyluk csc; OP Cudah Andarawewa; to July, Mississauga Secret Circle (series); Robert McLachlan csc, asc; OP Michael Wrinch; to April 12, Vancouver Seventh Son (feature); DOP Thomas Sigel; May 9, Burnaby Still Seas (feature); DOP Guillermo Navarro; OP Gilles Corbeil; to April 13, Toronto Supernatural VII (series); DOP Serge Ladouceur csc; OP Brad Creasser; to April 5, Burnaby XIII II (series); DOP Eric Cayla csc; OP Andris Matiss; to July 18, Toronto

Calendar of Events April

May

12-21, Images Festival of Independent Film & Video, Toronto, imagesfestival.com

2-3, Hot Docs Forum, Toronto

26-May 6, Hot Docs, Toronto, hotdocs.ca

June 10-13, Banff World Media Festival, banffmediafestival.com

Subscribe to Canadian Cinematographer online www.csc.ca One-year subscriptions are available in Canada for $40.00 for individuals and $80.00 for institutions, including HST. In U.S. rates are $45.00 and $90.00 for institutions in U.S. funds. International subscriptions are $50.00 for individuals and $100.00 for institutions.

Subscribe online at www.csc.ca.

24 • Canadian Cinematographer - April 2012

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