Canadian Society of Cinematographers Magazine June 2020

CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS

$4 June 2020 www.csc.ca

Pierre Gill csc Shedding Light on

TRANSPLANT

Star Trek: Picard with Philip Lanyon CSC and Chris Mably CSC Treking Forward

A publication of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers

FEATURES – VOLUME 12, NO. 3 JUNE 2020

Courtesy of Bell Media and Sphère Média.

Fostering cinematography in Canada since 1957. The Canadian Society of Cinematographers was founded by a group of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa cameramen.

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

The CSC provides tangible recognition of the common bonds that link film and digital professionals, from the aspiring student and camera assistant to the news veteran and senior director of photography.

Pierre Gill

CSC:

Shedding Light on Transplant

By Trevor Hogg, Special to Canadian Cinematographer

12

Credit: Trae Patton/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The CSC is a not-for-profit organization run by volunteer board members of the society.

Thank you to our sponsors for their continued support.

CORPORATE SPONSORS AC Lighting All Axis Systems Inc. Arri Canada Cinetx Inc. Cooke Americas Deluxe Toronto Frame Discreet Fujifilm, North America Corporation Fujifilm, Optical Devices Division Grande Camera Henry’s HD Source Inspired Image Keslow Camera Kino Flo Lee Filters Mole-Richardson MOSS LED Nikon Canada Panasonic Canada Panavision Canada Quasar Science REDLABdigital RED Rosco Canada Rotolight Sigma SIM SIMMOD LENS Sony of Canada The Source Shop Technicolor Urban Post Production Vistek Walter Klassen FX William F. White International Zeiss

Creative Frontier: Philip Lanyon

CSC

on Star Trek: Picard

By Trevor Hogg, Special to Canadian Cinematographer

Treking Forward

By Trevor Hogg

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 2 4 6 7 10 11 26 28

18

Credit: Trae Patton/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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 nonpartisan groups in our industry but have no political or union affiliation.

21

From the Editor-In-Chief From the President In Memoriam: Denny Clairmont 1935-2020 In the News CSC Member Spotlight – Ahmad Al Morsy CSC On Set Tech Column Calendar

Cover Hamza Haq playing Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed in the pilot episode of Transplant. Courtesy of Bell Media and Sphère Média.

Canadian Cinematographer June 2020 Vol. 12, No. 3 EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joan Hutton CSC EDITOR EMERITUS Donald Angus EXECUTIVE OFFICER Susan Saranchuk, susans@csc.ca EDITOR Fanen Chiahemen, editor@csc.ca COPY EDITOR Patty Guyader PHOTO EDITOR Janek Lowe ART DIRECTION Berkeley Stat House WEBSITE www.csc.ca ADVERTISING SALES Guido Kondruss, gkondruss@rogers.com CSC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Serge Desrosiers CSC Zoe Dirse CSC Jeremy Benning CSC Carlos Esteves CSC Joan Hutton CSC Kristin Fieldhouse Guy Godfree CSC George Willis CSC, SASC CSC EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT George Willis CSC, SASC PAST PRESIDENT, ADVISOR Joan Hutton CSC VICE PRESIDENTS Carlos Esteves CSC Bruno Philip CSC MEMBERSHIP CHAIRS Arthur Cooper CSC Zoe Dirse CSC EDUCATION CHAIRS Carlos Esteves CSC George Willis CSC, SASC AWARDS CHAIR Arthur Cooper CSC DIGITAL PORTALS Carolyn Wong (Content Manager) ONLINE CONTENT COMMITTEE Jeremy Benning csc – Co-Chair Carolyn Wong – Co-Chair DIVERSITY COMMITTEE Joan Hutton CSC – Co-Chair Kristin Fieldhouse – Co-Chair RELATIONSHIPS Gaston Bernier OFFICE / MEMBERSHIP / SUBSCRIPTIONS 131–3085 Kingston Road Toronto, Canada M1M 1P1 Tel: 416-266-0591; Fax: 416-266-3996 Email: admin@csc.ca, 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 131–3085 Kingston Road Toronto M1M 1P1 THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.

2 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joan Hutton csc

T

he Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 ravaged the world, killing 50 million people globally, including 50,000 Canadians and nearly 700,000 Americans. According to film historian William Mann, author of Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood, the pandemic radically changed the movie industry by laying the building blocks that gave rise to the Hollywood studio system that lasted well into the late 1980s. In 1918, film studios were located in either Los Angeles or New York, and distribution companies were independently run, as were film houses sprawled across the country. There wasn’t a dominant cohesive system in place, but it all seemed to work. When the influenza epidemic struck, the North American film industry came to a crashing halt. Studios closed their doors, losing tens of millions of dollars, distributors languished with no product to distribute, but the hit hardest economically were the movie houses. They were essentially mom-andpop operations that could barely weather being dark a couple of weeks, let alone months on end.

Producer Adolph Zukor, who established Famous Players and was the head of Paramount Pictures, saw the pandemic as a golden opportunity to vertically integrate the making, distribution and the exhibiting of movies under one roof. Villain or shrewd businessman, Zukor set about buying movie theatres for pennies on the dollar to secure his vision. By the 1920s, he was firmly in control, and the Hollywood studio system ruled North American cinema.

The effects of the 1918 pandemic and the 2020 COVID-19 contagion on our film industry are quite similar: large crowds are banned, production is at a standstill and movie theatres are shuttered. If there’s a silver lining with COVID-19, it’s been glimmering for streamers such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney. Self-isolating has increased spending on their services by as much as 50 per cent. Since streamers produce their own content too, they essentially control the process right through to the viewing inside homes.

Have they become the modern version of the old studio system? Movie houses seem to no longer be needed, or are they? Rumours have Jeff Bezos, aspiring trillionaire and owner of Amazon, taking a hard look at acquiring the AMC cinema chain. Only time will tell if a pandemic is once again altering the destiny of our film industry.

Like A Boss Bloodshot Midsommar Dolemite Is My Name Hustlers Just Mercy Wu-Tang: An American Saga The Witcher The Dry Veronica Mars American Horror Story

Your favorite stories.

Told with .

Dickinson Evil Maniac Tales from the Loop The Terror Homecoming The Highwaymen The Hate U Give The Rook Mary Queen of Scots The First Can You Ever Forgive Me? All the Bright Places Velvet Buzzsaw True Detective The Good Fight

www.panavision.com

FROM THE PRESIDENT George A. Willis csc, sasc

A

lthough the opposites of positive and negative are well understood, the situation that we are now faced with gives cause for some confusion. Whereas under normal circumstances the positive is always viewed and perceived as a better choice, we are now looking for more negatives in our lives.

This is not meant to be a glib statement because it is connected to and associated with the most serious event of our lives, COVID-19. I base my statement on the (now) wellknown and universally acknowledged medical practice of testing for the coronavirus. In other words, when one is tested for the virus, one hopes for a negative result. A positive result is not well received for obvious reasons.

While we look for the negative outcomes as described above, it is hoped that as few other negatives as possible will result from this pandemic. That said, realistically we are all fully aware that many negatives are just waiting to make themselves known. But there is also the unknown factor, and that is what concerns everyone because nobody has the ability to make any predictions. I believe that we are familiar with the saying, “the only thing to fear is fear itself,” and the mention of fear is enough to raise many levels of concern. The fear of not understanding the true ramifications of this global catastrophe cannot be diminished even though reasonable logic might be applied. But how can one apply logic to something that in itself seems to defy logic?

With the many negative issues people have to deal with at this time, it is difficult to drum up the much needed positive emotional and financial boost that we need more than anything else. Even in this time of adversity, we have much to be thankful for, especially our frontline workers and others who keep us safe. We have the ability to communicate in so many ways, and that alone gives opportunity for that much needed but so often ignored fellowship.

Nobody has the ability to predict when all this will end, but as we see the light at the end of the tunnel, we will remain positive in the knowledge that it will not be a train.

And with that optimism we remember when we had work. At the end of the day, crews looked forward to hearing the words, “It’s a wrap.” However, now is the time when we must be positive and know that soon we will hear the words that we are all waiting to hear, “We’re baaaaack!”

That will be a day to remember, so look after yourselves and stay positive.

4 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

In Memoriam

Credit: John Narvali

Denny Clairmont (1935-2020)

D

By Guido Kondruss enny Clairmont was an award-winning inventor, a renowned motion picture camera technician, a groundbreaking lens expert and the co-founder of one of the top camera rental houses in the world. To many he was mentor. To many more he was a dear friend and trusted colleague. To an industry he was an icon who became a legend.

As a young boy growing up in North Hollywood, Denny didn’t want any part of the film business. He’d done extra work in Hollywood, but the far too early mornings and the far too long working hours did not appeal to young Clairmont. Besides, his father was a cinematographer and he didn’t want to do what Dad did. But what he and his brother Terry (deceased 2006) did like were cars, very fast cars. So, after high school graduation, the Clairmont boys opened up “Fiasco Motors,” a quality hot rod and drag-racing speed shop. They loved what they did, but there was a problem. They were not making any money. They did notice, however, that most of the guys coming with their cars into their chop shop

6 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

worked in the film industry and they seemed to always have plenty of cash.

So, with the help of their father, Terry went on to be a successful cinematographer, while Denny moved into the film camera rental business where he quickly became known as an expert camera and lens technician. Through his natural technical abilities and ingenuity, Denny became the go-to guy in Hollywood whenever something different was needed to get that one-of-a-kind shot.

The brothers Clairmont joined forces once again in 1976 when they co-founded Clairmont Camera in Hollywood.

Right from the start, Denny’s mantra was quality and innovation. For specialty shots, Denny and his staff figured out how their cameras could be hit by trains, dropped by planes, burned by flames, and drowned, all while rolling film capturing spectacular images. Denny was doing exactly what he learned to do in his dragster shop, only this time he was hot-rodding cameras and loving every minute. It’s been said that Denny never saw a motion picture camera he couldn’t improve beyond the factory specs.

Denny’s particular proficiency was

with lenses. He and his expert technicians in Clairmont’s lens labs invented an array of specialty lenses with colourful names such as the Blurtar, Squishy lenses and the infamous Image Shaker used so effectively in Saving Private Ryan to make it appear the ground was shaking when a shell exploded.

Denny received many accolades during his lifetime for his technical brilliance and wizardry. He was the 2012 recipient of the CSC’s Bill Hilson Award “for outstanding contribution to the development of the motion picture industry.”

The Academy Awards honoured Denny with a Science and Technology Award in 1992, and again in 2011 with the prestigious John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation. In 2015, he received the Bud Stone Award of Distinction from the American Society of Cinematographers. While richly deserving of his awards, Denny always gave credit to cinematographers who presented their challenges, while he and his Clairmont staff simply provided the solutions to help them achieve their visions.

Denny has also carved a place in Canada’s cinematic folklore as the spark that lit the west coast television boom. In the early 1990s, when Hollywood producer Stephen J. Cannell wanted to move some of his productions out of Los Angeles, he asked his friend Denny where he should go. Denny replied that Vancouver would be a great spot because it was close to L.A., had great crews and that Canadians were so damn nice. But Cannell said he wouldn’t jump unless Denny went too.

So, Clairmont Camera expanded into Vancouver, and so did Stephen J. Cannell, who partnered with Paul Bronfman, cofounding North Shore Studios.

When Denny retired in 2017, he sold Clairmont Camera Film & Digital – which was now also located in Toronto, Montreal and Albuquerque – to rival rental house, Keslow Camera.

Denny Clairmont died May 11, 2020, after a fall at his home in Mill Valley, California. He was 84.

In The News Government Announces $500 Million for Canadian Heritage, Loosens CERB Requirements In mid-April, the federal government announced that it will provide $500 million to Heritage Canada in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations aims to help address the financial needs of affected organizations within these sectors so they can continue to support artists and athletes, according to the Prime Minister’s office. Meanwhile, the government also expanded eligibility requirements for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to include workers earning up to $1,000 a month, as well as creators making royalties from prior copyrighted works who meet other requirements.

CBC Partners with Hot Docs for FestivalAt-Home Experience, Launches Creative Relief Funds CBC and Hot Docs in April announced Hot Docs at Home on CBC, a multiplatform festival-at-home experience providing Canadians with access to 2020 Hot Docs Festival premieres on Thursday nights starting April 16. Following the postponement of the 2020 Hot Docs Festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a selection of exclusive firstrun feature documentaries that would have debuted at the festival premiered on CBC, CBC Gem and documentary Channel each Thursday. CBC and Hot Docs also partnered to expand the athome audience experience with interactive, livestreamed Q&As with filmmak-

ers and other original digital content at CBC Docs. Meanwhile, in response to the pandemic, CBC in April launched the CBC Creative Relief Fund to provide immediate support to Canadian creators.

The fund will provide $2 million in development and production funding for a diverse range of original Canadian storytelling. CBC and the Canada Council for the Arts also announced the creation of Digital Originals, a new timelimited funding initiative to help artists, groups and arts organizations pivot their work for online audiences during the pandemic. The funding will directly benefit creators of original digital content.

The Canada Council will provide a total of $1 million in funding to successful applicants to develop, create and share original or adapted works with Canadian audiences online. CBC will showcase and amplify the discoverability of select projects on one or more of its platforms.

CSC Awards “virtual cocktail hour” hosted on April 4 via Zoom

Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020 •

7

In The News CMF Launches COVID-19 Online Information Hub

In April, the Canada Media Fund (CMF) launched an online information hub to help Canadian workers and companies in screen-based industries navigate the many programs and resources available to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Information on financial support offered through more than 150 programs, as well as other essential resources can be found at covid.cmffmc.ca, which the CMF will continue to update as more information comes in. The fully bilingual information hub includes: a directory of financial and fiscal assistance programs available to workers and businesses in the screen-based industries at the federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal levels; all information on the CMF’s COVID-19 action plan and support measures; a curated newsfeed to keep stakeholders informed of the pan-

demic’s impact on industries and consumers, including the results of surveys conducted by the COVID-19 Production Industry Taskforce.

TIFF Joins Major Film Festivals for YouTube Streaming Event The Toronto International Film Festival joined more than 20 festivals around the world for a 10-day digital film festival exclusively on YouTube in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Launching on May 29, We Are One: A Global Film Festival features programming curated by major film festivals – including Berlin, Cannes, Guadalajara International Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Sundance, Tribeca, Venice and more. We Are One will run until June 7 on YouTube.comWeAreOne. Programming, which will include films, shorts, documentaries, music, comedy, and conversations,

will be available for free, but audiences will be able to support local communities by directly donating to organizations helping the relief efforts for those affected by the pandemic, as well as the World Health Organization.

Allen Daviau ASC Dies of COVID-19 Complications Cinematographer Allen Daviau ASC died on April 15 at the age of 77 due to complications from COVID-19, according to media reports.

Born in New Orleans in 1942, and raised in the Los Angeles area, Daviau shot three of Steven Spielberg’s films, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

He was also nominated for an Oscar in cinematography for Empire of the Sun, Bugsy, The Color Purple and Avalon, and he worked on Van Helsing, Fearless, The Falcon and the Snowman and Defending Your Life. He received lifetime achievement awards from the Art Directors Guild in 1997

and the American Society of Cinematographers in 2007. Daviau shot thousands of commercials, as well as documentaries, industrials and educational films — and created psychedelic specialeffects lighting for Roger Corman’s The Trip (1967) — before he gained entry into the International Photographers Guild.

Martin Carrier to Head MELS in 2021 President and CEO of TVA Group France Lauzière in late April announced the appointment of Martin Carrier as senior vice-president, Business Development of MELS until 2021, when he will take over from Michel Trudel as president of the company. Carrier will draw on his 20-plus years of experience managing and leading international companies in his new mandate to continue MELS’ development and accelerate its growth.

From Our Sponsors

I

n early April, the ARRI Academy announced the launch of a new course designed for all levels of lighting and video production professionals. The 11-part video course, called “Lighting Systems Control with Richard Cadena,” consists of short, informative videos with classes ranging in length from five to 34 minutes. Course attendees will gain a working knowledge of standard and emerging technologies and will be trained on the latest lighting technology. The list of classes includes DMX, Building DMX network, Troubleshooting DMX network, RDM, Wireless DMX, Intro to ethernet-based networking, Testing ethernet-based networks: PING and IPCONGIF

8 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

commands, Art-Net, sACN, Consoles, and ARRI LED Ecosystem.

More information is available at: arri.com/ lightingsystemscontrol.

Meanwhile, ARRI launched the second rollout of the popular lighting control app Stellar. Updates include the control of third-party luminaires, including manually added fixtures, no RDM requirements, and empty DMX slot suggestion. Additional features include swap

Credit: Courtesy of ARRI

ARRI Launches Lighting Systems Course; Rolls Out Stellar 2

out fixtures, grouping of different CCT ranges, configurable default intensity, and more live data. More information about Stellar 2 and its new features are available at: arri.com/stellar.

FULL-SPECTRUM

CINEMA

WORK LIGHT

2000 180° 3 Li-Ion

Lumens Output

Adjustable Handle

Brightness Levels Rechargeable Battery

Color Temperature 2700k 3500k 4500k 5500k 6500k

Adjustable

CRI & TLCI 95+ FOR MORE INFO PLEASE SCAN QR CODE MOSS LED INC.

OPL11V2735455565

HIGH

CRI

Winner 2019 Cine Gear Expo Technical Awards

Input 15V-2A

Operating 11.1V 48.84Wh 4400 mAh

IK07 Specialty Lighting - Moss LED

IP65

-10°~40°C

Ahmad Al Morsy csc What films or other works of art have made the biggest impression on you?

Films: 2001: A Space Odyssey, In the Mood for Love, City of God, The Godfather, Munich.

Works of art: most of Rembrandt’s work. But also, art exists everywhere, sometimes scenes of everyday life leave a great impression on you.

How did you get started in the business?

I studied cinematography at the Higher Institute of Cinema in Egypt. And I was lucky I got to train as a student with some of the biggest names in the Egyptian film industry. My first professional job was a 1st AC on a film called Land of Fear. I was still a student at the time. I then worked for some time as a Steadicam operator. After graduating in 1998, I travelled to the USA to complete further studies in different cinematography courses such as Lighting and Advanced

10 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

Cinematography. And in 2001, I DP’ed my first film, La violence et la dérision.

Who have been your mentors or teachers?

I’ve learned from all the great DPs and directors I’ve worked with, but DP Tarek El-Telmissany is my greatest mentor both in this profession and in life. He’s taught me so much, pushed me to do better, and by example, showed me how to put my heart and soul into everything I do.

What cinematographers inspire you?

Matthew Libatique asc, Emmanuel Lubezki asc, amc, Roger Deakins asc, bsc, Robert Richardson asc, Christopher Doyle hksc, Dion Beebe acs, asc, Vittorio Storaro asc, aic.

Name some of your professional highlights.

In 2010, when I DP’ed Messages of the Sea. I had stopped working on features

Credit: Mark Hanna

CSC Member Spotlight

for five years because I wasn’t happy with the artistic value of films the Egyptian cinema industry was so eager to produce at the time. Instead, I focused on building an expertise in ads and music videos.

But when Daoud Abdel Sayed asked me to shoot his next film, I just couldn’t resist working with an acclaimed director whose work I’ve admired for so long.

And I fell in love with the poetic yet bold script he wrote for it. The film received wide critical acclaim and was Egypt’s entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. And in 2018/2019 when I won seven awards from the Australian Cinematographers Society, three of which for my work on the feature film The Originals. And of course, when I became an accredited member of the CSC. What is one of your most memorable moments on set?

In 2004, I was lucky enough to collaborate with one of the Arab world’s most pioneering filmmakers, Youssef Chahine. I was working as a Steadicam operator on his French-Egyptian drama Alexandria... New York. I remember in one of the longest scenes in the film, a dance sequence, I was discussing with

What do you like least about what you do?

Credit: Miz Monday

The ability to create something, to turn your imagination, vision, point of view into reality, to make people feel something, react to and interact with what they’re watching and the story you’re telling. And I like that my job is non-routine. There’s always something new, whether it’s ideas, techniques, locations, or even people.

Credit: Connor Vu

What do you like best about what you do?

Cinematographer and associate member Michael Jari Davidson considers the anamorphic frame in a pivotal scene from Reem Morsi’s near-future, dystopian thriller HYSTERIA.

Cinematographer Quan Luong (student member), 1st AC Ryan Offenloch (student member), gaffer Markus Henkel, production designer Jordan Moreau on the set of Mansanas (dir. Erin Hembrador).

Credit: Jazmina Alzaiat

him how he wanted me to shoot it, and he said, “I like your emotional sense. Just follow your feelings.” His confidence was a great responsibility. I watched the rehearsals of the dance, I felt it and I shot it. He was very happy with the result. This was an amazing boost for my confidence in my early career days. And it taught me a great lesson – when it comes to art, emotion is just as important as technique, sometimes even more important.

1st AC Cameron Gonzales watches on as DP Liam Higgins (associate member) frames up the shot of actor Giacomo Giannotti with director Justin Wu on set for Nobis Apparel.

Credit: Parker Tolifson

On Set

Director Greg Olliver (L) and DP Matt Irwin (associate member) discuss a setup while shooting an NCAA commercial for Invesco in San Francisco.

Spending time away from my daughter and having to wake up really early sometimes.

What do you think has been the greatest invention (related to your craft)?

Pretty much all the advances in technology since going digital. Cameras now offer much stronger specs. You can even film an entire movie on your phone and screen it theatrically. The options are endless, and we now have effective solutions for many problems we used to face in the past. Things are more flexible and easier now, which enables anyone to work, create and translate their vision with whatever possibilities are available to them. This means the scene is richer and the competition is higher, which is always in the interest of the industry.

How can others follow your work?

My website: ahmadalmorsy.com Vimeo channel: vimeo.com/ahmadalmorsy FB: facebook.com/ahmadalmorsycsc IG: instagram.com/ahmadalmorsy

CORRECTION: Two photos in the May issue "On Set" page were incorrectly captioned. The caption for the photo on the bottom left on page 10 should read: C camera operator J.P. Locherer csc (right) on the set of Star Trek: Discovery Season 3.

Credit: Andrew Stretch. The caption for the photo on the bottom right should read: Associate Member Liam Higgins on set for Nobis Apparel for their SS2020 campaign. Credit: Jazmina Alzaiat Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020 •

11

Pierre Gill csc

Shedding Light on

TRANSPLANT 12 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

T

By Trevor Hogg, Special to Canadian Cinematographer

he title for the medical drama Transplant, airing on CTV and produced by Sphere Media, refers to both the personal and professional circumstances of the protagonist who is a refugee and a doctor. The series revolves around Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed (Hamza Haq), fleeing with his younger sister Amira (Sirena Gulamgaus) from Syria to Canada where he earns a residency at the Emergency Department at York Memorial. The first season of 13 episodes was conceived by creator Joseph Kay (This Life) and photographed

by Pierre Gill csc, who collaborated with director Holly Dale (Mary Kills People) on the pilot, as well as directors Erik Canuel (Bon Cop Bad Cop), Alain Desrochers (Bad Blood) and Stefan Pleszczynski (Killjoys) on the remaining episodes. The series was recently picked up for a U.S. run by NBC. Inset: Pierre Gill csc on the set of Transplant. Main photo: John Hannah as Dr. Jed Bishop.

Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020 •

13

Inset Credit:Yan Turcotte Mainp hoto Courtesy of Bell Media and Sphère Média.

T

“

The set was perfect. To be honest, it was a DP’s dream and an accomplishment.”

Hamza Haq and John Hannah in the pilot episode.

G

ill and Dale shared the same vision for Transplant, wanting to capture darker wall colours to prioritize faces.

“But that was tricky, as you can’t go too dark because it’s a hospital,” Gill notes. “It’s not a story about a doctor who is doing weird experiments on patients, so you can’t light and shoot in a hip cool way because it does not work. As a creative, it’s harder, but the priority is to make the right decision for the show. A DP on a series is the gatekeeper who makes sure that the look remains consistent.”

He and production designer André Guimond spent preproduction conceiving a style for the show, and Gill made his camera and lens selection, opting for the Sony VENICE with Sigma primes in Large Format, two Steadicams and two dollies.

Rather than shoot on location, the production decided to build a 30,000-square-foot hospital set at Grandé Studios in Montreal.

“We broke the wall between two sound stages to create one big one,” Gill explains. “It was 200 feet long. You would go in and think that you’re inside a hospital with a full ceiling. I also wanted to make sure that we could shoot 360 degrees everywhere because I knew that in a hospital show, doctors always come out of a room talking to each other while walking down a few corridors.

My interest was to build a lighting pattern that I could modulate to shoot freely, especially because we see very far since the set is built with glass doors and windows everywhere. So in order to recreate the fluorescent ceiling lighting of a hospital, I got SoftBox Integration to build hundreds of DMX-controlled LED fluorescent-style fixtures, and Cyrille Chatelain to install 1,000 feet of LED lines, all to be put on a board. My extensive lighting plan reflected the square footage and was skilfully put in place by my amazing gaffer René Guillard.

“At the beginning, the producer asked, ‘You’re going to put

14 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

standard fluorescents everywhere?’ And I said, ‘You don’t want to do this because you cannot control them. You’ll have guys on stepladders turning them on or turning them off with breakers.

It’s time-consuming and you end up compromising the quality due to shooting schedules,’” Gill says. “That’s why my plan was to build a setup where all of the fixtures are LEDs controlled by DMX and plugged into a console board. Even if the cost of the setup was higher, the crew was much smaller and very efficient.

So in the end, it’s cheaper, especially with multiple seasons in mind. Every fixture has a cost, and I had to figure out how to stay within my budget, which was the hardest part, especially to accommodate changes in the set design at the last minute. I always tell students in my master classes that if you want to be a DP, then you better be a good businessman, as you have to be taking care of many more things than just being an artist.”

Originally, the plan was to use a lighting board operator on set with a GrandMA, but Gill quickly reconsidered. He explains: “I thought I’m going to say to my gaffer, ‘Light numbers M3, M5, M7, put them in daylight,’ and my gaffer is going to say to the board operator, ‘Put light numbers M3, M5, M7 in daylight.’ I’d say, ‘Brighter,’ and he’d repeat, ‘Brighter.’ I thought, ‘I’m going to be spending an hour just trying to explain what I want in every

“

A DP on a series is the gatekeeper who makes sure that the look remains consistent.”

Laurence Leboeuf as Dr. Magalie “Mags” Leblanc and John Hannah.

John Hannah and Torri Higginson as Claire Malone.

All photos this spread courtesy of Bell Media and Sphère Média.

scene. It’s going to be long and exhausting!’

There are between 50 and 250 lights to adjust on every setup. That’s when my board operator suggested that you can use an ETC console and do it yourself. The console is analogue so there’s no computing. We decided to switch, and that was a good call.”

Another consideration for Gill was how to deal with all the glass that was in the large set, which made it possible to see everywhere in the space. “So even if you’re in a small room, you could see maybe 50 to 60 feet away or more,” he explains. “With my console setup, I was able to light up the far background quite bright, midground lower, and then modulate the room depending on which angle that we shot.”

Out of a total of 582 lighting fixtures, 400 speciality LEDs could be turned off, turned up, dimmed, made colder or warmer. “For budget purposes, I had a section at the far end where I installed light panels bought at Home Depot,” Gill says. “I could control them a little bit with a dimmer but not the colour. All the practical lightbulbs or fluorescents hanging over the counters was the art department trying to find something that works for me but looks good on set.

“Since I wanted to be free to shoot 360 on set, my approach was to do a contrast ratio that would work for all of the faces with very

Hamza Haq and Laurence Leboeuf.

Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020 •

15

Credit:Yan Turcotte Credit: René Guillard

Camera trainee Quentin Locht.

Credit:Yan Turcotte

Pierre Gill csc (centre) with dolly grip Joshua Jones (left) and A camera operator Jean-Sébastien Caron (right).

Hamza Haq and Laurence Leboeuf on set.

“

Transplant hospital set lighting diagram provided by Pierre Gill csc.

My control room was situated in the elevator cage in the middle of the set. We called it my ‘Bat Cave.’ After the blocking, I would set up shots with the director and my camera operators, go back to my Bat Cave and talk to the operators with my headset system.”

16 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

Both photos courtesy of Bell Media and Sphère Média.

The search is over At Vistek, you’ll discover a selection of lights and lighting accessories you simply won’t find anywhere else: recognized brands you know and trust in a range of models suited to every application. Whether you’re Top: Hamza Haq in the pilot episode. Bottom: Operating room on the set of Transplant.

different skin tones,” he continues. “My LUT was built and based on our main actor Hamza Haq’s skin, so wall colours, wardrobe, hair and makeup were adjusted on other actors to blend in properly with the colour of his face. Most of the time, I barely added any lights on the floor.

Sometimes I was putting some diffusion over the actors on the LED fixtures. My grip, Benoît Lamarche, came up with a system with magnets that was very quick.

He got on a stepladder, put four magnets, put the diffusion, and it was done. It took one minute. My control room was situated in the elevator cage in the middle of the set. We called it my ‘Bat Cave.’ After the blocking, I would set up shots with the director and my camera operators, go back to my Bat Cave and talk to the operators with my headset system and say, ‘Pan right a bit.’ I would then adjust the background sometimes in a matter of seconds.”

Because the lighting setup could be changed quickly, Gill adds, “I was telling the directors who came in, ‘If you change your mind about where you want to shoot in the set, just change it because I can be ready anywhere in five minutes.’ ” For example, in one sequence shot in a corridor, Gill was able to go from a night

working in studio, on set or online, we’ve got

to a day look “in literally two minutes,” he says. “I looked at the background and thought, ‘Let’s have it colder, brighter, turn off these,’ and I just did it live with my finger like a DJ. “It took four ETC consoles, each with 144 channels, that were colour coded green, pink, orange and yellow. I spent the first days of shooting very stressed because I didn’t know if it was going to work or crash, and I didn’t have a board operator with me anymore,” he admits.

“I had two monitors in front of me so I could see the camera images. I did it by eye, no more talking, no more numbers.

It was really cool because you’re lighting as you go. I was ready most of the time before the camera and crew or set decoration. Every day I was going into my Bat Cave and saying to myself, ‘This is just unbelievable.’ The set was perfect. If we had built a studio and had different sets like a kitchen, house and a living room, it would have been different. I’m not sure it would have worked for that because you don’t have a ceiling with fluorescents. On this one, I was like, ‘We need to do it because it’s a hospital and I need to modulate it to create a nicer look.’ To be honest, it was a DP’s dream and an accomplishment.”

Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020 •

17

a dazzling array of options – from simple oncamera LED lights to elaborate production solutions – to choose from. Come to Vistek.

And see the light.

LIGHTING BRANDS AVAILABLE INSTORE AND ONLINE AT VISTEK.CA

TORONTO | MISSISSAUGA | OTTAWA CALGARY | EDMONTON

VISTEK.CA

CREATIVE FRONTIER

c s c

N O Y N A PHILIP L

STAR TREK

D R A C I P ADIAN CINEMATOGRAPHER

BY TREVOR HOGG, SPECIAL TO CAN

Patrick the Star Trek franchise, m fro ce sen ab ar -ye 17 fter a has Star Trek: Picard, which th wi ies ser n ow his ts Stewart ge ss. The story d season on CBS All Acce been renewed for a secon Jean-Luc and disillusioned Captain d ire ret a d un aro es olv rev ction us girl seeking his prote rio ste my a by ed ch oa pr Picard being ap t is hunting her. Sharing tha on ati niz ga or lan mu from a secret Ro ilip Lanyon csc initial 10 episodes were Ph the on s tie du y ph gra ato cinem pilot – and six episodes including the for e ibl ns po res s wa o wh (Frontier) – ided by second unit support prov th wi ), rld wo est (W isc Darran Tiernan Von Sketch Show).

Chris Mably csc (Baroness

Credit: Matt Kennedy/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A

ducing teams o pr d n a g n ti ri w e “Th ll aborative co d n a e iv rt o pp u were so s phy; they really a r g o at em n ci e th with plore ideas.” ex d n a n fu e av h let me ode #101, t as Jean-Luc Picard in Epis Mian photo: Patrick Stewar : Picard.

Trek r Sta es CBS All Access seri “Remembrance” of the the

18 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

Credit: Trae Patton/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Credit: James Dimmock/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Santiago Cabrera as Rios; Michelle Hurd as Raffi in Episode #106, "The Impossible Box" .

Credit: Trae Patton/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Harry Treadaway as Narek.

Credit: Matt Kennedy/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Orla Brady as Laris; Jamie McShane as Zhaban; Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard in Episode #102 "Maps and Legends".

Behind-the-scenes of director of photography Philip Lanyon csc in Episode #101 "Remembrance" Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020 •

19

Photos left and right Credits: Matt Kennedy/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

(L-R) Evan Evagora as Elnor; Sir Patrick Stewart as Picard in Episode #106 "The Impossible Box”.

P

hasers, transporters and Starfleet were not a new frontier for Lanyon. “Glen Keenan csc had me hired on Star Trek: Discovery for one episode, and I was able to shoot and see how they were practically lighting the ship. I worked with [executive producer] Alex Kurtzman and [co-executive producer/director] Douglas Aarniokoski, who asked me if I would consider shooting the new Picard show in Toronto. Partway through planning, the show moved to Santa Clarita, California, and I immediately flew down to meet with crew and suppliers to get a sense of the resources available.” A co-creator, along with Kurtzman, Kirsten Beyer and Akiva Goldsman, was novelist and screenwriter Michael Chabon.

Working with Kurtzman, who had a strong vision for the show, Lanyon developed a look book that included visual approaches, references, camera movement guides, colour themes, and how much lens flare to use. “I wanted to create a consistency between different directors and

20 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

DPs. Our first director, Hanelle Culpep- a small handheld rig with a motion senper, wanted to bring in a lot of warmth to sor on it that a camera operator could the château and create this sense of ease control and add a handheld movement to and a happy place of retirement, but also a crane move. Pro-Cam provided a slingan uneasiness for a Starfleet Admiral who shot, which is an elbow, that could be put has spent his life in space. Hanelle and I between the MovieBird and Matrix head met with Patrick in advance to see what that could be articulated. We could go his hope was for the show, and he want- from low to high to Matrix mode, even ed this to be different from TNG. While during the shot; that was an awesome TNG was top and flat lit, Picard is grittier piece of equipment.”

Key crew members were gaffer Ross with a more natural approach.”

The camera style reflected the tone of Dunkerley, key grip Walter “Bud” Scott, the story. “The vineyard wanted to feel A camera operator Kenny Brown, more stable, locked and classically moved,” Lanyon states. “As the show progressed into a darker and uneasy territory, we introduced a lot more “Working with Chris is handheld.” A handheld amazing. He’s an old style was adopted for crane friend and mentor. As shots too. “Our key grip, Bud Scott, brought in a soon as I heard that Matrix 4 Axis gimbal that there was going to be we ended up using all the time. We were able to use second unit, I called him.”

TREKING FORWARD

By Trevor Hogg

Santiago Cabrera (centre) as Rios in Episode #106 "The Impossible Box".

B camera operator Jess Lakoff, 1st AC A camera Jamie Felz, rigging gaffer Sean Higgins, fixtures design supervisor Mike Visencio, lighting console programmer Josh Thatcher, dolly grip Eric Zucker and rigging key grip Josh Drew.

“I prepped for about three months before Darran Tiernan came on, and during the last month of that we were heavily involved in phone conversations; I would send him updated filmscapes and scripts. Darran works frequently in Los Angeles so had some good crew recommendations. I would interview people, including Darran’s recommendations, and we built a team that we knew we could both collaborate with,” Lanyon says.

Two major stages contained spaceship sets for the La Sirena and Borg cube. “We had five stages total at Santa Clarita Studios, which had the château interior that became the holodeck, some more Borg worlds, and a swing stage that would become other shortterm sets,” Lanyon explains. “Most of the prep and preplanning was spent building the Borg cube and La Sirena.”

Tax credits of $15.6 million were given to the production to shoot in California, with the principal photography taking place mainly in and around Santa Clarita. “We also shot at Vasquez Rocks as they wanted to honour the original series that filmed there.”

Ninety percent of the La Sirena was

practically lit with help from production designer Todd Cherniawsky. “I put LED strips in the main console to light the faces and added a strip on top that would be the source of the hologram that the visual effects could tie into,” Lanyon remarks. “I decided to use the entire length of the ship as a background for the bridge so we removed a wall to get the depth. I also wanted a massive amount of light coming out of the warp core at the other end so I could backlight and flare the lens all the way up from the cargo bay to the cockpit. My gaffer Ross Dunkerley and I found a Film Gear LED Space Light at the lamp dock that you could see right through because of the cooling fins within them. I had Todd put six of these in a circle and a Creamsource LED Space Light in the centre.

In behind that was a fire lane where we pasted silver bounce pebble on the backwall. We blasted a circle of Colour Force into it so you could see through the fins of this colourful display and could change the mood if the ship was in warp, or resting, or impulse power.

“On the bigger Borg stage there was a massive open space that had a two-storey set at one end; the upper level had a raised walkway that led to a wall of regeneration chambers,” Lanyon continues. “The entire stage was wrapped in blue screen. The spacecraft is approximately the size and scale of a moon, so

(L-R) Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard; Alison Pill as Agnes Jurati in Episode #110 "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2".

codes for the Federation and Borg worlds. It was like a written and visual bible as to how to shoot Picard. He also supplied me with an abundance

Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020 •

21

Credit: Trae Patton/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

N

o matter the scale of a project, what remains important to Christopher Mably csc is the script, and such was the case with Star Trek: Picard. “A Star Trek show is always going to have huge expectations, but Picard was personal for me. I grew up on Next Generation, so being asked to contribute on another chapter of Picard’s story was really rewarding to me. I was shooting second unit so I was tasked with cleaning up and figuring out things as fast as I possibly could. In general, you’re coming in without as much information as the main unit. Sometimes you’re trying to piece together why you’re doing what you’re doing.”

Mably has known Philip Lanyon csc for a long time. “When I first started shooting television commercials, Phil was a fantastic gaffer in Vancouver and we worked together on different projects and have remained friends ever since,” he says.

“Phil is proficient and amazing at his lighting designs because he can see the bigger picture and does it from a story-driven mentality. Phil told me to, ‘Have fun and explore.’ He was a great collaborator and knew the show like he wrote it,” Mably observes. “I never met Darran Tierran isc because his blocks were finished by the time I came in. When I started, Phil had a detailed look book that broke everything down to exactly how to key the faces of actors to the specific colour

“I grew up on Next Generation, so being asked to contribute on another chapter of Picard’s story was really rewarding to me.” space battle in the season finale. “The third act of Episode 10 was reworked,” Mably reveals.

“Picard is in the La Sirena caught in middle of a large space battle. It’s quite an epic portion of the finale. We had a lot to shoot in the La Sirena with Picard and Dr. Agnes Jurati [Alison Pill]. La Sirena had to encounter a bunch of elements that hadn’t been written into the show before. They took off from a planet where the ship had crashed, got shot and spun around like crazy, and this huge battle happens where things are flying past and illuminating La Sirena in various ways. We had to add some lighting based on the script to augment what was happening outside the ship. There were going to be these giant orchids coming past the ship and you needed to feel them.

I wasn’t 100 per cent sure what the visual effects were going to look like as they are built after the cut. The lighting I was putting in to create movement and shape would be based on visual effects elements later, but whatever speed I moved the lights at, the visual effects department was going to have to match.”

As with the first unit, Mably utilized ARRI ALEXA Mini cameras. “I shot with the same Cooke Anamorphic/i SF package as main unit.

They are beautiful lenses that have a good front anamorphic feeling to them and are pleasing on skin and faces. The show feels cinematic because of this lens choice. The vast majority of lighting was done with LEDs. We had some Molebeams and large Fresnels that Phil had been using a lot with gaffer Ross Dunkerley to create hard light when needed.

For the enhancement shoot, they had a 20K

22 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

digital extensions were used to create scope. A smaller Borg stage had a long hallway set with different areas that could be changed into different Borg areas. I knew early on that the Borg cube was going to come back alive and regenerate in later episodes. During construction, we built in this activation lighting, which would be triggered

by Seven of Nine [ Jeri Ryan], that consisted of long RGB LED strips within the Borg cube structure. Everything goes green with augmentation by visual effects.” The Romulans utilize work lights while mining the Borg technology that were constructed by the art

to move the camera and get it in interesting places. We also used a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K on rigs and mounts for action sequences to get in close on people; it has a very filmic image that you could cut short shots in with the ALEXA.” Footage was captured ARRIRAW at 3.4K with the aspect ratio being 2.39:1. “We wanted to do anamorphic right from the beginning. Almost every Star Trek movie was shot anamorphic, and we wanted that big event movie feel. The 65 mm Macro was a go-to lens; it seems to be a magic focal length where you can get an extreme close-up shot and see some

Credit: Trae Patton/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

of other graphic art of the sets, but ultimately by the time I started working, main unit had shot enough that I could also reference scenes and episodes of the show.” The captured footage ranged from pick-up shots to entirely new scenes. “There is a Romulan ship, which has a very small part in the show that they hadn’t built any sets for yet. We were looking at concept art, but the set was going to be virtually created. I loved having a creative input into little things like that.”

Enhancement photography focused on the

(L-R): Rebecca Wisocky as Ramdha; Isa Briones as Soji; Jonathan Del Arco as Hugh; in Episode #103 "The End Is The Beginning".

department. “One of the designs was like a floor lamp consisting of twofoot-long LED strips with four hard sources on the ends. I wanted these to serve a few different purposes. I could place them near an actor and give them a key light that was in shot or use them in the background as a flare for the lens or to add a pool of light in the dark set.”

Primarily, two to three ARRI ALEXA Mini cameras were utilized with Cooke Anamorphic/i SF lenses. “One of the advantages of the ALEXA image is its ability to hold highlights,” Lanyon notes. “Since I was going to flare the lens so much, I knew that soft highlight roll-off was going to be crucial. The ALEXA Mini is such a great camera in terms of size and adaptability. I wanted

background. It has the approximate width of a 32 mm spherical. We carried an 8 mm and 10 mm spherical and the anamorphic Cookes 25 mm, 32 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm, 60 mm, 65 mm, 100 mm and 300 mm.”

Lanyon has frequently collaborated with Mably. “Working with Chris is amazing. He’s an old friend and mentor,” Lanyon states. “As soon as I heard that there was going to be second unit, I called him. Chris is incredible in planning and had a scene that was a large space battle at the end of the series, which he meticulously broke down into shots and shot lists so we could see what his approach was going to be. Chris and I reviewed the look book and footage already shot. I

W NE

S7I Full Frame Plus 1:1 Macros

T2.5 60mm, 90mm and 150mm MACRO

After the positive response to our MACRO lenses in our Anamorphic/i and Anamorphic/i Full Frame Plus series, we are introducing not one‌ not two‌ but three new MACRO lenses to the popular S7/i Full Frame Plus range. As always, these are Motion Picture lenses designed from the ground up at our factory in Leicester UK. Cooke S7/i Full Frame Plus Primes cover Super 35mm/Full Frame, VistaVision and cinema camera sensors up to the full sensor area of the RED Weapon 8K and the Arri Alexa 65 5K mode.

Available in focal lengths: 16, 18, 21, 25, 27, 32, 40, 50, 60 MACRO, 65, 75, 90 MACRO, 100, 135, 150 MACRO, 180 and 300mm. PL or LPL mounts available.

British Optical Innovation and Quality Since 1894.

cookeoptics.com T: +44 (0)116 264 0700 Cooke Americas cookeamericas.com T: +1-973-335-4460 www.cookeoptics.tv

www.shotoncooke.com

Chris Mably csc

spun around a whole bunch of times, so we made it feel like the ship had a power failure with lights flickering and then La Siena resets and cycles back on. It was so simple and easy to do because we had full control. Phil had worked tirelessly early on in prep helping to design a lot of this embedded light, and along with looking interesting on camera, a lot of it could be used practically for the actors.”

Getting access to Matrix and Chapman M7 four-axis heads allowed for an infinite range of movement. “Both heads were on a Technocrane and have a Mimic handheld attachment with them so the operator could use a handheld brace and virtually operate the camera in a handheld manner,” Mably remarks. “There was one shot where the camera was flying through space and finds Narek’s [Harry Treadaway] ship, goes through the window, and lands on his close-up. You can point the head straight out from the Technocrane instead of dropping down underneath it or doing a top or low mount; that allows you to get it in small narrow spaces. It’s an incredible tool that the show used consistently, and we were fortunate to steal it for second unit a bunch.”

A favourite moment is the battle scene in Episode 10. “Because of the motivation from the script, we got to move the camera a lot in some fun ways,” Mably recalls. “It’s a pivotal scene for Picard’s character development. It was an eye-opener because I had never worked on a big American network show. What is interesting about doing second unit is a cinematographer doesn’t often work with other cinematographers.

With Star Trek: Picard, I got to work with and talk about everything with Phil; that’s unique and was an exceptional experience.”

24 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

let him run with it, and he matched the look perfectly while adding his own special flavour.”

Supervising the visual effects was Jason Zimmerman who is also responsible for Star Trek: Discovery. “Some shots would be previs; for the most part, I would check in with Jason during prep and he would let me know what was possible,” Lanyon says. “Jason really gave us the freedom to move the camera and think big. We had a bluescreen that wrapped almost 360 degrees of the Borg set. We used Cineo HS2s which have a blue spike in them, and they could be played at a low level and get an even light. It wouldn’t affect the talent or what you were doing onset.”

A complicated scene to execute was when Raffi Musiker [Michelle Hurd] questions Captain Cristóbal Rios [Santiago Cabrera] and four holographic versions of him in Picard’s study in the holographic winery. “Director Maja Vrvilo and I strategically planned the two-day shoot and knew the exact number of shots needed. We had four stand-ins, so each would be able to double for Santiago and know his lines. Santiago would rehearse each part and switch with the doubles. We wanted some camera movement to sell the effect. We used a TechnoDolly to create repeatable moves, as well

as a repeatable Libra head and two other cameras that were not locked off that could get singles after the master. We would shoot a master on the TechnoDolly and a couple of singles of one character. Santiago would go through makeup and wardrobe for the next character. Jason Zimmerman patched it all together, and the end result was seamless.”

Most of the colour palette was captured in camera. “We shied away from any high fluorescent colours like purples or electric blues and went for a subdued palette,” Lanyon says. “Stefan Sonnenfeld, who owns and runs Company 3, would have every face pre-windowed. The DI process was so streamlined and slick with him.

I wanted to add some grain into the highlights so it didn’t feel like a noisy underexposed image in the shadows.

Stefan showed me a bunch of options and we worked out a base LUT beforehand. Using the base LUT, the DIT Marc Clancy and I built looks on top of it for every set.”

Lanyon is a Star Trek fan, so getting to help tell the story of Star Trek: Picard was incredibly exciting. “The writing and producing teams were so supportive and collaborative with the cinematography; they really let me have fun and explore ideas,” he says.

Credit: Trae Patton/CBS ©2019 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Caption

Credit: Marc Pierce

globe, which could be used as a sun. I needed a moving sun as La Sirena takes off and flies out to orbit. We put that globe on a 50-foot Technocrane and moved that around. But for the most part, the ship itself was lit with SkyPanels and a variety of other embedded LEDs. It was amazing because no matter where you were on La Sirena, you could quickly change the shape of the light through the dimmer board. La Sirena gets hit by a blaster and

Caption: (L-R): Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard; Amirah Vann as Zani in Episode #104 "Absolute Candor".

Tech Column

Credit: Courtesy of Technicolor

Technicolor’s TechStream Goes Viral in A Good Way

T

he COVID-19 lockdown had an immediate and devastating impact on Canadian cinematography, hitting an industry that relies on creative collaboration and teamwork right where it lives. Productions shut down, rentals dried up and crews were idled. Those who wrapped shooting and were in postproduction hit the wall. How do you grade colour on a project if you can’t all see the same thing at the same time? Even setting up remotes at colour tech companies was an issue because there was a ban on more than one person in a room.

Ironically, a technology that was supposed to roll out at the cancelled NAB convention in April just as the extent of COVID-19 was revealed is providing a lifeline to key productions and may also change the future of production in other ways beyond the lockdown. For an outof-the-box technology, you might say it’s gone viral.

Technicolor TechStream is an iPad Pro app that renders SDR imagery and audio to allow colour grading collaboration between key stakeholders at different locations. The difference between TechStream and other remote post offerings is that it’s based on the ubiquitous iPad, meaning only the colourist has to be with the $30,000 monitors and attendant technologies. The app then allows the content to be streamed securely and shared

26 • Canadian Cinematographer - June

2020

among the stakeholders who use a separate app, such as Webex or Teams, to collaborate and offer notes in real time and ultimately sign off, pushing the project to the next stage.

In effect, it’s two channels – one pushing content down, and the other a platform for discussion, separate and distinct from the content stream.

“It’s one-way sharing, which is really the selling point,” according to Brian Reid, Technical Operations Manager, Technicolor Toronto. “Colourists are working from their homes or wherever with an app they download from the Apple Store.

We moved the technology to them.”

It’s probably the most simply deployed technology ever. Users download the app, install it and then about an hour before the session, they’ll get a code to enter which gets them in. The system only works on iPad Pros with the retina screen technology because it’s a calibrated and known quality, Reid says, and future applications will be looking at Apple TV and other manufacturers’ screens if they are compatible.

It’s been a boost for big Canadian productions, one in Toronto with a major series, and in Vancouver where it is being used on Upside Down Magic and Sleeping with Danger.

Luc Montpellier csc was in post for a major series when the COVID-19 lockdown hit Toronto. “What amazed me is how Technicolor managed to engineer this and spring into action so fast to deal with the situation at hand,” he says.

“Moving forward, I can see this not just for the pandemic but in other projects.”

The show was Montpellier’s first spin

with HDR, so there was a learning curve in place already. “HDR is like choosing film stock; it’s another way to capture,” he says, noting that adding the app to his iPad and then jumping into a colour grading meeting was seamless and simple.

The system frees stakeholders from geography, making collaboration possible almost anytime, anywhere. Montpellier worked on the grading with longtime collaborator colourist Mark Kueper, who is similarly impressed. “Really it matches very well on the iPad,” Kueper says.

“Before this, it was often sending files in Quicktime, so it really saves a lot of time.”

Scheduling meetings and coordinating bodies is another nightmare the technology cancels out. “Sometimes you’d have to get 16 different people to a meeting,” post producer Julie Lawrence says, noting the app means it’s easier to book time because there’s no travel involved. I can see this working as a prep tool as well because we can show the look we had and what we want for designing sets.”

The system has been in the works for some time, Reid says, and it was coincidental that it launched when COVID-19 hit. “Of course, we were planning to roll it out at NAB,” he says, noting that once it was announced on March 30 interest took off. “But this is just the first generation. We’re going to keep working on it to make it better.”

Ultimately, they’re aiming for more platforms, more monitors, better streaming and 100 per cent HDR. As a collaboration tool, it’s highly probable that the creative minds in the industry will start to use it as a solution for other challenges, cutting travel, saving time and moving projects through the pipeline faster.

Ian Harvey is a journalist who has been writing about digital disruption for 20 years.

He welcomes feedback and eagerly solicits subject matter ideas at ian@pitbullmedia.ca.

N I KO N Z 6 FILMMAKER’S KIT $ 1 , 4 0 0 S AV I N G S*

1 YEAR FREE SUBSCRIPTION

Amazing productions start here. Your video productions have evolved. More sophisticated. More ambitious. Your video gear needs to deliver on your vision without compromise. When you’re ready for your video content to rise above ordinary, the Z 6 Filmmaker’s Kit gives you the tools you need to step up your production in one convenient bundle. Smooth, steady and cinematic full-frame 4K Ultra HD. Compatible with a vast selection of stellar NIKKOR lens options. Flexible, external monitoring and recording. Smooth, clean audio. And all the key components to make your next video project stand out. Visit www.nikon.ca Z 6 | N I K KO R Z 2 4 -7 0 M M F/ 4 S | M O U N T A D A P T E R F T Z | M O Z A A I R 2 3 - A X I S H A N D H E L D G I M B A L S TA B I L I Z E R | M O Z A M A G I C 1 1 . 8 ” A R T I C U L AT I N G A R M | R O D E V I D E O M I C P R O + | ATO M O S N I N J A V 4 K | 2 E N - E L 1 5 B B AT T E R I E S | V I M EO P RO: 1 Y E A R F R E E SU BS C R I PT I O N

* Savings amount is determined based on the manufacturer’s published suggested retail prices as of January 4, 2019 for each item included in the Kit when offered separately. Actual selling prices are determined by dealers or resellers at the time of sale and are subject to change at any time.

Classifieds

Introducing the CSC Online Content Committee

T

he CSC is proud to introduce its latest committee – the Online Content Committee, headed by co-chairs Jeremy Benning csc and Carolyn Wong, and including Michael Jari Davidson, Rion Gonzales, Christina Ienna, Justin Lovell, Eric Oh csc, mysc, Andrew M. Richardson and Martin Wojtunik. The newly formed committee collectively handles the CSC’s social media platforms, and – in conjunction with the web developer Lee Travaglini at Good Lookin Kids Inc. – is undertaking the development of the Society’s new website, which is scheduled to have its launch this summer. (Groundwork for the website was initiated by associate members Michael Jari Davidson and Martin Wojtunik under the CSC President’s Committee.) During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Online Content Committee has also been running “CSC Live” events, weekly live feeds broadcast via the Society’s Facebook and Instagram sites, featuring live and interactive discussions with members, including Catherine Lutes csc, Guy Godfree csc, Greg Middleton csc, asc, Boris Mojsovski csc, Brendan Steacy csc, Brendan Uegama csc and Craig Wrobleski csc.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Sachtler Video 20P Head (7x7) with carbon fibre standard legs (thick) 100mm ball base, pan handle, interior spreader, rubber feet and hard case. $5000 Michael Ellis 416-729-6988 michaelellis70@gmail.com COLORTRAN Nook light with bard doors and bulb. Includes long power cable and Quartzcolor 2K switch. $75. LOWEL Blender with AC power adapter, battery adapter for Canon E6 batteries, 1 protective screen, 3 diffusion screens. Very Good condition. $250. CHIMERA Triolet with 3 bulb adaptors, Chimera 9890 ring, glass diffusion dome and small Chimera pancake lantern (type 1864). $475. CHIMERA Extra Small Video Pro Plus with 3 screens (type 8115, 16"x22"). New condition. $200. CHIMERA Small Video Pro Plus Strip bank. (type 8155, 9"x 36"). Good condition. $250. gefilterfish@yahoo.com 416.587-4848 Panasonic DVCPRO Digital Video Recorder D230H. SONY BETACAM SP Recorder UVW-1800. JVC S-Video Cassette Recorder BR-S800U. Panasonic H1350 Colour Monitor. JVC 9" Colour Monitor. JVC Hi Resolution Colour Monitor. A VERY GOOD DEAL FOR SOMEONE Contact Robert Bocking CSC for further information.

416 636-9587 or rvbocking@rogers.com ALEXA ITEMS FOR SALE Arri Alura T2.9. 18-80mm (PL Mount, Feet) CAD$20,000 OBO Arri Eyepiece Leveler (EL-3) Brand New CAD$400 OBO Arri Viewfinder Cable Medium KC151S Brand New CAD$350 OBO Please email Ian Toews csc at: ian@291filmcompany.ca

35 4x5.6 Schneider filters: ND’s, color correction, diffusion, grads 2 138mm Tiffen Tobacco, Sunset grad 2 138mm Schneider Tru Pola, 85 Pola 2 138mm Schneider CU diopter #1, Cu Diopter • includes case and pouches for every filter.

• Excellent condition • 4x5.6 and 138mm. clears included Today’s value in U.S. dollars $13,705 U.S. Selling price $9,500 CDN CONTACT: Bert Tougas H: 514-634-2374 C: 514-913-2376

Credit: Hill Peppard

Credit: Stephen Reizes csc

Canon CN-E Prime Lenses. 24mm T1.5, 35mm T1.5, 50mm T1.5. In excellent condition. EF mount, covers S35 and full frame. Asking $3400 each.

Contact info@johnker.com.

Carolyn Wong

Jeremy Benning csc

The Society congratulates Philip Lanyon C S C on receiving full CSC accreditation.

Credit: Duncan deYoung.

I have 15 - 3x3 Tiffen filters for sale - fogs, Promists Grads, 812's etc. all with cases. $185.00 - contact Barry Casson csc - 250-721-2113 or e-mail bcasson@speakfilm.com

CALENDAR JUNE 4-7, Cine Gear Expo, Los Angeles, cinegearexpo.com JULY 5-11, Festival Internacional de Cine de Gibara, Cuba, ficgibara.com 19-23, Siggraph, Washington, D.C., siggraph.org @canadiancinematographer @csc_CDN

AUGUST 18-20, Cine Video Television Expo, Mexico, revistapantalla.com/expo SEPTEMBER 10-20, Toronto International Film Festival, tiff.net 10-17, ICFF Manaki Brother, Bitola, Macedonia, manaki.com.mk 11-15, IBC, Amsterdam, show.ibc.org

Canadian Cinematographer welcomes feedback, comments and questions about the magazine and its contents. Please send your letters to editor@csc.ca.

Letters may be edited for clarity and space.

28 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2020

TIFFEN ULTRA STEADICAM , HD Ultrabrite color monitor ,HDMI Decimator 2,Iso-elastic arm, 4-24 volt batteries, 1-Pag battery charger 24v,1-Lentequip battery charger 12/24v,Klassen vest and carrying bag, 1 Preston F1+Z transmitter 1 Preston MDR-1 receiver,1 Preston control, 2 motors, 2 batteries, charger, numerous Hill motor mount brackets rossette brackets and rods, 1 long dovetail plate,1 short dovetail plate, 1 docking bracket,1 fgs wheel chair/ dolly adaptor,rain cover, too many cables, hard cases and accessories to list.This rig was well maintained looks new,all it needs is a few upgrades. $3,5000.00 can 416 817 3938 or acadian@rogers.com Rick Kearney Preston FIZ 2 kit - $5,000 2 x Arri MB-20 studio matte box - $8,000 Arri LMB-15 Clip-on matte box - $1,200 Power-Pod Classic - $5,000 Please contact Michael Balfry csc @: michaelbalfry@gmail.com for a complete list of items.

Looking for a set of old, no longer used, standard legs with Mitchell base.

Or any type of disused heavy camera support.

This is to be used to mount a Mitchell BNCR camera in order to place it on display. Anyone with access to such a tripod or with information about one, please contact me: rawi@earthlink.net 416-691-6865 CAMERA CLASSIFIED IS A FREE SERVICE PROVIDED FOR CSC MEMBERS. For all others, there is a one-time $25 (plus GST) insertion fee.

If you have items you would like to buy, sell or rent, please email your information to editor@csc.ca.

TRUE ROSCO COLOR™

Featuring: E117 Steel Blue, E089 Moss Green & E164 Flame Red

Capture your shot with authentic Rosco gel colors created by MIX LED technology.

Every gel color in the MIX library has been scientifically validated by Rosco’s color experts. Patent-pending MIX technology blends six LEDs to produce a fuller color spectrum than RGBW and RGBA fixtures. With the myMIX app, complete color control is in the palm of your hand.

firmware

2.0 update coming october

2020

A Cut Above

Photograph by Melissa Thompson Courtesy Sony Electronics

Building on the uncompromising quality of its popular FS7 series, Sony’s new PXW-FX9 XDCAM sets a dramatic new standard for image quality, performance and flexibility.

The newly designed 6K full-frame sensor oversamples and captures images superbly in both 4K (Ultra HD) and HD. You can also switch to Super35 mode, changing the lens crop factor, which allows you to easily push in on the action. There’s also Dual Base ISO, so you can quickly adapt to challenging low light conditions without affecting noise, plus an electronic variable ND filter – the world’s first for a full-frame sensor – giving you fluid control over your exposure. The new enhanced Fast Hybrid AF locks onto and tracks your subject with unprecedented precision, and a built-in gyro captures data, allowing you to process footage in post, so it can be made to look like it was shot using a gimbal.

Producing incredible images with 15 stops of dynamic range, you’ll also be shooting with the same cinematic colour science developed for Sony’s world leading VENICE cine camera. And thanks to firmware update 2.0, the FX9 is now capable of 16-bit RAW recording, internal full-frame 4K DCI and Full HD at 180 fps, plus eye AF, high-base ISO up to 102,400, 3D LUTs support and more. Drop by your nearest Vistek to see for yourself.

COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS GROUP Direct: 416- 644-8010 • Fax: 416-644-8031 • Toll-Free Direct: 1-866-661-5257 • CommercialVideo@vistek.ca

PHOTO | VIDEO | DIGITAL | SALES | RENTALS | SERVICE

VISTEK.CA