Canadian Society of Cinematographers Magazine September 1990

Welcome back after what I hope was a busy summer of shooting. We have some interesting meetings in store for you this year. Some of the things planned are a look at Kingsway Films' new 35mm Aaton camera, the new high speed stock from Kodak, a colour correction seminar with Rosco, plus screenings of different members' work. Sony also has some new instructional video tapes which we will be reviewing in the newsletter. If you have any .suggestions about what you would like to see, please call me at 461 3089 and we can discuss it. Any suggestions about meeting topics would also be welcome.

MEDAWON FilM AND VIDEO lABORATORIES

19 Mercer Street, Toronto, Canada MSV tH2 Telephone: (416) 977-0019 Fax: (416) 977-7669

I'd like to take this opportunity to suggest that we need more input in the newsletter. If you have run across a tricky problem and a unique solution to it, consider writing about it for the newsletter. If you need some help getting it down on paper either Jennifer or I would be glad to help.

i:aslmar\ EXR Color Negative Rms

Anew century begins...

JOAN HUTTON esc · VIce President

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== 2

SEPTEMBER 1990

The Canadian Society of Cinematographers was founded in 1957 by a group of Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa cameramen. Since then, over 500 cinematographers and persons in associated occupations have joined the organization. Our members now represent the film and video community in all ten provinces.

THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS NEWSLETTER

VOL. 10 NO. 1

SEPTEMBER 1990

TORONTO, CANADA

ISSN 0820-3431

Our aim continues to be to promote and foster the cause of cinematography and the interests of the Canadian fllm and video community.

We facilitate the dissemination and exchange of technical information, and endeavour 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, buthavenopolitical or union affiliation.

esc Executive President: Robert Hocking esc Vice-President: Joan Hutton esc Secretary: Wang Chow Treasurer: Duncan MacFarlane esc Membership Chairman: Jim Mercer esc Public Relations: Lori Longstaff, Kenneth Post esc Education: John Holosko Awards Chairman: Jim Mercer esc

CONTENTS

Feature Article: Profile on Vic Sarin, esc ...... Wang Chow

4

Need Private Pain Tum into Public Amusement? ..... Jordon Pearlson

10

Letter from Amsterdam ......... Robert Rouveroy esc

11

Lights, Camera, Magic ......... Ian Caddell

16

Carrottop Comer ... Lori Longstaff

18

Membership inquiries: (416) 271-4684

SEPTEMBER MEETING

Editorial Office and CSC Office: 89 Pinewood Trail Port Credit, Ontario L5G 2L2 Tel: (416) 271-4684

"ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT STEADICAM BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK" WITII DAVE CRONE

Editor in chief: Robert Hocking, esc Editor: Jennifer Hietala

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TII, 1990 AT 8:00P.M.

The Newsletter is printed in Toronto and is published ten times a year. Subscriptions are available for $75.00 per year in Canada and $95.00 outside the country.

CSCNEWS

FILM HOUSE 424 ADELAIDE S1REET EAST TORONTO, ONTARIO

3

LOVE, PASSION AND FILMMAKING ... A PROFILE ON VIC SARIN esc

It should not be surprising that Vic Sarin esc believes that cinematography is one of film's strongest elements. It has been his craft, his passion, for many years. According to John Kennedy, head of the Arts & Sciences department at CBC where Sarin worlced for over twenty years, Sarin is a meticulous and hard working cinematographer.

He is an interesting mix of contradictions. On the one hand, he is very gentle and soft spoken, but on the other hand, he is very demanding and tough.

Sarin's talents are balanced by just enough self-doubt and need for approval to make him vulnerable.

While Sarin was growing up in Kashm'ir he became hooked on the films that his father showed in his movie theatre. He watched some of those films so

many times that he could recite every single line of dialogue. However, beyond the illusions of the movie theatre lay the stalk reality of poverty and degradation that plagued India. In his youthful idealism Sarin wanted to change the world by educating and elevating his people through films. He was sold on the power of the cinema as a catalyst for social change. Many decades later, while immersed in the opulence of the Yorlcville district in Toronto, Vic Sarin's gleaming idealism remains untarnished. His faith in motion pictures is just as strong.

When Sarin was fifteen his family emigrated to Australia. His dream of becoming a professional actor was shattered as a result of his poor English.

Moreover, as a non-white, he found it impossible to break into a European4

oriented acting world. The curtains were closed to him. Sarin says "how many Omar Shariffs can you have?" If his initial attempt at acting was a failure, his subsequent role as a cinematographer was a success.

After a short stint as a news cameraman in Australia, Sarin came to Canada in 1963. When he found himself unemployed, he spent the equivalent of one year's salary from his savings to make an art film entitled "Endless Cycle".

The film sufficiently impressed the CBC that they gave him a job. It was the start of a productive relationship that was to last for more than twenty years.

In addition to "Endless Cycle", Sarin has made other personal films.

Last year he completed "Solitary Journey" a 60 minute documentary about the SEPTEMBER 1990

Sherpas of Nepal and Lord John Hunt, leader of the 1953 Everest Expedition.

"Solitary Journey" is now in distribution.

The fact that this film cost him $100,000 and may never recoup its production cost doesn't bother him one bit Why does Vic Sarin, a well-respected and successful cinematographer want to engage in this seemingly masochistic exercise of making personal films using his own, hard-earned money? As he explained, filmmaking is both his oobby and his passion. On a more practical level, his personal films have been his inspiration and have taught him a great deal. From his position as a self-taught professional with no formal training, one can appreciate the importance of making these films.

When Vic starts talking about films, he is visibly excited and one can see the wheels turning inside. The conversation follows a logical rise in intensity. According to Sarin, tre prime movers in a film are the director, the DOP and the CSCNEWS

art director.

This trio controls both the crews, the resources- half of Hollywood technical and creative outcome of the is Canadian. So why aren't we making worlc Because of the collaborative na- big films? It's probably our mentalityture of the craft, mutual respect and co- we still think small. Often our films are operation is essential. This fundamental bogged down by research and factual intruism is no doubt apparent to all who are formation rather than propelled by imagiinvolved in filmmaking. Unfortunately, nation. We have to stop imitating Ameriharmony and goodwill do not always can movies and start making films for the reign supreme on set world. If so and so is the best actor, bring Vic feels there is a general lack him in regardless of his citizenship. We of respect for each others' talents in the have to start running the film industry as Canadian film industry. Because of the a business and not on handouts." competitive nature of the profession, A nerve is struck and it is difficinematographers are not always gener- cult to separate Vic Sarin from his pasous with each other. Sarin says "Often sion. Wanting to be understood, he elabothey would say 'I saw your work; it was rates on his feelings about the Canadian good but .. .' Instead of offering support, situation. "I still believe in Canada and I we are often our worst enemies. There is enjoy living and working here. I just also a lot of politics. Ifyou don'tplaythe want to shake Canadians up a bit. We right game with the right people, they have to be more confident in ourselves. won't hire you. Furthermore, a great There is no ideal place to make films; you deal of effort goes into making 'the deal' have to do good work wherever you are."

Quality, craftsmanship and sucso that by the time production starts, there is very little creative juice left. It's cess, like other goals in life carry a price a pity because we have the talent, the tag. There are no free lunches. For Sarin, s

"Loyalties"l989

"Love and Larceny" 1984

6

SEPTEMBER 1990

professional success created havoc with his personal life. Long ago he made the ·~nscious decision to sacrifice comfort and security for his first love - the cinema. He has no regrets. On "making it", Sarin explains, "Whatever you do, you have to love it. There is no mystery.

When you enjoy your work., you will produce your best work.. If you don't love your work., don't do it. Don't do something because you want to be rich or famous. Rather, think in terms of 'I want

to shoot this film because I can do a great job."'

It was the desire to make better films that led Sarin into directing. As a cinematographer, he was often frustrated by lack of control. Often he was called to shoot a film when all the important decisions regarding locations, sets and scheduling had already been made. Sometimes these decisions would adversely affect his work. and the quality of the project. He relates one example where he

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requested matte-finished opaque glass for a window. Due to various reasons, budgetary constraints being one of them, hard glass was installed. Consequently, the lighting took longer to set up and the window didn't look at good as it should have been.

Directing ensures that he is involved right from the beginning. On manyofhis recent films, Sarin has served as both DOP and director; further enhancing his control over the film. To prevent over-extending himself, he hires camera operators and gaffers that he trusts implicitly. In a characteristically modest way Sarin says that the crew are really the ones who do most of the work.. His job is comparatively easy.

Sarin's 'filmography' is long and impressive. A short list of his recent works is included at the end of this article. Notably, he lensed "Chautauqua Girl" in 1984, a splendid CBC period drama where his cinematography was one of the stars. Journalist Mike Boone of The Gazette wrote: "Emmy Awardwinning cinematographer Vic Sarin has trained his cameras on dazzling Prairie sunsets ... Some of Sarin's exterior shots are as stunning as oil paintings. In one particularly memorable sequence in which a Chautauqua show bagpiper walks across a wheatfield, the ovemead camera moved slowly up and away as the stirring sound of the pipes fades ... just beautiful work!"

More recently, Sarin's "Cold Comfort", a film he adapted from Jim Garrard's stage play, received excellent reviews from the media. "Cold Comfort" is an enigmatic psychodrama about Floyd, an eccentric tow-truck driver who pulled an unconscious travelling salesman, Stephan out of a snowy ditch. In an abandoned, snow-bound gas station in rural Alberta, Floyd gave Stephan to his 18 year old daughter as a birthday present; thus turning the salesman from a guest into a hostage. Although Vic had directed many documentaries and TV dramas, "Cold Comfort" marked his debut as a feature film director. He was widely praised for his acute visual sense in the

adaptation of this critically-acclaimed 'Gothic' tale.

The feature film "Bye Bye Blues" was the second film that Sarin collaborated with director/writer/producer Anne Wheeler. This nostalgic period drama was inspired by the wartime experience of Ms. Wheeler's own mother. The main character Daisy Cooper, marvelously portrayed by award-winning Rebecca Jenkins, lost contact with her husband stationed in Malaysia, when it fell into Japanese hands during World W,ar II. For four years Daisy did not know whether her husband was dead or alive. With two young children to raise, she took a job with a local dance band in rural Alberta in -order to make ends meet. She learned to sing and play piano. Daisy also developed an attraction for Max, the trombone player. She was tom between the somewhat exciting and glamourous new man and her loyalty to her husband. As the war ended, Daisy's husband suddenly reappeared, making life extremely awkward and unpleasant. She had to choose between her husband and her life on sta~e with Max. The painful decision was the sad note that crowned the poignant ending of a well-crafted film. Sarin's cinematography was visually exciting, convincingly evoking the wartime flavour of rural Alberta. He credits Anne Wheeler for much of the success of his photography. Sarin was brought into preproduction six weeks before the principal photography. He was able to work very closely with Wheeler and art director John Blackie. Collectively, they designed the look, mood, style, and colour of the film. Sarin's camerawork was engaging but never obtrusive, consistently sympathetic to the needs of the script In contrast to the richness of "Bye Bye Blues", CBC's "Love and Hate" was a study of cinematic restraint. Based on the true story of the brutal murder of JoAnn Wilson by her cabinet minister husband Colin Thatcher, the scenario was so powerful that the filmmakers decided to tone down the cinematogra-

phy in order to let the story unfold on its own steam. Critics described actor Kenneth Welsh's portrayal of Thatcher as 'a powemouse of evil'. Kate Nelligan was outstanding as Wilson, eminating just enough warmth to provoke sympathy from the viewers. Sarin's cinematography was appropriately subdued. He offers these comments. "'Love and Hate' was one of the best scripts I've ever read.

My techniques were very subtle. I used low angles and harsh lighting to make Welsh more menacing. His wife JoAnn was softly lit. In the gripping murder scene we filmed in darkness. We didn't want to see faces. For authenticity, we consulted with the policemen and ambulance attendants who were present at the scene of the crime."

Looking at "Love and Hate" and "Bye Bye Blues", one wouldn't know they were photographed by the same

man. The style and textures are so different But then, it was the desire to break new grounds and to apply different techniques that pulled Sarin away from the CBC. Currently, Vic Sarin is on location in Europe directing and shooting a ten-part documentary series entitled "Millenium". The theme of the program is to capture the essence, wisdom and philosophy of old cultures before they disappear.

This means travelling to locations in remote parts of Mexico, Mrica, Indonesia and Canada. Although Vic's official address is a penthouse suite in Toronto, the man of contradictions frequently finds himself living in a tent on location.

WANGCHOW

II

Clairmont Camera is on the Lot at North Shore Studios.

555 Brooksbank Avenue, Bldg 7, Suite 130 N. Vancouver, B.C. V7J3S5 â&#x20AC;˘ (604)984-4563

8

SEPTEMBER 1990

Vic Sarin's most recent works

As Director of Photography: Divided Loyalties (1989)- a period action, TV film Cold Comfort (1989) - feature film Bye Bye Blues (1988) - feature film Long Road Home (1987) Switching Times (1987) Bethune (1987) (2nd unit)

As Director: Millenium (1990) - 10 part documentary series Neon Rider (1990) - TV series Cold Comfort (1989) - feature film Solitary Journey (1989) - 1 hr. documentary Alfred Hitchcock presents (1988)- TV series Family Reunion (1987) - TV movie

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9

NEED PRIVATE PAIN TURN INTO PUBLIC AMUSEMENT?

Ask any news cameraperson. When the lense zeroes in on the subject in a fastbreaking story, intensity builds in the attempt to capture the essential action.

Shoot first, ask questions later. In all human activity ,from the ravages ofwar andfamine to the heights ofaccomplishments cameras arefocussed to record the event. The work develops tough characters, sometimes callous characters, but I would like to think that the best reasoned news gatherers exhibit sensitivity.

Here is a story that tells of the aftermath ofa tv news item and deserves the attention ofall news camerapersons.

KENNETH POST esc

She was an only child, bright and sensitive, mature beyond her years. A solid and very private person, she was no stranger to challenge and responsibility within the family. What she had carried, she bore with grace and her own unique combination of strengths.

Swift, stalk tragedy had brought her home from university: Her mother's troubled last months had led to a sudden, most unusual death, a death that left an aura of unanswered questions.

Where death is concerned, the unusual must be clarified and the questions answered. That is the law, as it should be.

When police communications call for response and investigation, the media listen and they, too, respond. Police reporters select their target stories in much the same way as towtruck drivers, radios tuned to police channels, wait by the side of the highway for their own notice of tragedies on which they feed. As usual, the system worked - for them.

Television news announced ''homicide in North York.'' There was no homicide.

Based on investigations just begun, widely broadcast reports dealt with the possibilities as if they had been proven. None waited until the range had been narrowed down to the clean and innocent reality.

Within hours, the home was tainted with the aroma of possible ''foul play''. It took a day of exhaustive forensic testing before the police established, beyond any doubt, that there had been no foul play. The death was tragic, not criminally tragic. Of those who broadcast the possibilities, only one source had tlie decency to report the reality - not as a lead story, as an afterthought.

This is what the girl came home to. Before she even saw the place of death, the electronic media were there waiting to record her seeing it.

We sat together, the next morning. This family oftwo attempting to sort out emotions and to define the empty place where wife and mother had been. It was a time for listening, too soon for the talk of healing.

The daughter spoke of her numbness, of the confusion, of the shock of coming home and finding police and television cameras, of the sudden awareness that her personal agony had become public property.

And then she put into words her feelings of violation and outrage. ''Did I have to have that television lens aimed at me? Rabbi, I watched his face, the cameraman was smiling. He was getting great footage. I was seeing the pictures in my mind that I will never lose - did he have to be part of them? Did my private pain have to be televised?''

10

Time and again, in the past I have watched this kind of coverage on the televised news. On the edge of consciousness was always the questoin of what they and I were doing there. The issue is no longer on the edge, it is front and centre.

To lead the prayers at a tragedy is never simple; for a rabbi, minister or priest to help guide a family out of painful confusion is never without risks. The task is challenging in itself. There are pieces to be put together, family systems to be reassembled.

When tragedy is complicated by the assault on privacy of the electronic media one begins to wonder where the devices of self discipline can be found in their industry. The present practice is less than responsible. The assault on the psyche is as real as a blow to the body.

One begins to think that the law should provide some form of civil remedy for those forced to bear unnecessary scars on top of the unavoidable wounds.

Perhaps the lesson can only be taught when the media are subjected through the courts to the payment of damages, real and punitive, for their brutal insensitivity.

Rabbi Jordan Pearlson's column appeared in the Opinion Column of The Toronto Star Saturday Magainze on August 11, 1990. Jordan Pearlson is rabbi of the Temple Sinai, Toronto.

SEPTEMBER 1990

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My June article on compression elicited several interesting responses.

However, not all of your letters were complimentary. Some even acused me of cluttering up the Newsletter, instead of writing about cinematography.

Strictly speaking, cinematography means 'picture writing'. We commonly use that tenn for 'film recording', hence it is clear that we better learn what and where future technology might bring us, rather than relying on old knowledge. \ Where do you think your next buck will come from? If I look through the CSC Directory I find that most members (who do not write me) are video cameramen and just a handful are film cameramen engaged in features and commercials. More the pity, because we have to realize that the future is overtaking us at such a rapid rate that even the Sony Betacam may quickly become obsolete in its yersions. Tirls was painfully brought home to me when I had to sacrifice mine for a ridiculously low price after just two years of use. On the other hand, the Arri SR is going into its 12th year and is still the standard in 16mm as Panavision is in 35mm. That is, if you are so lucky as to shoot film!

As I explained in my last article, it is quite possible that film will be replaced by another discipline, so we in the esc should be well prepared to understand it Many of you may, as I do, read (or attempt to read) all kinds of technical magazines. Unfortunately, most information gathered that way is either esoteric, too complex or has no direct connection with our profession. For instance, most developments in encoding 11

comes from computer technology. Not knowing enough of both disciplines caused the downfall of a large post production house in Canada who tried to cash in on the highly lucrative commercial market.

Having bought the most expensive and up-to-date post production equipment (and charging the appropriately high prices for their services) they quickly discovered that the competition was able to do the same work for far less by acquiring the right computers and other black boxes.

The development in computers is what's changing television, parallel with what cd's have done to the traditional music record trade. Video has to go digital to ensure the highest quality, but more urgently to be compatible with the rest of the world.

The so-called demonstrations of HDTV are really a sham. The HDTV signal comes from a' component' recording device and is then stacked up against anonnalNTSC 'composite' signal. Ifit is seen against an RGB signal you '11 find that HDTV is marginally sharper and yes, it is wider. Although it does not even come close to 35mm film, is not the fault of the signal, but rather the result of poor display tenninals. In other words, the screens are still lousy. And the politics of TV are lousy too: no other word describes it better. It is as if we have not learned from the past. Again, and this is an old story, the NTSC standard that North America is suffering from is because in 1952 the decision was made that black and white TV should be compatible with colour TV. So it seems that HDTV has to be compatible too, now with NTSC and if that comes to pass, history will repeat itself and at least esc

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cameramen will shoot film until far into the next century.

Nobody seriously proposed that FM radio should be compatible with AM, you just built a set with a knob to switch from one to another. Chances are good now that some sanity will prevail to make separate receivers for NTSC and HDTV, even in the same box, with a switch. We are now at the crossroads and the decisions that are made will affect how we esc members will make our daily bread. So it behoves us to bone up a bit on what the future might bring us and that is why I go on in this vein: to condense what I found interesting in the hope you find it so too.

The catchword at the moment is a video fonnat called CCIR 601, or commonly called D-2, even more popularly called 4:2:2. It all refers to a system of digitally encoding component video and, until a few months ago, has been the mainstay of post-production. This standard, while capable of very good results, has now been overtaken by D-1 or 4:4:4:4.

Just a few months ago ColotGraphics demonstrated a digital disk recorder capable oflaying down the absolutely enonnous stream of data that represents 4:4:4:4. Program material recorded in this fashion is capable of supplying future HDTV stations with quality content. Even now, postproduction with 4:4:4:4 promises to be less expensive than 4:2:2 as the new equipment rapidly becoming available (such as the Digital FIX Composium), combines functions as paint, video effects and character generation in one workstation that can be operated by just one person, instead of the three or four now currently employed. Now hold your horses for a moment The bottleneck at the moment is the stupendous amount of 'describing' language that is to be recorded. For instance, that disk recorder I spoke about earlier will just record about 25 seconds of 4:4:4:4. Yes, you can link a battery of disk recorders together but that becomes ridiculous of course. The problem is that 12

we are now talking not of megabytes, but of giga- or even terabytes. It is as if part of technology is leaping past where another part of technology should be by now.

There is a solution of sorts that I touched upon in my June letter. For a long time now compression encoding was part of the computer theorem. One might say that a modem computer is based on compression encoding.

One of the early systems is called run-length encoding and is rather simple.

A computer is really nothing more than a series of switches signifying the presence or absence of an electrical potential.

A switch is called a bit, 8 bits fonn a byte and so on. The trick is to store a frame or field or text on a computer screen in an electronic memory chip. This is called a Random Access Memory chip or RAM for short. Then you examine strings of pixels (the parts a computer screen is made of) and when a repetitive string is found, for instance, a string of pixels of the same value (all of one colour), say, 160 pixels all in a row, you don 'ttransmit the whole string, one after the other but you instruct that 160 times the same pixel should be activated. You have therefore effected a compression ratio of 159:1 for that string.

In that fashion you might .expect that by run-length encoding you can effect probably a 20:1 compression for text and a 200: 1 compression for a picture or photography or for that matter, a TV frame.

For example, on my Macintosh SE computer I can reduce a field of roughly 600 x 400 pixels, consisting of 1.4Mb, that is 1400 kilobytes, that is 1400000 bytes that is 1,400,000 x 8 = 11,200,000 bits (the smallest portion of the signal, representing the on or off position of a switch) - to about 300 Kb. So the average compression is about 4:1 and it takes about two minutes to encode and 30 seconds to read back. That's about as primitive as it gets. Programs such as Stuffit have been available since the invention of the Mac in 1984.

SEPTEMBER 1990

Another old idea used extensively in computer encoding is called 'Huffman', after the chap who invented it many years ago for spying. 1bis works dynamite on text compression. It is simply a translation table that selects characters, character sequences or pixel strings and replaces them with a variable length code according to their frequency. For instance, 'E' is replaced with a two-bit code, while 'Q' ranks as a 20 bit code.

1bis Huffman code is easily broken as the letter 'E' is of course the most used vowel in the English language. Still, the scheme is a good one and a modified Huffman algorithm is used in fax technology. It is called CCIT Group III lD. Another approach is calledLZW for Mr. Lempel and Mr. Ziv and Miss Welch (no, not Rachel, she doesn't compress easily). That methodology makes up translation tables on the fly, as it were, so that it makes for greater flexibility and superior compression.

So, Huffman constrains to about 30% average, LZW maybe 60% and various other schemes are about the same, but the times to compress and decompress are different. Totally unusable for real-time video but the idea is just now becoming of interest for television. The simple reason is that HDTV and D-1 4:4:4:4 needs compression to be of merit.

Without affordable compression, quality video will be out of reach for the home audience. So everyone is working like crazy to find the practical system.

You remember I told you of the fractal-based IFS Oterated Function System) last year? They achieve compression ratios of 10,000:1 or more. It works beautifully! The only catch is that it takes a real big computer 100 hours to compress a single frame! Doesn't work a damn on text either. Back to the drawing board.

For compression to be of use to the video world you should first examine such a hypothetical frame. If you translate a HDTV frame to a digital computer image you will find that it will take about CSCNEWS

800 Mb to describe it. A good 24-bit colour monitor can display 16 million different colours. As no living being can actually see 16 million different colours it is safe to assume that you can be quite selective in what to encode. So you would have to assume that only 600Mb needs to be encoded and compressed.

That means a loss in absolute information is acceptable to 'match the human visual data response'.

Let's go back again to Full Bandwidth Component Digital Video (4:4:4:4) to examine the ultimate TV frame. With all the trimmings you '11 find that a signal of 30 MHz (30 million cycles per second) has to be recorded.

1bis is still beyond tape technology.

These, and other problems of compatibility with PAL, SECAM and NTSC and another 37 different TV systems around the globe have finally caused a world standard to be contemplated.

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ISO (International Standards Organization) have fonned the JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) whose members include Kodak, DEC, IBM, NEC, Agfa among others. They are now formulating rules for compressing colour files and because the rules are to be universal, (slow) software is already on the market for computer purposes, including PC's andMac's. Fasterhardwareisalsoonthe way.

You will probably not be surprised to learn that Kodak is in the forefront Their experimental Transputer/ ceiver Compressor was used last year to bring you the Tiananmen Square pictures from Beijing over a phone line after the main satellite dish was turned off. But it was still not transmitted in real time.

And that, my friends, is about to change.

C-Cube, that California-based company, was material in writing the source code for the JPEG compression standard and they also made the first VLSI (Very Large Scale Integrated) chip.

Guess who's very hot to trot after this chip? The NFB has acquired some and is busy inventing hardware to utilize this chip. Forit is one thing to make the chip, it still takes considerable development to concoct a usable base that sums up what we all want: an affordable HDTV set that can receive and store a compressed field, decompress it and display a picture that is as close to 35mm quality as possible.

As an aside, you must by now realize that Kodak (and other film companies) is certainly not only about film.

As a matter of fact, the silver-based photographic film division has become probably the smallest in the conglomerate.

If you think about it, silver-based imagery is slowly grinding to a halt as there is little more progression to be made. The sharpness now achieved exceeds the resolution of lenses. The speed and response is not yet equal to the acquity of the human eye, but it is reasonably close. Further developments will be slow to come and rather marginal.

And as we all know, stagnant technology 14

will ultimately disappear. The first signs are all around us. For instance, it was fun at the 1989 esc dinner/dance using the then-new Sony electroniccamera to process our pictures for the Newsletter through the Mac SE, albeit with a few snarky remarks of poor quality by some of the gents. It now does give me pleasure to use the first Kodak software program for the Mac (just about $200 Cdn.) called Color Squeeze to compress my files.

Compatible with the JPEG standard, that 600Mb frame I mentioned earlier is now a manageable 50 Mb within a minute or so. Given the extreme speed of development in computer colour processing you will possibly even have a colour Newsletter with quality equal to standard silver-based colour photography.

C-Cube VP of software Jim Rafferty predicts the following developments within the next five years.

(1) HDTVtransmittedoveranormal TV channel (2) 20 hours of normal video recorded on an 8mm recorder (3) full bandwidth, real time, transmission of colour video picture over conventional telephone lines (4) regular computer hard discs capable of recording digital video signals (5) speed of global communications increased by a factor of 20. By freeing up very expensive satellite time, will probably mean a proliferation of TV channels.

Ah, to get my favourite soap operas again!

(6) elimination of the existing TV world standards by a digitally composed receiver. This means that every country can go their merry way with whatever standards they choose, it won't matter.

(7) ultimately HDTV as inexpensive as current TV. (8) digital optical printers for the film industry which would simplify the numerous passes now required for complicated matte shots.

(9) utilizing the expected 4 million pixel recording chip and the JPEG algorithm, the film camera will be superseded by an image recorder capable of quality exSEPTEMBER 1990

ceeding Vistavision. I think that possibly IMAX will still be around for a while.

As a matter of fact, C-Cubeisnow working on a MPEG chip, capable of a 100-1 compression, reverse and forward compensation, with room for a 48kHz audio signal.

(10) possibly before the end of the century IBM will show a real-time large size holographic motion picture. Even a very small size, just successfully demonstrated, needs terabytes (1,000,000,000,000) of storage at the moment.

These speculations are, of course, as unreliable as any prophecy. No one foresaw the pocket calculator or the personal computer or other inventions that have had a profound impact on us. But as extrapolations of current technology, they are substantially correct.

For us cameramen, the future stays bright, if we learn and grow with the technology. After all, no one has yet invented a chip to replace us. Right?

Come to think of it, that little Dutch company I'm familiar with has something else up its sleeve. Hmmmm ...

That brings me to something else.

It seems you enjoy the stories of my experiences in Holland. Every time I think I feel at home, something funny reminds me that I have spent the largest part of my life in Canada and that I am still a foreigner here. So I'll try to close off my letters with some things that I find weird A serious pet beef! have is going to the cinema here. You won't believe it but they manage to ruin the movie-going experience by showing almost 20 minutes of commercials before the main feature! Itis surely a chore to wait for the film to begin. The only people who gain are probably the commercial cameramen as the commercials are completely finished on film and that does not happen anymore in North America, barring very few exceptions. To add insult to injury you then suffer a 20 minute intermission which usually occurs at an excruciatingly interesting point in the movie.

CSCNEWS

However, next to all the pop they also sell beer, surely a plus point. Did I happen to mention that beer costs the same as soda water or cola?

By the way, the commercial cinematography is excellent here and many of the cameramen would easily make a buck in Canada or the US. Come to think of it, the Dutch are quite proud of "Red October's" Jan deBont who's sort of their Mark Irwin.

Em the other hand, watching TV is pleasurable as the commercials are bunched up, usually at the end of a program. If only they could start at the announced time so you could program the videorecorder. The times announced in the various TV guides are very approximate indeed so programming is problematic. It doesn't affect me too much yet as most North American programs are about a year behind and at the end of the year VSS will become standard (already in Germany). That means that a signal from the station will be programmable to ensure proper start and stop procedures.

Well, that's all for now. I would really appreciate hearing from you, so here is my address. Pleasecopyitexactly as written as otherwise your letters might go astray.

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Darryl Wright, the publicist on Hollywood Pictures' Vancouver-shot picture Rtm, is talking about ''background process". "In Hollywood, 'process' is such an important part of making movies that they even make 'in' jokes about it There's a scene in Airplane where they're in a car and out the windows you see Indians or people falling out of buildings. It's funny no matter who you are but basically it's a spoof of the 'process'."

"Background process" is essentially the art of creating background scenes in studios to correlate with location shots.

In Run Patrick Dempsey (Some Girls) stars as a young man on the run from mobsters. Since Dempsey spends more than a third of the film in cars,the film had to take several different approaches to the moving vehicle shots.

For most of the required shots director Geoff Burrowes and director of photography Bruce Surtees used an "insert car". By putting a car on board a flatbed truck they were able to have the camera shoot the ''moving'' car against whatever backgrounds were appropriate.

However, once the truck moves past a certain background it becomes difficult to get back to the previous point on the highway in order to reshoot the scene.

"Background process" gives the ¡ film crew the ability to re-shoot vehicle shots and makes for better dialogue tracks since the shooting is done inside the studio. It also allows the actors to do an entire scene at once, thus giving them the chance to keep their intensity and for the film to keep its continuity and rhythm.

Surtees, a veteran of action films withD.O.P.creditsin 12ClintEastwood movies, Beverly Hills Cop and The Shootist, says the ''process'' has been

16

''vital'' to the filming of Run, a film that started shooting back in April, was interrupted by the recasting of one of the leads (Kelly Preston replaced Tracey Pollan) and wrapped almost a month late, in the latter half of July. ''Because the summer nights are so short", he says, "it makes it very difficult to shoot night scenes. That cuts down on the actors' time and their ability to develop their characters. And doing so much of the dialogue in a car limits their physjcal movement. That can make for a boring film because the audience just sees the actors sitting in two seats the whole time. The 'process' gives us an opportunity to shoot from several different angles and it allows the actors to move around a lot more.''

Although Run was the first feature film to use the North Shore Studios, none of the studios in the North Shore complex was large enough to facilitare the "process". Instead, an empty warehouse across the street served as home to the lighting grid, two projectors, two "plate" screens and the car.

One projector is set almost 100 feet behind the screen that provides the scene the camera sees when it looks out the back of the car. A second secreen is moved in front of the car. It too has a projector behind it, but this projector is only a few feet back and is tilted at a 45 degree angle in order to see through the front and side windows.

The various parts of the car's chassis are moved around to allow the camera to shoot the actors and for the "plate" screens to show side views of the appropriate shots. When the action begins the camera can shoot the ''background'' from different angles. Since the projectors that actually show the scene

SEPTEMBER 1990

from behind the screens are stationary, the ''process'' and then moving on to the the screens never move. The background next picture, a New York-set film called ''plate'' or film changes constantly and The Hard Way starring James Woods as the car sections and camera are moved a cop and Michael J. Fox as an actor preparing to play a cop in a movie. around to provide the foreground.

The light grid that towers over Surtees says that the "process" has been used for years but that recently the vehicle also plays a crucial role in the "process", according to Bruce Surtees. an innovative process invented by East"We put the key lights on anns that man Kodak allows the rear screen projecswing across the scene. To make the shot tor to show a less grainy image. He says look real you have to keep the lights the change has made a ''vast difference'' moving all the time. That's true for both to the look of the rear ''plate''.

Says Hansard: ''The equipment night shots and daytime shots. The scene has to go in and out of the light in order we use hasn't changed muclt 1he changes to simulate travelling past light buildings are in the film speed.''

"Now the 'look' is better than it and dark buildings.''

Run's "background process" was has ever been" says Surtees, whose fasupervised by Don Hansard whose fam- therRobertL. Surtees (BenHur,Mutiny ily has been providing the service for on the Bounty, The Graduate, The Sting) more than 40 years. Hansard's father won three Oscars for cinematography. started the business which has now blos- "Years ago, you could easily tell the somed into full time work for eight difference between the 'process' and the real thing but today that's just not true.''

Hansards and several travelling crews.

"We're the only game in town Even Surtees has a tough time that travels" he says. "Most of the differentiating. ''I watched the opening studios do their own 'process' but when credits of Lethal Weapon where there's they want a unit to move to a location this incredible chase scene. I really admired the camera work and that it was all shot they usually hire us."

Hansard started in films in the outside. It was only later that I discov1940s ''putting the snow on Jimmy Ste- ered that they used the 'process' throughwart's shoulder" for the film It's A out the scene. I just couldn't tell the Wonderful Life. Since then, he has al- difference.'' ma;t exclusively worked on ''background process''. His credit list includes some of the Qiggest budget vehicle-oriented films in modem movie history: Blue Thunder, Iron Eagle and Top Gun. "A lot can be done on location", he says, butifthecastspendsalotoftime in the vehicle - whatever that might be they need to make sure the dialogue is Ian Caddell is executive editor of Reel perfect. Then it's time to bring in the West Magazine. This article is reprinted with permission from Reel WestMagazHansards.'' ine (August 1990 issue). Reel West is Hansard and his crews travel with published six times per year. For infortheir projectors and "plate" screens. For mation on subscriptions call (604) 294Run, they were in town for less than two 4122. weeks, setting up the equipment, running

II

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17

CARROTTOP CORNER ....

It's hard to believe that summer is almost over. It seems like Toronto's

The 13 episodes of "Maniac Mansions"

and camera trainee Lynda Chung. Their

are being shot on 35mm.

five week shoot was scheduled to wrap

film work reached its employment high

"Oarence" started shooting the

in late July. I was preparing for my six

last week in August. Glen MacPherson

Currently, Brian Hebb esc is

week shoot "The Falls" and I had to tum

is the DOP, Stephen Campanelli is op-

DOP for "Ice Princess" with operator

down 'heaps' of work. It was tempting

erating (once Stephen is finished on this

Barry Bergthorson, and focus puller

to take other work while already being

shoot, he will be joining myself and

David Niven. The production had at

paid one week prep for this feature/docu-

Doug Koch in Niagara Falls for some

least one solid week of second unit on

mentary, but not worth the gamble of

Steadicam work) and Robert Stecko is

which Andrew Potter assisted and Cudah

double booking, just in case there were

focus puller. The 16mm 1V movie started

Andarewewa did some second assist-

problems with the equipment

August 22 for 4 weeks.

ing. "Ice Princess" is to wrap August

August 17th.

31st

Doug Koch is the DOP for "The

"Hitchhiker" started shooting on

Falls". Itisbeingshot on super 16mm in

July 16th and will wrap September 14th.

the Niagara Falls area on both sides of the

Rick Wincenty is DOP,

Julian

first ever Canadian dramatic series to be

border. We are using an HS SR camera,

Chojnacki is operating, David Perkins

included in a regular US network fall

package supplied by Production Services.

is focus puller and Mark Cyre is second

prime-time schedule"

Doug Koch and his electronic whiz friend

assistant. Mitch Ness has some second

shooting simultaneously providing a one

have invented an electronic gismo that

unit DOP/operator work on the series.

hour show every five days. One unit is

"Top Cops", "thought to be the

has two units

pulls aperture while the camera is run-

Peter Benison esc and Philip

Ron Stannett esc OOP, with first assistant

ning at various speeds. Similar to what

Champion have returned to "My Secret

Michael Soos, and second assistant An-

the Moviecam will do, but this is a sepa-

Identity".

drew Cull (who just had twins!). Chris-

rate unit that works with Ziess lenses.

"New Man In" Guy Du Faux is

tophe Bonniere, DOP, Joel Guthro,

Maybe Doug Koch will rent it out in the

DOP with first assistant Patrick Stap-

first assistant and Cherylene Merlo,

future to cover his investment

een, second assistant John Crockford

second assistant make up the other unit.

"Maniac Mansions" is being shot in studio (great sets!) near some of the equipment rental houses. This can be quite convenient when one gets a little peckish. Afterall, crews never object to non-crew people eating producer paidcraft service! Anyways Ray Brounstein is the DOP, Randal Platt is operating, Marvin Midwicki is focus puller and Arthur Cooper is the second assistant

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18

SEPTEMBER 1990

"Top Cops" has done very well in the

will air in January on PBS(watch this

ratings and CBS has picked up the series

column for details).

release.

There are a number of recent

Kenneth Post esc, has been kept

births of note in the Society. Andrew

very busy this summer. Currently, he's

Cull has just become a father (twins!),

Ted Hackborn has taken a leave

working with a local candidate on the

Cathy Robertson and Len Gilday esc

of absence from the CBC to pursue his

election while preparing for another teach-

welcomed baby Phoebe into the world a

craft. Ted was accepted at the American

ing year at Humber College!

few months and Joy and Wang Chow

for at least six more one hour episodes for the fall.

Film Institute in Los Angeles to study

James Crowe and John Martin

had their first child, Jonathon on July

cinematography. There are five disci-

are shown below at the Finnish Battal-

24th. Jonathon was born a mere fifteen

plines taught at the Institute - directing,

ion Headquarters in southern Lebanon.

minutes after they arrived at Women's

screenwriting, producing, cinematogra-

They are currently worldng on a two part

College Hospital. Had it being during

phy and production design.

Ted is the

docmnentary on the United Natioos Peace-

rush hour ... well, things would have

only Canadian selected to study cinema-

keeping Forces world-wide. Locations

been different. Wang mentioned some-

tography. There is only one other Cana-

include Central America, Lebanon, Syria,

thing about camping out in front of the

dian studying at the Institute this year.

Cyprus, Cambodia, Austria and Iran/

hospital next time. Congratulations!

Montreal member, Bill Casey

Iraq(?). "Caught in the Crossfire, the

My toll free pager number is

has been busy covering the situation at

Peace-keepers", directed by Barry Gray,

1-416-553-7356

Oka for TheNational. The documentary

and produced by Stornoway Produc-

call and tell me what you're worldng on!

"Making Tracks" that Bill shot last year

tions is scheduled for a spring 1991

LORI LONGSTAFF

~why

not give me a

, __

..,_____

,

. . WI! I. W

1

James Crowe and John Martin in Lebanon at the Finnish Battalion Headquarters for "Caught in the CrossfU'C, the Peace-keepers".

CSCNEWS

19

BULLETIN BOARD FOR SALE

FALL MEETINGS September 10 at 8:00pm Film House, 424 Adelaide Street West. "Everything you ever wanted to know about Steadicam but were afraid to ask" with Dave Crone.

October 15th: To be confirmed.

November 5th: (to be confirmed) Screening of John Walker esc's Geni award winning film "Strand: Under the Dark Ooth"

SCREENINGS Sunday, September 9th at 7 pm, CTV Network "Out of Control", James Crowe -lighting cameraman, Stornoway Productions - producer.

Sony CA-3 Camera Adaptor (as new)$ 2,000 Sony VAl-V Recorder Adaptor (as new)$ 2,000 'Kangaroo' Case for Sony VA1-V and Recorder (as new, to be sold with or after VA 1-V is sold) $ 125 Arri 'Hard Shell' Case for 4 Arri Bluebells (good condition, new cost $500) $ 300 Arri lOOOW Bluebells (2) (as new, will sell stands with lights if you need) $325 each Old, Black Ianiro Lighting Case (with lots of room for 4 redheads, stands, etc.) $ 75 Matthews Grip Stands (2) (with sliding leg) $ 125 ·each Non-Matthews (Ampro) Grip Arms (2) (complete) $65 each Precision Camera 'Light Beam' (new, with case) $2,000 Call Jim Aquila (416) 545-4773 (Hamilton); (416) 346-5786 (Toronto)

Tuesday, September 11 at 8 pm EST on CBC "Witnesses What Happened in Afghanistan", Stornoway Productions

WANTED Production company wants to buy two 16mm packages and two 35mm packages. The person to contact is Arshad Shah in Montreal at 514-878-3662 or by fax at 514-878-4342.

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204W LEE Full CTO 60" 205W LEE 1/2 CTO 60"

245 LEE 1/2 Plus Green

206W LEE 1/4 CTO 60"

246 LEE 1/4 Plus Green

223W LEE 1/8 CTO 60"

247 LEE Full Minus Green

209A LEE .15 N.D. 48" only .

209W LEE .3 N.D. 60~ 210W LEE .. 6 N.D. 60"

248 LEE 1/2 Minus Green 249 LEE 1/4 Minus Green

211W LEE .9 N.D. 60" 299W LEE 1.2 N.D. 60"

LEE COLORTRAN CANADA INC.

400 Matheson Blvd . E. Unit # 1 Tel. (416) 890-0935 Mississauga , Ontario L4Z 1N8 Fax (416) 890-6261