Getting experience

Hello all,

How have things been? I realize it's been quite a while since my last post, and I do apologize for that. I must say that this has been a very hectic semester. And that's quite potent when you consider that I'm not shooting any personal projects this semester…just writing and editing. Much of this stress and time consumption comes from the number of classes I've taken and the learning curve I've experienced in some of those classes. Avid editing in particular feels like one of those classes that are really giving me a run for my money.
The interesting thing about this semester however is the knowledge it has provided me with. Most of this knowledge relates to upcoming projects I plan to film with Josh and Gabe. For example, in producing I've learned how to make a business plan to attract potential investors to my films. Since a number of our movies currently in development (Castro, Everlast, etc...) are much longer then the typical 3-minute Screen Wars short, and because they have numerous production details that are far too expensive for us lowly peons to cover with our own wallets...attracting investors will be a key part to producing the next batch of MOC projects.

The other thing I've been attuned to lately is the various formats available in the film market...HD, MiniDV, 16mm, Super 16 and 35mm. I bring this point up because I plan to shoot my next two projects on film, if possible. This will probably mean that I will have to attract an investor. And if investors get involved, I'm sure they will support our efforts to maximize our visual potential.
However, there is the possibility that shooting on 35mm film will be far too expensive and burdensome for our investors. If that is the case, then we will need to be well informed of the other gauges and formats available to us. Josh will be the cinematographer on Everlast (the film I would like to use 35mm for), and I’m sure he’s able to consider numerous positives and negatives with regards to each format. I need to bone up on this knowledge however. In doing so, I've found myself flirting with the idea of shooting Everlast on Super 16. If 35mm becomes a pipe dream, Super 16 may be an alternative. I must say though, considering the user-friendly nature of various Super 16 products, shooting on Super 16 may become more then just an alternative – it may become the preference.

Some great links for Super 16 are as follows:

Aaton's website devoted to Super 16 and Super 35 products - If we do shoot on Super 16, I will probably go with an Aaton camera because of its maneuverability and easy magazine loading. We probably won’t be able to get a huge camera in on the fight scenes, and these smaller cameras are less imposing for the actors. They seem easy to deal with as well…The A-Minima takes 200 ft. daylight spools, so we can change mags quickly and efficiently on the set.

Kodak's website on Super 16 in the current HD marketplace - Gabe might find this to be an interesting article. It notes that many of HDTV's current projects are shot on Super 16 and then mastered to HD. The article does note a discrepancy in Super 16 for daylight exterior shots, but this discrepancy was found in 1996.

And finally...

Kodak's modest dictionary of Super 16 cameras - The information here isn't very detailed, but at least it gives you an idea of the current Super 16 cameras on the market, plus standard 16 cams that have been modified to support the Super 16 format.

I think another reason for my recent investigation into the Super 16 format comes from recent reports I have gotten about the quality of equipment currently accessible to students at my school. Next semester, I will be shooting my portfolio piece at the college, a 15-30 minute film with sync sound (for those curious, it is a war film much like Apocalypse Now or Platoon). I do have the option to record it on digital, but since this is my last real film project at the school, I would like to go out on film. Unfortunately, friends who have had access recently to the cameras and equipment for the portfolio class have reported a serious problem with quality. Lenses are banged up, scratched and difficult to manipulate. Magazines and cameras are worn and used beyond the point of repair, etc. Even more telling - groups of students who work in the equipment facility at the school shot their final projects this semester on cameras rented outside of the school.
I think with the problems I've had in the past (most notably with the Arri 16s on The Subject), the notion of shooting my final project on another badly worn camera is stomach churning.
I want one thing to be optimal on this final film: image quality. I don't want to deal with equipment that is difficult to shoot on, and I don’t want to get back a telecine that looks like it was recorded with a projector on a stucco wall. I’ve noticed that when these problems happen, when the basic fundamental image quality deteriorates, my contribution to the aesthetic quality of the story deteriorates as well. And I refuse to allow that on my next two films. When locations are falling through and my brains are leaking out through my nose, I can be comforted by the idea that at least my camera works…
On a related note: this Saturday, I will be stepping in as 1st AC on a portfolio project (I will be working with an old chum, Jayme Scherer). Obviously, this is a perfect opportunity for me to study the quality of the school's equipment. I'll be handling it all day, so I'll be able to get a fair idea if it is up to snuff.

Anyway, that's what's been running through my head lately. I'll try and post more often...I have to say; I've really enjoyed Gabe's comics. They've been a fond throwback to when I first met Gabe. I remember looking through his notebooks back then and finding all kinds of comics he drew that I found hilarious (they didn’t make sense, but they were brilliance!)