14-PAGE LIGHTING SPECIAL INSIDE NEW PRODUCTS | NEW TECHNIQUES | INTERVIEWS | BUYING ADVICE | TECH definitionmagazine.com
September 2017
£4.99
Tech behind end of ape trilogy SEA GYPSIES
The videographer’s journey
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LION’S COLOUR
Grading story of Oscar fave
RISING STOCK
Our guide to stock libraries
REHOUSING PROJECT Leica R lenses get a new home
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Come see us at IBC, Hall 12 stand B20 15th - 19th September 2017 at Rai Amsterdam
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Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ UK
EDITORIAL EDITOR Julian Mitchell
01223 492246 julianmitchell@bright-publishing.com
CONTRIBUTORS Mark Moreve, Phil Arntz SENIOR SUB EDITOR Lisa Clatworthy SUB EDITOR Siobhan Godwood
ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Matt Snow
01223 499453 mattsnow@bright-publishing.com
SALES MANAGER Krishan Parmar
01223 499462 krishanparmar@bright-publishing.com
ACCOUNT MANAGER Harriet Abbs
LIGHTING BEFORE YOU INDIEGOGO: Digital Sputnik’s new Voyager lights in our special extended lighting section.
01223 499460 harrietabbs@bright-publishing.com
KEY ACCOUNTS Nicki Mills
01223 499457 nickimills@bright-publishing.com
DESIGN DESIGN DIRECTOR Andy Jennings DESIGNER Lucy Woolcomb
PUBLISHING MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck
MEDIA PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS OF
Definition is published monthly by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. Definition is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. The advertisements published in Definition that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Prices quoted in sterling, euros and US dollars are street prices, without tax, where available or converted using the exchange rate on the day the magazine went to press.
@DEFINITIONMAGS @DEFINITIONMAGAZINE DEFINITIONMAGS
Welcome
You can get carried away with technology. We are totally right to herald new ways of doing something and to identify conversions that shiny new technology sometimes forces on people. Take the current lighting revolution that is upon us. LED lighting has come out of the shadows and is now allowing lighting camerapeople to bring an unprecedented level of sophistication onto the set. But the innovation is just starting and our conversation with Rich Pierceall of Cineo Lighting is worth reading just for the glimpse of what’s in store. But Rich is nothing if not realistic and knows that the vast majority of his customers just want a reliable and beautiful soft white light to work with but also to have the option of a little purple sometimes. All the innovation is being pushed by the top 5% of users, usually in features, but most users don’t want such a huge change so quickly; you have to manage your conversion. We are celebrating the huge changes in lighting with our first special section on the subject. You will see these special sections appearing occasionally from now on. They are always going to reflect big changes in certain areas of making TV and film – but remember, the changes are optional.
JULIAN MITCHELL EDITOR SEPTEMBER 2017 DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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IMAGE On set with one of the Panasonic VariCam 35 cameras and actress Selenis Leyva as inmate Gloria Mendoza.
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Š NETFLIX
Orange is the New Black Season 5 is upon us and the production is again using a Panavised Panasonic VariCam 35 camera package with Primo lenses
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07 ITNB is a massive hit for Netflix and is now in its fifth season with its near allfemale, make-up free cast incarcerated in what is now an independent Litchfield prison. The show moved to the Panasonic VariCam 35 camera for Season 4 when they needed a 4K workflow from the set onwards. DOP Ludovic Littee chose to work with a permanent two-camera set-up and Primo lenses, which gave a similar soft look to the Cookes that went before. The VariCam, which was initially tested alongside a RED and Sony F55, won out due to the further options for ACs on set and also its ability to ‘break’ in half to become smaller for the confined sets.
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NEWS ACQUISITION
US RENTAL LEGEND SAYS GOODBYE Keslow Camera announces acquisition of Clairmont Camera
eslow Camera, the largest privately held motion picture camera equipment rental house in North America, has acquired Clairmont Camera and its Vancouver and Toronto operations. The move will more than quadruple Keslow Camera’s anamorphic and vintage lens inventory, and add a substantial range of custom camera equipment to the company’s extensive portfolio. Simultaneously, Clairmont founder Denny Clairmont, one of the industry’s most respected talents in front of and behind the
camera, announced his retirement. The acquisition is expected to be completed in August. Company Founder and CEO Robert Keslow said: “This acquisition perfectly aligns with Keslow Camera’s mission – to never stop growing, never stop learning, and never stop improving. The expansion into the two busiest Canadian markets delivers on our clients’ ongoing requests for us to service them in more areas of the world.” Keslow Camera will retain the support staff and experienced
ABOVE The Culver City HQ will house Clairmont Camera’s enterprises in California.
team of Clairmont’s Vancouver and Toronto facilities, who have been offering professional digital and film cameras, lenses and accessories to the filmmaking community in the region since the 1980s. All operations within California will eventually be consolidated to Keslow Camera’s headquarters in Culver City. Denny Clairmont endorsed the company acquiring his business: “Clairmont Camera is my life’s work and I never stopped searching for innovative ways to serve our clients. I have long respected Robert
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ACQUISITION NEWS
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I NEVER STOPPED SEARCHING FOR INNOVATIVE WAYS TO SERVE OUR CLIENTS
Keslow and the team at Keslow Camera for their integrity, quality of management, best-in-class customer service and successful performance. I am confident they are the right company to honour my heritage and founding vision going forward.” Denny Clairmont, along with his brother Terry, established the movie equipment and camera rental companies in 1976. In 2011, Denny Clairmont received the John A Bonner Medal of Commendation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, awarded by the
Academy Board of Governors. The medal honours outstanding service and dedication in upholding the high standards of the Academy. Denny Clairmont won two Emmys from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his role in the development of special lens systems and, with Ken Robings, won a Technical Achievement Award from the Society of Camera Operators for the lens perspective system. These innovative solutions will immediately be available to Keslow Camera customers.
TOP Keslow Camera founder and CEO Robert Keslow. ABOVE The prep floor and the lobby at Culver City.
“We recognise the work and innovation that he and his great team have brought to the industry over the past 70 years,” said Keslow Camera’s Chief Operating Officer Dennis McDonald. “To be able to offer our personalised level of service in more locations, with a wider range of technology to serve the needs of the creative community, we’re poised to elevate the Keslow experience for current and new customers.” www.keslowcamera.com
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE CANON
DIGITAL HOOP DREAMS
DMS’ Tiger Films has upgraded its EOS C300 cameras to Mark II and is taking full advantage of the differences
iger Films, the in-house production side of digital media agency DMS, has moved from Canon EOS C300 Mark I cameras to the Mark II. It’s the company’s move to 4K, which has been a result of client demand for the range of original content for broadcast, online and social media. The Canon EOS C300 Mark IIs will be used to capture HD and 4K-quality content for Hollywood studios, major music labels, independent film distributors, retail brands and high-profile sports organisations. The end-to-end service that DMS offers means that this content can then be managed,
localised, distributed and placed, and then its media reach can be evaluated. Earlier this year, the Tiger Films team, a long-time user of the original Canon EOS C300 camera, roadtested the new EOS C300 Mark IIs to capture quality behind-the-scenes and on-court action for the National Basketball Association (NBA) at its annual Global Games London event. The client, Tiger Films’ operators and its in-house post-production team were all impressed by what they were able to achieve using the new cameras, and the client requested that they be used on all future jobs.
WITH DEMAND FOR 4K INCREASING, WE NEEDED TO FUTURE-PROOF OUR PRODUCTIONS ABOVE Investing in two Canon EOS C300 Mark II cameras makes great business sense for DMS.
LEFT John
Somerville from Tiger Films with the Canon EOS C300 Mark II at NBA’s Global Games.
“Our EOS C300s have been real workhorses for us, and we’ve used them on an almost daily basis over the past three years,” says John Somerville of Tiger Films, “but as soon as we tested the EOS C300 Mark II, we could see the difference in quality. The way it seamlessly fitted into our workflow and provided exceptional image quality made the decision to upgrade an easy one. The NBA also encouraged us to use the new Mark II as they had experience of how good it was. “The Mark II is great as a runand-gun camera, so you can shoot a basketball game then take it off the tripod and start doing interviews on the sidelines. A lot of our shooting is quick turnaround so we needed something that also fits with our post-
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CANON ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
production workflow. We have camera production going on in the day and then feed rushes back to remote edit suites which are working overnight and then pushing out content for approval. We needed something that allowed for the rushes to be ingested quickly and in a good format. “Also having that option to take these new colour profiles in to the grade is great. We don’t always use it but when we do, you can see the difference.” Tiger Films has also increased its stock of Canon glass, investing in an EF 8-15mm f/4L fisheye, EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM and EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM. “The simple reason that we use Canon lenses is because they’re the best,” says John, “and they offer great value for money. With the fast-paced work we do, we need to punch in and out on subjects, so the choice available within the Canon range offers real flexibility for us.” MEETING MATILDA Professional video solutions provider CVP provided the new Canon kit in time for Tiger Films to use it on a ‘Meet the Matilda’ shoot at Pineapple
Dance Studios. The four new leads and Mrs Wormwood from Matilda the Musical had a ballroom dancing lesson at the famous dance studios and with the new EOS C300 Mark IIs, the team were able to make the most of the camera’s slo-mo feature to capture them perform. Tiger Films has also just returned from France, where it took the cameras on an NBA shoot to film basketball legend Bruce Bowen return to the town where he started his professional career. “With demand for 4K content increasing, especially as video platforms that our clients use like YouTube now support the format, we needed to future-proof our production offering,” says Simon Briggs, managing director at DMS.
“Our previous EOS C300 cameras proved to be a great investment for our business, with them almost always being out on a shoot, but having been so impressed with the Mark II, it made good business sense to upgrade.” DMS has experienced dramatic growth in the past 18 months, with the London-based agency opening a new 8000sq ft purpose-built headquarters to meet demand for its services earlier this year. It’s now focusing on recruitment as expansion continues, and recently launched the DMS Academy to provide on-the-job training and real-world client contact to graduates, enabling trainees to develop the toolsets required to build a successful career in the digital media industry.
ABOVE John Somerville says: “The NBA also encouraged us to use the new Mark II.”
MORE INFORMATION: www.canon.co.uk
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SHOOT STORY WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
Heart of darkness
Shedding Light on War: cinematographer Michael Seresin BSC on War for the Planet of the Apes WORDS DAVID HEURING PICTURES TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX ar for the Planet of the Apes is the third instalment in the blockbuster franchise which follows highly evolved chimpanzee, Caesar, and his struggle to defend his race against an army of humans, led by a deadly and tyrannical Colonel. Caesar is forced to reconcile with his inner ruthlessness as he goes on a journey to avenge the death of his kind. As he comes face to face with the perpetrator, Caesar is pitted against the Colonel in a final battle that will determine the fate of both species and the entire world. Digital technology is remaking toolsets in many fields, but in filmmaking, the pace of change is nothing short of astonishing. From one project to the next, the tools are refined and redesigned based on the artistic goals and tangible realities that are presented. Into this ongoing evolution steps Michael Seresin BSC, a cinematographer who resolutely insists on keeping the ones and zeroes at arm’s length. After successfully overseeing the sprawling, high-tech operation that led to Dawn of the Planet of
the Apes in 2014, Michael re-teamed up with director Matt Reeves on War for the Planet of the Apes. Although the former film earned upwards of threequarters of a billion dollars, the latter was not to be a carbon copy in terms of its look. To begin with, Dawn was shot in native 3D while War was shot with the large-format ARRI ALEXA 65. “The whole idea of the shallow depth-of-field was baked into the concept of this movie from the very beginning,” says Michael’s first AC, Taylor Matheson. “Michael tends to light economically and likes wide-open stops, and Matt and the studio wanted something that was shot wide open. We shot a lot of material at minimum focus. The appeal of the ALEXA 65 was obvious: the resolution and the ability to create a very rich negative, and the option to play with it in post – to zoom, reframe, and do all sorts of directing after the fact. But the bigger the sensor size or larger the film negative, the shallower the depth-of-field. So, from a technical perspective, it was an incredibly challenging movie.”
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WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES SHOOT STORY
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FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING MOVIE
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LIGHTING NEW TECHNOLOGY
LIGHTING NEWS
Shining a light on innovative products and emerging technology
PROAV LS RANGE
VOYAGER GOES LOOKING FOR A CROWD We’ve had the smartphone, now get ready for the smart light. Voyager is a new concept from Digital Sputnik, who until now has serviced the high-end features market with major films such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Independence Day: Resurgence. The Voyager Smart Light is a fixture concept which combines light source, battery and remote controller into a single product. Just add a phone or computer as an interface; no extra software licences or other hardware are needed. Digital Sputnik CEO Kaur Kallas explains the move to crowdfund a new product: “We chose crowdfunding to see how much interest there is for our approach outside the professional film industry. We got our initial goal funded in less than a week, confirming that there is tremendous interest for the Voyager outside the professional film industry, which has been our main client until now.” The Voyager is the next step in the Digital Sputnik product range. The company has taken its DS product line and packed the full feature set into a small fixture. Then they added batteries, an animation controller and made the package waterproof. Kaur explains the advantages of Voyager: “When using current light controller boards,
a technician needs to address every single light manually. With Voyager the software can autodetect fixtures on the set, making this manual labour obsolete. “The devil is in the detail, and we have ten finished prototypes that look and sometimes even behave like finished products. Now we need to take the final step. “The last 10% of the project costs as much as the first 90%,” continues Kaur. “Therefore, providing a high-quality product in a timely fashion with bug-free software requires a lot of effort. “With the Voyager it is possible to use your favourite diffusion filter by LEE or Rosco. There are two slots to install the filter. The first layer is inside the diffuser tube. The second layer is right over the LEDs, and the cut-out strip mounts right into the groove around the LEDs. “The fixture can be used fully submerged down to two metres for short time periods, about 30 minutes,” states Kaur, explaining that “the two-metre maximum is to keep the manufacturing cost and weight of the unit reasonable.”
The ProAV LS range of lights offers extremely colour accurate soft light at an affordable price. With a wide range of lights, from small on-camera lights to large high-power studio panels, there’s no problem finding the size of light for any scenario. According to ProAV, the most popular model currently is the LS Edge 1380. It sits right in the middle of the range, perfect as a location key light for lighting camerapeople. The LS Edge 1380 is bi-colour from 3200K to 5600K and scores an impressive 99 TLCI so you don’t need to worry about introducing any unwanted colour casts to your skin tones. It produces soft even light right out of the box with a 120° spread. This can be controlled with the included barn doors or optional honeycomb grid and easily powered with a V-lock battery slot built into the back of the light.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ voyager-photography-led#/
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NEW TECHNOLOGY LIGHTING
LED CREATIVE GOES ON NEW BLIND DATE... AND BIG BROTHER!
ARRI UPGRADES APP
Filmed in front of a live studio audience at ITV London Studios the all-new Blind Date stays faithful to the original. Hosted by Paul O’Grady and featuring the legendary sliding panel and three-question format, the show pits three hopefuls against each other for the attention of a mystery date. Created by scenic designer Chris Webster and lit by LD Oli Richards, the suitably fabulous set balances a blend of cool neonesque LED against a warm tungsten glow provided by an array of cleverly housed LED practical fixtures that form the backdrop. LED Creative’s Alpha 60 RGB system has been put to good use, adding crisp accents that edge the set pieces as well as providing the smooth tones inside the all-important sliding doors.
Meanwhile, over at the Big Brother house in Elstree, lighting director Adrian Portinari has been making clever use of LED Creative’s Sigma Wands and Byte control, which the LD artfully programmed via a Compulite Vector lighting desk, to add some illumination magic to BB’s own Blind Date style task. Ges Smith of LED Creative adds: “As plug and play rental kits, our Sigma Wands are ideal for relatively quick installs where controllable creativity is key. Adrian has made really great use of them on the Big Brother set – the look is colourful and clean, but the skill is in his programming which has subtly brought the backdrop to life without ever distracting from the tension of Big Brother’s Blind Date task!”
The ARRI Photometrics app has had a major update and is now available for both iOS and Android devices. The app provides data on all the company’s light fixtures and ballasts as well as other tools for its products. Version 4.0 of the Photometrics app has been completely redesigned and is more streamlined with a cleaner look. The new EB 1.8 MAX ballast and DMX profiles for SkyPanel FW 3.0 have been added. Presets is a brand-new feature, which gives the ability to create projects and then store lights inside a project for reference at a later point. As before, the app is a free download from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
NEXT-GEN PORTABLE The P360 Pro Plus is the next-generation version of Fiilex’s flagship portable LED light. This 400W-equivalent fixture takes everything that made the original P360 great and brings it to the next level. The CCT range has been expanded and dimming now runs from 0-100%. The Pro Plus also includes hue control, a feature not previously available in LED lights of this size. With the P360’s enhanced tunability options and top-tier CRI , matching unpredictable ambient illumination with extremely portable LED lighting has never been easier. Weighing less than a kilogram, the weather-resistant P360 Pro Plus is designed for travel, but it can also be easily integrated into DMX set-ups with its on-board DMX functionality. Other features include a high-resolution OLED display. For users looking to get the most out of the unit, Fiilex offers a wide array of light modifying accessories turning the P360 Pro Plus into a broad fill, a powerful spot or anything in between.
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INTERVIEW OLIVIER FONTENAY
LION RAW
Colourist Olivier Fontenay talks to Definition about how he approached colour sensitively to create a natural look that supported the narrative of the movie PICTURES THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY
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OLIVIER FONTENAY INTERVIEW
livier Fontenay is an experienced Baselight colourist whose credits include Lion, last year’s blockbuster directed by Garth Davis. The heartfelt movie cuts across different settings, environments and cultures to show the raw emotions felt by Saroo (played by as a child by Sunny Pawar and as an adult by Dev Patel), a young five-year-old boy lost on the streets of Calcutta far away from home, who is transported to Australia and has an agonising search for his family 25 years later. Definition: How did you get involved with Lion? Olivier Fontenay: A few years ago I worked with Garth Davis on Jane Campion’s series Top of The Lake and I was very impressed by his passion and how he believed in getting the details right. I’d also completed three features – Killing them Softly, Last Ride and Bright Star – before with Greig Fraser, the DOP so I knew them both. I put my hand up saying ‘I want to work with you guys’ and they said ‘sure’. Def: How did you decide on the look(s) for this movie? OF: There is a big time difference in
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the movie between what happens in India and what happens in Australia and also, of course, the locations are different. That affected the visual style but the aim was to make it look very natural, while supporting the narrative. Really, the idea was that the look is there to support the emotion, and in a way, the less you sense that you are seeing a specific ‘look’, the better it is. Def: What were the main challenges in grading this film? OF: I would say it was how caring we had to be all the times for the characters, starting with what was happening in India. And a lot of the footage was on the edge of exposure and felt very soft in contrast – but it wasn’t actually too soft or too underexposed. So it was a very sensitive area to be in and a very thin line to walk – we were really working in the danger zone. That’s where I believe Greig deserved the Oscar nomination and the ACS Award, because he was taking a risk – exposing down but not too much, almost to the point where you could see the noise when you were raising the brightness of
ABOVE Colourist Olivier Fontenay.
LEFT AND BELOW
A VERY SENSITIVE AREA TO BE IN AND A VERY THIN LINE TO WALK – WE WERE REALLY WORKING IN THE DANGER ZONE
Lion begins in India, before moving to Australia, in two different eras. The feel goes from harsh to more muted tones.
the image. This meant I could pull the blacks down and really work on them. Because you can’t actually see the noise but you can feel there is something there; you have the impression you are seeing film grain. It doesn’t look noisy, but it gives the image a special texture and feeling. Then we had to replicate that for the video release, which is in a different colour space that goes against that look, so we spent a fair amount of time making sure that the grade was also right for the different video deliverables. But everything I’ve seen on TV or in print in magazines has been incredibly faithful to what we did, so from a colourist’s point of view, I can see that it did translate very well. Def: What part of the grading process do you normally spend most of your time on? OF: Setting the initial grade and letting my grade evolve with the story as it’s told. I’m not massive on secondaries, they come when they are needed. I always try to work with what I’ve got in front of me, because I trust that what the DOP shot is good enough to translate to emotion. Def: Were there any specific tools in Baselight that were particularly beneficial when grading Lion? OF: Because I come from the SEPTEMBER 2017 DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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AUDIO
A THOUSAND PLANETS OF SOUND
What happens when your director decides not to have any ADR for your $180 million movie featuring more than 100 characters? WORDS JULIAN MITCHELL PICTURES VALERIAN SAS TF1 FILM PRODUCTIONS rench sound engineer Stéphane Bucher faced a difficult task when he was asked to record the audio for Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, the new film from director Luc Besson. There was to be no or very little ADR. The sci-fi blockbuster, reportedly the most expensive movie ever produced in Europe, features more than 100 characters, many of whom
are wearing intricate costumes including spacesuits. Ensuring that dialogue was recorded intelligibly was Bucher’s first challenge. “From an audio point of view, this was an insanely complicated movie to capture,” Bucher explains. “It wasn’t just the costumes – we also had to cope with actors talking through walls and hopping around in space. The spaceship, Intruder, also has a
ABOVE Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne in Luc Besson’s Valerian and the City of A Thousand Planets.
mind of its own and therefore a voice that needed to be recorded. Added to this, Luc Besson was very clear from the outset that he didn’t want to replace dialogue in ADR, so we had to get it right first time on set. “I used DPA’s wireless d:screet 4060 miniature microphones that are very small, which makes them much easier to hide,” he says. “Thanks to their omnidirectional characteristics, they don’t need to be aimed directly at a sound source to capture great audio. They are incredibly tough, which is important when you are shooting an action film with a lot of movement and when you have to keep swapping them from one costume to another.” He adds that the success of this film came down to intricate preparation and working very closely with Olivier Bériot, who headed up the costume department. “Many of the costumes are made from thick, synthetic fabrics that give them a futuristic look but are not that easy for the sound team, because they make a lot of noise. With Olivier’s
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AUDIO
ABOVE DPA’s d:screet 4060 mics live up to their moniker; discreetly placed on camera helmets and ruffs.
WE PUT THE MICROPHONES ON THE COSTUMES WITH A SEMI-RIGID SURFACE THAT WE BUILT WITH A 3D PRINTER help we found places to hide mics, without them being visible. Our main challenge was the spacesuits worn by Valerian (played by Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne). Olivier chose a fabric that was light and well insulated from a sound point of view, but we couldn’t hide the mics inside the shell of the suit because they would still have been muffled by the plastic. Instead we decided to mount them inside the huge ruffs the actors wear around their necks.” INTERCOM DESIGN As the microphones needed to stick out but at the same time blend into the design of the ruff, Bucher and Bériot decided to make them look like an intercom between the spacesuits. “We tried various options,” Bucher says. “We had the microphone sticking out of the ruff but that didn’t work, so then we tried a d:screet 4060 with a high boost grid, which was chosen for aesthetic reasons. We didn’t worry about high frequencies because we thought we could bring them down in post-production, but when we heard the sound we realised it didn’t work because the high frequency was way too powerful and bouncing off the surface of the grid in an unacceptable way. We swapped to a soft boost grid, which gave us a much more balanced sound. By adding a small rubber joint and lifting the mic capsule completely clear of the ruff, we were also able to reduce vibration noise.”
Valerian and Laureline each had three ruffs so that spares were immediately available. The microphones were left in position, which meant that all the sound crew had to do was plug in the wireless transmitter. DPA d:screet 4060 microphones were also used on the motion capture costumes the actors wore when shooting CGI scenes. “To reduce noise, we put the microphones on the costumes with a semi-rigid surface that we built with a 3D printer,” Bucher explains. “For the main actors who were wearing camera helmets, we positioned one mic on the helmet and one on their chest, in case Luc wanted them to take the helmet off for a close-up.” NO ADR Luc Besson’s decision to keep ADR to a minimum put additional pressure on the sound team to capture great audio on set. “The good thing about Luc is that he really understands sound, so he was able to get involved when we were debating microphone positions and what would work best,” Bucher says. “He expects you to find solutions and that pressure makes you raise your game. “In the end, the audio we recorded with our DPA microphones was fantastic and everyone was impressed, especially the post-production team, who said the richness and clarity of the sound gave them many more options to play with.” SEPTEMBER 2017 DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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REVIEW LEICA R
REHOUSING LEICA R Classic Leica photographic R lenses are being rehoused for cinema use. We have a cursory look at what you can expect WORDS PHIL ARNTZ
EASY TO WORK WITH IN A FAST-PACED ENVIRONMENT
IMAGES Elmarit,
Summicron and Summilux lenses are being rehoused.
inescope Optics is a young company based out of East London which has recently announced a rehoused set of the widely popular Leica R lenses. Lens rehousing has been steadily growing in popularity over the last few years with manufacturers from all around the world offering their own take on popular stills glass rehoused into a film set friendly format. With so many options out there, companies are often struggling to stand out, so Cinescope Optics teamed up with True Lens Service, a company with a proven track record to bring these rehoused Leica Rs to the market. Faced with very little time and a less than ideal testing environment, we tried to evaluate the lenses objectively and fairly. Given the constraints, we focused mainly on mechanics and checking out the lenses on a crude test chart. It is important to point out that Cinescope Optics advised us that these lenses were still prototypes, with the design to be finalised before they went into production. With
this in mind, we tested some of the current focal lengths of what will, apparently, be an 11 lens set. COMPARISON On first inspection it’s clear that the rehousing has been well thought through. Perhaps best compared with the mechanics of Cooke S4is, these lenses feature a well-designed and robust housing, with industry standard 0.8 pitch focus and iris gears, and a long focus throw. A lot of cheap rehouses suffer from the short focus throw of the original still lens.
However, this set is indistinguishable from a thoroughly designed cinema lens in this regard. Focus and iris throw are silky smooth, perhaps too smooth on this preproduction set. The focus was so loose that your focus mark could slip when moving the lens, as you would when shooting handheld or just repositioning the camera. I am sure this is something that will be addressed before the lenses are shipped. It is also worth noting that this issue will go away if a focus motor or even manual follow focus is used.
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LEICA R REVIEW
The action of the iris is smooth or, in still lens terms, ‘declicked’. The iris did not suffer from the same issue as the focus ring on this set. It’s smooth, but not overly loose. Worth noting here is that the direction of the iris ring is the opposite of most cinema lenses on the market. I don’t know whether this is a design constraint from the original still lens or a decision made by the two companies involved in the rehousing, but it might throw off a few users when first trying them on set.
The PL mount is well engineered and secure. There is no wobble on this set once mounted as sometimes found on other rehouses. The front diameter of the set is matched so this will make it easy to work with, especially in a fast-paced environment. TEST Due to limited testing time, I will draw from some personal experience of using Leica Rs as I used to own a non-rehoused set. They have become more popular in recent years
because they share a lot of optical characteristics with Leica’s cinema glass. I would not call Leica Rs the sharpest lenses in the world, however, they retain details quite nicely whilst having a pleasing soft, warm feel. Another factor that makes these lenses stand out is that they have full-frame coverage, which means you won’t run into vignetting issues on most camera’s currently used in the industry. It’s easy to see that Cinescope Optics looked at the most popular cinema lenses on the market today and designed and engineered a set of rehoused Leica Rs that I am sure we will see on many sets in the future. We hope to revisit these lenses with a fuller test at a later stage. P+S Technik in Germany also offers the rehousing of Leica still photography lenses including Leica Rs with a completely new focus and iris mechanism in the company’s own housing. The lenses cover fullframe VistaVision format (24x36mm) and several focal lengths, even covering RED’s 8K format.
IMAGES Look out for
an 11-strong range of film-set friendly Leica R lenses.
Originally from Germany, Phil is a London based cinematographer who works internationally on features, dramas and commercials
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4K CAMERA LISTINGS
RED SCARLET-W 5K 120FPS
16+ STOPS
PL MOUNT
5120x2700
RED RAVEN
RED MAGS
120FPS
16+ STOPS
EF MOUNT
4608x2160
RED MAGS
RED’s answer to the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4.6K camera with a 4.5K DRAGON sensor. Capable of capturing footage with REDCODE RAW in 4.5K full format (FF) at up to 120fps, or in 2K FF at 240fps.
SCARLET-W combines RED’s camera design by including integrated mounting points, interchangeable lens mounts with simultaneous REDCODE RAW and Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHD recording formats, intelligent OLPF system and in-camera 3D LUT outputs.
SPECIFICATION
SPECIFICATION SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
RED DRAGON CMOS, 19.4 megapixels, 6144x3160, 30.7x15.8mm
SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
RED DRAGON CMOS, 9.9 megapixels, 4608x2160
FRAME RATES
FRAME RATES
50fps at 5K full format (5120x2700), 60fps at 5K 2.4:1 (5120x2160). 120fps at 4K full format (4096x2160), 150fps at 4K 2.4:1 (4096x1728)
REDCODE RAW in 4.5K full format (at up to 120fps, or in 2K FF at 240fps)
LATITUDE (STOPS)
16+ (claimed)
LATITUDE (STOPS)
16.5+ stops
LENS MOUNT
EF
LENS MOUNT
PL
DIGITAL SAMPLING
4608x2160
DIGITAL SAMPLING
6144x3160
RECORDED BIT DEPTH FORMAT
8:1 REDCODE for 5K full format (5120x2700) at 24fps
RECORDED BIT DEPTH FORMAT AND TIME
Captures options in both .R3D and Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHD file formats. 4.5K 2.1:1 (4608x2160) and 24fps at 11:1 REDCODE: 52mins
WEIGHT (KG)
1.58
WEIGHT (KG)
1.58
RED WEAPON HELIUM 75FPS
16+ STOPS
PL/EF MOUNT
8192x4320
RED MAGS
The ultimate RED. Well, there is the VistaVision but this is the upgrade path. 8K WEAPON brain with the HELIUM sensor. $49,000 but there are part-ex deals.
SPECIFICATION
RED EPIC 6K 100FPS
16+ STOPS
PL MOUNT
6144x3160
RED EPIC W RED MAGS
The existing ‘brain’ but with the DRAGON sensor inside. Many are looking to upgrade to the WEAPON but still a highly capable camera.
SPECIFICATION
SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
RED HELIUM, 35.4 megapixels, 8192x4320, 29.90x15.77mm
FRAME RATES
REDCODE – 60fps at 8K (8192x4320), 75fps at 8K 2.4:1 (8192x3456). PRORES – 422 HQ, 422 and 422 LT at 4K (4096x2160) up to 29.97fps
LATITUDE (STOPS)
16+
60FPS
16+ STOPS
PL/EF MOUNT
8192x4320
RED MAGS
The cheapest way to get in to 8K cinematography and if you’re an existing user you can upgrade to the DSMC2 body for simultaneous codec recording.
SPECIFICATION
SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
RED DRAGON CMOS, 19.4 megapixels, 6144x3160, 30.7x15.8mm
FRAME RATES
75fps at 6K full format (6144x3160), 100fps at 6K 2.4:1 (6144x2592)
LATITUDE (STOPS)
16+
SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
RED HELIUM, 35.4 megapixels, 8192x4320, 29.90x15.77mm
FRAME RATES
REDCODE – 30fps at 8K (8192x4320), 100fps at 6K 2.4:1 (6144x2592). PRORES – 422 HQ, 422 and 422 LT at 4K (4096x2160) up to 29.97fps
LATITUDE (STOPS)
16+
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4K CAMERA LISTINGS
PANASONIC PURE 120FPS
14+ STOPS
PL MOUNT
4096x2160
PANASONIC AU-EVA1
CODEX
60
The Panasonic VariCam PURE is co-developed with Codex to place their V-RAW recorder directly on the camera. What you get is a very compact, 4K Raw-only camera package for features and high-end drama.
SPECIFICATION
N/A
EF MOUNT
N/A
SD
A new 5.7K cinema camera positioned between the Panasonic Lumix GH5 4K mirrorless camera and the VariCam LT 4K cinema camera. Has the dual native ISO of the LT and 35. Also has V-Log and records to SD cards..
SPECIFICATION
SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
Super 35mm MOS sensor. Approx. 8.9 million pixels
SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
Super 35 5.7K
FRAME RATES
4096x2160/59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 24p, 23.98p 3840x2160/59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p
FRAME RATES
4K 60p / 2k up to 240p. Records Raw to outboard recorders
LATITUDE (STOPS)
14+
LATITUDE (STOPS)
N/A
LENS MOUNT
PL
LENS MOUNT
EF
DIGITAL SAMPLING
4096x2160 (4K), 3840x2160 (UHD)
DIGITAL SAMPLING
N/A
RECORDED BIT DEPTH FORMAT AND TIME
With 2TB capture drive – 4K 12 bit/23.98 fps: 100 min With 2TB capture drive – 4K 10 bit/120 fps: 22 min With 2TB capture drive – UHD 12 bit/23.98 fps: 106 min
RECORDED BIT DEPTH FORMAT AND TIME
4.2.2 10-bit - Video Codec up to 400 Mbps V-log & V-gamut. 5.7K Raw Output (future update)
WEIGHT (KG)
5.15kg – V35C1 camera and V-RAW recorder modules
WEIGHT (KG)
1.2kg
PANASONIC VARICAM 35 120FPS
14 STOPS
PL MOUNT
4096x2160
P2 VARIED
Panasonic’s latest high-end VariCam with its de-coupled philosophy and famous dual native ISOs. 5000 ISO is a game changer for night shoots –no noise.
SPECIFICATION
PANASONIC VARICAM LT 60FPS
14 STOPS
EF/PL MOUNT
4096x2160
P2 VARIED
Panasonic’s latest VariCam for the drama market. Same sensor as the 35 but no more de-coupling. You can ‘easily’ change lens mount to PL.
SPECIFICATION
PANASONIC DVX200 120FPS
12 STOPS
4096x2160
SD VARIED
For indie filmmakers. A fast zoom lens (13x zoom lens from Leica Dicomar) with variable frame rates up to 120fps, 12 stops of DR, V-Log, NDs and 5-axis STAB.
SPECIFICATION
SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
Super35mm MOS, 8.9 megapixels
SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
Super35mm MOS, 8.9 megapixels
SENSOR – FORMAT AND SIZE
Four Thirds-type MOS 4096x2160
FRAME RATES
4096x2160 – 59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 24p, 23.98p 3840x2160 – 59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p
FRAME RATES
4096x2160 – 59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 24p, 23.98p 3840x2160 – 59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 23.98p
FRAME RATES
DCI 4K: 24p UHD 4K: 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p
LATITUDE (STOPS)
14
LATITUDE (STOPS)
14
LATITUDE (STOPS)
12
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