Camera Operator 2010 Fall/Winter

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T2.0

WWW.SOC.ORG

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CAMERA OPERATOR VOLUME 19, NUMBER 3

FALL/WINTER 2010

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Features

Katherine Rhumor (Miranda Richardson) searches through her dead husband’s belongings for clues to the mystery of Rubicon.

The Dolly Grip Has My Back

by Mitch Dubin SOC interviewed by Dan Gold SOC More proof that the dolly grip is a camera operator’s best friend and a lifesaver.

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Operating on The Defenders

7KH VXSHUE FLQHPDWRJUDSKHU 5RJHU 'HDNLQV VHUYHG DV D YLVXDO

by David Tolsky SOC A look into how camera operators make a huge difference to CBSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new legal comedy/drama.

FRQVXOWDQW SXVKLQJ WKH SDOHWWH WR DQ XQXVXDOO\ EXUQLVKHG DQG VRSKLVWLFDWHG OHYHO Âľ

Unraveling the Secrets of Rubicon

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by Quenell Jones and Jack Messitt SOC AMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carefully paced spy thriller is brought to a completely new level by its camera operators.

Departments

12 20 32

2 Letter from the President

42 Hi-Def with Jeff

4 Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message

46 Advertisersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Index 48 Roster of the SOC

by Dan Kneece SOC

by Jack Messitt SOC

7 News & Notes dwaawards.com

CRAIG BLANKENHORN / CBS

Jim Belushi and Jerry Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell of The Defenders.

Photo by Joseph Cultice, courtesy of CBS

COURTESY OF WETA

Cover

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on with members and in the industry.

by Jeff Cree SOC

as of 11/8/10

%HVW $QLPDWHG )HDWXUH DQG %HVW 3LFWXUH

CAMERA OPERATOR VOLUME 19, NUMBER 3

FALL/WINTER 2010

)RU \RXU FRQVLGHUDWLRQ

Features

Katherine Rhumor (Miranda Richardson) searches through her dead husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s belongings for clues to the mystery of Rubicon.

The Dolly Grip Has My Back

by Mitch Dubin SOC interviewed by Dan Gold SOC More proof that the dolly grip is a camera operatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best friend and a lifesaver.

´œ+RZ 7R 7UDLQ <RXU 'UDJRQ¡ FUHDWHV D ZRUOG DQG UHYHOV LQ WKH GHWDLOV DQG ZUDSV LW DOO LQ D ULFK OXVK VWRU\ERRN DPELHQFH

Operating on The Defenders

7KH VXSHUE FLQHPDWRJUDSKHU 5RJHU 'HDNLQV VHUYHG DV D YLVXDO

by David Tolsky SOC A look into how camera operators make a huge difference to CBSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new legal comedy/drama.

FRQVXOWDQW SXVKLQJ WKH SDOHWWH WR DQ XQXVXDOO\ EXUQLVKHG DQG VRSKLVWLFDWHG OHYHO Âľ

Unraveling the Secrets of Rubicon

0LFKDHO 3KLOOLSV &KLFDJR 7ULEXQH

by Quenell Jones and Jack Messitt SOC AMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carefully paced spy thriller is brought to a completely new level by its camera operators.

Departments

12 20 32

2 Letter from the President

42 Hi-Def with Jeff

4 Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message

46 Advertisersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Index 48 Roster of the SOC

by Dan Kneece SOC

by Jack Messitt SOC

7 News & Notes dwaawards.com

CRAIG BLANKENHORN / CBS

Jim Belushi and Jerry Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell of The Defenders.

Photo by Joseph Cultice, courtesy of CBS

COURTESY OF WETA

Cover

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on with members and in the industry.

by Jeff Cree SOC

as of 11/8/10

What’s Important

I

n my time as President of this great organization I have learned many things. Most were great joys, but some were not easy at all. Walking the fine line between what many would like to have done and what needs to be done for the good of the SOC and its members is not without conflict, but somehow we get it done. I thank the many dedicated individuals on our Board of Governors in this regard as without their help it would not be possible.

This is surely important of course and at times seems without equal, but while this Hollywood stuff tends to fill our brains at times I would like to offer some other thoughts to you as well, as there are things that make Hollywood pale in comparison.

What, you say. How could anything compete with the Hollywood dream? I’d give anything to make it here. Anything.

Would you?

Since my beginning I have had a great champion singing my praises at every turn.

From my first steps as a child through who I am today one person was instrumental in shaping me every step of the way. Hopefully every one of us has such a person.

At least the lucky ones do. In my case this person was my mother Emaleen. Don’t get me wrong, my father Frank had quite a hand in it as well, but Emaleen was the one who formed me. She was the one who told me I could do anything I wanted in life and proceded to make sure I had the chances to do just that. She noticed when I had abstract thoughts at age four and she bought the Super-8 camera when I was 13 and encouraged me to film everything in sight. She taught me how to drive and when my father had a stroke placing him permanently in a nursing home she had the insight to send me at 19 to the USC-Universal summer cinema program just because I needed to get away. I didn’t ask to go. She just knew I needed to. These decisions my mother made all those years ago made me the

2

man I am today and sent me on a journey no one in our small South Carolina town could have ever hoped for, a life in the cinema. I had interest of course, but it was my mother whose love and support that made it possible.

Through the years I would always call and visit. I’d send her copies of the various magazines I was in and the films I’d worked on.

She’d show and tell all her friends and coworkers about my latest exploits and when I’d show up she’d try to set me up for dates with some of them. A little embarrassing to say the least, but that was my mother. Mom was unstoppable, or so I thought.

Five years ago a series of events unfolded. Her second husband dropped dead unexpectedly, then her brother, then Katrina hit my brother’s house in New Orleans and my unflappable mother began to falter a little. She called me. Her ankles were swelling up. I called my brother Bobby, the doctor, and he said she was in congestive heart failure.

We got to her in time thank goodness, but she needed a heart valve and she refused the operation even though they gave her six months to a year without it.

Still she said no and charged ahead as she was prone to do, taking life by the horns.

That was 2005. Against all odds she stayed with us for year after year continuing to work as a pharmacist until just a few months ago when the faulty valve began catching up with her. She would have the operation now, but now she was very, very weak. I flew back of course to be with her just as she was there for me.

We had some great time together and I showed her some pictures from my trip to Africa in August, a trip that in the booking somehow overlapped her birthday though it hadn’t started out that way.

When it happened I told her and was ready to cancel when she said, “Go, you’ll never get another chance to see Africa.

There’ll be other birthdays.” Well, that was not to be the case. Emaleen died of complications on Sunday November 7th, three weeks after her surgery. We called the funeral home in Williston, SC that handled my father’s services and said we wanted to bury her on Friday the 12th.

JOEL LIPTON

Letter from the President

CAMERA OPERATOR: LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Turns out, when he looked in his records, my father had died on November 7th thirty-one years before and was buried on Friday the 12th. Strange.

Ironic. Prophetic. True.

In times like these you realize what is really important. Though you may hear the call of Hollywood, remember where you came from, where you are, and why you are there. Never, ever forget those that help you along the way and remember your family above all else.

They are who you are and they are why you excel today.

Sincerely,

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS BOARD OF GOVERNORS OFFICERS President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Kneece 1st Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Messitt 2nd Vice President . . . . . . David Mahlmann 3rd Vice President . . . . . . . . . .Bonnie Blake Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warren Yeager Recording Secretary . . . . . . . . . . Dan Gold Sergeant-at-Arms . . . . . . . . . Warren Yeager BOARD MEMBER COMMITTEE CHAIRS Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Mahlmann Charities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bonnie Blake Communications . . . . . . . . . Warren Yeager Corporate Liaison . . . . . . David Mahlmann COY Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Gold East Coast SOC Rep . . . . . . . .Alec Jarnagin Events . . . . . . . . . . Mark August, Gary Bush Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Steve Fracol Membership . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Tufty Merchandising & Promotions . . . . Aiken Weiss, Mark Miller Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Messitt Screenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Tolsky Technical Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE Aldo Antonelli Douglas Knapp Dan Coplan George B Stephenson Samuel “Buddy” Fries Erwin Landau David Allen Grove Ron Vidor STAFF AND CONSULTANTS Office Administrator . . . . . . . .Diana Penilla Webmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gregory White Website Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . Astrid Phillips Publications Manager . . . . . Douglas Knapp Publications Layout . . . . . . . .Lynn Lanning Publishers . . . . . . . . . IngleDodd Publishing Calligrapher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carrie Imai Legal Reps. David Adelstein, Geffner & Bush is a registered trademark.

All rights reserved.

Camera Operator is published 3 times a year by the Society of Camera Operators

Fall / Winter 2010

What’s Important

I

n my time as President of this great organization I have learned many things. Most were great joys, but some were not easy at all. Walking the fine line between what many would like to have done and what needs to be done for the good of the SOC and its members is not without conflict, but somehow we get it done. I thank the many dedicated individuals on our Board of Governors in this regard as without their help it would not be possible.

This is surely important of course and at times seems without equal, but while this Hollywood stuff tends to fill our brains at times I would like to offer some other thoughts to you as well, as there are things that make Hollywood pale in comparison.

What, you say. How could anything compete with the Hollywood dream? I’d give anything to make it here. Anything.

Would you?

Since my beginning I have had a great champion singing my praises at every turn.

From my first steps as a child through who I am today one person was instrumental in shaping me every step of the way. Hopefully every one of us has such a person.

At least the lucky ones do. In my case this person was my mother Emaleen. Don’t get me wrong, my father Frank had quite a hand in it as well, but Emaleen was the one who formed me. She was the one who told me I could do anything I wanted in life and proceded to make sure I had the chances to do just that. She noticed when I had abstract thoughts at age four and she bought the Super-8 camera when I was 13 and encouraged me to film everything in sight. She taught me how to drive and when my father had a stroke placing him permanently in a nursing home she had the insight to send me at 19 to the USC-Universal summer cinema program just because I needed to get away. I didn’t ask to go. She just knew I needed to. These decisions my mother made all those years ago made me the

2

man I am today and sent me on a journey no one in our small South Carolina town could have ever hoped for, a life in the cinema. I had interest of course, but it was my mother whose love and support that made it possible.

Through the years I would always call and visit. I’d send her copies of the various magazines I was in and the films I’d worked on.

She’d show and tell all her friends and coworkers about my latest exploits and when I’d show up she’d try to set me up for dates with some of them. A little embarrassing to say the least, but that was my mother. Mom was unstoppable, or so I thought.

Five years ago a series of events unfolded. Her second husband dropped dead unexpectedly, then her brother, then Katrina hit my brother’s house in New Orleans and my unflappable mother began to falter a little. She called me. Her ankles were swelling up. I called my brother Bobby, the doctor, and he said she was in congestive heart failure.

We got to her in time thank goodness, but she needed a heart valve and she refused the operation even though they gave her six months to a year without it.

Still she said no and charged ahead as she was prone to do, taking life by the horns.

That was 2005. Against all odds she stayed with us for year after year continuing to work as a pharmacist until just a few months ago when the faulty valve began catching up with her. She would have the operation now, but now she was very, very weak. I flew back of course to be with her just as she was there for me.

We had some great time together and I showed her some pictures from my trip to Africa in August, a trip that in the booking somehow overlapped her birthday though it hadn’t started out that way.

When it happened I told her and was ready to cancel when she said, “Go, you’ll never get another chance to see Africa.

There’ll be other birthdays.” Well, that was not to be the case. Emaleen died of complications on Sunday November 7th, three weeks after her surgery. We called the funeral home in Williston, SC that handled my father’s services and said we wanted to bury her on Friday the 12th.

JOEL LIPTON

Letter from the President

CAMERA OPERATOR: LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Turns out, when he looked in his records, my father had died on November 7th thirty-one years before and was buried on Friday the 12th. Strange.

Ironic. Prophetic. True.

In times like these you realize what is really important. Though you may hear the call of Hollywood, remember where you came from, where you are, and why you are there. Never, ever forget those that help you along the way and remember your family above all else.

They are who you are and they are why you excel today.

Sincerely,

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS BOARD OF GOVERNORS OFFICERS President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Kneece 1st Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Messitt 2nd Vice President . . . . . . David Mahlmann 3rd Vice President . . . . . . . . . .Bonnie Blake Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warren Yeager Recording Secretary . . . . . . . . . . Dan Gold Sergeant-at-Arms . . . . . . . . . Warren Yeager BOARD MEMBER COMMITTEE CHAIRS Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Mahlmann Charities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bonnie Blake Communications . . . . . . . . . Warren Yeager Corporate Liaison . . . . . . David Mahlmann COY Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Gold East Coast SOC Rep . . . . . . . .Alec Jarnagin Events . . . . . . . . . . Mark August, Gary Bush Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Steve Fracol Membership . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Tufty Merchandising & Promotions . . . . Aiken Weiss, Mark Miller Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Messitt Screenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Tolsky Technical Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE Aldo Antonelli Douglas Knapp Dan Coplan George B Stephenson Samuel “Buddy” Fries Erwin Landau David Allen Grove Ron Vidor STAFF AND CONSULTANTS Office Administrator . . . . . . . .Diana Penilla Webmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gregory White Website Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . Astrid Phillips Publications Manager . . . . . Douglas Knapp Publications Layout . . . . . . . .Lynn Lanning Publishers . . . . . . . . . IngleDodd Publishing Calligrapher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carrie Imai Legal Reps. David Adelstein, Geffner & Bush is a registered trademark.

All rights reserved.

Camera Operator is published 3 times a year by the Society of Camera Operators

Fall / Winter 2010

The Operating DP Dilemma

C

amera Operator magazine is well known for its in-depth content and is widely read throughout the industry.

New issues are passed around the set like few other industry magazines.

As we come upon awards season again, the major studios are looking to promote their films, as well as the crew that worked on them. It makes perfect sense that Paramount Pictures would like to promote their films in Camera Operator.

Our magazine gets the word out to those that matter.

So within this issue, you will find an ad for Paramount’s The Fighter shot by Hoyte Van Hoytema. This film utilized the expertise of camera operators Dana Gonzales and Geoffrey Haley. The Fighter is a great showpiece for these fine filmmakers’ talents.

You will also see two more Paramount ads that promote films where the DP chose to operate the A-camera. In the past, ads such as these have raised a fair amount of anger from several members of the SOC. To preempt any such anger, I would like to explain the reason that we chose to run them.

Issue after issue, Camera Operator magazine is by far the best way the SOC has to spread the word about what camera operators do for a production: • Utilizing the skills of a camera operator gives you a better visual product.

• Having a camera operator on set saves time.

Camera Operator magazine makes sure that people understand how a camera operator’s skill and input impacts the DPs work in so many positive ways.

In this very issue Michael Slovin, the cinematographer on the television show Rubicon, states, “Having an operator frees me up to do my job better. It allows me to be the director of photography and not just a lighting cameraman.

I enjoy my job much much more when I have an operator.”

The Defenders DP Alan Caso says, “I love operating and I’m really good at it, but I don’t have time to do it. My responsibility is to get the best image control possible, so I have no business being out there operating.”

Unfortunately, there are several well known and well respected DPs out there that do not feel this way. They would rather not collaborate with a camera operator to achieve a better image and save the production time. They would rather not be at the director’s side during a take. They do not want anyone to help contribute to their vision.

That is their choice. And there are producers out there that allow these DPs to make that choice even though they know that their bottom line suffers because of it. Why? Because the two most often mentioned DPs operating their own camera happen to be Roger Deakins and Robert Richardson and they are both extremely good at what they do.

Like it or not, their body of work is very impressive and deserves every accolade they garner. They should be considered for the awards that these ads promote them for. Deakins and Richardson are examples of the some of the very best in

4

CAMERA OPERATOR: EDITOR’S MESSAGE

the craft of cinematography and I, for one, hope one day to achieve their level of artistic impact.

Do I think that their work could be even better if they utilized a camera operator?

Yes, I do. And it would be less expensive too.

While Deakins and Richardson do a great job of taking on the responsibilities of two full time jobs, producers know that hiring these men onto their production means not hiring an operator to help save them time. Five minutes here. Ten minutes there. An operating DP costs their projects at least an hour every day. Few productions can afford that luxury.

While Deakins and Richardson are certainly set in their ways, I would hope that every other DP sees the benefit of having a good operator and makes sure that they have one (or more) on their crew. Camera Operator is full of great reasons to hire a camera operator. All the more reason to pass it around…

CAMERA OPERATOR FALL/WINTER 2010 Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Messitt SOC Managing Editor/Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynn Lanning Post-ProductionManager . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas Knapp SOC Cover Photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Cultice, Courtesy of CBS Production Coordinators . . . . . . . . . . .IngleDodd Publishing Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Dodd CONTRIBUTORS Jeffrey Cree SOC David Tolsky SOC Dan Gold SOC Dan Kneece SOC Mitch Dubin SOC Quenell Jones Lynn Lanning David Mahlmann SOC Jack Messitt SOC

PHOTOGRAPHY Craig Blankenhorn Monty Brinton Joseph Cultice Melinda Sue Gordon SMPSP Suzanne Hanover Ron P Jaffe Cliff Lipson Joel Lipton Matthew Welch

Subscription Rates: USA $20/year Outside USA $28/year (U.S. Funds Only)

Subscribe online at www.SOC.org

For display advertising information, contact: Dan Dodd (310) 207-4410 x236 fax: (310) 207-1055 Dan@IngleDodd.com For article submissions, please contact: SOC Attn Magazine PO Box 2006 Toluca Lake, CA 91610 Phone (818) 382-7070 © 2010 by the Society of Camera Operators

Visit the SOC web site

www.SOC.org Fall / Winter 2010

COURTESY OF JACK MESSITT SOC

Editor’s Message

The Operating DP Dilemma

C

amera Operator magazine is well known for its in-depth content and is widely read throughout the industry.

New issues are passed around the set like few other industry magazines.

As we come upon awards season again, the major studios are looking to promote their films, as well as the crew that worked on them. It makes perfect sense that Paramount Pictures would like to promote their films in Camera Operator.

Our magazine gets the word out to those that matter.

So within this issue, you will find an ad for Paramount’s The Fighter shot by Hoyte Van Hoytema. This film utilized the expertise of camera operators Dana Gonzales and Geoffrey Haley. The Fighter is a great showpiece for these fine filmmakers’ talents.

You will also see two more Paramount ads that promote films where the DP chose to operate the A-camera. In the past, ads such as these have raised a fair amount of anger from several members of the SOC. To preempt any such anger, I would like to explain the reason that we chose to run them.

Issue after issue, Camera Operator magazine is by far the best way the SOC has to spread the word about what camera operators do for a production: • Utilizing the skills of a camera operator gives you a better visual product.

• Having a camera operator on set saves time.

Camera Operator magazine makes sure that people understand how a camera operator’s skill and input impacts the DPs work in so many positive ways.

In this very issue Michael Slovin, the cinematographer on the television show Rubicon, states, “Having an operator frees me up to do my job better. It allows me to be the director of photography and not just a lighting cameraman.

I enjoy my job much much more when I have an operator.”

The Defenders DP Alan Caso says, “I love operating and I’m really good at it, but I don’t have time to do it. My responsibility is to get the best image control possible, so I have no business being out there operating.”

Unfortunately, there are several well known and well respected DPs out there that do not feel this way. They would rather not collaborate with a camera operator to achieve a better image and save the production time. They would rather not be at the director’s side during a take. They do not want anyone to help contribute to their vision.

That is their choice. And there are producers out there that allow these DPs to make that choice even though they know that their bottom line suffers because of it. Why? Because the two most often mentioned DPs operating their own camera happen to be Roger Deakins and Robert Richardson and they are both extremely good at what they do.

Like it or not, their body of work is very impressive and deserves every accolade they garner. They should be considered for the awards that these ads promote them for. Deakins and Richardson are examples of the some of the very best in

4

CAMERA OPERATOR: EDITOR’S MESSAGE

the craft of cinematography and I, for one, hope one day to achieve their level of artistic impact.

Do I think that their work could be even better if they utilized a camera operator?

Yes, I do. And it would be less expensive too.

While Deakins and Richardson do a great job of taking on the responsibilities of two full time jobs, producers know that hiring these men onto their production means not hiring an operator to help save them time. Five minutes here. Ten minutes there. An operating DP costs their projects at least an hour every day. Few productions can afford that luxury.

While Deakins and Richardson are certainly set in their ways, I would hope that every other DP sees the benefit of having a good operator and makes sure that they have one (or more) on their crew. Camera Operator is full of great reasons to hire a camera operator. All the more reason to pass it around…

CAMERA OPERATOR FALL/WINTER 2010 Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Messitt SOC Managing Editor/Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynn Lanning Post-ProductionManager . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas Knapp SOC Cover Photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Cultice, Courtesy of CBS Production Coordinators . . . . . . . . . . .IngleDodd Publishing Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Dodd CONTRIBUTORS Jeffrey Cree SOC David Tolsky SOC Dan Gold SOC Dan Kneece SOC Mitch Dubin SOC Quenell Jones Lynn Lanning David Mahlmann SOC Jack Messitt SOC

PHOTOGRAPHY Craig Blankenhorn Monty Brinton Joseph Cultice Melinda Sue Gordon SMPSP Suzanne Hanover Ron P Jaffe Cliff Lipson Joel Lipton Matthew Welch

Subscription Rates: USA $20/year Outside USA $28/year (U.S. Funds Only)

Subscribe online at www.SOC.org

For display advertising information, contact: Dan Dodd (310) 207-4410 x236 fax: (310) 207-1055 Dan@IngleDodd.com For article submissions, please contact: SOC Attn Magazine PO Box 2006 Toluca Lake, CA 91610 Phone (818) 382-7070 © 2010 by the Society of Camera Operators

Visit the SOC web site

www.SOC.org Fall / Winter 2010

COURTESY OF JACK MESSITT SOC

Editor’s Message

News & Notes

What’s going on with members and in the industry

Excerpted from their letter

March 14, 2010 Dear SOC, I wanted to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the film work the SOC has done for the Vision Center this past year. When the SOC first approached us regarding filming for a documentary, we were very honored.

Little did we realize how compelling the footage would be. At the time of your taping, we were also in the process of lobbying our hospital leadership to provide greater support to The Vision Center. As we put together this presentation, we realized that it was missing the emotional component of how our work impacts the children and families who walk through our door. We included the touching testimonials of the Cobb and Webber families that your crew captured, and I can’t overemphasize how much of an impact that had on the leadership. It was so profound that we were asked to present at the Board of Trustees meeting two months later. A board member emailed us saying that half of the board went to the bathroom for Kleenex. The board is still talking about the videos even though the meeting was two months ago.

Because of the response to that presentation, we were invited by the COO to review a supplemental budget for The Vision Center, which would provide support of over a $500,000.00 a year to our research and educational program. Two weeks ago the COO agreed to go forward and try to find ways to support the program. This would not have happened without the support of the SOC and the compelling family testimonials you were able to artfully capture.

Your motto of “We See It First” has helped us realize our goals in a way that no check or donation could ever match.

The professional and artistic work you have provided has been priceless, and we are deeply grateful for all the effort your group has dedicated to our cause. We could not ask for a more devoted partner and advocate.

Sincerely, Thomas C Lee, MD Director, Retina Institute Childrens Hospital Los Angeles y Fall / Winter 2010

The SOC presents a check. George Leon, Amanda Hedlund, Dr Mark Borchert, Dr Natalia Uribe, Dr Thomas Lee, SOC President Dan Kneece, Bonnie Blake soc.

The majority of those involved in The Vision Center Project documentary: Federico Schiaffino, David Mahlmann soc, Bonnie Blake soc, George Leon, David Cobb, Dr Natalia Uribe, Alex Cobb, Kathy Cobb, Colin Sabala and Amanda Hedlund.

CAMERA OPERATOR: NEWS & NOTES

7

News & Notes

What’s going on with members and in the industry

Excerpted from their letter

March 14, 2010 Dear SOC, I wanted to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the film work the SOC has done for the Vision Center this past year. When the SOC first approached us regarding filming for a documentary, we were very honored.

Little did we realize how compelling the footage would be. At the time of your taping, we were also in the process of lobbying our hospital leadership to provide greater support to The Vision Center. As we put together this presentation, we realized that it was missing the emotional component of how our work impacts the children and families who walk through our door. We included the touching testimonials of the Cobb and Webber families that your crew captured, and I can’t overemphasize how much of an impact that had on the leadership. It was so profound that we were asked to present at the Board of Trustees meeting two months later. A board member emailed us saying that half of the board went to the bathroom for Kleenex. The board is still talking about the videos even though the meeting was two months ago.

Because of the response to that presentation, we were invited by the COO to review a supplemental budget for The Vision Center, which would provide support of over a $500,000.00 a year to our research and educational program. Two weeks ago the COO agreed to go forward and try to find ways to support the program. This would not have happened without the support of the SOC and the compelling family testimonials you were able to artfully capture.

Your motto of “We See It First” has helped us realize our goals in a way that no check or donation could ever match.

The professional and artistic work you have provided has been priceless, and we are deeply grateful for all the effort your group has dedicated to our cause. We could not ask for a more devoted partner and advocate.

Sincerely, Thomas C Lee, MD Director, Retina Institute Childrens Hospital Los Angeles y Fall / Winter 2010

The SOC presents a check. George Leon, Amanda Hedlund, Dr Mark Borchert, Dr Natalia Uribe, Dr Thomas Lee, SOC President Dan Kneece, Bonnie Blake soc.

The majority of those involved in The Vision Center Project documentary: Federico Schiaffino, David Mahlmann soc, Bonnie Blake soc, George Leon, David Cobb, Dr Natalia Uribe, Alex Cobb, Kathy Cobb, Colin Sabala and Amanda Hedlund.

CAMERA OPERATOR: NEWS & NOTES

7

News & Notes

“ DAZZLIN G.’THE

What’s going on with members and in the industry

SOCIAL NET WORK’ IS

”

P O W E R E D B Y I M P E C C A B L E C R A F T S M A N S H I P.

JOE MORGENS TERN ,

Crossing the Line: Michael Frediani works on his director’s reel

“THE

MUTED TONES AND PROWLING C AMERA

L

RIC HARD CORLISS,

SANDY TORRES

ong time SOC member and past president (1995–96) Michael Frediani recently completed his short film Slick. He decided some time ago that if he was ever going to be able to get a shot at directing he would need to direct a short film to present to producers and enter into film festivals to gain exposure.

The website www.inktip.com offers log lines for shorts and feature films from writers who want their scripts produced by filmmakers.

“I’d looked at more than a dozen dramas, which is the genre I wanted to produce. Most of them fell apart at the end — and I love a good ending, which is what attracted me to Slick,” stated Frediani. “Now all that I had to do was get the ball rolling.

“During the many months spent looking for outside funding I did a number of minor rewrites and created cinematic transistions to keep my creativity flowing and my mind in the game. The writer liked my ideas (a good thing) and after two years I decided to just go for it. The making of the project,” Frediani sighs, “is a story unto itself, but I have no regrets. I’m totally happy with the final film. Slick actually cost about four times what I anticipated, and it ended up being self-funded after all,” Frediani wryly stated.

This ambitious project combined sixteen actors spanning fifteen scenes over its tight 18-minute running time.

While protagonist Garrett Lee Taylor (Chris Weir, on the poster above) awaits his fate on a lethal injection table in Brady, Texas the audience is taken on a revealing journey through imaginative and informative flashbacks.

Frediani directed and produced Slick on 35mm film using a Panaflex camera and a very small crew, which included SOC camera operators David Tolsky, Aiken Weiss and Georgia Packard.

Frediani held two screenings of Slick at Panavision Woodland Hills. All the cast and crew were invited, along with friends, colleagues and industry personnel. A Q&A followed each screening, where in answer to questions, Frediani described some of the creative solutions he had to find in order to make the film, and the occasional sheer good luck that he encountered.

Many in the audience expressed the hope that Slick would one day be expanded into a full-length film.

8

CAMERA OPERATOR: NEWS & NOTES

”

M A K E T H E F I L M A N E O - N O I R , S TA L K I N G T H E T R U T H .

Fall / Winter 2010

FOR

YOUR

CONSIDERATION

BES T CINEMATOGRAPHY

JEFF CRONENWETH,

SonyPictures.com/Awards

ASC

News & Notes

“ DAZZLIN G.’THE

What’s going on with members and in the industry

SOCIAL NET WORK’ IS

”

P O W E R E D B Y I M P E C C A B L E C R A F T S M A N S H I P.

JOE MORGENS TERN ,

Crossing the Line: Michael Frediani works on his director’s reel

“THE

MUTED TONES AND PROWLING C AMERA

L

RIC HARD CORLISS,

SANDY TORRES

ong time SOC member and past president (1995–96) Michael Frediani recently completed his short film Slick. He decided some time ago that if he was ever going to be able to get a shot at directing he would need to direct a short film to present to producers and enter into film festivals to gain exposure.

The website www.inktip.com offers log lines for shorts and feature films from writers who want their scripts produced by filmmakers.

“I’d looked at more than a dozen dramas, which is the genre I wanted to produce. Most of them fell apart at the end — and I love a good ending, which is what attracted me to Slick,” stated Frediani. “Now all that I had to do was get the ball rolling.

“During the many months spent looking for outside funding I did a number of minor rewrites and created cinematic transistions to keep my creativity flowing and my mind in the game. The writer liked my ideas (a good thing) and after two years I decided to just go for it. The making of the project,” Frediani sighs, “is a story unto itself, but I have no regrets. I’m totally happy with the final film. Slick actually cost about four times what I anticipated, and it ended up being self-funded after all,” Frediani wryly stated.

This ambitious project combined sixteen actors spanning fifteen scenes over its tight 18-minute running time.

While protagonist Garrett Lee Taylor (Chris Weir, on the poster above) awaits his fate on a lethal injection table in Brady, Texas the audience is taken on a revealing journey through imaginative and informative flashbacks.

Frediani directed and produced Slick on 35mm film using a Panaflex camera and a very small crew, which included SOC camera operators David Tolsky, Aiken Weiss and Georgia Packard.

Frediani held two screenings of Slick at Panavision Woodland Hills. All the cast and crew were invited, along with friends, colleagues and industry personnel. A Q&A followed each screening, where in answer to questions, Frediani described some of the creative solutions he had to find in order to make the film, and the occasional sheer good luck that he encountered.

Many in the audience expressed the hope that Slick would one day be expanded into a full-length film.

8

CAMERA OPERATOR: NEWS & NOTES

”

M A K E T H E F I L M A N E O - N O I R , S TA L K I N G T H E T R U T H .

Fall / Winter 2010

FOR

YOUR

CONSIDERATION

BES T CINEMATOGRAPHY

JEFF CRONENWETH,

SonyPictures.com/Awards

ASC

Society of Camera Operators

Lifetime Achievement Awards Gala 2011 Save the Date Saturday, February 5, 2011 The Society of Camera Operators recognizes the Lifetime Achievements of the best camera operators, crew members and technical innovations, and supports the Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Black tie Cocktails, elegant hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres and networking followed by a theatrical awards presentation.

For more information, see www.soc.org For tickets: Mike Standifer Levy, Pazanti & Associates 310-201-5033 mike@lpaevents.com

10

CAMERA OPERATOR: NEWS & NOTES

Fall / Winter 2010

Society of Camera Operators

Lifetime Achievement Awards Gala 2011 Save the Date Saturday, February 5, 2011 The Society of Camera Operators recognizes the Lifetime Achievements of the best camera operators, crew members and technical innovations, and supports the Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Black tie Cocktails, elegant hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres and networking followed by a theatrical awards presentation.

For more information, see www.soc.org For tickets: Mike Standifer Levy, Pazanti & Associates 310-201-5033 mike@lpaevents.com

10

CAMERA OPERATOR: NEWS & NOTES

Fall / Winter 2010

The Dolly Grip Has My Back

Tall Tales

MELINDA SUE GORDON, SMPSP

Mitch Dubin soc interviewed by Dan Gold soc

The Dolly Grip Has My Back

Tall Tales

MELINDA SUE GORDON, SMPSP

Mitch Dubin soc interviewed by Dan Gold soc

AFRICA Describe the working relationship you have with the dolly grip.

It’s a partnership and a collaboration between the operator, the dolly grip and the first assistant. Especially the operator and the dolly grip. I always say that we are an island in the middle of a storm, the three of us. There’s nobody out there that’s going to help us except each other. It can be pretty lonely on that island.

How can the dolly grip contribute to the success of a shot?

The dolly grip is so important. I try to bring a dolly grip on every job that I do. I think the camera operator should really choose the dolly grip. I know it’s not traditional and some key grips take offense to it, but the relationship I have with the dolly grip is the most important relationship I have on the set. He’s the other set of eyes. When I have my eye to the camera he’s the one that sees everything else. It’s like one organism where I’m the hands and he’s the feet.

We did a shot today that was relatively simple but the timing of it was very important between me and the dolly grip, Johnny Mang. It was a transition between scenes that seemed like a simple pan but there was a boom and a dolly move involved. When I work with Mango he understands the timing of it. He knows the point in my pan where we have to boom down to make an elegant move to another character. You can’t explain that, you can’t stop in the middle and put a mark down and say this is where we start the boom, because every take is different. It’s all got to flow. He nails it every time. I don’t know if we have the same rhythm, the same heartbeat or something, but it’s very important that you have that element of “in synchness” with your dolly grip. It

doesn’t always mean a verbal communication, but it’s an instinctual communication.

AUSTRALIA BRAZIL

Do you have a procedure or method that you use when you begin a shot?

First, you think about the shot that is described to you by the director or the DP. How are you going set up the shot physically? You think about whether it will be a crane, a jib arm, dance floor or dolly track, whether it’s the Pee Wee or the Hybrid dolly with the gear head or the fluid head. It’s sort of the wood and nails part — how are we going to construct the shot, what are the best tools? Mango and I will sort of go through that together. He certainly has a better idea of how to make it work for the dolly and I have a better idea of how to make it work for the mechanics of the camera. We are working together and discussing the best way to do it.

Then you start going through the dance, making sure that what you’re doing is appropriate for the shot and for the film.

Do you want the camera to be obvious, do you want it to be hidden, subtle or overt, graceful or clumsy? These are all choices that need to be made. We might rehearse it with the stand-ins, or just myself and Mango, without anybody in front of the camera, just working out the mechanics.

When the actors come in sometimes you rehearse the shot, but sometimes actors and directors like to shoot the rehearsal.

Which I don’t mind doing. I actually prefer shooting rehearsals sometimes. You’re really responding to what’s happening as opposed to responding to marks on the dance floor. You’re watching and listening and understanding the scene. The camera participates in a way that’s improvised and as spontaneous as what the actors are doing. It always seems fresh to me. I don’t mind if technically there is a small glitch in the

INSPIRED BY THE PAST FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE

CANADA CHINA CZECH REPUBLIC ENGLAND FRANCE HONG KONG HUNGARY INDIA IRELAND ITALY JAPAN MALAYSIA MEXICO NEW ZEALAND PHILIPPINES POLAND PORTUGAL ROMANIA SOUTH AFRICA SPAIN THAILAND

Extraordinary Measures

14

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DOLLY GRIP HAS MY BACK

Fall / Winter 2010

COURTESY OF MITCH DUBIN

UNITED STATES

w w w. p a n a v i s i o n . c o m

AFRICA Describe the working relationship you have with the dolly grip.

It’s a partnership and a collaboration between the operator, the dolly grip and the first assistant. Especially the operator and the dolly grip. I always say that we are an island in the middle of a storm, the three of us. There’s nobody out there that’s going to help us except each other. It can be pretty lonely on that island.

How can the dolly grip contribute to the success of a shot?

The dolly grip is so important. I try to bring a dolly grip on every job that I do. I think the camera operator should really choose the dolly grip. I know it’s not traditional and some key grips take offense to it, but the relationship I have with the dolly grip is the most important relationship I have on the set. He’s the other set of eyes. When I have my eye to the camera he’s the one that sees everything else. It’s like one organism where I’m the hands and he’s the feet.

We did a shot today that was relatively simple but the timing of it was very important between me and the dolly grip, Johnny Mang. It was a transition between scenes that seemed like a simple pan but there was a boom and a dolly move involved. When I work with Mango he understands the timing of it. He knows the point in my pan where we have to boom down to make an elegant move to another character. You can’t explain that, you can’t stop in the middle and put a mark down and say this is where we start the boom, because every take is different. It’s all got to flow. He nails it every time. I don’t know if we have the same rhythm, the same heartbeat or something, but it’s very important that you have that element of “in synchness” with your dolly grip. It

doesn’t always mean a verbal communication, but it’s an instinctual communication.

AUSTRALIA BRAZIL

Do you have a procedure or method that you use when you begin a shot?

First, you think about the shot that is described to you by the director or the DP. How are you going set up the shot physically? You think about whether it will be a crane, a jib arm, dance floor or dolly track, whether it’s the Pee Wee or the Hybrid dolly with the gear head or the fluid head. It’s sort of the wood and nails part — how are we going to construct the shot, what are the best tools? Mango and I will sort of go through that together. He certainly has a better idea of how to make it work for the dolly and I have a better idea of how to make it work for the mechanics of the camera. We are working together and discussing the best way to do it.

Then you start going through the dance, making sure that what you’re doing is appropriate for the shot and for the film.

Do you want the camera to be obvious, do you want it to be hidden, subtle or overt, graceful or clumsy? These are all choices that need to be made. We might rehearse it with the stand-ins, or just myself and Mango, without anybody in front of the camera, just working out the mechanics.

When the actors come in sometimes you rehearse the shot, but sometimes actors and directors like to shoot the rehearsal.

Which I don’t mind doing. I actually prefer shooting rehearsals sometimes. You’re really responding to what’s happening as opposed to responding to marks on the dance floor. You’re watching and listening and understanding the scene. The camera participates in a way that’s improvised and as spontaneous as what the actors are doing. It always seems fresh to me. I don’t mind if technically there is a small glitch in the

INSPIRED BY THE PAST FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE

CANADA CHINA CZECH REPUBLIC ENGLAND FRANCE HONG KONG HUNGARY INDIA IRELAND ITALY JAPAN MALAYSIA MEXICO NEW ZEALAND PHILIPPINES POLAND PORTUGAL ROMANIA SOUTH AFRICA SPAIN THAILAND

Extraordinary Measures

14

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DOLLY GRIP HAS MY BACK

Fall / Winter 2010

COURTESY OF MITCH DUBIN

UNITED STATES

w w w. p a n a v i s i o n . c o m

Mitch and Mango

shot compared to the spontaneity that you might get from shooting a rehearsal. It’s all give and take.

A good example is a shot we did the other day on the Untitled Dan Fogelman Project. The shot was storyboarded and it was explained to us as a dolly shot from A to B. Steve Carell is being measured for a suit by a tailor and co-star Ryan Gosling is assisting with the fitting. We knew that the actors were going to improvise, so the first decision we made was let’s not put down track. Why restrict ourselves? Let’s do it on the dance floor. And because of a limited amount of space, and the shot coming around in a 200-degree move, we decided it would be better to use Hot Gears.

We shot the rehearsal. The move was generally like the directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa had storyboarded, and it worked well. But then I made a suggestion to Andrew Dunn the DP and the directors. “Let’s not stop here. Let’s keep going. The actors are into it, they’re vamping and improvising. There’s no reason why we should stop there.

Let’s just come back the other way. We’ve got on a 4:1 zoom, we’ve got a whole dance floor and a remote head. Let’s Play!

COURTESY OF MITCH DUBIN

planning. It was just what happened in the moment. To do that type of work you have to have people that are confident in what they do. You need people that don’t worry about the skills involved to get the shot, but that are free, as silly as this may sound, to be in the moment of what’s happening with the actors and just do it without thinking about it.

As that shot unfolded and became its own thing, were there any moments of doubt? Were you ever worried that it might not come together and succeed?

You know we did the original storyboarded shot a couple of times and it always seemed like a bit of a struggle. Once I made the suggestion to the directors to keep going I went over to Mango and Matt and said “Once we get to number 2 let’s just keep moving. Tighten up the zoom a bit and come back the other way.” That’s all I said. From there the shot just went on its own. There were times when I might have said to Mango, “Stop. Boom up. Go the other way.” But most of the time I wasn’t saying anything. He was moving the camera and booming and I was finding the shot within those four lines and Matt was keeping it in focus going from one actor to the next.

As far as any concern over whether the shot was going to work or not, well, who cares? We already had gotten more than what was originally storyboarded, and if it doesn’t work

Yes. And Mango and I are communicating with each other.

We’re listening to the actors and watching what they are doing. We’re not worrying about marks. You need somebody who can pull focus without marks and Matt Alper who is a great focus puller can just go with the flow. He’s also listening to the dialog. We’re in sync with the actors who at the same time are aware of the camera. It all works together. The actors sense the fluidity of the camera. They’re timing their dialog based on where the camera might be. The camera is responding to what they’re doing and we’re all just dancing together.

It worked out fantastic. It was a beautiful, interesting, fun shot to do. It was all done without a rehearsal, without any Fall / Winter 2010

Funny People CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DOLLY GRIP HAS MY BACK

17

COURTESY OF MITCH DUBIN

I had the pleasure of working with you that day and I watched this shot evolve. The shot starts on the back of Steve’s head and slowly works its way around to profile as the dolly moves around him and moves down his body revealing the tailor taking measurements. Continuing around in front and low, Ryan Gosling drops into the shot and adjusts the wardrobe. As you said the shot worked fine from A to B. But as soon as you got permission to improve it, the whole thing changed and became a completely different animal that was so much more fun.

Mitch and Mango

shot compared to the spontaneity that you might get from shooting a rehearsal. It’s all give and take.

A good example is a shot we did the other day on the Untitled Dan Fogelman Project. The shot was storyboarded and it was explained to us as a dolly shot from A to B. Steve Carell is being measured for a suit by a tailor and co-star Ryan Gosling is assisting with the fitting. We knew that the actors were going to improvise, so the first decision we made was let’s not put down track. Why restrict ourselves? Let’s do it on the dance floor. And because of a limited amount of space, and the shot coming around in a 200-degree move, we decided it would be better to use Hot Gears.

We shot the rehearsal. The move was generally like the directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa had storyboarded, and it worked well. But then I made a suggestion to Andrew Dunn the DP and the directors. “Let’s not stop here. Let’s keep going. The actors are into it, they’re vamping and improvising. There’s no reason why we should stop there.

Let’s just come back the other way. We’ve got on a 4:1 zoom, we’ve got a whole dance floor and a remote head. Let’s Play!

COURTESY OF MITCH DUBIN

planning. It was just what happened in the moment. To do that type of work you have to have people that are confident in what they do. You need people that don’t worry about the skills involved to get the shot, but that are free, as silly as this may sound, to be in the moment of what’s happening with the actors and just do it without thinking about it.

As that shot unfolded and became its own thing, were there any moments of doubt? Were you ever worried that it might not come together and succeed?

You know we did the original storyboarded shot a couple of times and it always seemed like a bit of a struggle. Once I made the suggestion to the directors to keep going I went over to Mango and Matt and said “Once we get to number 2 let’s just keep moving. Tighten up the zoom a bit and come back the other way.” That’s all I said. From there the shot just went on its own. There were times when I might have said to Mango, “Stop. Boom up. Go the other way.” But most of the time I wasn’t saying anything. He was moving the camera and booming and I was finding the shot within those four lines and Matt was keeping it in focus going from one actor to the next.

As far as any concern over whether the shot was going to work or not, well, who cares? We already had gotten more than what was originally storyboarded, and if it doesn’t work

Yes. And Mango and I are communicating with each other.

We’re listening to the actors and watching what they are doing. We’re not worrying about marks. You need somebody who can pull focus without marks and Matt Alper who is a great focus puller can just go with the flow. He’s also listening to the dialog. We’re in sync with the actors who at the same time are aware of the camera. It all works together. The actors sense the fluidity of the camera. They’re timing their dialog based on where the camera might be. The camera is responding to what they’re doing and we’re all just dancing together.

It worked out fantastic. It was a beautiful, interesting, fun shot to do. It was all done without a rehearsal, without any Fall / Winter 2010

Funny People CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DOLLY GRIP HAS MY BACK

17

COURTESY OF MITCH DUBIN

I had the pleasure of working with you that day and I watched this shot evolve. The shot starts on the back of Steve’s head and slowly works its way around to profile as the dolly moves around him and moves down his body revealing the tailor taking measurements. Continuing around in front and low, Ryan Gosling drops into the shot and adjusts the wardrobe. As you said the shot worked fine from A to B. But as soon as you got permission to improve it, the whole thing changed and became a completely different animal that was so much more fun.

they’ll cut out of it. I wasn’t ever thinking that the shot in its entirety would be as successful as it was. Really I was just thinking about connecting moments and some of them would work better than others. As long as you’re in the moment and you keep responding to what you’re seeing, it’s going to work. It’s important that camera operators not let their insecurities overcome their ability to be transparent.

I’ve seen operators freeze because they’re worried about what they’re thinking at video village. That moment when you’re not confident and you’re not being present because you’re thinking about things you shouldn’t be thinking about, that’s death for an operator.

What do you think might cause a camera operator to fall into that trap?

Leading HD equipment vendors New camera, lens & recording announcements Hands-on presentations Complimentary buffet & spirits Good friends & colleagues

3403 West Pacific Avenue, Burbank, California RSVP by Dec. 10, 2010 rsvp@bandpro.com • 818.841.9655

FREE Educational Seminars

What other responsibilities does the dolly grip have in relation to the camera operator?

December 16, 2010 1pm - 8pm

December 14-15, 2010

BURBANK 818.841.9655 • NEW YORK 212.227.8577 MUNICH + 49 89 94 54 84 90 • TEL AVIV + 972 3 562 1631

Certainly watching the lens, fixing any flares from the lights, and interfacing between the camera and grip departments. To have a good sense of humor is really important for the dolly grip. I really like to do handheld and the dolly grip is always with me. Certainly in terms of helping me get the camera on and off my shoulder but also in terms of running interference. You’re fairly blind when you’re operating so it’s great when you have your guy helping you through marks.

Mango saved my life on a handheld shot for the movie Munich. I’m really proud of the handheld and intricate dolly work that Johnny Mang and I did on that film. This was a scene at the airport with a big explosion in the background.

The troops and tanks are all moving in and I’m looking toward the explosion with an actor in the foreground. Maybe he wasn’t on his mark but for me to get the right angle I had to step out into the road. This is where I needed to be to make the shot work, but I was completely unaware of an armored tank bearing down behind me. All of a sudden

W W W . B A N D P R O . C OFall M / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

Open House & Seminar Information: www.bandpro.com/oneworld

18

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DOLLY GRIP HAS MY BACK

For a camera operator the dolly grip is the most important friend you are going to have on the set. Take care of him and he will take care of you.

Was there a time early in your career when you learned a valuable lesson from the dolly grip ?

When I first started out I worked with a lot of bad dolly grips. There was this one dolly grip who called me “glass ass Dubin.” He was terrible at laying dolly track and I could feel every bump in it. At first I would never let the dolly grip boom to stand an actor up from a chair. I knew he would mess it up and I’d be floundering on the wheels. The first time I worked with a really good dolly grip it was really an awakening. He was so good at what he did, took pride in his work, and wanted to be a participant in the process.

I thought, wow, this is great. This guy is a partner. This is someone I can collaborate with.

Open House

Any closing thoughts about your relationship with the dolly grip?

SUZANNE HANOVER

You are invited to experience:

I think not trusting your instincts. You really have to trust your eyes. Trust that you’re making the right choice. Ninetynine percent of the time the wrong choices are made when you’re thinking not what you think is the right choice but when you think what someone else thinks is the right choice.

Confidence is such a big thing for an operator. If you’re confident, any choice you make is the right choice, and you’ll make it work.

Mango screams and he grabs me and pulls me out of the way.

He was looking the same direction I was looking so he didn’t really see it till the last second. My foot just got nicked by the treads of the tank. If Mango wasn’t there, I would have gotten run over because the guy driving the tank was totally oblivious to me. It was a freakin’ tank! A split second later I would have been dead. I’m only here to tell the story because of John Mang.

The weird thing was that video village with Steven Spielberg and Janusz Kaminski was on the other side of the road.

It was just myself and Mango and first assistant Steve Meisler.

That moment was very traumatic. It was the last shot of the night and the three of us were just shaking. It was the end of the movie, a physically tough and emotionally powerful film and in that moment we came so close to death and nobody realized it except for the three of us. There was this emotional release where we just sat there and started crying. It was really strange. I still have nightmares about it.

Ghost in the Machine CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DOLLY GRIP HAS MY BACK

19

they’ll cut out of it. I wasn’t ever thinking that the shot in its entirety would be as successful as it was. Really I was just thinking about connecting moments and some of them would work better than others. As long as you’re in the moment and you keep responding to what you’re seeing, it’s going to work. It’s important that camera operators not let their insecurities overcome their ability to be transparent.

I’ve seen operators freeze because they’re worried about what they’re thinking at video village. That moment when you’re not confident and you’re not being present because you’re thinking about things you shouldn’t be thinking about, that’s death for an operator.

What do you think might cause a camera operator to fall into that trap?

Leading HD equipment vendors New camera, lens & recording announcements Hands-on presentations Complimentary buffet & spirits Good friends & colleagues

3403 West Pacific Avenue, Burbank, California RSVP by Dec. 10, 2010 rsvp@bandpro.com • 818.841.9655

FREE Educational Seminars

What other responsibilities does the dolly grip have in relation to the camera operator?

December 16, 2010 1pm - 8pm

December 14-15, 2010

BURBANK 818.841.9655 • NEW YORK 212.227.8577 MUNICH + 49 89 94 54 84 90 • TEL AVIV + 972 3 562 1631

Certainly watching the lens, fixing any flares from the lights, and interfacing between the camera and grip departments. To have a good sense of humor is really important for the dolly grip. I really like to do handheld and the dolly grip is always with me. Certainly in terms of helping me get the camera on and off my shoulder but also in terms of running interference. You’re fairly blind when you’re operating so it’s great when you have your guy helping you through marks.

Mango saved my life on a handheld shot for the movie Munich. I’m really proud of the handheld and intricate dolly work that Johnny Mang and I did on that film. This was a scene at the airport with a big explosion in the background.

The troops and tanks are all moving in and I’m looking toward the explosion with an actor in the foreground. Maybe he wasn’t on his mark but for me to get the right angle I had to step out into the road. This is where I needed to be to make the shot work, but I was completely unaware of an armored tank bearing down behind me. All of a sudden

W W W . B A N D P R O . C OFall M / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

Open House & Seminar Information: www.bandpro.com/oneworld

18

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DOLLY GRIP HAS MY BACK

For a camera operator the dolly grip is the most important friend you are going to have on the set. Take care of him and he will take care of you.

Was there a time early in your career when you learned a valuable lesson from the dolly grip ?

When I first started out I worked with a lot of bad dolly grips. There was this one dolly grip who called me “glass ass Dubin.” He was terrible at laying dolly track and I could feel every bump in it. At first I would never let the dolly grip boom to stand an actor up from a chair. I knew he would mess it up and I’d be floundering on the wheels. The first time I worked with a really good dolly grip it was really an awakening. He was so good at what he did, took pride in his work, and wanted to be a participant in the process.

I thought, wow, this is great. This guy is a partner. This is someone I can collaborate with.

Open House

Any closing thoughts about your relationship with the dolly grip?

SUZANNE HANOVER

You are invited to experience:

I think not trusting your instincts. You really have to trust your eyes. Trust that you’re making the right choice. Ninetynine percent of the time the wrong choices are made when you’re thinking not what you think is the right choice but when you think what someone else thinks is the right choice.

Confidence is such a big thing for an operator. If you’re confident, any choice you make is the right choice, and you’ll make it work.

Mango screams and he grabs me and pulls me out of the way.

He was looking the same direction I was looking so he didn’t really see it till the last second. My foot just got nicked by the treads of the tank. If Mango wasn’t there, I would have gotten run over because the guy driving the tank was totally oblivious to me. It was a freakin’ tank! A split second later I would have been dead. I’m only here to tell the story because of John Mang.

The weird thing was that video village with Steven Spielberg and Janusz Kaminski was on the other side of the road.

It was just myself and Mango and first assistant Steve Meisler.

That moment was very traumatic. It was the last shot of the night and the three of us were just shaking. It was the end of the movie, a physically tough and emotionally powerful film and in that moment we came so close to death and nobody realized it except for the three of us. There was this emotional release where we just sat there and started crying. It was really strange. I still have nightmares about it.

Ghost in the Machine CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DOLLY GRIP HAS MY BACK

19

Operating on The Defenders

by David Tolsky soc

Photos ©2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Left: Actors Jerry O’Connell, Arye Gross and Jim Belushi. Above: B camera 1st AC Eric Guerin, Steadicam Operator Michael Gfelner, and Dolly Grip Richard Esquivel. Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS.

Operating on The Defenders

by David Tolsky soc

Photos ©2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Left: Actors Jerry O’Connell, Arye Gross and Jim Belushi. Above: B camera 1st AC Eric Guerin, Steadicam Operator Michael Gfelner, and Dolly Grip Richard Esquivel. Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS.

Steadicam Operator Michael Gfelner.

22

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

Fall / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

RON JAFFE

Jerry O’Connell, Jim Belushi, and the Steadicam sled. Photo by Ron P Jaffe/CBS

DP Alan Caso asc and A Camera Operator Brian Sullivan work out a shot on the set of The Defenders

RON JAFFE

W

ikipedia describes CBS’s The Defenders as “a legal comedy-drama involving a pair of defense attorneys who go all out to protect their clients, while keeping their personal lives in order…”

Director of Photography Alan Caso asc has another view: “I wouldn’t put the show into any classification; it’s just darn good entertainment,” he muses.

“When I went in for my initial interview,” said Caso, ”we talked in quite a lot of detail about what the producers were looking for and where they thought they wanted the show to go. We all agreed that it wouldn’t be a heavy drama or procedural law show. There was a lot of humor that occurred naturally within the characters, not like a comedy. It was a character development show. It was important to express the many layers of the characters within their relationships.

“The show takes place in Las Vegas, so everyone agreed there should be a degree of glitz and shine to it,” Caso continued. “I hadn’t had a strong suit in using long lenses until last year when I did Trauma, and I generally worked with muted de-saturated colors in the past. This was an opportunity to go both ways. The desired end result was to have a lot of shine to it, but also to have good modeling and good use of depth and space. We also wanted to be upbeat enough to support the humorous element of it.”

Before The Defenders, Caso spent 7 months in San Francisco on Trauma where he worked with local camera operators.

When The Defenders offered the cinematographer the chance to stay in Los Angeles, he found that his main circle of LA

operators had gone on to other successful projects. So Caso needed to fill the operator positions and A-camera operator Brian Sullivan and B-camera/Steadicam operator Michael Gfelner came highly recommended.

Any time two operators join a DP for the first time, a break-in period of adjustment is to be expected for all parties.

“Working with Alan did require some adjustments from the operator’s point of view,” says Sullivan. “He is at the helm and in control. He designs the shots in conjunction with all the elements of cinematography. Being keenly involved, he communicates his vision to us in detail. Operators are also required to wear walkies and headsets on every take so that Alan can supervise during the performance. To use a football term, operators must be ready for ‘audibles’ at any given time on any given take.”

“That was the biggest change for me to get used to,” adds Gfelner. “I had to get used to having changes made mid-take.

It was a little tough early on with Steadicam because of the concentration required. To be in the middle of a large sweeping pan, on the move, and get a call to whip over and bring in a character is quite exciting! You may not know where they are or if you will have the correct headroom, for example.”

“I use headsets because every take is different,” explains Caso. “Actors do different things. Directors want to try different things. I am always conversing with the operators that way because I might see something that they’re not seeing and I can adjust the shot accordingly.”

More than that, Alan uses the headsets to communicate with all of his departments to avoid yelling and screaming across the set.

Caso smiles, “But I haven’t been so mean as to have them wear headphones to hear dialogue cues because this show doesn’t require that.”

Making an adjustment on the fly is not the only challenge this team of operators face.

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

23

Steadicam Operator Michael Gfelner.

22

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

Fall / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

RON JAFFE

Jerry O’Connell, Jim Belushi, and the Steadicam sled. Photo by Ron P Jaffe/CBS

DP Alan Caso asc and A Camera Operator Brian Sullivan work out a shot on the set of The Defenders

RON JAFFE

W

ikipedia describes CBS’s The Defenders as “a legal comedy-drama involving a pair of defense attorneys who go all out to protect their clients, while keeping their personal lives in order…”

Director of Photography Alan Caso asc has another view: “I wouldn’t put the show into any classification; it’s just darn good entertainment,” he muses.

“When I went in for my initial interview,” said Caso, ”we talked in quite a lot of detail about what the producers were looking for and where they thought they wanted the show to go. We all agreed that it wouldn’t be a heavy drama or procedural law show. There was a lot of humor that occurred naturally within the characters, not like a comedy. It was a character development show. It was important to express the many layers of the characters within their relationships.

“The show takes place in Las Vegas, so everyone agreed there should be a degree of glitz and shine to it,” Caso continued. “I hadn’t had a strong suit in using long lenses until last year when I did Trauma, and I generally worked with muted de-saturated colors in the past. This was an opportunity to go both ways. The desired end result was to have a lot of shine to it, but also to have good modeling and good use of depth and space. We also wanted to be upbeat enough to support the humorous element of it.”

Before The Defenders, Caso spent 7 months in San Francisco on Trauma where he worked with local camera operators.

When The Defenders offered the cinematographer the chance to stay in Los Angeles, he found that his main circle of LA

operators had gone on to other successful projects. So Caso needed to fill the operator positions and A-camera operator Brian Sullivan and B-camera/Steadicam operator Michael Gfelner came highly recommended.

Any time two operators join a DP for the first time, a break-in period of adjustment is to be expected for all parties.

“Working with Alan did require some adjustments from the operator’s point of view,” says Sullivan. “He is at the helm and in control. He designs the shots in conjunction with all the elements of cinematography. Being keenly involved, he communicates his vision to us in detail. Operators are also required to wear walkies and headsets on every take so that Alan can supervise during the performance. To use a football term, operators must be ready for ‘audibles’ at any given time on any given take.”

“That was the biggest change for me to get used to,” adds Gfelner. “I had to get used to having changes made mid-take.

It was a little tough early on with Steadicam because of the concentration required. To be in the middle of a large sweeping pan, on the move, and get a call to whip over and bring in a character is quite exciting! You may not know where they are or if you will have the correct headroom, for example.”

“I use headsets because every take is different,” explains Caso. “Actors do different things. Directors want to try different things. I am always conversing with the operators that way because I might see something that they’re not seeing and I can adjust the shot accordingly.”

More than that, Alan uses the headsets to communicate with all of his departments to avoid yelling and screaming across the set.

Caso smiles, “But I haven’t been so mean as to have them wear headphones to hear dialogue cues because this show doesn’t require that.”

Making an adjustment on the fly is not the only challenge this team of operators face.

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

23

“I’m no easy cameraman to work for,” admits Caso. “On this show we have pretty standard shots, but I’ve been known to create some very difficult ones. Every day my operators execute tough shots knowing that they have to get it done in so many takes. Every take on this show is a print take. If something is a bust, we don’t want to call a cut. Jim Belushi feels, and rightfully so, that when actors are performing — whether it’s good or bad for the camera — let them finish the scene.

Don’t stop and start. My operators must try to make the takes look good even when things aren’t going so well.

I appreciate operators who keep their wits about them, and Brian and Michael do.”

The challenges for these two veteran operators don’t end there.

“The particular eyepiece mounting system on the F-35 is a challenge,” Gfelner relates. “At the same time, it can have advantages over a film camera. For example, I was having my usual problem getting my eye to the eyepiece when up against a wall so I asked the rental house to make an eyepiece mount that I can place anywhere.”

“I’ve been in many situations where we have to squeeze two cameras together and the inside operator can’t operate from the smart side on the left,” recalls Sullivan. “With the F-35 one can adjust the on board high resolution monitor in many flexible positions.”

On The Defenders, a typical camera blocking scenario goes something like this: First, there is a private rehearsal where the director, ADs, the DP and maybe a few other key personnel would see the scene for the first time. That’s when the wheels start spinning in the DP’s head as he starts to plan out the lighting and camera blocking. During this time, he might also be having discussions about how to play out the scene with the director. Then comes the marking rehearsal, in which the camera operators, ACs and other on set personnel learn the scene for the first time.

“The truth always comes out in the final rehearsal,” says Caso. “I don’t say anything until that time but I’m thinking about it since the first rehearsal.

Operators may approach me with great

24

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

Jerry O’Connell makes his point, right into the Sony EX-3 camera.

Photo by Ron P Jaffe/CBS Fall / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

25

“I’m no easy cameraman to work for,” admits Caso. “On this show we have pretty standard shots, but I’ve been known to create some very difficult ones. Every day my operators execute tough shots knowing that they have to get it done in so many takes. Every take on this show is a print take. If something is a bust, we don’t want to call a cut. Jim Belushi feels, and rightfully so, that when actors are performing — whether it’s good or bad for the camera — let them finish the scene.

Don’t stop and start. My operators must try to make the takes look good even when things aren’t going so well.

I appreciate operators who keep their wits about them, and Brian and Michael do.”

The challenges for these two veteran operators don’t end there.

“The particular eyepiece mounting system on the F-35 is a challenge,” Gfelner relates. “At the same time, it can have advantages over a film camera. For example, I was having my usual problem getting my eye to the eyepiece when up against a wall so I asked the rental house to make an eyepiece mount that I can place anywhere.”

“I’ve been in many situations where we have to squeeze two cameras together and the inside operator can’t operate from the smart side on the left,” recalls Sullivan. “With the F-35 one can adjust the on board high resolution monitor in many flexible positions.”

On The Defenders, a typical camera blocking scenario goes something like this: First, there is a private rehearsal where the director, ADs, the DP and maybe a few other key personnel would see the scene for the first time. That’s when the wheels start spinning in the DP’s head as he starts to plan out the lighting and camera blocking. During this time, he might also be having discussions about how to play out the scene with the director. Then comes the marking rehearsal, in which the camera operators, ACs and other on set personnel learn the scene for the first time.

“The truth always comes out in the final rehearsal,” says Caso. “I don’t say anything until that time but I’m thinking about it since the first rehearsal.

Operators may approach me with great

24

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

Jerry O’Connell makes his point, right into the Sony EX-3 camera.

Photo by Ron P Jaffe/CBS Fall / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

25

CLIFF LIPSON/CBS

Filming with their “secret weapon”: the Sony EX-3, used for handheld, inserts and stealing shots.

ideas that may or may not work. Usually I’ve had this long discussion with the director and am aware of different elements that the operators may not be aware of. I usually take the lead on the blocking because I know what I’m going to need from each shot. Sometimes it might seem like I’m crazy to them, but I might only need part of the shot, not the rest, so I’ll partial it out that way.”

Without having frame lines in their eyepieces or viewing monitors, the camera operators on The Defenders have learned to keep the 4:3 aspect ratios “legal” as Caso likes to put it. In 4x3, that means you might get a mouth and two eyes of the actor talking because you’re framing for 16 x 9.

“You’ll not get perfect compositions in both aspect ratios, and I am up front with the network about that,” says Caso.

“I don’t want the operators having to deal with 4 x 3 frame lines. It’s just too much. What ends up happening is subconsciously they will start to compose for 4 x 3 because the lines are there. You just can’t do that. So we omit the lines and I always remind the operators to just keep it ‘legal’ in 4 x 3.”

The Defenders’ arsenal includes two main F-35 digital cameras and a third body dedicated to Steadicam.

“My decision to use the F-35s was based on having used them on Trauma. We used them for 7 straight months and they held up throughout the shooting schedule. We were on the streets every day blowing up cars and doing lots of other stunts. When we were in the studio, it was still like being out there. When I signed on to do The Defenders, I already had a system in place.”

On many occasions, the team breaks out their secret weapons: a couple of prosumer Sony EX-3s. “It is interesting

26

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

how the prosumer cameras have a role in production,” Gfelner reflects. “We use them for all kinds of things: handheld, inserts and stealing shots. We had also used them on my previous show, Numb3rs.”

But how does the footage from the prosumer cameras cut in with the F-35 footage? “They cut in beautifully,” reveals Caso. “I wouldn’t use them theatrically or for day exteriors, but this is television. And on a 46˝ screen, I doubt that anyone can tell the difference. You need to diffuse them just like the F-35s and it’s better to be shooting with an open stop as opposed to being closed down.”

The Defenders has an 8-day shooting schedule for each episode. Except for the very first episode when they owed one scene, the production team hasn’t owed anything more than inserts. There had been a couple of episodes in which production knew they had exceptionally long scripts that required huge amounts of overtime to complete one day’s work. According to Caso, “Saner heads prevailed. We all know that there are those nightmare shows where people are working fifteen or sixteen hours every day. They’re finally going home at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and they’ll get a 6:30 a.m. call on Monday. We are not one of those shows.”

“We do work fast,” Gfelner adds. “Sometimes it feels like a documentary, but I’m always surprised how good it looks.”

“There’s always going to be a running thread throughout, style-wise,” Caso continues. “The choices of lenses that we use, the way we move the camera, the colors that we use Fall / Winter 2010

CLIFF LIPSON/CBS

Filming with their “secret weapon”: the Sony EX-3, used for handheld, inserts and stealing shots.

ideas that may or may not work. Usually I’ve had this long discussion with the director and am aware of different elements that the operators may not be aware of. I usually take the lead on the blocking because I know what I’m going to need from each shot. Sometimes it might seem like I’m crazy to them, but I might only need part of the shot, not the rest, so I’ll partial it out that way.”

Without having frame lines in their eyepieces or viewing monitors, the camera operators on The Defenders have learned to keep the 4:3 aspect ratios “legal” as Caso likes to put it. In 4x3, that means you might get a mouth and two eyes of the actor talking because you’re framing for 16 x 9.

“You’ll not get perfect compositions in both aspect ratios, and I am up front with the network about that,” says Caso.

“I don’t want the operators having to deal with 4 x 3 frame lines. It’s just too much. What ends up happening is subconsciously they will start to compose for 4 x 3 because the lines are there. You just can’t do that. So we omit the lines and I always remind the operators to just keep it ‘legal’ in 4 x 3.”

The Defenders’ arsenal includes two main F-35 digital cameras and a third body dedicated to Steadicam.

“My decision to use the F-35s was based on having used them on Trauma. We used them for 7 straight months and they held up throughout the shooting schedule. We were on the streets every day blowing up cars and doing lots of other stunts. When we were in the studio, it was still like being out there. When I signed on to do The Defenders, I already had a system in place.”

On many occasions, the team breaks out their secret weapons: a couple of prosumer Sony EX-3s. “It is interesting

26

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

how the prosumer cameras have a role in production,” Gfelner reflects. “We use them for all kinds of things: handheld, inserts and stealing shots. We had also used them on my previous show, Numb3rs.”

But how does the footage from the prosumer cameras cut in with the F-35 footage? “They cut in beautifully,” reveals Caso. “I wouldn’t use them theatrically or for day exteriors, but this is television. And on a 46˝ screen, I doubt that anyone can tell the difference. You need to diffuse them just like the F-35s and it’s better to be shooting with an open stop as opposed to being closed down.”

The Defenders has an 8-day shooting schedule for each episode. Except for the very first episode when they owed one scene, the production team hasn’t owed anything more than inserts. There had been a couple of episodes in which production knew they had exceptionally long scripts that required huge amounts of overtime to complete one day’s work. According to Caso, “Saner heads prevailed. We all know that there are those nightmare shows where people are working fifteen or sixteen hours every day. They’re finally going home at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and they’ll get a 6:30 a.m. call on Monday. We are not one of those shows.”

“We do work fast,” Gfelner adds. “Sometimes it feels like a documentary, but I’m always surprised how good it looks.”

“There’s always going to be a running thread throughout, style-wise,” Caso continues. “The choices of lenses that we use, the way we move the camera, the colors that we use Fall / Winter 2010

Michael Condon, SOC VP Digital Division

Andree Martin VP Technical Services

and the way I particularly light all contribute to that. All DPs light in their own unique way and have their own default lighting that they fall back on. I am no exception to the rule.

If nothing else, that’s what keeps the look of the show consistent. I hate re-doing anything and I hate doing double work. I like to think that I’m being more thrifty or efficient.

“What I like to do is have a lighting plan that stays for a lot of the shots,” says Caso. “One that doesn’t have to change. I think it’s a little more honest. Then I’ll do a reverse and cheat light coming from a window that absolutely doesn’t exist. I’m a firm believer that you make every shot look great. You don’t have to be so honest with ‘Well, the light was coming from there; shouldn’t you continue that scheme?’ No. You make every shot look great and you have a great looking show.”

“We should never have to change the style of the show for different directors,” adds Caso. ”I think part of what a director should do is come in and embrace the style of the show. Having said that, it’s important that directors bring something new to the table — something that’s uniquely theirs to fit into the storytelling of a show. I encourage directors to come in and have a visual plan of thought or at least a plan of how they like to be a storyteller. The show is flexible enough so that we can tell stories in a number of different ways. It will vary from director to director and I want it to!

Like most legal dramas, many of The Defenders’ episodes culminate in the courtroom. Most of the cast members end up there and you have the judge, the jury and the people in the crowd. Trying to cover all of the actors with the extra long page count of the courtroom scenes will drive up the number of setups and takes. That is the time to convert the Steadicam camera into conventional dolly mode and hire a third camera crew.

“We do all the tricks we can to be as efficient as possible in the courtroom,” Caso explains. “But having a third camera helps. You cut down your number of setups by fifty percent and production pretty much saw that right away. They’re starting to realize that the third camera really doesn’t cost them anything. By the time you’ve gone into heavy overtime with just two cameras, the third camera pays for itself. If that camera gets six shots in the final cut it’s paid for itself and ours definitely does. My personal taste would be to do what I did on Trauma, have three cameras every day because I know how to use three cameras.

“Understand that I love operating and I’m really good at it, but I don’t have time to do it,” says Caso. “The monitors in video village are telling me pretty much where I’m at. Since I don’t carry the big DIT tent with all the colorizing stuff, I look at it like I’m getting one light dailies on my monitors.

My responsibility now is to get the best image control

“A” camera operator Brian Sullivan (covered by Duvatine) on crane prepares a shot on location for The Defenders

CREATIVITY! Let us help you pick the right tools for your job. Film or

Our digital inventory includes Arri Alexa and D-21, Canon

digital, we’re here for you.

1D Mark 1V & EOS 7D - PL mounts, Canon 5D 2:35:1,

You can choose from a vast variety of 35mm and 16mm

Iconix, Panasonic, Red MX, Sony F35 cameras and the

film cameras. These are coupled with the industry’s

amazing high speed Weisscam. All supported with the

widest selection of lenses and accessories to give

latest in monitoring and DIT control equipment.

cinematographers the ability to maximize their creativity.

Our goal is to provide outstanding service 24/7. The

Much attention has been focused on 3-perforation and

choices to express your creativity are endless. Feel free

now 2-perf cameras. Our Moviecam SL MK2 (tri-perf) is

to call or drop by anytime and let us show you how we

one stellar example, and we’ve recently introduced our 2-

can take care of you and your creativity.

perf Arricams, 35 BL4, 35 BL3, Arri 435 and Arri 3 cameras.

Sincerely, Clairmont Camera

MONTY BRINTON/CBS

Your Mind, Our Tools!

www.clairmont.com

Hollywood 818-761-4440

Vancouver 604-984-4563

Toronto 416-467-1700

Albuquerque 505-227-2525

Montreal 514-525-6556 Fall / Winter 2010

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

29

Michael Condon, SOC VP Digital Division

Andree Martin VP Technical Services

and the way I particularly light all contribute to that. All DPs light in their own unique way and have their own default lighting that they fall back on. I am no exception to the rule.

If nothing else, that’s what keeps the look of the show consistent. I hate re-doing anything and I hate doing double work. I like to think that I’m being more thrifty or efficient.

“What I like to do is have a lighting plan that stays for a lot of the shots,” says Caso. “One that doesn’t have to change. I think it’s a little more honest. Then I’ll do a reverse and cheat light coming from a window that absolutely doesn’t exist. I’m a firm believer that you make every shot look great. You don’t have to be so honest with ‘Well, the light was coming from there; shouldn’t you continue that scheme?’ No. You make every shot look great and you have a great looking show.”

“We should never have to change the style of the show for different directors,” adds Caso. ”I think part of what a director should do is come in and embrace the style of the show. Having said that, it’s important that directors bring something new to the table — something that’s uniquely theirs to fit into the storytelling of a show. I encourage directors to come in and have a visual plan of thought or at least a plan of how they like to be a storyteller. The show is flexible enough so that we can tell stories in a number of different ways. It will vary from director to director and I want it to!

Like most legal dramas, many of The Defenders’ episodes culminate in the courtroom. Most of the cast members end up there and you have the judge, the jury and the people in the crowd. Trying to cover all of the actors with the extra long page count of the courtroom scenes will drive up the number of setups and takes. That is the time to convert the Steadicam camera into conventional dolly mode and hire a third camera crew.

“We do all the tricks we can to be as efficient as possible in the courtroom,” Caso explains. “But having a third camera helps. You cut down your number of setups by fifty percent and production pretty much saw that right away. They’re starting to realize that the third camera really doesn’t cost them anything. By the time you’ve gone into heavy overtime with just two cameras, the third camera pays for itself. If that camera gets six shots in the final cut it’s paid for itself and ours definitely does. My personal taste would be to do what I did on Trauma, have three cameras every day because I know how to use three cameras.

“Understand that I love operating and I’m really good at it, but I don’t have time to do it,” says Caso. “The monitors in video village are telling me pretty much where I’m at. Since I don’t carry the big DIT tent with all the colorizing stuff, I look at it like I’m getting one light dailies on my monitors.

My responsibility now is to get the best image control

“A” camera operator Brian Sullivan (covered by Duvatine) on crane prepares a shot on location for The Defenders

CREATIVITY! Let us help you pick the right tools for your job. Film or

Our digital inventory includes Arri Alexa and D-21, Canon

digital, we’re here for you.

1D Mark 1V & EOS 7D - PL mounts, Canon 5D 2:35:1,

You can choose from a vast variety of 35mm and 16mm

Iconix, Panasonic, Red MX, Sony F35 cameras and the

film cameras. These are coupled with the industry’s

amazing high speed Weisscam. All supported with the

widest selection of lenses and accessories to give

latest in monitoring and DIT control equipment.

cinematographers the ability to maximize their creativity.

Our goal is to provide outstanding service 24/7. The

Much attention has been focused on 3-perforation and

choices to express your creativity are endless. Feel free

now 2-perf cameras. Our Moviecam SL MK2 (tri-perf) is

to call or drop by anytime and let us show you how we

one stellar example, and we’ve recently introduced our 2-

can take care of you and your creativity.

perf Arricams, 35 BL4, 35 BL3, Arri 435 and Arri 3 cameras.

Sincerely, Clairmont Camera

MONTY BRINTON/CBS

Your Mind, Our Tools!

www.clairmont.com

Hollywood 818-761-4440

Vancouver 604-984-4563

Toronto 416-467-1700

Albuquerque 505-227-2525

Montreal 514-525-6556 Fall / Winter 2010

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

29

The Frankenstein Rig

“S

teadicam is a great tool, but just a tool in a tool box,” says Michael Gfelner.

“It’s a large commitment and I do love the challenge. I call it ‘playing the violin while carrying the piano.’ It took me three to four years before I felt comfortable executing difficult shots.

The aspiring Steadicam operator must practice and practice some more. Don’t let the fact that you don’t own one throw you off. We all know how expensive they are.”

Gfelner didn’t let the cost of a rig stop him when he was starting out. Though he attended Garrett Brown’s Steadicam class in 1996, he could not afford a rig. Using photos of real rigs as references, Gfelner began to model his rig’s design.

Possessing some mechanical skills, Gfelner built a rig that would be just enough to work on his limited budget.

“For those that knew the rig,”

30

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

he remembers, “we called it ‘The Frankenstein.’ The gimbal was fashioned with the front fork bearing assembly from a bicycle. I took the raw materials to a machinist to make sure it was square. For the donkey box or top dovetail, I had to figure out how to cut aluminum somewhat precisely. So I built a jig where I could clamp the aluminum to cut it and shape it. The arm was difficult to figure out without any engineering background. I had to find the right springs, bearings, etc. and the design to be able to build a pre-load adjustment in the arm.”

“At last, after six months of work and around $1000, the day came to fly it,” Gfelner recalls. “I had to borrow my brother-in-law’s video camera. I bolted it to a weight on top of the sliding dovetail. I took it out to the street and it flew great! I was elated! I swung it up on my shoulder to rest. But since I hadn’t put a stop on the sliding base plate, the camera slid off the back and smashed on the ground. Now I had to buy two video cameras.

“The Frankenstein worked. And because of it, I was able to become a professional Steadicam operator. I have since passed it on to other aspiring Steadicam operators.”

THE LIGHTING REVOLUTION:

LED BY LITEPANELS

RON JAFFE

possible so I have no business being out there operating. It would also take me away from the director and the other B, C, or D cameras. If I’m on a camera, who’s watching those?”

Whether it be A, B, or C camera, they are only designations to differentiate one camera from the next. The traditional concept of “A” camera being the main one and the other two being subservient does not exist in Caso’s book.

Back row: B Camera/Steadicam Operator Michael Gfelner, A Camera Operator “Any shot that makes it into the final cut Brian Sullivan, A Camera 1st AC John Flynn IV, DIT Ethan Phillips, B Camera is an A camera shot,” says Caso. “It doesn’t 2nd AC Cory Gunter. Front row: A Camera 2nd AC: Peter Norkus, Digital Utility DP Alan Caso ASC, Camera Trainee Richard Castaneda, matter who does it. Michael is my B-camera Yuka Kadono, B Camera 1st AC Eric Guerin guy, but sometimes he’s doing the master.

It’s really who happens to be standing next to me. I’m completely letter blind when it comes to A, B, and frame. It’s like playing a guitar. The more you perform, the more sophisticated you get. Also, you have to adjust to ‘the C cameras.” boss.’ Figure out what you can do to lighten the load on the “I think Michael and I should be the Red and Blue DP in the way that he likes. camera,” jokes Sullivan. “A and B is not how we roll. We just “Finally, I believe in the golden rule,” Sullivan says. “Put do whatever it takes. Sometimes we do ‘rock, paper, scissors’ yourself in the shoes of your comrades on set. Help the actors to see who does a particular angle or shot. Egos don’t exist and the sound department alike. We’re all brother and sister between us so that’s not an issue. teammates. I like the example of Penn State football. No “I learned from some of the best operators — like the late names on the uniforms. We are equal teammates and together James Glennon,” reflects Sullivan. “One key is to slip your we are… The Defenders.” composition behind the actors’ movement, thereby leaving your focus and attention on the actor. You get a feel for when to move the frame and when to let the actor move within the

Litepanels Sola LED Fresnel Series

Litepanels 1x1 Series ™

™

If the need is for a single light out in the field or integrating a full studio, Litepanels’ award-winning 1x1s are the answer. Versatile, coolto-the-touch, low energy draw, these 30.48 x 30.48 cm (1’x1’) 1.36 kg (3 lbs) square fixtures can be combined as needed to suit the situation.

Choose from 5600º or 3200º Spot or Flood. Go with the Bi-Color for the ultimate control of tungsten and daylight. Or 1x1 models are also get variable Flood, available in LowProfile versions Spot or Super-Spot which use only 3" headroom with the Bi-Focus.

For a tight long throw with no spill check out the 15º Super-Spot.

Litepanels’ award-winning technolo g y i s r e a d y t o s a v e y o u time, weight and energy.

See the first production models of Sola Fresnels that combine singleshadow Fresnel benefits with Litepanels’ award-winning LED advantages. The most versatile Fresnels ever, these daylight-balanced fixtures offer variable beam control from 10º to 70º and full-range dimming in lightweight, no-ballast, user-friendly fixtures.

SolaENG—draws just 30W yet outputs equivalent to 250W Tungsten Fresnel and is sized for mounting on camcorders.

Sola6—draws 75W with output equivalent to 650W Tungsten Fresnel. Sola6 features With 3 innovative screen controls & DMX built-in. ways to control: Traditional on-fixture knobs access motorized me chanical focus & electronic dimming Screen for dimming, focus, status indicator, temperature gauge, & DMX address Integrated DMX interface

Litepanels Sola Fresnels & 1x1s both feature: Extreme portability l 100%-0 dial-in dimming Dial-up brightness l Runs on battery or AC Cool to the touch l Ultra-lightweight Integrated DMX l Fits where other lights cannot go Battery option for wireless lighting Low Power Draw: under 10% of conventional lights ®

Fall / Winter 2010

Back row: B Camera/Steadicam Operator Michael Gfelner, A Camera Operator Brian Sullivan, A Camera 1st AC John Flynn IV, DIT Ethan Phillips, B Camera 2nd AC Cory Gunter. Front row: A Camera 2nd AC: Peter Norkus, Digital Utility Yuka Kadono, DP Alan Caso ASC, Camera Trainee Richard Castaneda, B Camera 1st AC Eric Guerin

+1 818 752 7009 • info@litepanels.com • www.litepanels.com

Winner of 2009 Technical Emmy ®

Litepanels A Vitec Group brand ®

The Frankenstein Rig

“S

teadicam is a great tool, but just a tool in a tool box,” says Michael Gfelner.

“It’s a large commitment and I do love the challenge. I call it ‘playing the violin while carrying the piano.’ It took me three to four years before I felt comfortable executing difficult shots.

The aspiring Steadicam operator must practice and practice some more. Don’t let the fact that you don’t own one throw you off. We all know how expensive they are.”

Gfelner didn’t let the cost of a rig stop him when he was starting out. Though he attended Garrett Brown’s Steadicam class in 1996, he could not afford a rig. Using photos of real rigs as references, Gfelner began to model his rig’s design.

Possessing some mechanical skills, Gfelner built a rig that would be just enough to work on his limited budget.

“For those that knew the rig,”

30

CAMERA OPERATOR: THE DEFENDERS

he remembers, “we called it ‘The Frankenstein.’ The gimbal was fashioned with the front fork bearing assembly from a bicycle. I took the raw materials to a machinist to make sure it was square. For the donkey box or top dovetail, I had to figure out how to cut aluminum somewhat precisely. So I built a jig where I could clamp the aluminum to cut it and shape it. The arm was difficult to figure out without any engineering background. I had to find the right springs, bearings, etc. and the design to be able to build a pre-load adjustment in the arm.”

“At last, after six months of work and around $1000, the day came to fly it,” Gfelner recalls. “I had to borrow my brother-in-law’s video camera. I bolted it to a weight on top of the sliding dovetail. I took it out to the street and it flew great! I was elated! I swung it up on my shoulder to rest. But since I hadn’t put a stop on the sliding base plate, the camera slid off the back and smashed on the ground. Now I had to buy two video cameras.

“The Frankenstein worked. And because of it, I was able to become a professional Steadicam operator. I have since passed it on to other aspiring Steadicam operators.”

THE LIGHTING REVOLUTION:

LED BY LITEPANELS

RON JAFFE

possible so I have no business being out there operating. It would also take me away from the director and the other B, C, or D cameras. If I’m on a camera, who’s watching those?”

Whether it be A, B, or C camera, they are only designations to differentiate one camera from the next. The traditional concept of “A” camera being the main one and the other two being subservient does not exist in Caso’s book.

Back row: B Camera/Steadicam Operator Michael Gfelner, A Camera Operator “Any shot that makes it into the final cut Brian Sullivan, A Camera 1st AC John Flynn IV, DIT Ethan Phillips, B Camera is an A camera shot,” says Caso. “It doesn’t 2nd AC Cory Gunter. Front row: A Camera 2nd AC: Peter Norkus, Digital Utility DP Alan Caso ASC, Camera Trainee Richard Castaneda, matter who does it. Michael is my B-camera Yuka Kadono, B Camera 1st AC Eric Guerin guy, but sometimes he’s doing the master.

It’s really who happens to be standing next to me. I’m completely letter blind when it comes to A, B, and frame. It’s like playing a guitar. The more you perform, the more sophisticated you get. Also, you have to adjust to ‘the C cameras.” boss.’ Figure out what you can do to lighten the load on the “I think Michael and I should be the Red and Blue DP in the way that he likes. camera,” jokes Sullivan. “A and B is not how we roll. We just “Finally, I believe in the golden rule,” Sullivan says. “Put do whatever it takes. Sometimes we do ‘rock, paper, scissors’ yourself in the shoes of your comrades on set. Help the actors to see who does a particular angle or shot. Egos don’t exist and the sound department alike. We’re all brother and sister between us so that’s not an issue. teammates. I like the example of Penn State football. No “I learned from some of the best operators — like the late names on the uniforms. We are equal teammates and together James Glennon,” reflects Sullivan. “One key is to slip your we are… The Defenders.” composition behind the actors’ movement, thereby leaving your focus and attention on the actor. You get a feel for when to move the frame and when to let the actor move within the

Litepanels Sola LED Fresnel Series

Litepanels 1x1 Series ™

™

If the need is for a single light out in the field or integrating a full studio, Litepanels’ award-winning 1x1s are the answer. Versatile, coolto-the-touch, low energy draw, these 30.48 x 30.48 cm (1’x1’) 1.36 kg (3 lbs) square fixtures can be combined as needed to suit the situation.

Choose from 5600º or 3200º Spot or Flood. Go with the Bi-Color for the ultimate control of tungsten and daylight. Or 1x1 models are also get variable Flood, available in LowProfile versions Spot or Super-Spot which use only 3" headroom with the Bi-Focus.

For a tight long throw with no spill check out the 15º Super-Spot.

Litepanels’ award-winning technolo g y i s r e a d y t o s a v e y o u time, weight and energy.

See the first production models of Sola Fresnels that combine singleshadow Fresnel benefits with Litepanels’ award-winning LED advantages. The most versatile Fresnels ever, these daylight-balanced fixtures offer variable beam control from 10º to 70º and full-range dimming in lightweight, no-ballast, user-friendly fixtures.

SolaENG—draws just 30W yet outputs equivalent to 250W Tungsten Fresnel and is sized for mounting on camcorders.

Sola6—draws 75W with output equivalent to 650W Tungsten Fresnel. Sola6 features With 3 innovative screen controls & DMX built-in. ways to control: Traditional on-fixture knobs access motorized me chanical focus & electronic dimming Screen for dimming, focus, status indicator, temperature gauge, & DMX address Integrated DMX interface

Litepanels Sola Fresnels & 1x1s both feature: Extreme portability l 100%-0 dial-in dimming Dial-up brightness l Runs on battery or AC Cool to the touch l Ultra-lightweight Integrated DMX l Fits where other lights cannot go Battery option for wireless lighting Low Power Draw: under 10% of conventional lights ®

Fall / Winter 2010

Back row: B Camera/Steadicam Operator Michael Gfelner, A Camera Operator Brian Sullivan, A Camera 1st AC John Flynn IV, DIT Ethan Phillips, B Camera 2nd AC Cory Gunter. Front row: A Camera 2nd AC: Peter Norkus, Digital Utility Yuka Kadono, DP Alan Caso ASC, Camera Trainee Richard Castaneda, B Camera 1st AC Eric Guerin

+1 818 752 7009 • info@litepanels.com • www.litepanels.com

Winner of 2009 Technical Emmy ®

Litepanels A Vitec Group brand ®

Unraveling the Secrets of Rubicon

by Quenell Jones and Jack Messitt SOC

Photos by Craig Blankenhorn / AMC and Matthew Welch / AMC © AMC TV & Rainbow Media Will Travers (James Badge Dale, right) and Truxton Spangler (Michael Cristofer, left): Rubicon’s Good versus Evil

Unraveling the Secrets of Rubicon

by Quenell Jones and Jack Messitt SOC

Photos by Craig Blankenhorn / AMC and Matthew Welch / AMC © AMC TV & Rainbow Media Will Travers (James Badge Dale, right) and Truxton Spangler (Michael Cristofer, left): Rubicon’s Good versus Evil

Femme Fatale Katherine Rhumor (Miranda Richardson)

A

MC’s Rubicon is a carefully paced spy thriller that follows the story of a government analyst similar to the one that Robert Redford played in Three Days of the Condor. Working at an unassuming (fictional) US intelligence agency, Will Travers (played by James Badge Dale) and his colleagues sift through piles of intelligence files to help root out terrorists and other plots against the United States government. But when a senior analyst and friend is killed in a train accident, Travers stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens to unravel the very government he is working for.

“The whole idea behind Rubicon was to create an acknowledgement to the artistry of movies from the late ’60s and ’70s like All the Presidents Men, Serpico and the films of John Frankenheimer,” explains director of photography Michael Slovis. “With the use of wider frames, the whole idea was to do bit of visual recognition to the films of the ’70s.”

To help establish this visual style, Slovis brought on camera operators Andy Voegeli (A-camera/Steadicam) and Peter Reniers (B-camera). After working on Breaking Bad and Fringe, Voegeli was able to bring a vast network of experience to the project. And Reniers’s work on Breaking Bad, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead and It’s Complicated helped him add to the visual savvy of Rubicon.

“The story dictated the overall visual approach of the show,” says Voegeli. “It is a slow, methodical, cerebral sort of a show, so it takes a long time for things to happen. It is a great testament to the directors, creators of the show and Michael Slovis that they did not feel the need to move the camera to make the story move.”

“We set up some nice static frames and let the actors move through them,” adds Reniers. “I think our approach was partially determined by the locations we shot at on South Street. It had a lot of interesting angles, a lot of structures to shoot through like glass walls and long hallways.”

“Our stage was a practical location,” says Voegeli. “We shot in a six story building right next to the freeway. We

Analyst Miles Fielder (Dallas Roberts) sifts through CIA records in search of a terrorist’s whereabouts.

34

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

Fall / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

had the 3rd, 4th and 5th floor and were eye level with the FDR. We had structural and architectural things that couldn’t move — walls that wouldn’t fly, multiple layers of glass walls with triple reflections, so it was very challenging.

“But instead of fighting it, we embraced it,” Voegeli adds, “and it plays out a lot in the show with static frames and actors moving about the frame. In the end, I think this style helped because it leant itself to beautiful images that served the story and didn’t feel forced.”

“When you’re working with a location as a stage, you have to embrace the reality of what you have,” says Reniers. “We couldn’t take down a wall and put it back. The location kind of decides where the camera goes in a way. It forces you into a corner both literally and figuratively, but you make the best of it.

“The space also defines the amount of blocking you can do,” continues Reniers. “This was a good space because it has glass walls, long hallways where you can do some

Kale Ingram (Arliss Howard): Friend or Foe? CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

35

Femme Fatale Katherine Rhumor (Miranda Richardson)

A

MC’s Rubicon is a carefully paced spy thriller that follows the story of a government analyst similar to the one that Robert Redford played in Three Days of the Condor. Working at an unassuming (fictional) US intelligence agency, Will Travers (played by James Badge Dale) and his colleagues sift through piles of intelligence files to help root out terrorists and other plots against the United States government. But when a senior analyst and friend is killed in a train accident, Travers stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens to unravel the very government he is working for.

“The whole idea behind Rubicon was to create an acknowledgement to the artistry of movies from the late ’60s and ’70s like All the Presidents Men, Serpico and the films of John Frankenheimer,” explains director of photography Michael Slovis. “With the use of wider frames, the whole idea was to do bit of visual recognition to the films of the ’70s.”

To help establish this visual style, Slovis brought on camera operators Andy Voegeli (A-camera/Steadicam) and Peter Reniers (B-camera). After working on Breaking Bad and Fringe, Voegeli was able to bring a vast network of experience to the project. And Reniers’s work on Breaking Bad, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead and It’s Complicated helped him add to the visual savvy of Rubicon.

“The story dictated the overall visual approach of the show,” says Voegeli. “It is a slow, methodical, cerebral sort of a show, so it takes a long time for things to happen. It is a great testament to the directors, creators of the show and Michael Slovis that they did not feel the need to move the camera to make the story move.”

“We set up some nice static frames and let the actors move through them,” adds Reniers. “I think our approach was partially determined by the locations we shot at on South Street. It had a lot of interesting angles, a lot of structures to shoot through like glass walls and long hallways.”

“Our stage was a practical location,” says Voegeli. “We shot in a six story building right next to the freeway. We

Analyst Miles Fielder (Dallas Roberts) sifts through CIA records in search of a terrorist’s whereabouts.

34

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

Fall / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

had the 3rd, 4th and 5th floor and were eye level with the FDR. We had structural and architectural things that couldn’t move — walls that wouldn’t fly, multiple layers of glass walls with triple reflections, so it was very challenging.

“But instead of fighting it, we embraced it,” Voegeli adds, “and it plays out a lot in the show with static frames and actors moving about the frame. In the end, I think this style helped because it leant itself to beautiful images that served the story and didn’t feel forced.”

“When you’re working with a location as a stage, you have to embrace the reality of what you have,” says Reniers. “We couldn’t take down a wall and put it back. The location kind of decides where the camera goes in a way. It forces you into a corner both literally and figuratively, but you make the best of it.

“The space also defines the amount of blocking you can do,” continues Reniers. “This was a good space because it has glass walls, long hallways where you can do some

Kale Ingram (Arliss Howard): Friend or Foe? CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

35

Will and Kale — an uncertain partnership in the search for the truth.

visually cool stuff within the reality of the space.”

“Obviously shooting on a stage is little bit easier,” says Slovis. “You have places where you can rig lights. But the truth of the matter is that even on stages, I still light very practically through windows as if I was on a location. It makes it look a little bit more real. When I shoot on a stage I actually build in mistakes so that it looks real. It’s so easy to make everything looks perfect on a stage. Everything is so perfectly exposed, that I will actually build in things that are too dark or too bright to keep it looking real.”

Slovis, the veteran cinematographer of Breaking Bad and CSI, takes a particular interest in the initial blocking of a scene.

“Blocking rehearsals are a necessity to me,” adds Slovis. “I really want to make sure everything is laid in. The blocking has such a large effect on how the scene is going to be shot.

When I see a rehearsal, it reveals so much. I can often combine multiple shots that a director wants into a single shot by adjusting the blocking. That’s where my input becomes so valuable — by working with the actors and getting that blocking to help facilitate the camera a little bit.”

When the blocking is done and the crew takes over, the stand-ins are crucial to maintaining the workflow on the set.

“Our stand-ins are unbelievably helpful,” adds Reniers.

“Once the actors have decided that they want to go from point A to point B to point C, our stand-ins know exactly what those beats are. When the actors go away and get made up, the stand ins, camera operator and lighting technicians begin to layout the scene and start to light. When we are done lighting and working out the camera moves, the actors come back and we are ready to go.”

“Blocking rehearsals are a big thing,” says Voegeli, “but we

36

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

very rarely have a camera rehearsal. What we will do is a quick line up of the actors on their marks and double check the final camera positions. Then we are usually good to go.

Sometimes great things happen on the first take, so I have no problem going right to picture. Luckily I have Eddy Lowery as my dolly grip. He is an incredible dolly grip — one of the best in New York. So once the first team comes to the set, I am confident that we can go right to picture.”

“I think the best thing to do is plunge ahead and actually roll film. Then people are much more focused,” says Reniers.

“One of my favorite takes is take three. Take one is often like a rehearsal. Take two, you kind of work the bugs out. But take three is when everyone is on the same page and you’ve figured out exactly what you need to get it done.

“We have a terrific cast — gifted actors and actresses from the top all the way down,” Reniers praises. “At the same time, they can be very technical when needed. It is great for us because they appreciate the discipline of hitting marks and doing subtle things to help you out. They are camera savvy enough to know that they need to put weight on their left foot so they are not blocking an over, or find the camera when things slightly go awry. A technical actor can be very helpful in ways that make you look like a better operator.”

To capture the visual splendor of the conspiratorial Rubicon, Slovis and his crew decided to shoot film.

“I like film more,” says Voegeli. “There is a little bit more mystery to it. The DP is on set more, not stuck in a tent somewhere. In a way, I think film is a much more efficient process. Both the DP and the director are focused on what’s happening right in front of the camera versus what’s happening on the big HD monitor. I do think that today’s HD is Fall / Winter 2010

incredible looking, but I still think there is something about film that is magical.

“We used the Panavision camera system on Rubicon,” explains Voegeli, “a Platinum, a Gold Two and a Lightweight for Steadicam. The benefit for using Panavision is obviously the lens choices: the Primo zooms and the matching primes.

It’s a great lens system.

“But as an operator,” Voegeli continues, “I am not always happy with its viewing system. I am a big fan of Arriflex LT and ST combination. I feel that’s the best camera system out there. The Platinum and Gold 2 are cameras have been around since the ’80s. That’s an old system. But the cameras get the film through the camera at 24 fps, so it doesn’t really matter what camera we’re using as long as I can see. And the ability to put the gels behind the lens in the Panavision system is a great benefit — especially when we are doing daylight exteriors and ND pretty heavily.

“If we were doing handheld all the time,” Voegeli adds, “I would certainly like a smaller camera than the Gold Two on my shoulder. If we only have a 1000ft mag and you want to go handheld, it’s gonna hurt a little bit. But we do what we have to do with the equipment that is given. Luckily, we don’t have too much handheld on Rubicon — only when the story calls for it.”

Voegeli doubles as the unit’s Steadicam operator and credits his career to his background with the rig.

“To be honest,” says Voegeli, “I don’t think I could have made the transition to operator if I didn’t own a Steadicam.

I think it would have been a much longer process and I don’t know if I would have had great success otherwise. I think you have a better chance of getting an operating job if you operate Steadicam. But I will not recommended you becoming a Steadicam operator if you don’t want to be a Steadicam operator. It’s a hard job. It’s a painful job. It’s not easy and it’s not for everyone.

“But I certainly don’t consider myself just a Steadicam operator,” Voegeli continues. “Being the A-camera operator on a TV show, I’m operating in studio mode 90 percent of the show.”

The strong visual style of Rubicon makes for a good day on the set for cinematographer Slovis.

“The interesting thing for me,” says Slovis, “is that I get to shoot television that looks like cinema. So I am very very fortunate with Rubicon. On this show, I am encouraged to be very cinematic and to build in shadows and to build in highlights and to go much more towards a filmmaking approach rather than a standardized, quote unquote, television approach.”

Slovis takes an additive view when discussing the visual makeup of Rubicon.

“I really look at the story that we are telling right now,” Slovis explains. “I look at every part of the story. For example, the shot. I look at how it fits into the scene, which fits into the act, which fits into the show, which fits into the arc of the entire season. So each and every shot builds upon the shot previous and following. I really take seriously what’s going to

Tom Rhumor (Harris Yulin), just before his death sets Rubicon’s twists and turns in motion.

Fall / Winter 2010

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

37

Will and Kale — an uncertain partnership in the search for the truth.

visually cool stuff within the reality of the space.”

“Obviously shooting on a stage is little bit easier,” says Slovis. “You have places where you can rig lights. But the truth of the matter is that even on stages, I still light very practically through windows as if I was on a location. It makes it look a little bit more real. When I shoot on a stage I actually build in mistakes so that it looks real. It’s so easy to make everything looks perfect on a stage. Everything is so perfectly exposed, that I will actually build in things that are too dark or too bright to keep it looking real.”

Slovis, the veteran cinematographer of Breaking Bad and CSI, takes a particular interest in the initial blocking of a scene.

“Blocking rehearsals are a necessity to me,” adds Slovis. “I really want to make sure everything is laid in. The blocking has such a large effect on how the scene is going to be shot.

When I see a rehearsal, it reveals so much. I can often combine multiple shots that a director wants into a single shot by adjusting the blocking. That’s where my input becomes so valuable — by working with the actors and getting that blocking to help facilitate the camera a little bit.”

When the blocking is done and the crew takes over, the stand-ins are crucial to maintaining the workflow on the set.

“Our stand-ins are unbelievably helpful,” adds Reniers.

“Once the actors have decided that they want to go from point A to point B to point C, our stand-ins know exactly what those beats are. When the actors go away and get made up, the stand ins, camera operator and lighting technicians begin to layout the scene and start to light. When we are done lighting and working out the camera moves, the actors come back and we are ready to go.”

“Blocking rehearsals are a big thing,” says Voegeli, “but we

36

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

very rarely have a camera rehearsal. What we will do is a quick line up of the actors on their marks and double check the final camera positions. Then we are usually good to go.

Sometimes great things happen on the first take, so I have no problem going right to picture. Luckily I have Eddy Lowery as my dolly grip. He is an incredible dolly grip — one of the best in New York. So once the first team comes to the set, I am confident that we can go right to picture.”

“I think the best thing to do is plunge ahead and actually roll film. Then people are much more focused,” says Reniers.

“One of my favorite takes is take three. Take one is often like a rehearsal. Take two, you kind of work the bugs out. But take three is when everyone is on the same page and you’ve figured out exactly what you need to get it done.

“We have a terrific cast — gifted actors and actresses from the top all the way down,” Reniers praises. “At the same time, they can be very technical when needed. It is great for us because they appreciate the discipline of hitting marks and doing subtle things to help you out. They are camera savvy enough to know that they need to put weight on their left foot so they are not blocking an over, or find the camera when things slightly go awry. A technical actor can be very helpful in ways that make you look like a better operator.”

To capture the visual splendor of the conspiratorial Rubicon, Slovis and his crew decided to shoot film.

“I like film more,” says Voegeli. “There is a little bit more mystery to it. The DP is on set more, not stuck in a tent somewhere. In a way, I think film is a much more efficient process. Both the DP and the director are focused on what’s happening right in front of the camera versus what’s happening on the big HD monitor. I do think that today’s HD is Fall / Winter 2010

incredible looking, but I still think there is something about film that is magical.

“We used the Panavision camera system on Rubicon,” explains Voegeli, “a Platinum, a Gold Two and a Lightweight for Steadicam. The benefit for using Panavision is obviously the lens choices: the Primo zooms and the matching primes.

It’s a great lens system.

“But as an operator,” Voegeli continues, “I am not always happy with its viewing system. I am a big fan of Arriflex LT and ST combination. I feel that’s the best camera system out there. The Platinum and Gold 2 are cameras have been around since the ’80s. That’s an old system. But the cameras get the film through the camera at 24 fps, so it doesn’t really matter what camera we’re using as long as I can see. And the ability to put the gels behind the lens in the Panavision system is a great benefit — especially when we are doing daylight exteriors and ND pretty heavily.

“If we were doing handheld all the time,” Voegeli adds, “I would certainly like a smaller camera than the Gold Two on my shoulder. If we only have a 1000ft mag and you want to go handheld, it’s gonna hurt a little bit. But we do what we have to do with the equipment that is given. Luckily, we don’t have too much handheld on Rubicon — only when the story calls for it.”

Voegeli doubles as the unit’s Steadicam operator and credits his career to his background with the rig.

“To be honest,” says Voegeli, “I don’t think I could have made the transition to operator if I didn’t own a Steadicam.

I think it would have been a much longer process and I don’t know if I would have had great success otherwise. I think you have a better chance of getting an operating job if you operate Steadicam. But I will not recommended you becoming a Steadicam operator if you don’t want to be a Steadicam operator. It’s a hard job. It’s a painful job. It’s not easy and it’s not for everyone.

“But I certainly don’t consider myself just a Steadicam operator,” Voegeli continues. “Being the A-camera operator on a TV show, I’m operating in studio mode 90 percent of the show.”

The strong visual style of Rubicon makes for a good day on the set for cinematographer Slovis.

“The interesting thing for me,” says Slovis, “is that I get to shoot television that looks like cinema. So I am very very fortunate with Rubicon. On this show, I am encouraged to be very cinematic and to build in shadows and to build in highlights and to go much more towards a filmmaking approach rather than a standardized, quote unquote, television approach.”

Slovis takes an additive view when discussing the visual makeup of Rubicon.

“I really look at the story that we are telling right now,” Slovis explains. “I look at every part of the story. For example, the shot. I look at how it fits into the scene, which fits into the act, which fits into the show, which fits into the arc of the entire season. So each and every shot builds upon the shot previous and following. I really take seriously what’s going to

Tom Rhumor (Harris Yulin), just before his death sets Rubicon’s twists and turns in motion.

Fall / Winter 2010

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

37

With hints of Coppola’s The Conversation, Will dismantles a vintage motorcycle looking for answers.

proceed and follow the shot — especially on a show like Rubicon. When directors struggle with where to put the camera, I will ask them what is the story we are trying to tell right now. Not what is the story of the show, but what’s the story of this particular moment. Distilling it to that will always reveal an answer to you.”

Even when planned and discussed in pre-production, the overall look and style of a television series is an evolving process.

“At the beginning of the show, there is no reference,” says Slovis. “So everybody is kind of making it up as we go along.

You are on a little discovery route together. So a lot of times,

38

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

the visual style is established as a result of failures or successes of the first several episodes.”

But working in television means working with a rotating group of directors. In this world, the director of photography is the constant. When asked about how he keeps the visual continuity of Rubicon through the constant turnover in the director’s chair, Slovis is eager to explain.

“That’s a fantastic question,” says Slovis, “and it gets down to the heart of what the director of photography does on a television show that in some way is different from what a director of photography might do on a feature film. When you’re on a feature film, the director is king and whatever the Fall / Winter 2010

director wants to do, hopefully in consultation with the DP but not necessarily, that’s the shot you’re going to make. It’s the director’s vision.

“But when you’re on a television show that has a dedicated style like Rubicon,” Slovis continues, “you, as the DP, are the defendant for the look of the show — both with lighting and shot structure.

“So when directors come passing through you are obligated to explain to them and to help maintain a consistent visual style,” explains Slovis. “It puts you in a very interesting situation as a DP. The style was conveyed to me by the network, the production company and the show runners Fall / Winter 2010

— none of whom are often there on the shoot day. So you are going to be the one explaining to the guest directors what fits the show and what doesn’t.

“The thing to do,” says Slovis, “is remain open and let the material tell you on how it wants to be shot. I remember very very well I was shooting a while back — actually the operator became a director of a show; he came in with an idea for a shot and it was this fancy shot moving all over the place and it was a really neat shot — I said to him, ‘why do you want to do that shot?’ He said, ‘because it’s a really neat shot.’ So I said, ‘yes, it’s a really neat shot, but it won’t end up in the show because it doesn’t tell the story.’”

As a director of photography on a television series, Slovis acknowledges the amount of responsibility on his shoulders.

But he credits his crew for the visual success of the show.

“My first responsibility is to hire right, which I have done,“ says Slovis. “I have known these guys for a very very long time and I let them do their job. I know there are DPs out there that set every frame. I know there are DPs that correct everything an operator does. I am not that way on Rubicon.

On episodic television, the only way to get home quickly and safely at the end of the day and still have a reasonable amount of time to complete the work is to let everybody do their jobs and do them well.”

“It has been great to work with a team you have worked with on a regular basis,” says Reniers, “because you will develop a shorthand for communicating and that’s what we have done. We work pretty well together. I know what Michael wants as he strives to give the director his vision. It’s a nice thing when you can collaborate with the same people.”

“I will say a few words like, ‘medium shot from here,’” explains Slovis. “I don’t use a finder; I just put a mark here and they get it. Once they see where I’m going, I don’t have to talk specifics with these guys. More often than not, they will bring more to the table than what I have handed them.

They find things along the way, things that are fun, interesting or in the style of the story that we are trying to tell.

“The way I look at it,” says Slovis, “the operator’s job is to keep the set moving. They work with the props. They work with the set dressers. They work with the boom guys. They keep that set moving right along much more so than I do.”

“The operators don’t really get a break,” Voegeli explains.

“When the actors rehearse, we have to be there to watch.

When the rehearsal ends, we are instantly setting up the shot.

Then we shoot it, cut, check the gate, and then we go setting up again. It is our job to move things along and communicate with each of the departments to help maintain efficiency. The operator is basically there as an extension of the director of photography.”

“After I have talked through the whole scope of the scene with the director,” says Slovis, “the operators will often work directly with the directors in determining the shot.”

“I am there not only to help bring the director his vision, but also to protect the DP,” says Voegeli. “The DP has a lot to do — a lot on his plate with lighting. As an operator, you are glued to the camera and to the set. You have to keep things out of frame, work with set dressers to move things into frames to help balance the composition, work with the CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

39

With hints of Coppola’s The Conversation, Will dismantles a vintage motorcycle looking for answers.

proceed and follow the shot — especially on a show like Rubicon. When directors struggle with where to put the camera, I will ask them what is the story we are trying to tell right now. Not what is the story of the show, but what’s the story of this particular moment. Distilling it to that will always reveal an answer to you.”

Even when planned and discussed in pre-production, the overall look and style of a television series is an evolving process.

“At the beginning of the show, there is no reference,” says Slovis. “So everybody is kind of making it up as we go along.

You are on a little discovery route together. So a lot of times,

38

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

the visual style is established as a result of failures or successes of the first several episodes.”

But working in television means working with a rotating group of directors. In this world, the director of photography is the constant. When asked about how he keeps the visual continuity of Rubicon through the constant turnover in the director’s chair, Slovis is eager to explain.

“That’s a fantastic question,” says Slovis, “and it gets down to the heart of what the director of photography does on a television show that in some way is different from what a director of photography might do on a feature film. When you’re on a feature film, the director is king and whatever the Fall / Winter 2010

director wants to do, hopefully in consultation with the DP but not necessarily, that’s the shot you’re going to make. It’s the director’s vision.

“But when you’re on a television show that has a dedicated style like Rubicon,” Slovis continues, “you, as the DP, are the defendant for the look of the show — both with lighting and shot structure.

“So when directors come passing through you are obligated to explain to them and to help maintain a consistent visual style,” explains Slovis. “It puts you in a very interesting situation as a DP. The style was conveyed to me by the network, the production company and the show runners Fall / Winter 2010

— none of whom are often there on the shoot day. So you are going to be the one explaining to the guest directors what fits the show and what doesn’t.

“The thing to do,” says Slovis, “is remain open and let the material tell you on how it wants to be shot. I remember very very well I was shooting a while back — actually the operator became a director of a show; he came in with an idea for a shot and it was this fancy shot moving all over the place and it was a really neat shot — I said to him, ‘why do you want to do that shot?’ He said, ‘because it’s a really neat shot.’ So I said, ‘yes, it’s a really neat shot, but it won’t end up in the show because it doesn’t tell the story.’”

As a director of photography on a television series, Slovis acknowledges the amount of responsibility on his shoulders.

But he credits his crew for the visual success of the show.

“My first responsibility is to hire right, which I have done,“ says Slovis. “I have known these guys for a very very long time and I let them do their job. I know there are DPs out there that set every frame. I know there are DPs that correct everything an operator does. I am not that way on Rubicon.

On episodic television, the only way to get home quickly and safely at the end of the day and still have a reasonable amount of time to complete the work is to let everybody do their jobs and do them well.”

“It has been great to work with a team you have worked with on a regular basis,” says Reniers, “because you will develop a shorthand for communicating and that’s what we have done. We work pretty well together. I know what Michael wants as he strives to give the director his vision. It’s a nice thing when you can collaborate with the same people.”

“I will say a few words like, ‘medium shot from here,’” explains Slovis. “I don’t use a finder; I just put a mark here and they get it. Once they see where I’m going, I don’t have to talk specifics with these guys. More often than not, they will bring more to the table than what I have handed them.

They find things along the way, things that are fun, interesting or in the style of the story that we are trying to tell.

“The way I look at it,” says Slovis, “the operator’s job is to keep the set moving. They work with the props. They work with the set dressers. They work with the boom guys. They keep that set moving right along much more so than I do.”

“The operators don’t really get a break,” Voegeli explains.

“When the actors rehearse, we have to be there to watch.

When the rehearsal ends, we are instantly setting up the shot.

Then we shoot it, cut, check the gate, and then we go setting up again. It is our job to move things along and communicate with each of the departments to help maintain efficiency. The operator is basically there as an extension of the director of photography.”

“After I have talked through the whole scope of the scene with the director,” says Slovis, “the operators will often work directly with the directors in determining the shot.”

“I am there not only to help bring the director his vision, but also to protect the DP,” says Voegeli. “The DP has a lot to do — a lot on his plate with lighting. As an operator, you are glued to the camera and to the set. You have to keep things out of frame, work with set dressers to move things into frames to help balance the composition, work with the CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

39

electricians and grips to keep light off the lens, help the DP catch things that maybe he is not seeing… We can do all this because we are there looking through the camera.

“I think the DP/operator relationship goes hand in hand,” Voegeli adds. “It is a symbiotic relationship: I need him and he needs me. Michael Sovis is an incredible guy to work for. He lets me move the camera when I feel we need to move the camera. He lets me make a lot of decisions compositionally. He gives me the freedom to do my job.”

“Michael is a collaborator,” adds Reniers. “He appreciates the ideas you have and the things that you bring to the party. It is great to work with him. He has his own ideas, of course, and we kind of mix them all up and combine them to create a great outcome.

“It’s about getting the work done,” Reniers continues.

“It’s about telling the story and getting the work done in a very efficient fashion. We try to be as artistic and creative as we can, but the reality for a TV show is that it’s a seven day episode and we have a lot of work to get done in a small amount of time.”

“We aren’t protected by a sound stage,” explains Voegeli.

“One day we were on the roof and President Obama came into town. We had to leave the roof for thirty-five minutes before we could come back up, so we threw an audible and ran downstairs and got a different shot. On a seven-day episode, you really can’t fight, you gotta move.”

“The creative part is great,” Reniers says. “It’s a big part of what we do. But making our day is just as important if not more so. It would be great to get this other angle, or this other turnaround. But it is not always going to happen or you’re not going to get your day done. You have a full and challenging schedule and you need to keep moving

forward. You need to be decisive. You choose a path and you head down that path. Every day, we need to tell the story in the most direct and efficient fashion possible. If you are shooting a one day or two day commercial maybe you can handle a couple of 18 hour days in a row. But you are running a marathon when you’re doing 13 or 22 episodes. You have to find a decent pace and schedule so you don’t wear everybody out.”

“There a lot of fantastic DPs who like to operate,” says Slovis. “I respect that, but I am not someone who does that. I obviously have done it when I have been on smaller

films, but I don’t feel I do my job as well if have to operate.

“Having an operator frees me up to do my job better,” continues Slovis. “It allows me to be the director of photography and not just a lighting cameraman. It allows me to get involved with the actors. It allows me to sit right next to the director and talk about whether a shot works or not, whether the shot is telling the right story. And I am able to look at both images when we are using two cameras. So there are a tremendous amount of advantages to having an operator, which I take full advantage of. I enjoy my job much much more when I have an operator.”

With an all location based schedule, Rubicon uses a New York City landmark as the backdrop to its intrigue.

40

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

Fall / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

41

electricians and grips to keep light off the lens, help the DP catch things that maybe he is not seeing… We can do all this because we are there looking through the camera.

“I think the DP/operator relationship goes hand in hand,” Voegeli adds. “It is a symbiotic relationship: I need him and he needs me. Michael Sovis is an incredible guy to work for. He lets me move the camera when I feel we need to move the camera. He lets me make a lot of decisions compositionally. He gives me the freedom to do my job.”

“Michael is a collaborator,” adds Reniers. “He appreciates the ideas you have and the things that you bring to the party. It is great to work with him. He has his own ideas, of course, and we kind of mix them all up and combine them to create a great outcome.

“It’s about getting the work done,” Reniers continues.

“It’s about telling the story and getting the work done in a very efficient fashion. We try to be as artistic and creative as we can, but the reality for a TV show is that it’s a seven day episode and we have a lot of work to get done in a small amount of time.”

“We aren’t protected by a sound stage,” explains Voegeli.

“One day we were on the roof and President Obama came into town. We had to leave the roof for thirty-five minutes before we could come back up, so we threw an audible and ran downstairs and got a different shot. On a seven-day episode, you really can’t fight, you gotta move.”

“The creative part is great,” Reniers says. “It’s a big part of what we do. But making our day is just as important if not more so. It would be great to get this other angle, or this other turnaround. But it is not always going to happen or you’re not going to get your day done. You have a full and challenging schedule and you need to keep moving

forward. You need to be decisive. You choose a path and you head down that path. Every day, we need to tell the story in the most direct and efficient fashion possible. If you are shooting a one day or two day commercial maybe you can handle a couple of 18 hour days in a row. But you are running a marathon when you’re doing 13 or 22 episodes. You have to find a decent pace and schedule so you don’t wear everybody out.”

“There a lot of fantastic DPs who like to operate,” says Slovis. “I respect that, but I am not someone who does that. I obviously have done it when I have been on smaller

films, but I don’t feel I do my job as well if have to operate.

“Having an operator frees me up to do my job better,” continues Slovis. “It allows me to be the director of photography and not just a lighting cameraman. It allows me to get involved with the actors. It allows me to sit right next to the director and talk about whether a shot works or not, whether the shot is telling the right story. And I am able to look at both images when we are using two cameras. So there are a tremendous amount of advantages to having an operator, which I take full advantage of. I enjoy my job much much more when I have an operator.”

With an all location based schedule, Rubicon uses a New York City landmark as the backdrop to its intrigue.

40

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

Fall / Winter 2010

Fall / Winter 2010

CAMERA OPERATOR: SECRETS OF RUBICON

41

Hi Def with Jeff

Are Your Lenses Up to the Task?

By Jeffrey Cree SOC Vice President/Technical Services Band Pro Film & Digital Inc.

T

he development of “High Definition” digital cameras for episodic and feature production had many hurdles to overcome before they could be considered acceptable alternatives. Very few of us working in the early stages of this market change would have predicted that electronic cameras would take over dramatic program production at the level we see today. Camera manufacturers worked diligently to improve the feature set and performance of the cameras, but at the time there were no lenses designed for the 2/3˝ sensors used by these products that met the requirements and demands of this production market.

Even today, with the introduction of PL mount high definition cameras, lenses are the weak point of the system. Not only is there a current shortage of quality PL mount lenses, but most of their designs date back to before the development of the 35mm electronic sensor. As discovered during the wave of development for 2/3˝ “cine” lenses, the electronic imager put higher demands on lens performance than film. Pixel size and density of the electronic imager respond differently than film to the lenses and it cannot be assumed that all PL mount lenses will provide the performance necessary to achieve satisfactory results.

The introduction of the Sony HDW-F900 in late 2000 gave us the first practical tool for high definition feature and episodic television production. We finally had a camera that provided high definition images using 24-frame progressive scanning that developed the temporal look of film. It was not perfect but it was a great improvement from the interlace cameras of the previous generation. With this development came a need for quality 2/3˝ B4 mount lenses that could meet the demands of the crews working in traditional “cine” applications. The first two television series using the

42

CAMERA OPERATOR: HI DEF WITH JEFF

HDW-F900 — Titus and Diagnosis Murder — were forced to use converted 35mm lenses or upgraded 2/3˝ EFP lenses for their first few seasons as no lens designed specifically for these applications had been manufactured yet.

Fujinon and Canon quickly brought “cine-style” lenses to market, but most of these lenses fell short, as they were just repackaged versions of current EFP zooms. Fujinon finally responded with the “E” series primes and zooms that provided the performance and design necessary for acceptance.

It took longer for the traditional film lens manufacturers to develop their products for digital cinematography. Carl Zeiss, with the DigiPrimes and DigiZooms, was the first film lens company to produce purpose-built “cine” lenses for the electronic cameras from Sony, Panasonic and Thompson. The design of these lenses was styled after the products Zeiss had been producing for Arriflex and other film cameras, and provided an easy transition for film crews working with high definition for the first time.

The first DigiPrimes had more than the look and feel of film lenses: they also provided an improvement in performance from the traditional EFP style lens.

The CCD imagers in the cameras of the period used pixels about 5-micron in size, less than half the size of the 12-micron film grain targeted by film lenses. This required lenses to resolve at much higher levels to get the maximum performance from the camera. The MTF (Modulation Transfer Factor) for the Zeiss lenses is in the high 90% levels, about 20% to 30% higher than standard 2/3˝ B4 mount zooms. The 2/3˝ lens designs had to take into account the idiosyncrasies of the prism used to split the light into individual Red, Green and Blue images. The transmission delays of the individual color paths through the prism were corrected so that each color channel focused and aligned on the three sensors precisely.

Aberration correction had to be more precise as the CCD’s perfectly flat target would not mask error the way film moving through the gate of a film camera does.

These lenses also used aspheric elements to keep the lenses small and to align the light for better performance with the pixels of the electronic imager. All of the lens manufacturers had to consider these design challenges to stay competitive in the high-end production market.

The development of high definition electronic cameras using 35mm and bigger imagers has expanded these issues to a completely new group of lenses. Unlike the 2/3˝ lens market, we have a large, existing base of PL mount lenses for the feature film and episodic markets. For decades Angénieux, Cooke and Zeiss have been producing high-quality PL mount lenses for film production; however, most of these lenses were designed prior to the development of the imager technology used in these new electronic imaging systems. The Sony F35 and SRW-9000PL have imagers utilizing 16.4 million pixels, the Arri Alexa has 5.65 million, and Red Epic uses more than 13.8 million pixels. These cameras put heavy demands on the optics attached to them, as the pixel size of these cameras is far smaller than the grain structure of the film used as Fall / Winter 2010

Hi Def with Jeff

Are Your Lenses Up to the Task?

By Jeffrey Cree SOC Vice President/Technical Services Band Pro Film & Digital Inc.

T

he development of “High Definition” digital cameras for episodic and feature production had many hurdles to overcome before they could be considered acceptable alternatives. Very few of us working in the early stages of this market change would have predicted that electronic cameras would take over dramatic program production at the level we see today. Camera manufacturers worked diligently to improve the feature set and performance of the cameras, but at the time there were no lenses designed for the 2/3˝ sensors used by these products that met the requirements and demands of this production market.

Even today, with the introduction of PL mount high definition cameras, lenses are the weak point of the system. Not only is there a current shortage of quality PL mount lenses, but most of their designs date back to before the development of the 35mm electronic sensor. As discovered during the wave of development for 2/3˝ “cine” lenses, the electronic imager put higher demands on lens performance than film. Pixel size and density of the electronic imager respond differently than film to the lenses and it cannot be assumed that all PL mount lenses will provide the performance necessary to achieve satisfactory results.

The introduction of the Sony HDW-F900 in late 2000 gave us the first practical tool for high definition feature and episodic television production. We finally had a camera that provided high definition images using 24-frame progressive scanning that developed the temporal look of film. It was not perfect but it was a great improvement from the interlace cameras of the previous generation. With this development came a need for quality 2/3˝ B4 mount lenses that could meet the demands of the crews working in traditional “cine” applications. The first two television series using the

42

CAMERA OPERATOR: HI DEF WITH JEFF

HDW-F900 — Titus and Diagnosis Murder — were forced to use converted 35mm lenses or upgraded 2/3˝ EFP lenses for their first few seasons as no lens designed specifically for these applications had been manufactured yet.

Fujinon and Canon quickly brought “cine-style” lenses to market, but most of these lenses fell short, as they were just repackaged versions of current EFP zooms. Fujinon finally responded with the “E” series primes and zooms that provided the performance and design necessary for acceptance.

It took longer for the traditional film lens manufacturers to develop their products for digital cinematography. Carl Zeiss, with the DigiPrimes and DigiZooms, was the first film lens company to produce purpose-built “cine” lenses for the electronic cameras from Sony, Panasonic and Thompson. The design of these lenses was styled after the products Zeiss had been producing for Arriflex and other film cameras, and provided an easy transition for film crews working with high definition for the first time.

The first DigiPrimes had more than the look and feel of film lenses: they also provided an improvement in performance from the traditional EFP style lens.

The CCD imagers in the cameras of the period used pixels about 5-micron in size, less than half the size of the 12-micron film grain targeted by film lenses. This required lenses to resolve at much higher levels to get the maximum performance from the camera. The MTF (Modulation Transfer Factor) for the Zeiss lenses is in the high 90% levels, about 20% to 30% higher than standard 2/3˝ B4 mount zooms. The 2/3˝ lens designs had to take into account the idiosyncrasies of the prism used to split the light into individual Red, Green and Blue images. The transmission delays of the individual color paths through the prism were corrected so that each color channel focused and aligned on the three sensors precisely.

Aberration correction had to be more precise as the CCD’s perfectly flat target would not mask error the way film moving through the gate of a film camera does.

These lenses also used aspheric elements to keep the lenses small and to align the light for better performance with the pixels of the electronic imager. All of the lens manufacturers had to consider these design challenges to stay competitive in the high-end production market.

The development of high definition electronic cameras using 35mm and bigger imagers has expanded these issues to a completely new group of lenses. Unlike the 2/3˝ lens market, we have a large, existing base of PL mount lenses for the feature film and episodic markets. For decades Angénieux, Cooke and Zeiss have been producing high-quality PL mount lenses for film production; however, most of these lenses were designed prior to the development of the imager technology used in these new electronic imaging systems. The Sony F35 and SRW-9000PL have imagers utilizing 16.4 million pixels, the Arri Alexa has 5.65 million, and Red Epic uses more than 13.8 million pixels. These cameras put heavy demands on the optics attached to them, as the pixel size of these cameras is far smaller than the grain structure of the film used as Fall / Winter 2010

reference for the design process of older, existing lenses.

Some of the more recent designs from traditional lens manufactures will provide a very high quality image on the current offering of PL mount high definition cameras from ARRI, Sony and RED, but the question is, are they giving you the maximum performance possible from these cameras? The newest lenses from Cooke and Leica are the exception to this rule. These manufacturers have had an opportunity to address these issues in their designs.

As with the 2/3˝ lenses, aberration correction is a key factor in the design of new lenses. Unlike film, a CCD or CMOS sensor is flat and does not move, which means lens aberrations that might appear and disappear on film are visible at all times with the electronic sensor.

This can manifest itself in color fringing, usually noticed at the edge of the frame or in the corners of the image. The designers at Zeiss told me that with more recent designs, Ultra Primes and Master Primes, aberration correction has been addressed more actively than in the past. But they also recommend testing a lens on the camera as the only way to be sure that you do not have an issue. The IR and Low Pass Filters that most of the high definition cameras have in front of the sensor can affect the

performance too. Simply projecting the lens may not be a good indicator of how the lens will perform when mounted on the camera.

As the resolution capabilities of the electronic camera systems improve, the MTF capabilities of the lenses will have to increase to maintain the quality and performance advantages of the camera.

Higher quality PL mount lenses have an MTF of 70% or above at 20 cycles per mm, the current resolutions we work with in today’s production environment. Looking to the future of 6k to 8k or 40 cycles per mm imaging, most of the current lenses will only provide an MTF in the 30% to 40% range. Unless the lens is used for an effect or a look, it may not be a good choice, as this level of performance will not reproduce the maximum capability of these future camera systems.

Of the lenses in current production, the Leica Summilux-C Primes are the only PL lenses designed to meet the MTF threshold of better than 70% at 40 cycles per mm. Newer lens designs such as Leica’s also use aspheric lens elements to create a light pattern that directs the light into the pixels in a more direct path. The light from older designs contacts the face of the sensor at a severe angle making the transfer of energy less efficient. As more lenses are

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Fall / Winter 2010

reference for the design process of older, existing lenses.

Some of the more recent designs from traditional lens manufactures will provide a very high quality image on the current offering of PL mount high definition cameras from ARRI, Sony and RED, but the question is, are they giving you the maximum performance possible from these cameras? The newest lenses from Cooke and Leica are the exception to this rule. These manufacturers have had an opportunity to address these issues in their designs.

As with the 2/3˝ lenses, aberration correction is a key factor in the design of new lenses. Unlike film, a CCD or CMOS sensor is flat and does not move, which means lens aberrations that might appear and disappear on film are visible at all times with the electronic sensor.

This can manifest itself in color fringing, usually noticed at the edge of the frame or in the corners of the image. The designers at Zeiss told me that with more recent designs, Ultra Primes and Master Primes, aberration correction has been addressed more actively than in the past. But they also recommend testing a lens on the camera as the only way to be sure that you do not have an issue. The IR and Low Pass Filters that most of the high definition cameras have in front of the sensor can affect the

performance too. Simply projecting the lens may not be a good indicator of how the lens will perform when mounted on the camera.

As the resolution capabilities of the electronic camera systems improve, the MTF capabilities of the lenses will have to increase to maintain the quality and performance advantages of the camera.

Higher quality PL mount lenses have an MTF of 70% or above at 20 cycles per mm, the current resolutions we work with in today’s production environment. Looking to the future of 6k to 8k or 40 cycles per mm imaging, most of the current lenses will only provide an MTF in the 30% to 40% range. Unless the lens is used for an effect or a look, it may not be a good choice, as this level of performance will not reproduce the maximum capability of these future camera systems.

Of the lenses in current production, the Leica Summilux-C Primes are the only PL lenses designed to meet the MTF threshold of better than 70% at 40 cycles per mm. Newer lens designs such as Leica’s also use aspheric lens elements to create a light pattern that directs the light into the pixels in a more direct path. The light from older designs contacts the face of the sensor at a severe angle making the transfer of energy less efficient. As more lenses are

CAMERA SUPPORT SYSTEMS The Ultimate Articulating Arm System Completely modular allowing you to custom design for your needs.

Rigging gear for monitors, cameras, lights, microphones, and clamps Light weight, rugged, ball and socket components with an o-ring in the ball for ease of use and holding power.

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Made in USA PH: (805)484-3334 www.ulcs.com 44

CAMERA OPERATOR: HI DEF WITH JEFF

Fall / Winter 2010

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Band Pro .............................................18 Chapman Leonard ............................43 Cinematography Electronics ..........45 Clairmont Camera ............................28 Deluxe Laboratories.........................16 Dreamworks Animation ................IFC Filmtools .............................................47 FUJIFILM Motion Picture Division .27 Fujinon ...............................................BC Glidecam ............................................45 Grip Trix ................................................8 Hot Gears .............................................7 JL Fisher ........................................... IBC Lite Panels, Inc ..................................31 Musicians Interguild ........................46 Panavision ..........................................15 Paramount....................................3, 5, 6 Sony ......................................................9 Ultra Light Control Systems ...........44 VariZoom............................................11 Warner Bros Photo Lab ...................44

PICTURE THIS ...

www.bandpro.com www.chapman-leonard.com www.cinematographyelectronics.com www.clairmont.com www.bydeluxe.com www.dreamworksanimation.com www.filmtools.com www.fujifilmusa.com www.fujinon.com www.glidecam.com www.griptrix.com www.hotgears.com www.jlfisher.com www.litepanels.com www.musicianscu.org www.panavision.com www.paramount.com www.sonypictures.com www.ulcs.com www.varizoom.com www.wbphotolab.com

PRODUCTS & SERVICES That makes banking just a little easier!

Here at MICU we’re showing off our talent and letting our creative side show, by finding ways to bring you simple banking. * New Auto Loan rates as low as 3.25% up to 60 months * Used Auto Loan rates as low as 4.25% up to 60 months * Free access to over 28,000 CO-OP Network ATMs and 800,000 ATMs worldwide through links to the NYCE, STAR, Cirrus, Pulse and Plus networks * Car buying services through Autoland, Redbook, & Executive Car Leasing * Our free checking account offers you both ATM and free debit cards with REWARDS * We also offer CURewards™ for our VISA credit card * Free Online Teller and Money Maestro Audio Teller * Real Estate loan services through West Coast Realty (personal service). If we can’t fund the loan we’ll help you find a lender who can help you.

We offer guaranteed lowest loan rates for all consumer loans.

We’ll MEET or BEAT other approved rates from financial institutions.

For DETAILS, call us toll free at 1-800-393-3833 or visit us online at www.musicianscu.org

46

Hollywood Branch 817 N. Vine Street, Suite 200 Hollywood, CA 90038

Studio City Branch 11440 Ventura Blvd, Suite 101 Studio City, CA 91604

Toll Free: 800 / 393-3833 Phone: 323 / 462-6447 Fax: 323 / 462-4411

Toll Free: 800 / 393-3833 Phone: 818 / 763-7005 Fax: 818 / 505-8407

Cuadpro Marketing 10-57

CAMERA OPERATOR: HI DEF WITH JEFF

Even with these new capabilities and designs, the pre-sensor filtering and pitch of the sensor can affect the performance of the camera and lens combinations. In recent testing of film and multiple electronic camera models with many kinds of lenses, we have seen certain focal lengths look better on a particular camera while a different focal length of the same brand may look better on another. The only conclusion I can make from this testing is that you cannot assume that just because the lens has the highest specifications that you are guaranteed the best image. The only way to be sure is to do oncamera testing.

I know that these are only a couple of the factors in determining which lens to select for your particular project, but the key to getting the best performance is on-camera testing. Just because it has a PL mount does not mean it will work at the level you require on every camera. The MTF of the lens and how it matches the input filtering and pitch of the sensor all affect the performance. With older lenses you have to be conscious of possible color aberrations that you never saw before when using film.

Are the lenses you are using optimized for use with electronic sensors? Most are not. All of these things will affect the performance and look of your project, and you may purposely use an inferior lens to get the look you require.

Specifications alone will not give you the information you need to make a valid choice. Only putting the lens on the camera will give you the answer.

Jeffrey Cree SOC is the Vice President for Technical Services at Band Pro Film & Digital Inc.

Fall / Winter 2010

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Band Pro .............................................18 Chapman Leonard ............................43 Cinematography Electronics ..........45 Clairmont Camera ............................28 Deluxe Laboratories.........................16 Dreamworks Animation ................IFC Filmtools .............................................47 FUJIFILM Motion Picture Division .27 Fujinon ...............................................BC Glidecam ............................................45 Grip Trix ................................................8 Hot Gears .............................................7 JL Fisher ........................................... IBC Lite Panels, Inc ..................................31 Musicians Interguild ........................46 Panavision ..........................................15 Paramount....................................3, 5, 6 Sony ......................................................9 Ultra Light Control Systems ...........44 VariZoom............................................11 Warner Bros Photo Lab ...................44

PICTURE THIS ...

www.bandpro.com www.chapman-leonard.com www.cinematographyelectronics.com www.clairmont.com www.bydeluxe.com www.dreamworksanimation.com www.filmtools.com www.fujifilmusa.com www.fujinon.com www.glidecam.com www.griptrix.com www.hotgears.com www.jlfisher.com www.litepanels.com www.musicianscu.org www.panavision.com www.paramount.com www.sonypictures.com www.ulcs.com www.varizoom.com www.wbphotolab.com

PRODUCTS & SERVICES That makes banking just a little easier!

Here at MICU we’re showing off our talent and letting our creative side show, by finding ways to bring you simple banking. * New Auto Loan rates as low as 3.25% up to 60 months * Used Auto Loan rates as low as 4.25% up to 60 months * Free access to over 28,000 CO-OP Network ATMs and 800,000 ATMs worldwide through links to the NYCE, STAR, Cirrus, Pulse and Plus networks * Car buying services through Autoland, Redbook, & Executive Car Leasing * Our free checking account offers you both ATM and free debit cards with REWARDS * We also offer CURewards™ for our VISA credit card * Free Online Teller and Money Maestro Audio Teller * Real Estate loan services through West Coast Realty (personal service). If we can’t fund the loan we’ll help you find a lender who can help you.

We offer guaranteed lowest loan rates for all consumer loans.

We’ll MEET or BEAT other approved rates from financial institutions.

For DETAILS, call us toll free at 1-800-393-3833 or visit us online at www.musicianscu.org

46

Hollywood Branch 817 N. Vine Street, Suite 200 Hollywood, CA 90038

Studio City Branch 11440 Ventura Blvd, Suite 101 Studio City, CA 91604

Toll Free: 800 / 393-3833 Phone: 323 / 462-6447 Fax: 323 / 462-4411

Toll Free: 800 / 393-3833 Phone: 818 / 763-7005 Fax: 818 / 505-8407

Cuadpro Marketing 10-57

CAMERA OPERATOR: HI DEF WITH JEFF

Even with these new capabilities and designs, the pre-sensor filtering and pitch of the sensor can affect the performance of the camera and lens combinations. In recent testing of film and multiple electronic camera models with many kinds of lenses, we have seen certain focal lengths look better on a particular camera while a different focal length of the same brand may look better on another. The only conclusion I can make from this testing is that you cannot assume that just because the lens has the highest specifications that you are guaranteed the best image. The only way to be sure is to do oncamera testing.

I know that these are only a couple of the factors in determining which lens to select for your particular project, but the key to getting the best performance is on-camera testing. Just because it has a PL mount does not mean it will work at the level you require on every camera. The MTF of the lens and how it matches the input filtering and pitch of the sensor all affect the performance. With older lenses you have to be conscious of possible color aberrations that you never saw before when using film.

Are the lenses you are using optimized for use with electronic sensors? Most are not. All of these things will affect the performance and look of your project, and you may purposely use an inferior lens to get the look you require.

Specifications alone will not give you the information you need to make a valid choice. Only putting the lens on the camera will give you the answer.

Jeffrey Cree SOC is the Vice President for Technical Services at Band Pro Film & Digital Inc.

Fall / Winter 2010

Roster of the Society of

CAMERA OPERATORS Andrew Glenn Conder Michael Condon Tom Connole Dan Coplan Javier A Costa Richard J Cottrell Andrei Cranach Jeff Cree Rod Crombie Caleb Crosby White Lyndel Crosley Richard A Cullis Michael L Culp Grant Culwell Joseph C D’Alessandro Markus Davids Bruce E Davis Richard W Davis Mark G Dawson Ray de la Motte Andrew A Dean Michael S Dean Kris Andrew Denton Joel Deutsch ACTIVE David E Diano Jonathan S Abrams Troy Dick Bernie Abramson Jason Dittmer Art Adams Ian Dodd Steven A Adelson Todd A Dos Reis Michael R Alba Rick Drapkin Bret Allen Mitch Dubin Derek M Allen Jerry Dugan Lee Allison Simon Duggan, ACS Robert Reed Altman Louis R Duskin Colin Anderson Lou Dustin Jack Anderson Barry P Dycus Aldo Antonelli Miguelangel Aponte-Rios Allen D Easton David E Elkins Francois Archambault Jason Ellson Joseph Arena David Emmerichs Will Arnot Kevin J Emmons Ted Ashton Jr Alex Esber Mark August James Etheridge Grayson Grant Austin Brant S Fagan Paul Babin Tom Faigh Randall B Baer Diane L Farrell Christopher Baffa Dianne Teresa Farrington Lonn Bailey Michael Ferris James Baldanza Kenneth Ferro Vincent Baldino Craig Fikse Jerry Banales Dick Fisher Jeff Barklage Lance Fisher Ricardo Barredo Aaron Fitzgerald Tom Barron Eric Fletcher Gary H Baum Houman Forough Timothy D Beavers Steven G Fracol Jaswinder S Bedi Nick Franco Guy Norman Bee Candide Franklyn Tim Bellen Thomas Fraser Richard Benda David J Frederick Jeb Bergh Marc Andre Berthiaume Michael Frediani Mike A Freeman George M Bianchini Buddy Fries Lance Billitzer Jeff Fry Howard H Bingham Jack Garrett Bonnie S Blake David Gasperik Jason Blount Rusty Geller Bob C Boccaccio Michael Genne Richard Bolter Mark Gerasimenko Harry C Box Vito Giambalvo Katie Boyum Bill Gierhart Kevin D Braband Laurie K Gilbert Denise Brassard Mark Goellnicht Michael Brennen Daniel Gold Gerard Brigante Allen Gonzales Garrett Brown Robert Gorelick Kenny Brown David Allen Grove Pete Brown Lee Grover Scott Browner Robert Guernsey Robin Buerki John C Guntzelman Gary Bush Chris C Haarhoff Stephen S Campanelli Anette Haellmigk Susan A Campbell Daniel Hagouel Richard Cantu John Hankammer Capt Jose A Cardenas Anthony Hardwick Peter Cavaciuti Kent Harvey Michael W Chambliss Chris Hayes Lou Chanatry David Haylock Joe Chess Jr Steven F Heuer Julian Chojnacki Kevin Hewitt Joseph V Cicio Ronald High Jeff L Clark Charles M Hill, Jr Jeffrey R Clark Joachim Hoffmann Anthony Cobbs Abe Holtz Steven Cohen Jerry Holway Gregory Paul Collier CHARTER Parker Bartlett Paul Basta Michael Benson Jerry G Callaway Joe Epperson William Jay Gahret Peter Hapke Lee Nakahara Jay Nefcy Leigh Nicholson Dan Norris David B Nowell, ASC Wayne Orr Ernie Reed Michael Scott Michael St Hilaire Ray Stella Joseph F Valentine Ron Vidor

Casey Hotchkiss William Stephen Howell II Gary Huddleston Colin Hudson Jeffrey G Hunt Philip Hurn David Insley Levie C Isaacks Dave Isern Christopher Ivins Eugene W Jackson III Jerry M Jacob Francis G James Alec Jarnagin Michael Jarocki Simon Jayes Peter Jensen Michael A Johnson Steven Jones Jacques Jouffret John H Joyce David Judy David C Kanehann Mark Karavite Michael Karp Wayne L Kelley Vernon Kifer David Kimelman Douglas H Knapp Dan Kneece Rory Robert Knepp Kris Krosskove Jules Labarthe Erwin Landau George F Lang Per Larsson Robin Lawless John Lazear Eric Leach Sergio Leandro Silva Richard Leible Joshua Lesser Ken Libby Jimmy W Lindsey Hugh C Litfin Lynn Lockwood George Loomis David Luckenbach Allan Lum Li Greg Lundsgaard Kenji Luster Vincent C Mack Heather MacKenzie Paul S Magee David Mahlmann James Mann Kim Marks Jim McConkey BJ McDonnell Michael P McGowan Christopher TJ McGuire Maurice K McGuire Aaron Medick Robert L Mehnert Jack Messitt Marc Miller William E Mills Andrew Mitchell William Molina David Monroe Jeff Moore Robert “Bob” Moore Juan Matias Ramos Mora Denis Moran Josh Morton Manolo Rojas Moscopulos Don Muirhead Marty F Mullin Michael Mulvey Scott T Mumford Sean Murray Jon Myers Leo J Napolitano Julye Newlin William R Nielsen, Jr Randy Nolen Tamas P Nyerges William “Billy O” O’Drobinak Mark D O’Kane Michael D Off Russell Ofria James Olcovich Andrew William Oliver Lucio Olivieri Mark Richard Olsen

John Orland Rafael Ortiz-Guzman Georgia Tornai Packard George Paddock Heather Page Nick Paige Charles Papert Andrew Parke David L Parrish Patrick J Pask Philip Pastuhov Christopher T Paul William F Pecchi Jr Karin Pelloni Terry Pfrang Mike Pierce Theo Pingarelli Jens Piotrowski Joseph Piscitelli Robert Presley John Radzik Kevin Riley Mark A Ritchie Timothy Roarke Brooks Robinson Randall Robinson Rick Robinson David Robman Andy Romanoff Peter Rosenfeld Michael S Roth Dave Rutherford P Scott Sakamoto Tom O Sanders Michael Santy Martin Schaer Ron Schlaeger Mark Schlicher Gregory J Schmidt Thomas J Schnaidt Chuck Schuman Philip D Schwartz Bob Scott Brian D Scott Alicia Craft Sehring Benjamin Semanoff Khallid J Shabazz Brad Shield Geoffrey C Shotz Osvaldo Silvera Jamie Silverstein Guy Skinner John Sosenko Andy Sparaco Mike Spodnik Sandy Spooner Edward B Springer Lisa L Stacilauskas Robert Starling Scott Stelle George B Stephenson Daniel Stilling Sandra Stojanovic Michael R Stumpf David L Svenson Brian E Sweeney James H Sweeney Bill Swinghamer Paul Taylor Taj Teffaha David James Thompson Richard Tiedemann John Toll, ASC David Tolsky Tsuneyuki Tometaka Remi Tournois John Trapman Michael Tsimperopoulos Chris Tufty Dan Turrett Brian Tweedt Joseph Urbanczyk Matt Valentine Paul D Varrieur Ron Veto Stefan von Bjorn Bill Waldman Michael J Walker Adam S Ward Mark Warshaw Gretchen Warthen William Webb Aiken Weiss Thomas Weston Tom Weston

Mande Whitaker Kit Whitmore, CSC Brian Keith Wilcox Jeffrey Wilkins Bill Williams Joe “Jody” Williams Chad Wilson Dana D Winseman RL Wise David Wolff Ian D Woolston-Smith Noel Adrian Wyatt Peter C Xiques Warren Yeager Elizabeth Ziegler Carolina Zorrilla de San Martin ASSOCIATE Amy H Abrams John Addocks David S Adelstein Lance Allen Jon L Anderson Jacob Avignone Karen Beck Bruce Bender Jaron Berman Stephen Blanor Jeffrey D Bollman Peter Bonilla Jean-Paul Bonneau David Boyd John Boyd Maja Broz Carmen Cabana Anthony Q Caldwell David S Campbell Bruce Cardozo Paolo Cascio Richard T Cascio Stephen Mark Ciappetta Chad Courtney Michelle Crenshaw Richard P Crudo, ASC Nicholas Egor Davidoff Ronald Deveaux Jorge Devotto David Dibble George Spiro Dibie, ASC Kevin Downey Paul A Duclos Bert Dunk, ASC Keith Dunkerley Steven Duval Brian James Dzyak Jonathan Edwards Keith “Iceberg” Eisberg Christopher Ekstein Shane English Robert C Fisher Archie Fletcher John C Flinn III, ASC Mark Forman Keith Francis Fred M Frintrup Peter F Frintrup Richard Garbutt James P Garvey Hank Gifford Michael Goi, ASC Wayne Goldwyn Al Gonzalez Frederic Goodich, ASC John M Goodner Afton M Grant Dave Gregory Phil Gries Eric Gunner Mortensen Kevin M Haggerty Bob Hall James Hammond James W Hart Robert Hayes Anthony P Hettinger John Hill Ken Hilmer Scott Hoffman Melissa Holt Chris Hood Jim Hunter Carrie Imai Toshiyuki Imai Gregory Irwin Blake B Jackson Leo Jaramillo

Morgan Jenkins John Chancell Jennings Peter J Johnson Frank E Johnson, ASC Kurt Jones Quenell Jones Robert Joyce David Kane Kevin N Kemp Mark H Killian Douglas Kirkland Michael Klimchak Craig Kohlhoff Michael Kowalczyk Cindy Kurland Robert La Bonge George La Fountaine, ASC Thomas Lappin Lee David Laska-Abbott Greg Le Duc Taggart A Lee Mark R Leins Alan J Levi Mark Levin Adrian Licciardi Ilya Jo Lie-Nielsen Stephen Lighthill, ASC Stuart T Lillas Jong Lin Colleen Ann Lindl Jefferson K Loftfield Jessica Lopez Jasmine Lord Roland J Luna Tony Magaletta Kominik Mainl Adam Mansfield Duane C Manwiller Jesus A Marcano Emily Marchand Jorge A Marcial Richard Marks James Mathers Tisha Mathews Jim R Matlosz Dr Ellen Matsumoto John Matysiak Krystal A Maughan Joseph T McDonnell III Charles Minsky, ASC K Adriana Modlin Larry Mole Parker Shauna Morgan Brown Dana Morris Matthew C Mosher Richard Mosier Shah Mundell Joshua S Narins John Newby Natalie Newman Derek Nickell Crescenzo GP Notarile, ASC John O’Shaughnessy Steven D Parker Florencia Perez Cardenal Mark W Petersen Matthew A Petrosky Jon Philion Astrid Phillips Robert G Pittman W S Pivetta Ted Polmanski Serge T Poupis Boris Price Robert Primes, ASC Andrea Quaglio Liz Radley Udo Ravenstein Richard Rawlings Jr, ASC Marcia Reed Bill Reiter Sandy Rentmeester Brian D Reynolds David Richert Alicia Robbins Ken Robings Peter J Rooney David Rosner Douglas Roth David Roy Tondeur Marvin Rush, ASC Colin Sabala Shereen L Saiyed Mehran Salamati Germano Saracco, AIC

Carl Martin Schumacher, Sr Christian Sebaldt, ASC Charles A Simons Michael Skor Jan Sluchak Robert F Smith Brian Sowell Don Spiro Joe B Stallworth Owen Stephens Tara Summers Andy Sydney John Tarver Joe Tawil Christopher Taylor John Twesten Caitlin Tyler Daniel Urbain Sandra Valde Nina Varano Craig W Walsh Brian Watkins Shaun Wheeler Gregory L White Jennifer Woldrich Rex Allan Worthy Pol C Wright Tony Yarlett Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC

Robert H Peebles Arnold Rich Sam Rosen Frank Ruttencutter Richard Salvatore Hal Shiffman Phil Stern David Sutton Gene Talvin Pernell Tyus Sven Walnum Ben Wolf

FRIENDS OF THE SOC 5 GUYS NAMED MOE Kenneth Yas ARRI Bill Russell BARTECH ENGINEERING Jim Bartell BEXEL CORPORATION John Keesee BIRNS & SAWYER, INC Alan Brennecke CHAPMAN/LEONARD STUDIOS Leonard T Chapman Christine J Huenergardt CLAIRMONT CAMERA Denny Clairmont HONORARY DELUXE LABS John Bailey, ASC Steve Van Anda James Burrows DIGIHOLLYWOOD Tilman Büttner Chol Kim Alexander Calzatti DOGGICAM Trevor Coop Gary Thieltges Roger Corman DOLBY IMAGING Dean Cundey, ASC Bill Admans Bruce Doering EASTMAN KODAK William A Fraker, ASC Judy Doherty Jack Green, ASC FILMTOOLS Tom Hatten Stan McClain Ron Howard FOTOKEM Ron Kelley Bill Brodersen Kathleen Kennedy-Marshall FUJI PHOTO FILM USA Jerry Lewis Sandra Kurotobi Larry McConkey FUJINON,INC Rick Mitchell Chuck Lee A Linn Murphree MD GEO FILM GROUP Diana Penilla George Nolan Jay Roth HYDROFLEX, INC Steven Spielberg Matt Brown Robert A Torres ISAIA & CO George Toscas Roy Isaia Roy Wagner, ASC JL FISHER COMPANY Haskell Wexler, ASC Jimmy L Fisher Frank Kay RETIRED LEE FILTERS (A DIVISION Gary Olyn Armstrong OF PANAVISION) Eugene Ashbrook Sean Hise Stewart Barbee MOLE-RICHARDSON Lou Barlia Larry Mole Parker Rupert Benson Jr OASIS IMAGING Al Bettcher Cassie Crosse Joe Blaisdell OCONNOR ENGINEERING James Blanford LABORATORIES Vee Bodrero Joel Johnson Donald R Burch OTTO NEMENZ Philip Caplan INTERNATIONAL Bruce Catlin Fritz Heinzl Jim Connell Otto Nemenz Ivan Craig PACE TECHNOLOGIES Robert Feller Vincenzo M Pace Gerald P Finnerman, ASC PANAVISION Jerry Fuller Bob Harvey Gil Haimson Phil Radon Wynn Hammer PHOTO-SONICS Lutz Hapke Conrad Kiel Terence A “Terry” Harkin SCHNEIDER OPTICS/ Gary Holt CENTURY DIVISION Robert C Horne Bill Turner Bob Keys SONY ELECTRONICS Norm Langley Reginald Watson Steve Lydecker TECHNICOLOR Owen Marsh Adam Chuck Bob Marta Robert Dennis Stan McClain TIFFEN Michael McClary Frank Rush Ron McManus VINTEN Emmanuel Metaxas Peter Harman Ed Morey Peter Vinten Sol Negrin, ASC King Nicholson John G Nogle Aaron Pazanti

Roster Current as of 11/8/10

48

CAMERA OPERATOR: SOC ROSTER

Fall / Winter 2010

Roster of the Society of

CAMERA OPERATORS Andrew Glenn Conder Michael Condon Tom Connole Dan Coplan Javier A Costa Richard J Cottrell Andrei Cranach Jeff Cree Rod Crombie Caleb Crosby White Lyndel Crosley Richard A Cullis Michael L Culp Grant Culwell Joseph C D’Alessandro Markus Davids Bruce E Davis Richard W Davis Mark G Dawson Ray de la Motte Andrew A Dean Michael S Dean Kris Andrew Denton Joel Deutsch ACTIVE David E Diano Jonathan S Abrams Troy Dick Bernie Abramson Jason Dittmer Art Adams Ian Dodd Steven A Adelson Todd A Dos Reis Michael R Alba Rick Drapkin Bret Allen Mitch Dubin Derek M Allen Jerry Dugan Lee Allison Simon Duggan, ACS Robert Reed Altman Louis R Duskin Colin Anderson Lou Dustin Jack Anderson Barry P Dycus Aldo Antonelli Miguelangel Aponte-Rios Allen D Easton David E Elkins Francois Archambault Jason Ellson Joseph Arena David Emmerichs Will Arnot Kevin J Emmons Ted Ashton Jr Alex Esber Mark August James Etheridge Grayson Grant Austin Brant S Fagan Paul Babin Tom Faigh Randall B Baer Diane L Farrell Christopher Baffa Dianne Teresa Farrington Lonn Bailey Michael Ferris James Baldanza Kenneth Ferro Vincent Baldino Craig Fikse Jerry Banales Dick Fisher Jeff Barklage Lance Fisher Ricardo Barredo Aaron Fitzgerald Tom Barron Eric Fletcher Gary H Baum Houman Forough Timothy D Beavers Steven G Fracol Jaswinder S Bedi Nick Franco Guy Norman Bee Candide Franklyn Tim Bellen Thomas Fraser Richard Benda David J Frederick Jeb Bergh Marc Andre Berthiaume Michael Frediani Mike A Freeman George M Bianchini Buddy Fries Lance Billitzer Jeff Fry Howard H Bingham Jack Garrett Bonnie S Blake David Gasperik Jason Blount Rusty Geller Bob C Boccaccio Michael Genne Richard Bolter Mark Gerasimenko Harry C Box Vito Giambalvo Katie Boyum Bill Gierhart Kevin D Braband Laurie K Gilbert Denise Brassard Mark Goellnicht Michael Brennen Daniel Gold Gerard Brigante Allen Gonzales Garrett Brown Robert Gorelick Kenny Brown David Allen Grove Pete Brown Lee Grover Scott Browner Robert Guernsey Robin Buerki John C Guntzelman Gary Bush Chris C Haarhoff Stephen S Campanelli Anette Haellmigk Susan A Campbell Daniel Hagouel Richard Cantu John Hankammer Capt Jose A Cardenas Anthony Hardwick Peter Cavaciuti Kent Harvey Michael W Chambliss Chris Hayes Lou Chanatry David Haylock Joe Chess Jr Steven F Heuer Julian Chojnacki Kevin Hewitt Joseph V Cicio Ronald High Jeff L Clark Charles M Hill, Jr Jeffrey R Clark Joachim Hoffmann Anthony Cobbs Abe Holtz Steven Cohen Jerry Holway Gregory Paul Collier CHARTER Parker Bartlett Paul Basta Michael Benson Jerry G Callaway Joe Epperson William Jay Gahret Peter Hapke Lee Nakahara Jay Nefcy Leigh Nicholson Dan Norris David B Nowell, ASC Wayne Orr Ernie Reed Michael Scott Michael St Hilaire Ray Stella Joseph F Valentine Ron Vidor

Casey Hotchkiss William Stephen Howell II Gary Huddleston Colin Hudson Jeffrey G Hunt Philip Hurn David Insley Levie C Isaacks Dave Isern Christopher Ivins Eugene W Jackson III Jerry M Jacob Francis G James Alec Jarnagin Michael Jarocki Simon Jayes Peter Jensen Michael A Johnson Steven Jones Jacques Jouffret John H Joyce David Judy David C Kanehann Mark Karavite Michael Karp Wayne L Kelley Vernon Kifer David Kimelman Douglas H Knapp Dan Kneece Rory Robert Knepp Kris Krosskove Jules Labarthe Erwin Landau George F Lang Per Larsson Robin Lawless John Lazear Eric Leach Sergio Leandro Silva Richard Leible Joshua Lesser Ken Libby Jimmy W Lindsey Hugh C Litfin Lynn Lockwood George Loomis David Luckenbach Allan Lum Li Greg Lundsgaard Kenji Luster Vincent C Mack Heather MacKenzie Paul S Magee David Mahlmann James Mann Kim Marks Jim McConkey BJ McDonnell Michael P McGowan Christopher TJ McGuire Maurice K McGuire Aaron Medick Robert L Mehnert Jack Messitt Marc Miller William E Mills Andrew Mitchell William Molina David Monroe Jeff Moore Robert “Bob” Moore Juan Matias Ramos Mora Denis Moran Josh Morton Manolo Rojas Moscopulos Don Muirhead Marty F Mullin Michael Mulvey Scott T Mumford Sean Murray Jon Myers Leo J Napolitano Julye Newlin William R Nielsen, Jr Randy Nolen Tamas P Nyerges William “Billy O” O’Drobinak Mark D O’Kane Michael D Off Russell Ofria James Olcovich Andrew William Oliver Lucio Olivieri Mark Richard Olsen

John Orland Rafael Ortiz-Guzman Georgia Tornai Packard George Paddock Heather Page Nick Paige Charles Papert Andrew Parke David L Parrish Patrick J Pask Philip Pastuhov Christopher T Paul William F Pecchi Jr Karin Pelloni Terry Pfrang Mike Pierce Theo Pingarelli Jens Piotrowski Joseph Piscitelli Robert Presley John Radzik Kevin Riley Mark A Ritchie Timothy Roarke Brooks Robinson Randall Robinson Rick Robinson David Robman Andy Romanoff Peter Rosenfeld Michael S Roth Dave Rutherford P Scott Sakamoto Tom O Sanders Michael Santy Martin Schaer Ron Schlaeger Mark Schlicher Gregory J Schmidt Thomas J Schnaidt Chuck Schuman Philip D Schwartz Bob Scott Brian D Scott Alicia Craft Sehring Benjamin Semanoff Khallid J Shabazz Brad Shield Geoffrey C Shotz Osvaldo Silvera Jamie Silverstein Guy Skinner John Sosenko Andy Sparaco Mike Spodnik Sandy Spooner Edward B Springer Lisa L Stacilauskas Robert Starling Scott Stelle George B Stephenson Daniel Stilling Sandra Stojanovic Michael R Stumpf David L Svenson Brian E Sweeney James H Sweeney Bill Swinghamer Paul Taylor Taj Teffaha David James Thompson Richard Tiedemann John Toll, ASC David Tolsky Tsuneyuki Tometaka Remi Tournois John Trapman Michael Tsimperopoulos Chris Tufty Dan Turrett Brian Tweedt Joseph Urbanczyk Matt Valentine Paul D Varrieur Ron Veto Stefan von Bjorn Bill Waldman Michael J Walker Adam S Ward Mark Warshaw Gretchen Warthen William Webb Aiken Weiss Thomas Weston Tom Weston

Mande Whitaker Kit Whitmore, CSC Brian Keith Wilcox Jeffrey Wilkins Bill Williams Joe “Jody” Williams Chad Wilson Dana D Winseman RL Wise David Wolff Ian D Woolston-Smith Noel Adrian Wyatt Peter C Xiques Warren Yeager Elizabeth Ziegler Carolina Zorrilla de San Martin ASSOCIATE Amy H Abrams John Addocks David S Adelstein Lance Allen Jon L Anderson Jacob Avignone Karen Beck Bruce Bender Jaron Berman Stephen Blanor Jeffrey D Bollman Peter Bonilla Jean-Paul Bonneau David Boyd John Boyd Maja Broz Carmen Cabana Anthony Q Caldwell David S Campbell Bruce Cardozo Paolo Cascio Richard T Cascio Stephen Mark Ciappetta Chad Courtney Michelle Crenshaw Richard P Crudo, ASC Nicholas Egor Davidoff Ronald Deveaux Jorge Devotto David Dibble George Spiro Dibie, ASC Kevin Downey Paul A Duclos Bert Dunk, ASC Keith Dunkerley Steven Duval Brian James Dzyak Jonathan Edwards Keith “Iceberg” Eisberg Christopher Ekstein Shane English Robert C Fisher Archie Fletcher John C Flinn III, ASC Mark Forman Keith Francis Fred M Frintrup Peter F Frintrup Richard Garbutt James P Garvey Hank Gifford Michael Goi, ASC Wayne Goldwyn Al Gonzalez Frederic Goodich, ASC John M Goodner Afton M Grant Dave Gregory Phil Gries Eric Gunner Mortensen Kevin M Haggerty Bob Hall James Hammond James W Hart Robert Hayes Anthony P Hettinger John Hill Ken Hilmer Scott Hoffman Melissa Holt Chris Hood Jim Hunter Carrie Imai Toshiyuki Imai Gregory Irwin Blake B Jackson Leo Jaramillo

Morgan Jenkins John Chancell Jennings Peter J Johnson Frank E Johnson, ASC Kurt Jones Quenell Jones Robert Joyce David Kane Kevin N Kemp Mark H Killian Douglas Kirkland Michael Klimchak Craig Kohlhoff Michael Kowalczyk Cindy Kurland Robert La Bonge George La Fountaine, ASC Thomas Lappin Lee David Laska-Abbott Greg Le Duc Taggart A Lee Mark R Leins Alan J Levi Mark Levin Adrian Licciardi Ilya Jo Lie-Nielsen Stephen Lighthill, ASC Stuart T Lillas Jong Lin Colleen Ann Lindl Jefferson K Loftfield Jessica Lopez Jasmine Lord Roland J Luna Tony Magaletta Kominik Mainl Adam Mansfield Duane C Manwiller Jesus A Marcano Emily Marchand Jorge A Marcial Richard Marks James Mathers Tisha Mathews Jim R Matlosz Dr Ellen Matsumoto John Matysiak Krystal A Maughan Joseph T McDonnell III Charles Minsky, ASC K Adriana Modlin Larry Mole Parker Shauna Morgan Brown Dana Morris Matthew C Mosher Richard Mosier Shah Mundell Joshua S Narins John Newby Natalie Newman Derek Nickell Crescenzo GP Notarile, ASC John O’Shaughnessy Steven D Parker Florencia Perez Cardenal Mark W Petersen Matthew A Petrosky Jon Philion Astrid Phillips Robert G Pittman W S Pivetta Ted Polmanski Serge T Poupis Boris Price Robert Primes, ASC Andrea Quaglio Liz Radley Udo Ravenstein Richard Rawlings Jr, ASC Marcia Reed Bill Reiter Sandy Rentmeester Brian D Reynolds David Richert Alicia Robbins Ken Robings Peter J Rooney David Rosner Douglas Roth David Roy Tondeur Marvin Rush, ASC Colin Sabala Shereen L Saiyed Mehran Salamati Germano Saracco, AIC

Carl Martin Schumacher, Sr Christian Sebaldt, ASC Charles A Simons Michael Skor Jan Sluchak Robert F Smith Brian Sowell Don Spiro Joe B Stallworth Owen Stephens Tara Summers Andy Sydney John Tarver Joe Tawil Christopher Taylor John Twesten Caitlin Tyler Daniel Urbain Sandra Valde Nina Varano Craig W Walsh Brian Watkins Shaun Wheeler Gregory L White Jennifer Woldrich Rex Allan Worthy Pol C Wright Tony Yarlett Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC

Robert H Peebles Arnold Rich Sam Rosen Frank Ruttencutter Richard Salvatore Hal Shiffman Phil Stern David Sutton Gene Talvin Pernell Tyus Sven Walnum Ben Wolf

FRIENDS OF THE SOC 5 GUYS NAMED MOE Kenneth Yas ARRI Bill Russell BARTECH ENGINEERING Jim Bartell BEXEL CORPORATION John Keesee BIRNS & SAWYER, INC Alan Brennecke CHAPMAN/LEONARD STUDIOS Leonard T Chapman Christine J Huenergardt CLAIRMONT CAMERA Denny Clairmont HONORARY DELUXE LABS John Bailey, ASC Steve Van Anda James Burrows DIGIHOLLYWOOD Tilman Büttner Chol Kim Alexander Calzatti DOGGICAM Trevor Coop Gary Thieltges Roger Corman DOLBY IMAGING Dean Cundey, ASC Bill Admans Bruce Doering EASTMAN KODAK William A Fraker, ASC Judy Doherty Jack Green, ASC FILMTOOLS Tom Hatten Stan McClain Ron Howard FOTOKEM Ron Kelley Bill Brodersen Kathleen Kennedy-Marshall FUJI PHOTO FILM USA Jerry Lewis Sandra Kurotobi Larry McConkey FUJINON,INC Rick Mitchell Chuck Lee A Linn Murphree MD GEO FILM GROUP Diana Penilla George Nolan Jay Roth HYDROFLEX, INC Steven Spielberg Matt Brown Robert A Torres ISAIA & CO George Toscas Roy Isaia Roy Wagner, ASC JL FISHER COMPANY Haskell Wexler, ASC Jimmy L Fisher Frank Kay RETIRED LEE FILTERS (A DIVISION Gary Olyn Armstrong OF PANAVISION) Eugene Ashbrook Sean Hise Stewart Barbee MOLE-RICHARDSON Lou Barlia Larry Mole Parker Rupert Benson Jr OASIS IMAGING Al Bettcher Cassie Crosse Joe Blaisdell OCONNOR ENGINEERING James Blanford LABORATORIES Vee Bodrero Joel Johnson Donald R Burch OTTO NEMENZ Philip Caplan INTERNATIONAL Bruce Catlin Fritz Heinzl Jim Connell Otto Nemenz Ivan Craig PACE TECHNOLOGIES Robert Feller Vincenzo M Pace Gerald P Finnerman, ASC PANAVISION Jerry Fuller Bob Harvey Gil Haimson Phil Radon Wynn Hammer PHOTO-SONICS Lutz Hapke Conrad Kiel Terence A “Terry” Harkin SCHNEIDER OPTICS/ Gary Holt CENTURY DIVISION Robert C Horne Bill Turner Bob Keys SONY ELECTRONICS Norm Langley Reginald Watson Steve Lydecker TECHNICOLOR Owen Marsh Adam Chuck Bob Marta Robert Dennis Stan McClain TIFFEN Michael McClary Frank Rush Ron McManus VINTEN Emmanuel Metaxas Peter Harman Ed Morey Peter Vinten Sol Negrin, ASC King Nicholson John G Nogle Aaron Pazanti

Roster Current as of 11/8/10

48

CAMERA OPERATOR: SOC ROSTER

Fall / Winter 2010

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Fujinon quality - 4K and beyond in

Fujinon’s complete family of Premier PL zoom lenses.

24-180mm 18-85mm

T2.0

T2.6

75-400mm 14.5-45mm

T2.8-T3.8

Display Until April 2011

US $7.00 FALL–WINTER 2010

Fujinon’s Premier PL mount zoom lenses are designed for discriminating DP’s, camera operators, and camera assistants. Featuring 4K and beyond image capture capabilities, these lenses provide focal ranges, speed and optical performance not available before. Additional features include familiar marks and consistent gear placement, along with comparable size and weight. Our unique rear mount allows optimizing each lens for Digital Cinema or 35mm film cameras. The complete Premier PL Series lenses are now available. For more details, and to see how our PL mount lenses can make a clear difference for you, visit our website at www.Fujinon.com/DigitalCinema, or call 310-536-0771.

T2.0

WWW.SOC.ORG