Canadian Society of Cinematographers Magazine June 2010 by The CSC

Canadian Society of Cinematographers

$4 Summer 2010 www.csc.ca

Marilyn... Forever Blonde Karl Herrmann csc

V02 #03

Gregory Middleton csc Shoots Gunless • Passion and Dedication: The Art of Kim Derko csc 0

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CINEMATOGRAPHER Canadian

A publication of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers

The Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC) was founded in 1957 by a group of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa cameramen. Since then over 800 cinematographers and persons in associated occupations have joined the organization. The purpose of the CSC is to promote the art and craft of cinematography in Canada. And to provide tangible recognition of the common bonds that link film and video professionals, from the aspiring student and camera assistant to the news veteran and senior director of photography. We facilitate the dissemination and exchange of technical information and endeavor to advance the knowledge and status of our members within the industry. As an organization dedicated to furthering technical assistance, we maintain contact with non-partisan groups in our industry but have no political or union affiliation.

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FEATURES – volume 2, No. 3 SUMMER 2010

The Legend Lives On: Marilyn… Forever Blonde

By Karl Herrmann csc

Gunless: Getting Down and Dirty with Greg Middleton csc By Micol Marotti

Passion and Dedication: The Art of Kim Derko csc

By Robin Phillips

Columns & Departments 2 From the President 4 In Memoriam: Derek Vanlint csc & Ken Davey csc

6 What’s New: Technicolor Re-brands with a New Logo

8 In the News

23 2010 Hot Docs Wrap

25-28 Camera Classified; CSC Members; Productions Notes / Calendar

Cover: Sunny Thompson as Marilyn Monroe in Marilyn: Forever Blonde Photo by Howard Petrella

Canadian Cinematographer Summer 2010 Vol. 2, No. 3 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joan Hutton csc CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF George Willis csc, sasc EDITOR EMERITUS Donald Angus EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Susan Saranchuk admin@csc.ca EDITOR

From The PRESIDENT

Wyndham Wise mfa editor@csc.ca ART DIRECTION Berkeley Stat House COPY EDITOR Paul Townend PROOFREADER Karen Longland STUDENT INTERNS Robin Phillips Jonathan Thomas WEBSITE CONSULTANT Nikos Evdemon csc www.csc.ca ADVERTISING SALES Donald Angus donangus@sympatico.ca CSC OFFICE / MEMBERSHIP 131–3007 Kingston Road Toronto, Canada M1M 1P1 Tel: 416-266-0591; Fax: 416-266-3996 Email: admin@csc.ca CSC Subscription Dept. PO Box 181 283 Danforth Avenue Toronto, Canada M4K 1N2 Email: editor@csc.ca Canadian Cinematographer makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes; however, it cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed within the magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily of the publisher. Upon publication, Canadian Cinematographer acquires Canadian Serial Rights; copyright reverts to the writer after publication. Canadian Cinematographer is printed by Winnipeg Sun Commercial Print and is published 10 times a year. One-year subscriptions are available in Canada for $35.00 for individuals and $70.00 for institutions, including GST. In U.S. rates are $35.00 and $70.00 for institutions in U.S. funds. International subscriptions are $50.00 for individuals and $100.00 for institutions. Payment by money order in Canadian funds.

have some sad news to pass along. Sgt. Chuck Ross (Ret.) passed away May 16. CSC members who attended this year’s Awards Gala will remember Chuck and the huge impression he made on us all by accepting the special CSC Combat Camera Award on behalf of the courageous men and woman of the Canadian (Army) Film and Photo Unit (CFPU). It was their cameras that captured the heroic and brave contribution of Canadian soldiers during the Second World War.

With his camera at his side, Ross was a part of the D Day landing, shooting film of the Canadian push through France, the Netherlands and Sgt. Chuck Ross (Ret.) with Nikos Evdemon csc into Germany. In his acceptance speech, Ross said, “I accept this award on behalf of those who didn’t come home and for those who are dying. There are just six of us left out of a group of 70. It’s a great honour to carry out this tradition of recording history for today’s generation.” Chuck was 90 years old, and I know he will be greatly missed. Our sincere condolences go out to his friends and family. In this issue, Karl Herrmann csc, writes about his experience filming Marilyn: Forever Blonde, a one-woman show starring Sunny Thompson as the legendary Hollywood actress who took her own life at the height of her fame. Gregory Middleton csc recounts working on William Phillips’s Gunless, starring Paul Gross, Graham Greene and Callum Keith Rennie, in the wilds of the B.C. interior, and we profile one of our pre-eminent female DOPs, Kim Derko csc, whose impressive body of work encompasses theatrical features such as The Law of Enclosures and art gallery installations.

ISSN 1918-8781 Canadian Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40013776 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to 181-283 Danforth Ave. Toronto M4K 1N2

2 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

On a final note, this is the last issue of Canadian Cinematographer before our summer break. We will be back in September. So to all our members, sponsors and readers, have a great summer and see you in the fall!

CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL VIDEO TEC HNOLOGY EXPO

Canada’s pro video premiere … Friday and Saturday

June 18-19, 2010 Toronto Congress Centre, 650 Dixon Road

We’re witnessing a revolution in pro video and video production. And up to now, no Canadian venue has been able to showcase the dramatic changes. Introducing ProFusion 2010. See the top experts in their fields, the industryleading vendors and gear, the best innovations and the hottest trends – under one roof in a fabulous two-day event! Experience the future of video – at ProFusion 2010: • Keynote address by filmmaker and international HD-DSLR authority Philip Bloom, and Rodney Charters, ASC CSC, DoP of the award-winning series “24”

Philip Bloom - renowned Director and DoP and an early adaptor of HD-DSLRs will hold two interactive workshops: “From Stills to Video” and “Harnessing the power of HD-DSLRs”.

• Cinematographer and 3D pioneer Tim Dashwood • Latest technology in HD camcorders and lighting, audio, editing and HD-DSLR’s • Gala evening Fri., June 18, 6:30 – 10:00 p.m. Enjoy keynote address and buffet dinner, rub shoulders with top industry people. $79 (plus tax). Tickets free to CSC members. Register for tickets at:

profusionvideoexpo.com/getmyticket

Rodney Charters, DoP of “24”, will deliver a free presentation on the use of Canon HD DSLR’s in “24” (in Demonstration Theatre), plus sessions on lighting for HD-DSLR’s. Sponsored by Canon Canada.

In MEMORIAM

Derek Vanlint csc By Don Angus and Wyndham Wise

erek Vanlint csc, best known for his creative camera work on the classic 1979 sci-fi film Alien, died February 23 in Toronto after a short illness. He was 78 years old. A memorial for friends and admirers was held at Toronto’s Pinewood Studios in April. Born in London, England, prior to the Second World War, Vanlint was conscripted into the post-war British Army, which is where he learnt his craft. Released from the Army, he went into the business of making television commercials for the new medium. He set up shop in the Soho district of London, and this is where he met and first worked with the future director of Alien, Ridley Scott. Vanlint came to Canada in the mid-1970s to work in Toronto shooting commercials, but was called back to England by Scott to be his DOP on Alien. In 2003 Scott paid tribute to Vanlint at the Toronto International Film Festival when he released the director’s cut of the film. Vanlint was hailed for his brooding opening scene with the camera panning the corridors of the silent Nostromo space ship. The challenging shoot involved working with models and miniatures of the ship and planets as well as the aliens created by a special effects team. He was nominated for a British Society of Cinematographers award, and the film won an Oscar for its visual effects. In 1981 Vanlint was the DOP on the fantasy adventure Dragonslayer (Oscar-nominated for its visual effects) and both director and cinematographer on the 2000 Canada/U.S.

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co-production The Spreading Ground, starring Dennis Hopper and Tom McCamus. He was also behind the lens for the miniature shots of the railway explosion and island fireball on X-Men (2000), which was shot in Vancouver. He made Toronto his home in the mid-1980s, joined the CSC, and continued to work at a furious pace, creating spots for British Airways, GM, Bell Canada, Ford, Kellogg’s, Renault, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Guinness, Levi’s, Maxwell House, VISA, Panasonic, Ikea and Suzuki, sometimes assuming all the functions of director, DOP, operator and art director. His commercial work was so lucrative he even turned down the opportunity to shoot Blade Runner for Scott. His good friend James Gordon, a grip on many of his commercial shoots, remembers Vanlint as a “class act” and a “brilliant individual.” Apparently, according to Gordon, Vanlint had an encyclopedic knowledge of optics and lighting to the point where he could light a set without the use of a light meter. He had a photographic memory, a passion for art and a punishing work ethic. His short films included Jimmy Pacheo and Rosa’s Time, which debuted at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. In the world of film, few cinematographers have created a body of work that has created milestones by which others are measured. Vanlint defined a look and feel for film that has been emulated by cinematographers from London to Los Angeles. Five-times married, Vanlint is survived by his two daughters, Jacqueline and Jo-Anne.

Kenneth Davey csc By Susan Davey

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eacefully, on May 7, 2010, in Victoria, BC, Kenneth Richard Davey csc, 94, passed away to join his wife, Violet, whom he loved and adored. Ken leaves behind his daughter, Susan Davey (Ed East), granddaughters Jane Gagne (Mike Gagne), Emily Gingera and great-grandson Christian Kenneth Marc Gagne. Ken’s pride and joy came in the form of his family. He was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather and he devoted his entire life to them.

Ken attended St. John’s High school in Winnipeg and excelled as an amateur athlete, winning provincial awards in barrel jumping, speed skating and ski jumping. Ken also excelled in academics and while his interests were in the medical profession, financial hardship prevented him from going on to university. Ken began his career in the photographic department of the Hudson’s Bay Company, where he discovered a love for film, eventually becoming a lifetime member of the CSC. He went on to open his own very successful film and advertising businesses. Ken was a very resourceful man, self-taught in the film industry and able to construct his own processing lab. He undertook contract work for CBC-TV and CJAY-TV in Winnipeg and CKND in North Dakota, filming events and processing film. Ken had a passion for sports and he is most proud of the time he spent associated with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He will be lovingly remembered as a creative, brilliant and amazing man who valued kindness and generosity above all. He was a man who always accomplished what he set out to do. He will be greatly missed.

Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 •

WHAT’S NEW

CMO Ahmad Ouri from his office in Los Angeles. Technicolor is hoping that a new approach to the way it does business will benefit future endeavours. Technicolor is already considered the largest independent company in DVD and Blu-ray Disc replication, but feels that it has more to offer than just for what it’s best known. “We want to continue to strengthen the areas that we do have leading market shares in, including replication, digital cinema, film and post-production. But at the same time we want to expose what we’re doing in terms of innovation to the outside world,” said Ouri. Generally older companies don’t get along with new technology, but Technicolor has built a franchise on it. Technicolor was the first to develop practical colour cameras and participated in the future of the film industry when they helped create Hollywood classics such as The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain and Disney’s Fantasia. Now, decades later, it’s beginning to make another mark on movie history with 3D innovations.

Ahmad Ouri

Technicolor Re-brands with a New Logo and 3D Innovations There’s a lot more going on with Technicolor these days than just a pretty new logo. For starters, the 95-year-old company has shed the name of its parent company, Thomson, so that Technicolor will once again operate under its own name. Technicolor, purchased by the French electronics and media conglomerate Thomson in 2001, continued to work under the parent company’s name until February of this year. But the rebranding of Technicolor is really just the tip of the iceberg of the recent changes. “The way we’re going to approach our clients, the press and our partners will be a far more outreaching Technicolor than you would have seen in the last five to 10 years,” said Technicolor

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Technicolor has been involved in 3D innovation since the release of Chicken Little back in 2005. Since then Technicolor has had a heavy influence on 3D digital cinema. It has worked on over 80 per cent of the digital intermediates (post-production and colour correction process) in 3D that have been released. Technicolor created the first full-length 3D feature film released on Blu-ray 3D, Monsters Vs. Aliens, in collaboration with Dreamworks Animation and Samsung. The animated film will remain the only Blu-ray 3D for a while, with James Cameron’s Avatar not slated to be released in 3D until next year. While most of Technicolor’s future plans are related to 3D in the cinemas and the home, there are some other pet projects that are just as interesting. The company has announced that they would be producing animated pieces on Pete and Pickles, an animated children’s book. By producing their own content Technicolor hopes that it will further strengthen its relationship with its partners and the creative community. Technicolor will also be releasing advanced digital devices and applications for the home. More announcements on some of the innovations are to be made by the end of the year. Jonathan Thomas

Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 â&#x20AC;˘

In The News

capable of displaying 3D images in HD are making their living room debut. Samsung will be the first out of the gate with its line of 3D televisions, with five LED edge-lit LCD models that range in size from 40-to-55 inches (and prices from $2,500 to $4,000), followed by plasma models up to 63 inches. Other manufacturers have also announced plans to launch 3D television, including Panasonic, followed by Sony, LG, Toshiba and Sharp.

Panasonic’s Latest AVCCAM HD Camcorders Panasonic has announced its new AVCCAM HD camcorder, the AG-AF100, the first professional micro 4/3-inch video camcorder optimized for high-definition video recording. Scheduled to ship by the end of 2010, according to the Pansonic press blurb, the AG-AF100 will set a new benchmark for digital cinematography. Targeted at the video and film production communities, the Panasonic AF100 delivers the shallow depth of field and wider field of view of a large imager, with the flexibility and cost advantages of use with a growing line of professional quality, industry standard micro 4/3-inch lenses, filters and adapters. The full 1080 and 720 production camera offers superior video handling, native 1080/24p recording, variable frame rates, professional audio capabilities and compatibility with SDHC and SDXC media. The design of the AF100’s micro 4/3-inch sensor affords depth of field and field of view similar to that of 35-mm movie cameras in a less expensive camera body. Equipped with an interchangeable lens mount, the AF100 can utilize an array of low-cost, widely available still-camera lenses as well as film-style lenses with fixed focal lengths and primes. The camcorder records 1080/60i, 50i, 30p, 25p and 24p (native) and 720/60p, 50p, 30p, 25p and 24p (native) in AVCHD’s highest-quality PH mode (maximum 24Mbps). It is 60Hz and 50Hz switchable. The AF100 maximizes the potential of its high-resolution imager with built-in ND filtering and dramatically reduced video aliasing. This newest Panasonic AVCCAM camcorder is the first to enjoy the benefits of advanced SDXC media-card compatibility in addition to existing SDHC card support. (SDXC is the newest SD memory card specification that supports memory capacities above 32GB up to 2TB.) With two SD slots, the AF100 can record up to 12 hours on two 64GB SDXC cards in PH mode.

3D Television Coming Soon to a Living Room Near You Just as 3D films have taken over movie theatres, televisions

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These new televisions, which can also show 2D programming, are also ideal for 3D video gaming (beginning with the Sony PlayStation 3 this summer) and 3D sports broadcasts. In fact, at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Disney’s ESPN announced it would launch a 3D channel this summer, in time for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, while Sony, IMAX and Discovery Communications will also launch a 3D channel. Along with a 3D-capable HDTV, buyers will also need the following to experience the stereoscopic visuals at home: compatible 3D glasses that will cost up to $250 per pair; a 3D-enabled Blu-ray disc player (Samsung currently has the only model available); and a new HDMI 1.4 cable, which can run between $70 and $350. The required “active shutter” 3D glasses, by the way, are different than the “passive” or “polarized” ones worn in the movie theatre.

Hungarian Society of Cinematographers to Celebrate Its 20th Anniversary An ambitious series of events has been announced by the Hungarian Society of Cinematographers (HSC) to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of its founding under the inspiration of the legendary Gyorgy Illes hsc. To mark the culmination of these celebrations, the HSC is planning the first World Conference for Cinematographers in late November in Budapest. IMAGO is giving its fullest support to this conference, which will be designed to meet the challenges of changes in global technology, examine working conditions everywhere and improve standards of training and the understanding of International Property Rights. Budapest, which this year is the European City of Culture, will be the venue in September for a series of master classes involving cinematographers representing many of IMAGO’s 37 societies. These will be scheduled throughout the month and will be designed to give practical guidance to cinematographers, lighting technicians and grips. It is expected the world-class venues available in Hungary such as in the newly built Korda Studios and the other fine post-production facilities available will be utilized. It is planned to exhibit the latest and best equipment available for European professionals.

Paul Sarossy csc, bsc Brought on Board to Shoot The Borgias Jeremy Podeswa (Fugitive Pieces, The Tudors) has come on board to direct The Borgias for Showtime and CTV, while fellow Canuck Paul Sarossy csc, bsc (Death Comes to Town, Chloe)

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Paul Sarossy csc will lens the 10-part cable drama about the powerful Italian Renaissance family. Other homegrown elements for the Canada/Hungary/Ireland co-production include François Séguin as production designer, and newcomer actor François Arnaud joining the cast as Cesare Borgia, the ruthless son of Rodrigo, to be played by Jeremy Irons. Colm Feore is cast as Rodrigo’s arch-nemesis, Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere. The Borgias, also to air on Bravo!, is co-produced by Toronto’s Take 5 Productions, with Bill Goddard as co-producer. The drama is set to be shot in Hungary this summer for an early 2011 airdate.

Canadians at Cannes ZedCrew, a film directed by 26-year-old Noah Pink, was screened in the 42nd Directors’ Fortnight program at the 63rd edition of the Cannes Film Festival, held this past May. Pink joined Xavier Dolan, whose follow-up to his award-winning debut I Killed My Mother, Les Amours imaginaries, was presented at the Official Selection in the Un Certain Regard category. ZedCrew, a medium-length documentary, gives a unique and raw insight into the contemporary lives of urban Zambian hip-hop musicians. At this year’s Cannes, Atom Egoyan (Chloe) served on the short film jury as president.

Stagnation Grips Saskatchewan Equipment supplier William F. White International pulled out

10 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

of Saskatchewan because of the province’s declining production numbers. The move brings five jobs and the company’s 10-year stay in Regina to an end, while raising fears that the hard times in the province are about to get harder. Members of the local film community were shocked to hear of White’s closure because it is known for donating equipment to small, independent filmmakers. PS Production Services still operates in the province. Production volumes since 2008 have dropped 70 per cent to some $44 million, a slump critics blame on the provincial government’s failure to improve the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit. Meanwhile, its main competitor, the province of Manitoba, has been quick to make changes, and now offers a 30-per-cent break on all labour and production costs. Saskatchewan currently offers a 55-per-cent credit on just labour. The Saskatchewan Motion Picture Industry Association has suggested the government dole out tax credits to producers earlier to reduce interim financing charges. Currently, tax credits are paid out 12-to-18 months after productions are complete. But it’s unlikely changes will come soon. The provincial government delivered a budget in March that reduced overall government spending by $121.3 million, one casualty of which was educational channel SCN that went off the air in May.

2010 Hot Docs Winners The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival capped its annual event with its 2010 Awards Presentation at the Isabel Bader Theatre in downtown Toronto in May. Ten awards and over $72,000 in cash prizes were presented to local and international filmmakers, including awards for festival films in competition and those recognizing emerging and “established filmmakers. The Hot Docs Awards Presentation was hosted by Jian Ghomeshi, host of Q on CBC Radio One.

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The Festival’s top honour for international films in competition, the Best International Feature Award, was presented to Yael Hersonski’s A Film Unfinished, a haunting visual essay that deconstructs an unfinished Nazi propaganda film about Jewish life in the Warsaw Ghetto. The award includes a $10,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs. The Special Jury Prize – International Feature was awarded to Laura Poitras’s The Oath, a complex, mysterious portrait of a former bodyguard of Osama bin Laden. Sponsored by the OMDC, the award includes a $5,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs.

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The top honour for Canadian films in competition, Best Canadian Feature Award, was presented to Shelley Saywell for In the Name of the Father, a powerful investigation into “honour” killings. Sponsored by the DOC, the award includes a $15,000 prize courtesy of the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation. The Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature went to John Zaritsky’s Leave Them Laughing, which follows darkly funny smart-ass Carla Zilbersmith in her battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Sponsored by the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation, the award features a $10,000 prize courtesy of the foundation.

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The Best Mid-Length Documentary Award was presented to I Shot My Love (Tomer Heymann), an intimate portrait of two lovers, one German and one Israeli, as they confront the challenges posed by their families. Sponsored by the Canada Council, the award includes a $3,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Best Short Documentary Award was presented to Tussilago (Jonas Odell), the story of a young girl swept up into high drama due to her relationship with West German terrorist, Norbert Krocher. Sponsored by Playback, the award includes a $3,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs. The HBO Documentary Films Emerging Artist Award was presented to Jeff Malmberg, director of Marwencol. The Hot Docs Board of Directors presented the 2010 Hot Docs Outstanding Achievement Award to celebrated UK filmmaker Kim Longinotto. Hot Docs’s Don Haig Award, presented annually to an emerging Canadian documentary filmmaker, was awarded to Toronto’s Philip Lyall and Vancouver’s Nimisha Mukerji. Awarded by the Don Haig Foundation, the prize includes $20,000 cash. The Lindalee Tracey Award, which honours an emerging Canadian filmmaker with a passionate point of view, a strong sense of social justice and a sense of humour, was presented to 20-year-old filmmaker Ayanie Mohamed of Toronto. As part of the award, Mohamed will receive a $6,000 cash prize and $3,000 in film stock donated by Kodak Canada. Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 •

The Legend Lives On

Marilyn... Forever Blonde

By Karl Herrmann csc

s a freelance DOP, one never knows what will come with the next phone call. In this instance, it was a call to photograph a one-woman stage play called Marilyn: Forever Blonde. As it turns out, the play had been produced and run in New York about 15 years prior, to rave reviews. Various broadcast entities had optioned it, but never produced it. Now, the play was re-surfacing to open in Los Angeles and there was interest in filming it. Hmmm. Marilyn Monroe. One-woman play. Hollywood icon. Sounds interesting.

A quick discussion with the producers, Kelly Johnston and Greg Thompson, produced some wonderful custom-made sheer curtains to cover all three sides of the background cyc. Behind the sheers and lighting up the wall, gaffer Doug Jordan placed 1K nook lights on the floor with three layers of full magenta to give a pink aura to Marilyn’s early life. As the play unfolded, Marilyn went from set to set stopping here, there and everywhere to deliver dialogue, so how to light it? Inspiration came from the great Hollywood glamour still photographer of that era, George Hurrell. Always backlight. This was provided and contained to specific areas by the wonderful and powerful “Butterfly” lights with hard honeycomb crates. These units are a four-bulb, individually switched fixture capable of 2,000 watts. Hard, spotty, front light, usually in the

12 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

Images from the film courtesy of the author.

My initial instinct on what the producers were looking for was to run the play X-number of times and shoot it from various angles, cut it together like a music video, and viola! Wrong. In actuality, there was a different plan afoot. The production company rented studio space from Victory Studios in Seattle. It had a three-sided white cyc stage on which the three sets – bedroom, bathroom and living room – for the actual play were placed. The sets, I might add, were also painted white, because that’s what was being used in the stage play. Great, white-on-white and the production company had already done a deal to get the cameras, Sony 900s (version one).

simply back up the dialogue to anywhere in the script. We used various camera movement styles according to the script. At times the camera was absolutely static and other times Robin Buerki was doing his magic with the Steadicam to facilitate the mood of the play. Marilyn would go from one end of the stage on set one all the way to the other end of the stage and set three all in one shot, all the while speaking her dialogue. We had Robin cabled up while on the Steadicam so we could see everything in terrific HD (1080/23.98) resolution on the large monitor. Now was the time to do that classic Hollywood 1950s songand-dance number, Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend [from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes]. To stay true to the era, we used dollys and crane moves exclusively on this section of the show. Again, the sets were all pure white, so we used very vibrant colored gels to paint life into them. It was remarkable how well the HD picked up the intense colors. As Marilyn went through her life, and the story begins to wind down, we changed out the triple magenta gels on the background cyc lights to a deep purple. This brought down the mood and the camera movement settled down with it. At this point, I asked Enrique to go into the Sony 750 MSU and create a de-saturated, faded look and match it to both cameras. Here the MSU was invaluable as everyone could see the image on our huge monitor, and we could instantly switch from our normal look to the new de-saturated version.

Sunny Thompson, who is Marilyn, was astounding. She made possible our impossible schedule of 16 pages a day. She could simply back up the dialogue to anywhere in the script. Karl Herrmann csc

Paramount Loop configuration, was accomplished with Tweenies operating at full spot, and wired down to the appropriate output. All lighting was run through a dimmer board for final tuning and dramatic effect. The look was right, but now we were confronted with the world of HD and not the long-tonal range of black-and-white negative. Enter my associate and terrific digital-intermediary technician, Enrique del Rio. He got the two Sony 900s up and running through a Sony 750 MSU and patched through various monitors on set. We had a huge 40-inch Sony CRT, which made imaging and focus checking great. It was so good, that eventually everyone left video village and was hovering over our shoulders as we manipulated the image. Sunny Thompson, who is Marilyn, was astounding. She made possible our impossible schedule of 16 pages a day. She could

When Marilyn went into a rant about her life, the camera stayed totally static as she paced through the frame and right off camera only to come back on again like a locomotive and right off frame in the other direction. Exhausted, she finally crawled up to her bed, and Doug brought down the lighting on the dimmer board to full silhouette while she droped all her clothes and laid down one final time. On her last close up we set an eye light that was so subtle it just seemed to flicker with life. As she died, the eye light simply dwindled out and she was left, alone, in silhouette, and in our memories forever. The project was amazing on numerous levels. Sunny’s portrayal of Marilyn is riveting, in part due to her talent, but also to Stephanie Shine’s direction. The two have the Marilyn character completely wired, which made our shooting schedule possible. Is it a stage play? Is it a movie? Is it a period piece based on the look, lighting and character? Is it a modern show utilizing all the technical brilliance of the HD format? I don’t have the answer as I feel it was all of these mixed together to produce a unique shooting experience. The one-woman play, Marilyn: Forever Blonde, was written by Sunny Thompson’s husband, Greg, and continues to tour the U.S. and Canada after a run at the Leicester Square Theatre in London, England, November 2009. Karl Herrmann csc lives in Vancouver and spent 25 years based in Los Angeles. His numerous television credits include pilots and series for Touched by an Angel and Dawson’s Creek. His feature resume includes visual effects work on Academy Award-winning films such as I, Robot, E.T., The Right Stuff and Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi. Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 •

14 â&#x20AC;˘ Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

anadian Society of Cinematographers award winner and long-time member, Greg Middleton csc, just can’t get out of the mud. Two years ago he was knee deep in it for Paul Gross’s war epic Passchendaele. Then he was shooting in mud-caked trenches in the Alberta interior, and now he’s back on familiar ground, shooting with Paul Gross again in a Canadian Western, but this time he’s fighting the dry dust bowl wilds of Osoyoos, B.C. “Looking back on it, shooting Gunless was very similar to shooting Passchendaele, except this time the mud was dry and instead of wet, sludge-filled trenches, I had to deal with dust tornados,” joked Middleton. The Gunless set was built entirely from the ground up in a remote location 400 km east of Vancouver in the Okanagan region of B.C. known as the Desert Wine Country; an area that sits at the foot of Mt. Baldy near the Washington state border.

What it meant for Middleton and his four-person posse was that they worked both A and B cameras and handled the secondunit filming as well. “I was the one operating the second camera because it didn’t make sense to get an additional person out there for the two-to-three days we needed them. We were like a band of pioneers – Brian Johnson, Kieran Humphries, the gaffer, Sean Rooney, my key grip, Dave Askey, and me – we had enough provisions to last us the entire shoot, and we knew that if something broke down we couldn’t just drive out and pick up a replacement part, but that we would have to find creative solutions ourselves.”

All images courtesy of Alliance Films.

“When we were scouting for locations, we were looking for a place that had a classic Western feel, but still felt authentic.When we arrived in Osoyoos we thought it was perfect. It’s unique because it looks like you’re in the desert and yet there are mountains in the background and, of course, no power lines,” he said. However, the remote location had its advantages and disadvantages as he soon discovered. “When we decided on the location, we loved it because it was so remote and there were no buildings. We didn’t have to worry about shooting around things or removing any modern-day references. We built the buildings to fit our desired look and positioning, so in that respect it was ideal. The drawback was that we were a good five hours driving distance from the nearest centre. Once we were on set, we were there to stay.”

Top left: Greg Middleton csc with director William Phillips. Above, Graham Greene.

Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 •

“Greg is a master at manipulating light and colour to visually convey to audiences the transitions between settings and character development.” Bill Phillips, director

Middleton’s creativity was definitely challenged when nearby forest fires and flash rainstorms forced him to rethink his shooting strategy. “The set was fairly exposed, so for a few days we had what looked like overcast skies, but it was actually haze from a forest fire that was burning miles away. We had to compensate for the strange glow of that light with artificial lighting, and it did restrict our ability to shoot wide-angle exteriors for a few days. “Then on the one day that the script called for dry, dusty conditions when the Montana Kid (Paul Gross) is helping Jane (Sienna Guillory) on her drought-ridden farm, we had torrential downpours that lasted 45 minutes at a time, which doesn’t seem like long but when you lose daylight at 4:30 in the afternoon on a regular shooting day, we couldn’t afford to wait out the storms. Something had to change,” Middleton said. His solution included shooting split days and adding a touch of Hollywood magic. “Splitting the days meant that we could shoot most of the exteriors in the morning with bright sunlight and interiors in the afternoon when the set was almost entirely in the shade. And on that particular day of the farm exteriors, after we shot all we could inside and it was still raining, we decided to use a DOP’s best friend – the tarp – and throw up some lights. It was pretty jarring to look on the monitor and see a bright sunny day while outside the confines of the tarp it was just pouring.” His sense of humour in the face of environmental adversity was

16 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

what attracted the Vancouver-based writer/director William (Bill) Phillips (Treed Murray, Foolproof) to Middleton in the first place. “It was almost like being paired up on a blind date,” joked Phillips, “I heard so much about Greg from my co-producer and Paul. What a nice guy he was and how we would be a good fit that I immediately feared that we would fight every day on set. As it turns out, when we met I knew he was the right person to film Gunless. He understood the Western genre. He didn’t seem intimidated by the iconic landscape shots that are almost a requirement when tackling this type of film, and yet he also realized the importance of not losing the close-ups that would drive the comedic timing of the scenes.” “Before meeting Bill, I watched all the classic Westerns I could get my hands on,” recalls Middleton. “What really struck me about these classic films such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly was their extensive use of dramatic widescreen shots intercut with moments of extreme close-ups. That technique really supports the storyline because even without dialogue, you see Blondie’s (Clint Eastwood’s character in the film) surroundings and that he has nowhere to go. And from the expression on the hardened gunslinger’s face, you realize that he knows it too. With Gunless, we wanted audiences to have that same perspective and feel for the Montana Kid,” he explained. To mimic the technique, Middleton shot on Panavision cameras using three-perf super 35-mm film to highlight the sweeping panoramas and chose not to shoot steadicam for the close-ups.

Dustin Milligen

“Greg knew that I wanted to find a way to pay homage to the classic Western, but at the same time purposely destroy the overly romantic myths that American movies have created about the Wild West and add our own brand of Canadian humour,” explained Phillips. “Greg is a master at manipulating light and colour to visually convey to audiences the transitions between settings and character development. So he and I went about creating a different look and a subtly different colour palette for the film so that the audience has an immediate visual cue of when the displaced gunslinger starts to feel at home in his new surroundings.” Just as Middleton started to get comfortable in his surroundings, Phillips introduced one more challenge. “The shootout scene was very challenging because it wasn’t your typical Wild West shootout,” Middleton explained. “In fact, the whole point of the scene was that there were very few guns involved. We had 10 gun men in the scene in 10 different vantage points. We had to constantly reposition ourselves to best capture the close-ups we needed to build drama and then sustain that tension until we introduced the plot twists.” Middleton was keeping the plot secrets close to his chest, but he did reveal his secret hopes for the film. “It’s an accessible movie that I hope a lot of people beyond just Western lovers will appreciate,” he said. Two years ago, with Passchendaele, Middleton took on the challenge to prove that Canadians could make a great war epic film of their own, and now, with Gunless, he has staked our claim to the Western genre and hopes that the pioneering spirit they fostered on set will transcend to the screen.

Paul Gross

Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 •

d n a n o i s s

Pa Kim Derko csc

orking for 20 years as a female cinematographer is no small task, but Kim Derko csc faced the challenge with passion and dedication. She’s had an impressive career, spanning both film and television. Some of the notable films she’s served as DOP are Chris Grismer’s Clutch (1998), John Greyson’s The Law of Enclosures (2000), David Mortin’s Youkali Hotel (2004), Chris Abraham’s I, Claudia (2004) and Su Rynard’s Kardia (2006), in addition to the series Dark Oracle and as operator on 18 episodes of Rent-a-Goalie and eight episodes of This Is Wonderland. She has come a long way from what she wanted to do as a child. Growing up in Vancouver, Derko was on track to becoming a professional dancer. It was a turn of fate at the age of 18 that set her off that path. “I was in a car accident. I had to stop dancing for six months while my back healed,” Derko said. “While I was doing that I took an interest in still photography. I started reading

18 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

Kim

a lot of other arts things that weren’t related to dance.” Thus began her journey into the arts world, but it would be a while before she discovered cinematography. After a brief return to dance, she took a year off for travelling. She went to Africa and the Middle East with her Canon FTb 35mm camera in hand. “I guess that was when I started looking at pictures more seriously. I was actually surprised that some of them were okay.” She had no grand plans to pursue photography seriously. She was just exploring the art form. “I don’t see it with any kind of linear lead-up to where I am now. Everything contributes to what you end up doing, but it wasn’t like I had a plan.” When she returned to Canada she had to decide what to do next. She set her sights on the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver. “I was interested in art. I wanted to be a curator, actually,” Derko said. She applied to the art school with her travel photos and was accepted. She was 21 years old. “I was shocked

much was involved until I got to the NFB. How much studying and how much you had to know,” Derko said. She completed her fourth year of art school at the NFB. Then she left Montreal for Toronto. There she found her love for cinematography in filming art installations. “Especially in the early 1990s, a lot of artists were doing video and film installations for art galleries. When I came to Toronto, I had all of these connections from the art world rather than the film world. And a lot of artists asked me to shoot their art projects for them. I think that’s when I knew that I really loved doing cinematography. That’s when it really became not just working in the film industry and being a technician, but using it as an art form.”

: n o i t a c i Ar t of d e h e T D

Derko’s artistic background was particularly useful on Youkali Hotel, a feature-length production that aired on CBC’s Opening Night in 2004. She describes Youkali Hotel as a modern opera shot in an impressionistic style. “I was able to do a lot of things creatively that I wouldn’t be able to do in a regular feature film. A combination of an artist background and a video background made me the suitable DOP for that job.” Derko won a Gemini Award for her work on Youkali Hotel. She is also able to bring these artistic talents to more serious dramas; however, the overall aim is often different. “With a feature like The Law of Enclosures you have to surrender a little bit more to reality to make it work. You’re still dealing with making it look beautiful, but realism is something you’re going for more,” she said. The Law of Enclosures tells the story of Henry and Beatrice and their journey from young idealism to the cynicism of old age over a span of 40 years. Instead of using traditional flashbacks to tell the story, John Greyson had the characters co-existing with their younger selves, stuck in the year 1991. “They all take place in the same time, but they are played as though 40 years has past. It’s this wrinkle in time that has them frozen,” Greyson said. Being able to get across the feeling of the past within the present was a creative challenge for both Greyson and Derko. “Kim was crucial in interpreting that through the lenses, lighting and gels and rendering that idea into film,” he said.

c s c o k r e

By Robin Phillips

that I got in based on a little portfolio that I’d made of my travels.” While attending Emily Carr, Derko experimented with many different art forms such as collages and found-object sculptures. “It was part of the process. I was trying all new things while I was at art school. Photography was just one of them. But I liked it.” In her third year, Derko’s film instructor, Jan-Marie Martell, helped her move towards her future career. Martell saw an experimental film Derko had made of Eadweard Muybridge’s photographs. She had re-animated them and shot them on Super 8 film. She processed the film herself with a G-3 developing tank that the school was going to throw away. Martell suggested Derko try out for a program at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) in Montreal. “I applied and I got into this film apprenticeship program. It was organized to instruct women in unconventional roles in film production. I went into cinematography because I just picked it. I could have picked anything.” The NFB was her major education in film. “I didn’t know how

Kim Derko has not limited herself to doing one thing. “I’ve been lucky because I haven’t been totally pigeonholed into just one type of cinematography.” Her filmography includes television shows such as Dark Oracle and smaller, artsy projects like I, Claudia, a film adaptation of the one-woman show by Kristen Thomson. “One thing that happens to cinematographers is that people see something you’ve done, and they like it. So you are hired to do the same sort of thing. I’ve been really fortunate to be able to do a whole range of diverse things.” Derko also flexes her creative muscles outside of work by doing experimental and artistic films in her own time. In 2008 a one-minute short she co-directed with Su Rynard, the Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 •

director of Kardia, was shown at the Toronto Urban Film Festival. The film, called Coronation Park, was about the environment. Currently she is working on another selfgenerated independent project. She recently received a Canada Council grant to complete a gallery piece called Sum of the Parts. “I’m making a film with medical archival footage of amputees who have had operations performed on them in the 1960s,” Derko said. “It’s an art gallery installation rather than a theatre presentation.” As well as a varied filmography, Derko has accumulated a lot of solid working relationships. Derko and director Greyson have worked on two features and three shorts over the past 14 years. “I think everyone should work with Kim,” Greyson said. “She is an amazing artist and a wonderful collaborator. She loves telling stories through photography and the ones she tells are important ones. Her passion is putting images together that tells a story in new ways.”

“One thing that happens to cinematographers is that people see something you’ve done, and they like it. So you are hired to do the same sort of thing. I’ve been really fortunate to be able to do a whole range of diverse things.” Kim Derko csc Top: Su Rynard’s Kardia; middle, John Greyson’s The Law of Enclosures; bottom, Chris Grismer’s Clutch.

20 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

However, she still encounters gender discrimination from time to time. Even with all of her experience and skills, some directors don’t think she’s capable. “I’ve had the experience, very sadly, of going for a job interview and looking at the person who’s interviewing me, and it’s as if I can see a big veil come over their face. They’re looking at me and they’re giving me a chance to have an interview, but I just know they don’t see a cinematographer on the other side of the table.” Occasionally she’s been hired by someone who assumes she’s a novice. “I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years, and I still bump into directors who look at me and it’s like they feel as if they’re giving me my first big break and I don’t really know what I’m doing.” She doesn’t enjoy being singled out as a woman cinematographer and prefers to be seen purely for her work. “But I can’t deny for a millisecond that it doesn’t play into the whole picture.” Looking forward, her only plan is to keep working. “I’m definitely not going anywhere. I’m going to keep shooting. I am constantly trying to work on larger projects. So my plan is to do the best that I can to reach out to the people who are producing these shows.”

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22 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

4/13/10 2:05:10 PM

2010 Wrap

Lance Carlson, Associate Member

nce again the HotDocs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival (Toronto, April 29 to May 9) offered a plethora of fine doc-watching (177 films, of which 30 were Canadian), and if there was a surprise it was that each film seemed to offer at least a few pleasant surprises. The fact that HD technology has improved and matured has contributed greatly to image quality in general; even those captured on HDV-style cameras, which have enabled and enlivened a lot of emerging filmmakers. The two opening gala films are worthy of mention for completely different reasons. Babies has no script, no plot and no narration as well as no moving camera and no zooms. Even the director/ cameraman Thomas Balmès admitted the assignment was a gift. It almost was a relief to hear that he had three kids of his own and obviously used his recollections to plan and execute the scenes. His static but very selective camera captured some delightful images of four little ones – in Namibia, San Francisco, Tokyo and rural Mongolia – from birth to about a year old, in a most charming portrait of babyhood that has universal appeal. As enjoyable as it was, I couldn’t help thinking that every parent or grandparent has seen this movie hundreds of times, but would, as I did, delight in seeing it in this thoroughly delightful exposé of how much kids are alike the world over. The other gala film was thoroughly different and thoroughly Canadian. Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage was not only a tribute to Canada’s enduring progressive-rock band, but a well-thoughtout documentary about bandmates, Geddy, Alex and Neil. Even if you are not a fan, you can enjoy it for the perspective shown and honesty portrayed. Martin Hawkes, the cinematographer, lives in Norway, and responded from L.A. He relates that in spite of a plan to capture interviews with a wider lens to give presence, the reality was that he shot most of the interview material in condo common rooms or small hotel rooms. He had to roll with the punches most of the time. Much of the credibility of the film comes from some remarkable archival footage of Geddy and Alex as high school geeks. Neil Peart at one point took off on a twoyear 50,000-kilometre bike ride and was captured from a motorcycle with a camera sidecar in the mountains around Whistler, B.C., and in the desert near Ojay, California. It did seem to me that there were an inordinate number of films

with music or musicians as prime subject or theme, including A Drummer’s Dream by John Walker csc. Seven of the world’s top percussionists assembled at a remote farm for a one week drum camp extraordinaire for 40 lucky students. It is a delightful film, and quite unlike the historical masterpiece Passage, which Walker last brought us. As much fun as this film is, it reeks of professionalism, planning and consistency. Walker’s crew (of shooters) was comprised of Kent Nason csc and Nigel Markham, both of whom have a history of working with him. The interiors were scoped and planned and the exterior backgrounds of wilderness blend seamlessly adding warmth and an upbeat spirit to the experience. Comments by Kent and Nigel were interesting, in that once the plan was decided on, logistics dealt with and lights placed, they proceeded to work with minimal or almost silent communication or direction. Now that’s professionalism! The warm friendly atmosphere was captured on F-950s with CU inserts of hands, instruments etc. matched in from a couple of HDV cameras. Even if you don’t like drums this is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Another musical offering/profile was The Socalled Movie, which is fascinating for its quirkiness of its subject, Josh Dolgin, a.k.a. Socalled. He combines klezmer, hip hop and funk, and the film includes home movies of Dolgin as a youth, who clearly shows the energetic talent that he still exudes. I was able to chat briefly with DOP Marc Gadoury csc, in from Montreal for the screening. Locations for the film

Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 •

varied from basements, to rehearsal spaces to clubs, including the Apollo in Harlem, all beautifully captured. I asked Gadoury if he was able to work to any kind of plan and if there were any particular anecdotes that stood out. He related that the schedule and the unpredictable nature of the performers left him rolling with the punches much of the time and that every day working around Dolgin was a new and interesting anecdote. For a fun time watch The Socalled Movie on the NFB’s site, www.nfb.ca. The NFB and Hot Docs this year included a showcase of the work of Egyptian-born Canadian filmmaker, Tahani Rashed, who worked at the Board for over 20 years, and in the past three years has returned to Egypt. Her films at the Board include Au Chic Resto Pop (a music public service documentary made in 1991 and screened here), Doctors with Heart, Emergency! A Critical Situation, Beirut! Not Enough Death to Go Around, These Girls (of Cairo) and her most recent film, Neighbors, shot in the upscale but fading opulence in the Garden City district of Cairo. Her films are fascinating for their classic treatment and obvious thorough research and revealing presentations. I was particularly impressed by Neighbors, which is beautifully captured by cinematographer Nancy Abdel-Fattah. I did ask the director about her DOP, and she was full of praise, not just for her ability to capture the elegance of the stately palaces but for her ability to put the people being interviewed at ease. The images are enhanced by the classic revealing of the stories in which the editor is allowed to let the shots play out without rushing to the next cut. It is a contemplative style that hearkens back to a more classic way of letting documentaries play out at an appropriate pace, something I for one really appreciate.

Previous page: John Walker’s A Drummer’s Dream. Top: Garry Beitel’s The Socalled Movie. Above: Thomas Balmès’s Babies.

24 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

Used Leica Geo System Disto Laser Measurement Devices Attention crew technicians interested in selling used Leica Disto Laser Measurement devices for cash to upgrade to newer models, please contact Alan J. Crimi, Panavision Canada Corp., cell 416-577-3058; shipping, receiving and client services 416-444-7000; email: alan.crimi@panavision.com; www. panavision.com. Short-Term Accommodation for Rent Visiting Vancouver for a shoot? One-bedroom condo in Kitsilano on English Bay with secure underground parking. $350 per week. Contact: Peter Benison, 604-730-0860, 416-698-4482 or peter@peterbenison.com. Equipment for Sale Sony Beta SP DXC-D30WSP/PVV3P, PAL, 262hrs drum time, $ 2,500; Sony Beta SP DXC-D30WS/PVV3, NTSC, 251hrs drum time, $2,500; Sony BetaCam SX DNW-7, NTSC, 257hrs drum time, $5,000; and IKEGAMI DVCAM HL-DV7-AW, NTSC, mint condition, as new, 61hrs drum time, $7,000. All cameras w/porta-brace covers. All owned by me and serviced by Sony Hong Kong. Sony Beta SP/SX player/recorders, DNW-A25P X2, PAL & NTSC, 500 & 644hrs drum time, $ 6,000; Satchler 575 HMI, open-face, mint condition w/spare bulb, $ 2,500 & case. The lot for $20,000. Contact François Bisson, blitzvideo@mac.com. Oxberry Computer Controlled Animation Stand. This stand is in excellent working condition. Our animation studio is closing, and we are in the process of selling our equipment. The stand is computer controlled by the famous Kuyper Control software driving stepper motors connected to different axis of the stand. Here is a list of what is driven: camera zoom in and out; table – north-south axis, east-west axis; rotation, 2 pegs (top and bottom); camera – focus, take-up drive for mag and shutter. The camera comes with interchangeable gates and can be use for16 mm, super 16 or 35 mm. This kit comes also with 400ft –16-mm mag, 400ft – 35-mm mag, 1,000ft – 35-mm mag and 400ft bi-pack mag. The sidelights are 650 watts Red Heads with polarised filters. The lights are suspended on Manfrotto Pole Cats. The table’s backlight is connected to a rheostat with a solar electric current regulator. This is a great stand for any independent filmmaker or small effect animation company. Sorry we cannot ship this item. It has to be picked up. Item is located close to Montreal. Price: $ 4,800.00. Contact: Erik, Tel: 514-637-5077, Email: erikgo@videotron.ca. 16 – 35 mm Film Equipment for sale: Our animation studio is closing, and we are in the process of selling our equipment, here is a short list of items we have for sale: Densitometer McBeth Td903 for calculation of film density $300, Split reel (16 and 35 mm ) various sizes, Moviola Rewinds, 35mm Film synchroniser, Scan-0-scope converter lens system - Scope lens to “squeeze” and “unsqueeze” anamorphic $3500, Tilt Plate for heavy cameras $800, and more. Contact: Erik for complete listing, Tel: 514-637-5077, Email: erikgo@ videotron.ca. Sony BVW-400a Betacam SP Camcorder Camera used by professional cinematographer (one owner), never rented out. Comes complete with Fujinon A15x8BEVM-28 lens, Petroff matte box with 4x4 and 4x5.6 filter holders, remote zoom and focus control for lens, 6 Cadnica NP-1 batteries, Sony BC-1WD battery charger, Porta-Brace fitted cover w/ rain jacket (like new) and Sony factory hard shipping case and manuals. Lens and camera professionally maintained by factory technicians. Usage hours are: A – 1,918 hours; B – 1,489 hours; C – 4,286 hours. $10,000.00 obo. Contact: Craig Wrobleski csc, 403-995-4202

Aaton XTR Super 16 pkg: including body, video relay optics, extension eyepiece, three magazines, Cooke 10.5-mm–60-mm S-16 zoom lens, Zeiss 9.5 prime lens, 4x4 matte box, 4x4 filters (85,85N6, polarizer, ND6, clear), follow focus and cases $22,000; Nikon 50–300 -mm F4-5 E.D. lens w/ support, $1,000; Kinoptik 9–8-mm 35-mm format lens c/w sunshade. Contact stringercam@shaw.ca or mike@imagegearinc.com New Video Camera Rain Covers. Custom rain covers for sale. New design that fits and protects most Sony PMW EX3, Canon XHHDV, Panasonic VX200 cameras with the viewfinder extending toward the rear of the camera. Price: $200.00. Noiseless rain cover for the external camera microphone. Price: $30.00. Onboard Monitor rain cover, camera assistants can see the focus during the shot. No more hassles in the rain! $60.00. Custom Red One camera covers available upon request. Also can sew various types of heavyduty material. Repairs and zipper replacement on equipment and ditty bags. Lori Longstaff: 416-452-9247; llong@rogers.com. NEW PRICE – DVW700WS Digital Betacam with viewfinder and two widescreen zoom lenses. Canon J1 5x8 B4WRS SX12 and Fujinon 5.5-47. Very low hours on new heads. $8,000, plus taxes. Contact: Michael Ellis: 416-233-6378. Betacam SP Camera package. BVP550 Betacam SP camera with BVV5 recorder, complete with Fuijinon 15x8 broadcast zoom lens, “Red Eye” wideangle adapter, 6 IDX Li-Ion batteries, IDX quick charger with AC adapter, flight case, soft carry case, Sony monitor and 10 fresh Beta SP tapes ($140 value). $2,500. Call Christian: 416-459-4895. Panasonic HPX500 (Canadian model with Canadian warranty) with the latest up dates. Low hours. Perfect condition. 2/3 CCD 1080/720 HD camera with 4 P2 card slots. Comes with Anton mount, all factory accessories (most have never been opened) & original box. Only camera body and EVF for sale – not lens, base plate or batteries. Photos available. 604-726-5646; JohnBanovich@gmail.com. Betacam SP D30 camera, PVV3 Recorder Back, Fujinon 16X, 9-144 zoom lens, six batteries, charger, power supply and case, Sony PVM 80Q 7 1/2inch monitor and case. $3,500. Contact: Joan Hutton: 416-693-9776. For Sale 28-Foot Black Camera Trailer with new brakes and tires, 20-foot awning, dark room, viewing lounge, two countertops with lots of storage space, heating and air conditioned, side windows and three access doors. Contact: jwestenbrink@rogers.com The Essential Guide to Canadian Film by Wyndham Wise . First published in 2001, this second edition of The Essential Guide to Canadian Film is now 1,510 entries, completely revised and updated, including 680 biographical notes with filmographies and 830 film reviews, with credits, of award-winning Canadian films. Also included are a complete list of winners at the Canadian Film Awards, Genies, Jutras, Oscars, TIFF and Cannes, and a detailed chronology of Canadian film and television history. The Essential Guide to Canadian Film is an individually numbered, unique publication of encyclopedic proportions; a handsome reference text for film and television professionals, students and fans of Canadian film. Hardcover, 386 pages. $80.00 plus $15 shipping and handling anywhere in Canada. To order, email editor@csc.ca. . Camera Classified is a free service provided for CSC members. For all others, there is a one-time $25 (plus GST) insertion fee. Your ad will appear here and on the CSC’s website, www.csc.ca. If you have items you would like to buy, sell or rent, please email your information to editor@csc.ca.

Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 •

Classifieds

Equipment Wanted

CSC Members

CSC FULL MEMBERS Jim Aquila csc John Badcock csc Michael Balfry csc Christopher Ball csc John Banovich csc John Stanley Bartley csc, asc Stan Barua csc Yves Bélanger csc Peter Benison csc Jeremy Benning csc John Berrie csc Michel Bisson csc Michael Boland csc Nicolas Bolduc csc Thomas Burstyn csc, frsa, nzcs Barry Casson csc Eric Cayla csc Henry Chan csc Marc Charlebois csc Rodney Charters csc, asc Damir I. Chytil csc Arthur E. Cooper csc Walter Corbett csc Steve Cosens csc Bernard Couture csc Richard P. Crudo csc, asc Dean Cundey csc, asc François Dagenais csc Steve Danyluk csc David A. De Volpi csc Kamal Derkaoui csc Kim Derko csc Serge Desrosiers csc Ricardo Diaz csc Jean-Yves Dion csc Zoe Dirse csc Mark Dobrescu csc Wes Doyle csc John Drake csc Guy Dufaux csc Ray Dumas csc Albert Dunk csc, asc Philip Earnshaw csc Michael Ellis csc Carlos A. Esteves csc Nikos Evdemon csc David Frazee csc Marc Gadoury csc Antonio Galloro csc James Gardner csc, sasc David A Geddes csc Ivan Gekoff csc Laszlo George csc, hsc Pierre Gill csc Russ Goozee csc Steve Gordon csc Barry R. Gravelle csc David Greene csc John B. Griffin csc Michael Grippo csc Manfred Guthe csc D. Gregor Hagey csc Thomas M. Harting csc Pauline R. Heaton csc

Brian Hebb csc David Herrington csc Karl Herrmann csc Kenneth A. Hewlett csc Robert Holmes csc John Holosko csc George Hosek csc Colin Hoult csc Donald Hunter csc Joan Hutton csc Mark Irwin csc, asc James Jeffrey csc Pierre Jodoin csc Martin Julian csc Norayr Kasper csc Glen Keenan csc Ian Kerr csc Jan E. Kiesser csc, asc Alar Kivilo csc, asc Douglas Koch csc Charles D. Konowal csc Alwyn J. Kumst csc Jean-Claude Labrecque csc Serge Ladouceur csc George Lajtai csc Marc Laliberté Else csc Barry Lank csc Philippe Lavalette csc John Lesavage csc Henry Less csc Pierre Letarte csc Antonin Lhotsky csc Philip Linzey csc J.P. Locherer csc Peter C. Luxford csc Larry Lynn csc Dylan Macleod csc Bernie MacNeil csc Glen MacPherson csc, asc Shawn Maher csc David A. Makin csc Adam Marsden csc Donald M. McCuaig csc, asc Robert B. McLachlan csc, asc Ryan McMaster csc Michael McMurray csc Stephen F. McNutt csc, asc Simon Mestel csc Alastair Meux csc Gregory D. Middleton csc C. Kim Miles csc Gordon Miller csc Robin S. Miller csc Paul Mitchnick csc Luc Montpellier csc Rhett Morita csc David Moxness csc Douglas Munro csc Kent Nason csc Mitchell T. Ness csc Robert C. New csc Stefan Nitoslawski csc Danny Nowak csc Rene Ohashi csc, asc Harald K. Ortenburger csc

26 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

Gerald Packer csc Barry Parrell csc Brian Pearson csc David Perrault csc Bruno Philip csc Matthew R. Phillips csc André Pienaar csc, sasc Zbigniew (Ed) Pietrzkiewicz csc Ronald Plante csc Randal G. Platt csc Milan Podsedly csc Hang Sang Poon csc Andreas Poulsson csc Don Purser csc Ousama Rawi csc, bsc William Walker Reeve csc Stephen Reizes csc Derek Rogers csc Peter Rowe csc Brad Rushing csc Branimir Ruzic csc Jérôme Sabourin csc Victor Sarin csc Paul Sarossy csc, bsc Michael Patrick Savoie csc Ian Seabrook csc Gavin Smith csc Christopher Soos csc Michael Spicer csc John Spooner csc Ronald Edward Stannett csc Pieter Stathis csc Brendan Steacy csc Barry Ewart Stone csc Michael Storey csc Michael Sweeney csc Adam Swica csc Attila Szalay csc, hsc Jason Tan csc John P. Tarver csc Paul Tolton csc Bert Tougas csc Chris Triffo csc Sean Valentini csc Brett Van Dyke csc Roger Vernon csc Frank Vilaca csc Daniel Villeneuve csc Daniel Vincelette csc Michael Wale csc John Walker csc James Wallace csc Tony Wannamaker csc Peter Warren csc Andrew Watt csc Jim Westenbrink csc Tony Westman csc Kit Whitmore csc, soc Brian Whittred csc Ron Williams csc George A. Willis csc, sasc Glen Winter csc Peter Woeste csc Bill C.P. Wong csc Kevin C.W. Wong csc

Bruce Worrall csc Craig Wrobleski csc Yuri Yakubiw csc Ellie Yonova csc CSC ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Joshua Allen Don Armstrong John W. Bailey Douglas Baird Kenneth Walter Balys David Battistella Gregory Bennett Jonathan Benny Jonathan Bensimon André Bériault Roy Biafore Christian Bielz Thomas Billingsley Stan Bioksic Francois M. Bisson Christophe Bonniere Martin Brown Scott Brown Richard Burman Lance Carlson Jon Castell Mark Caswell Maurice Chabot Cèsar Charlone Stephen Chung David Collard René Jean Collins Jarrett B. Craig Rod Crombie James Crowe Micha Dahan Michael Jari Davidson Nicholas de Pencier Randy Dreager Gamal El-Boushi Andreas Evdemon Jay Ferguson Andrew Forbes Richard Fox Joshua Fraiman Kevin A. Fraser Thomas Gatenby Brian Gedge Rion Gonzales Vladimir Gosaric Daniel Grant Jeffrey Hanley David M.J. Hodge John Hodgson Cliff Hokanson James D. Holloway Suave Hupa George Hupka David Johns Jorma Kantola Ali Kazimi Ernie Kestler Shannon Kohli

Douglas John Kropla Charles Lavack Jim Laverdiere Robin Lawless soc Allan Leader Byung-Ho Lee Philip Letourneau James Lewis John V. Lindsay Matthew J. Lloyd Dave Luxton Robert Macdonald Mario Anthony Madau Jeff Maher Alfonso Maiorana Roy Marques Kelly Mason Andris D. Matiss Paul McCool Patrick McLaughlin Tony Meerakker Tony Merzetti Bentley Miller Paul Mockler Sarah Moffat Robin Lee Morgan Helmfried Muller Brian Charles Murphy Keith Murphy Christopher M. Oben Eric Oh Alexandre M. Oktan Ted Parkes Deborah Parks Pavel “Pasha” Patriki Rick Perotto Allan Piil Scott Plante Ryan A. Randall Dave Rendall Cathy Robertson Peter Rosenfeld Don Roussel Christopher Sargent Andrew W. Scholotiuk Ian Scott Neil Scott Neil Seale Wayne Sheldon Simon Shohet Sarorn Ron Sim Barry E. Springgay Paul Steinberg Rob Stewart Marc Stone Michael Strange Joseph G. Sunday phd Peter Sweeney André Paul Therrien George (Sandy) Thomson John Thronberg Ian Toews Kirk Tougas Lloyd Walton Glenn C. Warner

Douglas H. Watson Roger Williams Richard Wilmot Peter Wayne Wiltshire Kelly John Wolfert Carolyn Wong Dave Woodside Peter Wunstorf asc Steven Zajaczkiwsky CSC Affiliate MEMBERS Donald G. Angus Derek Archibald Robin Bain Iain Alexander Baird Peter Battistone Russell Bell Jacques F. Bernier Adam Braverman Tyson Burger Gordon A. Burkell Joseph Calabrese Arnold Caylakyan Bernard Chartouni Johnny Yan Chen Brent J. Craig Maggie Craig Brad Creasser Ana Cunha Colin Davis Dominika Dittwald Micah L. Edelstein Tony Edgar Zachary Finkelstein Randy French Richard Gira Aizick Grimman James D. Hardie Stephen Hargreaves Bruce William Harper John Richard Hergel BA CD Perry Hoffmann Brad Hruboska Marcel D. Janisse Michael Jasen Rick Kearney Matthew Casey Kennedy Guido Kondruss

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Boris Kurtzman Ryan Lalonde Charles Lenhoff Tony Lippa John Lipsz Lori P. Longstaff Robert H. Lynn Megan MacDonald Jill MacLauchlan Parks Yoann Malnati Justin McIntosh Ian McLaren Andrew Medicky Alejandro Muòoz Kar Wai Ng Peter Osborne Andrew Oxley Gino Papineau Graeme Parcher Kalpesh Patel Greg Petrigo Douglas B. Pruss Elise Queneau Lem Ristsoo Susan Saranchuk Chirayouth Jim Saysana James Scott Alexey Sikorsky Brad Smith Kyryll Sobolev Michael Soos Gillian Stokvis-Hauer Steven Tsushima Paula Tymchuk Anton van Rooyen Trevor J. Wiens Irene Sweeney Willis Ridvan Yavuz CSC LIFE MEMBERS Herbert Alpert csc, asc Robert Bocking csc Raymond A. Brounstein csc David Carr csc Marc Champion csc Christopher Chapman csc, cfe Robert C. Crone csc, cfc, dg Kenneth R. Davey csc Kelly Duncan csc, dgc

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Glen Ferrier John C. Foster csc Leonard Gilday csc John Goldi csc Kenneth W. Gregg csc Edward Higginson csc Brian Holmes csc Brian Hosking Douglas Kiefer csc Rudolf Kovanic csc Ken Krawczyk csc Les Krizsan csc Naohiko Kurita csc Harry Lake csc Duncan MacFarlane csc Harry Makin csc Douglas A. McKay csc Donald James McMillan csc Jim Mercer csc Roger Moride csc George Morita csc Wilhelm E. Nassau Ron Orieux csc Dean Peterson csc Roland K. Pirker Norman Quick csc Roger Racine csc Robert G. Saad csc Josef Seckeresh csc Michael S. Smith John Stoneman csc Y. Robert Tymstra Walter Wasik csc Ron Wegoda csc James A. Wright Keith Young CSC HONOURARY MEMBERS Roberta Bondar Vi Crone Graeme Ferguson Wilson Markle

indicates demo reel online, www.csc.ca

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Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010 •

PRODUCTIONS & CALENDAR

Production Notes Covert Affairs (series); DOP Jamie Barbar; OP Colin Hoult csc; 1st assist. Gottfried Pflugbeil; to August 27, Toronto Degrassi: The Next Generation X (series); DOP Alwyn Kumst csc; OP Brad Vos; OP camera B Paula Tymchuk; to November 4, Toronto Faces in the Crowd (feature); DOP Rene Ohashi csc, asc; OP Andy Chmura; to June 13, Winnipeg Gerry Boulet (feature); DOP Yves Bélanger csc; to June 10, Montreal Good Dog (series); DOP Gerald Packer csc; to July 28, Toronto The Haven (series); DOP Éric Cayla csc; OP Christopher Ball csc; to August 31, Toronto High Stakes (television movie); DOP Ousama Rawi csc, bsc; to July 16, Toronto The Kennedys (miniseries); DOP David Moxness csc; OP Michael Carella to September 24, Toronto Little Mosque on the Prairie V (series); DOP Yuri Yakubiw csc; OP Frank Polyak; to July 9, Toronto Lost Girl (series); DOP David Greene csc; OP Dave Sheridan; to June 25, Toronto Malenfant (series); DOP Ronald Plante csc; to June 18, Montreal Sanctuary III (series); DOP Gordon Verheul csc; OP Steven Adelson; to November 2, Burnaby, B.C. Scaredycat (feature); DOP Pierre Jodoin csc; to June 11, Montreal Sophie (feature); DOP David Perrault csc; to June 25, Toronto Take This Waltz (feature); DOP Luc Montpellier csc; to August 27, Toronto Tout la vérité (series); DOP Marc Charlebois csc; to June 9, Montreal Tower Prep (series); DOP Philip Linzey csc; OP Michael Wrinch; to August 6, North Vancouver Warehouse 13 II (series); DOP Mike McMurray csc; OP David Towers; to August 5, Toronto

Special Offer

SPONSOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES Advertising in Canadian Cinematographer is an investment in – and an opportunity to help stimulate – the Canadian film industry. There are no longer surcharges for full colour, and we are offering free advertising on the CSC website www.csc.ca to all advertisers who commit to magazine insertions of $1,500 and up per publication year – September 2009 to June 2010. Three web months for $1,500 of Canadian Cinematographer ads, six web months for $3,000 and so on. Web specs will be available on request. For questions, more information and to place orders, please contact Don Angus at Telephone: (416) 699-9149; Email: donangus@sympatico.ca.

28 • Canadian Cinematographer - Summer 2010

Calendar of Events June 1–6, CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival, Toronto, worldwideshortfilmfest.com 2–6, Toronto Italian Film Festival, festivalfocus.org 13–6, nextMedia, Banff, AB & Banff World Television Film Festival, banff2010.com 14–20, NXNE (music, films & interactive), Toronto, nxne.com August 26–Sept. 6, Montreal World Film Festival, ffm-montreal.org

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