CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
$4 March 2016 www.csc.ca
Forsaken
Rene Ohashi csc, asc James Klopko csc: Sleeping Giant Sarah Thomas Moffat: Klondike Trappers
A publication of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers
FEATURES – VOLUME 7, NO. 10 MARCH 2016 Fostering cinematography in Canada since 1957. The Canadian Society of Cinematographers was founded by a group of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa cameramen. Since then over 800 cinematographers and persons in associated occupations have joined the organization. Credit: Dan Power © Minds Eye Entertainment
The CSC provides tangible recognition of the common bonds that link film and digital professionals, from the aspiring student and camera assistant to the news veteran and senior director of photography.
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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
Rene Ohashi csc, asc Embraces the Western in Forsaken By Fanen Chiahemen
have no political or union affiliation.
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James Klopko csc Crafts Cruel Summer in Sleeping Giant By Fanen Chiahemen
Credit: Sarah Thomas Moffat
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Sarah Thomas Moffat Goes Off the Grid for Klondike Trappers By Fanen Chiahemen
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 2 4 6 22 24 26 27 28
From the President In the News CSC Member Spotlight - Luc Montpellier csc Tech Column End of an Era 11th Annual SIM Technology Showcase Classifieds Productions Notes / Calendar
Cover: Still from Forsaken Credit: Dan Power © Minds Eye Entertainment
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Canadian Cinematographer March 2016 Vol. 7, No. 10 CSC BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT George Willis csc, sasc, gawillis@sympatico.ca PAST PRESIDENT, ADVISOR Joan Hutton csc, joanhuttondesign@gmail.com VICE PRESIDENTS Ron Stannett csc, ronstannett@sympatico.ca Carlos Esteves csc, carlos@imagesound.ca TREASURER
FROM THE PRESIDENT George A. Willis csc, sasc
Joseph Sunday phd JSunday1@CreativeAffinities.com SECRETARY Antonin Lhotsky csc, alhotsky@gmail.com MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Phil Earnshaw csc, philyn@sympatico.ca EDUCATION CO-CHAIRS Alwyn Kumst csc, alwynkumst@gmail.com Luc Montpellier csc, luc@lucmontpellier.com PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIR Bruce Marshall, brucemarshall@sympatico.ca DIRECTORS EX-OFFICIO Jeremy Benning csc, jbenning@me.com Dylan Macleod csc, dmacleod@sympatico.ca Bruno Philip csc, bphilipcsc@gmail.com Carolyn Wong, CarolynWong50@gmail.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF George Willis csc, sasc EDITOR EMERITUS Donald Angus EXECUTIVE OFFICER Susan Saranchuk, admin@csc.ca EDITOR Fanen Chiahemen, editor@csc.ca COPY EDITOR Karen Longland ART DIRECTION Berkeley Stat House WEBSITE www.csc.ca ADVERTISING SALES Guido Kondruss, gkondruss@rogers.com
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2 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
I
studied Latin for a number of years while in school (I still question my intent) and have, on occasion, used a few Latin quotes for specific purposes. Such was the case when I concluded my February column with the words carpe diem. While some might be well aware of the meaning of this (popular) partial phrase, I am of the opinion that there might be some ambiguity or confusion regarding these words, which I would like to clarify. The phrase is part of the longer carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero, which can be translated as “seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow (the future).” The latter half of this sentence is what I wish to clarify because I do not agree with it. However, upon further analysis, it may be seen as follows: the future is unforeseen and one should not leave to chance future happenings, but rather one should do all one can today to make one’s future better. This is more in line with my own reasoning and understanding, and for many reasons. One in particular is how this relates to the freelancer in the film industry. We have to place our trust in tomorrow, and the film industry is probably one of the best cases that I can refer to regarding this belief. As a freelancer for almost my entire career in the industry, the future is what I had to be constantly aware of, primarily because of that infamous saying that always hung above my head like the proverbial Sword of Damocles: “You’re as good as your last job!” What better way to escalate the positive aspects of the work ethic than to heed this sage warning? However, this is but one piece of an enormous puzzle that we attempt to construct in our filming careers. I see the puzzle possibly more as a formula that we each have to design for ourselves in order to achieve success, but even then, there is no guarantee of such. And while the procuring of the next job is of paramount financial importance, there are other important factors or pieces that are parts of the formula and that must be taken into account. We have to plan for those times when work dries up and there is little money in the bank. Periodic downturns as well as recessions in the industry are well known, especially to the freelancer, therefore planning for the future is essential. But the biggest problem with this is the simple fact that we do not allow our thoughts to have voice even unto ourselves. see President page 28
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IN THE NEWS
Karim Hussain csc
Thomas Burstyn csc, nzcs
Kirk Neff
CSC Members among Canadian Screen Award Nominees CSC congratulates the members whose projects have been nominated for Canadian Screen Awards: ◗ Achievement in Cinematography: Yves Bélanger csc (Brooklyn); Rene Ohashi csc, asc (Forsaken); Karim Hussain csc (Hyena Road) ◗ Best Cinematography in a Feature-Length Documentary: Thomas Burstyn csc, nzcs (Some Kind Of Love); Daniel Grant csc (The Messenger) ◗ Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series: Bruce Worrall csc (Strange Empire - The Dark Rider) ◗ Best Photography in a News or Information Program, Series or Segment: Kirk Neff (The Day the Wave Came) ◗ Best Photography in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series: Douglas Koch csc (The Second City Project); D. Gregor Hagey csc (Sunnyside - Top Hat) ◗ Best Photography in a Documentary Program or Factual Series: Kris Belchevski (Blind Spot; Moments Unseen); Milan Podsedly csc (Songs of Freedom); Norm Li csc (Tricks on the Dead: The Story of the Chinese Labour Corps in WWI) ◗ Best Photography in a Comedy Program or Series: Gerald Packer csc (Schitt’s Creek – Honeymoon); Gavin Smith csc (Young Drunk Punk - The Pilot) ◗ Best Direction in a Children’s or Youth Program or Series: Phil Earnshaw csc (Degrassi - Finally, Part 2) ◗ Best Sports Feature Segment: Devon Burns (The Butterfly Child; Defector; Favela United; 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Opening Tease) Winners will be announced at a gala on March 13.
Write to Us
www.csc.ca Connect online with the CSC
Phil Earnshaw csc
More CSC Member News Vic Sarin csc in January won the Accolade Global Film Competition’s Grand Prize Humanitarian Award for his documentary The Boy from Geita, which he also lensed. The prize is awarded to filmmakers who raise awareness for issues related to ecology, politics, social justice, health and wellness, wildlife or conservation. In other news, Philippe Falardeau’s My Internship in Canada, shot by Ronald Plante csc, was voted winner of the Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival People’s Choice Award in January. Meanwhile, John Crowley’s Brooklyn, shot by Yves Bélanger csc, received an Oscar nomination in the Best Picture category. Also, associate CSC member Andrew Scholotiuk in late January won a Lumiere Award from the Advanced Imaging Society for 3D work on the feature film 40 Below and Falling. Scholotiuk shared the honour with the film’s director Dylan Pearce. It was Scholotiuk and Pearce’s first 3D feature film.
William F. White Announces New Full-Service Camera Department William F. White International recently announced the launch of WHITES CAMERA, a new department at Whites Toronto dedicated to providing professional camera rental and related technical services. WHITES CAMERA, which will be overseen by Vice President/GM Toronto/Business Development Rick Perotto, will commence with a state-ofthe-art range of professional camera inventory complete with lenses and accessories. The department is expected to be fully operational by mid-2016. Brandon Cooper will serve as director of client services and operations while Trevor Huys will serve as director of technical services and operations. Instagram DP of the month: James Klopko@canadiancinematographer
Canadian Cinematographer welcomes feedback, comments and questions about the magazine and its contents. Please send your letters to editor@csc.ca. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.
4 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
Yves Bélanger csc
@csc_CDN
SOON! Canadian Cinematographer - January 2016 •
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Credit: Luc Montpellier csc
CSC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
were also huge in the ‘90s, so this became a perfect training ground for me. It gave me a taste for experimentation and taught me that film could take any form. Who have been your mentors or teachers? I was very influenced at a young age by Arthur Quesnel, my high school English teacher. His passion for literature and tremendous respect for classic literary works got me excited to pursue a career in storytelling. I also had a professor at Ryerson named Elvino Sauro that had an impact on my filmic future. He was my film technology teacher, and he taught csc me the precision with which a cinematographer must work to What films or other works of art have made the biggest achieve a desired result. He also taught me that learning and respecting film impression on you? The works of Stanley Kubrick have in- technology is the key to unleashing the fluenced me a great deal over the years. creative side of cinematography. From his early work as a photographer What cinematographers to the uniqueness of all his films, he has inspire you? taught me that every film demands its There is so much beautiful cinematogown visual style in support of the story. raphy in the world; it’s hard to pick my The still photographs of Brassaï and favourites! I’ve always respected the Sally Mann have also been an influence work of Roger Deakins asc, bsc and on my work. I love how their images Christopher Doyle. I appreciate how are beautiful yet haunting. Each one their work is natural yet poetic at the of their frames tells a narrative that en- same time. gages the viewer, and challenges them Name some of your professional highlights. to find their own interpretation. There are many, but one that stands How did you get started in out is when I first had the opportunity the business? It all started when I was accepted into to work with Sarah Polley on her first the Ryerson Film Program in Toronto feature film. I had worked with Sarah in the early ‘90s. I was one of only two on one of her shorts, but joining her on cinematographers in the whole class Away from Her was truly memorable for so there were lots of student filmmak- me. It was the start of a collaboration I ers willing to let me shoot their films. continue to cherish and hope to have It was a great opportunity to try things part of my creative life for a very long out and make mistakes! Music videos time.
Luc Montpellier
6 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
What is one of your most memorable moments on set? I will always remember watching the wonderful cast of Take This Waltz deliver some of the best performances I’ve ever seen. I had set out to be as unobtrusive as possible with my lighting on the film and it was very satisfying to see them feel comfortable with their reality. They seemed to forget they were being filmed, and lived completely in the moment. I remember shooting a close-up reaction shot of Seth Rogen as he was being dumped by his wife; the take ended up being over two hours long! What do you like best about what you do? I love collaborating with great human beings. There’s no better feeling than when you work with a director and crew that share the same sensibilities. It’s how I do my best work. What do you like least about what you do? I very much dislike dealing with people that disrespect the creative process. What do you think has been the greatest invention (related to your craft)? LED technology has singlehandedly transformed how I light a set. The lowheat, high-output nature of these lighting fixtures has enabled us to move quickly and to put light in places where it was previously impossible. The newer sensor technology found in modern DSLRs has also impressed me a great deal. The advanced, low-light sensors on some of these cameras has transformed how we are able to capture images, and in doing so has created a new look we haven’t seen before in cinema. How can others follow your work? People can follow my work at lucmontpellier.com for updates on my newest projects. Twitter: @lucmontpellier Instagram: lucmontpellier Facebook
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Rene Ohashi
csc, asc
Embraces the Western in By FANEN CHIAHEMEN
Photos by DAN POWER © minds eye entertainment
E
mmy Award-winning director Jon Cassar may be best known for this television work – his credits include 24, Nikita and The Kennedys – but he has made occasional forays into feature film territory, and his latest is the old-fashioned Western saga Forsaken. The film stars 24 lead Kiefer Sutherland as John Henry Clayton, a Civil War veteran who returns to his small Wyoming town where he has a reputation as a skilled gunfighter. Clayton has renounced violence and is more interested in righting the wrongs of his past –his long absence has eroded his relationship with his reverend father (played by Kiefer’s real-life dad Donald Sutherland), and he has lost his former flame (Demi Moore) to another man. While estranged father and son make fitful attempts to reconcile, a ruthless developer has begun using violent tactics to force local farmers to sell their land in order to make way for a railroad, opening up the possibility that Clayton must take up arms once more to defend the
8 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
Forsaken
The crew shoots Forsaken on location in Alberta.
community. Unabashedly embracing Western conventions, Forsaken is shot against the landscapes of Alberta and features the trademark barroom brawls, as well as a final shootout. Many film commentators have invoked Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven in their discussions of Forsaken, and director of photography Rene Ohashi csc, asc says he and Cassar were in fact inspired by Eastwood’s 1992 Western to shoot Forsaken with a 2:40:1 aspect ratio, which Ohashi says “is conducive to landscape photography, and gives a sense of place and period in every shot. When you do a medium shot of a person using this wide aspect ratio there is frame space that will emphasize the background. Even in interior locations, you always have a sense of place.” Cassar’s directorial intentions and ideas, meanwhile, provided Ohashi, whose work on the film earned him a Canadian Screen Award nomination, with the guidance he needed to approach the visual aesthetics. “For me the aesthetics
tiple times with different frames sizes and the two different camera angles, and that way we were able to get a fair bit of interesting coverage. That was very useful in the saloon shootout scene towards the end of the film, for example, where we needed a lot of angles and shots of different sizes to cover the action,” he says. With the advent of digital capture, Ohashi says he also finds that prime lenses produce too sharp of an image, so on
Self-portrait of DP Rene Ohashi csc, asc
come out of the script, and Forsaken was a very traditional classic Western story, and so we wanted the film to have a very naturalistic look, to tell the story in a realistic fashion,” the DP says, adding that he achieved a “heightened reality through lighting for dramatic effect. And with the photography being very realistic, two things are accomplished. It makes it very believable for the audience and it doesn’t seem forced, artificial or contrived.”
Most of Forsaken was shot on an existing town set just outside of Calgary.
Having shot features on film for most of his career, Ohashi chose to shoot Forsaken with the ARRI ALEXA, which Panavision Vancouver provided. “I always find that this digital camera addresses how colour is captured, and I find it’s very filmic compared to the other cameras. And also this camera’s user interface is very intuitive and not menu-driven like most,” he says. However, Ohashi says he finds digital images too sharp and not very forgiving, so to give his Forsaken images a filmic look, the DP used two or three levels of diffusion on the camera, rating it at 800 ISO in interiors and 200 for exteriors. For the most part, Forsaken used a two-camera setup, which allowed Ohashi and his crew to shoot two angles at the same time. “What I do ideally in interiors is I try to place the cameras on the negative side or the shadow side of the lighting so then I can actually place the cameras almost 90 degrees to each other,” he explains. “We would shoot the scenes mul-
DP Rene Ohashi csc, asc
Forsaken he used mostly zooms, which allowed him to shoot quickly and also provided the option of altering a shot framing within a take. He explains, “Sometimes in certain angles the takes only work for so long, and that’s why I don’t like the primes. You’ll have a nice two-shot or three-shot grouping and then the people move from that position and now the three-shot you had becomes too wide, so I just have the operator do a reframe within the take, so you’re able to get another shot without having to go back and shoot another take. So it just allows you that flexibility. It comes a little bit out of TV coverage, but if you have creative operators you can accomplish that as well as get alternate coverage that wasn’t planned.” Ohashi’s crew included his frequent gaffer David Breeze, who he brought from Toronto, as well as camera operator Michael Carella with whom Cassar had worked with on The Kennedys. Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016 •
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Still from Forsaken.
In keeping with the naturalistic aesthetic, Ohashi lit day interiors with a combination of hard source light and bounced light through windows, using large units such as 18K HMIs and 6Ks, supplied by William F. White Calgary. He would utilize smaller units “for edges or a little bit of backlight for subtle accents,” he adds. “I would try to light through windows with a northern exposure and flag off the natural daylight from other areas where I couldn’t control the light. That’s why I like lighting through the northern exposure so I can control the light all day,” he says. “This was especially important for the shootout scene, which took place over two and half days, where we needed control of the lighting to maintain the look from early morning to evening.” Forsaken was primarily a daytime shoot, but for the few night interiors, Ohashi would use source lighting, relying mostly on lighting from kerosene lanterns to maintain a period realism. “From those lanterns placed in the background, I would create a directional top glow, trying to keep the intensity naturalistic so it looks like lighting from those sources,” he says. “Alternatively a lantern placed in the foreground on either side of the frame could be used to push the key light from that direction towards the actors. It reinforces the illusion.” Ohashi observes, “One thing digital does quite well is it sees radical colour temperature shifts quite naturally. In the case with kerosene lanterns, you can achieve sparkle and colour warmth, so I mixed and contrasted cool daylight balanced light from the HMIs with warm practical kerosene lamps in a lot of day interior shots. And as well, I have the potential to accent that warm light source with three-quarter back edge light.” Where it became most complicated for Ohashi was trying to control the light for day exteriors. “What I used was an 80foot Condor almost full time on day exteriors, and I would put a 20x20 grid cloth diffusion or sometimes even black to control the light depending on what I was trying to achieve. I would use that as a lighting control tool so I could do wide shots using just natural daylight. But in closer shots, I could control the light with a combination of negative lighting and diffusing the natural light, using the Condor and differing
10 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
levels of grid cloth on the 20 x20 frame.” Because virtually the entire film was shot on an existing town set just outside of Calgary, during pre-production Ohashi was able to go through the script with assistant director Lee Cleary and select ideal times to shoot each scene. “So once Jon decided where he wanted to shoot we would go through the schedule and try to accomplish the scenes, placing it in my ideal timeframe during the day. So everything was placed in a schedule to suit the sun direction,” Ohashi says. Forsaken was an autumn shoot, and Ohashi says because “weather issues always come into play when shooting exteriors, I always have a big enough lighting package that I have the ability to light my way out of potential light inconsistencies whether it’s cheating close-ups, back light, fill light or whatever. I prefer to do a master shot with existing lighting as you really can’t fight nature on a wide shot.” Shooting digital meant that Ohashi could grade the film live using Live Grade. “Basically I grade scene to scene but also sometimes shot to shot. And because I quite often place cameras 90 degrees to each other, I’m able to adjust both cameras simultaneously with different settings,” he says. “For example, I would use smoke in some scenes, and so if one camera is directly towards the windows to the backlight, the lighting is quite different from the main angle, which would be parallel to window light. So I would basically have different grades for the two angles at the same time, and that’s why I like to be able to control all of that live. I would create LUTs for virtually every shot in the film so that I was able to demonstrate exactly my intent in the dailies.” Ohashi oversaw the DI at Deluxe and says “that was another advantage because the whole Deluxe Efilm solution has a lot of post tools I was able to employ after the fact. So I didn’t have to finesse the on-set lighting knowing that I had those tools in post. The whole digital inter-negative process is integral and indispensable.” For Ohashi, who says he grew up watching Westerns as a child after school and on Saturday mornings, shooting Forsaken was a welcome opportunity to explore this iconic genre. “Forsaken is a modern take on the classic Western drama that required it to be portrayed and illustrated in a convincing manner,” he says. “When I was young, lighting for Westerns used to be primarily theatrical and somewhat artificial in effect. By contrast, on Forsaken, using modern lighting technologies and design, I was able to shoot a Western creating a naturalistic look with an elegant, minimalist aesthetic.”
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Dress Code: Black Tie Optional 5:00 pm Champagne Reception and Red Carpet Event 7:00 pm Dinner and Awards Presentations 10:00 pm Dessert & After-party Schmooze
WATCH THE GALA ON LINE AT CSC.CA Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016 •
11
James Klopko csc
Still from Sleeping Giant.
12 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
Crafts Cruel Summer in
Sleeping Giant
By FANEN CHIAHEMEN
I
n the independent feature Sleeping Giant, sensitive teenager Adam is spending the summer with his parents at their holiday cottage on Lake Superior where he befriends two local cousins, Nate and Riley. The three adolescent boys pass their time playing video games, egging houses, jumping off cliffs, stealing beer and getting into other mischief. Their differing personalities cause minor friction that intensifies when a girl enters the picture and Adam uncovers a painful truth about his family. The feature explores the dynamic between the teenage boys – loaded with jealousy, betrayal and peer pressure – as they assert their masculinity and enter adulthood. The film’s title refers to the Sibley Peninsula formation that protrudes onto Lake Superior, forming the body of water that is Thunder Bay, which serves as the scenic backdrop for the cinematography crafted by James Klopko csc. First-time feature director Andrew Cividino had made a short version of the film that was shot with DSLRs in a loose, raw manner that both he and producer Karen Harnisch favoured for the feature-length version of the film. “It was important that we be nimble because we were working with young actors and we were looking to catch authentic moments with them, so we needed to be able to respond to things they might do that we hadn’t planned for,” Cividino says. The director also wanted the shooting style to reflect the boys’ experience. “I wanted to be caught up in the moment with our characters and to be rolling along on this journey with them, both for the fun, high-riding adventure of it and the callous cruelty of it,” he says.
Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016 •
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Credits: Aaron Yeger
“We were trying to make it visceral, and a lot of that was through handheld work,” Klopko explains. For example, in a dinner scene featuring Riley, Nate and their grandmother, Klopko says he employed a “follow-the-puck” style of shooting, mirroring the rhythm of the rapid dialogue between the characters. “In this situation, Andrew and I felt like creating this sense of reality with the loose camera, following the scene, panning left and right and racking between characters. It’s a very raw camera aesthetic that really made the characters feel real and honest,” he says. But Cividino also wanted to maintain a cinematic feel when appropriate rather than solely employing a purely fly-on-the wall aesthetic. In another scene, Adam eats dinner on the patio with his parents, having recently discovered that his father has been unfaithful to his mother. “It’s a very locked-off scene with the camera drifting left and right. We didn’t use any handheld, and we shot slow motion to enhance the fact that we’re in Adam’s point of view and he’s coming to the realization of his parents’ situation and the fragility of his family,” Klopko says. Sleeping Giant was shot on the RED EPIC DRAGON mainly because of the camera’s mobility, and its ability to get into tight spaces and to shoot beyond 120 fps if needed, Klopko says. “This film was mostly shot with natural light, and the camera’s dynamic range was perfect for this film,” he says. He adds that he was “all over the place” when it came to the camera’s ISO. While generally he rated it at 800, he sometimes went down to 200 and up to 2500. Klopko had an à la carte lighting package consisting of basic Kino Flos, Fresnels and China balls, but for the most part he used natural light augmented with some HMIs or Kinos in the interiors. He also relied on plenty of practical lights like lamps inside homes. “What we did is we used the practicals
14 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
and I would have Kinos rigged into the ceiling with scissor clamps or armed out to simulate light from the practicals. Anytime there were practicals, I’d use a short 2x2 Kino diffused or gelled to match and supplement the light from the practical,” he says. For exteriors, Klopko mostly used natural light and bounce, bringing in HMIs for close-ups when the sun would disappear unexpectedly. But he did use lighting for night scenes. One scene in particular comes to mind in which the residents of Adam’s neighbourhood get together for a summer barbecue and fireworks, a scene that was shot over three days. “We faked fireworks on the boys for their close-ups,” the cinematographer reveals. “Just using a set of Fresnel tungsten lights with different coloured gels on dimmers, and we’d just dim them up to simulate fireworks on the day. “Generally, the RED performed well in low light even when we thought shadows would be too noisy. When we got it into colour correct it was actually holding perfectly and the images looked great,” he says. RED PRO Prime lenses also worked well for the film, Klopko maintains. “Overall they are pretty sharp; the lens flaring at times is not so desirable, but at certain apertures it tends to look really good. Like when the boys are wrestling on the beach and the sun is setting, there are lots of lens flares in that scene, and on that occasion it looks really good,” he recalls. The crew got the opportunity to do a unique lighting sequence in a scene when the teenagers visit an arcade and play laser tag. “That was an interesting scene to shoot because we were literally in a maze trying to find each other, and the crew would get lost in this dark black room that was very smoky,” Klopko recalls. “We used a lot of black light because often times laser tag is primarily lit that way, so the production designer, Erika Lobko, played a lot more fluorescent highlights within the location and we happened to have tons of black light tubes that we could hook into Kino fixtures to light the scene. The black light was cool but it did not seem that interesting, so we had some of our electrics hold flashlights by hand, moving light across the lens or the scene at regular intervals to create a more dynamic lighting setup. It did the job and brought life to what is essentially just a large black room. The arcade was also great because it had lots of neon lighting in it, and I would just augment that lighting with Kinos and match it with a similar coloured gel.” From the start of production, the crew decided they wanted the colour palette to be bright and vibrant, which was reflected in the clothes the boys wore, in the production design, as well as in the landscape which was “very beautiful and has vibrant greens and blues,” Klopko recalls. He and Cividino also discussed how to capture the grandeur of Thunder Bay, “to set the scene and the stage, but Andrew also wanted to get into the micro details of textures, of wood and leaves and moss, and just go from the macro to
micro throughout the movie, so there are a lot of large, wide shots mixed in with very detailed close-ups of the environment,” Klopko says. The setting was also an ideal playground for improvising, the crew discovered. For example, in one scene the boys find a dead seagull on one of the islands and start throwing rocks at it for sport, and Klopko says the scene was not scripted
Previous page: James Klopko csc Above: Director Andrew Cividino with Reece Moffett, who plays Riley. Middle: Klopko with sound mixer Adam Parsons and director Andrew Cividino. Bottom: Nick Serino, who plays Nate, shoots a scene.
but came about when the crew was scouting the island. “We saw this dead seagull hanging from the tree and we were like, ‘This is our opener; let’s just start shooting and we’ll just take the boys towards the seagull.’ We didn’t know what they were going to do, but we just got them there. And we ended up going from this violent visceral moment where the boys throw rocks to this confrontational moment between Nate and Adam.” The most complicated scenes to shoot were the scenes by the water, Klopko recalls. “Shooting on Lake Superior was quite challenging,” he says. “A lot of locations were remote islands that were a 30-minute to an hour’s boat ride away. And our gear was very limited when going to the islands. So we just had to pare down our camera package. We would leave the Primes behind because the Primes case was too heavy for the boats, and we had to shoot on zooms when on the island. We just had some fabrics that we could use to create negative fill or bounce for certain scenes. It was a very bare-bones skeleton crew on the islands. And very nerve-racking because the Lake Superior weather can change on a dime and it could be risky for us to go back. So we always had to keep an eye on the water because if you shoot past a certain amount of time and the water gets too choppy, it can be dangerous to get back so we were frequently prepared to camp on the island if we had to. “And working around water is always nerve-racking,” he continues. “We did a lot of shooting on boats, and sometimes the water cooperated and other times it didn’t, and we’d have to reschedule our scenes or shoot around water conditions. Like with the scene on Todd’s Cliff, we wanted to shoot the sequence at the bottom of the cliff, but the water was too choppy so we had to reschedule, and unfortunately the day we rescheduled the shoot for, the water was too difficult to maneuver and too dangerous at the bottom of the cliff so we ended up shooting on the other side of the island where the water was calmer, and we had to do our best to make sure our shots still matched and we didn’t have any landmarks that would mismatch in the edit.” Klopko says nevertheless the tight-knit crew, along with the setting, often gave the shoot a summer camp feel. “We were living about 20 minutes outside of Thunder Bay, so we were living and breathing the film and we bonded a lot. It was just a great crew in the sense that everyone was passionate about the film and taking the time to do every scene properly,” he says. Sleeping Giant won the City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, and was runner-up for the Toronto Film Critics Association’s 2015 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award. The feature also premiered at the Cannes Film Festival for its La Semaine de la Critique program in 2015 as one of seven films selected internationally. Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016 •
15
Sarah Thomas Moffat
Sarah Thomas Moffat
16 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
Goes Off the Grid for
Klondike Trappers
By FANEN CHIAHEMEN
K
londike Trappers, a History Channel survival documentary series (airing as Great Wild North in the United States), follows a group of men and women pursuing the ancient practice of fur trapping as a way of life in the frozen wilderness of Alaska and the Yukon. Produced by Paperny Entertainment, the adventure series chronicles the daily lives of the families who live and thrive in the dead of the wild Yukon winter. Series DP and associate CSC Sarah Thomas Moffat spent roughly three months living off the grid in the Yukon where temperatures were regularly 40 below and daylight rarely lasted longer than six hours. Although Moffat has shot off the grid in many parts of the world, the parameters of the environment for Klondike Trappers were quite different “due to the extreme frozen temperatures and massive unforgiving landscape,” she says. “You must be physically fit.” Moffat says she has been an outdoors person since childhood, is athletic and has participated in a lot of extreme sports. “That has definitely carried over into my career and the type of cinematography I do a lot of right now,” she says. “Having that natural athleticism and stamina and a passion for the great outdoors has definitely helped make it a more enjoyable experience while working in these environments. When camera assistants ask me for advice because they want to try this kind of work, one of the first things I say is, ‘Get a gym membership.’” Moffat and her team had just a couple of weeks of preproduction on Klondike Trappers, and during that time, as the series DP, Moffat established the look of the show, how it was going to be shot, as well as how the team was going to manage consistency in all locations. Moffat approached the cinematography as picture management for the particular environment as Paperny has traditionally shot their factual content on Sony F800s and F700s, ENG-style, off-the-shoulder, run-and-gun newsgathering cameras, using standard ENG styled HD zoom lenses. The F700 shoots solid state, and the F800 shoots on disks, but both cameras have small sensors, and Moffat says this was her first challenge going into a high-contrast situation. She therefore programmed two scene files into the cameras that would allow for her and the operators in the field to have a low-light option and a standard daylight option for shooting. “Inspired Image Picture Company in British Columbia facilitated the space for me to bring the cameras in and hook them up to a waveform monitor and a vector scope to work in the highlights and low lights,” she explains. “From there I did a field test and tweaked. Once I was set, I personally Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016 •
17
Credit for top photo: John Denniston
Despite the physical challenges of the locations the Aurora Borealis was a remarkable sight to behold, Moffat says.
Klondike Trappers was shot in an environment of extreme frozen temperatures and massive unforgiving landscape, Moffat says.
18 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
programmed all cameras going out. When on location I created a backup card with the stored files which stayed in the production house in Dawson City, Yukon. All additional replacement bodies were then instructed to be programmed from this card. Maintaining consistency in picture was one of my top priorities. “It was a huge technical challenge to manage the highcontrast environment,” she continues. “During the daylight hours, the sun only reached an approximate 45-degree angle to the earth, which created an overly intense skip off the snow. The bounce effect, as a result of a white hot sun and white hot snow meeting at the horizon at all hours, made for high risks on over-exposing shots. In contrast, our subjects were also moving through dense forests, along river edges. In the same frame at any given time I knew we could be dealing with hot sun and snow and deep shade all in a small-sensor camera not designed to handle those lighting conditions.” To manage this, Moffat says she instructed the crew “to do absolutely religious programming of the specific scene files and programming of correct white balances, consistently throughout the day and throughout the dark light to make sure everyone’s shots were in relative consistency on exposure, lighting, look and colour.” She also stressed the importance of using composition and framing to overcome the environmental challenges. For the most part, Klondike Trappers was lit with natural and practical light sources, but Moffat also needed an efficient light kit for the master interviews with the trappers throughout the show. So she asked for each unit to have a Fiilex K301 Lighting Kit, which is a three-lamp LED kit. “These lamps are very weather proof and run off battery power,” she says. “It was a good option given the locations we were in, and how we were travelling there.” The master interviews were filmed in the trappers’ rustic cabins, and it was there that Moffat could bring creativity to the lighting. “I referred to a Rembrandt painting called ‘Old Man with Beard.’ It’s a very simple yet beautifully painted portrait of an old man with a beard. The painting is very soft in light, very perfect in how the light falls around the man’s face and off into the shadow, creating a natural vignette in the room. You can imagine how that relates to the trappers and the way they look,” she says. “I actually showed the group the painting and said, ‘This is how we’re going to make these guys look in their cabins.’ It became part of the production bible.” At night and during lower light hours, the team used other sources such as fire, flashlights or headlamp lights to see the action. “I had the crew use those lights in the shot as practical sources of light to help illuminate the activity instead of trying to gain up the camera, which would introduce noise into the camera,” Moffat explains. “So the teams would flip to the low-light scene file, which was designed to bring up dark areas and shadows. And then put those practical lights in the
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Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016 •
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shot – put headlamps on while subjects were talking to each other, or put a fire in the shot, or headlights from skidoos, or get the subjects to shine a flashlight around. We never let anyone go outside without some sort of practical light. Simple, logical ideas that made a big difference for the cameras we were shooting the reality action on.” Sometimes the team would also use Fiilex LED lights as a fake moonlight source. “I told them, ‘If you have to, add fill from behind the camera at any given time, put a battery on one of those lights and hold it up high, just illuminate a little bit of the forest as a bit of spill to fake moonlight,’” she says. The crew also had secondary cameras as back-up cameras, but also to shoot beauty shots, some low-light shots and
Above: Moffat with trapper Cor Guimond. Left: The crew’s daily challenges included dealing with the nuisances that shooting in extreme cold posed to the equipment.
20 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
night-time astrophotography. The secondary cameras were Sony A7s, with a Metabones adapter for Canon EF mount lenses. “The reason we went with the A7s is that it has a very high ISO range with a low grain structure; it’s a very sensitive camera and performs well in low light,” Moffat says. “We also used a few GoPros mounted on skidoos, and were lucky if they didn’t freeze. For the hero shots, we used a Sony FS700 to get the high speeds done, along with the A7s on sliders. Some localized aerials were achieved with Phantom drones, though main aerials were done with myself and the V14 Cineflex system with operator John Trapman and pilot Scott DeWindt from Fireweed Helicopters.” However, no amount of planning could completely prevent the nuisances that shooting in extreme cold posed to the equipment. For one thing, operating the cameras became challenging with all the layers of clothing the team wore. Then frost would also build up inside the viewfinder. “The only way to keep clearing it was to scrape it off with your fingernail,” Moffat says. “Cameras would freeze, cables would snap in seconds of exposure, lenses would collect snow and frost, basically everything was frozen almost all of the time.” The team also had to deal with the physical challenges of shooting in that environment – some of the crew members developed frost bite and Moffat suffered snow blindness, a burning of the cornea caused by UV rays reflected off ice and snow. Protective eyewear was difficult to use because it would freeze and frost over and get in the way of looking in the viewfinder. Moffat says, “Most of the time we were all operating in 3 to 5 feet of snow. Driving skidoos for hours or days at a time to locations was also part of the challenge. Each crew member drove their own skidoo, towing a skiff with up to 600 lbs of gear, food and gas.” Hypothermia was the biggest threat, however, according to Moffat. “It was essential to try and not work up a sweat under 20 lbs of clothing and outerwear because as soon as you stopped moving, despite the layers you wore, the moisture turned cold and could cause some of the clothing to freeze up as well, and that was a recipe for hypothermia. It was a true exercise of mind over matter, and a fine balance of personal survival,” she says. “Dealing with extreme temperatures, making the equipment function, and getting your shots while maintaining your core temperature and keeping your head on your shoulders was an exercise in extreme focus,” she says. “We had safety guides with us, but no matter how much safety is in place, you’re out there and anything can happen. Moffat also gives credit to producer David Freeman for having her back on the show. “Knowing you can trust your producer anytime is essential, but on a show like this it made all the difference knowing I wasn’t alone out there,” she says.
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Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016 •
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TECH COLUMN
Small is the New Big
G
ood things do come in small packages, and the Sony a7R II and a7S II are prime examples. The line has advanced quickly in a short time frame: the a7 and a7R were announced in fall 2013, quickly followed by the a7S six months later. The a7 II was announced in fall 2014, followed by the a7R II in June 2014, and then, just to confuse things, the a7S II in September 2015. In either of the latest two formats, it’s a mirrorless camera with a magnesium alloy body, though the 7R II has a massive 42.4 MP CMOS sensor, while the 7S II has a 12.1 Mp sensor. And while Sony has long partnered with Carl Zeiss and has a great range of superb lenses, the genius of this little box (127 x 96 x 60 mm and 582 grams) is that it will take pretty well any lens you want with the right adaptor. We asked a couple of Toronto DPs, James Klopko csc and CSC associate Scott McClellan, both of whom have worked with the a7S II and a7R II respectively to offer their insights. Klopko (jamesklopko.com) bought the a7S II, noting it’s more video friendly: “Still shooters go for the big sensor, but at 12.1 MP there’s less noise in the A7S II, which is what I want.” The a7R IIc locks in with a base ISO of 100 to 12,800 but can expand to 102,400 from 50, while the a7S II has a 100 to 102,000 ISO, which can expand to 409,600 from 50. “It really is beautifully sensitive,” Klopko said, noting he used that feature to shoot a documentary segment at night, adding Sony’s tweaking tool, Zebra, which overlays stripes to indicate fine
22 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
exposure levels that was a decided plus. “We also did a time lapse and downloaded the app, which did a great job for us,” he said. “You boot into it, set the intervals, exposure, and then it does the rest. It even produces a 1080p video file, which saves you having to stitch it all together in post. I think it cost $10 or something like that.” Having already invested in Canon mount glass for his Canon 5D Mark III, it was also a relief to be able to buy an adapter which allowed a seamless switch. “The good adapters work with the exposure and focus so it’s really helpful,” said Klopko, whose most recent notable works include the multi award-winning Sleeping Giant (City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film, TIFF 2015). DSLR form factors aren’t just about stills anymore and the video capture features don’t skimp, which is why both Klopko and McClellan (aascottmcclellan.com), who won Best Cinematography at the 2014 Atlantic Film festival with his debut feature Cast No Shadow, are warming to the intimacy it allows. “I have a Sony FS-7, and what I like about the a7R II is that the colour lutz match up easily,” McClellan said. “So whether I’m working on a reality show or a documentary or an interview, I can use both cameras and they’ll work together. The menu on the a7R II isn’t the same, but the Sony logic is there so it’s intuitive.” The small form factor is both a plus and a negative, Klopko adds: “There are so many buttons it’s hard not to touch on one when setting up a rig. But you get used to them and they are
programmable, so we used that feature with the rig when shooting. The small size, however, means people don’t notice it as much, which is good.” As for the specs, video capture is up to 4K with MPEG-4, AVCHD (28 Mbits/s) and XAVC (50 Mbit/s) on board at 3840 x 2160p and 30 or 24 fps with XAVC S format up to 100 Mbps using the Super 35 crop mode. HD 1920 x 1080p runs up to 60 fps and HD 1280 x 720p up to 120 fps. There’s the option of an external monitor, of course, or you can view through the 0.5” 2.36M-dot XGA OLED electronic viewfinder or more comfortably with the 3” 1,228.8k-dot tilting LCD monitor. There’s also on-board WiFi connectivity with NFC and on-board S-Log2 Gamma and S-Gamut settings with fully customizable picture profiles. Finally, there’s a five-axis stabilization system built in, which McClellan says he also found to be a useful feature. “I was shooting a commercial and it involved following a hockey player around and we were in a dressing room scene and there were a lot of people around and space was tight, so I used the a7R II without a gimbal and just shot,” he said. “That was a big plus over having to take my FS-7 in there. It was really unobtrusive and people aren’t as intimidated by the camera because they can relate more to it because of the size. The tilts screen monitor was good too.” The only thing missing, he can see, is an HD SDI in and out connection, but overall he’s impressed with the unit. Ian Harvey is a Toronto-based journalist who writes for a variety of publications and covers the technology sector. He welcomes feedback and eagerly solicits ideas at ian@pitbullmedia.ca
Canadian Cinematographer - January 2016 •
25
End of an Era
Roy Tash csc
Stan Clinton csc
By GUIDO KONDRUSS
I
t’s always hard to say goodbye to old friends, but sometimes it’s necessary. The CSC Awards Committee has made the tough decision to retire two of its signature awards: the Roy
24 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
Tash Award for Spot News Cinematography and the Stan Clinton Award for News Essay Cinematography. Because of changes within the broadcast industry wrought by the Internet, slashed newsroom budgets and shifting attitudes towards the news cameraman craft, interest in the two awards waned appreciably in recent years. The number of submissions steadily declined to the point where it was felt that the awards were no longer competitive and representative of today’s television industry. Although the categories will no longer be offered as part of the Annual CSC Awards, they will remain as a lasting tribute and testament to the exceptional skill and craftsmanship of more than 200 nominees and winners during a period that lasted nearly five decades. The Roy Tash Award was first presented in 1970 for outstanding cinematography in television news by a camera person. The award is named after Canadian film pioneer Roy Tash csc, who spent most of his 50-year career as a newsreel cinematographer – first for Pathé News and then Associated Screen News – documenting events across the country and around the world. Tash shot film of everything from prime ministers and royalty to athletes and babies and everything in between. His biggest scoop was being the first to film the Dionne quintuplets during Christmas in 1934. It was often said that no event was complete without Roy Tash and his camera. An inductee into the Canadian News Hall of Fame, Tash was also the recipient of the Bill Hilson Award “for outstanding service contributing to the development of the motion picture industry in Can-
ada.” Tash was also a lifetime member of the CSC and served as the society’s treasurer for many years. The original Roy Tash Award features a gold-plated 35 mm Bell and Howell Eyemo, one of Tash’s cameras he filmed with throughout his career. Tash personally presented the award, which bears his name, each year at the CSC Gala until his death in 1988 at age 90. The Stan Clinton Award was presented for the best news essay where cinematographic distinction was the prime consideration. It was first awarded in 1989 in memory of cinematographer Stan Clinton csc. Trained in the British system of filmmaking, Clinton worked for years in London shooting features, documentaries, and training and advertising films. He brought his English cinematography sensibilities to Canada, joining the CBC in 1952, where he worked for the next 22 years. During his tenure at the CBC, Clinton built a reputation for his superb shooting skills and was legendary for always producing top-notch work no matter how compromising and difficult the assignment. He is credited with upping the quality of film work at the CBC from primarily newsreel work to a level that produced award-winning dramas and documentaries. Clinton was also very generous with his time and knowledge, training many camera assistants, some of whom went on to become directors of photography. Clinton was one of the original full members that formed the Canadian Society of Cinematographers in 1957 and served later as the society’s president for three years. While the Roy Tash Award and the Stan Clinton Award are now withdrawn from competition, they will not be forgotten. Both awards will be on permanent display in the CSC Clubhouse as a legacy and tribute to their respective recipients through the years.
THE ROY TASH AWARD for Spot News Cinematography
2015 Marc D’Amours, CTV News 2014 Jon Castell, CBC 2013 Liam Hyland. CTV News 2012 Andrew Lawson, CTV News 2011 Gord Edick, Global 2010 Jim Lenton, CHBC News, Kelowna 2009 Cheng-Hsian Chang, CTV News 2008 Brett Purdy, Global TV Winnipeg 2007 Sergio Magro, Global BC 2006 Giancarlo Desantis, Citytvl 2005 Kirk Neff, Citytv 2004 Keith Whelan, CBC 2003 Shawn Foss, CTV Vancouver
2002 Phil Nolan, Global 2001 Yehoram Pirotsky, Global 2000 Greg Danilenko, CTV 1999 Bill Purchase, CTV 1998 Howard Cooper, CTV 1997 Douglas Gamey, Global 1996 Yehoram Pirotsky, Global 1995 Dan Laffey, Global 1994 Gord Edick, Global 1993 Robert Cleator, CFRN Edmonton 1992 Richard Games, CFCN Calgary 1991 Dominic Scuillo, CITY-TV Toronto 1990 Alan S. Watson, CFRN Edmonton 1989 Dan Moynihan, CBC Regina 1988 Frank Mahon, Globa 1987 Doug Baird, CBC Vancouver 1986 Patrick Bell, CBC Vancouver 1985 Jim Moule, CFCN-TV 1984 William Purchase, CFRN Edmonton 1983 Tim Moses, Global 1982 William Szczur, BCTV 1980 John Grierson, CITY 1979 Raymond Bournier, CBC Winnipeg 1978 Peter Woeste, CKY-TV Winnipeg 1976 Dan Laffey, Global 1975 Walter Corbett, Global 1974 Teri Culbert, CBC Toronto 1972 Alphee Moreau, CHCH Hamilton 1971 Phillip C. Pendry, CBC England 1970 Teri Culbert, CFPL-TV London
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THE STAN CLINTON AWARD for News Essay Cinematography
2014 Peter Szperling, CTV Ottawa 2013 George Glen, Global, Calgary 2012 Allan Leader csc, Discovery 2011 Kirk Neff, 16:9, Global TV
2010 Kirk Neff,16:9, Global TV 2009 Randy Maahs, CTV News 2008 Doug Gamey, Global TV 2007 Luke Smith, APTN Whitehorse 2006 Paul Wing, CJOH Ottawa 2005 Randy Maahs, CJOH Ottawa 2004 Keith Eidse, A Channel 2003 Randy Maahs, CJOH Ottawa 2002 Paul Wing, CJOH Ottawa 2001 Stephane Brisson, CTV 2000 Paul Wing, CJOH Ottawa 1999 Wendell Tenove, CTV 1998 Paul Wing, CJOH Ottawa 1997 Chris Gargus, CBC Toronto 1996 Don Scott, CBC Calgary 1995 Chris Gargus, CBC Toronto 1994 Danny Cook, CBC Toronto 1993 Paul Wing, CJOH Ottawa 1992 Kevin MacDonald, ATV Halifax 1991 Peter Warren, CJOH Ottawa 1990 Kevin MacDonald, ATV Halifax 1989 Peter Warren, CJOH Ottawa
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26 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
Edmonton Film Cooperative wants your unused Arri 35 mm camera. Do you have film cameras languishing on a shelf? Give it a new life, give it to a film coop and we will give you a healthy tax credit. Have a 35BL, a 235, a 435 gathering dust because everyone is Red cam nuts? Have other great camera accessories? Let us know, let’s make a deal. Contact Andy @rentals@fava.ca and work a great deal. 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 at 604-229-0861, 604-229-0861 or peter@peterbenison.com. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE CANON 7D package with zoom Canon 18-135mm T3.5, CANON ZOOM 75-300mm T4, CANON Battery Grip BG-E7, SMALL HD DP-4 DSLR Monitor, SHAPE Kirk Nef DSLR cage, SHAPE Hot Shoe SONY EVF Mount “L” Bracket, THINK Tank Camera Bag, VELLO intervalometer, HAMA card reader, SanDisk 16g card, 2x Canon E6 batteries + charger, Assorted cables. Hardly used. Asking $1950 OBO. Contact: jacbernier@sympatico.ca Spectra Digital Professional IV 150.00 Spectra Digital Professiomal IV “A” 200.00 Pentax Digital Spotmeter 100.00 Spectra Professional Cine 100.00 Mark IV 10/1 Directors Viewfinder 75.00 Cavision VMF Directors Viewfinder 100.00 Kino Flo Diva Lite 400 Model DIV-400 with stand and 10 tungsten spare bulbs and 4 daylight spare bulbs 350.00 12’x12’ white cotton bounce cloth 50.00 Whole package $1,000.00 Andreas Poulsson CSC apoulsson@hotmail.com 604 868 6292 Full Set of MINT Classic Soft Filters. 4x5.6 glass camera filters in all the densities- 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2. Perfect condition and all in pouches. Normally sells for $360+CDN each. All five for $ 1400 no tax/includes shipping within Canada. danny@spitfirefilms.net 604.505.1615 FOR SALE : Preston FI+Z (RF) remote follow focus package. Includes: MDR1, 2X DM1 motors(Jerry Hill style), Microforce zoom control, Iris controller, hand unit, speed booster (12v-24v)+ fast charger. Panavison, RED, Arri power cables/run cables. + brackets/ various lens gears/marking discs. ASKING $9,000 for more info and a detailed spec list please contact: Greg Biskup (647) 405-8644, greg@ biskupcine.com Canon Wide angle Lens J11A X 4.5 B4 IRSD and Canon Servo Zoom Control ZSD-300 Value 27 000$ Asking only 3 000$ Elmo Suv-Cam SD ELSC5C and accessories New Value 1 200$ Asking only 100$, Anton Bauer UltraLight & Ul Soft Box Asking only 150$, Frezzi HMI Sun Gun & Frezzi Soft Box Value 1 700$ Asking only 400$, Porta Brace Rain Slicker for Pro Camcorder RS-55 like New Asking only 150$, Script Boy Wireless T.C. System needs minor repair Asking only 100$, Shure Mixer FP33 & Porta Brace audio mixer case Asking only 450$, Sony Monitor SD PVM-14N1U new Asking only 50$, 2 Camera Canon Dig Rebel 10Mp XTi, Sigma 70-300 F4-5.6 Super C-AF, 4 Canon Batteries and accessories Asking only 550$, Porta Brace monitor Case for Panasonic BT-LH910 like new Asking only 100$ andrepaul@me.com or call 514 831-8347 Panasonic AJ-HDX900P 290 drum hours, $7500.00 Canon KJ16ex7.7B IRSE lens, $5000.00 CanonJ11ex4.5B4 WRSD lens, $4500.00 Call Ian 416-725-5349 or idscott@rogers.com
Asahi Pentax spotmeter(just serviced) 425.00 Minolta Colormeter III F 750.00 Spectra Professional IV 250.00 Spectra Professional IV A 300.00 Minolta SpotmeterF(need repair) 100.00 Bernard Couture: p.bc@sympatico.ca; 514-486-2749 Professional U/W housing from renowned world leader Amphibico.2006 Sony HVR-A1U camera with 0.7x wide adapter and all accesories. 2006 AmphibicoEVO-Pro housing with .55x wide conversion and flat port. Rare model built in small quantity. Most camera functions accessible.About 60-70 dives. Complete overhaul and pressure tested by factory in 2010. 3.5’’ LCD Monitor, rebuilt in 2010. 2 compact Discovery 10W HID lamps by Amphibico with batteries and chargers. Spare o-ring for all. Soft and hard carry cases. All in good condition. E-mail or call for photos and more information. 514-941-2555, daniel@dvdp.ca Transvideo Titan HD Transmitter and Re¬ceiver kits. $3000ea. 2 for $5500. Similar in style and operation to the Boxx Meridian. 1- Angenieux 25-250 T3.9 Arri PL mount, std film gears on focus, zoom, and iris (32 pitch-mod 0.8), lens support and collar, shipping case included $2900 1Tamron 300mm F2.8 Arri bayonet mount with PL adapter, std film gear on focus (32 pitch-mod 0.8), 42mm filters: clear, 2 x 85, shipping case included $900 Contact: stephen.reizes@gmail.com Panasonic 3D Professional Full HD Video Camera (AG-3DA1) The AG-3DA1 is the world’s first professional, fullyintegrated Full HD 3D camcorder that records to SD card media. The AG-3DA1 will democratize 3D production by giving professional videographers a more affordable, flexible, reliable and easier-to-use tool for capturing immersive content as well as providing a training tool for educators. At less than 6.6 pounds, the AG-3DA1 is equipped with dual lenses and two full 1920 x 1080 2.07 megapixel 3-MOS imagers to record 1080/60i, 50i, 30p, 25p and 24p (native) and 720/60p and 50p in AVCHD. Camera is very new. Includes Kata Carrying case, 4 batteries. Asking price: $17,500 (includes tax). Will ship out of province. To view photos/questions email frank@tgtvinc.com or call 416-916-9010. Proline 17 inch Teleprompter Included is both PC AND Mac versions for our industry leading Flip-Q teleprompter software. Flip-Q automatically “Flips” the secondary output on your laptop so both the operator and talent will see perfect reading left-right text. The ProLine 17 standard LCD panels are the lightest weight, lowest profile designs in their class. In addition, they offer both VGA and composite video inputs adaptable with any computer output or application. They also offer flexible power options including 100-240V AC or external 12v DC input. Price includes Tripod attachments and Pelican carrying case. Complete tool-less set-up. Asking Price: $2,000 (includes tax) To view photos/questions email frank@tgtvinc.com or call 416-916-9010. Sony PMW-F3 with S-log firmware. Low hours, Excellent condition. Kaiser top handle, 32GB high rate card. $3500.00. Gemini 4:4:4 Solid State recorder now PRORes capable, with eSata and Thunderbolt readers, lots of accessories, case, 512GB and 3x 256GB solid state drives/ cards. Excellent condition. $3000.00 IBE-Optics HDx35 PL to B4 adapter comes with power cable and soft case. Used on F3 and Alexa for superb results. $3000.00. Willing to sell everything as a complete package for $8500.00 Available for everything. Contact John Banovich 604-726-5646 or JohnBanovich@gmail.com
Nikkor AF-S VR 500mm F 4 IS ED Lens. Super rare and very hard to find!!! Serial # 204153 Perfect condition. Not a scratch on it!!! Only one year old. Included Hard Shell Case, Lens Hood, Lens Strap, Case strap. Come with Manfrotto Carbon Fiber tripod, Jobu head and Jobu Mounting Bracket. Asking price $9000.00 gandalf-merlyn@shaw.ca, 604.566.2235 (Residence), 604.889.9515 (Mobile) Panasonic BT-S950P 16:9 / 4:3 SD Field Monitor for Sale (Excellent Condition) - $100.Portabrace included Please contact Christian at (416) 459-4895 or email cbielz@gmail.com SERVICES DRONEBOY - We provide safe, reliable and spectacular drone-based aerial cinematography throughout Canada. We have Transport Canada SFOCs in place for all regions, and a large fleet of set-ready drones, and experienced crews for all your camera flying needs. We are flying everything from the new Sony A7S2 to Red Dragon and the new Arri Mini. www.DroneBoy.com | 1-866-783-7871 20% Off to all CSC members! Looking for a Green Screen Studio? Greensuite209 is owned and operated by a CSC member, and is now offering 20% off our regular studio and equipment rental rates for all CSC members! We are a 1750 sq. ft. green screen studio in South Etobicoke just south of William F Whites. We have a 11’ X 29’ X 14’ Digicomp sloping green screen. Check us out online at www.gs209.com and contact us for any further information! email: Booking@ GS209.com. HD Source is well-known and respected for their excellent SERVICE department and truly skilled technicians. As an Authorized Sony Service Depot, HD Source professionally maintains, repairs, and performs crucial upgrades to a wide range of equipment, including HD and 4K. HD Source also proudly services Canon Cinema EOS products and Canon Broadcast lenses, and boasts an on-staff Canon-trained and experienced Lens Technician. HD Source understands how important each piece of equipment is, and will get it operating and back to you as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible. Call Alnoor at 905-890-6905, email him at alnoor. remtulla@hdsource.ca, or drop by HD Source anytime at 1670 Enterprise Rd. (Dixie & 401). HILL’S VIDEO PRODUCTIONS – BURLINGTON Looking for a unique shooting control room? Rent our 32 ft. 1981 Bus complete with control room and audio. HDSDI fiber boxes for long runs. Great for keeping warm on those multi camera shoots. www.hillsvideo.com Rob Hill – 905.335.1146 Do you travel between Toronto and Hamilton for production every day? Need a place to: screen dailies, host your production office that’s close to both? Hill’s Production Services www.hillsvideo.com. We are a full Service Production Company with cameras and edit bays for making EPKs. Some grip gear, if you find yourself in the field, short of one or two items. Hill’s also has office space and a mobile screening room. Located just off the QEW in Burlington.Check us out 905-335-1146 Ask for Rob Hill.
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 - March 2016 •
27
CLASSIFIEDS
EQUIPMENT WANTED
President from page 2
PRODUCTION NOTES
We hang on to the notion that while we are on a roll, that is all that really matters and to give thought to anything else is not acceptable because it is seen as a negative. I remember a radio program from my teenage days, and the introductory catch line of the show was, “Ignorance is bliss and ‘tis folly to be wise.” Little did I know just how much impact those words would have on my life! I would like to pursue this reasoning in a future article
where sufficient space may be allotted to addressing the various vagaries of the freelancer, not from a negative standpoint but more from a vantage point where we can take an objective view of the changing landscape within the industry and where not everything comes up smelling like roses. If there are any readers out there who might have some input regarding the welfare, as well as the wellbeing, of those in the freelance world of filmmaking, I would be pleased if you would offer your thoughts for all to share. And don’t forget: carpe diem!
3O VIES (series); DP Marc Gadoury csc; to April 4, Montreal ARROW IV (series); DP Gordon Verheul csc; to April 27, Vancouver A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (series); DP Bernard Couture csc; to August 10, Vancouver BACKSTABBING FOR BEGINNERS (feature); DP Brendan Steacy csc; 1st Assistant Brent J. Craig; to April 13, Toronto BATES MOTEL IV (series); DP John Bartley csc, asc; to April 4, Vancouver BETWEEN II (series); DP Boris Mojsovski csc; to March 11, Toronto BEYOND (series); DP Stephen McNutt csc, asc; B Camera Operator/2nd Unit DP Brian Whittred csc; to July 7, Vancouver CARDINAL (series); Steve Cosens csc; to April 21, Sudbury DARK MATTER II (series); B Camera 1st Assistant Marcel Janisse; to May 9, Toronto DEADLY DEPOTTED (TV movie); DP Peter Benison csc; Camera Operator Andreas Evdemon; B Camera Operator Rod Crombie; to March 11, North Bay DOWNSIZING (feature); B Camera Operator & Second Unit DP François Dagenais csc; to July 11, Toronto THE EXPANSE II (series); DP Jeremy Benning csc; Toronto THE FLASH II (series); DP Kim C. Miles csc; to April 18, Vancouver FRONTIER (series); David Herrington csc; to March 15, St. Johns HIDDEN FORTRESS AKA APES 3 (feature); 2nd Unit DP Roger Vernon csc; to March 11, Burnaby IMPASTOR II (series); DP Neil Cervin csc; to May 27, North Vancouver IZOMBIE II (series); DP Michael Wale csc; Operator/Steadicam Greg Fox; to March 11, North Vancouver LEGENDS OF TOMORROW (series); DP David Geddes csc, asc; to April 1, Burnaby LET IT RIDE (series); DP Mitchell Ness csc; to March 25, Etobicoke MISS SLOANE (series); Camera Operator Perry Hoffman; to April 8, Toronto QUANTICO (series); 2nd Unit DP Robert Mattigetz csc; to April 21, Montreal SHIRT (feature); DP Matthew Lloyd csc; to May 27, Burnaby THE STANLEY DYNAMIC II (series); DP Matt Phillips csc; to April 8, Toronto THE STRAIN III (series); DP Colin Hoult csc (alternating episodes); B Camera Operator J.P. Locherer csc; to April 13, Toronto SUPERNATURAL XI (series); DP Serge Ladouceur csc; Camera Operator Brad Creasser; to April 20, Burnaby VAN HELSING (series); DP Brendan Uegama csc; to June 27, Vancouver WOLFCOP 2 (feature); DP Adam Swica csc; Camera Operator Michael Jari Davidson; to March 4, Sudbury
AWARDS / FESTIVALS / NOMINATIONS Reuben Denty, Associate csc (DP) Undercover High (series), International Emmy Award nomination, April 2016 Karl Janisse, Associate csc (DP) Late Night Double Feature (feature), San Francisco IndieFest, February 20, 2016; The Hexecutioners (feature), Glasgow FrightFest, February 26, 2016 Cabot McNenly, Associate csc (DP) O Negative (short), TIFF Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival shorts for 2015, at venues nationwide through May 2016
CALENDAR OF EVENTS MARCH 10-20, International Film Festival on Art, Montreal, artfifa.com 12, CSC Acting for the Camera Workshop, Toronto, csc.ca APRIL 2, CSC Awards, The Arcadian Court, Toronto 9-10, CSC Lighting Workshop, Montreal, csc.ca 16-17, CSC Lighting Faces Workshop, Toronto, csc.ca MAY 7, CSC DSLR Workshop, Toronto, csc.ca
28 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016
CORRECTION In the article Harry Lake csc: In Memoriam, published in the February 2016 issue, the band name the Fabulous Thunders should have read The Fabulous Thunderbirds. One-year subscriptions are available in Canada for $40.00 for individuals and $80.00 for institutions, including HST. In U.S. rates are $45.00 and $90.00 for institutions in U.S. funds. International subscriptions are $50.00 for individuals and $100.00 for institutions.
Subscribe online at www.csc.ca
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