Canadian Society of Cinematographers Magazine January 2017

CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS

$4 Januar y 2017 www.csc.ca

Steve Cosens csc Mean Dreams Michael Savoie csc Mr Zaritsky on TV

A publication of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers

FEATURES – VOLUME 8, NO. 8 JANUARY 2017 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.

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.

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.

CSC at 60 By Ian Harvey

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Mean Dreams: Steve Cosens csc Chases Teens on the Run

By Fanen Chiahemen

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Credit: Jake Chirico

AC Lighting Inc. All Axis Remote Camera Systems Applied Electronics Limited Arri Canada Ltd. Canon Canada Inc. Clairmont Camera Codes Pro Media Cooke Optics Dazmo Camera Deluxe Toronto FUJIFILM, North America Corporation FUJIFILM, Optical Devices Division Fusion Cine Henry’s Camera HD Source Inspired Image Picture Company Kino Flo Lee Filters Miller Camera Support Equipment Mole-Richardson MOSS LED Inc. Nikon Canada Inc. PS Production Services Panasonic Canada Panavision Canada REDLABdigital Rosco Canada S1 Studios Toronto SIM Group Sony of Canada Ltd. Technically Yours Inc. Technicolor The Source Shop Vistek Camera Ltd. Walter Klassen FX William F. White International Inc. ZGC Inc. ZTV

Credit: Courtesy of Elevation Pictures

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Mr Zaritsky on TV: Michael Savoie csc on Making a Film About Making a Film

By Fanen Chiahemen

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 2 4 5 8 24 26 28 30 32

From the Editor-In-Chief From the President In the News Spotlight: Christopher Ball csc CSC Lighting Workshop The Masters CSC Tabletop Lighting Workshop Tech Column Production Notes/Calendar

Canadian Cinematographer January 2017 Vol. 8, No. 8 EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joan Hutton csc EDITOR EMERITUS Donald Angus EXECUTIVE OFFICER Susan Saranchuk, admin@csc.ca

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

EDITOR Fanen Chiahemen, editor@csc.ca COPY EDITOR Karen Longland ART DIRECTION Berkeley Stat House WEBSITE www.csc.ca

Joan Hutton csc

ADVERTISING SALES Guido Kondruss, gkondruss@rogers.com EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER Bruce Marshall, brucemarshall@sympatico.ca 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 Joseph Sunday phd JSunday1@CreativeAffinities.com SECRETARY Antonin Lhotsky csc, alhotsky@gmail.com MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Arthur Cooper csc, artfilm@sympatico.ca 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 NON-DIRECTOR BOARD MANAGERS Jeremy Benning csc, jbenning@me.com Dylan Macleod csc, dmacleod@sympatico.ca Bruno Philip csc, bphilipcsc@gmail.com Carolyn Wong, CarolynWong50@gmail.com OFFICE / MEMBERSHIP / SUBSCRIPTIONS 131–3007 Kingston Road Toronto, Canada M1M 1P1 Tel: 416-266-0591; Fax: 416-266-3996 Email: admin@csc.ca, subscription@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 $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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or 60 years, there has always been some form of publication that has been a part of the CSC. Years ago, I was told by the late Bob Brooks csc, a founding member of the CSC, that when the society began in 1957, the first newsletters were half-page, hand-written notes that were passed around to a dozen or so members at monthly meetings.

It was hand-written because the CSC didn’t own a typewriter and besides no one knew how to type. Unfortunately, none of these first newsletters have survived, but I still break out into an amused grin every time I think about them. For the record, the earliest newsletter in our archives is a one-pager dated February 3, 1958, dealing with CSC procedures. It was authored by Dave Smith, the CSC Secretary at the time, and it is typed.

Of course, today’s glossy Canadian Cinematographer magazine bears little resemblance to those early newsletters. The magazine is no longer simply about an organization, camera gear or industry news, it has become the many faces of Canadian cinematography. This magazine is a personality-driven publication that probes how Canadian DPs approach their projects, deal with production problems and how they use their ingenuity, creativity and tools to mould their cinematic visions.

Canadian cinematographers are among the best DPs in the world, and we’re continuously finding out through the magazine that they have a lot to say and share. This is an editorial thrust we plan to keep well beyond the CSC’s 60th anniversary.

Canadian Cinematographer has also become a potent calling card for the CSC and its membership because of its circulation in two areas. The CSC publishes 22,000 hardcopies of the magazine each year. They are shipped to CSC members and sponsors, sold by subscription and at outlets, and distributed at various tradeshows and industry events. By the end of the year, we have a tough time holding on to 50 copies for our archives. However, readership of the magazine has skyrocketed, thanks to the Internet. The print version of the magazine in its entirety is posted to the CSC web page each month and is open for all to read. Over the course of a year, the magazine section of the CSC website garners nearly100,000 unique views. This is an astonishing number for a professional niche magazine, which began as hand-written notes 60 years ago.

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FROM THE PRESIDENT George A. Willis csc, sasc

S

o many times over the years while celebrating a specific event I heard my parents say, “Just where did the time go?” Well, now’s the time to look back over the last 10 years in the life of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. It seems that time has flown by since we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the CSC, and we are now celebrating the next milestone – the 60th anniversary.

There are many important moments and memories to highlight, and it is difficult to list them all, but remembering is the key.

The 50th anniversary was a defining moment when we acknowledged and paid tribute to the founding members of the society. We created a commemorative book wherein we featured many of the CSC members from the beginning of the society in 1957 until 2007, the first 50 years.

To further acknowledge these forerunners, we produced a document that officially and symbolically handed over the CSC to the next generation of filmmakers. This took place at the 2007 CSC Awards gala when the document was accepted

by Dylan Macleod csc, representing this new generation.

This framed document now hangs in our clubhouse.

Another dictate of time is the passing of members of the society, and each year at the awards gala, we reserve a moment to remember, acknowledge and honour those who have given not only their creative abilities to the industry, but also their time and efforts and paved the way for all members of the society.

The facets and activities of the society are too numerous to mention, but some of the most notable are the various social media platforms connected with the CSC. Facebook and Instagram have become a part of the day-to-day activities, with 5,800 and 9,300 followers, respectively, and it is quite remarkable that these platforms continue to grow in their membership. Podcasts have been initiated on the CSC website too, and these also offer opportunities for discussion and the sharing of information.

In 2014, the CSC joined the federation of European cinematographic societies, otherwise known as IMAGO. This has been an important step in the evolution of cinematography as it allows us to share in the many attributes of our

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craft. We are one of 52 members of this international organization and have also been invited to be on two important committees – Education and Working Conditions.

Education is one of the most important aspects of our society and we strive to bring as much information to members as possible via the multitude of specialized workshops that we offer. We receive many compliments at the conclusion of each workshop, which is most rewarding.

Requests from some of our sponsors, such as William F. White International, to partake in some of their activities – including open houses and technology showcases – have also provided opportunities for us to raise our CSC banner and promote our brand.

The CSC Brand Book, developed by Vice President Carlos Esteves csc, is an important step in the continuing evolution of the society. Primarily designed as the go-to manual for information on how the CSC name and logo may or may not be used, it also acknowledges the changes in the society from a corporate standpoint. As an example, it chronicles the changes in the CSC logo and speaks to the progressiveness of the society.

Over the last two years, we have found it not only prudent but also necessary to consider and implement changes in the Executive Committee, mainly because a greater number of members are needed to fulfill the required obligations.

As of this writing, we are in the midst of revamping parts of the society’s by-laws. Our treasurer, Joe Sunday, is largely responsible for this most important endeavor, as we proceed with new initiatives within the society.

Ever important is the pressing need for assistance from the membership to bring to fruition the many ideas that we have planned for the future. We will continue to pursue this important issue and trust that we will be successful in recruiting members who wish to partake more fully in the day-to-day activities of the society.

And so, as we anticipate the celebrations of the official 60th anniversary, we will pause to remember our humble beginnings while looking to the future with the resolve to continue on the path to creating bigger and better things for the Canadian Society of Cinematographers.

IN THE NEWS Member News

Credit: Kathleen Virginia Photography

In December, George Hosek csc was awarded an Emmy award for Outstanding Crafts Achievement Off-Air: Photographer – Program from Chicago/Midwest chapter for his work in the documentary Liberating a Continent: John Paul II and the Fall of Communism.

This doctor makes studio calls.

CSC Member Projects among TIFF Canada's Top Ten Projects shot by CSC members have been selected as 2016’s TIFF Canada’s Top Ten films, it was announced in December. Among the feature films are Mean Dreams (Steve Cosens csc), while the short films Emma, shot by Daniel Grant csc, and A Funeral for Lighting, shot by associate member Evan Prosofsky, were among the 10 films named Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival shorts for 2016.

Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival celebrates and promotes contemporary Canadian cinema and raises awareness of Canadian achievements in film. The expanded 14-day festival runs from January 13 to 26, at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto.

REEL CANADA Receives Government Support for One-Day Film Festival for Canada’s 150th

I

n late November, REEL CANADA announced that one of its key initiatives, National Canadian Film Day, has been identified by both the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario as an official Signature Project of Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation. Both governments have pledged major funding to the cross-country event, which will allow National Canadian Film Day 150 (NCFD 150) to become the world’s largest one-day film festival. The announcement was made at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto with Colm Feore and Patrick Huard – stars of the upcoming Bon Cop Bad

Cop 2, shot by Ronald Plante csc – producer Robert Lantos, Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Eleanor McMahon and REEL CANADA co-founders Jack Blum and Sharon Corder. NCFD 150 will take place on April 19 and will include: more than 600 community screenings across the nation in various venues; tent-pole events in major cities around the country; 150 free screenings of selected Canada on Screen titles at various Film Circuit locations across Canada; interactive webcasts in English and French for students across the country through REEL CANADA’s “Our Films in Our Schools”

ACCEPTANCES / AWARDS / NOMINATIONS Maya Bankovic, Associate Member (DP) Wexford Plaza (feature), U.S. premiere at Slamdance Film Festival, January 20-26, Park City, Utah Robert Murdoch, Associate Member (Cinematographer) Moods Like Jazz (documentary), winner for Best Cinematography at the CineSiege Awards, October 26, Toronto Vic Sarin csc (DP, Director) Keepers of the Magic (documentary), international premiere at The International Film Festival of India, November 27, 2016, Goa John Tarver csc (DP) Valley Children’s Hospital “Worth Fighting For” (commercial), won Northern California Emmy Award, SF, California, June, 2016 (see John’s article Playing with Time in the June 2015 issue of Canadian Cinematographer for details on shooting this commercial) John Minh Tran csc (DP) Dopesick: Fentanyl’s Deadly Grip (documentary), won (NOV 10/16) NextMedia DIGI Award, Best Non-fiction Content (VICE Canada Reports), November 10, 2016, Toronto

introducing the cineluxe collection from tenba.

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The AFC, the lifeline for Canada’s entertainment industry, has announced that in 2015 they provided more than $491,000 in emergency financial aid to film and TV workers going through difficult times. Through confidential and compassionate support, The AFC helps entertainment professionals maintain

programme; Canadian films aired on various channels and streaming platforms by major broadcasters like CBC, Bell Media and Corus, APTN and Quebecor Media Inc.; and French film screenings across Quebec and francophone communities throughout the country in universities, colleges and libraries, in partnership with Quebec Cinema and Annexe Communications. Additionally, to acknowledge the cinematic territory of Canada’s original peoples, REEL CANADA will feature a special indigenous Film Summit in Abbotsford, B.C., on March 6 and 7. This will involve screenings of indigenous films and workshops for 3,000 students, as well as a gala event for the community.

Two Lovers and a Bear Screening Kicks Off Government’s Movie Nights Across Canada Initiative The Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly in November launched Movie Nights Across Canada at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa with a screening of Two Lovers and a Bear, shot by Nicolas Bolduc csc and written and directed by Kim Nguyen. As Canada celebrates the 150th anniversary of Confederation, Movie Nights Across Canada will bring premiere screenings of homegrown feature films on a crosscountry tour. The year-long event is

CSC Annual General Meeting

their health, dignity and ability to work. The Reel Friends Payroll Donation Program is a simple, industry-specific way to support a charity that’s for you and your colleagues. You can specify how much you want taken off each paycheque and for how long; and donations are so small, you may not even notice them every week. Sign up to help your colleagues in need on The AFC’s website (afchelps.ca). If you have any questions, contact The AFC at 1.877.399.8392.

poised to be the biggest celebration of Canadian talent – shining a spotlight on film, television and digital artists.

Each Movie Nights Across Canada event will happen in partnership with its host province and cultural agencies, regional film festivals and private sector sponsors. The next Movie Nights Across Canada event is scheduled for January 26 in Toronto. A full schedule is available on the Government of Canada website.

TIFF Launches Campaign to Preserve Film Print Collections In the fall, TIFF launched a campaign entitled Save This Moment, which aims to raise funds to cover storage, revision and maintenance costs of film prints the organization acquired from NBC Universal, Mongrel Media, eOne/Les Films Séville and Canadian filmmaker Peter Mettler, consisting of 1,460 film prints in 16 mm and 35 mm formats. Among the collections are 11 Alfred Hitchcock titles, including the classic Rear Window (1954) and horror masterpieces such as Tod Browning’s Dracula (1931), from Universal; international art house treasures such as Michelangelo Antonioni’s The Passenger (1975) and Abbas Kiarostami’s Certified Copy (2011), from Mongrel Media; and Canadian favourites such as Black Robe (1991) and Whale Music (1994), from eOne/Les Films Séville.

The Peter Mettler collection includes

Monday, February 6, 2017 at 6:30 pm Technicolor Toronto. Boardroom No. 1 49 Ontario Street

35 mm prints of many of the director’s films, including Top of His Head (1989) and Picture of Light (1994); 16 mm prints of his earlier works, such as Scissere (1982) and Eastern Ave (1985); and correspondence, research materials, scripts, production documents, promotional materials and news clippings for several of his films. Mettler also donated a wealth of postproduction materials to the Cinémathèque suisse, including notes, work prints, film and tape raw footage, as well as hard drives, negatives and printing elements for Gambling Gods and LSD (2002) and Picture of Light. The first $15,000 raised by this campaign, which ran through the end of the year, will be matched, dollar for dollar, by an anonymous donor, with start-up support provided by the Ontario Arts Foundation.

Elevation Pictures Launches Production Arm Canadian distributor Elevation Pictures recently announced the launch of a production division. Canadian film production veteran Christina Piovesan will partner with Elevation on the new division, which will build on Elevation’s existing distribution business by providing production services to all types of projects shooting in Canada, from U.S. and international to Canadian • see in the news page 32

Following the meeting we will have a light dinner and refreshments, courtesy of the good folks at Technicolor.

Great opportunity to meet and chat with your fellow cinematographers! Hope to see you there, CSC member!

The CSC Awards Gala will be held at the Arcadian Court in Toronto on April 1, 2017.

Award entry forms are available online at csc.ca. The entry deadline is January 31, 2017.

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SOMETIMES FEELING SMALL MEANS LOSING YOURSELF IN THE BIG PICTURE.

Who have been your mentors or teachers?

What films or other works of art have made the biggest impression on you?

From the first film I saw at age two Disney’s Snow White to diverse films like Lost Highway or The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, there is a huge range of influences that I reference at different times and in different ways. Films that have been thoughtfully designed and constructed to achieve a perfect suspension of disbelief are films that I am most passionate about.

How did you get started in the business?

I started by making films when I was nine years old, after being totally amazed that my parents “owned a movie camera” – a regular 8 Kodak Brownie. I made films through high school on Super 8 film, went to Ryerson for the Film & Photography program and started PA’ing in commercials and then drama. As a filmmaker, I was shooting short films, music videos and documentaries on the side as I was working my way up in the business, which ultimately led to a lateral mid-career move.

I had always thought I wanted to direct, so I followed that career path by making “indie” films and working my way up as an assistant director. However, it became clear to me while working on projects with other indie filmmakers

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My first mentors would be my parents, both of whom were involved in creative pursuits and exposed me to a wide variety of theatre, film, music, literature and art from a very young age. I have to also thank my grade 10 teacher who told me that film was an actual career that you could get paid for working in, when I was unsure what to choose for postsecondary education. Two cinematographers who had an influence in how I think about shooting are Rene Ohashi csc, ASC and more recently Eric Cayla csc. They both “upped the bar” and encouraged me to go for things I might otherwise hold back on.

What cinematographers inspire you?

If I had to choose, I would lean towards Roger Deakins asc, who has a style and an edge (and a risk) to his shooting that I admire. But I also admire films shot by Peter Deming asc, Ellen Kuras, Sven Nykvist, Ron Fricke, and even the experimental innovations of Norman McLaren at the NFB. Name some of your professional highlights.

I did a series of films in the Eastern Arctic which were explorations of Inuit culture and history. Working on these films, with Inuit crew and elders, in extreme weather conditions far from any amenities, was one of my most satisfying and challenging work experiences (try changing a lens at minus 59 in ice fog next to the floe edge. It takes about 20 minutes). These films captured an important part of our history, and there is great satisfaction in being part of that.

What is one of your most

memorable moments on set?

Recently, scuba diving with a school of 900-pound tuna has to be up there, but that moment is indicative of one of dozens of “I-can’t-believe-I am-doingthis-right-now” moments that are typical of this career: Shooting on the high parapet of a 900-year-old castle in Luxembourg at sunrise, chasing hang gliders with an ultra-light plane, hanging off the side of a schooner in 16-foot waves.

What do you like best about what you do?

The constant exposure to new experiences and the never-ending learning. Also the thrill of seeing a finished project on the screen, especially when you see it really work the way you had intended.

What do you like least about what you do?

There is a certain amount of instability and unpredictability, which is a lovehate relationship. There are times it can be frustrating when you cannot plan your life and you can never commit to anything outside of work until the last minute! I have missed some life opportunities because of that.

What do you think has been the greatest invention (related to your craft)?

The greatest invention ever was motion picture film! But recently, I think it is LED lighting technology. I think that is advancing some of the possibilities of our craft, and to some extent, the approach to shooting, more so than many other technologies. I think LED technology will have a big impact, and with its lower power consumption it should also improve our carbon footprint.

How can others follow your work?

I have a website, cbifilms.com, which has links to many of the projects I have worked on. I am currently on Private Eyes Season 2 as alternating DP with Pierre Jodoin csc.

Credit: Michael Tompkins/Syfy

Christopher Ball csc

CSC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

that my real love was with the camera, and I found a great deal more satisfaction as a DP than I did as a director, so eventually I followed through with that change of plan.

Canadian Cinematographer - November 2016 •

21

CSC at 60 The Story Continues

By Ian Harvey

Bob Bocking csc

Mike Lente csc

Kelly Duncan csc

Richard Stringer csc

And… That’s not a wrap.

A

s the Canadian Society of Cinematographers celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, the organization is already looking forward to the next 60 years. The august founders of the CSC might not recognize much of the gear and even some of the technical language of the craft today, but they would see that some things never change: Always tell the story.

The CSC itself also has evolved over time. Founded by a group of mostly news shooters and documentary makers, that first meeting of the CSC at a former theatre-turned-film-

10 • Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017

studio at Woodbine and Danforth Avenues in East Toronto had a simple goal: bring together cinematographers of like mind and vision to share ideas and look to the future.

Today there are more than 500 members and 38 sponsors from coast to coast to coast, something attendees at that first meeting could hardly have envisioned.

The CSC is more than a trade organization, more than a professional accrediting body – it’s a place to share, learn and grow, not just the art of cinematography, but as creative individuals following their passions. Indeed, the CSC was born to “foster and promote the art of cinematography,” and that has not changed in 60 years, nor will it change in the next 60 years.

From left, Ron Stannett csc, Bob Saad csc, Joan Hutton csc, Richard Leiterman csc and Henri Fiks csc

Rene Ohashi csc, asc

John Walker csc

Ken Post csc

Noel Archambault csc

Richard Leiterman csc and Don Shebib

Ken Gregg csc, at the camera, with director Ron Bashford

From that inaugural meeting to the first annual dinner in 1957, the CSC has been about professionals recognizing and celebrating the best works of their peers. It cost a mere $10 a year to join the CSC, then $15 initiation, and the first annual CSC gala and awards dinner event was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. It was $6 a ticket. The first CSC magazine was also published that year, to be published six times a year.

“Everything the CSC stands for is well worth supporting,” George Morita csc recalled in an October 2007 interview.

He joined the founders as an associate member in 1957 at just 20 years old, quickly went on to become a full CSC and

Bob Crone csc

Burt Dunk csc, asc

Roy Tash csc

won the prestigious Masters’ Award before retiring. “Prior to the CSC, way back in the ‘50s, cameramen were distant. We heard rumours, stories of other cameramen; there wasn’t a sense of camaraderie. The problems affecting one cinematographer affect everyone. It made the art of cinematography more viable.”

Flash forward to 1997 and the 40th Anniversary when Maurice “Sammy” Jackson-Samuels csc noted: “No doubt about it, the CSC gave cameramen a name, it gave us respect in the industry, and it told the industry what we did. It gave cameramen a place in the industry.”

Those sentiments are as true today as the day they were first Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

11

Joan Hutton csc

Serge Desrosiers csc

Pierre Gill csc

Maurice “Sammy” Jackson-Samuels csc

spoken. In keeping with its beginnings, the CSC has always maintained three key elements: communications, camaraderie and cameras, though over time the latter has expanded to include all the technology now common on sets, from lighting to metering to rigs and more. And perhaps more proudly, it’s been done without any government funding or grants for 60 years.

Meanwhile, the face of the CSC is also changing. There are more women cinematographers now and room for many more, following the trail blazed by CSCs like Joan Hutton csc, Kim Derko csc and Zoe Dirse csc. Laudably, three of four CSC inductees last summer were women, among them

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Manfred Guthe csc

Catherine Lutes csc, who studied film in Vancouver and came to Toronto to work her way up to her designation. “The industry is changing,” Lutes said, noting that more women are entering the field and are eager to get behind the camera on larger budget projects.

Advances in technology continue to open many doors, making good gear affordable at any budget level. “It’s more accessible to more people,” Lutes noted. “You keep learning new things with new technology. That’s why the educational component of the CSC is so important to me. You never stop learning.”

And as new members are inducted, the CSC will continue

Rob Rouveroy csc

Ron Stannett csc

George Willis csc, sasc

Kim Derko csc

Roger Moride csc

Robert McLachlan csc, asc

to grow through a strategy of inclusiveness set out clearly in 1958 when the bylaws were first drafted: “In all wording bylaws shall treat masculine as feminine,” a way of ensuring women would be welcomed whenever they presented themselves for induction. By 1971 the bylaws were further amended to open up official membership to camera assistants as af-

Guy Dufaux csc

filiate members.

Every stakeholder in the Canadian film, commercial and documentary sector has played a role because the benefits are shared by all. As CSC Executive Officer Susan Saranchuk says, “The future is never clear, but the CSC is stronger and well positioned for the next 60 years.”

Who doesn’t want to own a piece of the CSC? To commemorate our 60th anniversary, we will include this metal gear label with your CSC 2017 membership receipt! And if you really love it, additional labels are available for purchase on the CSC website.

Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

13

MEAN DREAMS

Steve Cosens csc Chases Teens on the Run

By Fanen Chiahemen

I

Left: Jonas and Casey fall in love.

n director Nathan Morlando’s second feature, Mean Dreams, Jonas Ford ( Josh Wiggins) is a 15-year-old who spends his days helping his father run the struggling family farm, while his mother battles chronic depression.

When Casey Caraway, a girl Jonas’ age, moves to the property next door, the two fall for each other fast. Casey (Sophie Nélisse of Philippe Falardeau’s Monsieur Lazhar, shot

by Ronald Plante csc) has lost her mother and is being raised by her aggressive, alcoholic police officer father Wayne (Bill Paxton). Having witnessed Casey’s abuse at the hands of Wayne, Jonas takes it upon himself to save her, at first seeking the help of a local police chief (Colm Feore), who brushes him off. Then one night, hiding in the back of Wayne’s pickup truck, Jonas witnesses Casey’s father’s involvement in a drug deal in which a pile of money is exchanged. Jonas impulsively seizes an opportunity to grab the cash, with the intention of using it to rescue Casey, but the teens are forced to flee when Wayne discovers Jonas’ theft.

The Great Lakes setting – with its gold-and-rust-hued woods for the kids to hide out in, its roadside motels and wide open skies – provides a picturesque autumnal landscape to juxtapose against the suspenseful, fast-moving narrative of Mean Dreams.

“As soon as I read [the script], I knew right away I wanted a camera that was always chasing, following or moving and that

14 • Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017

it was dreamy and had the feeling of youth on the run. That was Nathan’s feeling too,” cinematographer Steve Cosens csc says.

“We were really synced up that way; we had the same interpretation of the script – it had a certain amount of darkness and was very minimal. We knew it was going to be sparse and stark and moody, and Nathan wanted it to be fable-like. Wherever we could, we tried to push the film into a slightly stylized naturalism.”

Cosens introduced Morlando to the paintings of Andrew Wyeth, and Morlando has been quoted as saying he sought to evoke in Mean Dreams the painter’s same dark romanticism and modern gothic realism to express the “darkness that exists in Casey’s and Jonas’ world.” By contrasting the wide, expansive landscapes in the beginning of the film – symbolizing the hope that lies ahead when Jonas and Casey meet – with the more enclosed spaces the teens encounter when they go on the run, Cosens and Morlando mirror the dangers in the physical world encroaching on the youths’ innocence.

The changing seasons of Sault Ste. Marie, where the film was shot, also echoes the physical and emotional transition in the teenagers as they come of age and enter into the adult world. “For every scene, we really wanted a specific landscape to help evoke the tone of the scene and we worked hard at finding those special places. It’s not coincidental that in the scene where Jonas and Casey first tell each other they love each other it’s in a wide expanse; it’s kind of the only time that we see that – vulnerability amidst emptiness,” Cosens says.

Having shot in Sault Ste. Marie before, Morlando and Cosens were thoroughly familiar with the area and spent much of pre-production trying to find the perfect locations. “We were very particular; we just knew so much of it would be about having the landscape represent an interior space. It required hundreds of miles of driving around Sault Ste. Marie to find the right landscapes for each scene. It was really days and days and days. It would have been so easy for us to just shoot in one area, just go from one forest to another. For sure it would have saved money and time. But we were determined to find the

perfect woods, even if it meant stopping and hiking a mile or stopping and taking a quad up in the hills,” he says.

“We knew shooting in the fall we would have amazing colours with the leaves changing,” he continues. “We definitely knew we wanted to integrate the browns, grays and autumnal colours in their clothing with the set design and landscape.

We chose the buildings and key set pieces that had great aged grays, ochres and rust, and then in postproduction, with the help of Hardave Gruel at Urban Post, we worked to finesse the look by playing with warmth and desaturation as needed.”

For Cosens, the RED DRAGON was most suitable for the shoot and worked particularly well at capturing the everpresent sky. “You can use the HDRx function where you can get extra latitude out of the highlights. I used that quite a bit

on exteriors just to really get as much detail out of the sky as I could because the sky was always so dramatic and moody.

And because it was the fall, there were often storms in the distance that I wanted to try to define a bit more,” the DP says.

The camera also inadvertently creates a striking effect in the film in which the sun appears to be – almost symbolically – burning a hole in a dense canopy of trees sheltering Casey and Jonas. “That was just the fact that the RED sensor couldn’t handle the heat of the sun,” Cosens reveals. “That really is what allowed it to eat through the trees like that. I really just liked the graphic quality of those trees with the sun fighting to get through them.”

He outfitted the RED DRAGON with Zeiss Master Primes because he “knew for the night scenes I really needed to be Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

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Images: Courtesy of Elevation Pictures

The teenage runaways count stolen money in a burnt-out bus.

WHITES, CAME

• Over 25,000 square feet of eco-friendly p • 3 feature-sized camera test rooms • • Production-friend whites.com

16 • Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017

ERA, ACTION!

prep space • 8 full-service camera test lanes State-of-the-art lens projector room dly storage solutions Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

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Credit: Courtesy of Elevation Pictures

Mean Dreams director Nathan Morlando. Colm Feore plays the police chief.

Jonas (Josh Wiggins) faces off against Casey’s abusive father Wayne (Bill Paxton).

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able to shoot wide open, and I love the look of Master Primes. You can shoot 1.3 wide open on them and they just have a nice soft look because of absolutely no depth of field and the image starts looking anamorphic,” he adds.

He kept his lighting package sparse, employing primarily natural light but with a 6K and 18K on the truck if ever needed. He recalls a scene in which Wayne manhandles Casey down a flight of stairs in their house. “I needed to bounce a light in the living room in order to provide enough interior ambiance to balance out the brightness of the exterior seen through the doorway behind the father, so I bounced an 18K in the house, and it practically melted the old house down,” he says.

“But I really needed that much fill in order to compensate for how much light was behind the dad.”

For virtually all interiors, he manipulated natural daylight and lit with practicals at night, whether it was in the motel where Casey and Jonas seek refuge or in the characters’ homes. For instance, in one scene the only light in the room comes from a TV that Jonas’ depressed mother is watching. “I just used the TV light itself on the actors and moved the TV around for the close-ups to get a bit more out of it. I went through a DVD beforehand and picked scenes that were a little brighter just to get a bit more kick out of the TV light. I also used the orange bug lights out on the patio at night because I was interested in a more discordant or artificial look for the scene where the father and son can’t come to terms,” he says.

The scene in which Jonas hides and travels in the back of Wayne’s truck at night was shot in a studio with the use of a swinging light rig. “There were four lights gelled with different colours swinging on each side of the truck – two Kinos and two Peppers – and we were just making the truck vibrate a bit. And we had some fishing line on the flaps to make it look like it was flapping in the wind. And then we took the truck out and did all the exterior shots of the truck driving through similarly tinted light and stitched it together,” Cosens says.

“Because we were shooting widescreen, we knew that looking from the back of the truck into the bed of the truck would work so nicely for our 2:40 frame,” he adds. “And then when they stop and the drug deal goes bad, that was just two practical sodium vapour lights to light the bikers and to rake some light into the back of the truck, and then we had a few strobe lights for the gun shots.”

For exteriors, he relied on a bit of muslin bounce and negative fill. “It was pretty minimal and a lot of the shots were moving so it wasn’t like I could set up bounces

O MOSS

and just let them live somewhere. The camera’s always moving, so it was hard to just get something up and put it in one place and leave it,” he explains.

“A lot of what we did was I worked with Nathan to just structure the scenes knowing where the sun was going to be, so we just played with the sun the whole time and we were able to move quickly enough that we could situate scenes in the right backlight or sidelight or use the breakup of light through foliage.

I think that as you age and get more experience you grow braver and you start to have the confidence to use and manipulate natural light fluidly and to your advantage.”

Morlando and Cosens took advantage of the horizontal landscapes, which lend themselves to widescreen shooting, and they took care to keep the camera fluid. “We didn’t want the film to be jagged with loose handheld. We wanted to keep the camera moving but we also didn’t want to be obtrusive; we wanted the focus to be on the kids, and I wanted the journey of the kids to lead us, not the camera,” Cosens says. “And also we were depicting a love story too, so we wanted a bit of grace,” as Casey and Jonas wander the golden fields surrounding their properties getting to know each other.

Cosens says Steadicam operator Michael Heathcote was a key asset. “The whole film is Steadicam, and Michael was running through the woods on Steadicam,” he says. “He was definitely part of making it a fluid, floating film. He’s an amazing s camera operator, and he’s got a beautiful eye. He and I just really see the world in a similar way. I could just say, ‘This is the shot,’ and he would just really finesse it. I have so much trust and faith in him and our professional relationship continues to evolve.”

Cosens was also mindful of supportCam Gear would like ing the performances of the young actors. “One time, I remember –Josh is to wish everyone a very an amazing actor and he had so much happy and prosperous potential – but I could tell he was kind of nervous, and at one point early in New Year! the shoot we were just walking across a field and I said, ‘You know, man, you’re really doing great work, and I really want you to feel safe.’ That really works; just big brother kind of stuff. And they really respond to that because that’s what actors need to feel ultimately – safe.”

Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

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Mr Zaritsky on TV Michael Savoie csc on Making a Film About Making a Film

J

By Fanen Chiahemen

ohn Zaritsky has been making documentary features for almost 40 years, receiving an Oscar in 1983 for Just Another Missing Kid. Among his prominent works are two films he made about the legacy of thalidomide, a pregnancy drug marketed worldwide in the late 1950s and

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Michael Savoie csc

early 1960s that resulted in thousands of babies born with drastic birth defects. Thalidomide was pulled from the Canadian market in 1962. Zaritsky has now returned with a third documentary on the topic – No Limits, which revisits the same thalidomide victims that he profiled years earlier and explores new angles to the story.

Zaritsky turned to his long-time cinematographer and

Michael Savoie csc shoots out of a car for Zaritsky’s film No Limits.

collaborator Michael Savoie csc to shoot No Limits, just as Savoie was developing a documentary project of his own about Zaritsky’s career. Savoie was flattered to be asked to work with Zaritsky and says, “John and I had done a lot of work together during the ‘80s and ‘90s, but I was looking for the next film that I wanted to make. I always wanted to shoot the journey of a documentary crew, because that’s the life I’ve led. I started out on the drama sets of the CBC and got into documentary filmmaking and loved it so much, I just never got out of it.”

Savoie and his business partner Jennifer Di Cresce then pitched their idea of a documentary film about Zaritsky making a film. documentary Channel agreed to fund the project, and at the same time Savoie agreed to work with Zaritsky on No Limits. As Savoie saw it, it was a perfect opportunity to make his own film, which would be both a portrait of Zaritsky and a candid behind-the-scenes look at documentary filmmaking. “It just seemed to me to be the meeting place where all the various factors that we needed to make a documentary would be in one location. All the players were in one silo together at that point,” Savoie says. The result was the

documentary Mr Zaritsky on TV, which had its world premiere at the Whistler Film Festival in December.

To handle both projects, Savoie and Di Cresce hired a second cameraperson, Jake Chirico, who would work with Di Cresce shooting the material that would become the spine of Mr Zaritsky On TV. Savoie shot Zaritsky’s No Limits with two Sony PMW 300s.

The B camera was operated by his son, David Frank-Savoie.

The same camera model and gear were used on Savoie’s Mr Zaritsky On TV “so that everything would have a consistent look,” he says, “although the cameras and data were kept separate.”

Over a period of three weeks, both film crews travelled more than 20,000 kilometers through six countries – Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom – with Savoie capturing Zaritsky meeting and interviewing with thalidomide victims for No Limits, while at the same time keeping an eye on the shooting for his own film, Mr Zaritsky on TV. Savoie says Zaritsky put complete faith in him and had no input in the making of Mr Zaritsky on TV. “He and I have been in some very difficult situations in the past, and our lives have been in each other’s hands a few times, so he just trusted me,” Savoie says.

The trust between the two filmmakers is evident in Savoie’s documentary, and after working together for so many years, their roles are clearly defined. “John is all story,” Savoie says.

“That’s all he concerns himself with; it’s getting the story onto some kind of video format. And that’s what makes him so good. Practical details are not his strongest suit. He doesn’t want to have to arrange hotels or airfare, filling up the car with fuel or anything like that. He always sticks straight to story. And that’s where I come in. I kind of step into the producer’s role which is something that I’ve done with Zaritsky for 25 years, made sure that all the various details are taken care of. That’s really how it works. He takes care of his business, his focus, and I take care of everything else.”

As is his habit, Savoie carried with him a large arsenal of lights. “There were some Diva lights, some LEDs, tungsten lights for accent and for little spots. Basically there were a whole bunch of soft lights,” which he would employ according to what the space and the interview subject called for, he says.

“When you walk into a situation, whatever it is, you really make decisions as to how you want it to look based on who the character is and what he or she is going to say,” Savoie explains. “I’m also a great believer in available light.”

While he takes care of what he needs from a technical standpoint to capture the interview, Savoie says he is always conscious that Zaritsky is establishing intimacy and trust with the subject during the set-up stage. “It’s a foreign experience for the interview subject, and what you have to do is disarm Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

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were looking for those moments when the big cameras weren’t rolling. They were looking for those reactions,” Savoie says. “That’s pure cinema verité shooting; it’s keeping your eyes open and remembering what’s important to you and to the story you want to tell.”

When a 77-year-old German woman describes how she felt the moment her son was born with birth defects, the camera stays on Zaritsky, who is listening wide eyed, head shaking, clearly moved by her story.

“I had never seen Zaritsky direct before, and we discovered that a lot of what he does is very subtle,” Di Cresce says. “Because a big part of a documentary is trying to get people to open up by conveying empathy. Maybe it doesn’t look like much, but the person who’s being interviewed is looking for those subtle visual cues from the director that convey that they should keep going, that they are to keep revealing themselves and that what they’re saying is good.”

As with all documentaries, not everything went according to plan, and early in the process, Zaritsky lost an important interview when the father of one of the thalidomide victims backed out at the last minute. “This really confused things. A major element of [Zaritsky’s] story structure was now gone,” Savoie explains.

While Zaritsky goes for a solo walk to process the news, Di Cresce and Chirico’s surreptitious shooting comes into play to get inside the documentarian’s head. “I was in the room when Zaritsky got the call,” Di Cresce says. “And I should add – this sounds terrible – but when things go bad for Zaritsky’s film, it was good for our film because we were looking for those dramatic moments that revealed his conflict. So we John Zaritsky sits across from interview subject Jan Schulte-Hillen while sound recordist had to be very opportunistic when things didn’t Justin Ladd adjusts the boom mic overhead. Zaritsky prepares for an interview with film go their way. When that call came in and John participant Moni Einsenberg-Geginat. started to put his jacket on, I knew that to hound them with your behaviour, with your eyes and your smile, him with questions in that moment was not going to go very your mannerisms. You have to make them feel comfortable well. So when he stomped off to have that walk, I sent Chirico and confident that they’re going to be well taken care of, and out alone and he was just clandestinely filming John. It wasn’t you have to show yourself to be a nice person,” he says. “I’ve a time for questions; it was a time for just sheer observation been doing it for so long that it’s become second nature to because I don’t think we would have captured John’s real feelme as to how to conduct myself on these interviews. And the ings. I think we would have seen a good face or a courageous same goes for the rest of the crew as well, including Jenni- face if he was going to explain what was going on internally – fer and Jake, who were there all the time although they were if he could even articulate his feelings in that moment. more of satellite, off to the side and concentrating on other There is something very safe about relying on people’s selfelements, not so much on the interview subjects specifically” reporting, and it’s not necessarily true reporting. I mean, our Di Cresce and Chirico focused instead on observing own self-reporting is flawed. You have to hope and trust that Zaritsky at work when he was both on camera and off. “They people in the film are going to be demonstrative, and you also

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All photos: Jake Chirico, except bottom photo this page: photo courtesy of Michael Savoie csc

put a lot of trust in your audience that they are going to pick up on the subtlety of what could be happening.”

Savoie says Di Cresce and Chirico were always so discreet that “there was never a moment when you felt they were shooting you. They just disappeared, and that speaks to their skills.” As a case in point, in the scene where Zaritsky is processing his disappointment with the loss of the key interview, he seems to be completely unaware that he’s being shot and only notices Chirico with the camera at the end of his walk.

Di Cresce reveals that staying out of the way involved “a lot of ducking and hiding behind obstacles” as well as being everywhere all the time. “I spent a lot of time hiding, but most of it, quite frankly, was just a result of being ubiquitous,” she says.

“We were there all the time, and everybody was so exhausted that it got to a point where nobody cared anymore and that was just a result of being around the crew and in their faces all the time.”

Documentary shooting comes with its fair share of everyday difficulties, and Savoie and his crew did not shy away from capturing Zaritsky’s unpleasant reactions under pressure. “When out on the road like that, it’s really hard, you’re working 20 hours a day, you’re not eating, you’re not sleeping, you’re in some jeep driving all over the place. It’s really exhausting,” Savoie says. “Anybody’s bound to get upset, and John has a particularly sensitive hair trigger; he’s a volatile guy.

You’re always paying attention, trying to figure out where he’s at, and when he’s quiet you let him be quiet. A lot of the time, he’d just sit with his headphones on and listen to music to calm himself down.”

Still, having worked with Zaritsky for so many years, Savoie says he knows by now how to pick his battles. At one point, he expresses frustration with Zaritsky when the documentarian gets up to use the restroom in the middle of an interview on a day when the crew has been completely pushed to the limit.

“That was a battle I was going to pick,” Savoie says. “I wasn’t concerned about me; there were a whole bunch of people there, and all of us were in the same spot. And at that point, excluding John, I’m the guy at the top of the food chain, and it’s up to me to make sure that seven days into the shoot, we don’t end up with a sound man with a head cold. We have to eat; we’ve got to sleep. I’m not afraid to speak up for the crew.

And if I say to John, ‘We need to stop and eat because the sound man and the B camera operator are both eating candy for dinner,’ it’s time to stop.”

Being on the road so much, Savoie sometimes worried about Zaritsky’s stamina, but he had faith that the director knew how to handle himself, so he never requested a slowdown. “He’s a grown man and he knows what he’s capable of,” Savoie maintains.

“John is a tenaciousness guy,” he adds. “I like to think I am as well. I think when John gets an idea in his head of what he wants to do, he does his very best to get that done. I like

Top: John Zaritsky, Michael Savoie csc and sound recordist Justin Ladd share a laugh while travelling in a van. Zaritsky speaks with film participant Louise Medus-Mansell outside her home. John Zaritsky and Michael Savoie csc have been making films together since the ‘80s.

to think the same thing washes over into my work now as I have transitioned to taking on extra duties producing and directing. There have been a lot of producers that I’ve worked with along the way, and everybody has their own little trick or their own little hiccup that you can learn from. I think that some of Zaritsky’s single-mindedness has rubbed off on me.

But best of all, I learned a lot about storytelling from John.”

That’s something Savoie hopes to take with him as he continues to develop his own projects. “I think the days of me working for other people are really coming to an end,” he says. “I want to develop my own ideas, my own stories, and I can also shoot them.”

Despite the grind involved in documentary filmmaking, Savoie says, “It’s rewarding. It’s the people that you meet along the way. Those are the really big benefits. You meet people that have so much integrity. It’s a real privilege and you’re grateful for the opportunity. That’s what pushes you out there, that curiosity and just wanting to meet new people, new stories, new ideas, new dilemmas and new crises.”

Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

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CSC LIGHTING WORKSHOP October 22-23, 2016, Toronto

President George Willis csc, sasc and Co-Vice President Carlos Esteves csc lead participants in the hands-on, two-day workshop.

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The Cooke Look

®

Original photo, Luke Varley

One Look. All Speeds

"I had never shot a comedy, but the series Fleabag was an easy choice. Phoebe Waller-Bridges scripts are inspirational and so is she. There is a subtext and dysfunctionality to Fleabag that I was interested in underscoring. I wanted to expand my pallete from the darker Hopperesque environments that I do frequently to something brighter.

T2.3

I chose the new Cooke Anamorphic/i lenses. They are not perfect and they distort — the whole point of anamorphic lenses. I mainly used the 32mm and 50mm.

In prep I shot Phoebe from different angles and heights on all focal lengths to learn what worked best. She is incredibly photogenic but the wider lenses, especially the 32mm, worked great just above her eye line. It made us feel complicit.

We shot 2-39-1 format to use the width of the frame for multiple relationships and tensions to exist in the same frame. I also tried to create a style where the camera becomes another player with the viewer unaware that it is shot completely handheld.

T2.8

T1.4

The Cooke Anamorphics have a very beautiful look, with all the characteristics of the S4s in anamorphic form. They were the perfect choice for this dramatic comedy.”

Tony Miller, BSC Fleabag Amazon Studios original series Nominated for 2016 RTS Craft & Design Award for Photography

British Optical Innovation and Quality Since 1893.

cookeoptics.com

T: +44 (0)116 264 0700

T2.0

Canada, South America, USA: T: +1-973-335-4460

The Masters “In recognition of those who have made an outstanding contribution to the art of cinematography.”

2017 is not only the CSC’s 60th anniversary, it also marks 30 years of recognizing extraordinary excellence through the CSC’s Masters Award. This special honour is conferred upon cinematographers who have transcended from just practicing their craft into leaders of their craft by influencing the cinematic art form through their exceptional creativity, technical skills and ingenuity. Originally called the Kodak New Century Award, it was renamed the Masters Award in 2014 to reflect industry changes brought about by the digital age.

In celebration of the CSC’s 60th anniversary, Canadian Cinematographer is presenting a 10-part series on the exceptional cinematographers who have received the Masters Award. This is part one.

By Guido Kondruss

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Fritz Spiess csc (1925-1998) 1987

T

he first recipient of the Masters Award was Fritz Spiess csc. Considered a genius for his unparalleled creative lighting techniques, Spiess also strived for perfection in his work, planning every aspect of a production down to the smallest detail. Nothing was ever left to chance. Spiess’ technical precision in creating special effects to highlight and tell a story was legendary. He drove his crews hard, but with kindness. Spiess would do take after take until he felt the shot was flawless. He revelled in challenge and producing a solution. Spiess became known as the dean of Canadian cinematography, helping to mentor and pave the way for a generation of Canadian crews and filmmakers.

No matter the format, Spiess would have been the top cinematographer in his field. However, he consciously chose the 30- and 60-second television commercial format to produce his cinematic vision. Spiess likened his commercial cinematography to a poetry sonnet, where the likes of Shakespeare and Michelangelo could convey a story and emotion in 14 lines. He did the same with every frame he shot.

While Spiess’ commercials may have been short, they were always spectacular.

As a young boy, Spiess was an apprentice in his family’s photographic studio in Leipzig, Germany. Later, he attended the prestigious Munich Photo School, graduating with a Masters of Photography. Specializing in portrait and industrial photos, Spiess continued to shoot stills after immigrating to Canada and settling in Toronto. His photos appeared in many magazines of the day such as Life and Mayfair. In 1954, Spiess brought his photography skills and sensibilities to motion pictures, shooting and directing some 3,000 commercials over the course of his career. Spiess won many awards and accolades for his cinematography. But as a lasting testament to his impact on the art of cinematography, the CSC presents annually the Fritz Spiess Award for Commercial Cinematography, as do the Bessie’s with the advertising industry’s Fritz Spiess Award.

Michael S. Smith 1988

Robert Brooks csc (1929-2005) 1989

ichael S. Smith has the distinction of being the only person to have ever received the Masters Award and not be a cinematographer. Smith was a technician, manager and eventually a film optical house owner, whose insight and drive for improving quality pushed Canada to the forefront of optical printing technology.

After immigrating to Canada from England in the late 1950s, Smith found himself working in a Toronto bank. Smith had a growing interest in photography, so when a bank customer informed him that Film Opticals out of New York was opening a Toronto branch, Smith applied and became the first employee at Film Opticals in Canada.

Smith dove into his new career, learning the craft with a keen eye on improving the technology.

Optical printing in those days ran a high risk of scratching and damage from dirt during a process called bi-packing, where two reels of film simultaneously pass through a projector gate. Working with technicians and manufacturers in the U.S., Smith had a printer designed with two projector heads. One of the projectors, mounted on the rear, would have the same movement and play as the camera. This new design alleviated the bi-packing problem, greatly improving quality.

When 16 mm film began flexing itself as a cheaper alternative to 35 mm film, it had a major drawback – it could not be optically duplicated with any success without first being blown up to 35 mm, an expensive process. Smith thought differently, designing and building in Toronto a 16 mm optical printer that produced quality 16 mm prints. The film industry took notice and 16 mm became a staple.

Smith further cemented Film Opticals as the leader in the 16 mm format by designing and building a full immersion, liquid projector gate for 16 mm optical printers that eliminated the bubbles created by the shuttle movement. The process worked so well it became an international standard and was also adapted to 35 mm and 8 mm formats.

Eventually, digital technology changed the nature of the work done by Film Opticals of Canada and the company, which was now co-owned by Smith, closed its doors in 2006. Smith lives in retirement with his wife in Wasaga Beach, Ontario.

obert Brooks csc was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, just as the great depression began wreaking its havoc.

With no work on the horizon, the Brooks family eventually pulled up prairie stakes and headed east to find better economic times. Toronto became their new home.

Just shy of his 18th birthday and acting on a tip, Brooks landed a job at Associated Screen News as an office boy, and his education in film production from the ground up had begun.

By 1950, Brooks was firmly ensconced behind the camera shooting newsreels, industrials and theatrical shorts. He had found his calling.

Brooks was the cinematographer on hundreds of productions during his long career, many of which won awards. He crossed every filmmaking genre possible, from features to commercials, to medical and educational films, but where Brooks excelled was with documentaries. A compassionate man, Brooks wore his heart on his sleeve. It was this empathetic quality that drew him into the human condition, giving Brooks a unique touch that is mirrored throughout his work. He was a master at capturing the essence and soul of what he saw through his lens.

While Brooks became renowned for his extraordinary documentary work, he also brought his distinctive talents to sports cinematography. He was the DP for 18 official Stanley Cup films and 23 official CFL Grey Cup films, including the 1962 “Fog Bowl,” which has become a sports classic.

Brooks stepped onto the world sports stage with the Olympics, where he was the DP on four official Olympic films. But it was at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics that Brooks himself went gold, winning an Emmy for his cinematography in the documentary Lillehammer ‘94: 16 Days of Glory.

Brooks’ formidable contribution to the art of cinematography continues to be recognized through the Robert Brooks Award for Documentary Cinematography, which is presented each year at the CSC Annual Awards Gala.

M

R

Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

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CSC TABLETOP LIGHTING WORKSHOP

November 12-13, 2016, Toronto

President George Willis csc, sasc and Co-Vice President Carlos Esteves csc lead participants in the hands-on, two-day workshop.

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We would like to thank our sponsors for 60 years of support AC Lighting Inc. All Axis Remote Camera Systems Applied Electronics Limited Arri Canada Ltd. Canon Canada Inc. Clairmont Camera Codes Pro Media Cooke Optics Dazmo Camera Deluxe Toronto FUJIFILM, North America Corp.

FUJIFILM, Optical Devices Division Fusion Cine Henry’s Camera HD Source Inspired Image Picture Company Kino Flo Lee Filters Miller Camera Support Equipment

Mole-Richardson MOSS LED Inc. Nikon Canada Inc. PS Production Services Panasonic Canada Panavision Canada REDLABdigital Rosco Canada S1 Studios Toronto SIM Group Sony of Canada Ltd. Technically Yours Inc. Technicolor The Source Shop Vistek Camera Ltd. Walter Klassen FX William F. White International Inc. ZGC Inc. ZTV

Couldn’t have done it without you!

From a Special Screening of

THE BISHOP WHO ATE HIS BOOTS DP Richard Stringer csc (1944 – 2007)

Credit: Joan Hutton csc

October 23, 2016 – Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto

Back row, from left, Gail Singer, Carol Stringer, Gabriel Harpelle, Kelly Saxberg, Jim Mercer csc and Mary-Adelle Moore. Front row: Carolyn Megill and CSC Executive Officer Susan Saranchuk.

Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

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TECH COLUMN

When it comes to the big picture, size does matter.

The launch of Panavision’s 8K Millennium DXL in partnership with Light Iron and RED, which launched its own Weapon Helium 8K, is attracting a lot of attention, and Michael Cioni, CEO of Light Iron, the digital postproduction company acquired by Panavision in 2014, is quick to point out this is more than just another capture box.

“We wanted an end-to-end ecosystem, to construct the most advanced image and workflow camera system on the market,” he said. “This was only possible through the cooperation of Panavision, Light Iron and RED. Some of the most impressive elements of the DXL have been in the works for more than three years.”

Though both share RED’s S35 sensor, the DXL is for rental only, while the RED Weapon 8K starts at US$49,500, giving the ARRI ALEXA 65 some pause for thought in the cinematographic equivalent of the nuclear arms race.

“The Helium 8K is a standalone S35 sensor inside the RED Weapon product line,” Cioni said. “The Panavision Helium 8K S35 camera is fitted with our proprietary optics and colour matrix (Light Iron Color) to match the DXL. It’s ideal for use in drones, gimbals and specialty mounting shots.”

The DXL has a 16-bit, 35.5 Megapixel CMOS sensor with 8192 x 4320 resolution provided by RED, measuring 40.96 mm x 21.60 mm (Diagonal: 46.31 mm). This serves up a 15-stop dynamic range with a maximum frame rate of 60 fps at 8K and 75 fps at 8K 2.4:1 (8192 x 3456) captured to a single SSD, good for one hour of shooting.

And size also matters when it comes to being compact; the DXL is a mere 10 pounds and takes all their lenses, including vintage selections, with inter-

30 • Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017

Courtesy of Panavision

Taking a Look at the Big Picture

nal wireless focus motors.

There are six independent 1D LUTs or up to four independent 3D LUTs. With that kind of data roaring from the sensor, there’s a bit of additional heat so the DXL has specially designed ventilation and temperature controlled fans.

The camera has been designed as a soup-to-nuts systems using REDCode’s capture codec “arguably the most powerful and efficient codec in digital cinema. It displays both HDR and SDR signals simultaneously and can output a single 4K signal while simultaneously outputting three additional HD signals all set to user preference,” according to Cioni.

The big news, though, is that the super-sized sensor is a massive 40.96 mm x 21.60 mm, which is significantly larger than traditional S35 sensors, he said. “This large wafer increases lens magnification by a factor of 1.7x, which decreases the overall depth of field,” he said. “Standard lens focal lengths perform wider, and out-of-focus elements have a greater bokeh effect.”

He also notes the combination of the wafer size, the five-micron pixel pitch, and the 8K oversample produces a “smoothness effect.”

“I think cinematographers will enjoy a cleaner image (-3db) as the images

receive a rounding feeling when 8K is scaled down to 4K,” he said. “It’s even more pronounced when scaled down to 2K.” Of course, we’re all waiting now to see something on the screen, shot from the ground up in 8K, though we’ll have to wait a little longer because there’s a learning curve ahead.

“8K is new to digital motion pictures, and with it comes new experiences which cinematographers will manipulate to create new types of pictures which simply weren’t possible before,” Cioni said.

Theoretically, you could just capture everything as a medium shot and frame it in post, but Cioni thinks the creative drive will override that urge. “It’s true the DXL’s super sample is so significant cinematographers have enough resolution they can finally afford to lose some,” he said. “Extractions, full 4K anamorphic, or even custom managed vignetting are all possible. But just like stills DSLRs, the more you over-sample, the smoother, richer and quieter your pictures become.”

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.

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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.

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Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017 •

31

• in the news from page 6

PRODUCTION NOTES

productions, and to multi-territory co-productions. Piovesan has produced The Whistleblower starring Rachel Weisz, Regression starring Emma Watson and Ethan Hawke, and Red Lights starring Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver and Robert DeNiro, among others. Elevation was founded more than two years ago and in May signed a multi-year slate co-financing deal with Anton Corp., which includes 20-25 pictures per year, made up of commercial and prestige-driven films, including from its output deals with Black Bear

Pictures, Bleecker Street Films and Bold Films. Upcoming Elevation releases include Stephen Gaghan’s Gold starring Matthew McConaughey and The Founder directed by John Lee Hancock and starring Michael Keaton.

CBC Launches Film Fund to Support Underrepresented Filmmakers In the fall, CBC announced a new film fund to support underrepresented filmmakers nationwide. The CBC will contribute at least $7.5 million to the Breaking Barriers Film Fund over the

next three years. With the new fund, CBC is seeking English-language feature film projects that are written or directed by Canadian women, indigenous persons, visible minorities and persons with a disability who have had at least one feature-length film showcased at a recognized film festival, and which are not in the documentary genre and not already in production. Applicants have a choice of applying for funding to cover either 10 per cent or 20 per cent of the film’s production budget, the CBC said. There are no set deadlines, and fund recipients will be chosen solely on creative merit.

12 MONKEYS III (series) AMOUR COUGAR: AU-DELÀ DU MYTHE (documentary) ANNE (miniseries)

DP David Greene csc, asc (odd) & Boris Mojsovksi csc (even) Serge Desrosiers csc DP Bobby Shore csc; Camera Operator Andreas Evdemon

to February 1 to February 28 to February 3

Toronto Montreal Toronto

ARROW V (series) BATES MOTEL V (series) CHEVAL-SERPENT (series) CAMPFIRE KISS (MOW) DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW II (series) DESIGNATED SURVIVOR (series) DISTRICT 31 (series) THE FLASH III (series) GIRLFRIEND’S GUIDE TO DIVORCE (series) GREEN HARVEST (series) HOCHELAGA, TERRE DES ÂMES (feature) IMPULSE (TV pilot) iZOMBIE III (series) KILLJOYS III (series) MECH-X4 aka MTX (series) THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US (series) ONCE UPON A TIME VI (series) PRIVATE EYES II (series)

DP Gordon Verheul csc (odd) DP John Bartley csc, asc DP Jérôme Sabourin csc DP Kamal Derkaoui csc DP David Geddes csc, asc Producer Glen Winter csc DP Colin Hoult csc (alternating episodes) B Camera 1st Assistant Jim Chirayouth Saysana DP Marc Gadoury csc DP C. Kim Miles csc (odd) DP Laszlo George csc, hsc DP Colin Hoult csc (alternating episodes) DP Nicolas Bolduc csc B Operator/Steadicam Michael Soos DP Michael Wale csc DP Bruce G. Worrall csc DP Neil Cervin csc B Camera Operator/2nd Unit DP Roger Vernon csc DP Tony Mirza DP Christopher Ball csc & Pierre Jodoin csc (alternating episodes) 1st Assistant Pierre Branconnier DP David Herrington csc & Mike McMurray csc; Data Management Technician Marc Forand DP Alwyn Kumst csc (alternating episodes) B Camera Operator J.P. Locherer csc Co-Producer & DP Serge Ladouceur csc; Camera Operator Brad Creasser DP Gerald Packer csc

to April 19 to January 24 to February 17 to January 20 to February 24 to April 28 to March 17 to April 22 to March 31 to April 30 to January 26 to January 15 to January 10 to May 12 to March 14 to February 24 to March 31 to May 19

Vancouver Vancouver Montreal Vancouver Burnaby Toronto Montreal Vancouver Vancouver Toronto Montreal Toronto North Vancouver Toronto Aldegrove Coquitlam Burnaby Scarborough

to May 16 to April 11 to April 26 to April 30

Mississauga Toronto

SHADOWHUNTERS II (series) STRAIN IV (series) SUPERNATURAL XII (series) WYNONNA EARP (series)

Calgary

CALENDAR OF EVENTS JANUARY 7, CSC Post Work Flow, Toronto, csc.ca 19, SIM Digital Technology Showcase, Toronto, simdigital.com 19-29, Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah, sundance.org 31, CSC Awards entry deadline, csc.ca FEBRUARY 6, CSC Annual General Meeting, Technicolor Toronto 3-12, Victoria Film Festival, Victoria BC, victoriafilmfestival.com 13-17, CSC Awards Juries

Write to Us

www.csc.ca Connect online with the CSC

23-March 4, Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois, Montreal, rvcq.com MARCH 1-12, Canadian Screen Awards, Toronto, academy.ca/Canadian-screenawards 2-5, Kingston Canadian Film Festival, Kingston, ON, kingcanfilmfest.com 23- April 2, International Film Festival on Art, Montreal, artfifa.com APRIL 1, CSC Awards, The Arcadian Court, Toronto, csc.ca April 27-May 7, Hot Docs, Toronto, hotdocs.ca

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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.

32 • Canadian Cinematographer - January 2017

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