Canadian Society of Cinematographers Magazine November 2014

CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS

$4 November 2014 www.csc.ca

Ronald Plante csc Spins

The Good Lie

for Philippe Falardeau

Van Royko: Monsoon • Brendan Uegama csc: Blackburn

A publication of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers The Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC) was founded in 1957 by a group of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa cameramen.

Since then over 800 cinematographers and persons in associated occupations have joined the organization.

FEATURES – VOLUME 6, NO. 6 NOVEMBER 2014

The purpose of the CSC is to promote the art and craft of cinematography in Canada and to provide tangible recognition of the common bonds that link film and digital professionals, from the aspiring student and camera assistant to the news veteran and senior director of photography.

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Photo: Bob Mahoney

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.

Ronald Plante csc Spins The Good Lie for Philippe Falardeau

By Fanen Chiahemen

Rain Man: CSC Associate Van Royko on Capturing the Monsoon

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By Matthew Hays, Special to Canadian Cinematographer

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Photo: Kyle Cassie

AC Lighting Inc. All Axis Remote Camera Systems Arri Canada Ltd. Canon Canada Inc. Clairmont Camera

Codes Pro Media Dazmo Camera Deluxe Toronto FUJIFILM North America Corporation FUJIFILM, Optical Devices Division Fusion Cine HD Source Image Media Farm Kino Flo Kodak Canada Inc. Lee Filters Miller Camera Support Equipment Mole-Richardson PS Production Services Panasonic Canada Panavision Canada REDLABdigital Rosco Canada SIM Digital Sony of Canada Ltd. Technicolor The Source Shop Vistek Camera Ltd. Whites Digital Sales & Service William F. White International Inc. ZGC Inc. ZTV

Photo: Amit Vachharajani

CORPORATE SPONSORS

Brendan Uegama csc Mines Darkness for Blackburn By Fanen Chiahemen

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 2 4 5 7 24 26 27 28

From the President In the News Best & Worst Advice New CSC Members Tech Column CSC Member Spotlight - John Bartley csc, asc Classifieds Productions Notes / Calendar

Cover: Still from The Good Lie Photo: Bob Mahoney.

Canadian Cinematographer November 2014 Vol. 6, No. 6 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

FROM THE PRESIDENT George A. Willis csc, sasc

JSunday1@CreativeAffinities.com SECRETARY Antonin Lhotsky csc, alhotsky@gmail.com MEMBERSHIP CO-CHAIRS Phil Earnshaw csc, philyn@sympatico.ca Alwyn Kumst csc, alwynkumst@gmail.com EDUCATION CO-CHAIRS D. Gregor Hagey csc, gregor@dghagey.com Dylan Macleod csc, dmacleod@sympatico.ca PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIR Bruce Marshall, brucemarshall@sympatico.ca DIRECTORS EX-OFFICIO Jeremy Benning csc, jbenning@me.com Kim Derko csc, kimderko@sympatico.ca John Holosco csc, holoskofilms@gmail.com Bruno Philip csc, bphilipcsc@gmail.com Brendan Steacy, brendansteacy@gmail.com Carolyn Wong, CarolynWong50@gmail.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF George Willis csc, sasc

D

uring a recent trip to New York City, I paid a visit to B&H, the largest camera store in the world. While waiting to be served, and watching the sales staff go about their business, I was reminded of the conversations that I had a few months ago with Vilmos Zsigmond asc.

We were discussing his work, and of course the technical side of his movie making drifted towards cameras and lenses. As Vilmos replied to my many questions, the one word that always peppered his answers was “image”.

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

Looking at the incredible range of equipment at B&H, I wondered what percentage of the customers really cared about the image as opposed to the technical aspects of their intended purchases. The conversations that I overheard seemed to indicate technical winning out.

& Casie Wilson WEBSITE www.csc.ca ADVERTISING SALES Guido Kondruss, gkondruss@rogers.com OFFICE / MEMBERSHIP / SUBSCRIPTIONS 131–3007 Kingston Road

When we think about today’s cameras and lenses, it is a given that standards and technologies are light years ahead of equipment available 20 to 30 years ago. If that is the case, it must follow that the images will also be better today. But, I ask, are they?

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.

ISSN 1918-8781 Canadian Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40013776 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses 131–3007 Kingston Road Toronto M1M 1P1

2 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

I am reminded of an anecdote that has been around in many forms. The gist of it is as follows: a society lady meets a famous photographer and says to him, “You take beautiful photographs. You must have a wonderful camera.” Sometime later, the same photographer attends a function hosted by the same society lady. At the end of the evening he turns to her and says, “Your food was delicious. You must have a wonderful oven.”

As humorous as it is, there is some truth to this story. There are many who believe that by purchasing state-of-the-art equipment they will be able to produce world-class images. Most often, however, that is not the case. It is very difficult to convince people mesmerized by technology that as creators of an image they need to be mindful of many issues when taking a photograph. I would like to point out that when I refer to a “single image,” it is directly transfer see President page 6

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IN THE NEWS

Scott McClellan

Member News

A

ssociate CSC member Scott McClellan was named Best Atlantic Cinematographer at the 34th Atlantic Film Festival in September. The $5000-award, sponsored by SIM Digital, was for the film Cast No Shadow, which was also named Best Atlantic Feature at the festival.

SIM Group Launches Operation in Northern Ontario

screen set up. Parry Sound and other northern production centres have recently experienced a spike in production activity due to grants from The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, which supports the local film and television industry. The SIM Group will be hiring Northern Ontario residents for the operation in Parry Sound. The company will also extend its internship program to include schools in Northern Ontario.

ARRI Announces New Recording Formats, The SIM Group announced in late Rental Camera

summer that it was opening a new location in Northern Ontario. Located at the Muskoka North Film Studios in Parry Sound, Ont., the new office will feature products and services from each of the SIM Group’s operating units: SIM Digital, a supplier of cameras and other production gear; PS Production Services, a supplier of lighting, grip, generator and specialty products; and Bling Digital, a specialist in postproduction technology and services. The SIM Group will provide a variety of services to the 8,000-squarefoot Muskoka North Film Studios, including support for its grid and green

4 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

ARRI recently announced ProRes 3.2K, a new recording format for its ARRI ALEXA cameras that will become available through a software update scheduled for release early next year. ProRes 3.2K allows the same upsampling in post to UHD deliverables as ARRIRAW Open Gate does to 4K. These formats, combined with ALEXA’s dynamic range, make the camera suitable for any type of production with any distribution requirements. ARRI also announced a new software upgrade for its documentary-style AMIRA camera that will allow it to

record ProRes UHD files, answering the 4K requirements of some productions. The upgrade is expected to be available for purchase at the online ARRI License Shop by the end of this year.

In other news, at the Cinec Munich trade show in September, ARRI Rental introduced the ALEXA 65 system, available exclusively through its global network of rental facilities. The system comprises a 65 mm digital cinema camera, custom-designed prime and zoom lenses, and workflow tools. The ALEXA 65 camera is a scaled-up version of an ALEXA XT, with the ability to capture an ARRIRAW 65 mm image and with a sensor larger than a 5-perf 65 mm film frame. The ALEXA 65 sensor has the same photosite design as that found in ARRI’s 35 mm format ALEXA digital cameras, aside from being much larger. The 50-110 mm Zoom 65 and the eight Prime 65 lenses, ranging from 24 mm to 300 mm, utilize optics from Hasselblad, housed in lens barrels co-developed with IB/E Optics. The Prime 65 and Zoom 65 lenses feature an XPL mount equipped with the ARRI Lens Data System.

BEST & WORST

THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE DOWNRIGHT UGLY

Photos provided by RICHARD CIUPKA csc

Advice comes in many different shades. When it’s good, it can become a career-making credo, and when it’s bad, well, we can only scratch our heads in bewilderment. Canadian Cinematographer asked full and associate members of the CSC the following question: “What was the best and the worst advice you ever received during your career?” In the coming months we’ll be publishing what some of them had to say.

This went on for many takes. Huston’s and the director’s frustration grew, while Sophia Loren fidgeted in front of me every time I said, “Sorry, very sorry, I have to cut.” It was unbearable. Finally, Mr. Huston managed to keep his back straight and we got the shot. As he was leaving the set, he put his hand on my shoulder while I was still on the dolly and whispered in my ear, “Kid, it doesn’t look good you saying sorry all the time, not in this business. Just say cut, God damn it!” He patted me on the back and left. Well, it didn’t hit me right away, but I quickly put my shyness and timidity on the back burner and became more assertive and direct in all my verbal exchanges on set. Thank you, Mr. Huston! worst advice

RICHARD CIUPKA csc cinematographer and director, Richard Ciupka csc has worked in film and television for more than 35 years. He has won CSC awards and Genies for his cinematography and has worked with directing greats Claude Chabrol and Louis Malle. Based in Montreal, Ciupka directed the horror cult classic Curtains and is currently the DP on the new French CBC drama Nouvelle Adresse.

A

best advice

In 1976, I was a very young and nervous camera operator on a movie called Angela, starring Sophia Loren. John Huston, the iconic film director (The Misfits, The Maltese Falcon) was playing a cameo part in the film. In the first bar scene, Mr. Huston, portraying a gangster, was sitting wearing a fedora hat talking to Sophia Loren across a table. Huston, then 70 years old, had a hard time keeping his back straight, so as he delivered his lines he unintentionally leaned slowly forward.

Quickly his eyes and face disappeared behind the rim of his hat. There was no video monitor then, the director depended 100 per cent on the operator, so I had no choice but to say timidly, “Sorry, very sorry, I have to cut.”

In 1977, I was about to begin a feature film with the celebrated French director Claude Chabrol, when one of the film’s producers suggested strongly that we try the new Steadicam, which was creating a great buzz at the time with the films Marathon Man and Rocky. The producer said we should innovate, forget about using dollies and cranes, that the Steadicam was the wave of the future, the panacea to all shooting problems. We reluctantly agreed.

The Steadicam we ordered got stuck in Canadian customs for a week, arriving from Panavision LA three days before the beginning of our shoot. The camera crew and I felt see Best & Worst page 6

Donald Sutherland and Richard Ciupka with Steadicam.

Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014 •

5

John Huston with Ciupka, middle, back row.

Best & Worst from page 5 anxious as we promptly opened the cases, read the operating manuals and strapped the beast to my chest. I quickly realized that this contraption was not a natural extension of my body and that the learning curve would be steep. It was a far cry from what I was used to – a perfectly balanced film camera on a gear head that I could pan and tilt with the push of two fingers on a wheel. Nervous and tense, I prayed for [Steadicam inventor] Garrett Brown or anybody who knew how to operate this gizmo to beam down and help me out, but that didn’t happen. So the remaining two days before principal photography I practiced the best I could.

I suffered through the first days of the shoot with my arm continuously raised high, following Donald Sutherland, who is no midget, I can assure you. The worst of it was trying to see the edges of the frame on that tiny 2.5” green phosphorous monitor, while running with the camera. It was more an act of faith than anything else and a far cry from the monitors we have today. It was all quite nerve-racking, but I managed, resigning myself to being a camera cyborg for the rest of the film. Then a miracle happened. On the fourth day the director decided to go back to using the dolly because he felt the story did not need all that movement. Although he liked the Steadicam, he really wanted to use longer lenses. I was so relieved I could cry. I promised myself to never again get into something I did not know anything about.

Donald Sutherland and Ciupka.

President from page 2 able to cinema because moving pictures are really made up of many “still” images in sequence.

My basement is stowed with much redundant camera equipment, but I know that if I wish to take a photograph, I don’t have to go out and buy the latest technology. Why? Because composition or spatial relationship and light are two of the essentials that will be needed to produce a great image.

There is no doubt that the choice of a particular lens will offer a special look, such as a soft focus background, but that is only a tool and a small part of the image-making process.

If we examine paintings of the old masters, we can translate their artistry into images that are akin to modern photographs. There are distinct parallels, if we look for them. Just as the artist employs paint and brushes to capture the nuances of light and composition, we as cinematographers work with a camera and a lens. But these are simply tools, and what’s key is how they are used to create artistic expression.

When I see a wonderful image, I never base my opinion or discussion on the equipment used to create it, since the technology is merely the means to the end. The ensuing discussion may well involve the technical aspects, but what is paramount is the image. Essentially, I really don’t care about the oven if the food tastes good.

6 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

NEW CSC MEMBERS

rnold Lim Photo: A

B.

A. Daniel Carruthers, associate Director of photography B. Tom M. Duym, associate Director of photography, cinematographer

A.

E.

C.

D.

Narvali

D. Jason Gondziola, affiliate Cinematographer

hn Photo: Jo

E. Ahmed Kardous, associate Director of photography

Photo: Tolar Armiit

C. Guy Godfree, associate Director of photography

F. James Klopko, associate Director of photography, cinematographer

F.

G.

G. Philip Lanyon, associate Director of photography H. Ben Lichty, associate Director of photography, camera operator

H.

I. Scott McIntyre, affiliate Cinematographer

I. J.

K. Bartosz Pawlowski, associate Director of photography, camera operator, dolly grip K. L. Van Royko, associate Cinematographer

Photo: Shereen Mroueh

Photo: John Narvali

J. Anaafi Okraku, affiliate Student

M. Mark A. Sirju, affiliate Cinematographer, producer

not pictured

Kris Belchevski, associate Director of photography Alex Gomez, associate Director of photography

M.

Stephen Gurie Woo, affiliate Cinematographer, production director

Brice P

icard

Angel Navarro III, affiliate Cinematographer, camera operator, camera assistant Robert Walsh, associate Director of photography

Photo:

Photo: Kyle Tait

L.

Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014 •

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Photo: Kelly Walsh

COVER FEATURE

DP RONALD PLANTE csc captures the action for The Good Lie.

8 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

When director Philippe Falardeau and cinematographer Ronald Plante csc first teamed up it was to craft the story of elementary school children overcoming the trauma of a teacher’s suicide in the 2011 Oscar-nominated feature Monsieur Lazhar.

Now the two have reunited to tell the based-on-fact story involving the Lost Boys of Sudan, orphans who fled the Sudanese civil war on foot, many of whom forged new lives in the United States. Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon co-stars in The Good Lie as an employment counselor in Atlanta tasked with assisting the newly arrived refugees, played by real-life Sudanese refugees Arnold Oceng, Kuoth Wiel, alongside Ger Duany and rapper Emmanuel Jal, both former child soldiers and Lost Boys. The Good Lie was shot in Atlanta, Los Angeles, parts of South Africa, Nairobi, as well as the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, which houses more than 125,000 asylum seekers, most of whom have fled violence in South Sudan. Plante gives Canadian Cinematographer some insights into the experience of shooting the film, which premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

RONALD PL ANTE

csc

SPINS

THE GOOD LIE FOR PHILIPPE FAL ARDE AU Canadian Cinematographer: Although The Good Lie seems a world away from Monsieur Lazhar, this film also deals with children who have gone through intense trauma, this time due to conflict.

In this case, some of the actors, or their parents, had actually lived through the experiences depicted in the film. As a cinematographer, how did you handle the children in The Good Lie?

By FANEN CHIAHEMEN

Ronald Plante csc: Yes, one of the main actors, Ger, his mother was in the Kakuma refugee camp, and his brothers and sisters were also there. Another actor was a war child. He killed people when he was 12 years old. But it was hardest for the kids.

In the story we have kids from six to 12 years old who go by foot from Sudan to Kenya, walking for months. But the kids we had playing those parts were American kids, raised in good environments, and they were walking barefoot in the desert, and it was tough for them. Since I was operating the camera, Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014 •

9

Still from The Good Lie.

I was physically close to the kids, and I would give them hugs and tell them not to quit, and if they wanted to cry, I would tell them to cry. I mean, I had big boots on, and they were barefoot. I think part of a DP’s role is not just to be a technician. We’re humans that help the movie in many ways. When you establish confidence and relationships with the actors, it’s great for everyone because they trust you, and they know you’ll take care of them. What I like about actors and DPs is we’re on the same level. Basically my job is like I’m an actor. My role is to act the lighting. I have the same kind of relationship with the director as the actor, so often the relationship between the DP and the actors is we’re together on this project so we have to stay close together.

CC: What camera and lens package did you gofor with this film?

RP: I used the ALEXA, shooting RAW, with the Leica SUMMILUX lenses.

They’re beautiful, very sharp lenses and they open at 1.4, so sometimes at night I didn’t need to put too much lighting in the street scenes. Coming from Quebec, we have to work fast and not use

10 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

a lot of lighting, and that’s like a new trend now, and it’s possible with the ALEXA and those lenses. Sometimes Reese would walk onto the set and say, “Where are the lights?” Leica lenses are very rare, and ours were supplied

by SIM Digital. Rob Sim opened up shop in Atlanta not too long ago. When I was shooting corporate videos and documentaries in Toronto, Rob was the supplier, and I always liked him. He’s a businessman, but he’s also a passionate person, and I have total confidence in him because he always goes for the quality. So when we were in Atlanta I suggested we use Rob because he was one of the only ones who had the Leicas.

CC: On Monsieur Lazhar you decided to shoot with the RED ONE M-X, although Philippe Falardeau normally prefers to shoot on film. How was the ALEXA an advantage on The Good Lie? RP: The ALEXA I would say is the best camera around. It’s not the most powerful and it doesn’t have the most resolution. It’s not even 3K, but overall it’s the best camera . The ALEXA is a Ger-

man camera, and the analogy I would use is about cars. German cars are really well built. They don’t have those big engines, but the road handling is very good. So if you do a race with a German car against an American or Japanese car, the German car will win the race because it’s not just about speed, it’s about road handling and everything. The ALEXA doesn’t have a big sensor, which is like the engine of the car, but it’s a very good camera. The RED has a big 6K “engine,” but has lousy road handling.

For me, since I’m a cameraman that operates the camera, ergonomics is super important, so with the ALEXA you can throw me into any situation and I will be able to handle it. It’s designed for a cameraman. But with those other cameras it’s going to be more complicated.

CC: And why did you choose to shoot RAW? RP: I shot in RAW because of the contrast between Reese and the Sudanese actors. Reese is white like an egg, and the South Sudanese people are very dark. I didn’t want to do too much lighting, so those lenses are very forgiving for the contrast. And my timer was very happy that I shot that in RAW because there was more space for the contrast. It’s about being at the right place exposure-wise so I don’t have to put too much light on the black people or flag Reese. Because I like the actor to be free; I don’t want to bother them with the technical side, so I have to try and find ways to make things happen for me and for them and the director. It’s a very low-key approach to shooting.

CC: So what were you doing lighting-wise?

RP: I always use the same thing: bigger sources outside the room for interiors, and so basically I lit the scenes in Reese’s apartment with lights from outside. Also, I like to put lighting mistakes in the shot. That makes it more natural.

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I put some uncontrolled things like a burned wall or something that looks like a mistake in the lighting. If everything is perfect, it looks too controlled, so I include lighting mistakes. Because in life sometimes the sun will hit a table and make the table way overexposed.

CC: What about when you were shooting in the Kakuma refugee camp? What did you bring in with you?

RP: The only thing we brought was a SUMO light, an LED panel light. It is battery operated, so it’s really handy; we used that a lot. I love LED lighting.

I just finished a film in Israel with a lot of lighting with LED Lekos and Creamsource LEDs. There were weeks I didn’t use any traditional lights, just LEDs. It’s interesting; right now there is a revolution with lighting. And shooting in Africa was so easy. It was beautiful. Every morning is like a big gift, and you just shoot it. It was like a natural bleach bypass process, which was a chemical process used when developing film. It made the picture very contrasty. And sometimes in Africa the image was like that naturally.

CC: How did you choose your crew when working abroad?

RP: We used local crews, which was great. When I travel I like to hire local people. You get much better service.

They know all the tricks, and they like you because you trust them, so out of respect to the country where I’m shooting I try to hire locals as much as possible. You have to find the crew, look at resumes, meet people, and that was part of the prep. I found great people in South Africa. I had a very good second camera operator, Adi Visser, from Cape Town. Because in Africa we were shooting with kids in the desert and heat, everything was shot with two cameras, and he was great. The only person I brought with me was the gaffer from

12 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

DP Ronald Plante csc

Atlanta, Jay Yowler. The connection between us was so good it’s like we’d done 10 films together.

CC: Philippe Falardeau has said in the past that the two of you work so well together because you’re instinctive and he’s cerebral. How has your working relationship with him evolved?

RP: He’s still stubborn and creative, and that’s a good thing. I like it. He trusts me more, I guess, with everything. We argue a lot, but he really trusts me for all departments. I’m his consigliere on many things – music, editing, casting.

He even shows me audition tapes. And I choose all the cars, because he doesn’t like cars, and for me it’s very important to choose the right car. It’s like wardrobe. People spend days on wardrobe but don’t care when it comes to cars.

People can miscast car-wise. But cars tell a lot about a person.

in the world. It’s just that people don’t know you’re good. People only know you’re good because your film gets picked for the Oscars, and suddenly you have an agent and you have visibility.

It’s as silly as that. You need exposure.

There must be a couple of geniuses here and there in the DP world, but bottom line, it’s just pure luck. Exposure comes with luck. If Monsieur Lazhar had never picked up we wouldn’t be talking right now. I wouldn’t be shooting in Europe and Israel. I just did a couple of days on a Wim Wenders film, and he chose me because of Monsieur Lazhar.

CC: What advice do you have for cinematographers who want to make movies that will reach a wide audience, as you’ve been doing lately?

RP: Actually, it’s a lottery. Because there’s tons of good DPs everywhere

DP Ronald Plante csc

Canadian Cinematographer - October 2014 •

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FEATURE 14 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

FEATURE

By MATTHEW HAYS Special to Canadian Cinematographer Photos by AMIT VACHHARAJANI

montreal-based va n

roy ko

c i n e m at o g r a p h e r

s ay s

one

thing

kept

as he heard about the proposal for Monsoon, the latest documentary by filmmaker Sturla Gunnarsson. “I had to get this,” he recalls. “This is just the kind of project I’m dying to work on.”

ru n n i n g

RA IN MAN

csc Associate Van Royko on Capturing the Monsoon

t h ro u g h

his

mind

R

oyko, who is an associate CSC member, was well aware of Gunnarsson’s considerable track record as a director, including having shot extensively in India (his 1998 film Such a Long Journey is set there).

Royko says he’s “drawn to different places,” and he also saw the potential for shooting in a place like India during monsoon season and liked “the idea of making that kind of film, of capturing the landscape and the people in that context, in that moment.”

Gunnarsson’s proposal was epic, but also very basic: go to India several weeks prior to monsoon season and see how people prepare for the torrential rains, then capture the various moments as people do their best to cope with the hydro onslaught. Royko loved all the possibilities the project had. He also knew he wouldn’t be the only one vying for the job. He spoke to filmmaker Yung Chang (Up the Yangtze, The Fruit Hunters), who Royko had worked with, to request that he put in a good word for him.

Then he had the crucial meeting with Gunnarsson. “It was amazing to hear Sturla discuss what he wanted with the film, the way he wanted it to come about visually. He talked about the monsoon as poetry. I ate it up. I told him how excited I was.”

Then Royko had to wait to find out if he had landed the gig. “I was saying my prayers for weeks and weeks,” he says, and then got the call from Gunnarsson, who said, “Pack your rain gear.”

Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014 •

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Photos: Amit Vachharajani

So began the 12-week journey that as bad as the humidity. We had to find was the Monsoon shoot. And while an electric blanket to drape over the capturing the watery action did indeed equipment, which was difficult, beprovide challenges, Royko says the cause they’re a really foreign concept main obstacle wasn’t weather-related. in India. We finally found one in Delhi.

“It’s plain old Indian bureaucracy. Stur- There’s lots of air conditioned places la knew this already, as he’d shot an en- in India, so when you step outside the Ad Placement: a Page rain tire feature there, but I was a bit taken lens would fog up. We rented Upper Left-hand PAN-COR-2560-14 Panavision Canada Client: _____________________________________________________ Docket: _______________ which rotates in front of the aback. I had to renew my visa several spinner, CSC Magazine - Upper Left-Hand Page Page Media: ____________________________________________________ Placement: Left-Hand ____________ lens toN/Akeep it dry.” times weH were there.

7.375" while W x 4.8125" N/A The waits Trim Size: _____________________ Safety: ____________________ Bleed: ________________ 4 Colour often very long.

2014 it felt 8, 2014 Colour: ________________________ Publ.At Date:times ________________ Prod. Date: Oct ____________ were Page Spread 416-423-9825 theatrical E-mail: dmaguire@maguiremarketing.com And while Royko says the equipment like aTel: slow-moving play about nothing. But you have to get used to it, fared very well, he concedes “it was because that’s India, and you’re not go- constant stress, worrying about your equipment. When you’re a DP, the ing to change it.” camera becomes an extension of yourRoyko chose a RED EPIC 4K camera, self. You’re always worried about it.” which packs such detail that it proved Then there was the simple matter of “perfect for capturing the rain,” he says.

“The resolution is amazing. It shoots 96 how populous India is. “There are tons frames per second, so it’s almost like of people everywhere. You’re having to shooting 35 mm film.” Of course, the spend a lot of time dodging people.” rain did provide complications as did And, Royko adds, the crowds were Inthe heat and humidity. “The weather dian – which means cinema is almost was crazy. I think the rain wasn’t quite a religion to them. “People would just

16 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

stop and stare. Every truck stop, every store, is filled with movie posters. They have a fetishization of the west, and of cinema. We had a more western idea about space, of course, and you would at times have throngs of people pushing up against you.”

And that meant “we couldn’t really expect to have shots where people weren’t looking into the camera. It was just going to happen, so we had to learn to embrace that. [Legendary documentary filmmaker] Chris Marker has said, ‘I love people looking into the camera.’

So we learned to accept it.”

Royko says, “the camera is like a gun.

Sometimes people will think you’re trying to exploit them, other times they think you are going to make them famous. Luckily, in India they tend to think it’s about fame. So they were thinking this was their big chance, and were very willing to cooperate. “

Premiering in the TIFF Docs programme at this year’s international film festival, and screening at the Vancouver International Film Festival, Monsoon works in large part, Royko reckons, because of the trust Gunnarsson put in both he and the editor Nick Hector. “Sturla really created a sense of trust. And we knew that we wanted to capture this in different and creative ways.”

people you’re filming, and you have to do it very quickly. In our case, getting people to re-enact things was not really an option – it just wouldn’t have looked authentic. You have to get to an approximation of their truth. Gaining that trust is a very intuitive experience. And in our case, we often weren’t speaking the same language, so it’s a relationship without words. There’s an art to winning the trust.

If there was a key revelation during the shoot, Royko suggests it had to do with the very different roles for a cinematographer shooting a fiction film and one shooting documentary. “The role of a documentary cinematographer is something that’s not really discussed.

Most of the discussion is around lighting and camera movements that are fiction-related,” he says. “The art of documentary cinematography is quite subtle, and every bit as profound.

You have to create that intimacy with

“I don’t claim to have mastered this by any means,” he adds. “But Monsoon helped me to get a far better grasp of it.”

Matthew Hays is a Montreal-based journalist whose writing on cinema has appeared in The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, The New York Times, The Daily Beast and Cineaste. He teaches film studies at Marianopolis College and Concordia University.

Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014 •

17

FEATURE

Brendan Uegama csc

BLACKBURN

By FANEN CHIAHEMEN Photos by KYLE CASSIE

A

fter racking up credits over the past few years with a romantic comedy (Random Acts of Romance) and an action film (Suddenly), Vancouver-based Brendan Uegama csc has once again turned his lens to the horror genre, with his latest project, Blackburn in which a group of stranded college friends explore an abandoned mine in a small Alaskan town where sinister elements lurk and eventually begin to pick them off one by one. With a screenplay by Nastasha Baron, Blackburn was directed by Lauro Chartrand (known as Lash), who has a background in stunts.

“Lash wanted to find a way to make it a little different from your average horror film, and when he talked about what an average horror film was, the common characteristics were slow, creepy moves with lots of jump scares,”

18 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

Uegama explains. “Of course we have surprises and slow moves in this movie, but what we talked more about was adrenaline, and what adrenaline will do to someone’s senses. We talked about really quick cutting and manipulation of shots similar to a heartbeat racing in terror. Taking it really slow until the terror hits and then taking it really fast.

The opposite route from what many horror films seem to do.

“So we would have a clear understanding before we would start the scene of where that moment would hit,” Uegama continues. “And we would build it up in a traditional slow way, and then as soon as we wanted the adrenaline to hit, it would become a little more frantic as far as the camera moves; quicker moves such as whip pans, some handheld and approaches like that.”

Blackburn was shot in the Britannia mines just outside of Squamish, B.C., which proved to be the crew’s biggest challenge. “It was a very difficult logistical shoot because we would start in the mine tunnels and then go to the mine building. To go from one location to the other was tricky and time-consuming even though they were very close to one another,” Uegama recalls. “We were up and down the stairs every day lugging heavy gear up there. And the wooden staircase was built probably close to hundred years ago, and it was a very dangerous and steep staircase; we had to go very slow. We couldn’t bring up a dolly because it was too heavy and dangerous; bringing up a 300-pound piece of equipment was not really a reality. So it was all on sliders, sticks and handheld up there.”

Describing the old mine tunnels, which now serve as a museum, Uegama says, “The tunnels are probably 12 feet wide by 10 feet high, and there was a train track down the middle.

I don’t know how long they were, but they must have been 2,000 feet from one end to the other where we were shooting.”

The tricky location was one of the reasons Uegama decided to shoot on two RED EPICs, fitted with Zeiss Ultra Prime lenses and Angenieux Optimo zooms, all rented from SIM Digital. “I’m a big fan of the EPIC,” Uegama says. “I’ve been using it for years and I’m very comfortable with it. They can take beautiful images, they’re small and lightweight, and we were shooting in situations where we wanted to get cameras into tight places sometimes. They were simply the right camera for us.”

The advantage of shooting in the tunnels was that they were “really interesting looking,” Uegama adds. “They are rounded and carved in stone. There’s texture everywhere.

Everywhere you looked the walls were full of minerals that were dripping down and staining the rocks in different colours; there’s literally water dripping down everything, so everywhere was wet and shiny. But it’s very dark in there.”

Due to the tight space, Uegama and his team lit a large part of the darkness using torches the actors were carrying, as well as small lights such as 2-foot Kino Flos, which they would find ways to hide. “There were a couple of offshoot tunnels so we’d hide lights down them. We were always trying to keep our action where there was as much room as possible,” he offers. “We also used smaller HMIs, 1200s, 800 Jokers, 400 Jokers, that sort of thing.

Sometimes we’d just use fire. We’d just grab some torches and put them out of frame down a hallway; we’d put five of them together to give us a source if we wanted torch light. Sometimes we’d diffuse it with 250 or something like that. We had a couple of LEDs we had on battery that

Cinematographer Brendan Uegama csc.

we’d play with as well. Those are great and really quick.

You can have a light on a battery where at the last minute if you need it you can just place it down and not have to run a cable and attach it.”

Overlaying the darkness with atmosphere, mostly in the form of mist pumped into the air by a special effects team served the narrative. “I think in every shot in the film we have atmosphere,” Uegama says. “We’d always try to silhouette the actors and create some sort of separation. The atmosphere was useful in creating the mood of fear, by keeping it mysterious, contrasty and making it harder to see them at certain times. And then at other times we would make them visible to show how vulnerable they were.”

Uegama and his crew also employed a few visual techniques to enhance the experience, such as Dutch angles – a shot in which the camera is set at an angle rather than horizontally. “Dutch angles are something that we always wanted to play around with, so we have quite a few in there.

We use it to make the mood uncomfortable,” Uegama says.

“We did some gradual Dutch angles as well to really drive it home. In one instance we had a character walking down a long dark hallway and the camera would start level, then gradually become Dutch as they got closer to the camera.

We used that to foreshadow something really bad that was about to happen.

Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014 •

19

Cinematographer Brendan Uegama csc.

“We also had a SKATER Scope [lens system], made by P+S TECHNIK that we used,” Uegama adds. “You can actually rotate the image without rotating the camera, because the SKATER Scope has mirrors inside it that rotate the image.

You can also have the camera looking in one direction, and the lens looking 90 degrees to where the camera is because of its mirrors and pivoting arms, so you can really get the camera into different places. We were able to do some pretty unique stuff with that sometimes.”

Another technique the team employed was slow-motion ramping, Uegama explains: “Ramping is when you change the speed of the shot in camera. For example, you can start at 24 frames, then halfway through the shot you can ramp it to 96 frames. Traditionally this was always done in camera. However now it’s common to do it in post, which is how we decided to accomplish it. There’s a part in the story where these old twin ladies are telling our hero kids the history of the area and the history of the mine. And while they’re telling it we cut into these images that reflect the story they’re telling. We had a large 360-track in the mine building, and we had our actors working in the middle, and we’d do 360 dollies around them. And sometimes we’d do it in standard 24 frames; sometimes we’d do it at 96 frames, and sometimes we did it at four frames

20 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

Still from Blackburn.

per second. And we could do it very accurately because we were shooting digital, and then in post we can be extremely precise as to where you want the speed change to happen.”

Shooting 12 hours a day over 15 days, Uegama says he stayed efficient on the demanding Blackburn shoot thanks to the stellar crew. “Honestly, the crew worked extremely hard. The gaffer and his team and the key grip and his team, along with my camera assistant and every other department, busted their ass lugging gear up and down those hundredplus stairs,” Uegama says. “I think everyone on the show got a really good workout! But it was one of those shows where without a solid crew that was dedicated it wouldn’t have been such a positive experience. And it was great to work with Lash on this. He knew what he wanted and was very collaborative to work with.”

35mm

The Church Lake Cinemateque

By CHRISTOPHER BALL csc

Exhibition Alive

A

s we are all acutely aware, technology changes, and these days very rapidly. But with loss there is sometimes opportunity. The sad demise of 35 mm exhibition in theatres gave me an opportunity I had been waiting a long time for.

Since I was a nine-year-old boy, I have been making and exhibiting films in my home. My first theatres were rooms with sliding glass doors or windows cut into doors, and regular 8, Super 8 or 16 mm projectors, a roll up screen and extension speakers. Some set-ups were double system with synchronized tape decks or even vinyl records to play a soundtrack for silent films. Films not made by me came from the extensive public library system.

Fast forward to 2001 when my wife and I started construction on our home on Church Lake, Nova Scotia. I knew that I eventually would put in a theatre, and we designed the foundation to accommodate. At one end of the basement, we set aside a 20-foot by 16-foot area, dug it two feet deeper than the surrounding floor space, and put in a concrete pad for a projector.

It was not, however, until 2012 that this empty room was finished, and that was spurred on by the acquisition of a complete 35 mm projection system from a theatre that converted to digital DCP projection. I hauled the projector out of the theatre with a crane, moved it on a flatbed trailer to my house, hoisted it into the basement door with the front end loader of a tractor and slid it into place on a carpet. The projector and lamp housing is around 700lbs. The projector also came with a three-stage platter system, rewind table and make-up bench, which I set up in an adjoining room. I run prints from the platter to the projector and back through a series of rollers on the ceiling. All of this equipment was acquired for the princely sum of no charge.

I did have to purchase a CP45 Dolby processor, three Lumisonix amplifiers and a Rolls mixer, which I installed in the sound insulated booth and wired to a combination of home-

built and surplus theatre speakers. The sloped floor design gave me a few feet of space underneath to install a 24� subwoofer, which is tuned from 8-50 Hz to provide the really deep rumbles and room vibrations. At the front of the theatre, I have Oz and VIFA homebuilt mid-range and tweeter cabinets and more subwoofers tuned to the 50-300 Hz range.

There is a centre channel cabinet below the screen and a small centre channel mid-high directional speaker above the screen.

At the rear are two Electrovoice FR10 surrounds. The whole system has around 600 watts of power, which is more than plenty for a small room. Robert Film Services of Montreal came to install and balance the Dolby surround system, wire the lamp housing and set up the plates for the projector gate.

I have lenses for both scope (anamorphic) and flat prints, and aperture gates for 2:35, 1:85, 1:33 and 1:66. I also have a digital sound head, so I can play any print from mono optical to Dolby 5.1 Digital SR-D surround. The projector is a Simplex 35 flat gate with a 500-watt Orcon lamp housing. It is a real workhorse and will probably be able to run films long after I am gone from this Earth. (It is such a shame that thousands of these projectors are now being crushed for scrap metal).

In addition to the 35 mm system, I also installed 16 mm, Super 8 and regular 8, and I put in a Panasonic HD projector and Blu-ray player. I can now screen almost any format, including Betacam SP, VHS and Hi8. For the 16 mm projector, I took a short throw 35 mm cinema lens and machined it to fit the 16 mm lens port, so I can fill my 10-foot wide screen with a 16 mm image.

The theatre has a sloping carpeted floor (the reason for the two-foot extra depth in the foundation), 20 theatre seats, a couch and a 10-foot wide screen, which I plan to upgrade to a 14-foot screen.

Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014 •

21

FEATURE

Keeping

Photo: Bea Schuler

Photo: Bea Schuler

The front row of seats are antiques from Toronto’s historic Brighton Cinema, now a grocery store.

A packed screening of NFB’s short film Ryan.

FOR MORE pictures and details, please visit cbifilms.com The Simplex 35 with a Super 8 projector alongside.

So why, you say, did I go to all of this effort to install a 35 mm film-based system? Aside from the unexpected opportunity acquiring the system, I simply want to keep 35 mm alive. When I screen a print side by side with my HD/Blu-ray system, the 35 mm print has a whole different level of energy.

The colours are punchier, the dancing film grain gives the screen a life of its own, and the flicker gives it an inexplicable vigour that is missing in the relatively flat and static HD projection (and I have a pretty high-end HD projector). Even the Dolby digital sound from the print is punchier and crisper than the Blu-ray disks. Over the years, I have been collecting prints of films that I have shot (I am a cinematographer by trade), as well as prints that were destined to be thrown out from libraries that were downsizing, or from other collectors. Sadly, there are thousands of prints being discarded and destroyed every day, now that almost all of the exhibitors have switched to DCP. I am trying to save any prints I can from this inevitable destruction and give them a loving home and a venue.

I have several dozen short films and a number of features in 35 mm, as well as some documentaries and quaintly entertaining educational films in 16 mm. If you have, or know of, prints sitting in storage, collecting dust, or destined for a dumpster, I would be happy to give them a home and a healthy periodic screening. Film prints don’t do as well just sitting in storage, and they need an occasional run through a hot gate to keep them healthy and supple. I invite anyone who has a print of their film in 35 mm to come out and screen it in its original format.

Photo: Bea Schuler

Reverse view of cinema.

Photo: Christopher Ball csc

Photo: Christopher Ball csc

Photo: Bea Schuler

View of theatre with film projection.

The audio rack with Digital decoders and amplifiers.

22 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

A recent classic screening at the Cinemateque was an original Ingmar Bergman black and white print of Through a Glass Darkly, projected in its intended format – absolutely stunning! The Church Lake Cinemateque is one happy glimmer of light in an otherwise sad turn of events in the world of motion picture exhibition.

Canadian Society of Cinematographers

By Professionals, For Professionals

Acting with Cameras at William F. White, Toronto Saturday November 1, 2014

Lens Testing Module at Panavision Canada, Toronto Thursday November 6, 2014 or February 25, 2015

Camera Assistant Workshop Toronto Saturday & Sunday November 15 + 16, 2014 or March 7 + 8, 2015

Lighting Workshop at William F. White, Toronto Saturday & Sunday November 29 + 30, 2014 or April 25 + 26, 2015

For flyers and applications please visit the CSC website: www.csc.ca

telephone 416-266-0591 *CSC reserves the right to postpone workshop date(s)

TECH COLUMN

Fires Up Cinematographers’ Dreams

I

f there was a poster child for digital disruption in cinematography, it would feature RED and its lineup of cameras. Since first bursting onto the scene in 2007, RED has pushed the envelope with its sensors and camera design but most importantly with pricing. The RED DRAGON 6K carries on that tradition, and at a price point of US$14,500 it has the industry buzzing.

Toronto cinematographer Jason George is point blank: “Really this camera exposes like film. In fact, I would say it’s better than film.” Strong words indeed, so, let’s look behind all this noise. Marketing collateral is usually hyperbole, but we’ll excuse the enthusiasm for a moment and let RED describe its latest offering in its own words: “With the 6K RED DRAGON sensor, you can capture over 9x more pixels than HD. Unrivaled detail and impressive native exposure eclipse 35 mm film in both latitude and image density. Industry leading specs distinguish the EPIC DRAGON as a model for image innovation, helming the evolution of digital cinema technology.”

Hype aside, they’ve got a point. The aluminum alloy case holds a plethora of technology in a 5lb package (less lenses of course) starting with the 19 megapixel sensor (6144 x 3160), with a dynamic range of 16.5 plus stops, low signal to noise ratio of 80 db and acquisition formats that step down from 6K RAW at 5.5K, 5K, 4.5K, 4K down to 2K, HD and even 720p.

Program outputs are HDSDI Clean Feed, SMPTE timecode, HANC Metadata with 24-bit 48Khz audio. Project frame rates ramp up from 23.98 fps in six increments to 59.94 fps in all resolutions.

Technically it also passes muster. The DRAGON was the

24 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

first to break the 100-point DxOMark sensor score with 101 points overall, excelling in dynamic range and colour depth.

Despite these benchmarks, Brandon Cooper at Dazmo Digital in Toronto, where they have two DRAGONS on hand, says the reaction at first was slow from users but that soon changed. “We got it in after the winter and it was slow at first with a lot of people enquiring about it but not actually renting it,” he says. “Then it picked up as more people used it and word of mouth got around.”

For existing RED users, there’s not much of a leap, he says, and the controls will all be familiar. For those switching over from ARRI or Sony, for example, there’s going to be a learning curve, but that’s true of any system. That said, ARRI does have a reputation for intuitive interface, so some will struggle more than others initially.

While 6K isn’t in market yet for broadcast or theatre, and even 4K isn’t yet universal on the distribution side, producers are looking to future-proof their inventory, and having the 6K option adds to that comfort zone. Having extra image pixels also helps in having options to choose from in post.

However, as Cooper notes, some postproduction houses may have to ramp up their investment in processing technology and storage to handle what could be a tsunami of data as the use of 6K capture gets more ubiquitous.

The one sticking point is going to be lenses. The larger sensor means not every lens is going to be compatible. “It certainly is a conversation you have to have,” Cooper says. There are charts on the user forums (www.reduser.net/forum/ showthread.php?103766-DRAGON-Lens-Coverage-Information) as a guide. The Angenieux Optimo 28-340 T2.9 is one of the few that will go up to 6K. Other primes and zooms need to be checked against the chart for which formats will work and which won’t without vignetting.

George is one of several Toronto-based DPs who have added the DRAGON to their inventory. Jim Martin, Rion Gonzales and Dylan Macleod csc are among the others. “I did a job recently calling for 6K,” George notes. “The question is always how much resolution do you need, and they wanted 6K, so I switched to a Nikon mount and Nikon glass which amply covers 6K with no compromises even at the edges.” see Tech page 26

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CSC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

asc, Frank Tidy bsc, Jordan Cronenweth asc, and there are many, many others.

NAME SOME OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS.

Working on Star 80 with Bob Fosse and Sven Nykvist asc. Meeting Woody Allen, and receiving an Emmy for The X-Files.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS ON SET?

Photo: Joseph Lederer

There are so many, but having Robin Williams visit the set of The X-Files was very memorable.

John Bartley csc, asc WHAT FILMS OR OTHER WORKS OF ART HAVE MADE THE BIGGEST IMPRESSION ON YOU?

er introduced me to theatre at a very early age. After that, working at Channel 7 in Sydney, Australia, started me in television. Coming to Canada, Rae Thurston of William F. White gave me my first job in Canada. Producer Chris Carter gave me The X-Files.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

When the scene, lighting and actors all come together, and you know it worked.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE LEAST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

Starting out, the work of the artist Caravaggio. I wanted to light like he painted. Artist Edward Hopper. Sir David Lean’s The Bridge on the River Kwai made a big impression on me, mostly by the way it’s crafted and how hard it must have been to make. Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. Amazing.

WHO HAVE BEEN YOUR MENTORS OR TEACHERS?

The Technocrane.

Just about everyone I have worked with.

HOW CAN OTHERS FOLLOW YOUR WORK?

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE BUSINESS?

WHAT CINEMATOGRAPHERS INSPIRE YOU?

10.IMDB.com

Growing up in New Zealand my moth-

Robert Richardson asc, Sven Nykvist

Vikings, Lost

Tech from page 24 George is ecstatic with his new acquisition having shot both still and motion jobs with it. “I showed up with just a backpack with everything I needed,” he says. “The pictures are very pretty, the most striking I’ve seen. The detail is amazing.

Even with dark skin and white shirts there’s a beautiful tonal range roll off; it’s such a welcome thing. It still takes a little getting used to, and I’m still experimenting to get the cleanest possible image.”

While RED lists native ISO between 2000 and 800, he says, in practical reality it’s really between 400 and 500 and can

26 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

Having to let a crew member go.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN THE GREATEST INVENTION (RELATED TO YOUR CRAFT)?

SELECTED CREDITS: Bates Motel,

be “a little bit of a moving target.” There’s some learning to understand what useable details can be brought back by a colourist in the highlights, he adds. “But you can be up around 98, so it’s startling,” he says. When he worked with a colourist on set they started off by creating the look they wanted in camera and then shot everything accordingly. “The client can see everything on the monitor; it’s not washed out, it really is what you see is what you get,” he says.

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.

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.

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647 405-8644. Email: greg@biskupcine.com Duncan MacFarlane 2- Transvideo Titan HD Transmitter and Receiver 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 1- Tamron 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 1- O’Conner 50 fluid head with Mitchell, Mini-Mitchell, 150mm ball bases and tie-downs, 2 quick release plates extra hardware (pan module needs fluid) $400 Contact: stephen.reizes@gmail.com

Canon Wide angle Lens J11A X 4.5 B4 IRSD and Canon Servo Zoom Control ZSD-300 Value 27 000$ Asking only 3 500$ Sony Camera XDCAM EX1, 2 Sony Battery BP-U60, 1 Sony Battery BPU30, 1 Sony Wide Conversion Lens X 0,8 VCL-EX0877, Sony AC Adaptor / Charger BC-U1, 2 Sony SxS 8Gb, 4 E-Film MxR, Porta Brace Camera Case PB2700IC All in very good condition Value 10 700$ Asking only 3 200$ Porta Brace Rain Slicker RSEX1, Like new: 125$, Porta Brace Lens Cover LC-M, Chroziel Matt Boxe S1001, Chroziel Sunshade S1001FF, Chroziel Adaptator S1001158SR, Chroziel Step-down Ring 80mm S100180, Tiffen Filtre 3X3, FX#1, FX#2, Polariser, Grad ND9 Value 1 545$ Asking only 400$, Sony Camera Handycam HDR-HC7, 2 Sony Batteries NP-FH100, Sony Wireless Mic ECM-HW1, Tiffen Filter 37mm UV, Century-Precision ,55 WA ADAPTER 55WA37, KATA Rain Cover KARC18 Value 2100$ Asking only 350$, Elmo SuvCam SD ELSC5C and accessories New Value 1 200$ Asking only 200$, Anton Bauer UltraLight & Ul Soft Box Asking only 150$, Frezzi HMI Sun Gun & Frezzi Soft Box Value 1 700$ Asking only 400$, Gitzo Tripod carbon finer legs GI 1380/38/7kit Value 1 200$ Asking only 500$, Porta Brace Rain Slicker for Pro Camcorder RS-55 like New Asking only 150$, Script Boy Wireless T.C. System needs minor repair Asking only 200$, 3 x ETC Par Source Four Light with GP TVMP Light Stand Adaptor Asking only 175$, Eartec TD-904 Pro intercom EATD904 Value 1 050$ Asking only 300$, Shure Mixer FP33 & Porta Brace audio mixer case Asking only 450$, Minolta Lightmetre + Adap.5° 4F Asking only 250$ , Beachteck passive dual XLR adaptor DXA-5Da like new Value 369$ Asking only 150$, Sony Monitor SD PVM-14N1U new Asking only 75$, 2 Camera Canon Dig Rebel 10Mp XTi, Sigma 70-300 F4-5.6 Super C-AF, 4 Canon Batteries and accessories Asking only 850$, Porta Brace monitor Case for Panasonic BT-LH910 like new Asking only 100$ andrepaul@me.com or call 514 831-8347

BL IV Camera Kit $8,950 Or Best Offer Arriflex Bl4 Body With Pl Mount, 4 Perf Movement, Variable Shutter, Full 35Mm Gate, Arriglow Module And Arriglow Groundglass In Red, Cei Color 4 Video Tap Camera And Elbow, Cei Electronic Reticle Generator, Bl4 Viewfinder Extension, Wideangle Eypiece With Heated Eyecup, Powercable For Heated Eyepiece, Arriflex 4 X 5 Swingaway Mattebox, Arri Ff2 Follow Focus With Extension, Whip And 2 Gears, 15Mm Arri Sliding Baseplate Set With 2 X 18” And 2 X 12” Stainless Steel 15Mm Rods, 5 X Arri 1000’ Bl Magazines, 2 X Arri 400’ Bl Magazines, 3 X Double Power 12 Volt Batteries, 2 X 12 Volt Charges, Power Cable, Cases For Camera, Mags, Mattebox, Etc.,Film Test Has Been Shot. gandalf-merlyn@shaw.ca, 604.566.2235 (Residence), 604.889.9515 (Mobile)

1) Panasonic 3D Professional Full HD Video Camera (AG3DA1) The AG-3DA1 is the world’s first professional, fully-integrated 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-touse 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. To view photos/questions email frank@tgtvinc.com or call 416-916-9010. Asking price: $17,500 (includes tax). Will ship out of province.

2) Proline 17 inch Teleprompter Included is both PC AND Mac versions for our industry leading Flip-Q teleprompter software. FlipQ 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. To view photos/ questions email frank@tgtvinc.com or call 416-916-9010.

Asking Price: $2,000 (includes tax).

VIDEO & AUDIO GEAR FOR SALE: (2) HVX-200 Panasonic P2 Camcorders $1,500 each; (1) DSR-1500 Sony DVCAM recorder, $1,500; (1) Sony DSR-1 DVCAM dockable recorder $1,000; (3) Sony PVV-3 Betacam recorders $500 each; (3) Mitsubishi XL25U video projectors $500 each; (1) Mackie 1604VLZ audio mixer $500; (1) Glidecam PRO2000 camera stabilizer $200; (1) Glidecam DVPRO RIG camera stabilizer $300; (1) Yamaha P2075 amplifier 75W stereo/150W mono $500; (3) HVR-Z1U Sony HDV camcorders $1,000 each; (1) Sony DSR-300 DVCAM camcorder $1,500; (1) For-A VPS-400D 8 input SDI switcher $2,700; (2) Sony WRT822/ WRR861 wireless transmitter/receiver – no mic - $750 each; (2) Sony BRC-300 remote control P/T/Z cameras $1,990 each. Call Ted Mitchener at ZTV Broadcast Services 905-290-4430 or email ted@ ztvbroadcast.com.

Sony PMW-F3 with S-log firmware. Low hours, Excellent condition. Kaiser top handle, 32GB high rate card. $6500.00.

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. $3700.00 IBE-Optics HDx35 PL to B4 adapter comes with power cable and soft case. Used on F3 and Alexa for superb results. $3500.00 Photos available for everything. Contact John Banovich 604726-5646 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) BL III Camera Kit $3750 Or Best Offer gandalf-merlyn@shaw. ca, 604.566.2235 (Residence), 604.889.9515 (Mobile) ARRIFLEX BL3 BODY WITH PL MOUNT, 4 PERF MOVEMENT, VARIABLE SHUTTER, FULL 35MM GATE, VIDEO TAP ELBOW, 2 X ARRI 400’ BL MAGAZINES, 2 X POWER CABLE, CASES FOR CAMERA, MAGS.

JVC GY-DV300 Broadcast Quality camcorder. 4x3 or 9x16 switchable 750 horizontal lines with several extra batteries and carrying case. Plus and external Shure VP88 stereo microphone with Rycote bracket and wind screen with high wind cover and extra mic cables. Asking $ 1200.00. Contact Robert Bocking csc 416 636-9587 or rvbocking@rogers.com for more information.

Equipment for sale!! All equipment in excellent shape!!

Panasonic AJHDX900P High Definition Camera, Panasonic Stereo Microphone, Canon Zoom Lens 8x160 (J20a x 8B4 IRS), Dionic 90 Anton Bauer Batteries & charger, Anton Bauer mini fill light 12 V, Marshall 7” HD-SDI LCD Monitor & accessories, 2 x Porta Brace camera bags, Sony Digital Betacam (DVW700) and accessories, Sachtler fluid head VIDEO 20 III & Sachtler tripod legs fibre & fibre case.

Call 613-255-3200, Total $ 25,000.

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 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 Flicker-Free HMI & Hi-Speed Cameras available with operator/gaffer (Toronto) Includes a new ARRI M18 1800W lensless HMI with Arri 1000Hz Flicker-Free Ballast, stand, and lots of head cable. It’s as bright (or brighter) than a T5 but runs on household AC 120V and draws less than 20Amps. We also have the Sony FS700 Super-35 CMOS sensor high-speed camcorders with PL, Nikon, Canon, or Pentax mounts. Great for overcranked product shots on a budget. 60fps, 120fps or 240fps @ 1080p and 480fps @ 720p. Other camera/grip/ electric & 3D support gear available as well. Contact Tim at 1-888580-3274 ext.700 or tim@dashwood3d.com Need your reel updated? Looking for an editor? I am a CSC associate member who is also an editor with my own FCP suite.

I am willing to trade my edit suite time in exchange for rental of your gear, or shooting advice, or both. Please send email to miurabucho@gmail.com.

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 - November 2014 •

27

CLASSIFIEDS

EQUIPMENT WANTED

CSC Member Production Notes 12 Monkeys (series); DP David Greene csc; to December 5, Toronto 30 vies V (series); DP Marc Gadoury csc; to March 27, 2015, Montreal 30th Birthday (TV movie); DP Peter Benison csc; Andreas Evdemon; B Camera Operator Rod Crombie; to November 17, Sudbury À tout hazard (Documentary); DP Philippe Lavalette csc; November 15, Montreal Arrow III (series); DP Gordon Verheul csc (odd); to April 20, 2015, Vancouver Ascension (series); DP Pierre Gill csc; to November 7, Montreal Backstrom (series); DP Stephen McNutt csc, asc; to November 18, North Vancouver Bates Motel III (series); DP John Bartley csc, asc; to February 18, 2015, Vancouver Beauty and the Beast III (series); DP David Makin csc and Michael Story csc (alternating episodes); Data Management Technician Marc Forand; to March 30, 2015, Toronto Between (mini-series); DP Brendan Steacy csc; to December 16, Toronto Bitten II (series); DP Boris Mojsovski csc; to November 18, Toronto Born to be Blue (feature); Steve Cosens csc; Camera Operator/Steadicam Daniel Abboud; to November 21, Sudbury The Expanse (feature); DP Jeremy Benning csc; to March 4, 2015, Toronto Flash (series); DP C. Kim Miles csc (odd); to December 3, Vancouver God and Country (feature); DP Jason Tan csc; to November 7, Hamilton The Good Witch (series); John Berrie csc; B Camera Operator Paula Tymchuk; to February 27, 2015 Guibords’enva-t-en guerre (feature); DP Ronald Plante csc; to November 11, Montreal Haven V (series); DP Eric Cayla csc; Camera Operator Christopher Ball csc; to December 19, Halifax Heartland VIII (series); DP Craig Wrobleski csc; B Camera Operator Jarrett Craig; to December 8, Calgary Helix II (series); DP Pierre Jodoin csc; Camera Operator Alfonso Maiorana; to December 19, Oka Hyena Road (feature); DP/Camera Operator Karim Hussain; to December 4, Shilo Idol’s Eye (feature); Camera Operator Perry Hoffmann; to December 22, Toronto iZombie (series); DP Michael Wale csc; Camera Operator Greg Fox; to January 27, 2015, North Vancouver Life on the Line (feature); DP Brian Pearson csc; to November 3, Burnaby Lisewatier, une vie à entreprendre (documentary); DP Serge Desrosiers csc; to December 01, Montreal Man Seeking Woman (series); DP Bobby Shore csc; to December 4, Toronto Mensonges II (series); DP JérômeSabourin csc; to November 22, Montreal Motive III (series); DP Ryan McMaster (even); to January 30, 2015, Burnaby Murdoch Mysteries VIII (series); DP James E. Jeffrey csc; Camera Operator/Steadicam Brian Gedge; First Assistant Kevin Michael Leblanc;to November 28, Scarborough Olympus (series); Second Unit DP Brian Whittred csc; to November 3, North Vancouver Pinkertons (series); DP Thom Best csc; to March 16, 2015, Winnipeg Reign II (series); DP Paul Sarossy csc, bsc, asc; B Operator/Steadicam Andris Matiss; to April 13, 2015, Toronto Remedy II (series); DP Stephen Reizes csc; to January 21, 2015, Etobicoke Room (feature); B Camera Operator Arthur Cooper csc; to December 15, Toronto Saving Hope III (series); DP David Perrault csc; to December 15, Mississauga Spotlight (feature); Camera Operator J.P. Locherer; to November 25, Toronto Spun Out II (series); Gerald Packer csc; to December 5, Toronto Standoff (feature); B Camera First Assistant Jim Chirayouth Saysana; B Operator/Steadicam Yoann Malnati Stanley Dynamic, The (series); Matt Phillips csc; to December 5, Toronto Suits IV (series); Camera Operator/Steadicam Michael Soos; B Camera Operator Peter Sweeney; to November 7, Toronto Supernatural X (series); DP Serge Ladouceur csc; Camera Operator Brad Creasser; to April 21, 2015, Burnaby Tripwrecked (MOW); DP Thomas Harting csc; to November 25, North Vancouver Wait Till Helen Comes (feature); DP Rene Ohashi csc, ASC; to November 7, Winnipeg Yamasaka VI (series); DP Daniel Vincelette csc; to December 12, Montreal Young Drunk Punk (series); DP Gavin Smith csc; to December 18, Calgary

Calendar of Events 1, CSC Acting with Cameras, Toronto, csc.ca/education 6, CSC Lens Testing Module, Toronto, csc.ca/education

Connect on-line with the CSC

6-9, Planet in Focus: Environmental Film Festival, Toronto, planetinfocus.org

NOV

14-15, Expanded Cinematography Master Class with Vilmos Zsigmond asc, hsc, Vancouver, louise@ia669.com 15-16, CSC Camera Assistant Workshop, Toronto, csc.ca/education 29-30, CSC Lighting Workshop, Toronto, csc.ca/education

@csc_CDN

www.csc.ca Subscribe 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.

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.

28 • Canadian Cinematographer - November 2014

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CUT. SHAPE. FOCUS. TUNE. ARRI introduces the first LED-based lights to truly match the versatility and homogeneity of conventional tungsten Fresnels: a new generation of focusable, tuneable lights that offers complete control, combining breakthrough performance with incredible efficiency.

www.arri.com/l-series