Canadian Society of Cinematographers Magazine January 1990

I JANUARY 1990

VOL. 9, NO.5 ISSN 0820-3431

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NEXT MEETING: JANUARY 29TH AT TRICKETT PRODUCTIONS INC.

THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS

NEWSLETTER VOLUME 9 NUMBER 5

JANtJ.U.Y 1990

TORONTO,ONTAJUO,CANADA

Welcome to the nineties! In keeping with the major political events taking place throughout the world, this issue contains a most interesting article (written by Jim Mercer esc) on the Czechoslovakian revolution, the role of a cameraman and the power of technology.

Just a reminder that the February 21st deadline for the awards seems a long way off, but it's only about five weeks. Now's a good time to get your entries ready and bring them in.

February the 21st is also the deadline for submitting applications for the camera assistant course. Hopefully, dates for the course will confi.nned by the next issue.

While worldng on this newsletter, I realized that we haven't had any contests for a while. As a matter of fact, the last one that I remember involved finding errors in the directory and I believe it was the first edition! At any rate, often when film people are together they tell these incredibly hilarious stories. So this 'contest' involves writing one of your favourite ones down (it doesn't have to be very long, a few paragraphs or a page or whatever). For the outstandingly funny story, there will be an outstanding bottle of wine (not the usual'plonck').

Judging, of course, will be done by a special committee and the winning story will be published in the March newsletter.

Remember, please keep us posted as to what you're worldng on by calling either myself or Lori (731-3642).

Here's to a prosperous new year!

Editor in chief: Robert Bocking, esc Editor. Jennifer Hietala Editorial Office and CSC Office 72 Fraser Avenue, Suite 203 Toronto, Ontario M6K 3E1 Tel (416) 538-3155 Fax (416) 538-8821

esc Executive President: Robert Bocking esc Vice-President: Nadine Humenick Secretary: Wang Chow Treasurer: Duncan MacFarlane esc Membership Chairman: Jim Mercer esc Public Relations: Lori Longstaff, Kenneth Post esc Education: John Holosko A wards Chairman: Jim Mercer esc Membership inquiries: (416) 538-3155 The Newsletter is printed in Toronto and is published ten times a year. Subscriptions are available for $75.00 per year in Canada and $95.00 outside the countty.

CSCMEETING

Contents

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Ron Orieux esc .... 3 "If Good King Wenceslas

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PROFILE ON:

RON ORIEUX CSC

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After graduating from the University of British Columbia in 1967 as a civil engineer, Ron worked for a mining company. One of the partners of that company was in the film business and produced short industrial films of the various mining and construction projects. Eventually Ron got hooked up with the filmmaking side of the operation and came to the realization that he was more interested in motion pictures than he was in mining!

He left the engineering finn and started shooting news, documentaries and educational shorts. Along the way he did a stint as a camera assistant for a couple of years. In 1976 he photographed his first feature film entitled "Skip Tracer".

Basically self taught, Ron has done extremely well since then. Because of his good reputation, his name is usually on the short list of producers who are looking for a shooter in western Canada.

I caught up to Ron in his home in the Marine Drive district of Vancouver last June. I was very fortunate to have been able to speak to Ron that day because he was leaving the next day for a major shoot in Edmonton.

CSC: Ron, can you give us a sketch of the film and television industries in BC and how they got to be so robust in recent years?

Definitely economics has been an important factor. The fact that theCanadian dollar started rising the last couple of years saw the demise of the tv movie, which is a short-duration productioo. The longer-running series and the bigger features still find it economically viable here. Features are produced here not somuch because ofthe dollar, but rather because there is a better talent pool here than elsewhere in North America. PicPAGE 3

tures like "The Ay", for example, totally a studio shoot, could have been done anywhere in the world are here. We can shoot here in January and make it look like a Kansas plain or the Swiss Alps. So it's the economics, the talent pool, the locations and facilities and the proximity to L.A. which is only two and a half hours away with no time change. They can see the rushes the same time we do and their editors can start cutting the following day. My guess is that production in Vancouver has more than doubled in the last five years. But it doesn'tmean thatit will continue like this. None of us here can remain smug or complacent. The onus is on all of us to recognize that there is a worldwide market; that we do have considerable strengths. But these can be offset by cheaper production costs in other countries. It could go as fast as it came. We have to remain flexible.

CSC: To succeed in the business, how important is it to hustle, to go out and create your own opportunities?

I don't think anyone is going to beat a path to your door unless, of course, your dad owns the company or if he's a cameraman and he can get you on as a trainee.

The people I see coming up in the business most successfully are the ones who have demonstrated their resourcefulness. They have an interest in camerawork and may have taken a few courses, they found out where the student productions are and have shot them. They chipped away at it wherever they can possibly do something. They've gone out and done it. Gradually they build up experience and start to phone up people and say 'I can do this, will you hire me?'

Basically that's how I got the job in Edmonton. The cameraman signed to shoot was suddenly unable to do it. The producers had my reel and resume with half a dozen references in it. Believe it or not, they checked everyone of them out For someone starting out, they

have to push for their own opportunities.

Forget the big projects, find the small production companies and industrial film houses. Maybe they are starting out and they need a gopher.

CSC: Can you tell us about the project you will be shooting in Edmonton?

'Small Sacrifices' is a mini series for ABC TV starring Farrah Fawcett. It is a collaboration between Fries Entertainment, the largest producer of TV movies in the world, Motown Records and Allarcom ofEdmonton. The production was originally scouted here in Vancouver. They needed two major locations - a courtroom and a hospital. The daily rates quoted from Edmonton were half of those of Vancouver. Allarcom also offered a facilities deal where some equipment, studio space and crew were factored into the production as a way of providing financial support. At the same time, Canadian content is provided for tax purposes..

'Small Sacrifices' is a true story about a woman from Eugene, Oregon who was charged and convicted of shoot-

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ing her three children in 1983. It is a study of the very complex psychological sitution of what can happen to an individual who was deprived of love in her upbringing.

Farrah Fawcett has become a very accomplished actress. She will be giving a performance that will take her through the full gamut of human emotions and personalities. It's an excellent script and it will be a very powerful film.

CSC: As the cinematographer, how did you prepare for the shooting of this film?

I read the script several times, had one meeting with the director in which he told me some of the things that he would like to see in terms of the feeling. Mainly he does not want to see it look like a theatrical fictional piece.

Although there are actors delivering lines and they'll move and the camera will follow although some of the direction and camera direction will have to follow traditional theatrical lines, the hope is that the lighting will remain as natural as possible. We won't always have a backlight on and we won't have nets and diffusion in front of the lenses.

The lighting will not show them ina garish way, butitwillnotnecessarily be diffused. If we see lines and that sort of thing on their faces, that's what you will see. If they are underexposed and you don't quite see the eyes, that's fine.

Sometimes you walk out into a bright open area, a porch for example, and you are a couple of stops overexposed, we will try to give it a presence that you are seeing it unfolding virtually for the first time and not in a highly contrived, premeditated way.

That is difficult because craft wise, our training is increasingly to provide a heightened reality. In this instance, if anything, there will be a studied attempt to downplay that. The feeling on the director's part is that the story is so powerful, so awesome, so aweful and so tragic that it's simply going to be enough

to put the camera in front of these people and not embellish it with any of the standard cinematic cliches. Hopefully the actors and the audience will take it in an unobtrusive fashion.

I will be constantly looking for ways to be less sophisticated, less frilly, more simple, ifl can use that phrase. For example, the scenes where she's out partying in bars and there's lots of colour and she is stepping into a very aggressive, vampy kind of a role, the lighting will embellish that and will show her as an effervescent, daring person.

But there are times when she sits there alone almost lost or telling what she knows (I think although I'm not sure) to be just an outragious lie, then I would simplylightheraloneinabareroom with just one soft wash of light and nothing else.

The director, fortunately is an actor in his own right. He is a wonderful director of actors. He will be very articulate and I will be listening in to see where he thinks this person is. Is she between A and B or is she going to C in the emotional range? I will be listening very carefully and try with my lighting to help accentuate that inner state of mind. But the key to it is simplicity, cleanliness and sharpness in front of the lens. Where softness is required emotionally, I will use lighting rather than nets and other materials.

There'll probably be a lot less colour in the lighting than normally and it will be unobtrusive. So it may well not be a piece when people see it and say, 'that guy deserves a nomination for something or other'. If I do it right people will come away without any sense ofthe cinematography. They will only come away with what this person has gone through.

When I work in commercials, the picture is nearly everything because the effort is deception, to make something a hell of a lot better than it is. And you spend hours and years of your life, you are hired on the basis of your ability to create this craft of deception or elaboration.

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I am interested in this project because of its challenges. I will learn from it. There will be nothing I can take for granted. I will have to think at every tum.

In serial television there often isn't enough time, however, in this case we can maximize our use of time because there isn't much travelling between locations.

I could have stayed in Vancouver with my family instead of going to Edmonton, but I've decided in that occasionally I will travel for what I consider to be better, more challenging projects. I consult with my family to see when it is the least disruptive for them and figure we will miss each other, but they'll have things to do and I would feel less quilty about leaving them. I will come back as often as I can to see them. I turned down a lot on the basis that I didn't want to be away from my family in the last three or four years when I know I was really needed, and sort of regretted it because there have been pictures that have done well and have given the people who worked on them good credit and further opportunities.

CSC: As a cameraman, what are your feelings on the various genre offilmmaking?

For me, it's important to be working in a sophisticated and challenging environment where I can explore and do my best work. If a feature has it, great.

If a TV movie has it, great. Generally my interest in TV commercials is dropping.

My interest in TV series, which I've done for three years in a big way, are such that they have a little bit less interest for me now because of their limited sensibility and objective. The characters are set and the situations are fairly predictable. I hope the type of TV movies and mini series that I will be doing will be the type that I'll be shooting in Edmonton. Regarding feature films, one has more time to work. The direction and the talent and the emotional content of them traditionally are much more sophisticated. You

are not obliged to have everyone with a line to deliver in a 2-shot or a close-up single. If you work for serial television, that seems to be a mandate. It takes a director with 20 or30 years experience to be able to get away with not delivering on those rules. On a good feature film, you can break all those rules. When you are shooting for a bigger screen, it's easier to take in greater detail. Ultimately the feature film holds the greatest challenge.

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CSC: What do you think of the Canadian feature film industry?

I am quite interested in seeing the Canadian feature film industry do well, but I've come to the realization that just because it's a Canadian production, it doesn't mean that it's more sophisticated or sincere or heartfelt or honest than anything else. Many of them are derivatives of American productions that have done well. In fact, there is real pressure for Canadian producers to produce more mainstream films; products that can be marketed and presold. There is within that an underground feature thing developing where people are taking risks. I have no particular allegiance to work on Canadian productions or American productions. I find, however, that I've learned more working for the Americans because overall they are more sophisticated at the producing end. I realize that's a big generalization, but that tends to be the case.

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CSC: In what way are the American producers more sophisticated?

They understand how films get made. They can take a script and look at it and say, 'what is the essence here? what is superfluous and what is do-able within our budget and time frame? what can be done in a more simple way and tell the story better, what actor can handle the job better than another actor, what locations will work better? For instance, a location might be great, but it's too far away. You end up building that in a studio, but we are here all morning. Therefore, it might PAGE 6

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be better to find a warehouse close by and build the set there. It's cheaper to send a few carpenters from the art department to the site than to move the entire cast and crew. That's producing and it takes years of experience.

CSC: Ron, how do you rate the importance ofgood working relationships on the set?

It's very important to have a good relationship, particularly with the director. I have learned to do good work when that rapport was very tough. The personality of the director was such that you were inevitably placed in a very stressful working situation. Things were always made a little tougher than need be. I've learned to accept that we may never see eye to eye, but my idea is that I am there to work with the director and try to deliver his vision. Hopefully he is aware of the technical requirements of my craft and will not place me in technically untenable situations. By and large I have good rapport with my directors. I listen well and try to understand what they want. I try to be as flexible as possible on set and I work quite quickly.

I think in terms of the overall production and try to maximize everybody's time. Directors appreciate that.

CSC: Can you elaborate on some of the difficulties that you have encountered with directors and how you overcame them?

Ron on location with Vincent Price (1979)

Often there are problems of scheduling and being overambitious. A director may say, for example, 'I want to do a crane shot here, and we'll PAGE 7

come down off this house and follow this person along there, he'll stop and I'll do a quick reverse, and repeat the action the other way'.

What I tend to do in situations where we have a lot to do and the director is going to run into time problems and then get stuck in the last half of the scene (and get caught for the lack of light or other problems) and be forced into a compromised situation, I may say this, 'that crane shot will be terrific if we can do it, but I'm concerned because we do not have time. It's going to take 45 minutes to set up the Apollo, here we'll have to lay down boards, the driveway is jammed with prop trucks and we'll have to get them out and then we'll organize the whole thing for the reverse. If you feel it's important enough and we have the time, then let's do it. But if the time frame I'm describing to you seems more than you want to commit, then let's see if there's another way of doing it.' I will never say no and treat it as a conflict because I'm only there to do my job; it's not my problem that there are only 12 workinghoursinaday! It'snotmyproblem that the director has a particularly elaborate vision of how he wants the story told. What I've learned to do is not to wear any of those problems.

I would also point out that if this is what you want to do, from my end, organizing the camera department, the grip and electric departments, I can quickly see all the these things that need to be done and this is the time it takes to do them. I will not just say, 'Let's think about this', but already have a plan for him, 'MaybewecandothisontheWestem dolly and track these people out, or do a high angle shot instead.'

In an interior scene, the director may want a 360 degree shot, or he may want to shoot certain angles that are very constraining. I may approach the problem this way, 'That's great, but in the previous scene we've seen this wall, but we haven't seen this side here, and these are the first few scenes of the episode. Would

it be all the same to you if we block it this CSC: What are your feelings on style way and did it against the windows? It's and techniques? quite interesting visually and it will give For me, my ongoing interest is the audience a greater sense of the living environment of this character. At the sustained by the fact that filmmaking is same time, we don't have to clear out the an enterprise that blends the nuts and junk in that comer. Would you be just as bolts technically and the physical realihappy if we did it this way?' I very often ties of location with the aesthetics and have an ulterior motive in that I think emotional awareness that's needed. visually is much better, I can light it just Filmmaking is like a cottage industry as quickly. So I'm also trying to think of where the craftsman has to understand it from my end and at the same time not his material very well, but he also has to have a fine aesthetic sense to produce a causing the director extra effort.

I would never say, 'Gee, that's a beautiful piece of work.

I don't think you can be a fine lousy idea, let's do it this way.' If it's an either or situation, I try to come out with cinematographer without understanding improved options. I have been in situ- the properties of your materials; the film ations where the director insists that it's and equipment you work with and how to really important for him tohavethecrane bring them out efficiently to achieve the aesthetic end you are after. On the other shot. Then I'll say, 'great'.

Therefore, my objective on the hand, you can have the greatest equipset is to be as supportive of the director as ment and all the fabulous facilities in the possible and it is part of my job to "preview" him as to some of the implications.

Experienced directors need much less of this. But even the best director appreciates suggestions and input. So that's how I tum potential problem situations around In another situation I may say: 'I realize you like this location, but at six o'clock when we are going to shoot it will be in shadow and we will be looking out to this background that you think is so important, it's either going to be four stops overexposed or I'm going to blind these people with lights. Or would you accept that they will be in silhouette? Do you like any of these situations? If not, perllap; we can consider a piece of ground 50 feet over that way. What is the least offensive choice for you?'

Rather than getting all set up and then saying to the director 'hey, you didn't ask me or I would have told you this would be all in shadow'. Believe it or not, this mentality exists.

I try to reduce conflict situations on the basis of my experience. My objective is to help a director to a better end.

PAGE 8

world and it wouldn't guarantee one thing if you don't have the time and the heart

and mind to sit down and reflect on what it is in the story you are telling. Furthermore, you should help the audience feel what the characters are going through.

Since I interviewed Ron last June he has shot two pictures "Small Sacrifices" and "Anything to Survive" (working title was "Almost Too Late"). Ron will be shooting another ABC 1V movie in Vancouver this February, called "Burning Bridges".

As an aside, Ron has been known to work on both sides of the camera. The photograph below shows Ron-the-actor in an episode of Beans Baxter!

Thanks very much Ron for taking time out for this interview.

Wang Chow

IF GOOD KING WENCESLAS COULD LOOK DOWN NOW JIM MERCER CSC

We have all heard the old adage about the pen being mightier than the sword. While quill pens have disappeared along with ancient broad swords, few of us realize how true the corollary still is today.

Evidence of this is the real story behind the recent Czechoslovakian revolution. It's one of the worst kept secrets in Prague, but it's still relatively unknown in Canada. It's about how the mighty Communist government of Czechoslovakia was toppled because of one small video camera.

It's a highly significant story for those of us who work on the news side of television, not only because it illustrates how powerful our modem electronic "pen" is, but it's a reminder of those news cameramen who gave their lives in the process of gathering the footage that created the tradition that we now carry on.

Most of us have seen the footage produced by combat cameramen in World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, the Middle East and Central America. Some of it is very powerful stuff; but its importance is not in its drama. Its importance lies in the fact that in our world of government by

the people at large (both socialistic and democratic), it's vital that everyone be aware of what is really happening, so that we can each do our little bit to keep civilization evolving for the better, rather than the worse. I cannot think of any individuals who influence the world more, on a per person basis, than the newsreel cameramen; and no instrument of change more effective than a hand held camera.

The significance of this power has not been overlooked by those dictators who would oppress us. I recently saw both raw footage and edited versions of what happened during the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968.

The original footage was very dramatic, even though it was not all that great technically. You could see that it was shakey and showed things from odd angles, but one overlookes this when you realize that the two men did the camera work while hiding behind any available objects. They did this not out of fear, but simply to be able to continue to document the horror of the tanks and soldiers shooting innocent people. They both continued to work until they themselves were shot while filming. But their footage survived and was smuggled to the

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PAGE 9

West. That's why we have a true record of the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia, known as the Prague Spring.

While on assignment in Prague for CTV last month, I compared this footage with the "official" footage released to the BBC by the Soviets. It showed smiling soldiers talking with local parents and children. The voice-over explained that the troops were there at the request of the people, who welcomed them, as protection from local hooligans.

It did not show the gun literally being held to the head of the announcer doing the voice-over. So the uprising for a better life in 1968 was easily crushed

The time was ripe for the "handicam revolution". without too much protest from the people.

This lack of protest was not because people were content with life or didn't want anything better. It happened because the people didn't know what was happening until it was too late. While a few people were shot, the 1968 revolution failed not because of the guns, but because by simply controlling the pictures, the oppressors could control the population's will to resist. Joe Slessinger of the CBC found one of the announcers who had to read the news while looking at a gun, and she is traumatized by it even today, some twenty years later.

But the young people of 1968 who years later realized how they had been misled, and who have suffered so much under the totalitarian system ever since, were not to be fooled again. The time was ripe for the "handicam revolution".

It all started on November 17, 1989. A group of students started a

peaceful march from a local cemetary to commemorate those who had struggled in the past for a better life. Before they had reacred the famous Wenceslas Square where the protest would have been noticed by the general population, they were confronted by aline of shield carrying riot troops.

The two lines met ... face to face.

Neither would retreat. At last one of the students dropped a small flower over the top of one of the shields. It caught on the sleeve of the arm the soldier was using to hold the shield. He couldn't shake it off, and he couldn't pick it off with his other hand, as he was using that one to hold his baton. He tried to flick it off with the club, the way one might shoo away a fly, but it was stuck.

It was clearly too much for the frustrated thug to deal with. At last he raised his baton and crashed it down on the head ofthe student. He was joined by his comrades. Again and again the clubs were raised, and again and again they crashed down on the skulls and raised arms of the defenseless students.

The students started to flee. Most of them got away, but some didn't. One of those who didn't was Martin Smid who was beaten to death. The troops thought they had won, because the students had not reached the public square.

How wrong they were.

They and their despotic leaders had overlooked several things. First they had failed to notice that at the time of the clash, one of the students was busily recording every blow with a small B&W handicam.

Secondly, they failed to realize that with today's technology, you don't need a broadcast transmitter to show video tape. Lastly, they had forgotten that the one asset which Eastern European countries have, is an abundance of very creative film and video producers.

Within a few days, the infamous footage of the students being beaten, was carefully woven into short documentaries illustrating just how repressive the government really was.

Using lxme VCR machires, these pnxJuctions were then duped â&#x20AC;˘.â&#x20AC;˘ and duped ... and duped. Suddenly, TV sets with VCR machines were seen to be propped up in second story office windows with little speakers dangling outside on strands of tattered wire.

Technically crude, but emotionally gripping, the programs spread like a computer virus. Suddenly they were everywhere; in office buildings and on the TV systems in apartment buildings.

They were almost everywhere ... except on broadcast TV news.

But by then so many people had seen it in Prague, that in order to retain any semblance of credibility, the TV stations reluctantly had to show it too.

While the message took longer to reach remote towns, it eventually got there as well.

This took time, as the hard line hold-outs in the rural areas tried to prolong the supression of the truth by arranging for convenient power shortages just as the news was to come on in the smaller towns. But in the end, everybody knew. The great coverup had failed.

... they had failed to notice that at the time of the clash, one of the students was busily recording every blow with a small B&W handicam.

So when the students now called for public support for a rally to show the government that things had to change, over 300,000 turned out. That's ten times as many as we regard as a big crowd for a major event in Canada.

How can one describe a crowd that large to one who has not seen it? It is simply immense. It stretches beyond the range of even the widest lenses available for video cameras. It seems to just go to infinity in all directions.

PAGE 10

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THE 1990 CSC AWARDS

The following categories are open to CSC members only.

FEATURE FILMS: Must have been photographed on 16, super 16, 35, 70 mm, HDTV or IMAX format. Must have had a theatrical release between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1989.

TV DRAMAS: 16, 35mm or videotape, any length. Must have had an airdate or must have been completed during the same time frame as above.

DOCUMENTARIES: Any medium, any length, with an airdate or completion date as above. By definition a factual report on the human condition.

INDUSTRIALS: Any medium, any length. These programs are made to exton the virtues of the sponsor. Air or completion date as above.

COMMERCIALS: Any medium, not more than 2 minutes. Air or completion date as above.

UNIQUE PRODUCTIONS: For specialized productions shot in either film or video, involving music, sports, aerial, underwater, "dangerous" (i.e. combat or hidden camera police work) photography, or current affairs. Air or completion date as above.

The following categories are open to Canadian cameramen/women including CSC members.

ROY TASH A WARD: 16mm or video spot news, shown on Canadian TV between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1989. Maximum length is 5 minutes.

STAN CLINTON AWARD: 16mm or video news featurette, mini documentary of short length, shown on a Canadian news broadcast between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1989.

STUDENT FILMS: 16 or 35mm film, made by a student at an accredited film school to show his/her proficiency. Open to all students attending a Canadian filmschool in the 1989 calendar year.

On the recommendation of the adjudicating committees, the Executive of the CSC may recognize an entry submitted in any medium, or a special effect, or an original development or adaptation in film or video, or outstanding services to the CSC or the film and video community with a Special Recognition Award. Among these awards are the BILL HILSON AWARD and the KODAK AWARD.

ENTRY DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 21, 1990 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL THE CSC OFFICE AT (416) 538-3155, FAX (416) 538-8821

THE 1990 CSC AWARDS APPLICATION FORM The CSC celebrates these Awards at a special awards dinner which will be held on Saturday April 7th, 1990 at the Metropolitan Convention Centre. Tickets for the dinner are available from the CSC office.

APPLICATION MUST BE FULLY COMPLETED.

DEADLINE : FEBRUARY 21st, 1990

Cinematographer Address

Telephone

Feature

Category:

Commercial _

Documentary

TV Drama _Unique

Industrial

Title: Production Company:

Format:

Originally shot on

Film:

Entry submitted on

Film:

16mm 16mm

35 mm

Tape: _

35 mm Tape: _

1"

other

3/4" _1"

other

3/4"

Should your entry be nominated, please indicate your choice of footage for clip to be screened on the showreel for the awards.

From:

Entry Fee:

ft. to _ _ _ ft. (maximum one minute)

Features, Commercials and TV Dramas .......................... $ 80.00 each Industrials, Documentaries and Unique Productions ......... $ 60.00 each

Please make cheques payable to: Canadian Society of Cinematographers and note on your entry on your cheque.

Films and tapes must be sent postpaid. Adequate instructions and postage for the return must accompany the package.

If no return instructions are supplied, tapes will be discarded after six months.

The CSC will take all reasonable care with the submitted entries, but is not responsible for accidental damage or loss.

It is strongly advised that sufficient insurance is purchased by the sender.

All entries should be sent to:

CSC AWARDS '90 c/o Project One Inc. 72 Fraser A venue, Suite 203 Toronto, Ontario M6K 3El (416) 538-3155 FAX (416) 538-8821

ROY TASH NEWS FILM AWARD

The Canadian Society of Cinematographers presents annually the ROY TASH NEWS Fll...M AWARD for Outstanding Cinematography or Videography in television news to a Canadian cameraman.

The trophy is named for veteran news cameraman Roy Tash esc who spent more than fifty years shooting news events across Canada and throughout the world. Mr. Tash died in December 1988 at the age of 90.

One of Roy's cameras, a 35mm Bell and Howell Eyemo, was obtained by Bell and Howell of Canada Ltd., who had it gold plated and donated it to the Society. A plaque on the side of the award is inscribed with each year's winner, who is allowed to keep it for that year. The winner also receives a personally engraved plaque.

The contest is open to all Canadian cameramen/women who submit a news item to the special CSC jury. Entries may be silent (with script), or with sound, on any film or video format. They must have been shown on television between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1989.

The CSC celebrates these Awards at a Special Awards Dinner held on Saturday, April 7th, 1990 at the Metropolitan Toronto Convention Centre. Tickets are available at the CSC office.

To be considered for the Roy Tash Award, the News item must be within the following parameters.

-

Subject matter must be a hard news spot not exceeding 5 minutes in duration.

-

Human interest and sports are also acceptable, if the subject matter is judged to be news by the adjudicating panel, and if the item does not exceed 5 minutes in length.

- The items must have been shown on a regular or fast breaking news broadcast and will be judged by a panel of news cameramen using a point system, based on cinematography/ videography, news sense, ingenuity and artistic ability.

ATTENTION NEWS EDITORS

Please distribute these applications to your cameramen.

ENTRY DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 21, 1990 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL THE CSC OFFICE AT (416) 538-3155, FAX (416) 538-8821

CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS APPLICATION FORM

THE ROY TASH AWARD T i t l e - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Duration _ __

Format

Newscast Station

Broadcast Date - - - - - - - - - - - - -

· Cameraman - - - - - - - - - -

Newsdirector

Address

Address

Telephone - - - - - - - - - - -

Telephone

ENTRY FEE IS $60.00 PER SUBMISSION.

Please make cheques payable to: CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS AWARDS EVENING SATURDAY APRIL7, 1990 AT THE METROPOLITAN TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL: (416) 538-3155

Films and tapes must be send postpaid. Adequate instructions and postage for the return must accompany the package.

The CSC will take all reasonable care with the submitted entries, but is not responsible for accidental damage or loss. It is strongly advised that sufficient insurance is obtained by the sender.

Tapes will be held for pick-up for six months. If no return instructions are supplied within that period, the tapes will be discarded.

Send your entries to:

Roy Tash Awards '90 c/o Project One Inc. 72 Fraser A venue, Suite 203 Toronto, Ontario M6K 3E1

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 21, 1990

CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS APPLICATION FORM

THE STAN CLINTON AWARD T i t l e - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Duration _ __

Fonnat

Newscast Station

Broadcast Date - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cameraman - - - - - - - - - -

Newsdirector

Address

Address

Telephone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Telephone - - - - - - - - - - -

ENTRY FEE IS $60.00 PER SUBMISSION.

Please make cheques payable to: CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS

AWARDS EVENING SATURDAY APRIL7, 1990 AT THE METROPOLITAN TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL: (416) 538-3155

Films and tapes must be send postpaid. Adequate instructions and postage for the return must accompany the package.

The CSC will take all reasonable care with the submitted entries, but is not responsible for accidental damage or loss. It is strongly advised that sufficient insurance is obtained by the sender.

Tapes will be held for pick-up for six months. If no return instructions are supplied within that period, the tapes will be discarded.

Send your entries to:

Stan Clinton Awards '90 c/o Project One Inc. 72 Fraser Avenue, Suite 203 Toronto, Ontario M6K 3E1

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 21, 1990

1990 STUDENT CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD

This Award was established by the Society to encourage persons attending an accredited Canadian Film School in their chosen profession. Films may be submitted on 16 or 35mm.

The film must have been made as part of the school curriculum during the 1989 calendar year, to demonstrate the proficiency of the student cameraperson.

Sponsored films, or films that can be shown to have been shot or lit, wholly or partially by a professional cameraman or instructor, will be disqualified.

To avoid disputes, a letter from the instructor, teacher or professor must accompany each entry, making it clear who was responsible for the photography on any or all portions of the film. r

A total of $700 is awarded of which $200 is from the Society and $500 courtesy of PFA Laboratories.

The winner is awarded a plaque and a cheque for $400 The first and second runner-ups receive $200 and $100 respectively

The CSC Awards Evening will be held on Saturday April 7th, 1990 at the Metropolitan Toronto Convention centre.

For further information please call (416) 538-3155.

Complete the application on the reverse side and return to: CSC Awards '90 c/o Project One Inc. 72 Fraser Avenue, Suite 203 Toronto, Ontario M6K 3El

DEADLINE:

FEBRUARY

21, 1990

DEADLINE:

FEBRUARY

21, 1990

1990 APPLICATION FORM STUDENT CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD

Cinematographer

--------------------------------- School

Address

Address

Telephone

Telephone

----------------------------

Instructor/Teacher's Name Telephone

Title:

Format:

Length:

_

B/W

Colour

16mm

35mm

Completion Date:

Sound _

Sepmag

Should your film be nominated, please indicate your choice of footage to be screened for the Awards: from ____ ft. to _____ ft. (maximum one minute).

If the original film is not available, a clean 3/4 inch Umatic tape is acceptable.

Signature of Cinematographer:

Signature of Instructor:

I hereby confirm that I was the principal cinematographer on this picture.

Films must be sent postpaid. Adequate instructions and sufficient postage for the return must accompany the film.

Films or videotapes not collected in six months will be discarded.

The CSC will take all reasonable care with the submitted entries, but is not responsible for accidental damage or loss. It is strongly recommended that sufficient insurance is obtained by the sender.

For further information call (416) 538-3155

Entries should be sent to:

CSC Awards '90 c/o Project One Inc. 72 Fraser Avenue, Suite 203 Toronto, Ontario M6K 3El

The most amazing thing was not the noise, because unlike the media conscious crowds in the West, they did not scream or make any violent movements.

They just stood, not just students, but workers and pensioners, parents and children, waiting and watching.

Then came the question from the improvised loud speakers, "Do we have your support?" As 300,000 strong anns shot in the air, and Czechoslovakian flags were unfurled, 300,000 voices spontaneously started to sing the national anthem.

I don't think it was the loudness that made it impressive, because you can experience loudness by holding a transistor radio next to your ear. What made it awesome, as today's kids would say, was the sheer power of 300,000 individual voices saying in effect, "You cannot stop us".

The rest is history. The government knew the whole population had united against it, and they knew they

could not shoot them all. It was just that simple.

Communist party head, Milos Jakes and his hard line Politburo were out. Prime Minister Ladislav Adamec resigned and President Gustav Husak quit.

Vaclav Havel, a playwrite who had been imprisoned four times for his political views, became Prime Minister and Alexander Dubcek was invited to share power with him. While Dubcek was a sentimental favourite with many, as the leader who resisted the invasion in 1968, he was also recognized as one who eventually gave in to try and keep the peace. He is also now old, and a Slovak, so the young Czechs of the Civic Forum party that emerged as the new leading force decreed that he could not be the number one person.

When Mikhail Gorbachov unveiled his policies of Glasnost (political openness) and Perestroika (social restruc-

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turing), he may not have known what he had started. Governments in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Romania have fallen.

In order to prevent anarchy on a massive scale, Romanian television had to show the executed bodies of the dictator Nicolaie Ceausescu and his hated wife, Elena.

There are indications that Bulgaria may be next, and the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia may also press for a kind of independence that internal regions of the USSR have never been permitted to achieve in the past The question may be asked: Why should these weighty matters concern us esc members? The answer is simple.

While most of our members strive for technical excellence in the increasingly complex areas of commercial and feature production, there are those of us who should work to continue the traditions established. by those news cameramen who have gone before us.

It is incumbent on all of us to use all of the skill that we possess to help keep the public informed, so that they in tum can act, with either their votes or their fists, to keep our world a better place for our children and their children.

The battles in Europe are just the beginning. The ideological war is about to start. Under communism, free speech was not permitted at all. As the mechanism to prohibit any expression at all is removed, we see that there is no mechanism in place to perform the much more difficult task of deciding what sort of speech and action should still be prohibited.

For example, laws to prevent the false shouting of "fire" in a crowded auditorium or the scrawling of an antiSemitic slogan on a wall, have now to be enacted and enforced. This will take a lot more skill than the simple "don't speak at all" laws of the past.

These are some of the rambling thoughts that have gone through my mind since the couple of weeks that I spent in Czechoslovakia in December for CfV.

Soundman Doug MacPherson and I were there with W5 host Bill Cunningham, who on this occasion took on the added role ofProducer, and put our usually desk bound Executive Producer, Peter Rehak, in front of the camera to reminisce about the changes that have taken place since he broke the story of the crushing of the revolution in 1968.

The technical part of our work was routine news interviews and visuals, but, I enjoyed being in Prague during this very special moment in history. I think our Executive Producer was amused at seeing Doug and myself do all the things that are to us quite normal, like stealing power from a lamp post or shopping for specialized plugs without knowing a word of Czech. (In communist countries, you draw little pictures, gesture, and look very important and very angry at the same time!)

We also had fun satelliting material from Prague. While we usually think about such things as high tech, in this case it was high drama and low tech.

You wait until after dark, then knock on an unmarked hotel room door, where a freelance satelliter has set up shop. Around the bed are scattered various black boxes along with a Beta Player and a dish. A few words are spoken, then the tape is cued up, the lights turned out and the drapes and the window opened.

Five minutes later as your feed is being edited in Toronto, the drapes and window are closed and the lights turned back on. A little overcautious perhaps, but at that time nobody was sure that the good guys would win.

All that remained was the exchange of money as someone muttered the words that I'm sure these hotel room walls had been hearing for a hundred years, "Oh, thank you so much. I do hope I can be of service on another night soon!"

I thought things had somehow gotten out of hand, however, when our driver, with a penchant for U.S. dollars, made a detour on the way to the airport as we were leaving, to seriously try to sell us

a four story building!

But my last memory will be that of the snow falling gently on hundreds of candles left daily in Wenceslas Square.

Looking down on it all was a statUe of Good King Wenceslas himself, who we have all sung about in the familiar Christmas carol.

My thought at that moment was that maybe some day, many, many years from now, another cameraman will be passing through the square and see, in addition to the statue of the King with his sword sitting atop a horse, another statue, that of a young student armed with a Handicam, confronting a soldier with a baton.

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PART THREE: UNIATEC CONFERENCE Well, I didn't realize that my report on the Conference was going be as long was it is turning out to be. So, I shall skipmyusualpreamble. (Ifthere'sroom, I'll write it in at the end!)

Masters Workshop Robert Predovich, Vice President and General Manager of Masters Workshop in Toronto presented a very illuminating paper on the digital workstation.

The use of digitally processed signals in the modem film production is, I believe at this moment, only in the post production process. Although there are digital recorders available, for example the Sony digital recorder, which has built

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in time code, I am not aware of any sound can be created by the most modem equiprecordist (who works in film) who is ment and the most modem attitudes toward using it Unlike image gathering where this goal. we always try the latest methods, for sound (on film) we are still using the Showscan System same old stuff as we did years ago.

The next day we were introduced As Robert stated, "In the film and television production industry our to the Showscan film process. There was authors have created their sound master- no demonstration of the system, but I had pieces for years with sprocketed and spliced seen the system before in Toronto in the techniques just as the evolution of the CN Tower with the "Tour of the Unitypewriter provided for smooth, linked verse". Anyway, the Showscan presenter transitions through its generations, so to started out with a very interesting obserdid much of the technology for record- vation and I quote the speaker "We must ing, editing and mixing sound. In this all recognize that conventional 35mm way the creative legion of experienced films shot at 24 fps suffer from disartists can readily embrace the new tools cemable filmic artifacts that make us of the trade. Clearly the post production aware intellectually and physiologically system of the nineties must integrate that we are looking at a motion picture."

There is a post production house current and future technologies and the media and make their collective power in New York City that offers a service that adds the film look to video tape. We easily accessible to the creative user."

The assembly of the finished would expect that this would involve sound track for any modem film or tele- enhancement techniques to improve the vision series is so incredibly complex . inherently inferior quality of video imthat most of what was being said escaped ages, but, instead, what they do is to add me because my interest has always been grain, flicker, image unsteadiness and closer to the recording of the picture than scratches to the video image.

It is true that the film look that the recording or manipulating of sound.

However, what I understood from his we always strive for is that, the differpresentation is that Toronto is, at this ence. We all find that video looks too moment, probably one of the most ad- real, that is atleast what directors have vanced places on this earth where a mix told me.

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I think that in many ways it doesn't really matter what format we shoot because we transfer everything that we shoot on film to video anyway. I often cannot see it, maybe if you have a very good monitor or a very good system, somebody can point out to me what is the difference between the film look and the video look, but I find that subjectively as soon as the story begins, if the acting is right, if the story is right, I don't really give a damn whether it is shot in 35, in 16, in video, or in super 4 if that would help the film!

But we were not there, of course, talking about the artistic virtues of film, only the technical virtues of film versus video.

Doug Trumble, the inventor of Showscan discovered that by speeding up the film to 60 fps, he was able to put a great deal more light through the film on the screen. Now, you can, of course, increase the light in a projector that shows 24 fps, but the problem is that the moment that the light gets higher than a certainamountoffoot-lamberts, you get decided flicker.

However at 60 fps the flicker cannot be seen and therefore you can put more light through which gives a sharper, better image. The screen brightness is very much a portion of the perception of reality in film. And, of course, one of the reasons that 60 frames has become a threshold is that in Europe where unfortunately they have to live with 50 fps, the television screen flickers a great deal more in a bright scene than here in North America because we are here on 60 cycles.

Whatever the reason, Doug Trumble chose 60 cycles to project his film, "At 60 images per second, screen brightness can be increased many times the normal mode with no discemable flicker perception. Showscan films are projected at a minimum of 32 foot-lamberts. This improves colour saturation and therefore it will enhance reality."

One of the ideas behind the system is that it demoostrates that the viewers sense of reality increases as the bright-

will

PAGE 14

ness of the projected image approaches the actual brightness level of the photographed scene.

And this is, I think the real secret behind the Showscan and for that reason also IMAX. While the incredible reality of IMAX can be attributed to the enonnous size of the screen and the clarity and the steadiness of the picture, because of its patent rolling loop system, in Showscan that same reality is created by the enonnous amount of light available on the screen without flicker.

It gives more the reality that one might have in the near future if video can be projected at the same high level. A television set is designed to give you an adequate or bright picture at nonnal room light levels and as we all know an image which is given by a film projector is quickly washed out the moment any stray light comes into the room, whereas a television set can play in a brightly lit room and still give an enormous amount of light output In this way, the Showscan system has surpassed the reality of video because, of course, it was as if it was video only much sharper because it is a film process. This is, of course, for those purists, an insult that I would even suggest that it is the same as video, but really that's where the reality of the system lies.

A modem theatre and modem projector can be transfonned into a Showscan system for a reasonable price. The problem however lies in the enormous amount of film used. For example, a normal two hour film at 60 fps would be nearly two and three quarter times as long as one at 24 fps. As it is now, the rolls are very difficult to load and to lift I wouldn't know how one would make an endless loop with such a long piece of film.

It is a treat to see a projectionist lift an IMAX film into place with a block and tackle! In the end, if the system is wanted by the viewer, it doesn't matter what length of film is being used, but rather it is the quality of the film.

Projection Systems

I

t

The perception of many people that high definition television might just look better than film has made many people aware that something has to be doneabouttheverypoorprojectionpractices around the world.

One of the people who gave such a talk was Glen Bergen of Optical Radiation Corporation who spoke on film projection systems from 1950 through 1990.

He says very rightly that the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.

But the problem is always that in North America where you have 25,000 screens for 35mm films and about 900 screens for 70mm films, it would be incredibly expensive to make many large changes to the projection system. If a system were invented that was of superior quality to those 25,000 screens, then it would be changed.

However, the fact of the matter is that there are only small increments and changes every few years and therefore changes to the projection systems are too expensive in many cases, especially now with VHS tapes of modem films getting to be easier and quicker to get and actually cheaper to look at than going to a movie. We may find in the future that new inventions and improvements on projection systems will be very long and far in coming.

As a result, our viewing habits will change and perhaps there will be fewer than the 25,000 screens that exist now and the screens will be specialized,

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such as Showscan and IMAX, the formats that do not come to their power in the home surroundings.

The last line of Glen Bergen of Optical Radiation Corporation's speech sort of struck me when he said, and I quote, "In the competition of high definition television and high definition film systems, the film has already won." Yes, maybe it has won, but won what? Because can we never see it unless we go to a very specialized theatre. It is uncontested that attendance at the movies has declined considerably yet we cannot say that the total gross profit has declined considerably. As a matter of fact it looks like with the modem VHS, home delivery of the product, apparently the motion picture industry is healthier than ever.

Avid/1 Media Composer As I am reporting from the viewpoint of a cameraman, I must say that another lecture which was of great interest to me was by the Apple people who

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discussed my hobby horse the Macintosh -the system that I used for the Newsletter over the years.

I find that the Macintosh has grown up rapidly in the film world and at this moment editing is done a great deal easier with the use of different systems specifically created for the Macintosh and one of them which I would like to select was the Avid/1 Media Composer which I believe you can find in Toronto being demonstrated by George Dykstra of Toronto EFP. He demonstrated it at Film Dimensions here in Toronto.

It is an incredible system where, in short, you store all your shots that you've done in the film on huge hard disks of 600MB each and because they're instantly accessible as acomputerimage, the editing is done incredibly fast and accurately and produces a command list which is easily translated into the actual cutting of the film. The system is so advanced and yet so simple to use.

Well, I suppose I shall have to save the rest for the next newsletter. I have been busy settling into my new home in Amsterdam, which is indeed a very exciting city. There has been so much to do that I haven't even had time to Until next go skating on the canals! newsletter ....

Robert Rouveroy, esc

CARROTTOPCORNER Welcome to a brand new year and may we all be prosperous in this new decade. Somehow I feel this opening may sound too optimistic given that it has been very quiet out there.

I've been calling all "those" unions and their production boards are bare.

For some of us it is time to get on the phone, instead of waiting for it to ring.

Personally, I've been quite fortunate as I am working on a long term project with Deborah Parks. The film called "Talk 16" is a feature length documentary for theatrical release. It will be shot on Kodak and Fuji film. Since the production company cannot guarantee a work schedule, we can both take other work when our phones ring (so call me!).

Talk 16 will intimately follow five teenage girls throughout the year.

On New Years Eve the film began shooting with five camera crews, one for each of the five girls. Deborah Parks and myself on main unit, Keith Hlady and Lisa Pilcher, Gerald Packer and Hamish Macintyre, Maurzio Belli and Carolyn Wong, Silvie Plantard and Veronique Lehouck. Most of these camera operators and assistants are 'not members of the CSC, but I plan to track them down and convince them to join!.¡ Dean Willers has been working for TSN since last July. Instead of camera assisting he has been producing and writing for TSN in the news room. In

December, his position changed to freelance studio cameraman for the same company.

Mark Willis is going to be worlcing on a rather interesting documentary in February. They will be following a car rrace which travels from Seattle, then to Anchorage, Alaska and then finishes at Harrison Hotsprings in B.C. This AI Can (Alaska/Canada) race will cover over 5,000 miles!

The TNT series has finally wrapped as of January 4th. Some of us saw Mr. T. at the Saturday Night Hockey game (Toronto Maple Leafs versus the LA Kings), obviously enjoying his time off. TNT management had to complete ITShows in one month! That worlcs out to three days per show and sometimes as little as two days! Mind you, they set up second unit with second cameras to keep the saga going! Healthy employment for that month!

Vic Sarin esc is working on a long term documentary which will take him around the world. Usually he has to pick up his camera assistant in another country, however on the current segment in Mexico, John Davidson was lucky enough to leave with Vic. Yes, Friday's Curse is back shooting. The crew have been shooting for so long that if the GST strikes them, then they will have found another way of dispersing their abundant earnings (only kidding!).

Maris Jansons is having a photographic exhibit at Wallace Studios (258 Wallace) titled, "Slices of Time". The opening is on March 4th at 7:OOpm. The show runs to the end of April.

Tony Wannamaker was shooting in Nicaragua for nine days in December on a propaganda film for "The Canadian Foundation for World Development".

The film was made to help raise funds to aid victims of war and industrial accidents. It included the poverty-stricken people of Managua where Tony had a taste of what daily living has been like since the 1972 earthquake which struck there. The people in Managua and Bario were very helpful, hospitable loving people. Not what one would expect under those conditions.

For those of your who have shooting stories or current projects on the go, don't forget to call and let me know.

All news and information from esc members is important.

Lori Longstaff 731-3642

res co

THE WIDEST RANGE OF LIGHTING FILTERS IN THE WORLD FOR CONTROL OF LIGHT IN FILM . STAGE AND VIDEO PRODUCTION FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONTACT ROSCO OR ANY AUTHORIZED ROSCO DEALER ROSCO LABORATORIES, LTD .. 1271 DENISON STREET ~66. MARKHAM, ONTARIO LJR 485 TEL. (416) 475-1400

FAX (416) 475-3351

Mark Willis on "Black Pearls"

Ottices in New York, Hollywood, london. Lisbon, Madrid â&#x20AC;˘nd Tottyo

PAGE 16

BLACK PEARLS ••• Mark Willis Tiris past August saw me shooting my first feature, entitled "Black Pearls".

The story involves a martial artist whose younger brother dies as the result of a drug overdose. The main character (Jalal Merhi, who was also executive producer), leaves North America to study with a master martial artist in Hong Koog. While there, he discovers the manufacturers and dealers of the drug that killed his brother and gives hot pursuit.

The script was written and directed by Ron Huhne. We shot in Torooto, and at the executive producer's house in Brampton which was successfully passed off as, you guessed it, Hong Kong.

I was assisted on the five week shoot by Marcus Elliot (focus puller), James Stewart (loader) and Ray Dumas (trainee).

The new EXR stocks were just becoming available at that point, however, Michael Zakula at Kodak assured me there would be no problem supplying us. He was right. We had no problem getting the stock and I was quite pleased with the results. In low light interiors and night exteriors 5296 gave me less grain and more detail than I was expecting ... but who's complaining?

We had a BLIII and 35III as our package from Camera Systems and lighting and, on occasion, the Pogo Cam from PPI in Vancouver. The Pogo Cam is simply an Eymo mounted on an inverted "tee" allowing for some very interesting hand held work. The setup was very fancy with a 3" video assist screen on top and a variable speed crystal motor.

In October the production moved to Hong Kong for a week of shooting with a skeleton crew - Craig Baker (sound recordist) and Marcus Elliot (focus puller, loader and grip!).

Shooting in Hong Kong was an adventure in itself. Naturally we lost a day crossing the International date line and after the 20 hour flight which included transfers in Dallas and Tokyo, one doesn't feel much like location scouting or for that matter, much else.

All in all it was a lot of fun.

Marcus and I flew to Bangkok after the shoot was finished to spend a couple of weeks of "beach location scouting" in southern Thailand.

"Black Pearls" will be finished in February or March. I'm looking forward to my next feature.

II

-~--

ALAN GORDON DIRECTORS ANDER BIANS & SAWYER DIRECTORS FINDERS PAODUCT10N ~ADS, STRIPS ETC ACCUCHART LUXOR • A.V. I VIDEO CHARTS & TA.BLES MINI COOL LIGHTING

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MATTHEWS GRIP EQUIPMENT STANroN JIMMY Jl8 FLEXALL AEFLEC'TORS KEITH MONI<S ASHPOLES LTM ASHPOLES VAN DE BURGH FISHPOLES

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SALES • RENTALS • SERVICE

On Hong Kong Mountain Mark Willis and Marcus Elliot

(Marcus deep in thought-- Did I load film?)

PAGE 17

CINEBUIR

Tel. (416} 467-7700 Fax (416} 467-7716 10 BANIGAN OR. . THOANCLiff E PARK. WAONW. CANADA. M4H 1E9

CORPORATE NEWS

CANADIAN AWARDS FOR BUSINESS EXCELLENCE

A crowd of over 130 invited guests gathered at Vancouver's Robson Media Centre on November 22 for the west coast swing of AGFA's Focus on XTTour.

The evening hosted by AGFA's National Sales Consultant, Bruce Wienberg and National Technical Consultant, Frank DeJonghe and featured an appearance by noted cinematograprer, ltiro Narita, who served as Director of Photography on" Am erika" and the smash hit ($130 million) "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids!" Mr. Narita chose AGFA XT stock to shoot both motion pictures.

Also in attendance was Greg Marquette, President and owner of Polaris Entertainment, who delivered a brief presentation and showed a five minute film clip of commercials he has shot using AGFA XT stock.

FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT is the theme for the 1990 Canada Awards for Business Excellence competition. Now in its seventh year, this awards program recognizes excellence in ten categories: Entrepreneurship, Environment, Industrial Design, Innovation, Invention, Labour/ Management Co-operation, Marketing, Productivity, Quality and Small Business. Each category is judged by a panel of private sector experts selected from the business, industry, academic or labour sector. Their decisions are final.

The awards will be presented at a prestigious banquet to be held in Ottawa, October31. The award winners are the subject of a national advertising, public relations and media campaign. Entries must be submitted no later than close of business April 6, 1990. To obtain your entry guide, contact:

Agfa

As you will notice from their ads which appear on this page, both Spot Labs and Arri-Nagra have moved into new premises.

Canada Awards for Business Excellence Industry, Science and Technology Canada 235 Queen Street Onawa, Ontario K1A OH5 Tel: 613-954-4079, Fax: 613-954-1894

ARRI NAGRA IS ON THE MOVE Our products, services, clients and staff have all progressed dramatically since we first started business many years ago.

We have chosen this moment to embark on an exciting new era, in expansive and convenient new premises.

We are pleased to have achieved our primary design objective - to provide customer services never experienced before in Canada .

Whether your interest is lighting, audio or camera, come and see whotthe future holds.

ARRI NAGRA INC. NEW ADDRESS:

9 TAYMALL AVENUE TORONTO, ONTARIO CANADA M8Z 3Y8

NEW TELEPHONE:

(416) 252-4200

NEW FAX :

(416) 252-8829

SPOf" FILM & VIDEO INC.

23 Fraser Avenue Toronto, Ontario M6K 1V7

PHONE: (416) 535-3522 (416) 535-1041

FAX:

Dailies- Film or Tape! e 24 hour film and video services e 16mm 35mm negative processing and printing

e e

film-to-videotape transfers digital audio to videotape synchronization system

"

From left to right¡¡ Gord Cleasby, Denny Clairmont, Kimberly Schneider, Hiro Narita, Bruce Wienburg, Greg Marquette PAGE 18

TWO STUDIOS ON SITE! STUDIO A- 115ft. X 48ft. X 32ft. GRID STUDIO B- 60ft. X 35ft. X 17ft. GRID

CSC Christmas Party at Precision Camera December, 1989 A good number of CSC members and friends turned up to partake in the last meeting ofthe year (and decade) to celebrate the approaching holiday season. For members of the Society, it was a good opportunity to chat and exchange information.

Naohiko Kurita esc has recently completed an IMAX film that took him to the four comers of the globe. It was interesting times as he was away for a large portion of 1989.

Jim Mercer esc had just returned from Eastern Europe videotaping the tumultuous events that shook the world. He was shooting for CTV's WS. Scott Brown and his Betacam are keeping busy with the TV show "Live It Up". He sustained a knee injury a few months earlier while playing volleyball, but fortunately he has recovered nicely and didn't miss too much work.

Other members who were present to enjoy the spirit of the season and delectable refreshments were: Ken Post esc, Robert Bocking esc, Ken Gregg esc, John Holosko, David Crone, Deborah Parks and others ... of course, Gerd Kurz did a wonderful job as 'host' for the evening.

Happy new year to you all.

this to Bob Backing, who laughs. Obviously he's familiar with the teclmique! (Notice that he's not wearing a tiel)

Your secretary,

Wang Chow

Bob Brooks, Ron Stannet and David Crone exchanging stories ...

PAGE 19

BULLETIN BOARD UPCOMING EVENTS January 29th: Meeting at Trickett Productions Inc., 530 Richmond Street West, Toronto at 7:00pm.

Special effects utilizing Quantel's Harry and Paintbox and Encore, plus computerized 3D motion control camera system.

February 21st: Deadline for submitting films for CSC Awards.

February 26th: Meeting hosted by Lee Colortran March 26th: Meeting (location to be announced) March or April: Camera Assistants Course (Toronto) April 7th: CSC Awards, Metropolitan Convention Centre (Toronto) April 27th to 29th: 1990 SMPTE Regional Mini-Conference â&#x20AC;˘ Visions 90 will be held at Sheraton Centre in Toronto and will explore technologies that will affect film and television in the next decade.

EXCLUSIVE! For CSC members only!

Personal Luggage Tags Send business cards (enough for the number of tags that you would like) or print out you name and address as you would like it to appear on the tag. Tags at $1.25 each plus postage and handling (1-5 tags=$2.00, 5-10 tags=$4.00). Please make cheque payable to the CSC, P.O. Box 421, Unionville, Ontario L3R 5Vl

t

+=

CANADIAN SOCIETY

~

Arriflex lib with hard front, variable motor. Best offer. For further information call Marty Gross at 1-416-536-3355.

Arri S 16mm with time lapse accessories, Zeiss 10-1 zoom, 400ft. mag. Hycam K1004E Hispeed Best offer. Call Michael Pankow at 1-613-836-3003.

A small number of 16mm sound and 16mm silent Bell & Howell projectors. Prefer to sell as one lot. Call1-416-782-5366 or 782-4172. Just as an aside, Bell & Howell stopped making 16mm projects last year.

XR 35 with Mitchell mount. For further information, call1-416-538-6369.

Film cameras: Eclair NPR, LW16 (ideal for documentaries, colleges and universities; 5 mags, one is a 1200 ft. mag) and GASP cameras. All complete with lenses.

Video cameras: lkegami HL83 (9.5-133 Fujinon lens; complete kit with all accessories and shipping case); Sony 330A BVP (9-108 Fujinon, complete); BVU-50 3/4" (complete with kangaroo cover, in excellent condition, very low hours) Nagra III complete package with SLO. Also, complete sound kit including shot gun 805, two Sony levelers, AKG hand mic and shipping case plus other miscellaneous items.

For further information call James Grattan esc in Montreal at 1-514-932-1463 or 1-514-486-3565.

WANTED

OF

;:::::::::;J CINEMATOGRAPHERS

c

FOR SALE

=----

Zoom lens for Arri BL 16, Angenieux 10-150 or Zeiss 10-100 or comparable quality lens.

16/35 flatbed (6 plc.te) Open face light kit Microphones (Sheopes or Neumann) If you have any of the above items to sell, please call Greg at the L.I.F.T. office at 1-416-596-8233.