Canadian Society of Cinematographers Magazine June 2016

CANADIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS

$4 June 2016 www.csc.ca

André Pienaar Len and Company

csc,sasc

+ Karl Janisse Dead Rush Pasha Patriki csc Gridlocked

A publication of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers

FEATURES – VOLUME 8, NO. 3 JUNE 2016 Fostering cinematography in Canada since 1957.

The Canadian Society of Cinematographers was founded by a group of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa cameramen. Since then over 800 cinematographers and persons in associated occupations have joined the organization.

The CSC provides tangible recognition of the common bonds that link film and digital professionals, from the aspiring student and camera assistant to the news veteran and senior director of photography.

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Credit: Erin Simkin

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.

Gridlocked: Pasha Patriki csc Lights While Dodging Bullets By Fanen Chiahemen

CORPORATE SPONSORS AC Lighting Inc. All Axis Remote Camera Systems Applied Electronics Limited 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 HangLoose Media Henry’s Camera HD Source Inspired Image Picture Company Kino Flo Lee Filters Miller Camera Support Equipment Mole-Richardson Nikon Canada Inc. PS Production Services Panasonic Canada Panavision Canada REDLABdigital Rosco Canada S1 Studios Toronto SIM Group Sony of Canada Ltd. Technically Yours Inc. Technicolor The Source Shop Vistek Camera Ltd. Walter Klassen FX William F. White International Inc. ZGC Inc. ZTV

Len and Company: André Pienaar csc sasc Lenses Stylish, Heartfelt Comedy By Fanen Chiahemen

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Dead Rush: An Innovative Approach to Shooting a Genre Film By Karl Janisse

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 2 4 6 12 22 23 24

From the President In the News CSC Member Spotlight - Brendan Steacy csc Camera Movement Workshop Tech Column Classifieds Production Notes/Calendar

Cover: André Pienaar CSC, SASC. Credit: Shea Reid

Canadian Cinematographer June 2016 Vol. 8, No. 3 CSC BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT George Willis csc, sasc, gawillis@sympatico.ca PAST PRESIDENT, ADVISOR Joan Hutton csc, joanhuttondesign@gmail.com VICE PRESIDENTS Ron Stannett csc, ronstannett@sympatico.ca Carlos Esteves csc, carlos@imagesound.ca TREASURER

FROM THE PRESIDENT George A. Willis csc, sasc

Joseph Sunday phd JSunday1@CreativeAffinities.com SECRETARY Antonin Lhotsky csc, alhotsky@gmail.com MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Arthur Cooper csc, artfilm@sympatico.ca Phil Earnshaw csc, philyn@sympatico.ca EDUCATION CO-CHAIRS Alwyn Kumst csc, alwynkumst@gmail.com Luc Montpellier csc, luc@lucmontpellier.com PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIR Bruce Marshall, brucemarshall@sympatico.ca NON-DIRECTOR BOARD MANAGERS Jeremy Benning csc, jbenning@me.com Dylan Macleod csc, dmacleod@sympatico.ca Bruno Philip csc, bphilipcsc@gmail.com Carolyn Wong, CarolynWong50@gmail.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF George Willis csc, sasc EDITOR EMERITUS Donald Angus EXECUTIVE OFFICER Susan Saranchuk, admin@csc.ca EDITOR Fanen Chiahemen, editor@csc.ca COPY EDITOR Karen Longland ART DIRECTION Berkeley Stat House WEBSITE www.csc.ca ADVERTISING SALES Guido Kondruss, gkondruss@rogers.com

OFFICE / MEMBERSHIP / SUBSCRIPTIONS 131–3007 Kingston Road Toronto, Canada M1M 1P1 Tel: 416-266-0591; Fax: 416-266-3996 Email: admin@csc.ca, subscription@csc.ca Canadian Cinematographer makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes; however, it cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed within the magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily of the publisher. Upon publication, Canadian Cinematographer acquires Canadian Serial Rights; copyright reverts to the writer after publication.

Canadian Cinematographer is printed by Winnipeg Sun Commercial Print and is published 10 times a year.

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B

allet and gearboxes – what do they have to do with cinematography?

Actually, a lot more than we think because there is a word that answers this question: synchronicity.

Watching a ballet allows us to observe the perfection of music and movement as it pertains to flow and timing. We can also draw a parallel when comparing cinematography to the complexity of a gearbox. To be more specific, and comparatively speaking, one of the most important aspects within the craft of cinematography is the synchronicity of the camera crew.

The camera operator, first assistant (focus puller), second assistant, and the dolly grip are part of a movement – like a ballet, or a gearbox – that requires perfect timing for a successful outcome. Having performed all of these roles in the camera and grip department during my career, I understand the importance of the part we each play in perfecting a camera/focus/zoom/dolly move, and the reward that goes along with it.

I remember a specific occasion on a movie where an actor had decided to adlib the entire nine-minute (single-take) scene despite having rehearsed it with the camera crew. We were only able to achieve success by paying close attention to the camera operator who whispered the new choreography that he initiated. This was a great lesson for us all and underlined the importance of working closely together as the team that he trained us to be.

I was reminded of this during one of the presentations at the recent 59th Annual CSC Awards Gala. I applaud all of the winners, and while not wishing to single anyone out in particular, I found one specific award to be an example worthy of mention and which speaks to the camera crew’s skills.

The Camera Assistant Award was presented to Barrett Axford, “for excellence and outstanding professionalism in the performance of the AC duties and responsibilities.” During his acceptance speech, Barrett commented on his methodology and attitude regarding focus. And rather than trying to paraphrase, these are Barrett’s own words: “To me, the focus has always been the unmentioned member of the cast on any call sheet. When done well, with timing and passion, focus becomes alive. My goal as a focus puller has always been to make creative decisions on the fly and push the envelope, to draw the viewer in and take them on a journey. I find making focus decisions that are not the obvious work out to be the best because it comes from instinct, and that’s whose watching our projects.”

Towards the conclusion of his speech, Barrett allowed us to share in the see President page 24

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IN THE NEWS

Member News

F

ilms shot by two CSC members were selected to be part of the Directors’ Fortnight series at the Cannes Film Festival in May – Two Lovers and a Bear, shot by Nicolas Bolduc csc and directed by Oscar-nominated, Montreal-born director Kim Nguyen (Rebelle), and Mean Dreams, shot by Steve Cosens csc and directed by

Telefilm’s First Executive Director Michael Spencer Dies

Michael Spencer, who played a key role in laying the foundations of Canada’s feature film industry and who served as Telefilm Canada’s first executive director, died on April 20. Born in England in 1919, Spencer came to Canada in 1939. Two years later he joined the National Film Board, first as a cameraman before becoming a producer in 1945. In the early 1960s, as the director of planning at NFB, he helped pilot the bill to establish the Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC), which would later become Telefilm Canada.

The Canadian Film Development Corporation Act was adopted in March 1967, with the agency granted a budget of $10 million. Spencer served as executive director at CFDC from 1968 to 1978. Many of the films that were produced on Spencer’s watch drew international attention, among them Act of the Heart by Paul Almond; Le viol d’une jeune fille douce by Gilles Carle; Goin’ Down the Road by Don Shebib; Stereo and Crimes of the Future by David Cronenberg; A Married Couple by Allan King; Les Ordres by Michel Brault; The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Ted Kotcheff; and Lies My Father Told Me by Ján Kadár. In 2003, Spencer published, with co-author Suzan Ayscough, an account of his experience in the film industry titled Hollywood North: Creating

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Nathan Morlando (Citizen Gangster). The festival took place from May 11 to 22.

In other news, KONELĪNE: our land beautiful, shot by Van Royko csc, took home the Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award at the 2016 Hot Docs Festival, which ran from April 28 to May 8.

the Canadian Motion Picture Industry, with forewords by Donald Sutherland and Carole Laure. Spencer was also the first Canadian to sit on the Cannes Film Festival jury, in 1980. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 1989.

Bang Bang Baby, shot by Bobby Shore csc and directed by Jeffrey St. Jules, the first Canadian film director ever admitted to the Cannes Film Festival’s residency program for emerging filmmakers.

Cinespace Film Studios Toronto Launches Nick Mirkopoulos Canadian Content Initiative

SIM Group Appoints CEO James Haggarty to Succeed Founder Rob Sim

Cinespace Film Studios Toronto recently announced the formal launch of the Nick Mirkopoulos Canadian Content Initiative, a program to provide rent-free facilities to select Canadian film, television and digital media projects. The initiative is named after Cinespace founder Nick Mirkopoulos, who spearheaded the development of more than 2.5 million square feet of studio and support space in both Toronto and Chicago, and who passed away in late 2013 in his birthplace of Kastoria in northern Greece. The Nick Mirkopoulos Canadian Content Initiative will be open to applications from writers, directors and producers for studios, production offices or support spaces to assist projects that feature culturally impactful Canadian stories or that are helmed by rising Canadian artists. Notable past projects that benefited from this rent-free assistance include Peter Stebbings’ 2013 feature Empire of Dirt, shot by David Greene csc; and the 2014 feature

The SIM Group’s Board of Directors in May appointed a new president and CEO, James Haggarty, with Founder Rob Sim moving into a new role as vice chairman. Haggarty most recently served as managing director at Gibraltar & Co, where he focused on mergers, acquisitions and business development of small and large companies. Prior to that, he was CEO of SHOP.CA, an e-commerce and technology company. Haggarty has spent most of his career in media, having held various positions in broadcasting, cable and telecommunications such as EVP Television Operations at Rogers Broadcasting, VP Financial Operations at Rogers Media and VP Corporate Development and VP Operations at CORUS Entertainment. Haggarty played leadership roles in acquiring, launching and operating radio and TV stations, magazines and websites, in addition to innovative programs that attracted record-level audiences, as well as acclaim from customers.

www.csc.ca Connect online with the CSC

Instagram DP of the month: Pasha Patriki csc@canadiancinematographer

Canadian Cinematographer welcomes feedback, comments and questions about the magazine and its contents. Please send your letters to editor@csc.ca.

Letters may be edited for clarity and space.

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@csc_CDN

Beth Janson Named Academy’s Next CEO

Beth Janson was recently appointed chief executive officer of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. A Montreal native, Janson is the former executive director of the Tribeca Film Institute. She assumes the CEO position on June 1, succeeding outgoing CEO Helga Stephenson, who officially stepped down May 31, following her resignation in February of this year. As CEO, Janson will set and implement a strategic vision for the Academy as it continues to build upon its mandate to honour outstanding achievements in Canadian film, television, and digital media, as well as heighten public awareness and appreciation for Canadian screen productions. Janson has nearly two decades of experience in the film, television and cultural sectors. From 2009 to 2014 she served as executive director of the Tribeca Film Institute, where she was responsible for budget management, fundraising, public relations, human resources, and programmatic direction. Janson joined Tribeca in 2003 and was the creative force behind the development of its signature programs, including the TFI New Media Fund, a partnership with the Ford Foundation and the first-ever fund for independent transmedia work in the United States; Tribeca All Access, a grant and networking program for minority filmmakers; and the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund. Previously, Janson was the programming director of the Newport International Film Festival. Most recently Janson was the founding director of Rent the Runway Foundation’s Project Entrepreneur program, providing women with access to the tools, training, and networks needed to build scalable, economically impactful companies.

You Focus On The Shot

We’ll Focus On The Rest

Cineplex Entertainment is Firstto Bring 4DX to Canada

Cineplex Entertainment in April announced a new partnership with CJ 4DPLEX, the world’s first 4DX® cinema company, that will bring its immersive theatre technology to Canada for the first time. 4DX is a new state-of-the-art cinematic technology that amplifies the experience from watching a movie to almost being in it. Premiering in Toronto this summer, Cineplex’s new 4DX auditorium will feature specially-designed motion chairs and environmental effects like wind, mist, bubbles, snow and scent working in perfect synchronicity with the action on the big screen. Each 4DX auditorium incorporates motion-based seating synchronized with over 20 different effects and optimized by a team of skilled editors, maximizing the feeling of immersion within the movie.

Unparalleled Optics.

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Inspired Engineering.

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Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016 •

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Brendan Steacy csc

CSC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

been a complete mess. It was also probably about the most fun I’d ever had, and from there, I just tried to get on set any way I could, starting as a volunteer PA and working my way up through camera, grip and then lighting until I got a chance to start shooting.

Who have been your mentors or teachers?

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

Not necessarily intellectually, but emotionally, those first movie theatre experiences of my early childhood were probably among the most impactful, and considering that one of my earliest memories in life, let alone film, is being taken to see Star Wars during it’s re-release right before The Empire Strikes Back came out, that’s undoubtedly been with me to at least some extent since then. I’m not even sure I was aware of that until I went to see The Force Awakens with my six-year-old daughter and got to re-live it a little bit through her eyes.

Credit: John Narvali

How did you get started in the business?

In university, I knew a girl who had somehow convinced her Russian Lit professor to let her make a short film instead of writing whatever paper the rest of the class were expected to turn in. She had already become a successful film actor and so knew some actual working filmmakers, one of whom was a DP she had done some project with in the States. He agreed to come up and shoot her little film, but instead of the crew he likely expected, he got a bunch of her friends – many of whom (myself included) had basically never been on a film set before. I remember working really hard and actually thinking we were killing it, but in retrospect, it must have

6 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016

I never had a formal mentor, but because I mostly began in music videos and was a gaffer for a little while, I had the chance to work with and learn from a lot of the people from my generation that were coming up around me.

There was a lot of experimentation and an open exchange of information, but Adam Marsden csc, Jeremy Benning csc, and Marcus Elliot in particular let me into their process and really helped me understand what the job was actually about.

What cinematographers inspire you?

I’m pretty sure Darius Khondji afc, asc had a lot to do with me wanting to be a cinematographer in the first place, and there are those two dozen DPs who everyone in the industry looks up to and learns from, but I think I find it equally or possibly even more inspiring to watch the work of my more immediate peers. There are lots of young, or less established, people doing really high calibre work right now, and I think that’s a good reminder to push boundaries and make the most out of every situation, and it also serves to discourage complacency.

Name some of your professional highlights.

I shot a little film years ago called Small Town Murder Songs, which was made with very limited resources.

The director, Ed Gass-Donnelly, was also the writer, producer and editor, and having never really worked on something like that before, it felt a bit to me like our parents had left us home without a babysitter for the first time.

We were suddenly free to just do what we wanted without having to check in

with anybody first. That film getting accepted into TIFF the following year was definitely a highlight in that it felt like being granted, on some small level, by some small jury, public permission to trust myself.

What do you like best about what you do?

I love making films, so that’s the best thing about what we do, but I think the greatest thing about being a cinematographer specifically is the favourable ratio of creative input to nonsense. We generally aren’t brought onto a project until it’s funded and already in some degree of production, yet we’re in a position to deeply impact the feel, style and quality of a film.

What do you like least about what you do?

My least favourite part of the process is prep. It’s usually the longest stretch we ever have to go without being on set, and I constantly find myself longing for the first day of camera when everything becomes real again and we begin actually making something instead of talking about it.

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

I’m prone to hyperbole and constantly find myself on set declaring whatever widget I’m excited about that day as the best invention of all time. I’ve definitely said it about Technocranes and LEDs and modern optics and legacy optics and anything that eliminates wires from the camera when doing handheld (any wireless focus system, video transmitter, small powerful onboard batteries) and that little adapter plug that turns the seat hole on a Chapman dolly into a 2K receiver – I love that thing! Right now I’m really excited about where DaVinci Resolve is heading and how seamless the process is becoming when setting looks for dailies that carry right through, in some form, to the final film.

How can others follow your work?

sesler.com

SOMETIMES FEELING SMALL MEANS LOSING YOURSELF IN THE BIG PICTURE.

Gridlocked

Pasha Patriki csc

Lights While Dodging Bullets

By FANEN CHIAHEMEN

Photos by ERIN SIMKIN

I

n the action film Gridlocked, a highly-skilled tactical assault officer winds up saddled with a reckless young Hollywood celebrity who has been forced into a police ride-along as part of a court-ordered community service agreement after a run-in with the law. What’s supposed to be a routine shadowing exercise quickly becomes a high-stakes game when the unlikely pair becomes caught up in an attack at a police training facility. As if in a nod to the odd-couple cop flicks popular in the late ‘80s and ‘90s, Gridlocked features Danny Glover of Lethal Weapon fame, while Dominic Purcell (Prison Break), Vinnie Jones (X-Men: The Last Stand) and Saul Rubinek (Unforgiven, Warehouse 13) round out its roster of stars.

In discussing the look of the film in preproduction, DP Pasha Patriki csc and director Allan Ungar came up with the terminology “grounded and gritty,” the DP says.

“We talked about fluid camera work that could be kinetic but never shaky. It’s very muted handheld camera work, just to give a little life and breath to the camera but without making it so shaky it’s distracting to the audience. We went with the RED EPIC just because of its smaller size and easier manageability – there was a lot of shooting in tight spaces and running or walking backwards with the camera.”

Patriki outfitted the camera with Zeiss CP 2 Primes for their high-speed qualities and cost, with the 35, 50 and 85 mm lenses being his three main shooting lenses. “Those really helped us,” he says. “I usually set the ISO on any model of the RED EPIC at 800. Sometimes in very dark lighting conditions or if we had to overcrank the shooting a little bit, I’d go up to as high as 1280, and in either case it gave us a very clean, very manageable picture.”

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A significant portion of the film takes place in the SWAT training facility that is ambushed, Patriki says. “The idea is that they’re cut off from power; there are no real windows or sources of light anywhere, so they’re all existing in what’s supposed to be a very dark environment. So part of the look of the film was essentially guided by this. What do we use as a source of light when, technically, the power’s supposed to be cut and there are no lights? So we decided to sell the idea that there are some orange sodium emergency backup lights, and low-output, small ‘guide’ LED strips that are steel blue.

So basically the interior look was based on these two colours – cyan blue and the orange of the emergency lighting.”

Most of Gridlocked was shot in an old meat packing plant in Etobicoke, Ont., which “did not have much in terms of power or rigging, and we were given a very strict budget to work with,” Patriki says. “So we couldn’t just take two weeks and build a lighting grid and bring in lights; we had to be very economical. So these emergency lights that I mentioned earlier were actually LED battery-powered lights – which we purchased at places like Dollarama, Ikea and Home Depot – and all we had to do was just stick batteries in them and Velcro them onto the wall. It was enough light to light a scene as long as we were using high-speed lenses. And that’s a credit to the modern 4K camera technology where the cameras are sensitive enough to actually produce a good picture under such low light conditions that we had.”

The abundance of long corridors also made the location particularly challenging to shoot in, Patriki says. “You can’t physically run cables anywhere, and doing a new cable run for every shot is not practical. And there was also no practical way to run the cables above the head. So we had to come up with something that would work for us without having to run cables around the entire building every time we turned around the camera setup,” he says. “So battery-powered LED lights came in handy for that, which is why the film was almost entirely lit using battery-powered LED lighting, without the use of any generators.

“So we created this world, imagining that if the power is cut to that facility then the emergency generator kicks in, and these dots of light guide you through the long hallways and tunnels, similar to the way small LED lights on an airplane guide you to the emergency exit,” he says. “Although we did change out the lights a little bit – we put coloured gels in them and we painted little strips on them to make them look less like consumer closet lights, and we positioned them in the hallways to make it look like they were these emergency LED lights that come on during a power outage.”

Even in other locations, Patriki says they went for a natural look, working with whatever was in a particular location. “In fact, there’s one scene with Saul Rubinek, which is supposed to be in a conference room in a lawyer’s office. We went to a real lawyer’s office on the 72nd floor of a tower in downtown

Toronto, and it was not very easy to get in and out of that location because it was on such a high floor, and being in the heart of the busy financial district, there was not enough time to load in there properly, and we couldn’t reserve a cargo elevator for the day or block off the hallways in that building,” the DP says. “We really had to be very small and mobile and bring in as little equipment and as few people as possible.

However, during the location scout we saw that this conference room had a couple of fairly small windows, and the way the light was coming in through the windows, it was lighting the room in a very interesting, grungy yet realistic and pleasant way. So we decided to go with that natural window light and in fact kept off all the incandescent lights that were available in that room, and it gave the scene a very real, gritty look.

Saul Rubinek, who plays the lawyer of our main character, is sitting against the window, and there is basically no lighting at all hitting his face; he’s all just backlit by this window, yet

1st AC Jurek Osterfeld and DP Pasha Patriki csc rehearsing a camera move.

the cameras had enough latitude to capture the detail in his face, and we could still see the brightly lit daytime downtown cityscape through the window. So we embraced that look instead of relighting the room from scratch; we just went with what was there and it worked for us.”

Patriki did have a basic lighting package consisting of a couple of 1.2K HMIs, small HMIs, some Kinos and some LED panels with daylight and tungsten lighting, which he employed on locations and the very few built sets that Gridlocked required. This “mini mobile” package was supplied by Patriki’s long-time friend and gaffer Tom Henderson. “Under normal circumstances on a feature film, you’d probably want a bigger lighting package, but knowing that a lot of the Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016 •

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From left, actors Cody Hackman and Dominic Purcell.

my face, I had every piece lighting was already created of protection imaginable so by these purchased Home INSTAGRAM DP OF THE MONTH that I didn’t have any skin Depot and Dollarama fixPasha Patriki csc@canadiancinematographer exposed to the muzzle flash tures, we knew we could and the gun powder that supplement that with a basic but smart lighting package,” the DP says. “So we didn’t was flying out of the gun. I think at some point I stumbled actually have a large truck with lighting or grip, it was all in a bit and slowed down, and the actor came closer than 6 feet and ended up firing the gun at a fairly close range to my chest, my gaffer Tom Henderson’s trailer that he owns.”

Gridlocked takes place over the course of a single night, and the blow from the gun was so strong it almost knocked Patriki says. “It starts in the day, and as the whole story is be- me down, and I almost fell backwards and the camera almost ing set up, it rolls into a dusky environment, and then goes all went flying. But I was caught by the friendly grip-spotter benight, so we scheduled it accordingly. I think any cinematog- hind me and we saved the situation. We had to cut the camrapher will probably say they enjoy working in a night sce- era and do another take, as it essentially almost knocked me nario where every light is your source rather than a brightly off my feet – just a blank shot.”

Shooting in the cavernous corridors of the meat packing lit scene. It’s a lot more fun dealing with lighting that’s night plant, the shots could be deafening, Patriki continues, and lighting, to me at least,” he says.

To reduce the amount of setups on the action sequenc- in another instance he took out his earplugs between the es, the crew brought in a second camera operator, Steven takes so he could talk to the director and forgot to replace Szolcsanyi. “ We also rehearsed everything really well before them in his ears when they began the new take. “We startwe shot, and I already knew exactly what sequences they ing shooting, and the camera was on my shoulder, and I was would be doing, and it allowed me to follow the action with using both hands to hold it. When the gunfire erupted, it the camera for longer takes,” Patriki says. “We tried to get as was so loud I thought my ears were going to start bleeding, much of the action in a single take as possible, and a lot of and there was nothing I could do because both of my hands times it involved panning the camera and following the puck were actually holding the camera. My ears were exposed and I couldn’t even cover them. After that I said I will never to see who’s shooting, who’s attacking and who’s retreating.

“The empty shells can be really hot and burn you,” he re- forget to put earplugs in my ears again.” But he stresses that calls. “On some takes, literally hundreds of shots were being safety was of the utmost importance on the set and they had a fired at once, so we all had to have protection for eyes, ears, firearms expert on hand to ensure proper weapons and ideally no exposed skin, really. I would have to say that this gunfire safety. was my first exposure to that many shots being fired on set. I Aside from having survived a hail of blanks, Patriki also exhad a foam bullet-proof-style vest made for me and was also presses pride at having been part of an independently proalmost constantly covered by a sound blanket or two. Some- duced, Canadian-made action feature. “We obviously have times you couldn’t even tell there was a person underneath. lots of great content coming out of Canada, but something In one of the shots, the main character was quickly walking like this that was put together completely independently through the corridor and firing his gun, and I was about 6 I think is unique, and it’s a movie that’s able to compete feet away walking backwards with the camera as he was fir- with action films coming out of California on some level,” ing his gun, so I had gloves on my hands, I had a mask on he says.

10 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016

RENE OHASHI CSC, ASC

CHRIS WALLACE

Cinematographer

Colourist

Jon Cassar’s Forsaken is a moving Western starring father and son duo Kiefer and Donald Sutherland. A period piece featuring expansive Alberta landscapes and naturalistic lighting, DP Rene Ohashi CSC, ASC utilized Deluxe Toronto’s DI workflow to establish the film’s look prior to shooting, which saved valuable time on set, particularly when capturing exterior shots.

“Colourist Chris Wallace is always my first choice for DI,” shared Ohashi. “The colour science at Deluxe is perfection, and the tools and expertise at my disposal mean that I don’t need to use graduated filters on set, which is a huge time saver since exterior conditions are always changing. Deluxe’s DI system is the way to finish every film.”

“I worked closely with Rene on the ‘Forsaken’ colour grade, using Deluxe’s high-end tools to finesse the light quality and colour saturation and contrast. For a nuanced story like this, it was crucial to keep the light and colour natural and understated to subtly support the story and setting.”

Forsaken premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival and was released theatrically in spring 2016. Ohashi’s work on the film recently earned him the award for Theatrical Feature Cinematography at the 59th Canadian Society of Cinematographers Awards.

bydeluxetoronto.com Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016 •

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Workshop participants learn about the use of drones and hoist an ARRI ALEXA aloft using the Walter Klassen Slingshot Movi Rig for the first time. Dumas was a co-inventor of the rig.

A look at the CSC Camera Movement Workshop held January 23 in Toronto Workshop Master: Ray Dumas csc Photos by BRUCE MARSHALL

Ray Dumas csc

The CSC offers a range of workshops throughout the year to working camera professionals and those learning the art of cinematography. The complete workshop list is at csc.ca

12 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016

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Len and Company

André Pienaar

Lenses Stylish, Heartfelt Comedy

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n the feature film Len and Company, Rhys Ifans plays a successful music producer, once a legendary punk rocker in the 1970s, now spending his crotchety mid-life in a secluded country house in upstate New York, trying to avoid family, friends and collaborators, with little success. The film is Montreal-born director Tim Godsall’s first feature, but after having shot many commercials with him, DP André Pienaar csc, sasc agreed to work on Len and Company even before reading the script. “He’s an extremely accomplished commercials director and storyteller, and I have the highest regard for him,” Pienaar says of Godsall. Although Len and Company is marketed as a comedy, the cinematographer says, “I think it’s a fairly full-spectrum life story with emotion, family dysfunction, cynicism, darkness and loads of humour. In fact it’s quite black and English in tone – the main character Len, is a British rough diamond with no filter. His language and his scowling attitude are pretty entertaining and bring lots of chuckles to audiences. But he’s also incredibly engaging and attractive in his own offbeat way.” Pienaar tells Canadian Cinematographer the process of bringing Len and Company to life.

Canadian Cinematographer: What did the director tell you he wanted as far as the visual aesthetic of the film?

André Pienaar csc, sasc: Tim and I have worked together in commercials for many years, and I think the style he naturally gravitates towards tends to be fairly honest. Our look is really about being naturalistic and not overly dramatic, and keeping the lighting very honest and the lensing very natural. So Len and Company was an evolution of a style we have worked on before. Tim wanted the photographic style to be understated and quiet, simple and honest. At the same time, he wanted it to be stylish, elegant and composed. In a way, the film alludes to ‘70s-style filmmaking but with a contemporary aesthetic. It’s a quietly intense and personal film, so we wanted to match that cinematically. It’s also a comedy, so we had to find a subtle language to convey all the layers of the film.

14 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016

CC: How did you approach and design the lighting?

AP: Very simply, the lighting on Len and Company needed to feel natural and believable. For me, lighting design is driven by the type of film, the story, the style and the language, and it’s also very much influenced by the budget. Given that we had limited time and resources, the fact that we were going for a very natural available light look suited us well. So budget and

Credit: Patricia Homonylo

By FANEN CHIAHEMEN

csc, sasc

our stylistic intent married well to define the style. Even when I do have a comfortable budget, I often try to interfere as little as possible with existing light. I like to shape what’s there, taking away and adding where necessary.

I used ambient daylight or strategically positioned practical lamps, augmenting with film lights where necessary. To this end, we paid a lot of attention in prep to practical lights, their positioning and the quality of their shades because a lot of the film happens at night and I wanted the rooms to light themselves as much as possible. I think there is a lot of skill necessary to use available light. It’s not just a case of switching on the house lights and shooting. My gaffer, Jonah Hart, did a great job of manipulating ambient daylight and practical lamps. He and I have an understanding and a shorthand, which goes a long way when I am also operating the camera.

My typical lighting kit on a film like this is comprised of small HMIs, Kinos and LEDs. I also use ETC Source Fours and Dedo 400s with gobos for accent lights and bounces. I also like to

have an 18K up my sleeve for use during the day only when necessary – like extending soft ambient daylight during bad weather or at the end of the day. William F. White was most generous in providing us with an HMI package truck and some extras despite our limited budget.

CC: How did the main location – a house in the countryside – inform your lighting?

AP: The house was a treat to shoot in both practically and stylistically. It’s a 19th century farm house with a modern addition designed by our production designer, Paul Austerberry. It’s attractive and lived-in with a simple colour palette of natural materials – wood, brick, stone, leather. The house is well laid-out with windows all round, so we were able to take advantage of natural light for much of the film. We shot in every room in the house, day and night. The main room, where a lot of dialogue scenes happen, has a cathedral ceiling with wooden beams, which made a perfect place to rig a pipe grid for a few Kinos and small incandescents. While I don’t often light from above, it helped speed things up and allowed me to put in some edges and accents without much fuss.

CC: How did you decide on your camera and lens kit?

AP: This was a particularly interesting part of the process. When we started the process, Tim was dead set on shooting the film on film. He showed me many examples of films shot on film, saying he wanted our film to have a similar quality. The producers and I felt that digital was better suited to our budget, as well as to our style and process, so Tim said, “Okay, prove it to me.” So we set about doing exhaustive tests of formats, cameras and lenses to find the best possible formula of camera and lenses. We had seven cameras, including 35 mm film, Super 16, ARRI ALEXA and RED EPIC, with permutations of Zeiss, ARRI, Cooke and Panavision lenses. After viewing our tests on a screen at Technicolor, then on a big screen at Scotiabank Cineplex, we settled on the ALEXA with Panavision Primos. This gave us the subtlety of the film look that Tim was after. A week into shooting, Tim said, “I see no reason to ever shoot film again.”

As far as lensing goes, we tended to stay in a natural range of 24 on the wide end to 75 on the long end. We occasionally strayed into the 20 and 100 world. Panavision was incredibly supportive of me and the project, giving us two cameras and everything we needed at bargain rates.

CC: The film has a distinct colour palette. Can you talk about how you helped create that?

AP: The film takes place from winter into spring, and we were lucky to shoot at the right time of year. The colours of the landscape early in the year were suitably bleached and monochromatic. So along with the colours of Len’s world, well coordinated by Paul [Austerberry] and Tim, the whole film is in muted tones of brown and black and bleached vegetation. This is a signature of the film. Despite Len’s urban background,

Stills from Len and Company.

Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016 •

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he is surrounded by tones of wood in his house, his furniture, his guitars, his mixing desk, the trees on the farm, as well as the bleached tones of grass, faded skies, worn leather, dry earth, snow and his faded black Porsche. All this contributes to a very simple palette. The colour in the lighting is equally restrained and monochromatic, and lighting contrast is also used with extreme discretion.

An important part of creating the palette is done in the digital suite.

I always set the look with the on-set DIT. I don’t use LUTs, I prefer to create the look from the Raw image. I oversee every shot on set so the cutting copy looks a lot like the final grade. This means all the screenings prior to final grade look good. Technicolor Toronto was incredibly supportive. Despite our low budget, they gave us the full treatment from extensive testing right through to a long session in final colour, including having us back after re-edits for final tweaks. Our Technicolor colourist Brett Trider did a wonderful job of understanding where we wanted to go, making for a pleasing and coherent look. I’m sure it can be frustrating for a colourist to exercise such restraint with colour and contrast.

CC: Can you talk about camera operation and when, if at all, you decided to shoot handheld versus dolly or Steadicam?

AP: Intuitive operating is gold for me. As a result, I have operated many of my own films. It’s impossible for me to separate the lighting and the operating – they are part of the same photographic impulse. This is how I manage to translate my personal understanding of a film, a scene, a character. It’s very personal. For me operating is deeply integral to the style and tone of a film. There is no such thing as “good” operating or “bad” operating – it’s more whether it’s appropriate operating. While Tim and I had every shot planned as handheld, or dolly or static, we also would go on instinct during the shooting.

We had two cameras running for most of the film. My other camera operator was Rob Barnett, who has worked with me for many years and understands my approach. He did a spectacular job, and I feel our two operating styles blended seamlessly. I have mixed feelings about two cameras – on the one hand it can significantly compromise lighting and eye-lines, but in many cases it can allow us to get our schedule as well as capture two angles on a scene that is improvised or particularly emotional. Len would not have been possible with one camera.

CC: Can you talk about the decision to shoot widescreen?

Stills from Len and Company.

16 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016

AP: I love 2.4 as an aspect ratio in commercials and I try to work in 2.4 whenever I can. I think it lends an elegance to the frame, and there’s more spread across the frame so you have more design space to work with. I think it’s a frame you can play with and there’s a lot more variety available in the wide screen. It’s great for two people; you can put them on opposite sides of the frame. Or with one person, you can either put them way on the side of the frame, or depending on what you are trying to say, you can put them in the middle. You can put one person in a landscape. There’s a shot of Len walking down a country road at dusk, and he’s angry and pissed, just a grumpy old bugger, and he’s

walking towards the camera, and we had the camera dead centre in front of him tracking back, and he’s just this man in the middle of a wide frame around him. You see the dark trees and the dark sky, and I think it’s graphically beautiful. He’s an imposing character, and I thought putting him dead centre shows how bullish he is and how angry he was at the time.

CC: How would you describe the kind of work you aspire to as a cinematographer?

AP: I want my work to be current. To me, the kind of cinematography that I love and aspire to and think is the best work around tends not to get awards. A good example is Alwin Küchler who shot Morvern Callar. To me, he’s a great cinematographer who doesn’t use old techniques. I would rather think about my image, and think “When is this happening? Who’s my audience?” I think that’s why [Emmanuel] Lubezki [asc, amc] has done such a great job, because he doesn’t use those old-school tricks. It’s too easy to have a pouch on your belt with 50 tricks in it. I almost like to forget what I’ve done and treat every day like a new day on set.

That may be why at my age I’m still busy in commercials. I like change. Work would be boring if I was still doing things the way I did in the ‘90s.

CC: So do you think trends come and go in cinematography just like in fashion?

AP: I think it evolves through time as times go by and film language evolves. It even changes within the decades. When I was shooting commercials in the early ‘90s, they were so different from the late ‘90s. 1992 was quite different from 1996. I could pull commercials out of my reel from those years and show you how I changed. In the late ‘90s we were always using very long lenses, and in the early ‘90s we used wide lenses. Styles come back but reinvented. Just some years ago, maybe 10 years ago, there was a whole fashion with brown; everyone was wearing brown and coffee colours, and it was very mid-century, very ‘70s, but it had its own new twist. We don’t go and repeat it, but we take its essence and we do something new with it. So, yeah, in all the arts, in play writing, in novels, particularly in clothing, fashion and interior design – like the whole mid-century revival, the whole Scandinavian thing in furniture design – it’s all a revival but in a new way. You might have been 10 years old in the ‘70s, but now you’re an adult, and you’re designing stuff and you see it with new eyes, so it’s going be an allusion. Which is what I think Len and Company was; I think it was an allusion to the ‘70s but with a contemporary aesthetic.

Canadian Cinematographer - March 2016 •

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An Innovative Approach to Shooting a Thriller

Dead Rush

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4 1. David Michael Moote plays the main character and operated the POV helmet rig for the majority of Dead Rush. 2. The Odessey 7Q+ monitor/4k recorder was critical to Zach and I for framing up the shot. 3. Director Zach Ramelan takes the first POV rig out for a spin. 4. Actor David Michael Moote goes into the ring wearing the POV helmet rig. 5. The POV helmet rig consisted of over 60 individual parts and pieces.

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Images courtesy of Karl Janisse and Flo Giroud.

t was on the set of our first feature together (Late Night Double Feature) that director Zach Ramelan informed me he had received the green light for the feature film Dead Rush, which was a very exciting and frightening notion for both of us. At our next meeting we set out to understand the gravity of our task at hand – we were about to embark on making one of the only entirely POV (point of view) feature films shot in Canada. On top of that, we had a very independent budget to work off of. The majority of the film was to take place visually from the perspective of David (David Michael Moote), as we followed his journey before, during and after the outbreak of an infection that transformed people around the world into the undead.

We began rounds of camera testing in January of 2015. Different camera and lens combinations were tested for quality, colour science, size and weight, and

finally, what combination had the best look and feel to capture the perspective of our main character so that our audience could feel as though they were seeing the world as he did. We eventually felt that the look of the Sony A7s, recording to an Odyssey 7Q+ recorder in 4K ProRes 422HQ, captured in the S-Log2 colour profile suited the film best. The Sony A7s’s native ISO in the LOG colour profile is 3200, but I rated

the sensor at 1600 to retain more information in my shadows, as a lot of the film’s scenes were either dark interiors or night/dusk exteriors. The very high native ASA of this camera allowed me to work with a lot of available light in our locations, as our limited budget

By KARL JANISSE, Associate CSC

didn’t allow for the package truck that I would’ve required for a camera that rates at 500 or 800 ASA. The A7s captured 90 per cent of the film. The first scene – which takes place from the perspective of a young child – was shot with a RED SCARLET camera, which I operated, handheld around our actress.

I used only two zoom lenses for the entire film – the Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 and the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8. The fact that they were photo lenses versus cine lenses meant that they were lighter and therefore more manageable on a POV helmet rig. Dead Rush was shot entirely with the A7s in its APS-C crop sensor mode to get as close to a traditional S35 mm sensor size as possible, plus APS-C lenses are traditionally smaller and faster than full-frame lenses – allowing me once again to keep weight down.

My reason for going with a larger s35-sized camera rather than, say, a GoPro, which many have used in the past for filming things from the first-person perspective, was that to Zach and I, life does not have just one focal length size. Our perception of the information that is given by our eyes constantly changes based on our mental focus and awareness, our comfort level within our surroundings and our current emotional state. Taking that into mind, I decided it would be best to have lens options ranging from 11 to 35 mm to truly capture what it is

like to experience things from David’s perspective. Usually if David was entering a new space I would choose something wider, between 12 and 14 mm, because our brain is very receptive to the flood of new information provided by our eyes in any new and unexplored space. When it came to shooting conversations, they would take place between an 18-28 mm lens, and the tighter the lens, the more David is paying close attention to the person/people he is interacting with.

When it came time to build the rig, I experimented with multiple platforms before settling on using a motorcycle helmet as the base. From there I carved out crevices and drilled mounting points to attach all of the hardware that would make this rig functional. The camera itself was secured via a quick release system to the front of the helmet just below the jaw, using pieces of the Matthew’s micro grip kit (supplied by studio m) for the flexibility to re-position the camera if need be.

The A7s (provided by local cinematographer Matt Marek) itself was then anchored above where the visor would sit to prevent the diving-board effect we were getting while just securing to the jaw. From there I ran an HDMI cable through the helmet to deliver the 4K image to our Odyssey 7Q+ recorder (provided by Good Dog Digital) on the back of the rig. It was then piped back out to a wireless video transmitter embedded in the top of the helmet for remote viewing. I then attached the receiver for our wireless follow focus system (provided by 2D House) to the right side of the helmet. And then a Vlock battery system to the back, which kept everything powered. The final addition was a GoPro Hero3+ camera on a Cine Arm attached to the left side of the rig, which came about because Zach and I thought it would be a unique opportunity to record all of the action taking place literally behind the scenes for a behind-the-scenes featurette to be released in conjunction with the film to Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016 •

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The A7s’ low-light capabilities proved incredibly helpful for capturing the darker scenes in Dead Rush.

give people some insight into the making of Dead Rush.

When finally completed, the POV helmet rig weighed in at 14.2lbs, which had Zach and I very worried for the comfort and wellbeing of our lead actor David Michael Moote, who would be piloting it. Zach and I discussed the option of having rotating operators to bear the physical burden, but after David met with us and tried on the rig, he was very comfortable with the feeling of operating it. He told us he wanted to take on the whole film himself, as both actor and camera operator. His level of dedication to stay true to the vision of capturing everything from his perspective is extremely admirable.

20 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016

That being said, we were sure to always keep his safety as the highest priority. I worked with David on a daily basis on adjusting the rig to ensure that it was suiting his needs both as an actor and as my camera operator.

The actual production of Dead Rush was probably the most unique experience of my career thus far. Every single day, every single scene required not only me, but also every department head to step away from what they knew about traditional filmmaking and embrace things from a new perspective.

Every scene required meticulous rehearsal until everyone got their beats perfected, and then we put the POV rig on David and ran a few more for the

camera to ensure we were capturing everything we needed. Because we only got one angle for each scene, we had to make sure it caught what we needed.

There would be no saving of scenes in the editing room. What we got was what we had.

Though the majority of the film was operated by David himself wearing the POV helmet rig, some scenes I had to remove the camera and operate it handheld in order to catch David’s reflection in a mirror or window. The entire first scene, which is filmed from the perspective of a 10-year-old girl, was shot on a RED SCARLET to give her view of the world a more traditionally cinematic look than the very real, almost documentary look of the Sony A7s.

This was a huge hurdle to overcome, as our lovely actress (Amy Lea) surely couldn’t wear the same rig as a fullygrown adult. I ended up operating her scenes handheld and just orchestrated the moments when her hands or feet would have to enter the frame. There were a few scenes that Zach had told me he wanted to have a dreamier feel, as though David was having an outof-body experience. For these scenes I used the A7s setup on a 3-axis gimbal for a very smooth, floating feel.

Lighting-wise, from day one, Zach and I settled on the fact that Dead Rush should have a very diverse colour palette. We drew references from films like I Saw the Devil, video games like the Fallout series, and even from our favorite comic books. With all of that in mind, I used a lot of colour contrast in my lighting for all of the interior scenes.

The key and fill lights would fall on contrasting sides of the colour spectrum.

Taking inspiration from our video game references, I would light entrances or exits, as well as any objects that were of importance to the scene. In addition to the lighting and grip package supplied

by Ontario Camera, I had the opportunity to test out the BriteShot Luminator RGBAW LED (provided by BriteShot’s Wendy Cavacas), which instantly be-

came an amazing tool in my arsenal for adding an extra flare to any scene. The BriteShot has 17 different preset effects that you can further tweak with the lamp’s control panel. The combination of the high sensitivity of the Sony A7s and the almost 3000w equivalent power of the BriteShot meant that we could really capitalize on some of the effects, such as police lights, party strobe and even lightning strikes.

One particularly favorite scene of

“

The production of Dead Rush was probably the most unique experience of my career thus far.

mine is in the third act of the film, when David dines with his fellow survivors for the first time. My key light source was the fluorescent fixture hanging above the table in the set, gelled with Rosco 07, which gave us a sickly yellow glow to the scene. My gaffer, Diego Guijarro Alvarez [winner of the 2016 CSC Student Cinematography Award], then suggested we add a blue splash using a Kino car kit inside a control panel in the back of the room, and a 300w ARRI Fresnel at the base of a 12’ cross the art department made to give the whole room an unnerving feeling.

Zach and I worked very closely with stunt coordinator Justin Moses to craft all of the action scenes to ensure the safety of David, who was always being spotted by my dedicated camera assistant Katy Lukianiuk while he was wearing the rig. Justin was pivotal in helping build all of the stunt sequences around the fact that we were capturing things from the perspective of our lead actor.

Lighting this film in general was quite an undertaking, not only because of our limited amount of time and gear, but because we saw all four corners of

each room in almost every scene. This forced Diego and I to get very creative with where we placed our lighting.

Our fixtures always had to go below or above the line of sight or be built into the set pieces themselves. This also posed a challenge for Zach and me to actually see the action that was taking place. To solve this, we used a wireless video system to a handheld director’s monitor and ducked and dodged through the set to avoid the lens while still observing the scene. I wirelessly pulled my own focus for the whole film. I wanted the ability to shift the focus of David’s “eyes” to complete the visage that everything was being captured from David’s perspective.

One scene in the film actually takes place from the perspective of one of the infected. I imagined the process of becoming one of the infected would involve the person going colour-blind and then having the photoreceptors in their eyes becoming sensitive to the infrared spectrum of light waves. I wanted to establish that our character’s visible colour spectrum had shifted up the wavelength scale to between 650-1000nm, rather than the average human that can see light between 390700nm. My colourist, Luke Bellissimo, took some photographic references I gave him, shot on special infrared-only sensors, and was able to manipulate the “regular” digital negative to give me the exact look I was going for. We also implemented tracking faint vignettes to subtly lead the eye of the viewer to where David’s focus was. This was achieved using the robust tracking software in the DaVinci Resolve colour suite.

Principal photography wrapped after a total of 17 days on location in Kitchener, Ont. The film had its world premiere at the Canadian Film Fest on March 31 where it took home the Audience Choice Award for best Feature Film. Dead Rush is slated for release on DVD in the United Kingdom this June through Signature Entertainment.

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| MISSISSAUGA | OTTAWA TORONTO Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016 • CALGARY | EDMONTON

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TECH COLUMN

Pushes Focus Pulling To Different Level

W

Credit: Courtesy of Andra

hen we last checked in with Cinema Control Laboratories in Halifax a couple of years ago, they were well into the advanced beta testing of their Andra Motion Focus System. It is revolutionary in that it uses magnetic sensors to focus lenses. It doesn’t need line of sight, and it relentlessly and accurately tracks random movement within a set of parameters about 20 by 20 feet. So, no, it won’t do car chases. Yet. But consider this: no marks, no retakes, no resetting up the camera for the next movement segment. Just set up, calibrate and roll.

Andra does the heavy lifting, right down to a tolerance of 5 mm on a long

lens about 1 mm in macro. The Andra is a full-featured proprietary FI+Z system which replaces the existing system, but it’s not compatible with other systems.

Since then they’ve been buoyed and frustrated – such is the nature of a startup with new technology, says cofounder Sam Fisher, a London Film School grad who’d been in the film industry there before moving to Canada some 20 years ago.

The Andra system uses a servo to pull the focus ring, which is either controlled automatically or manually, driven by the system which is keyed to

22 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016

sensors hidden on the actors or in an object. The system is calibrated during the scene setup to set a focus point relative to the sensor. So if the sensor is behind a lapel and the eye is the focal point, the data is configured according to the “offset,” as it’s known.

While the system seemed to be getting up and running in beta with good results, there was a strong demand for a standalone controller other than the iPad, which was originally conceived as the point of interface. Enter the Arc, a proprietary hand unit with a touch screen and more range and the capacity to sequence between calibrated focal points at the click of a button or twist of a dial.

“The beta period went longer than we anticipated,” says Fisher.

“We learned then how important it was to have a hand unit for highend users. So we went back to the drawing board and redesigned it.

The challenge with Arc was to find a way to seamlessly blend auto and manual control, drifting from one to the other to allow for more creative control.

“We had a lot of focus pullers coming to us saying they’re getting really extreme requests for stuff that’s really practically impossible, and so this is the solution.”

As Fisher admits, the race is to get the technology into the field and into the hands of camera crews and DPs to get them used to their system and get that loyalty locked up. There are other autofocus systems, of course, some using lasers, others using facial recognition, but they require line of sight and have their own idiosyncrasies. Shooting wide open with a long lens is always a challenge, and if the eye is the focal point, then pointing a laser isn’t optimum.

Redrock Micro made a splash at NAB

2015 with its follow focus system, Halo, which is based on LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), developed for the geomapping and surveying sector.

At NAB 2016 Red Rock rolled out it’s Micro Eclipse System, an ecosystem of products designed to work together, including Halo. Andra was expected to announce a new development but it never surfaced.

Since the beta run back in 2014, the Andra system has shrunk to be sleeker and more compact both in sensor form, and the receiver and the algorithms have been tweaked. Andra has been shipped to two TV shows, one in Toronto and the other in Europe, though Fisher was coy when asked to name them.

“We’ve spent the last year making sure it works as expected when someone pushes a button,” he said. “It’s one thing for us to understand how it works in the lab, but we have to make sure users understand it. We’re also looking more to get into broadcast, where they use a lot of long lenses.”

Part of the challenge in TV is that a shot may start as a macro with a 100 mm lens and the pull back. Keeping the focus steady through that shot is a challenge. Andra, he said, can solve it: “You’d need a rubber wrist for some of those pulls.”

Sports may also be on the horizon, with Fisher mulling fast-paced games like basketball as candidates.

Meanwhile, there are some other projects in the lab: “We want to be known as an R&D company and we’re working on a time code box now and some other things,” he said.

Ian Harvey is a Toronto-based journalist who writes for a variety of publications and covers the technology sector. He welcomes feedback and eagerly solicits ideas at ian@pitbullmedia.ca

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Panavison, RED, Arri power cables/run cables. + brackets/ various lens gears/marking discs.

ASKING $9,000 for more info and a detailed spec list please contact: Greg Biskup (647) 405-8644, greg@ biskupcine.com Canon Wide angle Lens J11A X 4.5 B4 IRSD and Canon Servo Zoom Control ZSD-300 Value 27 000$ Asking only 3 000$ Elmo Suv-Cam SD ELSC5C and accessories New Value 1 200$ Asking only 100$, Anton Bauer UltraLight & Ul Soft Box Asking only 150$, Frezzi HMI Sun Gun & Frezzi Soft Box Value 1 700$ Asking only 400$, Porta Brace Rain Slicker for Pro Camcorder RS-55 like New Asking only 150$, Script Boy Wireless T.C. System needs minor repair Asking only 100$, Shure Mixer FP33 & Porta Brace audio mixer case Asking only 450$, Sony Monitor SD PVM-14N1U new Asking only 50$, 2 Camera Canon Dig Rebel 10Mp XTi, Sigma 70-300 F4-5.6 Super C-AF, 4 Canon Batteries and accessories Asking only 550$, Porta Brace monitor Case for Panasonic BT-LH910 like new Asking only 100$ andrepaul@me.com or call 514 831-8347 Panasonic AJ-HDX900P 290 drum hours, $7500.00 Canon KJ16ex7.7B IRSE lens, $5000.00 CanonJ11ex4.5B4 WRSD lens, $4500.00 Call Ian 416-725-5349 or idscott@rogers.com Asahi Pentax spotmeter(just serviced) 425.00 Minolta Colormeter III F 750.00 Spectra Professional IV 250.00 Spectra Professional IV A 300.00 Minolta SpotmeterF(need repair) 100.00 Bernard Couture: p.bc@sympatico.ca; 514-486-2749

Professional U/W housing from renowned world leader Amphibico.2006 Sony HVR-A1U camera with 0.7x wide adapter and all accesories.

2006 AmphibicoEVO-Pro housing with .55x wide conversion and flat port. Rare model built in small quantity.

Most camera functions accessible.About 60-70 dives.

Complete overhaul and pressure tested by factory in 2010.

3.5’’ LCD Monitor, rebuilt in 2010. 2 compact Discovery 10W HID lamps by Amphibico with batteries and chargers.

Spare o-ring for all. Soft and hard carry cases. All in good condition.

E-mail or call for photos and more information.

514-941-2555, daniel@dvdp.ca Transvideo Titan HD Transmitter and Re¬ceiver kits. $3000ea. 2 for $5500. Similar in style and operation to the Boxx Meridian. 1- Angenieux 25-250 T3.9 Arri PL mount, std film gears on focus, zoom, and iris (32 pitch-mod 0.8), lens support and collar, shipping case included $2900 1Tamron 300mm F2.8 Arri bayonet mount with PL adapter, std film gear on focus (32 pitch-mod 0.8), 42mm filters: clear, 2 x 85, shipping case included $900 Contact: stephen.reizes@gmail.com Panasonic 3D Professional Full HD Video Camera (AG-3DA1) The AG-3DA1 is the world’s first professional, fullyintegrated Full HD 3D camcorder that records to SD card media. The AG-3DA1 will democratize 3D production by giving professional videographers a more affordable, flexible, reliable and easier-to-use tool for capturing immersive content as well as providing a training tool for educators.

At less than 6.6 pounds, the AG-3DA1 is equipped with dual lenses and two full 1920 x 1080 2.07 megapixel 3-MOS imagers to record 1080/60i, 50i, 30p, 25p and 24p (native) and 720/60p and 50p in AVCHD. Camera is very new. Includes Kata Carrying case, 4 batteries.

Asking price: $17,500 (includes tax).

Will ship out of province.

To view photos/questions email frank@tgtvinc.com or call 416-916-9010.

Proline 17 inch Teleprompter Included is both PC AND Mac versions for our industry leading Flip-Q teleprompter software. Flip-Q automatically “Flips” the secondary output on your laptop so both the operator and talent will see perfect reading left-right text. The ProLine 17 standard LCD panels are the lightest weight, lowest profile designs in their class. In addition, they offer both VGA and composite video inputs adaptable with any computer output or application. They also offer flexible power options including 100-240V AC or external 12v DC input. Price includes Tripod attachments and Pelican carrying case.

Complete tool-less set-up.

Asking Price: $2,000 (includes tax) To view photos/questions email frank@tgtvinc.com or call 416-916-9010.

Sony PMW-F3 with S-log firmware. Low hours, Excellent condition. Kaiser top handle, 32GB high rate card. $3500.00. Gemini 4:4:4 Solid State recorder now PRORes capable, with eSata and Thunderbolt readers, lots of accessories, case, 512GB and 3x 256GB solid state drives/ cards. Excellent condition. $3000.00 IBE-Optics HDx35 PL to B4 adapter comes with power cable and soft case. Used on F3 and Alexa for superb results. $3000.00. Willing to sell everything as a complete package for $8500.00 Available for everything. Contact John Banovich 604-726-5646 or JohnBanovich@gmail.com Nikkor AF-S VR 500mm F 4 IS ED Lens. Super rare and very hard to find!!! Serial # 204153 Perfect condition.

Not a scratch on it!!! Only one year old. Included Hard

Shell Case, Lens Hood, Lens Strap, Case strap. Come with Manfrotto Carbon Fiber tripod, Jobu head and Jobu Mounting Bracket. Asking price $9000.00 gandalf-merlyn@shaw.ca, 604.566.2235 (Residence), 604.889.9515 (Mobile) Panasonic BT-S950P 16:9 / 4:3 SD Field Monitor for Sale (Excellent Condition) - $100.Portabrace included Please contact Christian at (416) 459-4895 or email cbielz@gmail.com SERVICES DRONEBOY - We provide safe, reliable and spectacular drone-based aerial cinematography throughout Canada.

We have Transport Canada SFOCs in place for all regions, and a large fleet of set-ready drones, and experienced crews for all your camera flying needs. We are flying everything from the new Sony A7S2 to Red Dragon and the new Arri Mini. www.DroneBoy.com | 1-866-783-7871 20% Off to all CSC members! Looking for a Green Screen Studio? Greensuite209 is owned and operated by a CSC member, and is now offering 20% off our regular studio and equipment rental rates for all CSC members! We are a 1750 sq. ft. green screen studio in South Etobicoke just south of William F Whites. We have a 11’ X 29’ X 14’ Digicomp sloping green screen.

Check us out online at www.gs209.com and contact us for any further information! email: Booking@ GS209.com.

HD Source is well-known and respected for their excellent SERVICE department and truly skilled technicians. As an Authorized Sony Service Depot, HD Source professionally maintains, repairs, and performs crucial upgrades to a wide range of equipment, including HD and 4K. HD Source also proudly services Canon Cinema EOS products and Canon Broadcast lenses, and boasts an on-staff Canon-trained and experienced Lens Technician. HD Source understands how important each piece of equipment is, and will get it operating and back to you as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible.

Call Alnoor at 905-890-6905, email him at alnoor. remtulla@hdsource.ca, or drop by HD Source anytime at 1670 Enterprise Rd. (Dixie & 401).

HILL’S VIDEO PRODUCTIONS – BURLINGTON Looking for a unique shooting control room? Rent our 32 ft.

1981 Bus complete with control room and audio.

HDSDI fiber boxes for long runs. Great for keeping warm on those multi camera shoots. www.hillsvideo.com Rob Hill – 905.335.1146 Do you travel between Toronto and Hamilton for production every day? Need a place to: screen dailies, host your production office that’s close to both? Hill’s Production Services www.hillsvideo.com. We are a full Service Production Company with cameras and edit bays for making EPKs. Some grip gear, if you find yourself in the field, short of one or two items. Hill’s also has office space and a mobile screening room. Located just off the QEW in Burlington.Check us out 905-335-1146 Ask for Rob Hill.

CAMERA CLASSIFIED IS A FREE SERVICE PROVIDED FOR CSC MEMBERS. For all others, there is a one-time $25 (plus GST) insertion fee. Your ad will appear here and on the CSC’s website, www.csc.ca. If you have items you would like to buy, sell or rent, please email your information to editor@csc.ca.

Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016 •

23

CLASSIFIEDS

EQUIPMENT WANTED

PRODUCTION NOTES

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (series); DP Bernard Couture csc; to August 10, Vancouver AFTER CAMELOT (miniseries); DP David Moxness csc, asc; to June 29, Toronto ART OF MORE II(series); DP Pierre Jodoin csc; Camera Operator Alfonso Maiorana; to August 19, Montreal BEYOND (series); DP Stephen McNutt csc, asc; B Camera Operator/2nd Unit DP Brian Whittred csc; to July 14, Vancouver BLOOD AND WATER (series); DP Fraser Brown; to June 2, Toronto BON COP BAD COP II (feature); DP Ronald Plante csc; to July 27, Montreal DEAD OF SUMMER (series); David Moxness csc, asc; to August 4, Burnaby DEGRASSI: NEXT CLASS (series); DP Mitchell Ness csc; to August 11, Toronto DISTRICT 31 (series); DP Marc Gadoury csc; to March 2017, Montreal DOWNSIZING (feature); B Camera Operator & Second Unit DP François Dagenais csc; to July 12, Toronto THE EXPANSE II (series); DP Jeremy Benning csc; to September 19, Toronto EYE ON JULIET (feature); DP Christophe Collette csc; 1st Assistant Jacques Bernier; to July 27, Montreal EYEWITNESS (series); DP David Greene csc; to August 8, Parry Sound FLOYD (series); DP Michael Balfry csc; to June 1 HATERS BACK OFF (series); DP Michael Balfry csc; to June 1, Vancouver HEARTLAND X (series); DP Jarrett Craig; to December 5, Calgary IMPASTOR II (series); DP Neil Cervin csc; B Camera Operator Pieter Stathis csc; to June 10, North Vancouver INCORPORATED (series); DP Luc Montpellier csc; to September 23, Toronto LES PAYS D’EN HAUT II (series); DP Jérôme Sabourin csc; to August 18, Montreal

ACCEPTANCES / AWARDS / NOMINATIONS Ilias Adamis gsc, associate csc and Debora Vrizzi (Cinematographer) L’ultima Spiaggia/The Last Resort (documentary) Official Selection for Special Screening at Festival de Cannes, May 2016 Vince Arvidson csc, (DP) Aim for the Roses (feature documentary) screening at Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival, Toronto, May 2016; opening night Gala film at Doxa, Documentary Film Festival, Vancouver, May 2016; (Cinematography with Shaun Lawless & Nathan Boey) Scout & the Gumboot Kids “Case of the Upside Down Smile”, (series) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Youth or Children’s Program or Series, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC, May 28, 2016 Stirling Bancroft csc, (DP) Deuteronomy 24:16 (dramatic short) and Run (short) both nominated for Best Cinematography in a Short Drama, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC, June 4, 2016; (DP) She Who Must Burn, (feature) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC June 5, 2016 Amy Belling, associate csc (DP) Uulx: The Scratcher (short) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Short Drama, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC, June 4, 2016 Nicolas Bolduc csc (DP) Two Lovers and a Bear (feature) Fortnight selection at Festival de Cannes, May 2016 Devon Burns, associate csc (DP) The Butterfly Child won Best Sports Feature segment, Canadian Screen Awards; (DP) Women’s World Cup Open won Best Sports Opening/Tease, Canadian Screen Awards; The Defektor won Best Sports Program or Series, Canadian Screen Awards; (DP) Favela United nominated Best Sports Feature Segment, Canadian Screen Awards, March 2016 Daniel Carruthers, associate csc (DP) The Devout (feature) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC June 5, 2016 Steve Cosens csc, (DP) Mean Dreams (feature) Fortnight selection at Festival de Cannes, May 2016 Micha Dahan csc/Robin Miller csc, (co DPs) Blur (feature), won Best Film Noir Feature at the Manhattan Film Festival, NY, April 2016

CALENDAR OF EVENTS JUNE 25-26, Banff Media World Festival, banffmediafestival.com AUGUST 6-7, CSC Lighting Workshop, csc.ca 25-September 5, Montreal World Film Festival, ffm-montreal.org 27-28, CSC Lighting for Tabletop Workshop, Toronto, csc.ca SEPTEMBER 8-18, Toronto International Film Festival, tiff.net

LETTERKENNY II (series); DP Jim Westenbrink csc; to June 22, Sudbury MICHAEL: TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS II (series); DP Douglas Koch csc; Data Management Technician Marc Forand; to June 27, Ottawa MOHAWK GIRLS IV (series); DP Robert Mattigetz csc; to July 15, Montreal MURDOCH MYSTERIES X (series); DP James E. Jeffrey csc & Yuri Yakubiw csc; Camera Operator Brian Gedge; 1st Assistant Kevin Michael Leblanc; to December 2 NIGHT BEFORE HALLOWEEN (feature); DP Daniel Grant csc; to June 16, Hamilton PROJECT MC2 (new media); DP Vincent De Paula; to June 16, Maple Ridge REIGN II (series); DP David Makin csc & Michael Storey csc; to November 1, Toronto RUFUS II (series); DP Thomas Harting csc; to July 15, North Vancouver SAVING HOPE V (series); DP David Perrault csc; 1st Assistant (alternating A & B) Pierre Branconnier; to October 31, Mississauga SCHITT’S CREEK III (series); DP Gerald Packer csc; Trainee Sean Marjoram; to June 23, Etobicoke SHUT EYE (series); DP Pierre Gill csc; Camera Operator Ian Seabrook csc; to August 12, Surrey SUITS VI (series); Camera Operator/Steadicam Michael Soos; B Camera Operator Peter Sweeney; to November 16, Toronto TERRIFIC TRUCKS SAVE CHRISTMAS (TV movie); DP Ben Lichty; to June 9, Toronto TIN STAR (series); DP Paul Sarossy csc, asc, bsc; to December 9, Calgary VAN HELSING (series); DP Brendan Uegama csc; to June 27, Vancouver WOODY WOODPECKER (feature); B Camera Operator Pieter Stathis csc; to July 27, North Vancouver Z (feature); DP Boris Mojsovski csc; to June 24, Ottawa ZOO II (series); DP Craig Wrobleski csc; to July 13, North Vancouver

Thomas M. Harting csc (DP) Splitting Adam (series) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Youth or Children’s Program or Series, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC, May 28, 2016 Samy Inayeh csc (DP) Borealis (feature) to open the Brooklyn Film Festival, New York, June 3, 2016 Karl Janisse, associate csc (DP) Protection (short) accepted at Ozark Shorts, Lamar, MI, May 2016; Next Stop, accepted at Dances with Films, Los Angeles, CA, June 2016 Jan Kiesser csc, asc (DP) Numb (feature) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC June 5, 2016 Matthew MacDonald, associate csc (DP) A Building of Destiny, Province House National Historic Site,(docudrama) Winner of the 2015 Silver Award of Excellence from Interpretation Canada for work in historical interpretation. May 2016 Douglas Munro csc, (DP) The Caravan Film (feature documentary), won Special Jury Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a documentary feature at Arizona International Film Festival, Tucson, AZ, May 1, 2016; nominated for Best Cinematography in a Documentary Film & Best Feature Documentary, Madrid International Film Festival, Spain, May 2016.

Brad Rushing csc (DP) Pony (short), won Platinum Remi for Best Dramatic Original Short at WorldFest Houston International Film & Video Festival; April 2016; nominated for Best Long Short at Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, April 2016 Graham Talbot, associate csc & Nelson Talbot associate csc (DPs) Medic (short) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Short Drama, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC, June 4, 2016 Ian Toews csc (DP/Director/Producer) Bugs on the Menu (feature documentary), accepted at Northwestfest, Edmonton, AB, May 2016 Brendan Uegama csc (DP) The Romeo Section “A String of Pearls” (series) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC June 5, 2016 Michael Wale csc (DP) IZombie “Zombie Bro” (series) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC June 5, 2016 Peter Woeste csc (DP) The Birdwatcher (feature) nominated for Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture, Leo Awards, Vancouver, BC June 5, 2016

President from page 2 wisdom of his father’s advice: “Do something you love and it will come easy.”

Barrett acknowledged this with the simple observation, “You were so right.”

This really resonated with me because I have always believed, and still do, that our industry is driven by and is synonymous with that word “passion.” Our business is not one of mechanics, especially regarding focus pulling, for I see focus pulling as an art, which is why I agree with Barrett’s philosophy. When we consider the latest (digital) technologies, focus pulling has never been a more critical issue than in filmmaking today.

However, I hasten to add that while each crew member’s expertise may be recognized individually, teamwork is, in my opinion, by far the most important aspect as it relates to a camera crew.

And so with respect to Barrett and his father, I will take the liberty of repeating those very inspirational words, “Do something you love and it will come easy.” Good shooting.

24 • Canadian Cinematographer - June 2016

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Phantom 4 Freedom Introducing the Phantom 4 – the smartest flying camera drone from DJI. With access to 24 satellites plus advanced vision positioning systems, the Phantom 4 delivers unparalleled flight accuracy.

that subject wherever it goes. And don’t worry about hitting anything! Twin front-facing optical sensors see obstacles, so if there’s something in the drone’s way, it will stop or fly around it, all on its own.

The Phantom 4 also delivers unparalleled control. You can use the Controller on its own, directing the flight path with joysticks. Or, you can take your IOS or android device, attach it to the Controller, and use it as your flight screen to set and initiate various flight modes using taps and gestures. For example, to get the Phantom 4 in the air you simply double tap the screen, then tap in the direction you want to go. With another tap, Smart Return Home brings it back.

It’s so easy and effortless to fly, you almost forget that this magnificent flying machine with is an extraordinary imaging tool. The Phantom 4, with its 3-axis u-frame stabilization system and built-in 4K camera, allows you to create seamless tracking shots and unbelievable aerial footage.

Here’s another fantastic filmmaking feature. The Phantom 4’s Follow-Me mode can easily capture previously impossible shots. By simply tapping on a chosen subject, say a cyclist on a treed path, the Phantom 4 will lock in and visually track

Just imagine! While travelling up to 72 km/h (45mph) you can capture impressive 4K video at 30 fps, full HD 1080p video at up to 120fps for crisp slow motion, and 12 megapixel photos.

You can see the new Phantom 4 – a filmmakers’ new best friend – at Vistek. But hurry, they’re flying off the shelves in a flurry.

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