The proffesional look?

[John Kissane]

I am sorry that I chose to title my post “proffesional look” seeing as it has caused so much confusion and hurt feelings. I mearly chose it because as I said modern audiences have tended to associate it with a proffesional, big budget production and the majority of hollywood films seem to choose this look.

to clear things up (I hope)here are some links to stills from actual films. All were made on budgets in the millions $$$ by large teams of consumate proffesionals in the 90’s–so it was likely the directors choice what the film should look like.

https://www.sequined-sensation.me.uk/Middlemarch/XMM018.jpg was taken from the 1997 production of middle march (a costume drama based on a novel by george elliot)
notice the more sedated colors–the impression of white light–this is the look that I have little trouble creating on my own modest camera. obviously there is a tremendous gap between what I can do in a few minutes with limited resources and experiance especially when make up costumes, more complex lightin in other scences, framein ect. are taken into consideration–none the less the look and picture quality (on a tv screen anyways) are comparable.

compare this however to…
https://bztv.typepad.com/moviessquared/images/pride.jpg
-a still from sense & sensibility made in 1995 notice the more vibrant colors the subtle glow ect. This is the look that I do not know how to go about creating

it is even more pronounced in this still from she’s all that
https://www.joeythefilmgeek.com/reviews2/allthat.jpg or in tom hanks Terminal https://images.usatoday.com/travel/_photos/2004/06/18/terminal-hanks-inside.jpg
even in the reletively simple lighting strategies of the modern comedy you can see a distinct diference in the look when compared to films maybe 15 years older or some contemporary big budget films and many low budget productions.

I realize I may have bruised some egos by listing a few low budget films that nonetheless achieved this look but it was meant to illustrate my point that I wasnt nessesarily looking for the acme of skill–just a trick that seems to be present in even poorly done proffesional productions. Ishatar has this look despite the comments made about it in this forum–as does the local evening news to some extent.

Personally I dont prefer this look-whatever you call it–but as I said this is what audiences expect to see.

Any specific suggestions? (yes I know the answer invoves lighting, camera’s, lens’s color correction, and experiance but to be helpfull I need just a little bit more info than that)

[Evrard Blom]

Ken Zukin said: “Cinematography is a craft, and it takes years to develop the skillset necessary to do the job”.

This is true, but its a pity it is still so. I was hoping that the sum of all these knowledges some craftmen have accumulated over the year could be rendered one day as simple tools for mister everybody to exploit easily.

20 years ago you needed to type complex codes to just start a program in a computer or to get it make a simple calculations. Computer was reserved exclusively for those who learned in years. Today, thanks to windows and other conviviality-oriented tools computing is at the level of anyone even my grandmother can use one to send me emails and manage her banking. Everything is just a matter of clicking. Thank god someone invented the mouse. Good thing people like Bill Gates came in the game, or we would still be under the reign of nerdz who would keep the mystification. Just visit some of these forums, specially the open-source philosophers, you would end-up beleiving one day you would never know anything.

Someone has to do something one day so that filmmaking quits being a thing for the craftmen only. First step in that would be to get the craftsmen speak plain english so everybody can understand. What does it profit this boom of new technologies that mushroom out here and there everyday if it is not usable by any pretender? I thought today only creativity would be the limit, but unfortunatly it’s still all technicality.

Those who invented the microwave have helped many people finally cook food to eat, this is the essential. Or we would all be forced to suscribe to the next MacDonal to get some food fast. How many people are now able to do egg rolls that thought only chineses masters could years ago?

When shall tools be available so people could make films without “years of learning”?

In medecine everyone is now able to know the basics of headache reliefs…without consulting a doctor. Medecine has done much to come close to the large public. Why not filmaking? Sure we are not expecting the next door neighbor to make heart surgery.

Let’s all work to bring knowledge to the simple but not mystify them. Imagine the dream of filmaking becoming as trivial as running a computer today 🙂