Erik Anschicks
Forum Replies Created
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Thanks Rick! I agree completely with your assessment as well, ideally you want both. If I wanted a strong daylight source to be more controllable and “paint” with that color temp, or perhaps as a good fill, than a fresnel is the better choice. My regular gaffer has a couple of the older DeSisti 575 fresnels, and their light quality and design is simply beautiful. Would love to have both types in equal abundance but….$$$. Gotta go with the more flexible unit until I can afford both!
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Just saw this thread and would like to revive it to a degree, it is interesting!
To try and answer Todd’s question, I like both fresnels and Pars, but for the way I use them, I prefer Pars for the higher output. I agree that swapping the lenses can be a pain, but I use my 1200 LTM’s mainly in two circumstances: To get enough raw firepower to diffuse in various ways for a super-soft keylight and to create blazing hot “sunlight” effects that don’t necessarily have to be precisely controlled. Also, while you don’t get exactly the same spot/flood performance, you can always get a fresnel lens to put on a Par light to regain some degree of the control…but you can’t really safely do the reverse to get more output from a fresnel. Bottom line is that both have their applications, but for my aesthetic and since I can’t easily afford to have both types in equal number, I go with the higher output for more flexibility and flag where necessary. However, while we’re on the topic of daylight-balanced fresnels…..
I LOVE my Zylight f8 fresnel LED. It is quite pricey to be sure, but less than it’s small HMI lux equivalent and it can do so much more with less accessories. It has a true, honest-to-goodness 8″ glass fresnel that spots and floods via a bellows-type operation, which allows it to retract to about 4″, making it highly portable. It can be battery-operated and has great color. I’ve never used them, but Mole Richardson makes some LED fresnels that on paper look pretty good too, and they are cheaper (albeit larger with lower CRI) than the Zylight. Hope this can help you out Shannon (and others)!
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Thanks Todd! It’s always interesting to me what some people consider the most important factor. Battery-powered was a factor, but the main one for me was the light intensity, since I’m often fighting daylight/windows and would like to get as bright an option as possible without trotting out my HMI’s.
But the more I let the idea marinate, the more I see your point. I honestly don’t run and gun that much (or at least probably wouldn’t use this for that application a whole lot), but as some fill in darker outdoor settings, to eliminate a long(er) cable run, etc. I see the possibility. I’ve got a ton of V-mount bricks I’ve accumulated over the years, so why not have them run double-duty!
I’d agree that I don’t love the look of LED on people up until this point, that’s why I have waited to drop an investment in one as a keylight. But this kind of phosphor-panel technology looks pretty great, and my previous experience with the Cineo HS has been positive. Right now, I’d say the Area 48 is the leader in the clubhouse as it seems to have everything the LS does and then some, while only being a couple hundred bucks more. The name of the game for me is instruments with versatility, and if I can find something that can be different color temps, take bricks, be very bright AND soft, that’s a winner for me.
Any other views on the matter are of course welcome!
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Yes, lighting garages is always a conundrum, for all the reasons you described! Despite the “novel” of a post, there are still some key questions to answer:
In my opinion, your instinct about HMI’s is correct, and that’s indeed the route I’ve gone when I’ve lit a garage. The question is do you absolutely have to buy, or can you rent? A couple 1200 pars, a 575 and a kino or two would run around $400-500 per day, and unless you’re doing a TON of these projects, that may well be your most cost-effective option.
Lighting-wise, are you going for a more stylized, “filmic” feel or are you content with a somewhat more flat look by simply having enough fill to light up the whole garage?
What type of camera? Some are much better in low-light, for example, than others. Are you locked into anything specific?
How long do you have to set-up and shoot each of these? Power concerns?
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Larry-
If I’ve understood your question correctly, the solution is fairly simple. Todd’s advice to mount the diffusion to the light will certainly work, here is one more option though-
Get a cardellini or a mafer (super) clamp with the 5/8 baby pin and clamp it onto the stand itself, then simply mount the grip head to the spud. Then you can attach the arm and whatever frame of diffusion or flag you want. Here’s a photo example, I have used a cardellini (actually the Matthews version, the Mathellini) as it’s my preferred clamp. You can get them from anyplace that sells grip gear, such as filmtools.com or BH:
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Good call! Those should do the trick. Good luck!
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Rent a kit. An Arri kit and/or a few kino flos are pretty cheap to rent by the day. Especially if you find yourself needing light for the background or whatever your setting is in addition to the model. Don’t try and make something “kinda” work if the cost to do it right isn’t prohibitively expensive.
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If you do Calumet, I’d suggest using their location in the western suburb of Oak Brook, rather than the ones in Chicago itself. It’s about 25 minutes or so west of the city by car and outside of Cook County. As such, you’ll pay less in sales tax. If it’s just a few things, probably won’t matter, but it can add up quick!
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Being Chicago-based, the answer is “kinda.” Ha!
If you’re looking to just drive into town without prior arrangements or places you’ve put gear on hold (or ordered) like you could at places in LA, then no, you really can’t do that. At least not if you want to have a wide selection of basically any kind of grip gear you want.
You can get SOME grip gear here off the shelf in small quantities from a lot of different places. For instance, Calumet Photo and Dodd Camera carry Matthews gear in-store, though quantities are somewhat limited. But they are both Matthews and (in Dodd’s case) Avenger dealers and I’ll bet you could have them order the gear from Matthews for you and then pick it all up when ready. I had them do that for me once for C-stands. You can usually find sandbags, flags/nets, a handful of stands, and baby/Jr rigging hardware to varying degrees in stores. Anything larger than that, like a taco cart you described, I don’t know of a place to get one new right off the shelf, so to speak.
If you’d asked this question a couple of years ago, Helix Camera would have been my recommendation, as they had a pretty darn good grip selection. However, they sadly closed their doors earlier this year after being in business for God knows how long!
You could also try calling one of the numerous huge rental houses and see if they’ve got any used gear they’d be willing to part with. Good luck!
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I asked myself this question about 8 years ago, and ultimately I moved my way up to DP through the electric department rather than the traditional camera department. I believe I made the right choice!
I would first start by saying however, that either way you should have a strong photographic background. You need a very good understanding of ISO, shutter speeds, lenses and their characteristics, camera accessories and what they do, etc. This can be either still photography and/or motion picture basics. Understanding the core of image capture is paramount no matter what!
One main reason I opted for the electric dept. over camera was that I believe that lighting and logistics are THE indispensable skills that make you truly valuable and well-rounded as a DP. Working as an electric and later as a Gaffer, I was physically accomplishing the DP’s lighting schemes and plans. You learn a LOT by doing this because you get to see precisely what each instrument is doing, why it is there, and the effect it gives. You’ll be introduced to all the toys and qualities of light. You are also forced to deal with many more logistical challenges than you would in the camera dept, such as cable runs, power issues, how much time things actually take, working in tandem with grips and learning those tools too, etc. Because of this, I personally am much more comfortable tackling different types of locations and scenarios as a DP. I use my knowledge to plan what is and is not really feasible given my production/budget/time parameters. I am confident I can handle tiny spaces, huge spaces, mixed lighting, indoor/outdoor and everything in between, and believe me, having confidence (especially early in your career) in this sort of thing is a HUGE asset. I saw many a seasoned DP in my gaffing days walk into a location and have no idea how to attack it.
I also believe that the times matter. In this day and age where a large (or even basic!) lighting/grip crew is pretty much a luxury, you will be much more valuable if you can quickly and accurately ascertain a location or a scene’s visual needs and then execute it. MANY DP jobs, especially those in different forms of TV, documentary, corporate, reality, or commercial, are very minimal in terms of support provided to the DP by way of crew. The less dependent you can be on a large G&E crew, the better off you’ll be. Having someone that is is skilled in camera operation AND lighting and electrical knowledge is a Godsend for many producers.
This isn’t to say that there is no merit in going the traditional camera route. But the other thing is that digital technology has made cameras much more user-friendly and less cumbersome than they used to be. Intimate, technical knowledge of different camera systems and platforms is not as paramount because today’s cameras don’t require extensive film stock tests, loading mags, detailed report sheets, or knowledge of a camera’s moving parts and capabilities. Sure, it’s always nice to have that, but most cameras today have similar basic functions and intuitive design that any good DP can pick up in an afternoon of testing. Camera knowledge that used to be gained almost exclusively by being an AC can now be picked up (at least to a functional degree) with the studying of basic manuals and research. There is no such easy substitute for set lighting and logistical experience.
I’m sure that some might agree or disagree with me, but it all depends on you and what route you want to go. I felt that my aptitudes were best served by the electric dept. and I went that way and haven’t regretted it whatsoever!
