[Richard Herd]

What make and model of color critical monitor do you use?

The complicated thing to explain is the relationship between exposure and IRE–maybe a Cow article?

I use my light meter and “feeling” to get the results I want. The price difference between the monitor and the light meter is drastic.

Contrast ratio is tough to explain to someone who has never used, or seen, a light meter.

Here’s a scenario: INT. POOL ROOM — NIGHT. Two practicals in the room, the pool table light and a bar light across the room. This will mean there’s mighty contrast. The practicals maintained an f/5.6 and the “black” was f/1.4. Frame was exposed at f/2.8. To the eye the black wasn’t really black, but in post I could smooth out the curve (in Apple Color) and have a decent gradient (although not ektachrome).

On the other hand INT. BEDROOM — DAY. No practicals, all the light was from a window. Which was really a window (8 AM) and 1/2 CTB on a 650 with nifty flagging for some interesting shape. Exposed at an f/2.8 but that was also the “black” point. The hot spot on a white wall metered at f/8, and some points on a frame blew out. In post, I could smooth

The shape these two images make on the waveform monitor are drastically different.

[Richard Herd]

Let me admit to being a bit of a philosopher. I have to note the difference between “use” and “know.” Before Luke could “use” the force Mr Kenobi explained the force.

I reckon a light meter is to a photographer as a tape measure is to a carpenter wood worker.

[Richard Herd]

Even with all that equipment, if the contrast ratio cannot be controlled, then it’s basically a waste of money and effort. Hence, my insistence on a light meter.

[Richard Herd]

a light meter too! https://www.sekonic.com/products/Sekonic%20L-398A%20STUDIO%20DELUXE%20III.asp

[Richard Herd]

Been wanting to ask: what medium are you capturing too?

[Richard Herd]

What would happen if you used tiny Christmas tree style “fairy lights” along the back wall, in a nifty pattern, the idea being to let them go soft focus circles of confusion in the background?

[Richard Herd]

Because you have to film out, have you considered shooting film?

At the very least, consider capturing using the SD-HDI link out of the back of your camera.

This particular Cow Mag is amazing! https://magazine.creativecow.net/pdf_issues/COWmag_SeptOct2007_spreads.pdf.zip Every article is important, but check out page 17 by Pete O’ Connell called “Seeing the Light: Film, Your Eyes and Cineon Files” because this will explain in technical detail what problems you need to manage in transferring video (linear scale) to film (logarithmic scale). Hopefully, the one who wins your bid knows how to handle these details.

[Richard Herd]

Slightly off topic, but: Why is the “indie market” so bent on digital acquisition? (Not that you have any inside information), but why not make something like “prosumer” processing and scanning machinery? From a marketing-to-customers and price-point-comparison point of view this hypothetical gadget would cost about the same as a Red One (or whatever package suits your fancy).

Anyway, that’s my rant. Thanks for listening.

[Richard Herd]

Alvaro, your question is a good one, but it’s very general. The best thing I can do for you is point you to this month’s American Cinematographer Magazine (January 2009), which you can buy and download on line, here: https://www.ascmag.com/magazine_dynamic/digital_edition.php On page 80 and following is a detailed article about transferring video to film print. The article is called “FotoKem transfers Still Me.”

On the exposure of night exteriors, your instincts are spot-on about lighting design, but there’s some details you need to be aware of. The first detail to understand is called contrast ratio. I learned the hard way that letting things go completely black in video will limit your ability to grade the picture because when it goes black, no data are captured (hopefully, that is–a small amount of data/light will make a grainy muddy image). The point is you should figure out first what the minimum luminance your camera can tolerate and consider that “video black.” It’ll look bright to the human eye, but will give you marvelous control later on. You might need three lights for exterior night. One big one to pretend it’s the moon. Another big-ish one to light the scene around the area. Another one for getting the faces, (nothing’s worse than hearing an actor complain, “You can’t see me.” 🙂 As you’re staging the scene, and blocking the shot, it’s wise to have your actors know where they’re going, so they can hit their marks, which will coincide with the proper exposure.

Well, that was more than I thought I was going to write.

[Richard Herd]

I ran across the following Web site a while back: https://lurkertech.com/lg/fields/ and it’s helped me figure out all the video gunk. It’s probably also a wise idea to be on the same page as the editor with regard to video codec. In my opinion–though you didn’t really ask, sorry–the deliverable (including format and other details) need to be spelled out in a proper contract, just to avoid confusion, especially since there’s so much “video gunk” to wade through.