Rick Wise
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COW Coin
Forum Replies Created
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Shadows and reflections can cause problems. If the object is sitting on a glass table, then you may have green reflection problems. Perhaps the object can be on some sort of stand that lifts it off the table, and possibly there’s some kind of cloth under the stand as well. After that, make sure that hands/arms don’t cast shadows on the “tablet.” It will help a lot if the green object is the same size as the keyed object and of similar weight.
Your success will depend a lot on the software used to create a key. You might post to one of the forums addressing whatever software your client is using. I see you have posted also on DigiEffects, which is a good idea.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Another terrific post and examples from Todd! In the glory days when motion pictures were shot on film, one of the prep jobs of the assistant cameraperson (AC) was to make sure to find lenses that match perfectly for each camera on the shoot. So all the lenses on all the cameras would respond to light, color, and shadow in the same way. Every shot, provided it was “correctly” exposed, would intercut easily with every other shot, no matter which camera or lens was used. Today, I suspect that while there is still some effort to keep lenses in the same ball park regarding contrast, detail, and color, electronic post manipulation can cure many small ills. Still, all that curing costs a bundle of time which adds up to many bundles of money. Imagine shooting an entire feature with lenses that match as poorly as did Todd’s. In his case, with just a few shots in a :60, not so much of a problem, especially since he knows how to grade well (or has someone with the skills to do that for him.)
His other point in a previous post is important: if your primary lens is 16mm, moving the camera close to the actor for a close-up is going to produce usually unwanted distortion. It’s terrific fun to shoot with a large set of primes, especially after you’ve been shooting long enough to know the field of view of each one at a given distance. The alternative is to shoot with one or more zooms, or, as in Todd’s case, a mixture of the two. In general, primes give you sharper, crisper images and impose discipline on you the shooter. A zoom, on the other hand, gives you a quick solution to field of view: Shot too wide, zoom in a bit. Doing so tends to teach you lazy habits….. However, zooms are usually quicker to set up and so many of us use them (too) often.
Bottom line: yes, change lenses! Do your best to get matching ones. If you can’t, be prepared to spend time in post to make them match.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Terrific idea, Bob. I didn’t find a kerosene version, but did one that uses Coleman gas: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C4ZJ8RU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=8TM5GYYICYX4&coliid=I17YLJ3Z4KTODQ. The “powerhouse” version puts out more light than the much cheaper regular model, it appears.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
A lot depends on the level of ambient light. Missing from your diagrams is the camera(s). I presume there’s one on the 2 journalists, and one left and another right for the candidates. I would think going fully Kino Flo, preferably 4×4 or equivalent for both key and back lights would be your best bet. That way you can cut down light to match the ambient background, if needed. Color temperature is another serious concern. Is the background lit mainly “daylight” or “tungsten”?
The tungsten units could also work, especially with some decent diffusion flown in front of each. You are trying to make everyone look good, and usually soft light works better to that end, much as I love hard.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Todd, I have not yet seen any of these units. Given past performance, I’d put my money on the Moles as the best of the lot. But battery powered they are not…. I have a small hope that the Academy of Art is actually going to invest in a few Fresnel LEDs. I’ll let you know how well they work when I get my hands on them. As for the table-top food photography I do for my wife, that’s all for free, so investing that much dough for a large LED Fresnel not a very good option at the present. For any freelance projects, the producer rents per my specifications. But that line of my work has pretty much gone away. Gee, you’d think they think 80 is too old or something. Bloody ageists!
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Todd, you are correct. My brief review is here: https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/47/860998
As far as I can tell, LED technology is improving rapidly. I’m on the lookout for a good Fresnel unit that has at a minimum the punch of a Mole Junior (2K Fresnel) but balanced for daylight, to use for table-top/food photography. I am definitely tempted by the these:
— The Ikan WS-F350, $1,700
— Mole-​Richa​rdson​​ Juni​orLED 200W 8​” Fres​nel (Day​light​) 8851, $1,816
— Dracast Fresnel 2000 Daylight LED, $1,675The rule of thumb seems to be that 1 watt of LED is roughly equal to the light intensity of 10 watts of tungsten light. So a 200 watt LED would be roughly equal to that Mole Junior. Mole now makes a Senior LED equivalent, and like all their new line of Fresnel LEDs, available in either tungsten or daylight, but not bi-color.
All of these units offer more firepower than you really need these days with video cameras taking clean images at high ISO settings. But table-top photography is special: you often need a deep stop for deep depth of field, and a decent shutter speed to remove any camera shake.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Short answer: it is not the camera that makes a “film look,” it is the mind and eye behind the camera. After that, it’s lighting, camera placement/angles/movements, it’s great acting, great story (script,) it’s great sound, great editing. For now, why not continue with your iPhone?
Your budget allows you to buy a camera body but no lens, though right now there are some pretty good deals. Check out Canon refurbished cameras (https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras). Heck, a Rebel T5i with a kit 18-55mm STM lens could be a great way to start. I found one for my sister for $349 at Canon’s web site (refurbished.) Add an external mic and recorder and you’re still below your one grand limit. (Though I haven’t seen nearly that good a deal for a while. Just keep looking, every day.)
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Can you post any brief samples, or better yet, post to Vimeo and post the links here?
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
I would think your first step is to find your DP. Let her or him advise you on all your camera and light issues. At the same time, find a good sound person and let him or her also advise on those issues. Find the right people. Let them pick the tools within the confines of your budget.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Disagreeing respectfully has zero to do with “kowtowing.” I’m sorry you keep looking for a fight. This forum is not the place for it.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
MFA/BFA Lighting and Camera Instructor Academy of Art University
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com