with Simon Hudson (freelance/Stoney Road Productions)
Ah yes. This is more like it. Now we get the teeth in. Here's my area.
This was an excellent module. Simon was brilliant. Really experienced and knowledgable not just about the camera/lighting/dop but all aspects of film-making.
We learned so much this weekend, I felt. We learned how to load the magazine in a changing bag (of course as it will have to be done on set). Brought me back to my first dark room experiences of trying to get the film from the camera onto the rell and into the developing can. Phew. Sweaty. The film changing bag is much bigger. You put in everything, your magazine, open on the right side, film can. Open film can. put reel onto centre in the magazine. Feed it through. Feel for the right side of the film. Slightly sticky side is the emulsion coated side that takes the pictures. Goes in facing intowards the centre. I think. Then comes out facing out - the way you want it. Then continue in daylight. Easy-peasy!
Get legs set up. Put camera on tripod. Bubble it. Select lens. Put it on. Click magazine onto the back of the camera. Check the gate. Clean the gate, if necessary. Load the magazine. Do one frame. Hear the click. Then run a few secs, just to be sure.
Camera is ready to shoot. Get your eyepiece focus right. Make the picture completely out of focus. Put the safety lines in focus. Lock. Measure to focus. Use the measurement. Use the "Cinematographer's Handbook" to refer to different measures for the different lens.
Wow, there's so much. Then, we did a little bit of theory on aperture, focal length, shot types, crossing the line.
Then, lighting. Just went through the different types. And theory on set up. A bit about color, stock types, colour temp, colour balance, filters for camera and gels for the lights. Looked and felt lots. I cut samples of the gels for myself to remind me.
Then we did a practical session. We implemented a three point lighting set up. Then got out the light meters and we all tried to properly take light readings on at outr centrally positioned subject. We then looked at what all the lights were contributing to the scene. The key, fill and back were switched on and off so all could see what they did separately and in different combos.
Then we set up an actual scene of action with movement of the actor across a room. Coming in a door and going to sit by an open window. We loaded film and set up the camera. Talked with the director about how we'd like to shoot it - gave him options for shooting it. Talked about camera's position. Decided on one place. Actor blocked. Cam Op follows to make sure it looks right. Then measured our focus. Put everyone in their positions: director, cam assistant, sound, clapper/loader, boom op, DoP. When the lights were set up, readings were taken from the subject at all points on the scene. The readings were very uneven. So steps had to be taken to even out the lighting. This is the goal, unless you specifically want otherwise. Lights were moved, filters put on and taken off. More readings. More adjustments. Phew. This all takes ages. And is vitally important to have right. Then we went through the sequence of actions everytime that we will do for every take. It's long! I wrote it down somewhere.
Overall, a very enjoyable and successful weekend. Was very happy with this. To be learning so much just about the camera and using a film camera. O what a thrill. There is no comparison with digital. I can say why you could become addicted to film-making and why digital is only ever second best. Though times, they are a-changing.
