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ACS Short Ends E News - February 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | From the PresidentGreetings ACS colleagues, January has been an incredibly busy month, with lots of events and general business appearing to be on the move. To that end this issue is a very full one indeed. So enjoy the read and please let me have your comments and if there's anything specific you'd like us to talk about in future issues, don't hesitate to get in touch with me. Some time ago I was asked, via an interview, for an opinion on gender equality in our industry. I think it relevant that I share my comments with you all on the subject. 1. Why is gender equality important in the screen industry? It's vitally important, but not because it's supposed to be the right thing to do, and it shouldn't become a defining issue. Our industry needs to be constantly stimulated with new thoughts, new ways to do things, to stay motivated and balanced across a broad cross section of the industry. We cannot let past bias influence what we do in these current times or into the future. There is a place for all genders, all philosophies at the table, in order for us to learn and grow together. 2. What is the current state of gender equality in Australia? I actually think it's not too bad. The right people seem to be getting the jobs, what there is of it, no matter what the gender. I work on projects where the camera department particularly, includes both genders in key roles. Admittedly you very rarely see a female Gaffer or Grip, but having said that, I've worked with women in both the Electrics and Grips departments, albeit in an assistants' capacity. 3. Why are some specific occupations (directors, producers, production designer, etc) apparently more attractive to women while others (cinematographers, visual effects, post-production) are not? I don't necessarily think that is the case. Sure, there still exists a stereo typical approach in some fields, but I have to say that each day more women are filling the roles in what has been, in the past a male dominated area. In my field, cinematography there are more women studying and breaking into the field than ever before. This is due in part to the groundbreaking work done by other women here in Australia, Jan Kenny ACS, Mandy Walker ACS, Anna Howard ACS, Velinda Wardell ACS, Leilani Hannah ACS and many more. Incidentally the letters "ACS" after their names indicates they are an Accredited member of the Australian Cinematographers Society, which means they are among the best in their field. 4. What can a) the industry, b) the government, do to promote gender balance in Australia's film/TV? I don't know the ultimate answer, but the industry must continue to encourage women in all ways possible. As for Government
.not too sure about that. It's not so much about gender equality, it's more about what people bring to the table. Women do bring another view, another perspective, in all departments. They challenge you to listen to their opinions and their ideas. We believe that the Society already helps by fostering, educating and encouraging all students, to persevere and not give up the dreams they have to becoming a cinematographer. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject, so please email me at president@austcine.org.au
Hall of FameIt is with great pleasure that I inform you all of the 2012 inductees into the ACS HALL OF FAME. All three are from the Victorian Branch and I offer them my congratulations and thank them for the contribution they have made to the Society and the Australian Film and Television industry: - David Eggby ACS These very worthy recipients, will be presented with their Hall of Fame certificates at the ACS National Awards for Cinematography on Saturday, May 5 at the Manly Pacific Hotel. Using the LettersI've noticed recently that some of our Accredited members are not using the letters ACS correctly. They should be used directly after your name, horizontally, no full stops between letters, all caps and the font size should be the same size as the persons name, or you could for aesthetics decrease the font size of the letters by 2 points. But that is all. eg. John Smith ACS Here endeth the lesson! CongratulationsCongratulations to Brian Breheny ACS for his Screamfest Award, which recognised his wonderful cinematography on Paul China's film "CRAWL". Since completing "Crawl", Brian was in Port Douglas for 3 weeks shooting the title sequence and aerial scenes for "Reef Doctors." After Christmas he started Directing TVCs in South East Queensland. Take a peek at the Crawl trailer on the film's website.
AACTA Awards Luncheon
David Wakeley ACS and I were among around 600 others who were present at the inaugural Samsung AACTA Awards luncheon. On behalf the Society I congratulate all artists and craftspeople who were the recipients of awards at the first of two inaugural Awards events. I also congratulate our very own Don McAlpine ACS ASC, who was the recipient of the AACTA Raymond Longford Award. Don's acceptance speech, with wife Jeanette at his side, was incredibly moving and inspirational. Something we've come to expect from Don, who is a wonderful ambassador for the Australian industry. Don's Acceptance speech is on the ACS web site, it truly is a speech to be read and enjoyed. Congratulations to Robert Humphreys ACS on winning the AACTA Award for Cinematography for "The Hunter". Shot on location in Tasmania, the beautiful images compliment the story and create a visual environment for the actors to work in. Congratulations also to former Queensland ACS member, Ivan Sen who received the Byron Kennedy Award. Ivan told the audience that he has rediscovered his passion for filmmaking, thankfully for us and to the benefit of our industry. The televised Samsung AACTA Awards Ceremony, was held at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 31 January, and the ACS congratulates all the recipients of AACTA Awards. Results are on the ACS web site. Finally, isn't it great to see Ricky Ponting amongst the runs again! Ron Johanson ACS Happenings at the ACS HQ
Welcome to a New Year at the HQ, which has been busy already, hosting exciting events. The Shadowcatchers book signing session by John Seale, Russell Boyd, Dion Beebe and Andrew Lesnie, four of our Academy Award winning cinematographers was very successful. Dean Semler, the remaining member of this exclusive club signed the book last Sunday followed by a very informative screening/Q&A of his latest film "In The Land of Blood and Honey, which was Directed by Angelina Jolie. Pieter de Vries ACS has started the year with one of his cinematography classes and will hold more throughout the year. If you have the opportunity to attend one of these, it's well worthwhile. DoP and ACS member Simon Morris hosted a screening of his upcoming Tropfest entry, in the theatre for the cast and crew. The film was Directed by his brother and was well received by all who attended. We wish them well in the final judging. NSW held their first Thursday night Drop In which well attended by local and Interstate members. It's important to remember that all members are welcome at these NSW evenings and if you are in Sydney, try to attend, as you will be made most welcome. 6.00 pm. on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Put it in your diary, iPhone, iPad etc. There will be many interesting nights this year so check out the ACS National Web site - NSW Branch for information on what's coming up. The ACS in conjunction with the Screen Designers Guild Australia hosted a delegation from Malaysia to discuss ways to further develop a working relationship with us. The very comfortable atmosphere of the HQ made for a very pleasant meeting.
In February the ACS with the Australian Directors Guild will co host The Hong Kong Film Forum. The film they are presenting is "Merry Go Round", directed by Clement Cheng. The DOP is Jason Kwan. Look out for more details later in this e-News. If you are in Sydney and you would like to visit the ACS Headquarters check with David Lewis at; dlewis@cinematographer.net.au. Normally there is always someone in attendance, but check first to avoid disappointment. The Archives continues to grow with the addition of two cameras, a Bell & Howell and a CP16, both in pristine condition, from NSW member Peter Barta. We thank you for your generosity Peter. Anyone who would like to donate gear, of any kind, please contact us. The Library also received a number of books from President, Ron Johanson. Once again, contact us if you think you have some books for the Library. The ACS looks forward to seeing you at the HQ. David Lewis ACS The Shadowcatchers
"The Shadowcatchers" publishing is progressing well, and printing of the book will commence in China at the beginning of February when the printers return from their Chinese New Year's break. Meanwhile, we have brought some specialists into the process in order to ensure that we get the most out of each photograph -- with each photo now being graded individually. In our view, the extra quality we get with this process is well worth the resulting delay of a couple of weeks.
For those who pre-ordered, your copy should be in your hands by mid-April. We have finished the signing sessions by Dean Semler, John Seale, Russell Boyd, Dion Beebe and Andrew Lesnie for the Limited Edition copies. It was a great couple of days and a lot of stories were being bandied around. Ted Rayment interviewed Dean for the next issue of AC Magazine. So look out for that. Sales of the book have been very good, particularly with the Limited Edition. There are still a number left, but because the book is now on sale in Europe via the IMAGO web site, the USA via Film and Digital Times and in the UK through British Cinematographer magazine, if you or your friends want to be sure of securing one of the 250 copies, it would be advisable to place your order very soon. To order, go to www.shadowcatchers.com.au. You will not be disappointed!
As Jon Fauer ASC, Editor/Publisher of Film and Digital Times writes: A very special thanks to all the team at Videocraft, for providing us with a Sony F3 to document the signing sessions. In the Land of Blood and Honey Screening with Dean Semler AM ACS ASC
In the Land of Blood and Honey Screening and Q&A at ACS HQ Sydney, 29th January 2012 Dean Semler generously squeezed time into his Sydney preproduction schedule for Fury Road, to screen one of his latest films, In the Land of Blood and Honey. Forty-five ACS members attended: the FULL HOUSE sign was up! In the Land of Blood and Honey is a small budget film, about $10million, written and directed by Angelina Jolie and produced by Graham King, which tells the story of the siege of Sarajevo in 1993-1995 and the atrocities committed there. The story unfolds through the fraught relationship of two lovers who are caught in the crossfire of a long history of inter-racial violence, revenge and massacre. They meet in a bar in peace time, and their next encounter is in a prison camp - he's a Serbian army captain, holding her - a Muslim - prisoner of war in her own city. The film is tough, unsentimental and compelling. Not a crowd pleaser, especially for those who prefer their endings happy. Angelina's focus was primarily on the performances so Dean had a great deal of licence, to use plenty of shadows and darkness. Originally he wanted to shoot on the Genesis, but it meant taking more gear and people, and so would have slowed down the shooting. So he tested the Fuji Eterna 500, which was then processed locally in Budapest and he was very happy with it. The negative was transferred to HDSR and then to DVD for rushes.
Much of the film is lit primarily with practicals, which give a warmth that contrasts with the horrific events that unfold. With no resources for large night exterior lighting setups, night scenes in the forest and on the hillsides were shot day for night. And all camera movement was done either with a dolly or Steadicam; there was no crane - a cost saving measure. Given the apparent simplicity of the lighting, lensing and choreography, the film almost has a documentary feel at first. This is literally "blown away" when the bar where the lovers are dancing is totally, unexpectedly bombed to smithereens. And so the violence begins. The major lighting challenge was the key location where about 40 scenes are set - a white room with a low white ceiling. It was primarily lit with an 18K outside each window, and soft fill above the camera, plus practicals. The room has a lot of character, despite being all white, largely created by the practicals. The opening scene in an apartment is the only one shot on a stage, and because there was a grid and it was possible to put in a backlight, Dean did. He confided that he regretted that decision, saying he believed it would have been a better scene if it was lit through the window and kept simple, like the rest of the film. Filmed almost entirely on location in Hungary, with second unit material filmed in Sarajevo, it was a forty day shoot, shooting about 7,000' a day. All scenes were done twice, first in English then in Croatian, to give the option to finish in either language. The Q&A discussion ranged across diverse questions, from using kino flos to blocking and actor placements, to the reasons why and how productions decide whether to shoot digital or film. So far In the Land of Blood and Honey has only been released on 3 screens in LA, so if you have a chance to see it, go see it. It will be a very limited release when it happens. All up, it was a terrific session, and great to see Dean's very fine eye and technique applied to such an emotionally charged and powerful film. Erika Addis Wastelander Panda
Three young ACS members from South Australia (Kirsty Stark, Vivyan Madigan and Victoria Cocks) have gained worldwide interest with the 3 minute prologue for Wastelander Panda, a concept they hope will eventually become a TV series. Directed by Victoria, shot by Vivyan and produced by Kirsty, the film is a live-action tale of the last remaining panda in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Vivyan shot the outdoor scenes in the Flinders Range using a RED MX camera, which coped really well in the summer heat, with temperatures up to 38 degrees. The indoor fight scene was shot on the ARRI Alexa. The prologue has had 120,000 views on Vimeo in less than a week, and has been featured on over 200 blogs worldwide, including some in German, Russian and Japanese. They have spent a year developing the Wastelander Panda concept through their production company, Epic Films, and now hope to raise the funds to make it a reality.
Kooky Down Under
Mark Bliss The idea for doing a "Show and Tell" screening of KOOKY came up when I met Ron Johanson ACS in Bydgoszc, Poland during the Cameraimage 2011 Festival. Ron was open to the idea and after the festival was over we worked out the schedule for the screening over a few emails. Our main issue turned out to be which format to use for the screening. Jan Sverak the director of the film has kindly offered a DCP file which is used by multiplexes for digital projection. The HQ is not yet set up for this kind of projection so the next step down was a blue ray. Things got further complicated. As the film is originally in Czech and it's biggest market is local, the blue ray disc was only produced in the Czech language with English subtitles. As KOOKY is a family movie the idea of screening the film with subtitles was quickly put to rest. We opted for traditional DVD but with English dubbing. The film itself is a story of a teddy bear who is lost in the woods and is trying to find his way back home. Along the way he encounters the inhabitants of the forest. Creatures weird and wonderful. And as in life, he meets the good ones along with the bad ones. KOOKY is an action packed road movie with a difference, full of heart and childish naivety. The film was awarded a special Jury Award at the International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary.
The majority of the film takes place in the forest populated by forest gods, which are puppets. The film wasn't filmed as a stop motion animation but rather in normal speed as live action. And normal speed for most of the puppet acting was 48fps as it turned out to be the best speed to smooth out the puppets movements. We had to throw out the film making book and everything else we have learnt about film making and start all over. Kooky stands at 25cm tall and to make a film with the main hero this tall was a massive challenge. Getting the right equipment that would allow us to shoot as close to the ground as possible, lenses that would allow us to focus few centimetres from the front element and grip equipment which could facilitate dolly moves of only few inches but would look big when executed. The shoot itself took 18 months and I shared my DOP duties with Vladimir Smutny, who took over from me after the first half of the film was completed. Unfortunately the schedule had tripled during the shoot and I was unable to finish the film due my previous commitments. It gave me a chance to catch up with so many friends and colleagues whom I have not seen since departing Australia nearly five years ago. The ACS HQ is a great space and with all the cameras, photos and memorabilia makes for a perfect meeting spot for anyone who is passionate about film. David "Spider" Lewis was in charge of all things technical and after a small hiccup with the audio the projection went down to a roaring success. The spontaneous laughter and cheering was a sign that the film was hitting the right notes. It was followed by a lively Q&A session. As the film was very pioneering in terms of how it was shot and the difficulty experienced, the stories of trial and success were many. I am very happy that I could introduce Kooky to Australia and to my fellow film makers. Being a DOP means working alone most of the time and rarely we get the chance to experience our work with an audience. It was a great evening and I was extra happy for my wife Katherine and my children Lukas and Klara were there with me. Once again a huge thanks to Ron Johanson ACS, David Lewis ACS and everyone who helped to make this possible. Technical Data: The camera equipment was supplied by Vantage Prague: Film Gauge: super 35mm Lenses: Digital intermediate UPP Prague Awards: Phil Radin UpdateFor those of you unaware, our good friend at Panavision; Los Angeles, Phil Radin suffered a heart attack in early January. I had spoken to Phil at Camerimage in early December, and he was his usual enthusiastic, positive and social self. Then when I arrived home, the terrible news came through. After being placed in an induced coma, I'm pleased to say that Phil is now conscious and is much better. He has commenced therapy and he has a really good team of people that are working with him. He has obviously lost weight and the hospital will continue running tests to make sure there are no viruses that need to be treated. However he is now responding to people, laughing when they make jokes! His son, Jeremy has had his first "full & coherent conversation with his Dad". Jeremy asked if he wanted some water and Phil's response was, "What do you think, Of course I want water". The doctor has said these are really good signs and to enjoy them, but to also remember this is still early and they have a long way to go. He is now at the Semel Institute of Neuroscience in Los Angeles and would love to see some visitors. If you would like to contact Phil, please call Martin Cayzer at Panavision on 02 8437 5555 for more details. Award NominationsAcademy Award nominations for Cinematography have been announced: - "The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman AFC ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards nominations have also been announced: - Guillaume Schiffman, AFC (The Artist), Sponsor Spotlight: Movie Network Channels
Movie Network Channels has an impressive line-up of entertainment this February including Australian made TV series Conspiracy 365, live TV events such as The 84th Academy Awards®, the live & exclusive broadcast of MOVIE EXTRA Tropfest, and an Oscar® winning and nominated film every night throughout February. Finally, STARPICS will present the only LIVE HD telecast of The 84th Academy Awards® on 27th February from the Kodak Theatre. Follow the celebrity fashion and glamour with the red carpet arrivals show prior to the awards ceremony from 10.00am. Sponsor Spotlight: Videocraft
New Videocraft 2011/2012 Rental Catalogue Now Available Our 2011/2012 Rental Catalogue showcases our continuing focus to offer the best quality products available. Recent multi-million dollar upgrades to all areas of our rental inventory have given us added capability to offer the complete solution, from single camera systems to large scale studio and post production facilities. Most importantly, backing up the kit is our dedicated team of talented engineers who make sure your next job goes off without a hitch. All equipment listed is Videocraft owned inventory. If it is not out in the field, it is in our warehouse, ready for you when and where you need it. Videocraft's rental fleet includes a comprehensive range of standard definition and high definition camera kits and lenses in all popular SD and HD formats. From a single camera to a full production studio, our qualified staff can provide you with a solution for your application on time and on budget. It's much more than just camera rentals - Videocraft offers the complete package including lighting, grip and audio equipment from the industry's most trusted names.
The Great Gatsby AttachmentsIn late December 4 ACS members, Kirsty Stark, Ed Goldner, David Burrowes and Daniel Christie were fortunate enough to be able to have a week's work as attachments to the camera department on The Great Gatsby. This came about as a result of Simon Duggan ACS suggesting it could be a possibility. Not only did Simon show amazing interest, but thanks must also go to the Producers and the other members of the Camera Department, including David Elmes, for their foresight and their support of this initiative. It's initiatives like this that reinforce just what our industry is all about. Thanks again Simon. 2012 ACS National AwardsThe 2012 ACS National Awards for Cinematography will be held on Saturday, May 5 at the Manly Pacific Hotel. There will be more details coming soon, so watch this space. I am reliably informed that one of our leading politicians will be gracing us with their presence. Congratulations!
Congratulations to Jaclyn and Marcus Cocks on the birth of their beautiful son Haydn Thomas Cocks on January 16. His Grandparents, David & Margaret Lewis, Jaclyn's Mum & Dad, are over the moon. Hong Kong Film ForumThe ACS in collaboration with the Australian Directors Guild (ADG) are co hosting a special Industry event at the ACS HQ on Sunday, February 12. The event is called The Hong Kong Film Forum, held as part of the China Film Festival, and will consist of a small reception followed by an open forum highlighting the film "Merry Go Round." Directed by Clement Cheng, the DOP is Jason Kwan. Excerpts of the film will be screened and a moderated discussion will take place. There will be an official Reception at 1.00pm, followed by the Forum, which will conclude at around 4.00pm. Both the Director and Cinematographer will be in attendance along with the Producer and one of the lead actors. This free event is open to only 20 ACS members, interested in the Chinese "action film" genre. To reserve your seat contact; president@austcine.org.au (Jason Kwan - IMDb)
Our thanks to the Movie Network for their support of this ACS/ADG event. Australia International Chinese Film ForumAs one of the major annual activities of Australia International Chinese Film communication, the 2012 Australia International Chinese Film Forum jointly organized by Chinese Film Festival Inc (CFFI), Australian Directors Guild (ADG) and the Confucius institute of University of Sydney is going to be held in Sydney on 6th of February, 2012. During the forum, the guests of the film festival will have a deep exchange with the government officials in Australian film industry as well as professional institutes. They will also have an effective discussion regarding to the international cooperation. The interaction between the guests and the audience must be full of passion and excitement. Content : *The development and international cooperation approach of Chinese films (18:00-18:30) *The position and development trend of new media films in China (18:30-18:45) * Audience Interaction (18:45-19:30) Date: Monday 6th February
AFTRS Open - Upcoming Short Camera CoursesThe Australian Film Television and Radio School has two short camera courses this February: Shooting HD on the Canon 5D (9-10 Feb) Please note participants are requested to bring in their own 5D or similar canon cameras for the course. 9 - 5pm / $590 ($531 Industry discount)
Lighting Fundamentals (20 - 24 Feb) 9am - 5pm / $1100 ($990 Industry discount)
Camera/Lens Tests: The Horseman TS-PROACS member Tom Gleeson recently shot some camera/lens tests using the Horseman TS-Pro, and has offered to share the results with the ACS community. "I came across the Horseman TS-PRO many months ago whilst trawling the net. It piqued my interest as I have always enjoyed using Shift and Tilt lenses. L&P Photographics Sydney were kind enough to ship a demo machine in from Japan. The Horseman (http://www.komamura.co.jp/e/TS-pro/index.html) offers the ability to use medium format still lenses on a PL Mount camera as well as DSLRs. Medium format lenses have a long rear flange focus depth and a large image circle. This combination allows the lens to be mounted well forward of the PL mount and the large image circle allows the lens to be either shifted or tilted without vignetting thus making a low cost Shift and Tilt lens system using lenses made by the likes of the legendary Hassleblad company. New cinema cameras like Red's Epic and the Red One camera can also be used with Nikon or Canon mounts, allowing another Shift and Tilt option using these manufacturers' purpose built Shift and Tilt lenses. I set up a small shoot with a lot of help from many others so we could use both systems and get a comparison. Not only was this meant to be a comparison between them but more importantly, would either system allow the Please follow the links below to read Tom's report on the shoot, or to see a film of the results on Vimeo.
To receive a hard copy of the rental catalogue, visit your local Videocraft in Melbourne Sydney or Canberra or email our rentals department and include your full postal address and we can send one out to you.
Lemac Joins with Canon for Cinema EOS Dealership
Lemac Film and Digital are pleased to announce that they have become an official dealer for the new exciting range of Canon Cinema EOS products, including the standard EOS range of cameras and lenses. Stuart Pointon, Lemac's Business Development Manager, who attended the Los Angeles global release stated "It was very obvious from the way Canon approached the release of this camera that they were coming into the digital cinematography market for the long haul. They have done their homework and have produced a very fine camera and have put their lens expertise into engineering very high resolution 4K lenses. The amount of very affordable, high quality EF mount glass will be a significant factor in the success of this camera". The first of the Cinema EOS products to be released is the C300 EF mount version camera system in January, followed by the PL mount soon after. Also, along with the new Canon Cinema EOS cameras are newly designed 4K resolution lenses, including two new zoom lenses. For further information, visit the Lemac website or contact Stuart Pointon:
Actors Equity appoints Sue McCreadie as New DirectorActors' Equity Australia has announced the appointment of Sue McCreadie as its new director, commencing on March 1. Ms McCreadie will join Equity from NSW Trade & Investment where she was responsible for managing the state's film incentives including, last year, a one-off $20 million Film Fund.
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