| NATIONAL SPONSORS
AC Magazines
AC Mag Issues 53 ~ 64 Editor, Dick Marks OAM.
Issue 53 |
~ The Land of Blood and Honey, with Dean Semler AM ACS ASC ~ Review of Shadowcatchers, Jonathon Dawson ~ Crawl, Brian Breheny ACS ~ Attachments on The Great Gatsby, Simon Duggan ACS ~ The Burning Man, Garry Phillips ACS
Issue 54 |
~ Snow White And The Huntsman, Greig Faser ~ Mark Toia, by Dick Marks ~ The Centenary of the Mawson Expedition, Peter Curtis ACS ~ Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries, Roger Lanser ACS ~ Beaconsfield, Toby Oliver ACS
Issue 55 |
~ Stormsurfers, Rob Morton ~ Joanne Donohue-Beckwith, David Eggby ACS ~ The Windon Boys (Part 1), Ron Windon ACS ~ Siggy Ferstl, David Burr ACS & David Gribble ACS ~ The Raven - Danny Ruhlmann ACS ~ The Zen of Bennet, Dion Beebe ACS ASC ~ Emil Novak HSC ~ The Final Move, Chris McHardy
Issue 56 |
~ The Morals of Shooting Wars, Famines & Disasters, David Brill ~ Ender's Game, Don McAlpine ACS ASC ~ I Am A Girl, Nicola Daley ~ 2013 Accreditiations ~ The Windon Boys, (Part 2), Ron Windon ACS ~ Postcard from the Hood, Phillip M Cross ACS
Issue 57 |
~ Sweetwater, Brad Shield ACS ~ Love Patrol, Daniel Maddock ~ Breeding in Captivity, Aron Leong ACS ~ Blood Money, Dan MacCarthur ~ A MAsterclass in Budapest, Laszlo Barayai ACS HSC ~ The Pitch, Nicola Daley ~ Miller Sharp-Shooter, Rupert Dalton
Issue 58 |
~ DOP Iain MacKenzie ~ Everything You Wanted To Know About UAV's, Glen McGarry ~ Goddess, Damien Wyvill ACS ~ 2013 Cinematographer of the Year - Jo Rossiter ACS ~ THe Last Lab, Dominic Case ~ Mark Bliss
Issue 59 |
~ Rossy Emery ACS ~ Shooting While Beign Shot At, Rob Brown ~ From Great Heights, Michael Dillon AM ~ Cheating Time, Miles Rowland ~ Funding With Pocket Change, Kirsty Stark ~ Rapid TV, Peter Morris & Trent Miller ~ Sony F55, Pieter de Vries ACS
Issue 60 |
~ Our Greatest Documentary Turns Sixty, Geoff Burton ACS ~ Filming The Country of Lost Children, Geoff Burton ACS ~ Surviving The Desert on Walkabout, Geoff Burton ACS ~ One Night The Moon, Kim Batterham ACS, by Geoff Burton ACS ~ Making Tracks, Mandy Walker ACS ASC, by Geoff Burton ACS ~ Satelitte Boy, Geoffrey Simpson ACS, by Geoff Burton ACS ~ Journey Along Myster Road, Iven Sen, by Geoff Burton ACS & Brian Hannant ~ Love City Jalalabad, George Gittoes, by Aron Burton ~ Encounter, Mike Molley ACS BSC & Stanley Kubrick, by Geoff Burton
Issue 61 |
~ Wolf Creek 2, Toby Oliver ACS ~ A Life Exposed, Bonnie Elliot ~ Cave Spiders, Joe Shemesh ~ Jeff Darling ~ Hidden Universe 3D, Malcolm Ludgate ACS ~ The Railway Man, Garry Phillips ACS ~ The Encouncer, Michael Edols ACS & Martin Sharp
Issue 62 |
~ Mr Pip, John Toon NZCS ACS (Australian Cinematographer of the Year) ~ Blood Pulls A Gun, Jeremy Rouse ~ DOP Pawel Achtel ~ IMAGO Vienna - Theme Director/Cinematographer Collaboration ~ Lost and Found, Joey Bania ~ Duong Dua, Kieran Fowler, by JoAnne Bouzianis Sellick ~ Bronze to Gold ~ The Art of Fous Pulling, David Elmes 1st AC ~ Kingswood Ohio, Anton Syzonov ~ DOP Profile - Matthew Chuang ~ Preserving The Craft, Tim Wood
Issue 63 |
~ Predestination, Ben Nott ACS ~ Chasing The Light, Geoff Young ~ The Lego Movie, Pablo Plaisted ~ A Monk In A Floating World, Director Chen Kaige, DOP Geoffrey Simpson ACS ~ Felony, Mark Wareham ACS ~The Art of Focus Puling, Matthew Toll ~ Galore, Stefan Duscio
Issue 64 |
~ Allan Collins ACS ~ NT Awards for Cinematography ~ The Water Diviner, Andrew Lesnie ACS ASC ~ Soul Mates, Dan Freene ACS ~ Ed Goldner ~ Symphony Of The Earth, Dr Jim Frazier OAM ACS ~ Ukraine Is Not A Brothel, Director Kitty Green, DOP Michael Latham ~ Ignite Digi, DOP - Tom Waugh, Pilot - Chris Fox ~ What's Wrong With Australian Films?, Jason Kent
| | Editor: Lizz Vernon
In This Issue
- President's Report - 2015 ACS National Award Nominees - Awards Update - ACS HQ Report - Miller Nominations closing soon - Andrew Hyde ~ Filming the Borella Ride in the Northern Territory - ARRI Mini ~ Coming soon! - Letter from LA LA Land - 2015 NFSA Emerging Cinematographer Awards - Entries opening soon! - ACS Merchandise - Fujinon Lens on display at NAB 2015 - MPIBS - AFTRS ~ March & April Courses & Links - Mad Max: Fury Road Evening - Sony Newscast - ARRI Alexa Anouncements - Film Review: '71 ~ by James Cunningham - Out & About on Location - Let us know! - SMPTE 2015 - Panasonic Varicam - John Stokes ACS talks Sony PMW-F55 - Cinematography in Progress - Peter Curtis ACS on the edge with Panasonic AG-HPX250 - ACS Sponsors
From The President
...he was just 17
you know what I mean. |
Greetings ACS colleagues, Our 2015 ACS National Awards for Cinematography, being held at MONA in Hobart are now only two months away. Dont miss this opportunity to support your fellow cinematographers, catch up with friends, and acknowledge the importance of our Awards, All you nominated cinematographers, join us in Hobart to be part of a fantastic celebration of cinematography, and relish the moment when your name is announced on the night. It's a great feeling!
Tasmania and the hospitality of all Tasmanians is the stuff of legend
But there are many other reasons to make the journey
.
- Enjoy a reception at Tasmanias historic Government House
-
A special Q&A screening at the State Cinema
-
Attend the 2015 ACS Awards at the celebrated Museum of Old and New Art - MONA
-
Visit the ACS Sponsors Expo at The Grand Chancellor Hotel
-
Enjoy a Ray Martin AM Retrospective
-
Learn from a legendary Pieter De Vries ACS Master-class
-
Indulge in a Great Expeditions full day trip to Bruny Island which will include the Bruny Island Cheese Co, Get Shucked Oyster Farm, The Neck Lookout, Island Produce Fudge and the Bruny Smoke House where you will enjoy a fantastic lunch
-
Take High Tea at Hadleys Orient Hotel, where you can choose from fine loose-leaf teas accompanied by freshly baked scones, finger sandwiches, pastries and indulgent sweet treats. Oh boy, Ill be there!!
|
There is so much to see and do over the Awards period and beyond, so if you think it's time for a well deserved slightly early mid year break - Tassie is the perfect place!! Need to know more? Then heres the all important link that will allow you to book tickets and check out other ACS specials like Hadley's Orient Hotel, cruise to the Awards on The Spirit of Tasmania, stay at the Islington Hotel, and enjoy many other benefits of attending the Awards:
Last month it was laps, now it's weights, so I'm prepared for the Hadleys High tea. Until next time
Ron Johanson OAM ACS National President |
ACS HQ Report ~ David Lewis ACS
4-Year ACS HQ Flashback |
The ACS HEADQUARTERS TURNS 4 YEARS OLD on March 3 2015 It will be four years since the grand opening of the ACS Headquarters on March 3, time does fly. Over the last four years it has been a very successful journey for both the ACS and the Headquarters. Through this venue the Society has been able to showcase to its members, sponsors and friends some of many ways we can involve cinematographers, in current and future aspects of the industry. ACS Board meetings, State Branch meetings, AGMs, Accreditation sessions, Awards judging, used by Producers as a location and as a theatre venue, teaching classes, Drop Ins, Sponsors events, Guild meetings ,The Producers and Designers Guild meetings, Kids Flicks screenings and many other social events have made the Headquarters a very desirable place to visit and experience. During February the Headquarters has again been well utilized: Pieter De Vries ACS continues to conduct his very successful Digital Cinema Workshops. www.pieterdevries.com.au Ian Nicholson has held more of his short film classes on Wednesday nights this month. www.sydneyshortfilmschool.com Leikamedia from Brisbane is now a regular user holding classes on several weekends. The Australian Production and Designers Guild now hold it regular monthly meeting on the last Monday night of each month. The NSW branch held another very successful Drop In featuring Andrew Lesnie ACS ASC, showing and discussing some of the challenges he faced shooting his very successful film The Water Diviner. 84 members, sponsors and guests attended. March is already shaping up as another busy month. KidzFlicks through Bardic Studios will host the Premier of one of its students award winning films for the crew, cast, family and friends on Sunday 1. John Shaw (NSW member) will hold another one of his successful Underwater Workshops. The ACS will host more Guild meetings Piet de Vries forges on with his workshops. Channel 9 has a day scheduled to record footage for one of its productions. Leikamedia returns for more training classes. SMPTE will host an event later in the month, details to be announced. Support the National Headquarters and the ACS at upcoming events and watch it grow. Remember the HQ is there for all members to use. For details contact:
NOMINATIONS Deadline extended!!! FOR THE ACS TECHNICAL & INNOVATION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN HONOR OF MILLER TRIPODS FOUNDER BOB MILLER. The Bob Miller ACS Technical & Innovation Achievement Award will come with $1,000 cash and a $2,000 Miller product prize along with a framed certificate. The winner will also have their name engraved onto one of Millers LP 54 Classic tripods, which will reside permanently on display at the ACS National Headquarters. The Bob Miller ACS Technical & Innovation Achievement Award will be presented to an industry innovator for the first time at the 2015 ACS National Awards for Cinematography in Hobart, Australia. For more information or to nominate a worthy person for this Award contact Ron Johanson at
The Borella Ride, 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign. ~ Andrew Hyde
DOP Andrew Hyde ~ Filming The Borella Ride, NT |
Theyve been called the Immortal 100 the 100 Australians that have been awarded the Victoria Cross on the battle field, and the achievements of the Northern Territorys only VC recipient Albert Borella are being remembered, and filmed, during the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign. In 1915 Albert Borella walked and rode from Tennant Creek to Darwin, a journey of some 1000 kilometres, to enlist in the Great War, ultimately becoming Australias oldest Victoria Cross recipient at age 36 on the Western Front in France in 1918. His epic trek is being re-enacted by a party including Borellas grandson Richard. Darwin based production company TV Works was contracted to produce a nightly 90 second television piece throughout the 14 day walk to Darwin, along with a daily 2 minute news feed uploaded via Dejero and, ultimately a broadcast documentary. In temperatures generally hovering around 40 degrees our production team of DoP Andrew Hyde, editor/cameraman Ian Richards, journalist Paul McLaughlin, production manager Jennifer Richards and camera assistant Felix Baker, had quite a physical and logistical task, following the re-enactment up the Stuart Highway. But the greater challenge was switching constantly between documentary and news style acquisition. Fortunately we had the camera kit for all occasions supplied by TV Works including the Sony F55 with a set of Zeiss prime lens and a Fujinon 19-90mm Cabrio lens, a Sony XD Cam for ENG production, a Sony A7S, a Canon 5D, a DJI Ronin and, most impressively, a DJI Inspire unmaned aerial vehicle. We needed to be able to quickly switch from shooting a news piece to shooting long form in 4K, which essentially sums up the role of the DoP in the Northern Territory being both flexible and self-sufficient in remote and hot conditions. This project has certainly pushed us physically, logistically and creatively. The Borella Ride concludes in Darwin on March 3rd.
ARRI ANNOUNCES COMPACT AND LIGHTWEIGHT ALEXA MINI
ARRI has announced its new ALEXA Mini, a versatile additional tool in the ARRI ALEXA camera range that combines a compact and lightweight form factor with the same unparalleled image quality that has made the ALEXA system a gold standard for the industry. Designed for specialised shot-making, the ALEXA Mini perfectly complements a full ALEXA shooting kit and allows crews to eliminate the complications of working with third-party cameras by keeping everything within a single system that is trusted all over the world. To maintain ARRIs famously rugged build quality in a small and lightweight camera, a number of unique design solutions have been incorporated. These include highly integrated and environmentally sealed electronics, a lightweight carbon housing and a solid titanium PL mount that connects directly with the new internal sensor mount to ensure a super-stable flange focal distance, even when using large lenses. Nimble in use and hardy on set, the ALEXA Mini is a go-anywhere tool, easy to transport in backpacks or as carry-on luggage.
|
The ALEXA Mini can be operated in a number of ways: by wireless remote control, as a normal camera with the ARRI MVF-1 multi viewfinder attached, or with an on-board monitor and controlled via the user button interface on the camera body. Light enough to be comfortably held at arms length in a hand rig, its compact size and extremely quiet operation also make it ideal for tight shooting conditions. The symmetrical design permits filming in any orientation, including upside-down and in portrait mode, while multiple accessory points enable highly creative mounting solutions. In addition, the ALEXA Minis interchangeable lens mount can be replaced with any of those designed for the ARRI AMIRA, allowing the use of B4 video and EF mount stills lenses. Equipped with a 4:3 sensor, automatic de-squeeze mode for anamorphic productions and frame rates of 0.75-200 fps, the ALEXA Mini records ProRes or uncompressed ARRIRAW either in-camera to CFast 2.0 cards or to a specially-designed external Codex recorder that can record image streams from up to four ALEXA Minis simultaneously a compelling option for multi-camera setups such as 360° plate shots. Images from the ALEXA Mini will perfectly match those from all other ALEXA cameras, making the final grade easier and quicker. Integrated functionality is at the heart of the ALEXA Minis efficient and self-contained design. A built-in lens motor controller allows new active lens motors to be connected directly to the titanium PL mount, while ARRI Lens Data System (LDS) technology provides frame-accurate metadata that can save time and money both on-set and in post. Wi-Fi connectivity means that iOS or Android devices can be used to remotely control camera functions such as the motorized internal ND filters, which permit rapid responses to changing light conditions without adding bulk to the camera configuration.
|
The body design is optimised for use with new-generation brushless gimbals, multicopters and other specialised rigs. It is compact enough in the lens direction to allow the use of standard PL mount lenses even on lightweight and space-constrained rigs, such as gyro-stabilised aerial systems. The cameras superb low-light performance makes it perfect for underwater work; dedicated underwater housings are currently being developed by leading manufacturers. Like the ARRI AMIRA, the ALEXA Mini can record 4K UHD ProRes images, facilitating real-time 4K UHD output and simple pipelines for high-resolution deliverables. More importantly, the Mini and all other ARRI cameras with the ALEV III sensor offer unrivalled overall image quality by focusing not just on spatial resolution, but also on other parameters such as colourimetry, skin tones and High Dynamic Range (HDR). This is equally true whether the chosen output is HD, 2K, 4K UHD or one of the native resolution outputs like uncompressed ARRIRAW 2.8K or ProRes 3.2K, ensuring that images captured with the ALEXA Mini are future-proof, whatever new industry standards emerge. The ARRI ALEXA Mini is scheduled to begin shipping in May 2015, with orders being taken from March.
Letter from LA LA Land ~ Tristan Milani ACS
Hello peeps Dateline Berlin, Germany! Coming to you all from the Berlin International Film Festival (BIFF) 2015 where Paper Planes is the opening night film of the Generation K section of the festival. What an honor it is indeed to be asked, the generation K section has a wonderful history and the festival organizers are very proud to have over 65 films screening in the section. It is interesting to note as well that the judges are all children of various ages.. I am in Berlin with the director Robert Connolly, the two producers Maggie Miles and Liz Kearney. Two of the cast members are with us Ed Oxenbould and Julian Dennison. Julian has flown in from NZ with his mother on a short 30 hour flight!! First things first, lets go grab a schnitzel! Words cannot describe how delicious schnitzel is in Berlin. It was the finest schnitzel I have ever eaten without word of a lie. It came with the world's largest Pilsener and a side of cucumber salad and luke warm potatoes! The crust was perfect and the meat so tender, I can still taste it a week later.. Onto the business of films and I was so impressed by this festival. 7000 entries and only 400 films in all categories were accepted this year. The cinema we screened PP in was absolutely beautiful. A timber paneled auditorium with wonderful acoustics. The screening was sold out as were all 4 of our screenings. In fact word got around about the film very quickly and on the Saturday screening, people were turned away. One American woman (why are they always American?) got very upset there were no seats left! The response to the film from the German audiences was wonderful. The children asked such intelligent questions and the festival staff handled them all with such respect! One Q and A went for well over an hour and continued outside the cinema where Ed and Julian signed so many autographs! This is the universal language of cinema. You cannot tell me children are somehow different from one country to another! They all desire to imagine and learn... The kids handled the publicity with great patience and professionalism. As did the producers and this is what I learnt the most and want to express to the readers of the ACS bulletin. Making an Australian film is one thing, selling the film is an entirely new energy altogether. If you all realized how many films were in the European film market you would never believe me. This is what I believe Australian filmmakers do not understand. How hard it is getting international sales for your film.
Tristan Milani ACS |
We have reached $ 8.2 million for PP at the Australian box office and had a review in VARIETY magazine few filmmakers would ever get in a lifetime of making films and still the producers worked all day and all night on getting sales. 8am in the morning there was Robert, the producers and international sales agents sitting around the table discussing strategy. I was with Robert and the gang at a party at Midnight (the same day) and they were meeting financiers, distributors and agents. I woke up the next morning sure enough 8am, there they were again meeting new peeps! You getting the message guys and girls? Time to sleep..... stay cool Tristan Milani
FUJINON ANNOUNCES COMPLETE LENS RANGE ON DISPLAY AT NAB 2015
|
At this Aprils NAB convention in Las Vegas, the Optical Devices Division of FUJIFILM will show off its impressive range of lenses, including its latest Cine-Style, broadcast studio, and field lenses. The NAB Show will run from April 13-16 at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The Optical Devices Division of FUJIFILM will exhibit in Booth #C7025 with Simon Becker, national sales manager for the Optical Division of FUJIFILM Australia and New Zealand, on the booth during the show to give demos and answer any questions. The entire range of FUJINON Premier PL 4K+ cine lenses and the Cabrio cine/ENG-Style lens series will be on hand and demonstrated in a wide range of applications and on a variety of cameras. The Premier PL 4K+ Series features the fastest T speeds available in a family of zooms, with unprecedented colour matched 4K and beyond optical performance. The entire range of Premier PL 4K+ cine lenses will be in the booth. The 14.5-45mm T2.0, 18-85mm T2.0, 24-180mm T2.6, and 75-400mm T2.8-T3.8 will all be on display. All four PL Mount zooms are similar in size and weight, and uniform gear placement and front barrel diameters (136mm). The latest addition to its popular series of cine zooms the FUJINON Premier PL 25-300mm Cabrio - will be on hand, along with the rest of the Cabrio series at NAB. Equipped with a 35mm PL mount, the PL 25-300mm boasts a high zoom ratio covering the focal length of 25mm to 300mm. The PL 25-300mm supports an optional, detachable servo drive for electric zooming, focusing and iris. Mounting the unit enables remote control of zoom, focus, and iris adjustment. FUJINONs popular Cabrio series includes: the new PL 25-300mm, PL 19-90, PL 85-300, and PL 14-28mm. The PL 19-90, PL 85-300, and PL 14-35 Cabrio feature exclusive detachable servo drive units, whereas the PL 25-300 servo is optional making them suitable for use as a standard PL lens or as an ENG-style lens. And they can be controlled using cinema industry standard wireless controllers as well as existing FUJINON wired and wireless units. Designed using the latest proprietary optical simulation software, the entire range of Cabrio lenses offer exceptional optical performance in the center of the image and in the corners of the frame. The digital servos 16-bit encoding assures operators that all lens data outputincluding the position of the zoom, iris, and focusis extremely accurate. The zooms support Lens Data System (LDS) and /i Technology metadata formats, and can be controlled using cinema industry standard wireless controllers as well as existing FUJINON wired and wireless units. ENG lenses will range from the low-cost XT17sx4.5BMD 1/3-inch lens for ENG and teleconferencing applications up to the HA42x13.5BERD Premier Series Stabilised Super Telephoto lens for large venues and sporting events. The XT17sx4.5BMD lens features full remote control, for videoconferencing, weather cams, educational, and studio robotic applications. The HA42x has full servo studio control, OS-Tech Optical Stabilisation, and Quick Zoom. Field lenses will include the FUJINON XA55x9.5BESM 2/3-inch zoom, the XA77x9.5BESM telephoto field lens, and the XA99x8.4 ultra-wide field production lens. The XA99x8.4 combines high-performance imaging, a long zoom reach, and an ultra-wide angle. It offers a zoom range of 99x, a focal length of 8.4 to 832mm, and MOD of 2.9m. It features FUJINONs patented image stabilisation technology for rock-steady performance, which is especially critical for long-distance HD shots. High-resolution 16-bit encoders are standard, making it suitable to virtual, robotic, and digital signage, among other applications.
|
The XA55x9.5 HDTV Telephoto Box Style lens is designed for large venues that require tight shots from long distances. This lens is available with a built-in lens support bracket for mounting on an ENG-style camera. Also built-in to the XA55x is optical image stabilisation, making it ideal for any application where the camera operator must maintain a steady close up shot for long periods, such as sporting events, houses of worship, corporate presentations, or concerts. The XA77x9.5 telephoto field lens also comes standard with image stabilisation. An exclusive anti-fogging design minimises lens fogging and reduces downtime due to moisture. It features EBC coating to reduce ghosts and flare, and increases light transmission. From full servo to full manual, an assortment of operator controls is available. The digital architecture provides accurate and configurable control. Full remote control via RS-232 serial data port is possible and 16-bit encoder output is standard for virtual applications. For more information or to arrange a demo at NAB 2015 contact Simon Becker on +61 429 400 133 or at
Mad Max: Fury Road Evening ~ Lizz Vernon
Recently just over 80 guests had the pleasure of sitting down with Mad Max Fury Road Cinematographer John Seale ACS ASC, and the films Action Unit Cinematographer David Burr ACS along with a team of the Post Production crew including Colourist Eric Whipp along with Andrew Jackson and Matthew Town who make up part of the Visual Effects team. With the permission of Kennedy Miller Mitchell we were able to view the latest Trailer and look at what went into achieving the final look. ACS National sponsor Deluxe kindly hosted the evening at their studios in Lane Cove and for future viewing the evening was filmed with equipment provided generously by both Videocraft and Panavision. We were treated to a lively discussion around the theme of: "HOW DID THEY DO THAT?" I really can't give too much away, (at least until the film is screened in May) but expect an action packed film with a live stunt approximatley every 5 seconds, footage shot day for night that in a way I can't wait to tell you about and a film that will keep your attention drawn to the action just as George Miller wants you too...This film has a terrific team working tirelessly to bring out their Directors vision and I think you'll really enjoy what they bring to the screen. Till then I would like to say three things: 1. ~ John Seale ACS ASC sees the future of film heading towards much greater collaboration. 2. ~ I can't wait to see the film! 3. ~ WHAT A LOVELY EVENING.
SONY Newscast
This is your one-stop source to learn about newly launched Sony products, get product updates, and read snapshots of customers who are successfully using Sony professional products in real-world applications. The Sony Content Creation Team Click on the Image above to read what's happening
ARRI ALEXA SUP 11.0 WITH ProRes 3.2K NOW AVAILABLE AND NEW AMIRA SOFTWARE UPDATES INCLUDE 4K UHD AND MPEG-2 MXF RECORDING
ARRI has announced the upcoming release of Software Update Packet (SUP) 2.0 for AMIRA cameras, and the subsequent release of SUP 3.0. The former unlocks 4K UHD recording for high-resolution pipelines, while the latter enables MPEG-2 MXF recording for streamlined, broadcast-friendly workflows. Together they stretch the already wide spectrum of AMIRAs deliverable options at both ends of the scale, making the camera an even more versatile production tool. Underlining the positioning and success of AMIRA as the perfect camera for productions ranging from documentaries, reportage and corporate films to TV and low-budget movies, these two major software updates in the first half of 2015 will enhance the feature-set in ways that respond specifically to customer requests and industry trends. With its flexible, re-programmable system architecture, AMIRA will continue to expand in functionality over the coming years in the same way that ALEXA has done since 2010, allowing it to keep pace with a rapidly evolving market and deliver a strong return on investment. AMIRA SUP 3.0 scheduled for release mid-2015 The key new feature of AMIRA SUP 3.0 is the ability to record MPEG-2 422P@HL at 50 Mbit/s in an MXF wrapper. This XDCAM-compatible MPEG- 2 recording format allows television productions to take advantage of AMIRAs superior image quality and ergonomics, while utilizing a low-bandwidth codec that can easily be integrated into typical broadcast environments and workflows. Click the link below to read full article.
Film Review: 71 review by James Cunningham
|
'71 is a film that lingers long after one has left the comfort of the cinema. Riveting, impressive and somewhat personal, it tells the story of young Gary Hook (Jack O'Connell) whose British army unit is dispatched to help with peacekeeping in Northern Ireland. Amid the growing pressures of this violent and brutal year (1971) things inevitably go wrong for Hook. Taking the viewpoint of this lone British soldier is a definitive choice. It flawlessly functions as an engrossingly gritty-thriller and a harrowing escape narrative. Shot by Cinematographer Tat Radcliffe , whose efforts are nothing short of remarkable and manages to keep tensions consistently high throughout the 99-minute running time. Radcliffes career is diverse to date shooting shorts, features, television series such as Criminal Justice (BBC) and Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Showtime), and well over one-hundred commercials. He recently picked up Best Cinematography for 71 at the 16th Mumbai Film Festival. Cleverly conveyed with a bombardment of thick of British and Irish accents, '71 has director Yann Demange and screenwriter Gregory Burke delivering outstandingly on its themes of an us versus them social mentality. After the lead role of Angelina Jolies Unbroken (2014), and before that starring as an imprisoned youth in David Mackenzies sleeper hit, Starred Up (2013), Jack O'Connell once again proves his worth in this tense and action-pumped role. Filmed in Sheffield, UK, 71 is an uncompromising edge-of-seat ride, for lovers of anything with a historical context
four stars. ~ JAMES CUNNINGHAM
Panasonic Varicam - HURRY RSVP
SYDNEY - Wednesday 4th March MELBOURNE - Friday 6th March Each day will be split into two sessions; 1) A 12pm to 4pm session for hand-ons people that want to learn about camera menus, settings and post path. 2) A 5:30pm to 8pm presentation session to learn about the features and benefits and see some examples. There will be design engineer Taka Mitsui from Japan and local cinematographer Noel Evans on hand as special guests and to talk about their experiences with the cameras. Your members are welcome to come to one or both sessions.
John Stokes ACS finds warmth in Winter with the Sony PMW-F55 CineAlta camera
(l-r) Troy Reichman (1st AC), John Stokes ACS (DoP) and Sam Newman (2nd AC) |
Winter is an Australian mystery-drama-thriller television series currently airing on the Seven Network directed by Ian Watson, Shirley Barrett and Lynn Hegarty with John Stokes ACS as its director of photography. The series, highly acclaimed for its look and feel, was shot exclusively with Sony PMW-F55 CineAlta cameras rented from Lemac. Explaining his choice of camera Stokes said, I wanted to shoot and see which camera looked the best for our lead actor, Rebecca Gibney, so I did side by side tests with the ALEXA, Sony F65 and the F55 and to tell the truth Bec looked equally beautiful with all of them. So I chose the F55 based on what the post budget had allowed for the data rate, its compact size and its excellent image quality. Stokes capture choices were ALEXA ProRes HD 444 12-bit, F65 SStP SQ 444 10-bit or the F55 shooting 2K RAW with 16-bit colour space and the ability for the camera to ingest a 3D LUT. Stokes continued, The F55 was my choice. Like most television drama you shoot at a very fast pace and as we were a location only shoot with some of the locations proving to be very tight, the F55s compact size definitely influenced my decision. Also we were shooting lots of urban night exteriors with very small lighting packages and the high ISO rating of 1250 was also a huge bonus. Often, I would be bumping the ISO up to 2500 and on a few occasions up to 5000, with very pleasing results.
|
Stokes has had great success with Sony F Series cameras shooting another highly acclaimed drama, A Place to Call Home, on the Sony F65 so he was very familiar with the cameras capabilities. That said he was still very impressed with the F55 adding, I think it is a very flexible, capable camera that delivers excellent image quality. I was particularly impressed with the F55s image quality in low light, its ability to shoot 240fps and its compact size. Also the global shutter really does make a difference in eliminating the rolling shutter effect. I also liked the Centre Scan option which allowed me to blow up the image in-camera by 100% without any noticeable quality loss. So a 250mm became a 500mm at the flick of a switch. This was a real time saver on occasion. Shooting 2K RAW, Stokes ended up using three F55s on Winter, two as standard studio setups and one as a dedicated Steadicam camera. With much praise coming from critics about how Winter looks, Stokes made mention of what goes into an attractive look and how much can be attributed to the camera commenting, As always there are many facets to making a show look good, not the least being the art direction and costume design. The F55 did an excellent job of capturing these. Also our locations were diverse, from rugged sunlit oceanfront cliff faces on the South Coast to the dark gloomy streets of Darlinghurst at night. We also had a large fluoro-lit office that doubled as Police HQ and was surrounded by windows, so everywhere you pointed the camera you saw the urban landscape outside. This was a great look but also was the most challenging location in so far as extremes in exposure go. Again the F55 handled all of our challenges beautifully.
|
Post production on Winter was taken care of at Blue Post with Annelie Chapple as the colourist. Stokes continued, Annelie and I created a single LUT in Da Vinci Resolve from early test footage. This was loaded into the F55 via an SD card. From that point onward what we saw on the on-set OLED monitors and monitors in the edit suites was the original look applied in pre and that carried all the way into the grading suite. So Annelie, the director and producers were all seeing exactly what I was seeing on set and Annelie would grade off the original RAW files with the LUT applied. This was an effective way of communicating the look of the show to everyone so that there were no surprises in the final grade. Im delighted to say working with the F55 in post was very straightforward and the results were excellent. All in all the F55 performed very well throughout the Winter shoot. Its ability in low light is extraordinary and its compact size was a big plus. John Stokes continues working with the Sony F series on the next series of A Place to Call Home which will again be shot with Sony F65 4K CineAlta cameras.
Panasonic AG-HPX250 camcorder and Peter Curtic ACS takes on Tasmanias Totem Pole for ABCs 7.30 Report
The rugged sea cliffs that tower along the Tasman Peninsula are home to one of the most iconic playgrounds for outdoor rock climbing, the Totem Pole. The ABCs 7.30 report joined a group of climbers filming an ascent of the narrow 60-metre sea stack at Cape Hauy, with cinematographer Peter Curtis ACS filming the adventure using a Panasonic P2HD handheld camcorder. The AG-HPX250 is our first P2HD handheld camcorder with master-quality 10-bit, 4:2:2 independent-frame, 1920 x 1080 resolution AVC-Intra 100 recording. This lightweight, ergonomic-designed camcorder incorporates high-sensitivity 1/3″, full-HD 2.2 megapixel 3-MOS imagers and a 20-bit Digital Signal Processor to capture stunning high resolution images. Peter Curtis ACS said that he opted for the compact AG-HPX250 as its light weight made a big difference on the long walk in and out, not to mention the tight space on the cliff tops. He also pointed to the advantages of the Image stabiliser on the AG-HPX250EN very helpful on long lens (20x optical zoom) shots in 50km horizontal winds.
"I was away shooting some crazy rock climbers in SE Tasmania. I am feeling buggered after hiking all the gear in and out for four hours up and down, up and down, up and down. Plus standing literally on the top of a 300m cliff for 5 hours solid in 50kmh winds and sea mist, Curtis said.
| | The ACS is Proud to announce...
2015 NATIONAL AWARD NOMINEES
Category 1 ~ Cine Kids
Gold ~ Tori Aston Drop The Game ~ Cat Warren Lego Adventure 3: Attack of the Giant Pig! ~ Maxim Hussey
Category 2 ~ Student Cinematography
Fell ~ Francis Thompson Twenty Forty Three ~ John Farmelo The Crane Wife ~ Jordan Agutter Child's Play ~ Nathaniel Kelly Sailboats ~ Benjamine Cotgrove
Category 3 ~ Experimental & Specialised
Dreamworld Corroboree - Yugambeh Museum ~ Ron Johanson ACS Coral Sea ~ Pawel Achtel Drift Dive ~ Malcolm Ludgate ACS
Category 4 ~ John Bowring ACS TV Station Breaks/Promos
Paddock to Plate ~ Tony Luu ACS Channel News Asia - Clarity ~ David Franjic Mnemonic ~ Daniel Christie
Category 5 ~ Music Clips
Russel Morris - Van Diemans Land ~ Brad Francis The Jungle Giants - Pair of Lovers ~ Daniel Graetz Violent Soho - Saramona Said ~ Daniel Graetz Beyoncé - Mine ~ Stefan Duscio Guy Pearce - Storm ~ Edward Goldner Jessica Mauboy - To the End of the Earth ~ James Brown Willow Beats - Merewif ~ Scott Summers Milan - Promises ~ Nima Nabilirad Domino - Caravan ~ Nima Nabilirad Ted Egan - Song for Grace ~ Chris Tangey Missy Higgins - Shark Fin Blues ~ Ross Giardina George Michael - Let Her Down Easy ~ Callan Green ACS We Are The Brave - Your Ghost ~ Kieran Fowler
Category 6 ~ Syd Wood ACS Local / Regional News
Ski Test 2014 ~ Mark Steven Chia Boom ~ Mitchell Woolnough
Category 7 ~ Neil Davis International News
Myanmar Refugees ~ Bradley McLennan Nagasawa Bike Builder ~ Joel Lawrence Tsunami Anniversary ~ Joel Lawrence Aid Relief ~ Mark Dobbin ACS Fiji Sugar ~ Daniel Soekov ACS Phillipines Typhoon ~ Simon Manzie Gaza Conflict ~ Luke Wilson
Category 8 ~ Current Affairs
Ukraine Uprising ~ Cameron Bauer The Edge of the Mountain ~ Ron Ekkel 101 East - Stray Bullets ~ Lee Ali 101 East - Nepal Slave Girls ~ Lee Ali Brazil-Showtime! ~ Robert Hill Buffalo Export ~ Ian James Redfearn The Last Straw ~ David Childs Killer Crocs ~ Benjamin Foley The Assassination Capital ~ Benjamin Foley
Category 9 ~ TV Magazine, Lifestyle & Reality
Sunday Night - Ghost Island ~ Leigh Hubner Sunday Night - Prayer Book ~ Leigh Hubner Landline Irrigation ~ Peter Curtis ACS Dreambuild (Series 2 - Inner House) ~ Greg Ashman Dreambuild (Series 2 - Angorophora Home) ~ Greg Ashman Power to the People ~ Louie Eroglu ACS
Category 10 ~ Corporate & Educational
Continue to Drive ~ Lincoln Williams STEALTH - The Shape of Things to Come ~ Greg Parish ACS Norwood ~ Hugh Turral Study Adelaide ~ Aaron Gully Adelaide Oval ~ Aaron Gully Egan ~ Timothy Wood PCYC NSW Traffic Offenders Intervention Program ~ Gavin Banks Intelligent Sounds, Featuring Flume ~ Timothy Tregoning
Category 11 ~ Web & New Media
Edworth Moustache Magazine ~ Mitch Kennedy HAN Woolmark Prize ~ Danny Camara House of Arras ~ Tony Luu ACS Huawei Presents Mary Day ~ Aaron Farrugia Seafolly ~ Stefan Duscio South Australian Tourism ~ Adam Howden The Currant Shed ~ David Parkinson Parla and Alskare ~ David Parkinson Wastelander Panda (Episode 1 - Exile) ~ Viv Madigan Mataranka Virtual Journey ~ Cody Riedel Cattle Scars - The Pastoralist ~ Andrew Hyde David Jones We Are ~ Josh Flavel Jewels of the Arctic ~ Abraham Joffe Hidden Graphics, Mountain Dew ~ Timothy Tregoning
Category 12 ~ Documentaries, Cinema & TV
Survive the Tribe - Eagle Assasins ~ Brad Dillon ACS Ukraine is not a Brothel ~ Michael Latham Ngurra Wangaggu ~ Torstein Dyrting ACS Who's Been Sleeping in My House? (Ep - Palmerston) ~ David Le May Who We Are: Brave New Clan ~ Dylan McDonald Talking Language with Ernie Dingo (Ep 6) ~ Dylan McDonald Buckskin ~ Murray Lui The Colony ~ Ben Emery
Category 13 ~ Nature & Wildlife
Mountian Air - Valley Mist ~ Joe Shemesh Sixteen Legs ~ Joe Shemesh Iconic East Africa ~ Abraham Joffe
Category 14 ~ Virtual Cinematography
Little Darling ~ Damian Smith
Category 15 ~ Commercials Local / Regional
QLD Ballet 2015 ~ Brad Francis TAFE ~ Tony Luu ACS Townsville Curiosity ~ Sam Scoufos Lynx - Red Cross ~ Adam Howden Portland The One For You ~ Peter Corbett Territory Day ~ Miles Rowland Gagudju Dreaming ~ Simon Manzie
Category 16 ~ Commercials National / International
Ladbrokes ~ Jason Hargreaves ACS MS - Trapped ~ Simon Ozolins ACS Origin - Fresh ~ Jeremy Rouse SBS ~ James Brown Your Story Matters ~ Timothy Wood Energy Australia - Power to Move ~ Peter Eastgate Airforce - Anything Anywhere ~ Peter Eastgate Natural Gas ~ Daniel Ardilley
Category 17 ~ Dramatised Documentaries
Charlie Rowan Walking Dead ~ Matthew Peterson ACS Breaker Morant - The Retrial ~ Jaems Grant ACS The War That Changed Us (Ep 1) ~ iJm Frater ACS Desert War Alamein ~ Jim Frater ACS
Category 18 ~ Fictional Drama Shorts
I Am Emmanuel ~ Nicola Daley ACS May ~ Peter Eastgate Grey Bull ~ Callan Green ACS The Fan ~ David Le May Injury Time ~ Ernie Clark ACS Doors ~ Dylan McDonald Can You See Them? ~ Jody Muston Rhododendron ~ Ryan Alexander Lloyd Stuffed ~ Jeremy Rouse A Peaceful Man ~ Tony O'Loughlan
Category 19 ~ Telefeatures, Mini Series, TV Drama or Comedy
Devil's Playground ~ Andrew Commis ACS Power Games ~ Bruce Young Redfern Now (Series 2, Ep: Dogs of War) ~ Jules O'Loughlin ACS ANZAC Girls (Ep 4 - 'Love') ~ Geoffrey Hall ACS True Detective (Ep 4) ~ Adam Arkapaw ACS A Place to Call Home (Ep 8) ~ John Stokes ACS
Category 20 ~ Features ~ Cinema
The Railway Man ~ Garry Phillips ACS Tracks ~ Mandy Walker ACS Wolf Creek 2 ~ Toby Oliver ACS Touch ~ Aaron Gully Riddick ~ David Eggby ACS Patrick ~ Garry Richards Fell ~ Marden Dean The Philosophers (After the Dark) ~ John Radel ACS Predestination ~ Ben Nott ACS
NFSA - JOHN LEAKE ACS OAM EMERGING CINEMATOGRAPHER AWARD
APPLICATIONS OPEN
The National Film and Sound Archive Australia in conjunction with the Australian Cinematographers Society is presenting a $3000 cash prize and a certificate to an emerging Cinematographer. The award is to be used toward furthering the knowledge and experience of the applicant including, but not limited to, current study or international study, conference, workshop, master class, internship etc. This award is named in honour of John Leake OAM ACS in recognition of his contribution to the Society and the Australian film industry. Applicants must be a member of the ACS at the time of applying and be either currently enrolled at a recognised Australian film school or beginning their professional careers. In the case of the latter, the applicant may be nominated by an industry practitioner. Applications are now open until April 3, 2015.
For an application form please contact Ron Johanson ACS
COMING SOON - THE ACS ONLINE SHOP
More details coming really soon.
ACS MERCHANDISE:
New design by Scott Windon |
Contact David Lewis on the links below
NEW STOCK
Have you heard of the Motion Picture Industry Benevolent Society?
LEND A HELPING HAND MPIBS has been providing financial and emotional support to members of the cinema industry for more than eighty years!
Founded in the years of the Great Depression by people in exhibition and distribution, to help colleagues who had fallen on hard times. MPIBS more recently, has extended its support to the production and post-production sectors. Beneficiaries are young and old, working and retired. The MPIBS is a safety net, which enables our friends and colleagues to be cared for when they need it most. But the MPIBS needs your help to continue its work. For information about how to donate please visit the MPIBS web page on the below link. You could be helping one of your friends or colleagues.
The ACS Proudly supports the MPIBS and we encourage members of the ACS to contribute to this fantastic cause
Check out the link above... YOU JUST NEVER KNOW!
AFTRS OPEN CINEMATOGRAPHY SHORT COURSES
|
AFTRS OPEN CINEMATOGRAPHY SHORT COURSES Upcoming highlights include Modern Cinematography with Ellery Ryan ACS in March as well as Data Wrangling on Set: File Based Cameras plus Shooting HD on your DSLR and Six Things Every Cinematographer Must Know with Steve Arnold ACS, all in April. Modern Cinematography with Ellery Ryan ACS What is great cinematography, and how is it achieved? This two day course, led by two time AFI Award winner Ellery Ryan ACS (Is This The Real World, I Love You Too, Van Diemens Land, The Rage In Placid Lake) explores the techniques of effective visual storytelling. 28 - 29 March Modern Cinematography with Ellery Ryan ACS Camera & Sound Basics Ideally suited to those who have limited camera and sound recording experience, this course will introduce you to techniques and practical skills to produce high quality images and sound for documentary and drama - with an eye to great storytelling, the goal of all good filmmaking. 14 - 15 March Camera & Sound Basics Data Wrangling on Set: File Based Cameras This one day course is an introduction to managing data from file-based cameras in an on-set environment. Working in the AFTRS Studio, you will get an overview of all types of data and metadata from file-based cameras from manufacturers including Sony, Canon, Blackmagic, Arri & Red and you will learn how to prepare for and manage this data confidently and responsibly in a high pressure on-set environment. 12 April Data Wrangling on Set: File Based Cameras Shooting HD on your DSLR Want to shoot High Definition (HD) video on your DSLR camera? Industry expert cinematographer Gareth Tillson will show you how to make the most of your DSLR and open up the world of the moving image. This is an introductory course for new filmmakers, photography enthusiasts & existing filmmakers. 18 - 19 April Shooting HD on your DSLR
|
|
Six Scenes Every Cinematographer Must Know
Over five intensive days, join industry Cinematography expert Steve Arnold ACS (Man-Thing, Disgrace, McLeod's Daughters, JFK: The Smoking Gun, Last Cab To Darwin) for the tips and tricks you need to know to successfully plan, light and shoot six commonly found scenarios. 20 - 24 April Six Scenes Every Cinematographer Must Know To view all Cinematography courses @ AFTRS Open visit the website: AFTRS Short Courses
Out And About On Location ...Send us a postcard to let us know!
Isn't it time we heard from YOU
SMPTE ~ Australia Section
Announcing two exciting events for SMPTE members and our guestsOn Tuesday 3 March and Thursday 5 March Ioan Allen, Dolby's father of all things related to cinema sound (for which he was awarded an Oscar and many industry accolades) is coming to Sydney, and we've arranged for SMPTE members, guild partners and our guests to be in the audience for two exciting events. The Egg Show Tuesday 3 March: Ioan Allen delivers his widely acclaimed "Egg Show", a travelogue through development of cinema sound and technique illustrated by... well, eggs. The Egg Show is regarded as one of the best discussions on the topic, and has been a fee event at conferences. Courtesy of Dolby Labs, you can be in the audience for Egg Show for this one-time opportunity. You must register to attend, but registration is quick, and no charge. For all the details, see the Egg Show article at www.smpte.org.au Loud? The second event with Ioan Allen is presented by SMPTE in conjunction with the ASSG. We'll take the industry discussion of loudness to the next level, as we invite Ioan to join us for a more intimate session at the AFTRS Theatre on the evening of 5 March.Ioan will present a new paper, "How loud is a movie? A work in progress... exploring a new metric to quantify the subjective loudness of an entire theatrical movie." followed by an open question and answer session. If you have any interest at all in film sound, from capture through to delivery, and from cinema to TV, then you're bound to get something from this session. Pull out those questions you've always wanted to ask about the future of sound in film and TV. Again, don't wait: we have limited room and expect demand to be high. Registration (yes, you must!) and full details are at www.smpte.org.au SMPTE15 Call for Papers - extended! The Call for Papers for the SMPTE15 conference has an extended deadline. We're after your ideas for a paper, a panel or a presentation, and we'll help you to develop your idea. Could be about something you've done, a technique that works, a technical development, or a project underway. Submission is fully online, and all we need at this stage is your details and the outline information. Full details link from the homepage at www.smpte.org.au
Cinematography in Progress
Conference Report 27th & 28th of November 2014 Louvain-la-Neuve & BrusselsTable of Contents 0. Introduction I. Camera Technology II. Digital Workflow III. Color Grading IV. Visual Effects V. Monitors VI. Conclusion Full Detailed Report in on the ACS website. The conference Cinematography in Progress is not licensed; anyone who wants to organize one, is free to do so. This report was a joint work of Marc De Backer, Lucas Jodogne, Louis-Philippe Capelle, Willy Stassen, Ella Van den Hove and Dylan Belgrado. First, I would like to tell you how pleased I am that so many of you joined us to reflect on and discuss the question of cinema education and more specifically the teaching of image in cinema. Image Progress, two words to define our reflection. But what image and what progress did we want to talk about? Doesnt this topic evoke both the disappearance of an almost mythical support, the motion picture film, and the breakthrough of a fast-changing and ever-evolving digital technique that has finally swept away the good old image just as it had swept away editing and sound. Isnt it also to be seen as the recognition of the loss of the « only master on board » status of image specialists? You have tracked this image and this progress throughout five workshops. You have also tracked the place and the methods of teaching, which have or have not changed with the advent of digital technology, which are different or not depending on the cultures, regions, schools, teachers and learners. It is thus in the diversity and in the convergence, in the discovery of what someone does or of what we all do, that the main interest of your works resides. You will find a summary of this diversity and these convergences in the document attached hereto. I would like to end up by saying how happy and proud I am that the IAD embarked on this adventure and by expressing my gratitude to our partners, the SBC and Imago who accepted to take up this challenge with us. I also want to convey my thanks to all those who put their time and effort in the practical organisation of these two days, without whom they wouldn't have taken place. Lastly, I would like to thank Marc De Baker who provided the initial impetus for this organisation and who supported it from the very first day. Serge Flamé Director - IAD
| |