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AC Magazines
AC Issue 65
A Stich In Time ~ The Dressmaker ~ DOP Don McAlpine ACS ASC
I'm Going To Tell You ~ The Secret River ~ DOP Bruce Young
When A Tree Galls In The Forest ~ Fell DOP Marden Dean
The Road Less Travelled ~ Cinematographer Steve Arnold ACS
Double Act ~ The Whole Truth & By Way of Helena ~ DOP Jules O'laughlin ACS
On The Beaches ~ DOP Germain McMicking & Director Glendyn Ivin
Light The lights ~ Shanghai Noir ~ DOP Sion Michel ACS
A Passage To India ~ Unindian ~ DOP Martin McGrath ACS
AC Issue 66
| | Editor: Lizz Vernon
In This Issue
- President's Report
- Remembering Andrew Lesnie ACS ASC
- ACS Accreditation
- The Drew Llewelyn ACS Camerimage Scholarship - Closing July 17th
- ACS Shop online - NOW OPEN
- AFTRS Short Courses & Links
- SONY
- SMPTE
- ACS HQ
- Need Finance
- ACS Sponsors
From The President
Greetings ACS members and colleagues, In case you're not aware the ACS along with AFTRS and Sir Peter Jackson's Wingnut Films are planning a very special event we've called REMEMBERING ANDREW, to be held from 12.00 Midday, 12th July @ Event Cinemas SuperMax, Westfield Bondi Junction. We are pleased to advise that additional seating has become available and so we are able to extend an invitation to ACS members who wish to attend. and take part in celebrating Andrew's life and legacy. Members please apply to andrew12july@gmail.com & you will be advised as to whether or not you have been successful. Applications strictly on a first in first served basis.
We'd love to see you there!!
It promises to be a fantastic day, but you must RSVP.
Ron Johanson OAM ACS
National President
2015 NT BRANCH AWARDS ENTRIES OPEN ON 6 JULY
Following on from the success of the inaugural 2014 ACS Northern Territory Awards for Cinematography last October, entries are now being called for the Northern Territory Awards, which will be held as part of the Darwin International Film Festival on September 18. Entries open Monday July 6 and close Monday August 8. NT Branch members don't miss this opportunity to submit your work for ACS NT Branch Awards judging.
ACS ACCREDITATION 2015
ACS Accreditation is the highest honour that is bestowed on an Australian cinematographer. It was first granted in 1963 and to this day there have been 361 members honoured with Accreditation. It is based on the following simple criteria: The National Executive may grant Accreditation, on the recommendation of the Accreditation Committee, to an ACS member whose overall standard is considered exceptional. The standard of cinematography needs to be of a consistently high standard, or is outstanding in a specialised field. Accreditation allows the cinematographer to use the letters ACS after their name. Accreditation applications open on 1 July and close on 31 July.
If you have been a Full member of the Society for a 3 year period you are eligible to apply for ACS Accreditation. For more information and an Accreditation application form contact your Branch President or National President, Ron Johanson OAM ACS
The Drew Llewelyn ACS Camerimage Scholarship
Applications close Friday, July 17
Established with the support of the Llewelyn family, the Queensland Branch and the National Executive, in honour of the legacy left by our dear friend and colleague DrewLlewelyn ACS. The Drew Llewelyn ACS Camerimage Scholarship, will enable one lucky ACS member to attend Camerimage in Poland this year, with an amount of $4000.00 towards flights and accommodation.
The Scholarship will be administered by the National Board and will be in place for a 5-year period, commencing this year. It will be open to FULL and ACTIVE ACS members ONLY and the final decision will be decided by the Board upon consultation with the Llewelyn Family, and Queensland President, Tony O'Loughlan. Please email and request an application form to Ron Johanson OAM ACS on the link below
WHEN THE CAMERA STOPPED ROLLING.
If you would like to support a great cause - Lilias Fraser was one of Australia's first female cinematographers, shooting her own film single-handedly in 1957 (which was snapped up by the ABC). Lilias went on to become one of Australia's pioneer filmmakers. Her daughter, Jane Castle ACS, is making a film about her. Donations toward the crowd-funding campaign can be made through the Documentary Australia Foundation and are 100% tax-deductible."
"I've started shooting, finally, and it's going really well - but I'm frantically busy as a result. And not as young as I used to be when I was last doing this! Look forward to seeing you at one of the drop-ins soon. Regards,
Jane
AFTRS OPEN CINEMATOGRAPHY SHORT COURSES
Upcoming courses include: Six Scenes Every Cinematographer Must Know with Steve Arnold ACS in July. You can view all AFTRS Open cinematography courses on the AFTRS OPEN Website:
Six Scenes Every Cinematographer Must Know
Calling all emerging cinematograhpers. Over five intensive days learn how best to shoot the six scenes found in almost all film and TV scripts. Hugely experienced cinematographer Steve Arnold ACS (Disgrace, Last Cab To Darwin, Highlander 5, La Spagnola, JFK: The Smoking Gun) will teach you the tips and tricks you need to know to successfully plan, light and shoot six commonly found scenarios. 27 - 31 July
Modern Cinematography with Ellery Ryan
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) investigates the theory of visual storytelling. It features a lively mix of classroom theory and practical studio demonstrations. 15 - 16 August
Shooting HD with 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 introductory course for new filmmakers, photography enthusiasts & existing filmmakers will familiarise participants with shooting HD on their DSLRs. 29 - 30 August
Visit the AFTRS Open website to see all upcoming Cinematography courses:
SMPTE 2015 Workshops
The Society will also have a small booth within the SMPTE Hall, which has proven very successful and popular in the past, and the presentations we provide are also well attended. SO PLEASE BOOK NOW!! SMPTE can only be successful for the Society because of the enormous input from the NSW Branch, who look after the ACS Booth and the handling of merchandise sales, membership applications and general enquiries, on each and every day of SMPTE. My thanks to them for this generous support.
SMPTE Wednesday 15 July09:30 ACS Workshop: Underwater Optics & 3D
Pawel Achtel (Achtel Pty Ltd, Australia) Australian Cinematographers Society, Australia
There is more to filming underwater than keeping the camera dry. Traditionally, we placed perfectly good terrestrial lenses behind flat and dome ports hoping for good results underwater. However, how does it affect image quality? We are going to explore and compare various options when it comes to underwater ports and optics exploring some of the challenges we face when trying to match the quality of underwater images with those we can achieve on land. Expect the unexpected...
14:00 ACS Workshop: The very latest Drone applications
Australian Cinematographers Society, Australia.
Tasmanian based Ignite Digi Co owners Tom Waugh (Operator) and Chris Fox (Pilot) will present a look at the changes in drone technology, specifically for cinematography. How the stabilisers have advanced and are now capable of carrying Red Epics and Alexa Mini kits. Flying from 8mm to 85mm lenses for full creative freedom. What sort of story telling and shot possibilities has this technology opened up, that were previously very difficult or expensive to achieve?
The crossover of technologies, MoVI and similar stabilisers originally designed for drones now used handheld, on a jib, on a car mount, anywhere you want a remote head. We will also discuss the teamwork involved for the two person operation (Pilot and camera operator) and how best to work with the Director and Cinematographer on a film set to achieve the shots efficiently. After the Q&A session: Ignite Digi will fly their Alexa Mini setup in the Drone zone outside the SMPTE pavilion.
15:45 ACS Panel Session: Television Drama
Australian Cinematographers Society, Australia.
An expert panel led by Moderator, Renee Brack and including cinematographers, Simon Chapman ACS (Glitch, Nowhere Boys, The Little Death),, Martin McGrath ACS (Rake, Jack Irish, The Fatal Shore), Louis Irving ACS (Tangle, Packed to the Rafters, Dr Blake Mysteries), and renowned Directors, Adrian Wills (Redfern Now) and Ian Watson (Anzac Girls, Janet King, Packed to the Rafters), will explore and discuss the collaborative spirit, development, popularity and technical achievements that continue to drive Television Drama here at home and internationally.
SONY @ SMPTE 2015
 Nick Buchner |
Sony Stand D22, Royal Hall of Industry, Moore Park.At SMPTE 2015 Sony is showcasing its latest technologies that address professionals needs for diverse content creation and production applications, from the most recent camera developments to a demonstration of High Dynamic Range display. ~ Sony Australia Senior Product Marketing Manager for Content Creation, Nick Buchner. Sony Products on display include:
- CBK-55BK Documentary Dock for PMW-F55/F5 CineAlta 4K Digital Cinematography Cameras
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PXW-FS7 4K Digital Cinematography Camera
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BVM-X300 OLED Master Monitor demonstrating High Dynamic Range (HDR)
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Hawkeye Innovations
A Sony Company
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A selection of Sonys professional camcorders, wireless microphone systems and professional media solutions will also be displayed
ARRI @ SMPTE 2015
ARRI Shines bright with ALEXA XT, ALEXA Mini and AMIRA cameras and new SkyPanel lights This years SMPTE sees ARRI represented on several stands at the exhibition
- Canon Stand ~ features the versatile documentary-style AMIRA camera.
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Lemac Stand ~ displaying a fully operational ALEXA XT (Xtended Technology) camera
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John Barry Sales Stand have an ALEXA Mini the compact, lightweight and self-contained camera that is a versatile additional tool in the ALEXA camera range.
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Barbizon Stand has the first two SkyPanel LED fixtures, compact, ultra-bright and high-quality LED soft light that sets a new standard for the industry a first for ARRI Australia.
FUJIFILM @ SMPTE 2015
FUJIFILM focuses on Fujinon Lenses for every Season Stand N001, in the foyer of The Horden Pavilion.The entire range of FUJINON Cabrio cine/ENG-style lens series will be on hand, demonstrating their capabilities in the fields of live broadcasting, television, studio production, TVCs, music videos and more. Lenses including its latest Cine-Style, broadcast studio, and field lenses.
VIDEOCRAFT @ SMPTE 2015
Come see the latest in Mobile Production:
The MPC truck
In the Courtyard between the Horden Pavilion and Royal Hall of IndustriesVideocraft will demonstrate just how flexible mobile broadcasting, editing and production can be with their powerful mobile production solutions and the latest addition to their live production arsenal, the new 4K ready Videocraft FlyPak demonstrating its flexibility and power for the most demanding projects.
LEMAC @ SMPTE 2015
Come and visit Lemac at SMPTE 2015 - Stand D28 - to help us celebrate 40 years at the forefront of the Australian motion picture industry. As the experts in end to end solutions, we will have a vast array of cameras, lenses, monitors, recorders and support equipment on display. Our stand is packed full of opportunities to get hands on with a great range of equipment, so drop by for a test drive!
ACS ONLINE SHOP
Buy online. Easy. Convenient. Secure.
100% of all proceeds support ACS activities and events. All ACS Merchandise, Publications, Clothing, Accessories and Awards Re-orders are available through our ACS ONLINE SHOP. Take a look. Every cent of purchases go toward supporting the ACS, a not-for-profit organisation. The ACS Shop is managed solely by ACS volunteers.
Purchase options include credit card and PayPal and is fully secure. Shipped to your door or local Pick Up (Melbourne)
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Have you heard of the Motion Picture Industry Benevolent Society?
LEND A HELPING HANDMPIBS 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.
CINEMATOGRAPHER EDWARD GOLDNER MOVES TO ARRI ALEXA
Multi ACS award-winning cinematographer Edward Goldner recently made the decision to upgrade his camera arsenal to include a new ALEXA XT purchased from and supplied by ARRI Australia. Goldner, recent winner of the John Leake OAM ACS Emerging Cinematographer Award explained,
Purchasing a camera was a big decision for me and I spent a great deal of time weighing up. Being able to tailor an individual look for different projects is something I really value. I had to be confident that any equipment I went with would be malleable to the needs of totally different jobs. That said I quickly saw that the ALEXA XT was what I was looking for. Goldner started out shooting on film, something he has kept up even in recent years. He continued, Ive always felt really comfortable with film cameras in the sense that they capture beautiful images whilst the cameras themselves are simple and feel like an extension of your body. The ALEXA has been the only other camera that has come close to this for me, in as much as I have a confidence in the format and dont get too caught up feeling like Im tethered to a computer. The XT in particular was also ideal for me given its different formats options.
Goldner is a purist to his craft. The choice of camera was important but it was the look, feel and results that ultimately swayed him towards the ALEXA. He added,
For me, the ALEXAs colour reproduction and latitude have always been its main selling point. My interest in a camera is more to do with good skin tones and being able to push lighting as opposed to having huge amounts of resolution. As I mentioned earlier, the build of the camera is also great. Very solid and straightforward.
Goldner says that he most often shoots TV commercials alongside the occasional music video and movie and that most projects prefer to shoot 2K ProRes due to the quick turnaround and simple data management although he now sees an increase in shooting ARRIRAW adding, I have done a couple of TVCs and films this year on ARRIRAW, which is always my personal preference. With a bit of planning, Ive found the workflow to be just as manageable as 2K ProRes. I shoot in a broad range of environments and have found the camera handles everything well - often better than I do. I find that the ALEXA is very flexible when moving between structured and run-and-gun style projects. Its generally just a case of selecting appropriate accessories to complement the project in question. For Goldner the flexibility of the ALEXA XT is something that initially attracted him to the camera but is now a necessity and one of his favourite things about it as he explained, The ALEXA XT accommodates a really broad range of job requirements. For projects that are to be shown on a large screen or require a lot of post, I find that the RAW and 3.2K ProRes options are perfect. The camera's 4:3 sensor is also great in that it allows for racking room along with real estate for post to stabilise and extend without having to majorly crop into the image. On the other hand, the camera's 2K ProRes option is so manageable on a data level and quick to work with, that its incredibly helpful on jobs with a fast turnaround. All in all he is particularly pleased with his new ALEXA XT as his camera of choice. For a busy cinematographer being able to learn and grow with your camera is important as Goldner concluded, I love that images out of the ALEXA are so incredibly customisable in comparison to some earlier digital options, where the format had an incredibly ingrained look. For me, a great excitement in my work is using unique lenses and filters to best capture whatever project I'm working on at the time. With the ALEXA I find the 4:3 sensor to be a Godsend in that I can shoot anamorphic without losing the beautiful artifacts that are cropped when shooting with a 16:9 sensor. I often shoot with older lenses too, which often have coverage issues on other digital formats, whereas this is far less of an issue with the ALEXA.
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