Cinematography

The place to discuss, share content and offer advice and tips on all things lighting, framing, cameras, lenses and technique

Florin Şumălan
How Mushroom Time-Lapses Are Filmed - WIRED

"Louie Schwartzberg is a pioneering artist who has filmed some stunning footage of mushrooms growing over the course of 40 years. WIRED goes behind-the-scenes with Louie to find out how these amazing time-lapses were made for Netflix's Fantastic Fungi."

https://youtu.be/5yq0_mqN97s?list=PL3DZFHayPUwT...

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Kevin Jackson

This is really nice footage for real. Any chance we could get him to do a webinar of Stage32?

Florin Şumălan

I like too very much the footage he got. Have you seen "Moving Art" series from him? If not, perhaps you wish to take a look (or maybe more looks). I think it's great what he did on those episodes; ve...

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Ashley Renee Smith

Kevin Jackson, great suggestion! I'll look into it and see what I can do. =)

Ashley Renee Smith

Florin Şumălan, thank you so much for sharing this video! It's incredible. I'd never heard about Louie, but his work is so beautiful and unique!

Ashley Renee Smith
DPReview Closing After 25 Years!

Crazy news for all the camera and lens enthusiasts here at Stage 32, apparently Amazon has decided to shut down DPReview and delete all of the site's content! They're also shutting down the DPReview TV YouTube channel. It's the end of an era.

With DPReview going away, where will everyone go for thei...

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DPReview is Shutting Down
DPReview is Shutting Down
DPReview, easily one of the most beloved publications among photography enthusiasts, will shut down and its content will be deleted. The website was caught up in the recent layoffs that hit Amazon and…
Amanda Toney
Explaining Hollywood: How to get a job as a cinematographer for film and TV

This was an awesome read from the LA Times, let me know your thoughts after reading: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-03-16/exp......

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Explaining Hollywood: How to get a job as a cinematographer for film and TV
Explaining Hollywood: How to get a job as a cinematographer for film and TV
Sometimes when you're watching a film or TV show, you can't help notice what the camera is doing. Take, for example, the movie "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)," which is told through…
Tasha Lewis

Can you respond to my direct messages? Thank you in advance!

João Nobre

Wonderful story!

A direction for filmmakers, filmmakers. I hope my investment comes through soon.

Ashley Renee Smith

This is a great article! Thank you for sharing, Amanda!

Gareth Taylor
Joining the conversation

Hi everyone. Happy to discover this lounge. I've been shooting films, docs, commercials and music videos for nearly 15 years. I'm from Switzerland and based in Los Angeles.

Ashley Renee Smith

Welcome to the Stage 32 community, Gareth Taylor! Your reel is beautiful!

Christopher Elizalde
Hiatus

hiatus 

Ashley Renee Smith
James Friend's Oscar 95 Win!

I'm not going to lie, it's been YEARS since the last time I had almost no awareness of the DP who won the Oscar for Best Cinematographer. I feel so out of the loop! I clearly should have prioritized watching All Quiet on the Western Front and I need to correct that asap. While I'm educating myself o...

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Cinematographer James Friend Thanks Parents For Letting Him "Join The Circus Of The Film Industry" As He Accepts First Oscar
Cinematographer James Friend Thanks Parents For Letting Him "Join The Circus Of The Film Industry" As He Accepts First Oscar
James Friend won the Oscar tonight in the Best Cinematography category for his work on Edward Berger's All Quiet on the Western Front , beating out fellow cinematographers Darius Khondji, Mandy Walker…
João Nobre

I saw the movie. Perfect photography by James. This is the follow-up in photography. Looking where many don't look. Sensitivity in the eyes. That kind of photography runs in my veins with my blood. I like that simple, dynamic look!!!

Ashley Renee Smith

João Nobre, are there other movies or series that you feel have similar simple but dynamic qualities that you would suggest to the community? I'd love to know what your favorites are and why....

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João Nobre

Hi Asheley !

Sorry for the delay in responding !

Similar is THE REVENTED with LEONARDO DI CAPRIO, it is in that sense that it is a film of a well made story where Emmanuel Lubezki had this similar aspec...

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João Nobre

Well, everyone sees it from one aspect. Because I work in journalism and throw up a lot of text, as the cameraman that I am, you work with the camera learning various frames. Because the written text...

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João Nobre

Asheley, I didn't participate in or create a film, but I worked a lot with journalistic stories and worked in a CINEMA LABORATORY UNIVERSITY. Something that helped me in some techniques. Another was t...

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Nathan Woodward
Too Much Toland?

Is there such a thing as too much Toland?

I am often asked who my favorite insert artistic occupation here is. I am often forced to ask the question “Are we talking classic or contemporary?” I make that delineation because I believe it is important to respect the shoulders’ of the giants our modern...

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Nathan Woodward

One of our many practice shoots for The Master's House

Nathan Woodward

Same as above

Amanda Toney

Nathan, your Salton Sea photos are incredible. Would love to see more of them if you'd be willing to post!

Nathan Woodward

Amanda Toney Hi there Amanda, I will post more of them first chance I get :-) Do you like the comparison of Black and White to their color counterparts?

Amanda Toney

Absolutely love the black and white and color counterparts. Each tells its own distinct story - same image, but with the color differences it's a different story.

What is the name for shots in movies that use the camera to send a message to the reader?

working on a project and want to look into films that do just that

Nathan Woodward

Hi there Freddie. I'm trying to understand your question. At it's heart, every shot in a movie uses the camera to send a message to the reader.

You don't put shots in a screenplay - that's bad form. Wh...

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Amanda Toney
Mandy Walker wins for Elvis (ASC Awards)
ASC Awards: 'Elvis' Cinematographer Mandy Walker Takes Top Film Prize; 'The Old Man' Is Double TV Winner - Full List
ASC Awards: 'Elvis' Cinematographer Mandy Walker Takes Top Film Prize; 'The Old Man' Is Double TV Winner - Full List
Elvis cinematographer Mandy Walker took the top film prize at the 37th annual ASC Awards, which were handed out tonight at the Beverly Hilton. She is the first woman to win the ASC's marquee trophy. S…
Ashley Renee Smith

It was so inspiring to see a female cinematographer stand out in the strongest category of the night! I was also so excited to see David Mullen win for his amazing DP work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The visuals of that show are breathtaking.

Jordan Smith

Breaking ground and well deserved!Although I thought Baz went a little to strong on that movie, Austin Butler's acting and Mandy's visuals were stunning.

Shellie Schmals
Oscar Films + their camera lenses ...

Neat trivia to check out >>

Do we have any Stage 32 members using any of the equipment below?

Share your experience - was your film similar in tone or genre to the Oscar nominated one using the same lens?...

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Oscars 2023: Cameras and Lenses - YMCinema - News & Insights on Digital Cinema
Oscars 2023: Cameras and Lenses - YMCinema - News & Insights on Digital Cinema
As usual, we built the charts of the cameras and lenses that were used to shoot the final 95th Academy Awards nominees for Best Picture and Best Cinematography. The results are super intriguing. Explo…
Lindbergh E Hollingsworth

Arri is holding its own this year as most of the films are shot on it. Last year, same thing.

Amanda Toney

Arri for the landslide...wow, you're not kidding Lindbergh E Hollingsworth.

Jordan Smith

Although it's a close kept secret, if you ask around the lens community, most of the Panavision lenses are made from older still photo glass, the reason I mention that is because there are ways to ach...

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Amanda Toney
Roger Deakins podcast

I love me some Roger Deakins - he’s a genius with the Coen brothers films. Here is a podcast I found from him on NPR: https://www.npr.org/2023/02/23/1159128683/academy-award-winning-cinemato... What’s your favorite Deakins film?...

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Academy Award-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins : Bullseye with Jesse Thorn
Academy Award-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins : Bullseye with Jesse Thorn
Roger Deakins got his start as a director of photography in 1977 on the pulpy British drama Cruel Passion. He's since gone on to collaborate with several well-known directors including Sam Mendes, Ron…
Shellie Schmals

Thanks for sharing the podcast! Waaaay too many films to name : Sid & Nancy, O'Brother Where Art Thou, A Beautiful Mind ....

Jordan Smith

For visuals he is second to none, I personally think his influence on animation as a consultant really pushed the technology boundaries while changing the dynamic of "grounding" the camera on reality,...

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Shellie Schmals
"Smile" for the Camera!

Just in time for spooky season - two great articles on the new film "Smile".

First is how the symbol of joy can be captured in the creepiest way ..

https://slate.com/culture/2022/09/smile-movie-marketing-creepy-baseball.html

and the second is how they used that "Smile" for a great marketing campaign .....

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What Makes the Smiles in Smile So Freaking Creepy
What Makes the Smiles in Smile So Freaking Creepy
How can something understood as the universal symbol for joy so easily become the makings of our worst nightmares? Unhappy, unsettling smiles-like those in Todd Phillips' Joker or the truly chilling m…
Geoff Hall

Yes, Maurice Vaughan and I did a review of it, maybe on Stage32 or maybe Amazon. I also sent “RB” a few photos saying ‘this book is so good, you can read it anywhere’! He liked the one attached to thi...

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Maurice Vaughan

You sat in a washer and read the book, Geoff Hall?

Geoff Hall

Maurice Vaughan that’s the story I’m running with. There was another of it posed on a toilet cistern, but “RB” preferred this one!

Maurice Vaughan

"There was another of it posed on a toilet cistern, but “RB” preferred this one!" Wise choice. :)

Ryan Christiansen

This movie is absolutely brilliant!! Loved it! ....and the smiling :) .....even though it was creepy :)

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