Cinematography

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

Ashley Renee Smith
Tips For Shooting A Cinematic Documentary

I just watched this great video with tips and thoughts on documentary visual styles. What do you all think, are these good suggestions to keep in mind? Do you have any that you'd like to add?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7eWCkyyNss...

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Ashley Renee Smith

I'm so glad that you enjoyed it, Maurice Vaughan!

Niki H

Really cool, thanks for sharing Ashley. Some things seem so simple and when you start breaking them down the choices become endless.

Sam Sokolow

This is incredibly cool and with the proliferation of docs so smart for filmmakers to watch this. Thanks, Ashley Renee Smith!

Sam Rivera

what a great share Ashley Renee Smith !

Ashley Renee Smith

Thanks! I hope its helpful.

Mark Giacomin
Archive 81 - and a question of cameras

Hello!

I really enjoyed the series 'Archive 81', and I just watched a short video about cameras that appeared on the show (link below).

I know absolutely nothing about cameras, but was wondering if someone that does could help me out with some queries.

1: If...

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Mario Leone

Super 8 All about Super8

Emily J

So cool! Thanks for sharing!

Mark Giacomin

Ha ha, thanks Mario Leone, funnily enough that is about the only camera I recognise by name.

Mark Giacomin

Hey Sam Rivera, hurrah! Someone that likes it. I wont say too much about it as Mark Deuce will be checking it out, but at times it was very creepy.

Mark Giacomin

Genuinely interested to know what you think, after you have had a chance to watch it Mark Deuce

Gareth Taylor
Networking for cinematographers

Hi everyone! In my latest vlog I discuss the importance of networking. I invited my friend Alicia Robbins to discuss this with me. Check it out.

https://www.stage32.com/blog/cinematography-networking-tips-3556...

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Sam Rivera

Awesome blog Gareth Taylor !

Maurice Vaughan
Coffee & Content: The Spielberg Look

Stage 32’s founder and CEO, Richard “RB” Botto, shares two great videos in today’s blog.

In the first video, StudioBinder breaks down Janusz Kamiński’s cinematography style who collaborated with Steven Spielberg on all of his films for the last three decades.

The second video analyzes a scene from...

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Stephen Folker
Does your camera really matter?

As a cinematographer, so many times potential clients ask me, 'what kind of camera are you shooting with', that I've started to say, 'does it matter'? Many will argue it does, but I disagree. It's a tool. I can build some pretty cool furniture in my garage workshop with generic, not so great tools b...

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Ty Strange

Funny you should mention that lens, Stephen Folker. I've had my eye on that one for the last few weeks.

The short is in the can already. It was an exercise in stepping through the filmmaking process, t...

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Ty Strange

Thx, Stephen Van Vuuren! And nice to meet you. I do enjoy the anamorphic look and the tech behind it. Love the names of your cats!

Harshad Mori

Everyone has own choice and it depends on how you feed light to your camera.

for me atleast if it delivering good resolution and better dynamic range then it's enough.

this can be Blackmagic pocket 6...

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Stephen Folker

Harshad Mori good point! Everyone should have a choice (Red, Arri, Nikon, etc). But the point is, not to get hung up on the camera model. By the way, would love to see your finished film when it's rea...

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Harshad Mori

Stephen Folker you can watch it's trailer on above link on YouTube . you will find full movie on same channel on YouTube. this film was everyone's debut...

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Maurice Vaughan

The water reflection (starting at 0:10) is incredible, Amanda Toney! I wonder how Roger took that shot.

Ashley Renee Smith
Cinematography Networking Tips!

Hey, DPs!

Check out today's great new vlog video from Directors of Photography, Gareth Taylor and Alicia Robbins, sharing their insights and tips for networking as cinematographers!

https://www.stage32.com/blog/cinematography-networking-tips-3556...

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Sam Sokolow

This is a great share for DPs and camera operators - thanks, Ashley Renee Smith!

Florin Şumălan
The Creator Cinematographer Interview: Meet Oren Soffer - Collider Interviews

"...Soffer winds up exceeding all expectations with his work in The Creator. Not only is the finished film packed to the brim with stunning visuals, but Soffer also contributed to developing a production process that could change big-budget filmmaking for the better going forward..."

https://youtu.be...

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Stephen Folker
Soft Lighting on a Budget

Hey everyone, so I'm wrapping up my no-budget feature film and one thing that I love about Cinematography is lighting. It creates a mood for your overall film. And I love working with lighting on a tight budget. Okay..l lied. Where is Mr. Moneybags to fund my next project? In all seriousness, any li...

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Mario Leone

I like to call it visual signature…

Visual signature was used in films like “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.”

Sometimes some of the visuals can make for a very thematic film. This is how people can stand out by creating their own visual signature.

Nathan Woodward

Great post Stephen! Really good and solid advice.

Debbie Croysdale

Tinkering & studying basic lighting tools, free add ons, portable lenses or i phone apps can work magic all depending on imagination of artist. We are swamped with high tech & VFX, yet watching vintag...

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Stephen Folker

Debbie - we are definitely spoiled today. But one things for certain, a specific camera / lens brand doesn't make an image look good. It's the beholder of the tools.

Mario Leone
Lighting Tips

What are the Goals of Good Lighting?

So what is it we want lighting to do for us? There are many jobs, and they include creating an image that has:

• A full range of tones and gradations of tone.

• Color control and balance.

• Shape and dimension in the individual subjects.

• Separation: subjects stand o...

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Mario Leone

James Cameron

Niki H

There is so much that lighting is capable of doing that people don't realize!

Dan MaxXx

I trained to be a colorist at a post-facility, seen amazing raw dailies by the best DP's. Two that stood out above the field are Bob Richardson & Rodrigo Prieto.

Also when you're working with top ppl, the work stress is ramped 10x. Nobody wants to screwup.

Xochi Blymyer

It may be ideas from directors but the Director of Photography and the lighting team - Gaffer and Key Grip that actually set the lights. My dad was a gaffer on many, many feature films. He and his DP...

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Mario Leone

Lighting = Mood :-)

Maurice Vaughan
Coffee & Content: ‘The Killer’ Cinematographer Breaks Down Opening Of Fincher's Netflix Thriller

Stage 32’s founder and CEO, Richard “RB” Botto, shares two great videos in today’s blog.

In the first video, Oscar-winning Director of Photography, Erik Messerschmidt, breaks down the opening of David Fincher’s new thriller, “The Killer.”

In the second video, Nerdstalgic explains “The Dutch Angle” i...

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