The place to discuss, share content and offer advice and tips on all things lighting, framing, cameras, lenses and technique
RB’s latest Coffee & Content spotlights a Panavision chat with Oona Menges BSC about shooting Ruby Speaking. Her approach is all character first: natural light, honest blocking, and camera choices that put you in Ruby’s world. The takeaway for us DPs is simple: stop chasing “pretty” and let light, l...
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Just shot this using a 3 axis gimbal on a moving deck at sea. Any suggestions to make it even more stable?
What about in post with DaVinci Resolve, Premier Pro?
Timelapsers, what's your secret?
Incredible shot, Morgan Aitken!
Both Premiere Pro and DaVinci should be able to stabilize the footage.
There's another application that I hadn't thought about until I submitted the above footage to the team dirt-side doing post... Adobe After Effects apparently can handle the stabilization and it might...
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... was going to mention AE too ...
Gorgeous shot Morgan Aitken ! I've had better luck with stabilization in After Effects than Premiere in my experience.
Our team here in North Carolina are ramping up pre-production on our next short film. Today I spent time at Charlotte Film Rentals testing the Sony FX6 and selecting the right lenses for this project.
What are you working on? What is your dream cinematography setup?
I really do Maurice Vaughan! It's a gorgeous step up and out of the DSLR filmmaking world and a good entry point into cine cameras and larger budget indie projects. I love its built-in neutral density...
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Sounds like a great camera, Lindsay Thompson! What's the neutral density filter for?
That’s awesome, Lindsay Thompson! Curious to hear more about your short film—narrative, doc, experimental?
Ashley Renee Smith A period narrative called "The Shape of Kindness." :-)
Ooooook teeeee! That's a gorgeous rig! However, my dream kit would be something like recording spectacles that had the same quality, and stabilization, and could output in 12k raw.
When time slips, gear breaks, or the ask changes mid-day, the job is simple to say and hard to do. Protect the story. Keep the look. Land the performances.
– Call a quick 2-minute huddle with the director, 1st AD, gaffer, key grip, and 1st AC. Name the problem, restate the scen...
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I've only used handheld gimbals so far, but I really want to get into body vest and stabilizer gimbals.
Thanks for the answers, Lindsay Thompson. I wonder if actors wear body vests and stabilizer gimbals in 1st-person POV movies and scenes.
Maurice Vaughan Oh yeah! Snori cams have been around for a while. Check out this shoot from Bad Boys 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTN6xzjh4rw...
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That's incredible, Lindsay Thompson! Thanks for sharing the video. I really want to write a full 1st-person POV script now!
Lindsay Thompson That “simplify the plan, not the story” line is gold.
What's up DP crew? Who is shooting what this week? Better yet... who is shooting the best story? As a DP, I'm obsessed with story. It's at the very foundation of what we do.
I recently started teaching an intro to production class a couple of nights a week at the local junior college. I decided that...
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My crew and I are currently in pre-production for an upcoming short called The Shape of Kindness. It's a fairy tale-esque meets legend thriller that we intend to film in the Oct/Nov time frame. We're...
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"We thought maybe we could break it up into smaller chunks, but then... we just couldn't." - Seth Rogen. Truer words have never been spoken
Thanks for sharing, Pat! This is great!
Heads up, Cine Lounge! Quick community updates and easy wins this week
Great for new and longtime members. Live tour of features, Q&A, plus a posting challenge where one person wins a free Stage 32 webinar. If you cannot join live, register anyway to get...
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Hey everyone! I’m See Ting, a junior videographer and aspiring cinematographer. I’ve been looking at the filmmaking and production scene here in Singapore and in Malaysia, but it feels like there aren’t many opportunities compared to other places.
I’m curious:
How’s the demand for filmmakers or cinema...
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Welcome to Stage32! I can't speak for the market in SE Asia but certainly want to bid you the best of luck in networking here at S32.
Thank you!
Oh this is great! Thank you for sharing, Amanda!
RB’s new Coffee and Content features a Panavision roundtable where top DPs discuss the techniques that actually keep them sharp on set. Think viewfinders, light meters, yes, coffee, plus the personal rituals that help them prep and know when a shot is ready. Names you know are in the mix, like Shell...
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What an incredible breakdown of craft and creativity, this IndieWire piece is a must-read for any cinematographer or visual storyteller. It’s fascinating to see how each DP approached their series with a unique mix of camera systems, lens choices, and lighting philosophies.
How do we move fast, protect the performance, and still bring back a beautiful sequence?
This is where coverage gets tricky. You need enough to build the scene, but not so much that you burn out your actors, lose the light, or chip away at the tone. Let’s break it down.
•...
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Great tips, Lindsay Thompson! Screenwriters ask themselves "what's the scene about?" I've learned directors, actors, etc. do the same thing. And I found out from your post cinematographers do it too....
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This is amazing, Lindsay Thompson. Every point here speaks to the dance between precision and intuition that defines a great cinematographer’s process. That idea of “shooting with purpose, not panic”...
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