Kieran

15 minutes ago, kye said:

So, about the Pocket 2 then....

It's gonna be amazing ?

I've put up with all of the shortcomings of the original pocket because of the image. So this one will be a luxury.  

John Brawley is a pro cinematographer and we should be grateful he shares his experience and insights on this forum. Seeing him harangued by Jon Pais, a pedant who's oeuvre mainly consists of filming unwitting subjects in his local cafe, is just ridiculous. If we want more of the calibre of John Brawley posting on here, we shouldn't tolerate the constant argumentative overly defensive crapola spouted by Pais. Personally I'd like to see him banned. At least that would give him more time for his, ahem, 'filmmaking'. 

It's looking good to me. A few questions if you don't mind.

 What lens were you using on that night shoot?  How do you think the image compares to your 1DXmk2? And are you happy with your purchase?

On 25/05/2018 at 3:14 PM, anonim said:

 

 

I was very impressed by these films when I saw them on JB's blog at the time. Very cinematic looking and great skin tones with fantastic stabilisation. It was only the aliasing evident on that petrol station roof which put me off buying the EM5 mkll at the time.  However an EM5 mkIII with 4K and IBIS must be due very soon and if they have fixed those aliasing issues, it could well be a serious challenger to the BMPCC4K for those looking for a filmic image. 

2 hours ago, Anaconda_ said:

Quicker link for those who want to sign: http://www.change.org/p/blackmagic-design-we-ask-blackmagic-design-to-add-super-16-windowed-mode-to-pocket-4k-camera

Already signed this when I saw it on Facebook. I'm hoping Blackmagic will take notice. I bought quite a few S16 cine lenses for my BMPCC including the very lovely Angenieux 17-68mm, the Angenieux 25mm 0.95 and a set of de-clicked Kiev 16U primes. It would be great to have the option of S16 in higher resolution on the new camera. 

7 minutes ago, Axel said:

jonpais paraphrased Frank Glencairn, who in spirit (if not literally) wrote that battery whiners were sissies. Did he intend to insult gays? Well, english is not my native language, but to me "sissy" sounds more like "pantywaist". Frank is living in Bavaria, a country that's not famous for diplomacy or political correctness or much respect for "snowflakes". 

I read Frank's blog and unless I missed it, he didn't use that word at all or anything like it. He just said people should quit whining. Jon Pais attributed it to him in order to passively aggressively use it himself I think. 

4 hours ago, jonpais said:

so deep. maybe cut back on the boozing...

What exactly is your problem, creepy robot-voice man? 

I wonder if this will turn out to be Lars Von Trier's last full length feature film. He had such a terrible time making it that he turned back to alcohol after many years of sobriety.  His next announced project is a series of short black and white films which he hopes will make him feel good again. 

He is 62 which is not ancient by any means but in recent interviews he looks like his health has deteriorated quite badly.  He has a constant tremor which I suspect is Parkinson's Disease or a similar neurological condition.

I hope I'm wrong about this as I'd like to see more features from this important artist. 

45 minutes ago, anonim said:

and responsibility of UK people and government for million-rate serial killing in Syria or Libya
 

That's a dangerous statement, holding 'UK people' responsible is the kind of attitude which makes a suicide bomber feel justified in wiping out as many civilians as possible. What we're discussing is only a movie that actors agreed to take part in and no-one was hurt.  The themes in the movie may be sick and twisted but you don't have to watch it. I'll reserve judgement on it until I've actually seen it. I may well hate it.

45 minutes ago, anonim said:

it is empty, oportunistic and desperately mainstream-disguised pretentious. It is miserable kitsch in trying to provoke in cheap and stupid manner, quite properly choose to touch not humanity, but egocentrically boring community that provide money for such achievement.

You could be right - but have you actually seen it yet?

@jonpais Downvoting me for pointing out the facts, eh? Lol, you really are very childish for a 61 year old. 

1 minute ago, Thpriest said:

The C100 hasn't got the sharpest LCD and the angles are limited. I'm considering selling the C100 mk1 and getting the C100mk2 because of the flexible LCD and useable EVF.

Yes those things are an improvement for sure but maybe the lack of 4K might be an issue in the future  

Having said that none of the films nominated for best cinematography at this years Academy Awards were shot in 4K which puts things in perspective. 

14 minutes ago, jonpais said:

You are talking crap now. 

No I'm not. It is you who talking out of your arse without checking the facts. 

According to Canons website the C100 mark 2 weighs 1020g and the C200 weighs 1430g. It's considerably bulkier too. Basically a C100 on steroids. 

6 minutes ago, jonpais said:

You are joking, right? A 5” monitor suddenly makes the GH5 unwieldy? In fact, it is quite compact, even for a 61 year-old who never goes to the gym!

Jon, you're talking crap (and not for the first time). The C200 is larger and heavier than a C100. 

11 hours ago, Thpriest said:

I had been using the C100 mk1 (without DPAF) for a while for weddings and corporate work. It's a lovely camera but it has a poor LCD and a minuscule EVF but the magnification whilst filming resolves a lot of problems but not all. After a couple of years I found it a bit heavy, especially on a wedding shoot (12 hours here). 

What problems are you finding with the C100 LCD? And have you tried the magnified monochrome image with colour peaking setup? I find I can nail manual focus all the time with that setup. I do sometimes add the BM video assist to the camera for the luxury of a larger LCD - but it does add noticable weight. 

Have you considered the new BM pocket 4K? It's not out yet obviously, but it is compact, has a built in 5" screen and I expect it will be a pleasure to use. I've pre-ordered one and personally can't wait to get my hands on one. 

35 minutes ago, jonpais said:

I'm sorry, but throwing a five-inch monitor on the hot shoe is not going to make the camera nearly as large or as heavy as a Canon C200. 

He said the C100, not the C200. The C100 without a lens is actually a surprisingly light camera especially if you use the smaller size canon battery with it. 

4 hours ago, Thpriest said:

I use Canon APSC lenses with a speedbooster (Sigma 18-35 and 50-150 and I have the 18-135 and a 17-50) so lenses are not so much of a problem. The problem is that the GH5 is now becoming quite heavy and if I add a SmallHD Focus it will have become larger and heavier than the C100! The 4k is nice in the GH5 though.

No matter how light your camera is, those lenses will always be heavy to carry around. If weight is an issue, have you considered M43 lenses for your GH5?

When I'm lugging around my heavy Canon gear, I often wish I could just shoot instead with a couple of BMPCCs, smaller lenses and an external audio recorder, but unfortunately smaller is not better when it comes to making an impression on a client.

5 hours ago, Damphousse said:

I think in the little artsy fartsy corner of the movie world people just get so full of themselves that they just gush about oddball weird stuff like this Lars' characters work.  And simultaneously people reject quality work because it is too popular or because it is put out by a big faceless multibillion dollar company.  I've gotten old enough and mature enough that I know what I like.  I don't have to watch pretentious artsy movies just to seem sophisticated.

Let's be honest.  A lot of movies suck and these artsy movies are not immune.

If you are really old and mature, then you should have outgrown these silly superhero movies by now. They are OK on occasion as a guilty pleasure (a bit like a McDonalds meal), but you should look for something with a bit more sustenance, something which might stay with you after the credits have rolled, something which might inform you or make you see the world differently. It could even be entertaining too.  Hollywood only seems to make films for kids (and kidults) these days. We're living in an age of mass infantilism.  

Before he became a persona non grata, Kevin Spacey did a course on acting for the website Masterclass.com. He worked with a group of student actors on refining their performances and the results were incredible. He was able to transform a lot of 'showy' performances into something more truthful. He was also able to transform lacklustre performances into genuinely powerful ones. It was amazing to watch. Since his fall from grace, the course has been removed from the website, but if you ever get the chance to see it, it's definitely worth it.

9 minutes ago, Thpriest said:

 

Hmm...I worried that this might be the case.

I might have to really consider selling the GH5 and buying a second hand Canon C100 mk2. As I get older (43 at the moment) I find that my eyes get more tired on long shoots. I'm realling beginning to miss being able to punch in to check focus when filming as well as accurate one touch autofocus 

It's depends what's important to you and whether you already have EF lenses. The GH5 of course has 4K and IBIS. The C100 is HD only and no IBIS but has a larger sensor, Canon colour science - and if you have clients on set, they will be much more impressed by it visually, which makes them feel they are getting their money's worth.  (when I use a dslr or mirrorless for video, I still get comments like 'oh, are you only shooting stills? When I have the C100 it gets lots of admiring looks and comments such as 'that looks expensive').  I set my C100 up using a 'cheat sheet' by the late Matt Davis. To check focus I push the button under my thumb on the handgrip and I get a magnified monochrome view with coloured peaking. I can easily move the view around with the little joystick on the handgrip and I can do all of this while recording too. As I'm also at the age where my near vision is not so good, when filming, I  wear a pair of off the shelf 'ready readers' with a strong magnification so that my eyes can easily see at very close distance. 

I also have the G80 / G85 for when I need to go small or handheld or want 4K for reframing options. Not having a punch in option (except in manual mode) is a little annoying as it would be nice to check the autofocus is accurate - but I have come to trust it.

It might be a good idea get your actors to watch a film (or even a scene) which has a similar mood to what you are trying to capture. At least then they will know what you are aiming for. Some directors like to play music on set before shooting to set the tone for the scene. 

If nothing works, then consider recasting if possible. It's been said that casting correctly is 90% of the work of a film. An exaggeration of course, but you get the point. 

3 hours ago, racer5 said:

http://www.indiewire.com/2018/05/peta-defends-lars-von-trier-the-house-that-jack-built-duck-mutilation-1201965931/

Thanks racer. I'm pleasantly surprised that it was faked after reading how John C. Reilly once quit a LvT film (Manderlay) because of a scene where a donkey is killed. 

Great stuff! I think you are ready to make a feature.

Politics aside, here's an interesting interview with the cinematographer about the shooting of the film and the cameras & lenses used:

https://www.afcinema.com/Cinematographer-Manuel-Alberto-Claro-DFF-discusses-Lars-Von-Trier-s-The-House-That-Jack-Built.html?lang=en

I've seen most of his previous films and I expect I will watch this at some point but I also expect I will be repulsed and disgusted by some scenes.  I hope the duckling mutilation was faked. 

1 hour ago, Bozzie said:

Thanks. Not handled. I used the 'Tripod Dolly Technique'. Basically, you mount the camera on the tripod, shorten the back leg and push forward onto your subject. It's a frugal favourite  Plenty of vids on YouTube that can do a much better job of explaining than I can!

-- B

Ah yes I know that technique... Thanks for clarifying.

Nice grade. Was this handheld? How were you getting those smooth movements?