Alt Shoo

@MrSMW yea, once clients trust your taste and the look becomes part of what they’re hiring you for, baking it in just makes sense. It shifts the work from “fixing” to actually shooting with intent. I’ve found it especially useful on doc and news style projects where speed matters and consistency is more important than endless options later. As long as the look is designed thoughtfully up front, it’s hard to want to go back.

I think a lot of people wrote Micro Four Thirds off before really paying attention to what changed. Once you start working with the newer Panasonic bodies as a system not just a sensor the color, IBIS, and real time LUT workflow start to make a lot of sense, especially for documentary and run and gun work. I’ve been baking looks in camera more and more instead of relying on heavy grading later and it’s honestly sped everything up. I just put out a short video showing how I’m using that approach on the GH7 if anyone’s interested: My YouTube is more of a testing and experimenting space rather than where I post my “serious” work, but a lot of these ideas end up feeding directly into professional gigs.

I get the appeal. Full frame makes that look easy. The medium format comparison is flattering, not literal. M43 can still do it, but only by design, not by accident.

The camera is boring.

Here’s a quick review.

I think people are mistaking pretty with good cinematography. There’s good cinematography and there’s bad cinematography, and then there’s cinematography that’s right for the movie. In this case it looks right for the movie.

It’s definitely been a tough stretch. Budgets are tighter and clients seem slower to move, even on things that would’ve been quick approvals not long ago. I’m seeing the same pattern where more content is being made but with less real investment behind it. The best move might be putting more time into personal projects that could eventually be licensed or streamed. Even if it only brings in small checks at first, it adds up over time and keeps your creativity active. I still think there’s room for people who know how to make something feel real. The tools are everywhere now, but the connection and emotion still come from experience.

@Snowfun This really hits home. Especially the part about sitting in front of Resolve for hours trying to fix something that might have lost its purpose before the grade even started. The gear cycle has become its own kind of trap. We keep upgrading tools that already do more than we need while forgetting what we were trying to say in the first place. What you’re describing feels less like disillusionment and more like realignment. It’s that moment when you start asking what actually matters and realize the art is in the process, not the specs. Whether it’s a Leica M11M or a P6K, the camera only matters if it helps you express what you feel. I’ve gone through something similar. I’ve realized that storytelling and emotion always outlast sharpness or dynamic range. A phone clip that feels alive will connect more than a perfect cinematic shot that says nothing. You summed it up best at the end. Art in both process and product. That’s the part that stays with me.

For me, the iPhone has been competent for filming since the 13 pro max. I’ve produced whole documentaries with it. Now with the 17 pro max out, with an iPhone and maybe an action camera, I can document high quality content while being extra nimble and incognito.

I definitely prefer to go to the movies when it’s empty. I don’t like the random noises and the constant moving about.

The effects in the movie looks good, but for this film and many recreated versions, it’s too overboard, which gives it a creepy feel. Also I prefer if they keep the characters the same instead of pandering to the masses. These remakes must be making some good ROI because Disney keeps churning them out despite what critics are saying. At this point the only retreat from this is supporting well made indie films.

Hoping they will continue pushing the franchise forward, but realizing the movies they’ve been involved with, the confidence level is low.

I prefer going to the theater when it’s empty. A packed house usually means dealing with loud personal conversations, whining kids, and other distractions. It takes away from actually enjoying the movie. That said, the last time I truly enjoyed a packed theater experience was True Lies. But to be fair, I was a little inebriated… and I was probably the one disturbing the movie. lol

Got it, I see what you’re saying about the DP shooting for the edit rather than fixing things in post. That’s a solid approach when you know exactly what you need, and I respect that. As for pros not talking about gear, I’m not saying they never do. Of course, people in the industry test and discuss new tech, but the difference is that those conversations usually focus on how the gear serves the work, not endless debates over minor details that don’t make or break a project. I don’t have an issue with people being passionate about cameras, I just think the discussion gets lost when it’s more about obsessing over specs than actually applying them to real world filmmaking.

I’m going to check this out. Thanks for sharing this.