Putting The Induro Hi-Hat To The Test

Hi-hats and low-hats have long been a staple support accessory allowing cinematographers to get the camera as close as possible to the ground. You wouldn't think that much could be done to change or improve upon their age old design. It is precisely this thinking that Induro is challenging with their first entry into the accessory market for filmmakers - the Induro Hi-Hat. Continue reading for my experiences with this accessory, and for where I see it fitting into production life.

Repurposing A Photographers Tool For Cinema Use

Since the DSLR revolution began, we in the filmmaking community have been repurposing photography equipment to create motion pictures. I recently stumbled across another tool used by photographers that can be repurposed for our needs: the Pocket Wizard. Continue reading to see how to use this tool on your sets.

How To Turn Your Garage Into A Studio For Under $500

I'll be the first to admit nothing replaces a professionally built sound stage or studio. I've had the opportunity to shoot on a wide variety of stages and I appreciate what they bring to a production. However, I have also needed a space where I could shoot some of my stock footage, as well as record my training videos. And I need that space to be affordable and accessible to me at any time. So I converted my garage into a mini "studio." To learn how I got this done for under $500, continue reading ...

The Urban Legend of 18% Grey

18% grey as recorded by the Epic, 5D MKIII, F65, GH2, & Alexa

Ever since I picked up my first camera I've been on a pursuit to create visually compelling imagery. A big part of my education has come from taking classes and reading books written by those who have come before me. One of the early lessons I learned was about the importance of 18% grey, and how that value fit the Zone System in obtaining proper exposure. But what if what I was taught wasn't quite as solid as I was led to believe? Read on to find out why I now think 18% grey is an urban legend, and how that impacts us in todays digital age ...

My New Favorite Meter: The 478 (A Review)

As you can tell from the title of this post I am very impressed with Sekonic's latest meter- the 478. Over the last couple of years I have been able to offer my insights into how I, as a cinematographer, use their light meter (The 758) and where it could be improved upon. And, in my opinion, the 478 addresses just about all of my critiques. Read on for a detailed listing of the new features as well as what to be aware of when using this new meter.

The Problem With Digital Cameras & My Secret Solutions

Thanks to many innovations in technology, digital cinema cameras are continuing to improve in quality by leaps and bounds. The mere fact that we can now shoot at an actual EI of 800 and have clean useable images with 13-14 stops of dynamic range was unthinkable just a couple of years ago. However, the pristine images that these cameras are delivering have introduced a new problem that we haven't had to think about until now: the images are getting too good. They are too clean. Read on for why I think this is a problem, and what to do about it.

How To Custom Score & Grade Your 48hr Film Fest: Or Why Preproduction Matters

I recently participated as the cinematographer for the team 'Bad A 5K' in the 2012 Portland 48hr Film Festival. Not only did we take 1st Place (Best Film) and Best Cinematography, in a competition against 55 other teams, but we did a full color grade, had our film scored, fully sound designed, and built a fully functioning custom prop / ray gun! On top of that, we managed to show up to early to turn our film in - we had to wait an HOUR until they would allow us to submit it. Here is the secret to our success ...