the "BattleStar Galactica" look

N

nbknas

New member
Has anyone seen the BattleStar Galactica? I love that look, I always wanted to do that kind of look in some of my films.

I'm wondering, can a prosumer camera manage to do such a look? It has a weird film like quality but its own unique way. I think they shoot with HD, but not sure what cameras they use though.
 
heck they might use the HVX...seems there's always a DVX as a prop whenever they do those scenes with reporters running around. no seriously they probably use a varicam - seeing they do use the DVX's - keeping it panasonic if you know what i mean.
 
but they shoot HD picture.. so when they use those cameras, do they convert it to 30fps for normal tv and keep the HD version for HDTV?
 
I'm kind of new to the HD thing. Does HD have one fps or can they shoot in HD in multiple speeds? Like Battlestar galactica looks good on a normal television, so does that mean they have a good way of converting?
 
According to CINEMATOGRAHY magazine, Battlestar Galactica is using Sony Cine Alta F900's. The original miniseries was film, but the actualy TV series has been all HD. This is one of the reasons it has a more "present edge" look to it.

That, and of course, the prolific use of SHAKICAM!!!!!!

Are you Shakicam Certified?

www.cafepress.com/shakicam


Tommy Mack
EVS
 
They crush their blacks, blow their whites and use a prolfic amount of shakicam. I would wager a light amount of desaturation. Then... you're into art direction and lighting from there on out.
 
I've always thought the Battlestar look was cool. Surprised to find out it's shot on video.

What constitutes the original miniseries? Are you talkinga about the pilot episode to this series (season 1) or the Battlestar series from decades ago?
 
Old school Battlestar rocks! I haven't seen the new series. Is it worth checking out? I'm not a fan of Babylon 5, SG-1 or anything like that... do y'all think I'd like the new battlestar?
 
I don't know. Maybe. I've been an SG1 fan since the first day it aired on showtime. But I've never got into Star Trek or all the shows like it. The new Battlestar is good but it feels kind of slow to me. I really like it but I have a hard time getting into it. If that makes any sense. It just doesn't grab me the way other great shows do. It's very serious all the time and I can't say the characters are really "lovable" the way characters can be in other series. But it's style is really cool and maybe that's why I watch it. Of course I don't follow it weekly either, I just watch an episode here and there. So that could be my problem.

I will say this, if you like Sci-Fi at all it's worth at least cheacking out. The set design, the props, the costumes, the acting and the everything are really well done. Makes it feel like a real world. A lot of shows have that overglossed look (and why does every spaceship have sliding doors, is that really more efficient? Just a beef of mine) that makes it feel fake to me. The visual style of Battlestar also excellent. So from an art perspective at the very least, take a look.
 
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There is a new Battlestar? tells you how much tv I watch. do they have these guys?
cylon.jpg
 
There's a reason NEWSDAY called it the best show on television.

It's very dark. Extrordinarily dark. It's so not cheezy like the 70's show. It's everything Star Trek isn't.

It's a great video workflow. I'll find the article....

tm
 
Battlestar and Supernatural I think are the best series on the air right now.. mostly for the actors.. (my four cents)
 
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